Ringling Bros. And Barnum & Bailey Presents "Built To Amaze" Ticket Giveaway

Ringling bros. and Barnum & Bailey presents Built to Amaze!, an extraordinarily engineered circus experience custom-built for family fun where Children of All Ages find out what it takes to construct The Greatest Show On Earth.

I've been going to the circus for years, it's so much fun. The elephants are absolutely my favorite part of the show, with all their giant cuteness. My least favorite? The clowns. Talk about heebie jeebies. Nonetheless, I enjoy every minute of it.

With the B&B circus performing in Anaheim, Los Angels and Ontario there's really no reason you shouldn't attend one of them. To make it easier, we have a giveaway for you!

ONE lucky person will win 2-tickets to ANY of the three venues mentioned above.*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*venue showtimes found here.

ROC Race- 5k Obstacle Challenge!

One thing that I've never done in Southern California before is a 5k. I've been trying to get back into shape the last few months and when my friend told me about this ROC Race, I just had to sign up and try it. It's a 5k obstacle challenge!

I am not a very good runner and so the thought of running a plain old 5k sounded like an awful idea to me. But a race where you run and do obstacles? That sounds fun and yet super challenging! Just picture the show  Wipeout.

It's already 90% full for the Orange County date in July and prices increase on June 27th so if you are interested in participating, sign up before it's too late!!

- Shelley

Coming Soon To SoCal: Ringling Bros. And Barnum & Bailey Presents "Built To Amaze"

Ringling bros. and Barnum & Bailey presents Built to Amaze!, an extraordinarily engineered circus experience custom-built for family fun where Children of All Ages find out what it takes to construct The Greatest Show On Earth.

The visionary blueprints have been assembled with a contemporary toolbox of unparalleled imagination that will be unleashed from shipping crates right before the audiences eyes for the all-new circus spectacular Built To Amaze! coming to the STAPLES Center Los Angeles (7/10-7/16); Citizens Business Bank Arena, Onatrio (7/19-7/23); and Honda Center, Anaheim (7/26-8/4).

Ringmaster Andre McClain takes the Ringling Bros. reins accompanied by his horse Comanche, to lead his funny and mischievous circus supervisors to construct a design of heart-pounding and wondrous performances sure to amaze and thrill audiences. With more than 110 of the worlds best artists & athletes representing 17 countries along with 95 exotic and domestic animals assembled together, Built to Amaze! is highlighted by several unique acts this year including:

• Nine-time international award-winning comedic animal presenting duo Alex and Irina Emelin of Russia introduce their uniquely-designed brand of magic and humor with their remarkable trained animals including poodles, ferrets, rabbits, snakes and more!
• The Trampoline Tower Tumblers, a troupe of then competitive aerial athletes from the Ukraine who launch themselves from trampolines to scale, repel and pass through a three-story high translucent tower.
• The popular King Charles Troupe hailing from New York City brings one-wheeled excitement to the ring with spirited and comedic basketball competition featuring ten whirling unicyclists.

In addition, the show features the electrifying high-wire acrobats, daredevil stuns on The Steel Vortex, the youngest female Human Cannonball, remarkable hand-balancing duos, the always hilarious Clown Alley...and of course our four-legged star performers including the majestic Bengal tigers presented by "Taba" and a fun-filled Asian elephant dance party.

If you're planning on attending, be sure to arrive early to join the several exciting interactive elements before the show starts! Opening 90 minutes prior to every performance, all ticket holder are invited to tour the Animal Open House to get up-close with our amazing animals. Then one before before the show, families can step onto the arena floor to meet the circus performers and animals at the interactive All Access Pre-Show, FREE admission to all ticket holders.

STAPLES Center, Los Angeles - Wednesday, July 10 - Tuesday, July 16

Showtimes located in poster below.

Ticket prices range from $26, $30, $45-$50 (VIP), $70-$80 (Front Row), and $100-$120 (Circus Celebrity). Opening night tickets are $12 each (not valid for VIP or premium seating) and can be purchased online at AXS, charge by phone at 888-9AXS-TIX or in person at the venue box office.

Citizens Business Bank Arena, Ontario - Friday, July 19 - Tuesday, July 23

Showtimes located in poster below.

Ticket prices range from $20, $26, $42 (VIP), $70 (Front Row), and $100 (Circus Celebrity). Opening night tickets are $12 each (not valid for VIP or premium seating) and can be purchased online at AXS.com or CBBankArena.com, charge by phone at 888-9AXS-TIX or in person at the venue box office.

Honda Center, Anaheim - Friday, July 26 - Sunday, August 4

Showtimes located in poster below.

Ticket prices range from $20, $26, $42 (VIP), $70 (Front Row), and $100 (Circus Celebrity). Opening night tickets are $12 each (not valid for VIP or premium seating) and can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com or HondaCenter.com, charge by phone at 800-745-3000 or in person at the venue box office.

