Bern-Baby-Bern

Home Remedy Tip

2011-12-20T17:30:00.000-08:00

My 3 month old son has had a cough and cold for a month courtesy of his big sister who brought it home from pre-school. He has been a trooper...until recently. He was fussy because he couldn't breathe and wasn't sleeping.

I tried everything! Humidifier, saline and suction. NO luck. Then my Russian girlfriend said, "Onions! Cut it up and place it in a bowl by his head where he sleeps and he'll be able to breathe." Sure enough it worked! Our room smells like raw onions but at least we're rested.

Thank you Russian home remedy! Happy holidays and may your bedrooms be onion-free during this cold and flu season.

Bern-baby-Bern

Fresh and Easy Holiday Treats Galore!!!

2011-12-09T20:27:00.000-08:00

Last night I attended Fresh and Easy's Holiday party at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA. I was very excited to hop on board this majestic ship since I hadn't been there in over a decade and Cal State Long Beach is also my alma mater (GO 49ers!).

If you've read my previous blogs you'll know that I'm a HUGE F & E fan and the spread at the Verandah Grill will show you why. The evening started off with a variety of hors d'oeuvres such as the shrimp cocktail, goat cheese cranberry log and crackers paired off with my favorite F & E wine Dreamstone.

I had to remember to pace myself because their very own chef Cyndi Perez served up some of their warm pre-made appetizers. My favorites were the risotto cakes, mini beef en croutes and petite quiches. Heat and serve?! That's my kind of cooking. She also whipped up some delicious cranberry glazed skewers all made from F & E products.

We topped the evening off with an abundance of desserts. We sampled pumpkin cheesecake, apple tarts and gingerbread cookies to name a few. My waistline is expanding AS I type but every bite was definitely worth the calories.

Having just given birth to a baby boy 13 weeks ago I was glad to find out that F & E also has complete holiday meals available. You can choose from a turkey, ham or roast beef dinner that includes a variety of side dishes. There will be absolutely NO cooking in my part this Christmas so I'm glad I can count on Fresh and Easy to do the cooking "for" me.

Make sure to stop by your nearest Fresh and Easy store to check out their holiday treats and fresh seasonal floral!!!

Thank you for getting my holiday celebration started of "Fresh" AND "Easy"!!!

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this post. The views expressed are my own personal and honest opinion. Fresh and Easy is dope. PERIOD.

MOM Discount for Disney on Ice "Toy Story 3"!

2011-12-02T10:49:00.000-08:00

Hey Southlanders!

Make sure to take advantage of the MOM discount for Disney on Ice "Toy Story 3"! Use it online or at the box office.

See you there!

Bern-baby-Bern

Disney on Ice "Toy Story 3" coming to the Southland!!!

2011-11-07T08:15:00.000-08:00

If you've never seen a Disney on Ice production NOW is the time to do it!

Join your "Toy Story" favorites Woody, Buzz and Jessie as they hit the ice in this sensational LIVE production coming to the Southland! You can't miss this exciting production as your favorite characters try to escape from Sunnyside daycare and race home to safety!

Click on this link to purchase tickets and view locations AND check back in a few weeks for a mom discount code.

This show will definitely take family fun to infinity and beyond!

Disney's Halloween Interactive Media Event!

2011-10-25T18:06:00.001-07:00

Isabella and I were recently invited to Disney's Interactive Media Halloween bash at the Disney Studios in Burbank and man were we in for some treats!!!

The evening started off with a tour of the Disney lot which included the Archives where we they keep lots of neat historic photos and classic figurines.

Once we returned to the party we previewed their family video games such a "Phineas and Ferb: Across the Second Dimension, Cars 2 and Isabella's favorite Club Penguin.

There were so many crafty stations including decorating your very own Tinkerbell cookie (although my daughter preferred to eat it right away) or creating a very festive Mickey bat.

I also got a chance to check out some cool Halloween ideas on DisneyFamily.com and FamilyFun.com.

And it wouldn't be Halloween without all the yummy treats including Jack Skellington cupcakes and caramel apples!

Thank you Disney for inviting us to preview all the fun and amazing video games!

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this post. The views expressed are my personal and honest opinion.

Treats Galore at Mickey's Halloween Party!!!

2011-10-03T19:34:00.000-07:00

If you enjoy Disneyland and love Halloween then Mickey's Halloween Party is the event for you!

My family and I were treated to enjoy Mickey's Halloween Party for the second year in a row. We started the evening by taking advantage of all the great photo opps with Disney characters decked out in their Halloween costumes. There was even a talking scarecrow that interacted with the guests who was very amusing.

After taking all our awesome photos we moved on to the rides. The Haunted Mansion is a must see with decorations from "The Nightmare Before Christmas" including Jack Skellington and Sally. This year, my daughter was finally old enough to enjoy the Tea Cups, Alice and Wonderland and the grand finale, Captain EO!

We went trick or treating for candy and healthy treats throughout park prior to taking our spot for the "Halloween Screams" fireworks spectacular.

Photo by: Jessica New Fuselier
'Tis the season to be spooky so click on this link to purchase your tickets and enjoy Mickey's Halloween party for 10 nights until October 31st.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this post. I was given tickets to attend the event and the views expressed are my personal and honest opinion.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® "Fully Charged" Mom Flyer Discount!

2011-07-08T16:50:00.000-07:00

Be sure to take advantage of these spectacular family discounts!!!

Click on this link to purchase tickets NOW!

And the Kung Fu Panda Po Wrestler goes to...

2011-06-17T01:26:00.000-07:00

Katrina!!!

Congrats Katrina!

Thank you to all my followers for entering my giveaway!

Bern-Baby-Bern

Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey are "Fully Charged"!!!

2011-06-10T14:52:00.000-07:00

Coming to the Southland July 20 - August 14, 2011
Tickets on Sale June 19

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey invites families to disconnect from the digital world and plug into the most electrifying circus experience ever at the all-new show Fully Charged, where megawatts of thrills explode off the arena floor with breathtaking dare-devilry, superhuman stunts and never-before-seen performances that will energize Children Of All Ages!

Fully Charged celebrates all kinds of “performance power”: horse-power, man-power, athletic power and features amazing circus acts that can only be seen at The Greatest Show On Earth®, including:

The Brothers of Brawn, who are as wide as they are tall, enter the arena.

Tabayara, a dynamic animal trainer whose rare ability to communicate with animals allows him to ride rearing stallions at a fully-charged gallop, orchestrate majestic four-ton Asian elephants in a symphony of dance and stand inside a cage, eye-to-eye with 12 ferocious tigers.

The Danguir Troupe thrills on the high-wire as they execute dangerous stunts and for the first time ever a shoulder to shoulder leap, three stories high!

TICKETS: Show ticket prices range from $12 - $100
All seats are reserved and available at the venue Box Office, online at Ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000.

All ticket holders are encouraged to arrive early for the All Access Pre-Show Power-Up Party. Opening 60 minutes prior to each performance, families can step onto the arena floor to meet the performers, try on costumes, learn circus skills through the CircusFit® program and get a chance to see a remarkable elephant paint a masterpiece, The All Access Pre-Show Power-Up Party is FREE with a purchased ticket!

Kung Fu Panda 2™ Kung Fu Po Wrestler GIVEAWAY!!!

2011-05-31T17:33:00.000-07:00

I am giving away a Kung Fu Panda 2™ Kung Fu Po Wrestler!

Mandatory Entry: Leave a comment stating Who is your favorite "Kung Fu Panda" 1 or 2 character? You must sign in with a Google account. (It takes 1 minute to create if you don't already have one.)

Bonus Entries (leave a comment for each entry - if you put it all in one comment, I'll count it as one entry):

1) Earn one additional entry by following my blog publicly via Google Friend Connect.
If you are already a follower leave it in a separate comment and it will count.
2) Earn one additional entry for following me on Twitter at bernadette923
If you are already a follower leave it in a separate comment and it will count.
3) Earn one additional entry for tweeting this contest (leave a link to your tweet as your comment).

Please follow all the rules or your entry will not count.

This contest is open until Sunday, June 12th 2011 at midnight. I must have a valid way to reach you, so leave me your email address in your comment OR be sure your profile has your email address visible. No duplicate comments will count. This giveaway is open to US residents age 18 and older. Winners will be selected via random.org and must respond within 48 hours of being notified by me or I will select a new winner.

Good luck!

Bern-Baby-Bern

Kung Fu Panda 2: Toys, Treats and a Tour!

2011-05-13T16:22:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago my family and I got a chance to preview Kung Fu Panda 2 at DreamWorks Animation and it was an afternoon filled with fun, toys and treats!!!

My daughter had never seen the first "Kung Fu Panda" so I wasn't sure how she'd enjoy the sequel. When the movie started she was hooked! We all loved the action-packed sequences with the Furious Five and touched by the flashbacks of Po with his family as a baby panda. A new evil peacock villain named Lord Shen, voiced by Gary Oldman, was introduced. We find out that Lord Shen played an intricate role in Po's past and the fate of his panda family.

I thought the overall movie was enjoyable but my only complaint would be that I wish the Asian actors such as Lucy Liu and Jackie Chan played more prominent roles in the movie. Although they were two of the Furious Five characters they had very minimal dialogue. Kudos to casting for choosing the talented James Hong as the voice of Po's adopted father in the form of a hyper noodle-making goose. Overall, I enjoyed the movie and would recommend it to audiences of all ages.

After the screening we got a chance to test out all the "Kung Fu Panda 2" toys by Mattel. My daughter's favorite was the "Smack Talker" Po. It says phrases like, "Whoa hoa!", "You just been PANDA-ED!" and my favorite "SKA-DOOSH!!!". All the little boys gravitated towards the toys that shot off some type of weapon such as the "Kung Fu Cannon" and the "Rickshaw Racer".We could barely pry my daughter from the play mat but after enticing her with some of the tasty treats she agreed to have a few bites before playing again.

We ended our day with a tour of the DreamWorks Campus. The buildings were not of your typical stuffy workplace. It looked like,...well, a college campus! Throughout our tour we saw employees eating lunch, partaking in boot-camp classes and even a health assessment center set up that day especially for the employees. Did I mention they provide all this for free?! By the end of the tour I was wondering where I could drop off an application.

Be sure to catch Po and his friends in "Kung Fu Panda 2" opening on May 26th, 2011!

Thank you to DreamWorks and Mattel for allowing me and my family to participate in the "Kung Fu Panda 2" Awesomeness Event. SKA-DOOSH!!!

Bon VONAGE!!!

2011-05-13T15:58:00.000-07:00

I shot a Vonage commercial earlier this year and wanted to share the final product. It was very exciting despite the fact that I was fighting morning sickness and trying to squeeze my growing body into my non-maternity clothes. Thank goodness for hair, make-up and wardrobe!!!

Here are the 2 versions that are currently out:
Vonage Last Bill International

Vonage World Premium Unlimited

Bern-Baby-Bern

Here We Go Again...

2011-04-21T16:24:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted anything in the last three months and with good reason. It's been very difficult to do so with nausea, migraines and pure exhaustion.

My husband and I discussed having another child last year starting in August. It was one of those discussions that started with, "If we're going to do it we have to do it now." I figured it would be simple because the last time we "discussed" it I was already pregnant. I was disheartened to find out that this time around would not be as easy.

Month after month, negative. By December I began to feel like we should feel blessed to have one child and accept the fact that we were probably going to be a family of three. So during the month of December we agreed that by January we stop "trying". We gave it all away. Rocking chairs, car seats, baby toys you name it we got rid of it. The ONLY stuff I held onto were baby clothes so I could go through and have some as a keepsake of my little baby girl.

Needless to say December was a VERY hectic month: Christmas shopping, holidays and trips out of town. It came and went very quickly so the last thing on my mind was, "Hmmm, when should I get my period?"

January was here and by the 9th I started to get a suspicion that my "little friend" was late for her visit. I bought a test and was curious to see what it would say. I went to a Coffee Bean at 6:45am and asked to use their bathroom. I figured I'd take the test and see the minus sign and not bother my husband with the results. Reason being, every month prior to this I would tell him very excitedly, "I think I'm pregnant!!!" and every month I was wrong. Immediately after I peed on the stick there was a minus sign and I said out loud, "Sad." then placed the stick on top of the sink while I washed my hands. By the time I went to place the stick inside the safety plastic wrapper I saw a positive sign. What the WHAT?!!! I looked into the mirror and all I could see was a giant smile on my face.

