Disney on Ice Dare to Dream!

My daughter and I had a great time during Disney on Ice Dare to Dream! The highlight of the evening was seeing Rapunzel and Flynn Rider release the floating lights as they skated into happily ever after. Don't miss out on this magical experience. Click here for ticket info.

Bern-Baby-Bern

A Fresh and Easy Holiday!

My stomach thanks me every time I am invited to a Fresh and Easy event. Cyndi Perez is an amazing Chef and outdid herself by serving up proscuitto wrapped shrimp, butternut squash ravioli and ham and cheese quiche during Fresh and Easy's Holiday party. Did you know that manchego cheese and raspberry jelly make a dynamic duo??? Well it does! The chocolate-covered cream puffs, pumpkin pie tarts and peanut butter cups were delicious.




In between my nibbling I took some goofy photos and decorated 3 sugar cookies (which by the way, never made it home.)

If you're looking for a stress free way to entertain, I would recommend their ready-made holiday meals. We ordered the ham 2 years ago and it was a hit!

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this post and the views expressed are my personal opinion. Plain and simple Fresh and Easy is clearly awesome.

Ringing in the New Year at Knott's Berry Farm!

Ever since we visited Camp Spooky in October my family and I have been looking for the perfect opportunity to return to Knott's Berry Farm and now we've got one, New Year's Eve! My daughter will be SO excited to see the Peanuts gang in "Happy New Year Charlie Brown!" AND she loves ice-skating so Snoopy on Ice will be an extra special treat for her.

I'm also looking forward to seeing comedian magician Dana Daniels. He is hilarious! I can't wait for my hubby to see Dana because laughter always puts him in what he calls "fun mode". Once he's in fun mode I can convince him to put on his dancing shoes and join me for a salsa lesson at the Knott's Fiesta Plaza before hitting up Ghost Rider.

After we work up an appetite we'll definitely have to to make a stop at Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant. Hands down THEE best fried chicken ever!

As always the best part will be ringing in the new year with my family during the midnight fireworks show. I can hardly wait!

Hope see you there!

Bern-Baby-Bern

Knott's is also offering 2013 Season Passes for only $66.99 with NO blackout dates!

Disney On Ice "Dare to Dream!" Mom Flyer Discount

Use this Mom Flyer Discount for additional savings and order your tickets today!

Disney on Ice presents Dare to Dream!

Disney on Ice presents Dare to Dream! where princess favorites Rapunzel, Tiana and Cinderella relive memorable moments from Tangled, The Princess and the Frog and Cinderella! Witness the magic brought to life by a cast of world-class skaters as they guide you through journeys of romance, adventure and humor in this contemporary skating extravaganza!

Exprience the beauty, sparkle and spirit when Disney on Ice presents Dare to Dream comes to Los Angeles, Orange County, the Inland Empire and Long Beach! Tickets are available starting November 11, 2012.

Visit www.DisneyonIce.com for additional info.

FREE Movie Preview of "Dino Time"!

Clarius Entertainment is having a FREE screening of a great family film called "Dino Time" and I would personally like to invite all my readers!

Go to www.gofobo.com/rsvp to download your free tickets with the code: LAMOMS41RL

Dino Time
Tuesday, November 13th @6:30pm
AMC Burbank 16
125 East Palm Ave.
Burbank, CA 91502

Check out the trailer!

Wreck It Ralph Review!

Isabella and I got a chance to have a mother/daughter date night screening "Wreck-It Ralph" which opens Friday, November 2nd.

This compelling movie centers around Ralph who is tired of being the bad guy. He thinks that by winning a medal he'll earn the respect he has always wanted so he embarks on his journey by jumping from game to game. He encounters another video game misfit named Vanellope von Schweetz whose dream is to be a racer. Ralph and Vanellope quickly develop a friendship and find in each other the love and respect they have been searching for. This fun and heart-warming movie teaches a great lesson about acceptance and not judging a book by it's cover.

An all-star cast including John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jane Lynch and Jack McBrayer voices “Wreck-It Ralph”.