Discount Offer:

Get 4 ticket for $60 by using code: MOM

Canyon Hills Splash Pad

 My daughter LOVES water. She jumps in the bath, kiddy pool, shower, sink, sprinklers...without hesitation. She just loves it! I couldn't wait to take her to a splash pad this summer. Last year she liked it but was only crawling and so her knees got all scraped up. This year she is running all over the place!

As soon as my husband had a day off, we took her to a splash pad in Canyon Hills. It's a huge sports park with a playground, picnic area, and the splash pad.

Last year when we went, it was towards the end of summer and a little overcast so we were the only ones there. We were really surprised to see there were a ton of people there this time! It's hoppin! ;)

We'll be going back there a lot this summer!

Game On: 2013 San Diego County Fair

The 2013 San Diego Fair is hosted in the beautiful city of Del Mar, CA and currently open until Thursday, July 4.

This year you can expect some amazing talent and tons of fun at the San Diego County Fair! With over 22 musical performances (Joan Jett will be in concert on closing night!), carnival rides, games, delicious food, various vendors and more, I don't know how anyone in the area would want to miss it.

You may have noticed by their cool logo that this years theme is "Game On", which the site describes as "spotlighting classic and nostalgic games and shows how these have evolved over the years; from board games and pinball, to television, videos and computers."

Tickets ($14 adults; $8 kids ages 6-12) and general information can be found on the fair's website. If you're a military family, dont forget to take advantage of their military discount and for the rest of you, visit your local Albertson and Save-on for coupons.

FYI:
The fair's closed on Mondays, except for 7/2.

Irvine Park

One place that our family likes to go in Orange County is Irvine Park. There are a ton of coupons on their website as well as a list of all of their attranctions and activities. 

We mainly have stuck to going on the little train that goes around the park...

Enjoy the beautiful scenery and let the kids run around in their spacious grassy areas...

And visit the zoo!

There are also pony rides, bike and paddle boat rentals, horse rentals, hiking, horseshoe and volleyball set rentals, picnic areas, a snack shack, etc. I recommend visiting this park!

El Nopal #3 Restaurant (Anaheim)

You know how people say the best food usually comes from little hole in the wall places? Well, when it comes to one of my favorite restaurants, it rings true.

If you're ever in the downtown Anaheim area & have a gnarly craving for real authentic Mexican food, not that fake stuff you get at El Torito, visit El Nopal #3.

Having lived in this city for most of my life, this place was and still is our go-to place for lunch/dinner. My ultimate faves? Their delicious green chicken enchilada combination plate, and for breakfast, the green chilaquiles (fried tortilla strips in green chili sauce).  The best part is if you visit during dinner time there will be a female employee making fresh handmade tortillas for you to have with your meal.

Seriously guys, I can't even begin to tell you how freakin' delicious all of their food is. Yum!

El Nopal #3 - 530 N. East St. Anaheim, CA 92805

A Blate!

The gals behind this blog, Shelley and Linny, as well as our friend Simone, got to have a little girls night/blate on Saturday night. 

We met up in Corona and went to dinner and saw Man of Steel. Good food, good movie, but most importantly, good conversation and great friends!! It's amazing to know that blogging can bring complete strangers, that never would have met otherwise, together. Yay for blogging!

If you live in the area and want to join the fun next time, let us know!!

Shake It Up At SONIC

When I lived in OC SONIC was the place we'd hit up on a hot summer day or at midnight for one of their delicious cheeseburgers and chili cheese tater tots. Oh man, my mouth's watering just thinking about it.

Unfortunately for me, the nearest location to where I live now is about 20 miles. *sad face* No late night tots for this girl (gas is too expensive). But, there is one right around the corner from my mom's place so you can bet I'll be taking advantage of this sweet deal whenever I'm visiting her.

Which may be more often this summer.

check out ALL of the delicious flavors here

What's your favorite item off the Sonic menu?


-Lin

The Melting Pot

Last week I went to The Melting Pot for the first time with family and I definitely recommend it! We got dark chocolate, white chocolate, and milk chocolate with our own plates of treats to dip.

Next time I go I'm definitely getting this again but I also want to try dipping things in cheese. Yum!!

What are some of your favorite places to go to eat?

-Shelley

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents "Built To Amaze"

Tickets to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents Built To Amaze! are now on sale

Ringing Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents Built to Amaze!, is an extraordinarily engineered circus experience where Children of All Ages fid out what it takes to build The Greatest Show On Earth. The foundation is set and the rising anticipation of high-energy, high-jinx and hilarity is ready to be transported by colorful circus machinery and unleashed from shipping crates right before the audience's eyes from Wednesday, July 10 - Sunday, August 4 performing at Staples Center, Los Angeles; Citizens Business Bank Arena, Ontario; Honda Center, Anaheim.