I'm ecstatic. Even with the migraines, nausea and exhaustion I look forward to meeting this little person I am growing.

Bern-Baby-Bern

Due Date: September 18th, 2011
Sex: Boy

"In Mother Words" Tickets Giveaway!!!

2011-01-28T06:44:00.000-08:00

You and a friend can join me at Geffen Playhouse on Sat. Feb. 19th @ 3pm for their very special event "Mom's Day Out"!

As moms we work VERY hard, and it's rare that we get an opportunity to take some time out and enjoy the company of other moms in a fun environment, so we're hoping you and a guest will join me for a special afternoon of entertainment featuring the new show, "In Mother Words." This show, written by some of contemporary theater's most talented voices, tackles the subject of motherhood in an eye-opening, hilarious and irresistible night of theater and makes its West Coast debut with award-winning actors Jane Kaczmarek, Saidah Arrika Ekulona and James Lecesne. As the program states, "Whether you are a parent, have a parent or ever want to become a parent, this play will elate and terrify equally - much like motherhood itself."

There will also be a food and drink reception following the show from 4:30pm to 7:30pm.I know I could use a drink.

Mandatory Entry: What TV mom do you admire?

Bonus Entries (leave a comment for each entry - if you put it all in one comment, I'll count it as one entry):

1) Earn one additional entry by following my blog publicly via Google Friend Connect.
If you are already a follower leave it in a separate comment and it will count.
2) Earn one additional entry for following me on Twitter at bernadette923
If you are already a follower leave it in a separate comment and it will count.
3) Earn one additional entry for tweeting this contest (leave a link to your tweet as your comment).

Please follow all the rules or your entry will not count.

This contest is open until Tues, Feb. 15th at midnight. I must have a valid way to reach you, so leave me your email address in your comment OR be sure your profile has your email address visible. No duplicate comments will count. This giveaway is open to US residents age 18 and older. Winners will be selected via random.org and must respond within 48 hours of being notified by me or I will select a new winner.

Good luck!

Bern-Baby-Bern

Tiny Tot Tuesday at the El Capitan with "The Little Mermaid"

2011-01-25T23:59:00.000-08:00

If you have a toddler and avoid the theaters because it's too dark and loud and your kid is too busy trying to cruise the aisles and asking questions during the movie then I have a solution for you!!!

Tiny Tot Tuesday at the El Capitan presents the Disney classic "The Little Mermaid" on January 25th! For this special screening the lights are slightly dimmed, the sound level reduced and the kids are encouraged to dance in the aisles if they get the urge. Parking is conveniently available across the street at Hollywood and Highland with validation.

AND they are offering a "Mommy" code discount to all my readers at $9.00 per ticket.

Don't miss this Disney classic at the historic El Capitan Theater! You'll be glad you did.

Bern-Baby-Bern

Young, Blonde and Beautiful AIN'T Got Nothin' on ME!!!

2011-01-21T08:50:00.000-08:00

The past two days I've gone for a hike @ 6:45AM. I know, crazy but it's the only time I can get it in. Each day I've seen the sun come up and I relax and enjoy the beautiful sunrise while still holding my keys in the "in case an attacker comes out" position in between my fingers. BTW, both days Richard Grieco (AKA Johnny Depp's replacement on "21 Jump Street") has said good morning to me.

Towards the middle of my hike, which is done in a slow yet steady pace, I saw two blonde, beautiful...no stunning (they looked like they were Ford models) in their early 20's in their cute workout matching clothes probably Lulu Lemon or Lucky or just Hot and Young Workout Gear. As they jogged toward me I could hear their conversation:

Hot Girl 1: We should get breakfast...
Hot Girl 2: OMG, totally!!!
Hot Girl 1: You know what sounds good?

As they bounced away from me I couldn't hear the answer but just heard giggling as I slowly strolled away. I remember those days of just being care-free and flying by the seat of my pants. You wanna go hike? SURE!!!! Maybe get mani/pedi's after? Why not?!!! Never having to worry about nap schedules, laundry, dirty dishes in the sink because I was single and only had to worry about me, myself and I. BUT with all those responsibilities comes GREAT joy. Every time my daughter says, "I love you mommy" and wraps her arms around my neck all the work becomes worth it. When she asks to see "Beauty and the Beast" for the 187th time and chimes in during the "Be Our Guest" song when the candlestick says, "Don't believe me..." she yells with anticipation and excitement, "ASK THE DISHES!" then looks to see if I'm as excited as she is. I say to myself, who needs to have an open schedule for spontaneous hikes and mani/pedi's...not me.

I love where I am today as opposed to where I was in my early 20's. My life is richer and fuller. Sure there are some days where it's tough and I have to dig deep and say "just get through it". Good thing I have an extra large shovel.

Thanks for letting me share my random thought of the day.

Bern-Baby-Bern

Holidays at Disneyland

2010-12-08T08:08:00.000-08:00

Celebrating "the most wonderful time of the year" in "the happiest place on earth" is an experience you don't want to miss. Holidays at Disneyland is here with more spirit than ever and I wanted to share some highlights from our amazing visit.

Our day started with cookies and hot chocolate at Aladdin's Oasis. Who doesn't like cookies and hot chocolate?! Especially if it's chocolate-covered and shaped in the form of a famous mouse (which btw was worth every calorie).

Mickey, Minnie, Pluto and Goofy were on hand to pose for holiday photos which we took FULL advantage of. When the lines were empty my daughter went up simply for hugs and handshakes from her favorite clubhouse pals.

We then grabbed front row seats to view the special holiday parade "A Christmas Fantasy". Some of our all time favorite Disney characters such as Woody, Buzz, Belle, Pooh and even ice-skating Mickey and Minnie rode on gigantic colorful floats blowing kisses and spreading holiday cheer to all the guests including my speechless two year old.

My husband was on video duty (as you can see from the photos below) so he got very up close and personal to some dancing reindeer and hungry chipmunks.

If you're a fan of Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" then you won't want to miss The Haunted Mansion. The inside is decked out from top to bottom with spooky decorations from this all-time favorite classic!

When the sun sets the REAL magic begins!!! Lights, lights and more lights appear all over the park. The sight of the glowing magic castle is simply breathtaking! It's A Small World is colorful and even used as a backdrop for cartoons that appear every hour on the hour. Last but not least every inch of Main Street is lit up with colorful lights and a spectacular glowing Christmas tree.

It's A Small World has always been my favorite ride in the park so I was excited to see it transformed to celebrate the spirit of the holiday season.

Before we knew it the fireworks spectacular "Believe...In Holiday Magic" lit up the sky. The best part of the show was the snowfall in Tomorrowland immediately after the fireworks finale. The look on my daughter's face as she felt it fall from above was priceless. I have to admit I did get a little misty-eyed watching daddy and baby giggle as they tried to catch drops of snowfall in her tiny hands.

Holidays at Disneyland is going on now until January 2, 2011. Make this season extra special by celebrating it on the happiest place on earth and creating priceless memories that you'll remember for years to come. I know annual passes will be going on "my" wish list to Santa.

Thank you Disney for making our "Holidays at Disneyland" so magical!!!

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this post. I was given tickets to attend the event and the views expressed are my personal and honest opinion.

"Tea By the Sea" at the Getty Villa

2010-12-02T08:50:00.001-08:00

When someone mentions the word "tea" I automatically assume they mean a mug microwaved on high for 2 minutes with a bag of Lipton dipped in it. So it's safe to assume I've never exerienced a proper "tea" dining experience until recently.

Last Wednesday I attended the Getty Villa's "Tea By The Sea" with some fellow mom bloggers in the Pacific Palisades. Our day started with a fascinating tour of Mr. Getty's former home which was built to replicate the Roman country house Villa dei Papirit. The architecture, artwork and landscaping were absolutely amazing.

Our tour guide Eric then led us into the gardens where we smelled fragrant citron, apricot and olive trees. I learned that tarragon is known to have foot-healing properties and that Cleopatra was rumored to have been poisoned by a basket of figs.

After the tour it was time for tea!!! And this wasn't just any tea this tea was a custom aromatic blend which is only avaiable at the Getty Villa. We dined on savory panini sandwiches, tea breads, port-infused cheese, fresh and dried fruit then finished off the meal with gourmet tarts and Mrs. Garrett's famous carrot cake.

Definitely a great way to have my first (but definitely not my last) "tea" experience.

The Getty Villa's "Tea by the Sea" is available every Thursday at 1pm in the Founders Room @ $36 per person. Click on this link to book your reservation today and prepare for the tea experience of you're life. You'll leave there saying "Lipton who?".

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this post. I was invited to preview the event and the views expressed are my personal and honest opinion. And even after this experience I still enjoy a good cup of microwaved Lipton tea.

Disney Interactive Studios Holiday Event at The Victorian

2010-11-18T18:35:00.001-08:00

My daughter has recently become obsessed with everything Disney. She sleeps with Minnie, travels with Mickey and wears the ears almost on a daily basis. So when I was invited to the Disney Interactive Studios Holiday event at the Victorian I packed up Mickey along with a couple of friends and headed down to Santa Monica.

The first thing we did was take holiday photos with elf ears, candy canes and even "Santa Paws". That is definitely a real dog. Apparently my daughter doesn't share the same fear as her mama because she kept trying to lay her head on him.

Up next were the video games. "Tangled" seemed to be the favorite even before the movie was released. There was also Epic Mickey and belting out the tunes to Black Eyed Peas' "Boom Boom Pow" on Sing It!

We took a break to decorate some holiday cookies. My daughter apparently thought the sugar cookie was fine without the decoration because she took a bite immediately after it was handed to her.

The girls also got a chance to get creative by decorating Christmas ornaments and drawing some masterpieces.

I snuck over to the Family.com station to get some great ideas such as making my own Disney holiday gift tags.

Displayed were some of the exciting holiday releases such as Sorcerer's Apprentice, Toy Story 3, Santa Paws and some familiar classics like Fantasia, A Christmas Carol and my favorite Beauty and the Beast.

We had a fabulous time and left with great gift ideas for the whole family. I know most of them are going on our Christmas wish list to Santa. Thanks Disney!

MOM Discount for Disney on Ice "Let's Celebrate"!

2010-11-18T17:45:00.000-08:00

For all you moms out there make sure to use this special discount to see Disney on Ice! "Let's Celebrate". You don't want to miss this celebration with all your Disney favorites on ICE!!!

Hope to see you all there!!!

Disney on Ice Presents "Let's Celebrate!"

2010-11-09T08:08:00.001-08:00

If you love the holidays AND Disney you won't want to miss Let's Celebrate presented by Disney on Ice! Mickey and Minnie along with other character faves such as Buzz, Woody, Ariel and much more will be on hand to partake in a wide array of holiday festivities such as Valentine's, Halloween and even a Hawaiian luau. Make sure to bring your family December 15th-January 9th to see this colossal party on ice!!! For more info visit disneyonice.com and facebook.com/disneyonice.

Wendy's Winners!

2010-11-08T11:54:00.000-08:00

The two winners of TWO $7 Wendy's giftcards are Mami2jcn and Amie!!!

Congrats to both of you and thank you to all of you for reading my blog!

Bern-Baby-Bern

"Goodness" Party Galore!!!

2010-11-03T23:02:00.000-07:00

It's no secret that I'm a HUGE Fresh and Easy fan and if you've read my previous posts about their summer items or EatWell meals you'll know why. They recently came out with their new "Goodness" line which is basically nutritious and delicious food that are good for kids and also good for your budget.

They have lots of options such as breakfast cereals, juice, pre-packaged snacks(kettle corn and multi-grain chips), fruit packs and even mac and cheese. The best part about these products is they use wholesome, natural foods such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables and other foods that are naturally good sources of vitamins and minerals. They also limit the amount of sugar, sodium, and fat in their Goodness products and require them to follow these strict guidelines:

• No artificial colors, flavors or preservatives
• No added trans fat
• No high fructose corn syrup
• No artificial sweeteners
• No added caffeine

So when Fresh and Easy invited me to share their "Goodness" line with some fellow moms and their kids and I thought it was such a fantastic idea I asked if I could have TWO parties!!!