My daughter and I LOVED the movie! My only concern would be the few scenes with guns but other than that I recommend "Wreck-It Ralph" for the whole family.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this post. I was invited to a screening and the views expressed are my personal opinion.

Camp Spooky at Knott's Berry Farm

My family and I enjoyed a fun-filled, scare-free day in Camp Spooky at Knott's Berry Farm. The day started with huge smiles when the Peanuts Gang joined us for breakfast and cookie decorating at the Grizzly Creek Lodge. As you can tell from Isabella’s face, cookie decorating is serious business in our house.

I was pleasantly surprised at how kid-friendly all the rides were in Camp Snoopy. My daughter was able to enjoy all of them by herself or with an adult. Definitely a plus in my book!!!

Another highlight was watching her trick or treat throughout Camp Spooky and take photos inside the Great Pumpkin Hay Bale Maze.

Dress up your little ghost or goblin and head on down to Knott's Berry Farm for the friendliest Halloween party at Camp Spooky!

Snoopy’s Costume Party runs weekends October 6-28 and is included with regular park admission.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this post. I was invited to attend Camp Spooky and the views expressed are my own opinion.

Frankenweenie Review

Disney's Frankenweenie is a poignant story about friendship between a boy named Victor and his dog Sparky. When Sparky dies after getting hit by a car, Victor turns to science to bring his loyal four-legged friend back to life. He tries to keep the successful experiment a secret but when his classmates find out and try to recreate Victor's revival in hopes of winning the Science Fair trouble ensues.

I must warn you to bring tissue and lots of it. I caught myself bawling at certain parts because the connection between Victor and Sparky is so endearing that it is simply heart-wrenching to imagine them apart. I must admit that my four year old was a little reluctant to attend the screening but after the first 10 minutes she was hooked. Now every time she sees the movie posters she yells, "I saw that and I wasn't scared! Can we see it again?" You can't ask for a better endorsement than that.

There are colorful characters amongst Victor's classmates including a needy misfit named Edgar "E" Gore, the over-achieving mad scientist "Toshiaki" and (my favorite) a girl with a prophesizing cat and an unnerving stare suitably called "Weird Girl".

The three dimensional stop motion animation is fascinating to watch under the direction of Tim Burton accompanied by the music of Oscar nominated composer Danny Elfman. Kudos to all of the voice actors for making each character so distinct and memorable.

Be sure to catch Frankenweenie in theaters opening this weekend Friday, October 5.

First Year and First Haircut!

We recently celebrated my son's first birthday on August 30, 2012. I never knew how much work a second child would add and I must admit it has certainly overwhelmed me at times. I don't know HOW mothers with more than two do it. I get exhausted just thinking about it. Regardless of the sleepless nights and the never-ending workload I consider myself to be one of the luckiest moms around.

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With my son's first birthday came one of the most heartbreaking milestones, his first haircut. Let me explain, my son was born with a FULL head of hair which has grown longer and thicker into an afro during his first year, which I LOVED. His father, not so much. So our compromise was that he would get a haircut, NOT a head shave, on his first birthday.




After a few tears, (mostly from me), I felt like his first haircut was a huge success. And I thought about why it was such an emotional moment for me and I realized that it wasn't because he was losing his hair, it was because I felt like I was losing my baby. Sniff. Sniff. When it's all said and done I have to admit he does look rather handsome.

Fall Fashion at the Children's Place!

If you're looking for some cool threads for back to school then head over to The Children's Place for their fall fashions! I took my daughter to shop for some essential items such as the "cool" uniform tops and bottoms along with some sparkle and shine jackets! I couldn't resist the stylish fedora for my one-year-old paired with a hip grey vest.

You want denim then look no further. They've got classic jackets for girls, boys and even toddlers. So of course I picked one up for my little guy.

I love the fact that you can mix and match all the pieces to get a casual or preppy look. There's even animal prints for little fashionistas.

One thing's for sure you can find all the clothes you need whether it be uniforms or just fall fashion fun at the Children's Place!