The first was a birthday party that was being thrown by a friend who was NINE months pregnant! It was my friend Kerri's daughter's 3rd birthday and I figured preparing food was the last thing she wanted to do while getting ready to pop out a baby in less than a week. I know mothers out there can probably relate because I wanted to do as little as possible at that stage of my pregnancy. Angelina from Fresh and Easy (party-planner extraordinnaire) even decorated and set up all the food to lessen her load.

Kerri at 9 months pregnant!

Angelina and her daughters with Kerri and myself.

It's party time!

Cinderella taking a multi-grain chip break.

Ms. Lucy sporting her Fresh and Easy tattoos during cake time.
The kids at Lucy's party LOVED the Cocoa Boulder cereal, kettle corn snack packs along with the strawberry banana juice! I was amazed to find out that most of the moms had never been to Fresh and Easy because they thought it "looked too expensive". When I told them it was quite the contrary and after tasting all the delicious treats they were excited to find out for themselves.

Sinead and Lisa ready to grab some "Goodness" goodies with their F & E totes!
The second was a Halloween party for my mommy and me playgroup. Half of the moms wanted to sample the products because a new Fresh and Easy store recently opened up in Burbank (which is a city nearby) while the other half raved about how much they already loved Fresh and Easy and couldn't wait to try out their new kid-friendly "Goodness" line. Angelina, my lifesaver, once again came to set up and filled everyone in on the new products.

So many goodies to choose from.

Angelina helping my daughter with the F&E stickers, giving the low-down on the Goodness products and posing with me in my Where's Waldo? costume.
The Halloween party favorites were kettle corn, Cocoa Boulders cereal and apple slices. All the moms received their very own reuseable tote bag along with samples of the multi-grain chips, raisin packs and even some Fresh and Easy coupons.

Our teacher Ms. Loretta with her F&E tote.
Thank you Fresh and Easy for allowing me to share your "Goodness" products with all my mom friends and their kids! Oh, in case any of you are wondering my friend Kerri gave birth to a happy healthy baby girl six days after the party.

Disclaimer: I received products and materials used towards the parties and also a stipend. The views expressed in this post are my personal and honest opinion.

TWO Winners Will Receive TWO $7 Wendy's Giftcards!!!

2010-10-24T23:31:00.000-07:00

I am giving away TWO $7 Wendy's giftcards to TWO winners in honor of their new "Pick 2" menu!

Mandatory Entry: What pick 2 combo would you choose?

Bonus Entries (leave a comment for each entry - if you put it all in one comment, I'll count it as one entry):

1) Earn one additional entry by following my blog publicly via Google Friend Connect.
2) Earn one additional entry for following me on Twitter at bernadette923
3) Earn one additional entry for tweeting this contest (leave a link to your tweet as your comment).

Please follow all the rules or your entry will not count.

This contest is open until Sunday November 7 at midnight. I must have a valid way to reach you, so leave me your email address in your comment OR be sure your profile has your email address visible. No duplicate comments will count. This giveaway is open to US residents age 18 and older. Winners will be selected via random.org and must respond within 48 hours of being notified by me or I will select a new winner.

Good luck!

Bern-Baby-Bern

Wendy's New "Pick 2" Menu!!!

2010-10-14T17:14:00.000-07:00

Today some friends and I tried Wendy's new "Pick 2" menu and it was DEE-licous! I've always been a fan of their chili and now I can have that AND one of the seven other "Pick 2" menu items for the low price of $4.99. I know! What a deal!

Wendy's recently launched their new "Pick 2" menu which offers a half-sized version of their four Garden Sensations salads along with their ever so populare chili, Junior Bacon Cheesburger, baked potato, Chicken Go Wraps, a small beverage, Dasani bottled water or a small cool and creamy Frosty. I loved the fact that eighteen of the possible twenty-eight combinations avaiable are less than 600 calories (without dressing), and all of them combine fruits, vegetables, nuts, dairy and proteins.

I loved the fact they had the nutritional value information right by the counter!

When it came time to order I decided on the chili and their new Apple Pecan Chicken half-sized salad. The nuts and blue cheese mixed with the Pomegranate Vinaigrette was a great combination of flavor. My friends tried the BLT Cobb Salad and the Spicy Chicken Caesar Salad which both got the thumbs up. We all commented on what a perfect size the salads were and couldn't believe it was a "half" portion.

My daughter enjoying some fries with a gallon of ketchup.

My daughter and best friend as my "Pick 2" samplers.
During lunch I learned that Wendy's is one of the few fast-food chains that makes their burgers fresh to order and made with never frozen North American Beef. Fellow mom blogger Amy also informed us that Wendy's creator Dave Thomas who was an adoptee himself started the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption whose ambitious goal is to match every foster child with a permanent home and loving family.

Myself, my daughter, and fellow mom bloggers Marsha and Amy enjoying our Wendy's lunch.
If you love real taste made with fresh ingredients and also appreciate value make sure to stop by your neighborhood Wendy's and "Pick 2" for under $5!!!

Disclaimer: I was paid a $150 stipend by Wendy's and TheMotherhood.com for participating in the trial of Wendy's new "Pick 2" menu. The views and opinions expressed in this post are my personal and honest opinion.

Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland!!!

2010-10-02T15:38:00.002-07:00

"Wow! I get to go to Disneyland!" These were my exact words when my mom told me the family was moving from the Philippines to the United States of America. I was only 9 years old then but boy was I excited. So excited that when we finally arrived in the U.S. I thought a miniature golf course (with a castle and windmill) on the side of the highway was Disneyland. I told my mom, “It doesn't look very big." You can imagine how shocked I was when I finally went to the real Disneyland. It was definitely bigger than a miniature golf course.

Since then I've only been back a handful of times but this past weekend I was lucky enough to bring my daughter and husband to share in the Disneyland experience. This trip was even more special because it was Mickey's Halloween Party and also a first for both father and daughter. I loved the fact that most of the people standing in line for the event, my daughter included, were wearing costumes. She dressed up as Snow White even though I knew she would've rather dressed up as her favorite Disney character Minnie Mouse.

Me as Where's Waldo (without the hat) and my daughter as Snow White.
When we first entered the park we took photos with Pluto, Donald Duck and my daughter's favorite Minnie Mouse. They were dressed in Halloween costumes which made the photos extra-special. My daughter's face lit up when she spotted Minnie Mouse in her purple and orange Halloween dress and hat. She smiled from ear to ear as Minnie knelt down to pose next to her. The joy on her face alone was worth the trip.

Michael, Me, Isabella, Pluto, my niece Elizabeth and my sister Gerry.

Donald Duck with daddy and Izzy.

The happiest girl in the happiest place on earth.
Our next stop was The Pirates of the Caribbean. We rode with two toddlers and in hindsight I think they could've waited a few more years before this ride. The talking skeletons and firing canons were probably a little more than they could handle at that age. I hadn't seen it in about 15 years so I noticed a lot of improvements especially the addition of Jack Sparrow.

Giant pumpkin on Main St.

After that traumatic experience, we decided to leave the kids with my friend's nanny so the grown-ups could go through the Haunted Mansion. (I guess we learned from the "Pirates" experience). The inside was decked out with spooky decorations from the classic movie, "The Nightmare Before Christmas".

We worked up an appetite from all the walking and riding so we decided to stop by the Hungry Bear for some burgers and fries. But we took a slight detour to trick-or-treat at numerous stands that had candy and healthy treats available for all the guests. The candy they were giving away were what you would call the "good" candy. I mean Kit Kat, Snickers, M & M's and even apple slices and baby carrots for the health conscious trick or treaters.

We then took a relaxing train ride around the park and got a chance to see all the Halloween decorations in Tomorrowland, Main St. and New Orleans. The ride brought back so many memories for me. I felt just as excited as I did when I was nine years-old.

Me, Isabella, Aubrey and Amy.

Our view of Toon Town on the train ride.
Before you knew it, it was time for the fireworks spectacular "Halloween Screams-A Villainous Surprise in the Skies". I have seen lots of fireworks in my day and I have to say this one was the best.

Watching the fireworks with fellow mom blogger Jessica
After more trick-or-treating (because a pound of candy simply isn't enough) we headed toward Tomorrowland. My daughter fell asleep in my arms while daddy rode Captain EO and Space Mountain. His face in this souvenir photo says it all.

Once her power nap was over my daughter insisted on ending the night with a game of skiball at the arcade. We danced our way out to some party music that played in Tomorrowland while picking up more candy on our way out.

If you haven't been to Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland be sure to check it out before October 31st. You'll leave with memories that will last a lifetime!

The traditional family photo in front of the grass Mickey in the main entrance.

Thank you to Disneyland for making our first family trip to "the happiest place on earth" such a memorable one! It definitely will not be our last.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this post. I was given tickets to attend the event and the views expressed are my personal and honest opinion.

Cat Cora and the Muppets Cook Up Some Yummy Treats Along With Some Laughs!

2010-10-02T15:38:00.001-07:00

My two year old and I have started taking turns on the computer. She'll watch youtube videos of her favorite shows and when she's done I'll check email or look for recipe ideas. Now with The Muppets Kitchen with Cat Cora we've finally found something we can both enjoy at the same time.

Last week, we attended a live demonstration of this entertaining and educational new web series starring my food network idol, Cat Cora, along with Chef Angelo and Pepe the King Prawn. Cat prepared a delicious popcorn trail mix that was both healthy and tasty. Chef Angelo and Pepe the King Prawn were witty and charming and kept the whole audience laughing throughout the cooking segment. Pepe even gave every audience member a red rose in the vein of the Oprah giveaways. Cat gave us great tips such as involving our children in the preparation process so they can be more interested in the food they are eating.

Cat and the muppets in action.

My rose from Pepe the Prawn.
After the cooking show we got to sample some Mediterranean pinwheel hummus wraps, mini red velvet cupcakes and the delicious Trail Mix popcorn Cat prepared.

Cupcakes galore and colorful hummus pinwheel wraps. DEE-lish!
She was also kind enough to sign a copy of her cookbook Cat's Classics With A Twist and pose for photographs. I tried not to act too star struck since she is the only female Iron Chef and a food network star. Did I mention I was a HUGE fan of hers?!

The stunning Cat Cora, my little Isabella and me.
We watched episodes of the web series while waiting for our turn to meet her. One of my favorites was "The Really Cheesy" episode which showed how to make a simple and quick cheese sauce. One of the great things about the segment was it was only around three minutes long. Another feature of this site was the Hasty Tasty Cooking Tips which provides all the recipes that Cat prepared.

I think the most memorable part of this whole experience was the look on my daughter's face while she watched the muppets. She sat in complete silence with her eyes wide open the whole time. She proudly wore a Muppets Kitchen with Cat Cora apron while eating more than her fair share of cupcakes.

Pretty sure that's cupcake #3...or 4.
One thing's for sure The Muppets Kitchen with Cat Cora is already a favorite in my house. Thank you to Disney for allowing us to share in such a memorable experience.

Disclosure: I was not paid for this post. I was invited to the event and the views and opinions expressed are my personal and honest opinion.

Ebony and Ivory

2010-09-29T20:14:00.000-07:00

My daughter Isabella has a dear friend named Aubrey and they have known each other since birth. The thing I love about these two being together is that they always manage to have a good time. AND it's a plus that Aubrey's mom, Amy, is a great friend of mine so while the girls play we get to catch up which is a win-win for everybody.

I was skimming through photos and just wanted to share some of the most amusing that I found of these two little monkeys hanging out through the years.

Striking ballerina poses in front of the fountain at sunset.

Apparently Happy Meal containers double as hats.

Wearing similar colored dresses during Isabella's birthday party.

Putting on an impromptu show at the Barnes & Noble stage at the Grove.

Riding the fish at the mall playground.

Karaoke! We train 'em young.

The little monkey and the ladybug.

Stowaways in the pumpkin cart.

Celebrating Isabella's 1 month birthday in front of Menchies.
Looking forward to more memories.