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this post. I was given a $100 credit to shop at the Children's Place. The views expressed are my own honest and personal opinion.

Mom Discount for Ringling Brothers "Dragons"

Ringling Bros. Presents "Dragons"

Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey are celebrating the Spirit of the Dragon with the best circus performers in the Southland! Some of these amazing acts include Shaolin Warriors displaying their expertise in Kung Fu martial arts, the Flying Caceres with their double-decker trapeze act and daredevil motorcyclists in the Globe of Steel to name a few. There will also be equestrian acrobatics, the only mixed-cat (lion and tiger act) and an Asian elephant who can paint masterpieces!

Come early for the ALL Access Pre-Show, FREE admission with your ticket! Families will be able to participate in many exciting activities such as learning how to juggle, get autographs from the talented performers and meet the clowns as they entertain the audience with their comical parody.

The whole family is sure to enjoy this spectacular show! For more information visit www.Ringling.com.

Knott's Berry Farm Tickets Giveaway!!!

I am giving away TWO Knott's Berry Farm Regular admission tickets! With summer right around the corner I encourage everyone to get season passes to Knott's. For as low as $69.99 you can enjoy all of your favorite rides, receive discounts at Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant, discounts on merchandise, bring friends on Discount Days and best of all there are NO black out dates!!!

I love Knott's so much that I ACTUALLY used to work in Camp Snoopy while I was in high school!

MANDATORY ENTRY:
Leave a comment stating what your favorite job was growing up during high school or college. 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 is as one entry).

1. Follow my blog publicly via Google Friend Connect. If you are already a follower leave a comment and it will still count.

2. Follow me on Twitter at bernadette923. If you are already a follower it will still count.

3. Tweet this giveaway.

4. Like www.Facebook.com/KnottsBerryFarm

5. Follow @Knotts on Twitter.

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

This contest is open until Sunday, June 17th 2012 at midnight. I will leave a comment on THIS post Monday June 18th 2012 stating who the winner is. 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

Children's Place pool party!!!

I recently went on a shopping spree for my two kids during The Children's Place Pool Party event! I loved the WIDE variety I had to choose from. The girls' dresses ranged from bright neon colors to cool pastels.

My daughter chose a hot pink dress to match the one mommy had on and insisted on wearing it out of the store along with her sparkly matching glasses. I couldn't resist the ULTRA stylish fedora hat for my little guy. There was also a wide selection of bathing suits, accessories and sandals/slippers ALL on sale.

I love the fact that all of their clothes were reasonably priced and of EXCEPTIONAL quality. My final tally ended up being 3 summer dresses, 4 girls' shirts, 1 skirt, 2 sunglasses and 2 hats ALL for...drumroll...$101!!! So if you're looking to get more bang for your buck while stocking up on summer gear for your little ones head down to The Children's Place during their Summer Sale Pool Party event!!!

Thank you Children's Place for making my kids look WAY more stylish than their mom this summer!
Disclaimer: I was not paid for this post. I was given a credit of $100 to use towards my purchases at The Children's Place. The views expressed are my true and honest opinion.

Knott's Mother's Day Champagne Brunch!

Today I started my pre-Mother's day festivities with a brunch at Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant. They had so many delicious options I didn't know where to begin. There's a carving station with turkey and roast beef, shrimp cocktail and you're everyday breakfast favorites like eggs, waffles and blintzes. If you feel like omlettes they'll whip one up right in front of you with all the fixin's. My favorite HAD to be their old-fashioned apple stuffing, it's like Thanksgiving in one bite. And if you've never had Mrs. Knott's famous fried chicken then you've never really "had" fried chicken.

Of course no brunch is complete without mimosas. I highly recommend their boysenberry flavored mimosa which was DEELISH! If you're looking to top off you're meal with something sweet they'll have at least 20 desserts to chose from. My favorites were the fruit tarts and decadent chocolate brownies. The best part of our meal was a special meet and greet from the ever so huggable Snoopy himself!!!