Bern-Baby-Bern

Beauty and the Beast Sing Along at the El Capitan

2010-09-29T16:58:00.000-07:00

My daughter and I were invited to see Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" Sing Along at the El Capitan Theater yesterday. This experience was very near and dear to my heart for many reasons. The first being, neither of us had ever been to this beautiful theater. The El Capitan's architecture on the inside was amazing! There was a stage where Belle came out prior to the performance and invited everyone to join in during the songs of the movie. She danced across the stage and in the end of her brief appearance confetti shot out into the audience.

The balcony of the theater.

Belle greeting the audience prior to the show.
This was also my daughter's VERY first movie going experience! I wasn't sure how she was going to react and was afraid that she wouldn't sit still but once the story of Belle and the Beast unfolded on the screen she was hooked! It also helped that we attended the "Toddler Tuesday" performance of the show. I highly recommend this to parents because they turn down the sound and leave the theater dimly lit so children aren't too overwhelmed once the movie starts. I was amazed to discover how intuitive my daughter was. There was a point in the movie where Belle was crying and she turned to me and said, "Sad." and I assured her that Belle would be okay.

Disney memorabilia at the gift shop.
The sing along feature added so much fun to our whole movie-going experience. My daughter was even impressed at the fact that mommy knew the words to all the songs. She turned and smiled every time I sang (even though I'm sure not everyone was such a fan of my off tune singing). I laughed out loud at some of the lyrics like, "No one's neck is as thick as Gaston!" The songs in "Beauty and the Beast" will definitely become a favorite in our house.

Singing along to the words on the screen.
I watched my daughter's face during half of the performance. I think one of the best things about having a child is being able to experience everything through their eyes. Growing up, my family couldn't afford to go to the movies so I felt very blessed that I was able to experience this with her. In a way, I felt like I was a little girl all over again.

Don't miss Beauty and the Beast Sing Along at the El Capitan showing through October 7th. Thank you to Disney for having us as their guest! This will definitely be an experience we will treasure and remember for years to come!

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this post. I was provided tickets to the movie and the views and thoughts expressed are my personal and honest opinion.

Disney Live! Presents Mickey's Magic Show!

2010-09-02T22:46:00.001-07:00

My 2-year-old daughter LOVES Minnie Mouse. In fact, she learned the color yellow based on Minnie's shoes. If there is anything associated with these loveable Disney characters we always find a way to go. Luckily, Disney Live! is presenting Mickey's Magic Show in my home-town of Long Beach, CA and we will definitely be there to witness all the magic happen.

In a captivating combination, Master Magician Mickey Mouse and the always-dazzling Minnie join forces with professional illusionists for a magical production on stage. Disney Live! presents Mickey’s Magic Show features grand illusions and favorite Disney characters, including Donald and Goofy; Cinderella and her Fairy Godmother; Alice in Wonderland and the Mad Hatter; and beloved Disney princesses Jasmine, Belle and Snow White.

From the breathtaking levitation of Minnie and Jasmine to the transformation of Cinderella’s rags into riches in a split second, Disney Live! presents Mickey’s Magic Show gives families a whole new way to experience Disney magic. Adults and children alike will delight in this stunning spectacle that will keep them in awe from opening act to curtain call.

THOUSAND OAKS
Fred Kavli Theatre at Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza
Friday, September 24 – 3:00pm & 6:00pm

LONG BEACH
Long Beach Terrace Theater
Saturday, September 25 – 3:30pm & 6:30pm
Sunday, September 26 – 12:30pm
To order tickets check out disneylive.com OR ticketmaster.com

The Two Stonyfield Giveaway Winners ARE...

2010-09-01T17:51:00.000-07:00

JC for the "Oikos" and Melanie for the "Yobaby!".

Congratulations ladies and thank you to all of my followers for entering!

Bern-Baby-Bern

Check back for my next giveaway!

TWO Stonyfield Giveaways!!!

2010-08-10T04:38:00.000-07:00

I am doing TWO Stonyfield giveaways!

YoBaby/YoToddler Giveaway: The winner will receive coupons for mom and little ones, a YoBaby totebag, YoBaby organic cotton bib, YoBaby bowl with lid, and a growth chart.

Oikos Yogurt Giveaway: The winner will receive an Oikos tote bag, recipe cards using regular Stonyfield and Oikos yogurts, Oikos spatula, Stonyfield measuring spoon and coupons.

Primary Entry:
Post "YoBaby" or "Oikos" to let me know which giveaway you'd like to win.

Bonus Entries: (leave a separate comment for each entry)
1) Follow my blog publicly (if you're already a follower it counts so leave a comment)
2) Follow me on Twitter-bernadette923
3) Tweet this contest (http://tinyurl.com/2e95pja)
4) "Like" Stonyfield's facebook page.

This contest is open until Sunday August 29, 2010. I must have a valid way to reach you so leave me your email address in your comment OR be sure your profile has your email address visible. No duplicate comments will count. This giveaway is open to US residents. Winners will be selected via random.org and must respond within 48 hours of being notified by me or I will select a new winner.

Good luck and comment away!

Bern-Baby-Bern

MOO-topia Madness!!!

2010-07-19T16:42:00.000-07:00

Ever walk around a water-park and wish there was somewhere to relax under a misting station and possibly even get a massage??? Well now you can!!! Mootopia has set up shop at Hurricane Harbor every Saturday and Sunday until September 6th so you can sit and enjoy a rub-down and even drink some cool refreshing milk.

My little angel worked up a thirst for some chocolate milk after the wave pool.

The awesome misting fans that cooled us off in the warm weather.
Last week my family and I was able to experience this first-hand at Six Flags Hurricane Harbor . After walking around and partaking in the wave pool and a couple of the the slides we visited the Mootopia station where my husband and I took advantage of the free massages available. There were two therapists just ready to tackle the knots we acquired from the stresses of everyday life. My daughter was able to enjoy her first chocolate milk while mommy and daddy melted into massage heaven!

This is me melting away into the massage.

Now the hubby's turn.
Mootopia is Got Milk's newest campaign which is geared towards encouraging people to improve their health by taking some time to relax and drink some cool refreshing milk. Click on this link to check out the closest Mootopia near you!

Thank you to Got Milk for inviting me and my family to such a great event.
Disclaimer: I was not paid for this post and the thoughts and views expressed are my personal honest opinions.

The Winner...

2010-07-06T12:41:00.000-07:00

of the Skechers Shape-Ups, Bootights AND $25 Cold Stone Creamery Giftcard IS...

ANH!

Thank you for entering my giveaway and check back for the next contest!!!

Bern-Baby-Bern

Skechers Womens Shape-Ups, a pair of Bootights AND a $25 Cold Stone Creamery Giftcard Giveaway!!!!

2010-06-16T10:23:00.000-07:00

This is the MAMA of giveaways! ONE lucky winner will get an awesome pair of Skechers Womens Shape-Ups, a pair of Bootights AND a $25 Cold Stone Creamery Giftcard!!!

Primary Entry:
Post a comment on what you do to stay fit and be healthy.

Bonus Entries: (leave a separate comment for each entry)
1) Follow my blog publicly (if you're already a follower it counts so leave a comment)
2) Follow me on Twitter-bernadette923
3) Tweet this contest (http://tinyurl.com/2e95pja)
4) Follow Cold Stone Creamery on Twitter
5) Like Coldstone Creamery's Facebook page.
6) Like Bootights's Facebook page.

This contest is open until Sunday July 4, 2010. I must have a valid way to reach you, so leave me your email address in your comment OR be sure your profile has your email address visible. No duplicate comments will count. This giveaway is open to US residents. Winners will be selected via random.org and must respond within 48 hours of being notified by me or I will select a new winner.

Good luck and comment away!

Bern-Baby-Bern

Barnum's FUNundrum is coming this summer!

2010-06-15T16:11:00.000-07:00

Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey’s “Barnum’s FUNundrum” is coming this summer and 2010 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of the greatest showman of all time, P.T. Barnum, and “Barnum’s FUNundrum” is a celebration of his living legacy. You and your family will LOVE the show!

THE BARNUM AWARD –

Nominations are currently being accepted for “The Barnum Award,” a Southland search to honor three stand-out kids who are making a difference in our community. Attached is a flyer on how you and your readers can nominate a child between the ages of 8-14 who are demonstrating the entrepreneurial and philanthropic spirit of P.T. Barnum. Nominating is easy, by answering a few brief questions on the online application at www.thebarnumaward.com. First, second and third place winners will receive cash prizes to continue their service. The award ceremony will be on opening night at the Honda Center, July 28th.

There is also a MOM Ticket Discount!

The multi-ticket discount returns this summer, with a special $48 Family Four-Pack Offer on select performances or $4 off single ticket prices on select shows. The discount can be redeemed online at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling (800) 745-3000. To redeem, use the discount code “MOM”.

Cold Stone Creamery $25 Giftcard Giveaway is...

2010-06-15T15:30:00.000-07:00

Kelli Shane!!! Congrats Kelli and thank you to all of my readers for participating.

The next giveaway is for a pair of Skechers Women's Shape-Ups, a pair of bootights AND another $25 Cold Stone Creamery Giftcard! I will post details shortly.

Thank you.

Bern-Baby-Bern

XBox 360's Kinect and Cirque du Soleil Project Natal

2010-06-15T15:25:00.000-07:00

The fun started at Loft 7 where a select number of guests sampled the new Xbox 360 games Kinect Sports, Kinectimals and Kinect Joy Ride. The cool thing about these video games is that you are the controller. That's right! So if you want to hit, kick or grab something go ahead and do it because Kinect uses a sensor to pick up the player's movement and it works with any Xbox 360. My niece loves to play video games so I brought her along to preview Kinect from XBox 360, formerly known as Project Natal.

Some of the new Kinect games we got to preview.
I had a blast shaking my tail feather while playing Dance Central. If you like dancing in your own living room to tunes like Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" or doing the John Travolta finger point to "Funky Town" then this is the game for you! The goal is to mimic the steps and keep up with the dancer on the screen. The better you dance the more points you get. Needless to say crowds gathered and cheered for each dancer as they showed off their moves. XBox also has a new console available with a 250GB hard drive with built in Wi-Fi which retails for $299.99. This game is definitely on my list to Santa this holiday season.

Feelin' the beat during Dance Central!

My hubby and niece playing Kinect Adventures.

Daddy and baby enjoying the XBox 360 event at Loft 7.

My niece getting her first tattoo from Mr. Hoodbrush.
The fun didn't stop there! After sampling all the games we moved on the Galen Center where we got to preview a live performance by Cirque du Soleil which incorporated all the awesome features of Kinect. Upon arrival we were given shoulder-padded ponchos which made the entire audience glow inside the theater. There were a lot of mystical characters floating about that urged us to interact and be part of the performance.

Cirque du Soleil performers.

Me and my niece wearing our ponchos.

The glowing ponchos during the performance.
Words simply couldn't do this show justice so here is a link to a preview on YouTube. At the beginning of the show we witnessed a life-sized elephant with built in video monitors on its side, a couple on a couch hovering above the audience and a family of four who played the new Kinect games as their platform rotated 360 degrees. I think the highlight for me was when the father played "Star Wars" using a light-saber to defeat the dark side. The combination of the electronic elements and live actors made for an awesome show.

Thank you to XBox 360 for making me the coolest aunt on the universe!

"A Time For Heroes" Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Fundraiser

2010-06-13T17:12:00.001-07:00

My family and I recently attended "A Time For Heroes" fundraiser for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation . This star-studded event went above and beyond to pamper their guests with amazing food, fun activities and an abundance of entertainment.

When we first entered Wadsworth Great Lawn we could see hundreds of people walking around enjoying the festivities. Of course our first stop was for food and boy was there plenty of it! We started off with a yummy chili-dog from Pinks, then sampled some tacos from Chipotle and moved on to dessert with ice-cream from the Big Chill and decadent mini-cupcakes from Miss Priss Cupcakes.

Our next stop was the Kodak PhotoSharing tent where we took a safari-themed family picture. All the guests were excited for the opportunity to take photos with celebrities such as Denise Richards, Billy Crystal, Evan Lycasek, Mark Whalberg and Olivia Munn. Check out this video where the celebrities share their favorite "Kodak moment"

There were multiple stations for entertaining kids like decorating a pair of 77 Kids jeans by American Eagle Outfitters, coloring a custom-made Oopsy Daisy night light and personalizing a Harambe drum circle. My daughter actually sat on Joey Lawrence's lap as he decorated a "Lakers" drum circle while paparazzi snapped away. She was a natural grinning for the camera. My favorite activity was probably decorating and assembling a Tunaweza care package kit that will be sent to an expectant mother in Africa. We colored the bag with fabric markers and wrote messages of love and hope on the outside. The package included a baby's hat, some gauze, a syringe and additional medical supplies. The Disney volunteers were so helpful during this activity!

When we weren't sampling the delicious cuisine, taking our Kodak photo or decorating a souvenir we were busy celebrity spotting and there were lots of them! Dick Van Dyke was adorable dressed as a pirate, Howie Mandel and Joel McHale were both hilarious as my husband and daughter spoke to them, Wayne Brady was friendly, David Duchovny was charming and Seth Green was gracious. Oooh and my husband looked extra excited, although he'll probably deny it, to meet the sultry and very sweet Carmen Electra. I could go on an on listing more celebrities that we met so let's just say that most of Hollywood was there. With all those A-listers my daughter's FAVORITE was undoubtedly Minnie and Mickey Mouse! She spotted them at the Disney Safari Photo station and didn't want to leave. Luckily Timone from "Lion King" was there to relieve them so she was equally as excited to meet another Disney character.

Here are some of the celebs that stopped by the Kodak booth to take photos and sample some of the lates Kodak products.

Billy Crystal

Denise Richards helping guests at the photo booth and checking out the new Kodak demos.

Mark Wahlberg and family checking out their safari photos.

Jesse McCartney who also performed at the event.

Lori Loughlin with Billy Bush and Howie Mandel and Lori checking out the Kodak photo Kiosk.

Laila Ali and her adorable son.

Billy Bush helping guests find their Kodak souvenir photo and posing with Howie Mandel.

Seth Green cozied up to a lion in the Kodak Photo Sharing Booth.
This generous foundation was started by Elizabeth Glaser who acquired HIV through a blood transfusion and unknowingly passed the virus onto her daughter, Ariel, and her son, Jake. Following Ariel's death in 1988 Elizabeth joined with her close friends Susie Zeegen and Susan DeLaurentis to create a foundation with one mission: to bring hope to children with AIDS. Sadly, Elizabeth lost her own battle with AIDS in 1994 but thanks to the work of the foundation her son and hundreds of thousands of other children have the opportunity to lead longer and healthier lives. It was very touching to hear Jake talk about his late mother and sister and also see some moving testimonals by kids and teens living with AIDS and HIV. The successful event raised $1.3 million for pediatrc AIDS.

The three women who pioneered the foundation: Susan DeLaurentis (left), Susie Zeegen (center), and Elizabeth Glaser (Photo: EGPAF)
Everyone came together to help support this great cause including Kodak, United Airlines, Coca-Cola, Toyota, Google and many more. Disney was acknowledged for underwriting the "A Time For Heroes" picnic. Their commitment to children and families worldwide is truly an inspiration. With the continued support from the public and these generous sponsors the Elizabeth Glaser foundation will undoubtedbly continue to help more children for years to come.

"People say they care but it's action that saves lives."
-Elizabeth Glaser
Thank you to Kodak for allowing me to be their guest at such a remarkable event!

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post and the views expressed within it is my own honest personal opinion.

Get your BBQ ON with Fresh and Easy!!!

2010-06-09T16:12:00.000-07:00

I cannot say enough good things about Fresh and Easy. The prices are good and the food is great! Now they have some new summer items available for BBQing. Some of my favorites are the the Il Fornaio Buns, Malt Vinegar Kettle-cooked potato chips and cranberry oatmeal cookies pictured below.

I love this apron!

Last but not least my all time FAVORITE item is their Grill Pack! My husband and I barbecued it this during Memorial weekend and it was DEE-licious!

If you're lucky enough to have a Fresh and Easy close-by make sure to check out their new summer items!!! Happy BBQing!

LAMomsblog- Date Night Doldrums

2010-06-09T00:40:00.000-07:00

This is my current post on LAMomsblog.

I was in a music class with my daughter and six other kids and their moms. During a break one of the moms said, "I'm excited because it's date night tonight!" and another mom responded, "Wow you're so lucky!" Being a comedian, I could resist saying, "My husband and I LOVE date nights. He goes on Tuesdays and I go on Thursdays."read more...

Marriott's "Tots Travel Too" Program with Coverall

2010-06-08T15:47:00.000-07:00

I love learning about products that help make parenting easier especially during travel since my in-laws live in Indiana. I recently attended a Ladies Who Launch event held at the Marriott Residence Inn in downtown Burbank which focused on the partnership of Coverplay and the Marriott to present their "Tots Travel Too" program.

Coverplay is an ingenious product created by two business savvy moms, Allison Costa and Amy Feldman. As a new mother, Allison designed a stylish collection of comfortable, kid-friendly sheets and slipcovers that fit any play yard and design aesthetics. Her good friend Amy was a designer who honed her business chops while launching a successful line of diaper bags sold in Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, and Babies R Us. She brought her Hollywood baby connections to the table and Coverplay was born.

Click on this link to see the ladies tell their story.

Since then they have signed a deal with five Marriott brands to offer Coverplay for the new Tots Travel Too program now available at more than 2,500 Courtyard, Fairfield Inn & Suites, SpringHill Suites Residence Inn, and Towne Place Suites hotels. The package offers a travel crib accompanied with a beautiful Coverplay on it, nightlights, tub toys, electrical outlet covers, baby toiletries and even disposable bibs. Traveling will be much easier for parents when these items are waiting upon arrival.

I also wanted to give a special thanks to Lexington Nannies for providing childcare which made it possible for me and other mommies to attend this special event.

So if you have an infant or a toddler and you're planning a trip in the near future make sure to look into the "Tots Travel Too" program at the Marriott!

Disclosure:I was not paid for this post. The views expressed in this post is my own personal opinion.

$25 Cold Stone Creamery Giftcard Giveaway!

2010-05-25T23:45:00.000-07:00

Cold Stone Creamery wants me to giveaway a $25 giftcard to one of my lucky readers in honor of their "Gold Cone" flavor of the month.

Here are the entry rules:

PRIMARY entry:
1. "Follow" my blog publicly if you haven't already.
2. Like Coldstone Creamery's Facebook page.
3. Post a comment stating what your favorite Coldstone creation is.

Counts as TWO BONUS entries:
Tweet this contest, tinyurl.com/3yup84h, on Twitter and leave a link to your tweet as your comment.

This contest is open until Sunday June 13, 2010. I must have a valid way to reach you, so leave me your email address in your comment OR be sure your profile has your email address visible. No duplicate comments will count. This giveaway is open to US residents. Winners will be selected via random.org and must respond within 48 hours of being notified by me or I will select a new winner.

Good luck!!!

Bern-Baby-Bern

The PishPosh Carryall and Whole Foods Winner is...

2010-05-24T14:21:00.000-07:00

Megryansmom!!! Congrats and thanks you to all my readers for entering my giveaway!

Check back to see what my next giveaway will be.

Bern-Baby-Bern

Disney Interactive Game Night

2010-05-21T00:08:00.000-07:00

I love attending Disney events for two reasons. First, they always make it family-friendly which is great because I get to share the experience with my husband and daughter. Second, the events are always AWESOME!!! The Disney Interactive Game Night at the Vantage Room on Hollywood and Highland was no different. We got an exclusive look at some of Disney's video games which are perfect for the whole family.

One of the favorites was Sing It! The players get to choose which Disney songs, ranging from "Winnie the Pooh" to "The Little Mermaid" they get to sing along to. I love the fact that the words are right on the monitor along with the characters while you are belting out the tunes. Once the singing starts the fun doesn't stop.

I then moved on to "The World of Cars Online". The great thing about this game is that you don't have to purchase anything you simply log on and play it online. The object of the game is to acquire points by playing games and then use the points to purchase accessories to customize your car. If your kid likes cars or enjoyed the movie this is the perfect interactive game for them.

Next was "Pixie Hollow" which is also available online. This video game allows the player to create their own pixie and choose different things from their powers to their stylish pixie-gear. I couldn't believe all the options for their clothes, shoes and even their pets. Yes pets! I chose a little firefly and named it Petunia Blossom. This game is great for encouraging creativity and even responsibility for your little gamer.

The last game I got to sample was "Guilty Party" , which came highly recommended by the host and after playing it I could tell why. I loved this game because it gave me an opportunity to play private detective. I chose Phoebe as my persona then interrogated all the suspects to help me collect clues which ultimately helped me figure out that the Commodore was actually thee Guilty Party! If you enjoy suspenseful mysteries this a definite must have for the entire family.

That's my Guilty Party persona Phoebe
I worked up an appetite with all that gaming which was a good thing because there were so many goodies available. The sliders and shrimp sandwiches were dee-licious along with my favorite sides, french fries and onion rings! Although I think the most popular section of the buffet was probably the dessert. There were home-made ding dongs and twinkies along with snow cones and creamy banana pudding! I couldn't resist trying a bite of everything which was totally worth the calories.

By the smile on everybody's faces it was apparent that this was, once again, a fun-filled successful Disney event.

Thank you Disney for allowing me and my family to participate in your "Interactive Game Night"!

Disclosure: I was not not paid for this post and my opinions on the company and what I write about my experience are my honest opinions.

cin3029 is the NEW Kodak Frame Winner!!!

2010-05-15T06:19:00.000-07:00

Congratulations!!!

You MUST email me your full name and mailing address BY May 15, 2010 midnight at bernadette@bernadettelive.com. If cin3029 fails to do this another winner will be chosen and announced Sunday May 16, 2010.

Pishposh Organizer and $10 Whole Foods Giftcard Giveaway!!!

2010-05-11T14:39:00.000-07:00

I am giving away a PishPosh Organizer which allows you to use your favorite purse as a diaper bag! I know, GENIUS!!! I wish I had thought of it then I could be sipping a fruitty drink with an umbrella somewhere in the Carribean...sigh.

Back to reality, PishPosh wants me to giveaway an organizer to one of my readers!

Here's how:

1. Become a "follower" of my blog, if you haven't already done so.

2. "Like" PishPosh on Facebook

3. Comment, in English, on what you NEVER leave the house without. (i.e. keys, wallet, sunglasses, your kids.)

Then click on PishPosh to view the carryalls and include in your comment which ONE you would like as your prize in case you win!

Here's a photo of MY personal carryall, the Quick Zip Soma Chic

It came in SO handy on my trip to Indiana. Lots of room for diapers, snacks, sunglasses etc.
I'm also throwing in a $10 Whole Foods Giftcard so that you can "fill-up" that carryall with some goodies.

Good luck follow, like and comment away!!!

One entry per person and contest ends on Sunday May 23, 2010.The winner will be chosen using random.org and announced by Tuesday May 25th.

And the Kodak winners are...

2010-05-10T13:13:00.000-07:00

for the digital camera

Judi!!!

and the digital frame is My World!!!

Congratulations to Judi and My World!!!

Thank you to everyone for entering my giveaway. I will post another giveaway soon so make sure to follow my blog.

To the WINNERS: Please email me your full name and mailing address at bernadette@bernadettelive.com by midnite THIS Friday (May 14,2010) so that I can have your prize shipped to you. In the event that the winners fail to email me by the deadline I will choose another winner by using random.org.

Loo Hoo's Asian Comfort Food

2010-05-07T22:25:00.000-07:00

I love Asian food, especially if it's home-made, so when I was invited to attend Loo Hoo's tasting party at the home of creator and chef Cindy Liu I had to say "YES!"

Cindy's idea of comfort food consists of dumplings, noodles and hearty soups- the stuff she grew up on. Her father was a chef who owned and operated restaurants so I can see how the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Over the years, she has created her own dishes along with learning family recipes and enjoyed cooking as a passion but never as a profession...until now.

Our dinner started off with lychee martinis which were very refreshing. I am not much of a cocktail person but it was just sweet enough and had the perfect amount of vodka which game me a warm and fuzzy feeling inside. Yummmm!

Served in my "sexy" glass.

Feeling very "Sex and the City" with my cocktail

For appetizers we had vegetarian and pork dumplings with some "magic" sauce. I call it magic because if you put this sauce on anything it would be DEE-licious!