Treat a special mom in your life to a memorable Mother's Day Champagne Brunch at Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant and mention "mom blogger event" to receive 10% off. Call (714) 220-5055 for reservations.

Thank you Knott's for making this mother feel special!

Bern-Baby-Bern

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

Wordless Wednesday

Frametastic Fridays!!!

I just wanted to share these pictures of the USCIS ad I did last year. I am very proud to be part of this on-going campaign due to the fact that I AM an immigrant and also because I was 3 months pregnant when I shot these.

Apparently they appear all over the subway stations in NYC. I've had numerous people post pictures on my facebook page letting me know that I keep them company every morning while they wait for the L train.


Here in Los Angeles they've been spotted in bus stops, buses, public libraries and on billboards off the freeway.


I am INDEED a proud American.

Bern-Baby-Bern

Fresh & Easy Pink Slime SWAP MEAT TODAY!!!

On Wednesday, March 28th, TODAY, anyone concerned about the quality of their meat can bring any fresh or frozen ground beef from another retailer to any Fresh & Easy and exchange it for a package of Fresh & Easy ground beef – NO questions asked.

"You can rest assure that we have never, would never and will never use pink slime in our ground beef. All of Fresh & Easy’s products are made with the highest quality ingredients and contain no artificial colors or flavors, high fructose corn syrup or added trans fats."-Tim Mason, Fresh & Easy CEO
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For a location near you click on
Fresh & Easy

Aphrodite and the Gods of Love at the Getty Villa

If you've never been to the breathtaking Getty Villa NOW is the perfect time to do so because Aphrodite and the Gods of Love will be in exhibit from March 28th through July 9th 2012.


I had the pleasure of an exclusive guided tour from the curator Mr. David Saunders. He took us through a variety of pieces including Venus, the Sleeping Cupid and various sculptures of the goddess Aphrodite. He explained the many complexities of the goddess of love such as the fact that she was also a protector of certain cities and ensured safe travels for sailors and merchants. It was fascinating to learn that there were many similarities between the Greek goddess and Venus, her Roman counterpart.


Many of the art pieces are from the J. Paul Getty Museum while others were major loans from prestigious Italian institutions. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our night out at the Villa and already have plans to return. If you're looking for an elegant outing in Los Angeles you should definitely visit the Getty Villa to see Aphrodite and the Gods of Love exhibit.



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

Disney Baby!!!

Disney Baby recently previewed their new line of products ranging from apparel, bathtime and playtime to name a few!!! My 5 month old and I got to experience these products first hand which means I'll be making some Disney Baby purchases VERY soon.

One of my favorite new items are their hip and trendy onesies available in many styles such as neon and nature's sketchbook. I love the bold colors and the playful prints of various Disney characters. And I have to mention that they come with "grow with me" snaps which can extend your baby's use of these stylish bodysuits which means longer wear and less spending!


Bathtime for MY baby is always a challenge so I was pleased to see that Disney Baby came out with a "Finding Nemo" Fun Tub. This tub comes with everything except the kitchen sink. It features a newborn sling that can be removed as baby grows and the best part is,...wait for it...the toy bar! This fun and engaging toy bar has colorful hanging fish, a water wheel and even a little tray that can be used for storage. I love that this will help keep my baby occupied, entertained and clean ALL at the same time. There are also a wide variety of fun character towels, hooded robes and bath toys available.


My five month old is starting to stand with assistance so we tested out the new activity and discovery products. My next purchase is DEFINITELY going to be the Winnie the Pooh Jumper. There are so many great features including music, lights, hanging toys and an electronic storybook. My baby boy loved discovering all the buttons while strengthening his chubby little legs and "I" love the fact that this can keep him occupied while I get some laundry done.

I also got a chance to preview their new DisneyBaby.com website. It's an awesome new site where you can get great ideas, purchase products, download checklists and share your own personal experiences with other parents. I'll definitely be uploading some pictures of my little prince and his big sister...after I do some laundry.

Check out Disney Baby.com for a complete list and availability of all their new items!