The sauce.

After the carnage.

After the appetizers she brought out a fresh cold-noodle salad with chicken and fresh crisp vegetables.

As if the first serving of dumplings weren't enough, she made us her specialty recipe which was kimchi pork dumplings. I have never even heard of such a dish and that's because it's Loo Hoo's own original creation. I just want to say that dumplings plus kimchi equals a party in my tummy. (No photo available, it was so good they flew right off the serving plate.)

My favorite dish had to be the Thai Red-Curry noodles. It had a generous portion of chicken and crunchy vegetables tossed in a delicious creamy sauce that was to die for! It took everything inside me to keep from finger-licking the sauce off my plate. Yeah,...it was THAT good!

The meal ended on a perfect note with mango and sticky rice drizzled with coconut sauce. I know, rice for dessert?! It might sound crazy but it's actually delicious!!!

It isn't an Asian party unless you have a to-go container when you leave. Sure enough, she gave us plenty to take home and share with our families.

Loo Hoo's makes their food with simple and premium ingredients. They source from local farmers and producers to ensure fresh, high quality ingredients while keeping price and value in balance.

You're probably wondering how can "I" sample some of this delicious Asian comfort food?! You can check them out every week at the Thousand Oaks Farmer's Market on Thursdays and College of the Canyons on Sundays. If you are interested in catering you can check out their themed menu for your next event.

Thank you to Cindy Liu for being the hostess with the mostest!

LA Momsblog post: To Baby Shower or Not to Baby Shower That Is The Question

2010-04-26T16:28:00.000-07:00

My beautiful friend Anne at her "Mad Hatter Tea Party" Baby Shower

The beautiful tablescape by hostess Tina

Delicious home-made tea cookies made by Anne

Raspberry-lemon cake from Lido bakery = heaven

Mother and daughter having a great time at the tea party.

I feel very lucky to have so many friends having babies and being invited to their showers. Here is my current post on LAMomsblog which discusses some questions that came up regarding these showers:

To Baby Shower or Not to Baby Shower That is the Question
I love attending baby showers! To me, it’s about celebrating the upcoming arrival of a new baby, playing silly games and having cake. Actually, ANY excuse to have cake. The older I get the more invites I receive to these baby showers. It seems like every other weekend I’m measuring how many toilet paper squares it will take to wrap around a pregnant belly or trying to guess what melted chocolate bar is on a diaper or trying to win the most safety pins for not saying “baby” or crossing my legs.

read more

XBOX is helping me get my EX-ercise on!

2010-04-21T21:56:00.001-07:00

I've promised myself that I'm going to eat better, exercise more and just treat myself with better care therefore I'm always looking for new ways to get my "fitness on" so when XBOX invited me to try out their new "Project Natal" I couldn't say no.

This new video game allows you to use your body as the controller which means you get to move...a lot! I got the chance to try out their new video game "Ricochet". The object of the game is to hit a ball back and forth against a wall with whatever body part you can. You can use your hands, feet, hips, basically anything goes. I played it for about 5 min and I was already sweating! Burning calories AND playing video games is definitely a great combination. I will post a video which I shot with my handy new Flip-cam, provided by XBOX, so check back to see all the action.

All that moving made me hungry so I was happy to sample all their yummy appetizers. I loved their miniature burgers, grilled cheese and reuben sandwiches. Small portions equal smaller calories which is just the right amount for me (although, by the look on my daughter's face she doesn't seem to agree).

I was glad XBOX made it a family-friendly event which allowed me to bring my husband and daughter along.

She loved watching all the people in action and she would play along side them as they kicked and punched at the screen.

Fellow mom blogger Eunice's son Harry testing out the new Project Natal.
I think one of the event's highlights for my daughter may have been Tyler, balloon artist extraordinnaire! (Being that she's only 19 months old and can't fully comprehend video games yet). I thought I was stretching it by requesting an Elmo but that was nothin'.

A very satisfied customer
This guy made a frog, a bee, a ninja turtle, a bear riding a unicorn AND Hello Kitty!!! Kudos to XBOX for bringing Tyler. He was like the pied piper, everywhere he went a mob of balloon-seeking kids followed.

I know some of you are probably wondering when you can take part in the XBOX Project Natal experience. This new video game will be released prior to the holidays which means it will make for a perfect gift of fun and fitness. I know it's going on "my" list to Santa... yes, I still believe in Santa.

Thank you XBOX for allowing me and my family to be one of the first to experience Project Natal! Looking forward to owning it in the near future.

Blogger Brunch by the Bay!!!

2010-04-15T15:48:00.000-07:00

I recently attended a "Blogger Brunch" thrown by Child's Play Communications at the beautiful Shade Hotel in Manhattan Beach. Southern California-based mom bloggers enjoyed a delicious brunch where there was an omlette bar, bubbly champagne and mimosas to celebrate the occasion. After our meal, we were able to learn about some terrific new products for the whole family. We received great giveaways and even won some amazing raffle prizes. Here's a rundown of some of the great products that was there.

I started off at the Pottery Barn Kids table where they displayed their new summer-inspired line for kids and teens. There were some beautiful quilts (which I wasn't lucky enough to snag) and I was lucky enough to receive a cool beach bag and a pink hooded towel for my little girl. It's going to come in very handy with all the swimming she'll be doing this summer.

Bandai had a whole variety of toys on display including Harumika styling dolls, Ben 10 action figures and my favorite, the Choco Pot! I wish this thing was invented when I was a kid. (Maybe I'd be the next Rachael Ray by now.) Are you kidding?! My own little chocolate melting pot?! I never would've left the house and they would've had to pry it out of my hands. Melted chocolate, every kids dream come true...or maybe just mine.

Since I personally drive one, I was happy to see Toyota there with info on their new 2011 Sienna. This new vehicle seats 7 passengers with wider and longer interiors without increasing the exterior dimensions. I love my 1999 Toyota Corolla but if they wanted me to take the Sienna for a trial run I'm sure I could find 6 passengers to help me test it out. Vegas anyone?!

My daughter LOVES her some Nick Jr. in fact she could spot Moose A. Moose's voice from a mile away. I was happy to see their parent company,Nickelodeon with the newest line-up of Dora the Explorer dolls, play sets, games and more. I also learned they recently launched their "Beyond the Backpack" campaign which provides tools to helps preschoolers be well-prepared for their first school experience. The site will have activities that help engage children in critical areas related to school success such as: social skills, early literacy, math ability and health and wellness basics. I will be checking this site in the near future since my little girl will be embarking upon pre-school soon. Ahh, where does the time go???

Backyard Safari Outfitters is every nature-loving kids dream come true!!! These toys give children an opportunity to get up close and personal while scoping out "wildlife" from insects in the grass to birds in the sky. I was lucky enough to score one of their mini lanterns and a dual power flashlight which are both going straight into my earthquake preparedness kit.

Even though I am trying to stay away from sweets, I couldn't resist trying Cold Stone Creamery's new Oreo Ice-Cream Sandwich. I was so engrossed in the experience I forgot to take a photo. It was the perfect end to a delicious meal and every calorie was worth it!!! Wait, calories don't count during events...right???

I was watching fellow mom blogger
Eunice get a cosmetic touch-up as I enjoyed my treat.
Temptress Cosmetics was there doing mini-makeovers for some of the moms. My make-up artist recommended trying a new color, red! I begrudgingly agreed but in the end I think it was a fun alternative to my bland clear chapstick.

Last but not least, I have to rave about my favorite new product the
Pajama Jeans! I recently received mine in the mail and when I put them on my husband said, "Nice jeans" and I responded with much enthusiasm, "You would THINK they were jeans but they're pajamas! There's not even a zipper. It's an optical illusion!" I LOVE these because like other moms, I am guilty of leaving the house in my workout clothes even when I'm not working out. Now I can wear my pajama jeans with pride while shopping at the mall or playing in the park. GENIUS Pajama Jeans GENIUS (bowing down)!

Thanks again to Child's Play Communications for allowing me to be part of such an amazing event!

Cinderella for a day at the Streamy Awards!!!

2010-04-15T15:47:00.000-07:00

I was invited by Kodak to come and interview celebrities on the red carpet at the Streamy Awards and after the initial excitement I started to panic. I figured I'd need a dress (which I did't have), hair and make-up (which was going to cost an arm and a leg) and a babysitter (which is hard to come by). It's amazing how the universe always comes together to answer my prayers. I mentioned it to a girlfriend and she lent me an amazing Armani dress, my friend Kris (who is a model/comedian/make-up artist extraordinnaire) agreed to do my hair and make-up (and did a phenomenal job!) and my husband insisted that he'd watch my daughter so I could enjoy the event. Thank you fairy-godmother, Cinderella is going to the ball!!!

The Streamys, which took place at the Orpheum Theater, honored web-based television and since I was sent there by Kodak I figured I could ask the nominees and presenters what their favorite Kodak moment was. Interviewing is definitely not an easy job (much respect to you Ryan Seacrest) so I was glad to have fellow LA mom blogger Donna there to shoot and co-interview by my side. We recorded our interviews with Kodak's newest pocket Zi8 camcorder. Coincidentally, many of the video directors told us they the same camera for their projects too.

All the people I interviewed seemed to enjoy sharing their answers. I figured all the other questions were about their shows or the routine, "How does it feel to be nominated?" type questions so ours was refreshing. One actor even said, "THAT is the BEST question I've been asked all night!"

The responses ranged from the birth of my daughter, the day I brought my dog home from the pound, receiving G.I. Joes on Christmas morning and running around the park in depends! They were definitely informative and insightful answers.

There were many celebrities who attended: Illeana Douglas, Patrick Duffy, Jaleel White, Tony Hall, Tatyana Ali, Robert Englund, Justine Bateman and Kevin Pollock just to name a few. I felt like it was a very relaxed environment and all the staffers for the Streamys, Kodak and Ketchum couldn't have been nicer. They gave me and Donna a lot of freedom to talk to everyone at the event.

I think the highlight of the day was interviewing Patrick Duffy. Yes, "Man of Atlantis", "Dallas" and for the younger generation "Step by Step" Patrick Duffy. I couldn't believe he was right in front of me. I remember watching him on that show thinking Suzanne Sommers is one lucky lady! Can you TELL how giddy I was by the smile on my face?!

I especially enjoyed interviewing the up and coming web actors. They were humble and genuinely excited to be there. A lot of times I think when an actor becomes a huge celebrity they lose the graciousness of doing interviews and greeting their fans. I have a feeling many of these web actors will become household names in the near future so I feel privileged to have met them at this red carpet.

After a 9 hour day I was happy to end the night by saying a quick good-bye to the awesome Kodak and Ketchum crew at the Cicada after party. I was also excited to take a red-carpet photo with my partner in crime, Donna, but at the end of the day all I could think of was my husband and daughter. Did they have a good day? What did they eat? I wonder if I could get home early enough to see them before bedtime?

When I got home I took off the beautiful Armani dress and snazzy red shoes wiped off all my make-up and washed all the product out of my hair and happily slipped into something more "mommy". I was disappointed to find my husband and daughter already asleep because I wanted them to see me all “fancified” but I guess that's what pictures are for. On the kitchen counter I found a pepperoni pizza and in the refrigerator a diet cherry coke zero. Ahhh, just what Cinderella ordered.

DISCLOSURE: I was not compensated to write this post. I received press credentials to attend the Streamys as a guest of Kodak, who is a major sponsor of the show. I did receive a Zi8 camcorder to use on the red carpet, as well as a small digital camera and digital frame...BOTH OF WHICH I'm giving away, click on this link to find out more details and enter the contest.

WIN Kodak's New M530 digital camera or Pulse digital frame!!!

2010-04-15T15:25:00.000-07:00

Kodak wants to give YOU, my readers, a chance to win the NEW
M530 Digital Camera OR Pulse Digital Frame!

Here are the contest rules:

1. Post a comment sharing your FAVORITE Kodak moment (A Kodak moment is a memorable moment that you'll remember forever). If you have a photo related to this moment please include a link so I can view it. (Photo is not necessary.)

2. Make sure I can access your blogger profile so that I can contact you if you win.

I will run the contest until midnite of May 9, 2010 and ONE reader will win the M530 digital camera and another will win the Pulse digital frame. The TWO winners will be chosen by using random.org and will be announced on May 11th, 2010!

Please follow my blog so you can learn about future giveaways.

Good luck and comment away!

Bernadette
AKA Bern-Baby-Bern

And The Winner of the $20 Cinnabon Gift Card IS...

2010-04-12T17:24:00.000-07:00

...first of all, I want to show everyone how I GOT the winner. I took all the entries and entered them in the list randomizer at random.org and pressed "randomize" and got THIS list...

THEN I put 1 thru 29 in the number randomizer (because that's how many entries there were) and whatever number came up was "matched" to the first list.

And the winning number was lucky number 13!!! Which is...drum roll please...AMY ANDERSON!!! Congratulations Amy! Please email me your address so I can have the card sent to you.

Thank you everyone for all your comments! The next giveaway gives you TWO chances to win! The two gadgets are courtesy of Kodak. One is their awesome NEW M530 Digital Camera and the other is Kodak's Pulse Digital Frame! Check back in a few days for details and thanks for reading my blog!

Fresh & Easy's New EatWell Products

2010-04-02T21:52:00.000-07:00

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Fresh and Easy. But now I'm an even bigger fan because they're coming out with their EatWell healthy meal options that are fresh, convenient and best of all they're DEE-licous!!!

Each meal contains 25% or less of your daily caloric intake, which means, you can have four of these meals and still be within the daily guidelines based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Each individual packaging clearly displays the calorie, fat, saturated fat and the sodium content, which is very important when you're trying to lose weight.

The EatWell launch consists of 17 new items including Fresh Ready Meals, Soups, Salads, Sandwiches and Sushi-all made in the Fresh & Easy kitchen. I was lucky enough to sample a number of these products at Fresh & Easy's home office and I must say that I agree with their motto, "no compromise on taste". All the dishes were fresh, flavorful and I didn't feel like I was missing anything when I ate them.

Here is a list of some of the dishes I sampled:

Arroz con Pollo-Seasoned chicken breast and rice with crimini mushrooms, bell peppers, peas and tomatoes blended with herbs and spices. $3.99

Bruschetta Chicken-Whole wheat pasta topped with juicy chicken breast and sweet tomato sauce, sunblushed tomatoes and parmesan cheese. $3.99

Teriyaki Salmon-Grilled salmon fillet on a bed of brown rice with broccoli, bell peppers and sweet teriyaki sauce. $4.99 (MY FAVORITE!)

Spicy Tuna Square-Layers of brown rice, roasted edamame, gingered carrots and spicy tuna mix. $3.99 (MY 2nd FAVORITE!)

Veggie Hummus Wrap-Crisp cucumbers, bell peppers, carrots and spring lettuce mix with red pepper hummus wrapped in a sundried tomato tortilla. $2.99 (The dressing is to die for!)

Turkey Chili-Hearty chili with lean turkey, onions, carrots, tomato, kidney beans and bell peppers with herbs and spices. $1.99

My husband and I have taken an oath to eat better in our daily life and these convenient, healthy and reasonably-priced meals will definitely help us accomplish that.

Enjoying the delicious Fresh & Easy wine
I know you're probably wondering, "How you can I get my hands on these new EatWell meals?" Starting April 7, 2010 they will have these products, and many more, available at your local Fresh & Easy grocery stores so you can experience the goodness for yourself!

The Awesome Fresh & Easy Team!
Thank you Fresh & Easy for allowing me to be part of such an awesome event!!!

Mommy's Purse to the Rescue!!!

2010-03-25T09:22:00.000-07:00

Before I was a mom I thought I was always prepared. Only after I became a mom did I truly find out what the word prepared meant. I thought, "This is just how I am when I'm with my daughter" but I realized that once you're in mommy mode you can never go back. Which in not neccessarily a bad thing.

I recently got the opportunity to shoot in San Francisco. The thought of having three days to myself with uninterrupted sleep was exhilarating! This would be the first time I would be away from my daughter for such a long period of time. I knew it would be difficult but I wanted to enjoy myself as much as I could.

On this trip, I discovered that I was very prepared. Let me over-emphasize that, I was "mommy" prepared! When I boarded that plane I had snacks, anti-bacterial, baby wipes, aspirin, extra napkins (because you can never have enough napkins in your purse) and more things than I care to list. Let's put it this way, I had feminine products and it wasn't even that time of the month. I just like to have them ready in case someone else needs them.

I think once you become a mom you develop this mentality of "always" be prepared! For instance, carrying around an extra outfit just in case your little one has an accident. Having snacks in case they get hungry. Taking books and crayons to the restaurant so during those few minutes they are distracted you can devour your meal before a meltdown.

My fellow actors noticed this as well. We worked in 38 degree weather for fifteen and a half hours and one of the actors looked like she was freezing so I offered her a blanket. Another actor had a headache, no need to call the medic, I had aspirin in my pocket. It was two hours 'til dinner and craft service was quite a hike but one of the actors was hungry, fear not I have goldfish and granola bars in my purse!!! I remember someone saying, "Wow! You can tell Bernadette is a mom." I thought to myself, "I certainly AM a mom" and took it as a complement.

That trip made me realize that I practically have everything I need, but if I don't I can certainly ask a fellow mom and I'm pretty sure she will have it.

$20 Cinnabon Gift Card Giveaway!!!

2010-03-25T06:16:00.000-07:00

Now if you've been out to your local Cinnabon lately you would have noticed the delicious NEW cupcakes they are now selling. I know I have! They come in four flavors: chocolate, vanilla, cinnaswirl and carrot cake (my favorite).

If you'd like to try these yummy treats for free, join the contest!

Here's how:

Leave a comment on THIS BLOG (NOT Facebook) stating what your favorite dessert is. Let's keep it G rated people. Some of you might have to create an account to do so but it will only take a minute, I promise! AND if you become a follower you'll be able to sign up for future giveaways. And there are some GOOD ones coming up!

The winner will be chosen at random and will be announced on April 12, 2010.

Comment away and good luck!

Fun, Food, Friends and Free Stuff at the Ritz!

2010-03-23T14:51:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I got an opportunity to attend the LA/Orange County Moms Blog party at the Ritz. It was hosted by SV Moms Group and sponsored by BitDefender, Stride Rite and the fabulous Ritz-Carlton of Laguna Nigel.

The best part of these events is all the great stuff we receive and in addition we also get the chance to meet and catch up with fellow mom bloggers in person.

We had the opportunity to network and share valuable information about integrating brands into our blogging, which is very helpful to bloggers who haven't tapped into this market. After two hours of the roundtable we proceeded to learn about all the products we were about to receive.

Here are just a few of my favorite items and will follow up with more in the future:

iGO green Charge Anywhere-
This awesome charger works as a wall charger to charge almost any device while charging it's own battery for device charging away from a wall outlet. It even has two USB outputs for simultaneous device charging. It works with multiple devices including mobile phones, digital cameras and GPS devices just to name a few. This handy charger is a definite must-have for trips as well as regular day to day life!

Cinnabon Cupcakes-
Now you might be asking, "Cupcakes?!" Yes, CUPCAKES!!! Cinnabon is not only spreading joy through their cinnamon rolls but now also with cupcakes. I am a huge fan of their cinnamon rolls, which is probably why I still have some baby weight to lose, and their new cupcakes rate equally as high. They come in cinnaswirl, chocolate, vanilla and (my favorite) carrot cake. These yummy treats are now available at your local Cinnabon. I will also have a $20 Cinnabon gift card giveaway so that you can try these new cupcakes so make sure to check back in a week!

Skechers Shape-Ups
Every busy mom who is trying to lose the baby weight looks for quick and easy ways to incorporate exercise in their everyday lives. Now they can with Skechers Shape-Ups! The second I slipped them on I fell in love. They are comfortable and sporty at the same time, not to mention the added bonus of helping shed those extra pounds. After wearing them for a few days while grocery shopping I've noticed an improvement on my calf muscles and posture. If you're looking for a shoe replacement I definitely recommend trying out these Shape-Ups!

Dole-
Dole has a special place in my heart. Not just because they gave us some awesome fruit cups, which every child loves, but because they made me feel like a winner with the help of fellow mom blogger Yvonne. See, there were many items raffled off at the event and after all the winners were announced I was disappointed to find out my name was never called. But Yvonne won a great gift basket from Dole which had everything from recipe books (which is so appropriate because Yvonne is an excellent baker and does it successfully for a living) to cans of pineapple and last but not least, thee cutest pink Dole hat!!! She graciously shared that hat with me so that I could also feel like a winner. Thanks Yvonne!

Bosch Appliances-
If you're a coffee addict like I am, you'll love Bosch's new TASSIMO single-cup beverage maker! They had a wide variety of flavors, caramel being my favorite. If you're not into coffee they also had other flavors including hot chocolate which was creamy and decadent. Each individual serving is barcoded so the machine knows exactly the right time and temperature to brew. Wake up to a perfect cup with Bosch!

Thank you to Daphne, Heather and Jason of the Rogers Group for sharing such terrific products and participating in the event.

After visiting the booths and learning about all the giveaways some of the mom bloggers and I were able to relax and enjoy some of the delicious food at the Ritz.

California rolls, my favorite.

And chocolate covered strawberries for dessert.

Eunice and Me at the event.
I would like to thank SVMoms Group and all the amazing sponsors for allowing me to take part in such spectacular event! Live, Laugh, Blog!!!

A Day at the Zoo with Animals and Moshi Monsters!

2010-01-28T16:32:00.000-08:00

I was recently invited to spend a day at the L.A. Zoo and have a personal hands-on demo with an online video game site called Moshi Monsters. I had never heard of this site and was excited to learn more about it.

Moshi Monsters is a free online site where kids can adopt a monster and care for it. I was happy to sample the various games such as the daily challenge which can help the player accumulate points called Rox. They can then use the Rox to buy things such as food, furniture, treats or toys to boost their monsters mood. As time passes, their monster will move up in levels and be able to visit new locations in Monstro City.

I was particularly impressed with the games because they were educational and entertaining at the same time. They incorporated math, English and comprehension which can help kids learn while they play video games. I feel that this will also teach them responsibility which they can incorporate into their everyday lives.

After the demo, we were able to enjoy the warm weather at the L.A.zoo. My daughter enjoyed the colorful flamingos, bears and peacocks.

We returned to sample more of the games which are 90% free! The other 10% gives your child access to some cool extras which are available on their website here.

All in all I would recommend this site to parents with children who enjoy video games because they can learn and have fun at the same time. So adopt a Moshi monster now at www.moshimonsters.com!

Spa Day Should be EVERY day!!!

2010-01-28T15:44:00.000-08:00

I consider a “spa day” the perfect day! After having a child, spa days are far and few in between. So I felt extremely lucky when I got pampered at the Pacific Waters Spa at the Hyatt Resort in Huntington Beach. The location alone was relaxing. I, along with a few mom bloggers, enjoyed mini 15-minute samples of hand treatments, facials and massages (my favorite!).

Group Yellow: Me, Yvonne and Eunice.

Valley Asian Moms: Me, Amy and Marsha
The salon's staff also demonstrated how we could use regular household products to do our very own treatments at home. I sampled the coconut oil, coffee grind and cocoa mixture.

They gave us a tour of the numerous amenities including a salt-water jacuzzi, an outdoor fire-pit, and a roomy bathtub for two (just to name a few). Our tour ended with a delicious, healthy lunch. My favorites were the salmon, grilled vegetables and fresh fruit for dessert.

All things must come to an end and I was very sad to leave the spa. I want to commend the amazing staff and PR representatives, Jessica and Toni of Purry Communications, for being such great hosts.

After the spa we relaxed at the Red Chair Lounge with some "mommytini" cocktails, yummy appetizers and desserts.

This experience reminded me of how important it is to take care ourselves. So often, moms put everyone else's needs ahead of their own that they forget about themselves. Being a great mom means being able to give ourselves a break and this was the perfect way to do it. So I'd like to say thanks to the Pacific Waters Spa for allowing me to take part in this amazing event!

All my readers are probably wondering, how can "I" get this amazing experience?! Well you're in luck! Right now if you become a fan on their Facebook page and post "I became a fan of Pacific Waters Spa by reading funny yellow mom" you'll receive 20% off any 60 minute treatment! AND you'll also help me help my friend ,Amy Anderson, "funny yellow mom" (who is an amazing single mom and totally deserves a spa day!), win a contest they're having for mommy bloggers. The blogger with the most referrals wins a spa day! Valentine's is right around the corner so give the gift that keeps on giving!

A New Year With A New Name

2010-01-28T15:25:00.000-08:00

There are many times in my life that I consider memorable. Coming to America, my first time up on stage doing stand-up, graduating college, getting married and MOST importantly the birth of my child. I feel very blessed to have experienced these things. It seems with the addition of my daughter, every day and every second have become more special. She brings an unexplainable joy to me in whatever she does and says.

We rang in the new year with some dear friends, the Chambers family, in Pleasanton, CA. We love spending time with them because our daughter Isabella also gets to spend time with their three kids. On our drive up, we discovered that our daughter had developed car sickness. Not fun. She also had a cold so she was not in the best of spirits. Despite her illness, she still took part in all the fun. She played with all the smaller kids and observed the older kids, mentally taking note of what they did so that when she was bigger she could do the same.

During this trip my daughter also experienced night terrors. I know they advise that you let them sleep through it but that is not so easy when you are a guest at someone else's home. Needless to say, my husband and I got very little rest.

After a few days, I took a much needed nap and my husband took our daughter out to play for a few hours. When they came back he said she asked for me and I said, "How???". This was surprising because in my daughter's 16 months she has said many words but has never uttered the word "mama". She says both "dada" AND "papa" but never "mama", which was starting to hurt my feelings. She reached for me and I carried her and after a few minutes my husband took her away and she reached for me again and said with such urgency, "Mama!!!!" I couldn't believe it! FINALLY! I was in such shock I just looked at her and made sure I wasn't hearing things. Then she looked directly at me touched my face and said, "Mama?" I got teary-eyed and answered, "Yes, mama." It meant so much to hear this little person call me for the first time. It was the best present I could receive to start off the new year.

Since then, I have heard her say it sparingly. I asked the pediatrician why it took so long for her to say it and her response was, "All children are different. And maybe the fact that you're with her most of the time, she doesn't feel the urgency to call for you as much." Which made sense. All I know is that when I do hear "mama", it's music to my ears. In fact I gotta go, I just heard it again. Mommy's coming!

Pass the Milk Please

2010-01-24T11:53:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to attend the "Great Gallon Give" kick-off and milk mustache campaign unveiling at the swanky W hotel in Los Angeles. It was a star-studded celebrity event with the current "Got Milk" mustache spokesperson, Rebecca Romijn, her hubby Jerry O'Connell, and the hilarious You-tube sensation, Anita Renfroe.

I love attending these events, especially when they are kid-friendly. They had faux ice-skating, a legos area and even a plant-a-seed station where the kids got to bring home their potted creations.

They also had a station where you could take your own milk-mustache photo with the whole family, print them and put it in our very own "Got Milk" photo frame.

I think my favorite part of the event was being asked to take part in a "Pass the Milk" internet campaign. They shot various people in front of a green screen and we would pass the milk from right to left. Sounds simple, right? It was a little more than meets the eye. "Hold the gallon up higher, now lower, now pause for a second, now pause for a second and look at the camera." I do this for a living and for some reason I got a little flustered. I think having my family and friends there watching put a little pressure, but still SO much fun and definitely my favorite part of the event.

The "Great Gallon Give" has pledged to help families in need by passing a virtual gallon of milk to friends on Facebook. For every gallon passed, they will donate $1 to Feeding America, up to $100,000. So please take a moment to pass the milk at Facebook.com/MilkMustace.

Disney on Ice "Worlds of Fantasy" Post-show Review

2009-12-19T08:50:00.000-08:00

My family and I recently got the opportunity to attend the Disney on Ice "Worlds of Fantasy" at the Staples Center. We thoroughly enjoyed every moment of our first ice-skating show ever!!! One tip, DRESS WARM.

The show started off with familiar Disney characters Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Donald. All the kids cheered as they saw their favorites skate on to the ice.

The "Cars" portion of of the show was even more impressive with pyro-technics, flashing lights and smoke machines.

Ariel and characters from "The Little Mermaid" re-enacted scenes from the movie. All the lifts and jumps mesmerized everyone in the audience, young and old.

One of my favorite parts was "The Lion King". I saw the stage production at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood and they successfully re-created the same effects on ice. The stampede was choreographed perfectly!

Overall, Disney on Ice "Worlds of Fantasy" is a MUST see! This would be a great holiday treat for the entire family so be sure to catch it before it's final run at one of it's four venues on Dec. 30th.

For more info go to www.disneyonice.com.

Disney on Ice Presents "Worlds of Fantasy"!

2009-12-17T11:19:00.000-08:00

Disney on Ice is presenting a spectacular new show called "Worlds of Fantasy". This exciting action-packed ice spectacular showcases all-time favorite characters from Disney/Pixar’s "Cars" and Disney’s Tinker Bell, "The Lion King" and "The Little Mermaid". Families will also get an opportunity to participate in a pre-show meet and greet with a Disney Princess.

Audiences will thrill to high-speed stunts as Lightning McQueen, Mater and the crew of Disney/Pixar's CARS race through Radiator Springs. Dive into The Little Mermaid's enchanting undersea kingdom and experience the 'Circle of Life' with The Lion King. Then, enter into the magical world of Pixie Hollow with Tinker Bell and all her fairy friends as they make their world premiere on ice! From wheels to waves, Pride Lands to pixie dust, Favorite Disney moments come to life at Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy. Dazzling skating, special effects, amazing animatronics, and beloved characters are certain to create a lifetime of memories.

Be sure to catch this amazing show at one of the following performances:

STAPLES Center, December 17-20
Honda Center, Anaheim, December 22-27
Citizens Business Bank Arena, Ontario, December 30- January 3
and the Long Beach Arena, January 6-10, 2010

For further information log onto: www.disneyonice.com

Help A Mother Out

2009-11-30T10:07:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,

I hope your holiday season is going well.

I wanted to spread the word about a diaper drive that my friend, Kim Prince http://www.kimtracyprince.com/, is having at the Treehouse Social Club on December 13, 2009 from 3-6pm. Here is a link to additonal info:
http://www.helpamotherout.org/events/los-angeles-holiday-playdate/

Please spread the word about this great cause and help support it in any way you can.

I hope to see you there!

EA Games Winter Wonderland

2009-11-15T19:40:00.000-08:00

My husband has always enjoyed video games which is why I was so excited to attend the EA Games Winter Wonderland event. I loved the fact that I could bring him and my daughter to take part in the festivities. Even though she is only 14 months old, she was mesmerized by all the colorful games that were displayed on the screen.

When we entered the venue there were stations set up with all of their new video games. My husband's first stop was Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. He said it had great single-player action and awesome two-player duels. His favorite part was making the potions which could be used to build magic.

One of the most entertaining was the Charm Girls Club Pajama Party. There were SO many varieties of games to choose from. I, myself, opted for the dancing sequence which confirmed, I am not as young as I used to be. My friend's daughters played the section of the game where you race to see who could tease their hair the fastest. I don't know what was more entertaining, watching or playing. Those were just a few of the many options that we could chose from Charm Girls Club. I could see how this game would be a huge hit with tween girls.

The last station I was able to partake in was the EA Sports Active More Workouts. It provides a way to burn calories in the comfort of your own home. There are 35 new exercises to chose from AND you can also customize your workouts to fit your needs. There is also a 6 week challenge that ramps up intensity which will help prevent hitting a plateau. With all the holiday treats around the corner, this would definitely be a great way to keep off those extra pounds.

Whatever your holiday gift-giving needs are, EA games is sure to have something for the whole family to enjoy. Thanks EA Games!!!

Happy Healthy Mommy

2009-11-02T20:40:00.000-08:00

Growing up, I was an overweight kid. I mean, OVERWEIGHT! Let's put it this way, I weighed more in the third grade than I did before I got pregnant. In fact, the school nurse had a meeting with my mom about it. I remember hearing them in the other room and the conversation went like this:

Nurse: Mrs. Balagtas, Bernadette is in poor health. She has problems breathing.
My Mom: Burnuhdet kin REED!!!
Nurse: Not READ, BREATHE.
My Mom: Ooooh...

Throughout my life I've struggled with my weight and right now isn't any different.

I gained 38 lbs. while I was pregnant with my baby. After she was born, I lost 19 lbs. by my 6 week check-up. "This is going to be a cinch to lose!",...so I thought. I breastfed and heard of all the encouraging stories of women who lost their baby weight all because of breastfeeding. This was certainly not the case for me. I gave myself a break. A very good friend of mine said, "It took 9 months to put on so it should take 9 months to take off." Amen to that!!! So I have 9 whole months?! This is going to be a piece of cake. In the famous words of Rob Schneider in every Adam Sandler movie "Yu kin doo eeet!" Unfortunately, 9 months came and went. Hello 19 lbs. So then I gave myself an extension. Okay, by her 1st birthday...Still there. So then I gave myself ANOTHER extension. Okay, by MY birthday! I learned very quickly that the worst kind of promises to break, are the ones we make to ourselves. I felt very defeated.

I never realized how unhappy I really was until one day my daughter was staring at an engagement picture of me and I said to her, "See, that's skinny mommy." And my daughter looked at me confused like, "What are you talking about lady?!" I felt so embarrassed. Here I was, telling my daughter that in some way THAT mommy is better just because she is skinny. Okay, she probably didn't interpret it that way but that's what I felt at the moment. I knew right then I had to do something different. Immediately after my birthday I made a promise to myself not to LOSE weight but just to be healthier. If weight-loss came along with it, great, but I didn't want that to be my main focus.

Working out was an issue because I always had my daughter with me so I got a jogging stroller. My husband has also been very supportive with watching her so I can make regular trips to the gym. I have improved my eating habits. Don't get me wrong, I have a treat every now and again (especially with Halloween candy everywhere) but I try not to deprive myself to the point of misery.

Here's the ironic part, after all of the exercise I GAINED weight. When I stepped on the scale, it didn't even bother me that I went up 2 lbs. I knew I was doing what was right for my body and I was okay. My clothes fit better and I FELT better. I want my daughter to grow up and learn healthy habits from "happy" mommy, which is who I am today.

Fresh AND Easy certainly IS!

2009-09-02T16:38:00.000-07:00

There has been much excitement going on from trips to the mid-west to 1st birthday parties. Which is why I'm very behind on my posts but as I say, better late than never.

About a month and a half ago, I had the pleasure of attending the Fresh and Easy cooking demo at Sur La Table in the Grove. I had entered a Fresh and Easy before but only went in to purchase minimal things such as water bottles but quickly got introduced to their wonderful items at this awesome event.

The cooking portion started off with making pizza with ready-made dough, sauce and cheese. All F & E products. My cooking partner, Marsha, and I were such rebels we decided to put some salami on our little creation. End result, pure goodness.

There was such a wide variety of great food from appetizers, main dishes and dessert. Being very limited on time, I will highlight my favorite dish of the evening which was the Beef Fajitas. It comes pre-packaged with the vegetable ready to cook in a little bit of olive oil. We added ready made bean dip with some fresh made guacamole and paired it up with freshly shredded lettuce and wrapped it all up in a whole wheat tortilla. Presto, you've got a Fresh and Easy dinner which will serve 4 people for a little over $4! I know! The best part, it was DEE-licious!

If you're lucky enough to have a Fresh and Easy nearby I encourage you to try their products. It's not only Fresh AND Easy it's also affordable and delicious!

Kohl's Dream Center

2009-09-02T16:08:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,

It’s back to school time and many moms are getting their kids ready for the new school year. Whether they need new clothes or new school supplies, there are many things that parents and kids need to handle before school starts. In Los Angeles, the Dream Center and Kohl’s Department Stores made back to school a thrilling time for L.A.’s inner-city youth by providing backpacks full of school supplies, clothes, medical & dental screenings, hair cuts, fun, music & more! Here’s the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JNCBNvp8tE.

Please spread the word about this wonderful organization and support it any way you can.

Thanks!

My first blog!

2009-07-19T08:59:00.000-07:00

Testing 1 2 3! My first blog on bern-baby-bern!