Built to Amaze! opens with the All-Access Pre-Show where everyone is invited to join the fun and meet the Built to Amaze! international cast of performers as they prepare for the show. The Ringling Girls & Barnum Boys encourage kids to participate in a tug-of-war and kick off what will soon become an epic battle of girl power versus boy power. 

Tickets for Built to Amaze! are now on sale for all Southland engagements:

Los Angeles

When:  Wednesday, July 10 - Tuesday, July 16

Where:  Staples Center (1111 South Figueroa Stree, Los Angeles 90015)

Tickets:  Ticket prices range from $26, $30, $45-$50 (VIP), $70-$80 (Front Row) and $100-$120 (Circus Celebrity). Opening Night tickets are only $12 each (not valid for VIP or premium seating). Tickets available for purchase online at AXS.com, charged by phone at 888-9AXS-TIX or in-person at the venue box office. 

Ontario

When:  Friday, July 19 - Tuesday, July 23

Where:  Citizens Business Bank Arena (4000 Ontario Center Parkyway, Ontario 91764)

Tickets:  Ticket prices range from $26, $30, $45-$50 (VIP), $70-$80 (Front Row) and $100 (Circus Celebrity). Opening Night tickets are only $12 each (not valid for VIP or premium seating). Tickets available for purchase online at AXS.com, charged by phone at 888-9AXS-TIX or in-person at the venue box office. 

Anaheim

When:  Friday, July 26 - Sunday, August 4

Where:  Honda Center (2695 E. Katella Avenue, Anaheim 92806)

Tickets:  Ticket prices range from $26, $30, $45-$50 (VIP), $70-$80 (Front Row) and $100 (Circus Celebrity). Opening Night tickets are only $12 each (not valid for VIP or premium seating). Tickets available for purchase online at AXS.com, charged by phone at 888-9AXS-TIX or in-person at the venue box office. 

---------

COMING SOON: 

A ticket giveaway!

New Favorite Lotion For Dry Skin

One maybe not so good thing about living here is the dry weather. I don't know about you, but this year has been particularly hard on my skin. I have never had this bad or this many flare ups of eczema before. I tried everything to get it to go away and absolutely nothing worked as well as Cortizone 10 cream.

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I can't believe it took me this long to branch out and try something besides my regular lotions and hydrocortisone creams. But this stuff seriously works. I just thought I would throw that out there just in case anyone else has been suffering and looking for something that might help. I also was working on getting rid of my dry heals and this totally worked.

-Shelley

DIY: End Of The School Year Teacher Gifts

We all know how much of a time-suck Pinterest can be but it's also a fantastic way to entertain yourself when you have nothing to do on a Sunday afternoon and are broker than broke.

I know, firsthand. And that's how this post came to be. So, thank you giant time-suck!

Now, I dont have any kids so these "end of school teacher gift ideas" are no help to me in particular but that doesn't mean they won't come in handy when I need a thank you gift for a friend or whatever.

So here are some of my favorites:

1. / 2. / 3. / 4. / 5. / 6. / 7.

via

Adorable, right?!

My favorites are definitely the "beach fun" (#3) idea and the "thanks a latte" idea since you can pretty much use those to thank anyone, not just a teacher.

Which are your faves?

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Don't forget to follow us:
    

Paddle Boarding and Kayaking

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to spend a couple of days with some girlfriends in Newport Beach. One of the things we did there that was a lot of fun was kayaking and paddle boarding at the Newport Aquatic Center.

It was only $20 for two people for an hour of kayaking.

I didn't personally try the paddle boarding because I was afraid of falling into the cold bay. But it looks like it was a lot of fun and I will want to try it someday!

There was another place for kayaking that I've been to near Balboa Island but I think that was a little pricier. It was pretty cool though because we went by a ton of wild life near the docks.

What are some of your favorite places to do water sports?

-Shelley

Regal Theaters: $1 Summer Movie Express

Select Regal theaters around the U.S. will host their Summer Movie Express on Tuesday and Wednesday @10am for 9 weeks.

With summer vacation only a mere few weeks away you awesome parents are probably starting to look for inexpensive activities to keep the kiddos busy. Well, take a breather cause I've totally got you covered.

Regal Entertainment Group is hosting the fabulous 2013 Regal Summer Movie Express where you can see a relatively new-ish G/PG-13 rated movie for only $1. Budget friendly score!

Below is a list of the movie titles and their start dates and all participating Regal locations in SoCal. To get more info and/or locations outside of SoCal go here.

Week	Title	Rating	Start Time
1 (Tue)	The Three Stooges	PG	10am
1 (Wed)	Ice Age: Continental Drift	PG	10am
2 (Tue)	Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days	PG	10am
2 (Wed)	Parental Guidance	PG	10am
3 (Tue)	Mr. Poppers' Penguins	PG	10am
3 (Wed)	Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked	G	10am
4 (Tue)	Monte Carlo	PG	10am
4 (Wed)	Rio	G	10am
5 (Tue)	Coraline	PG	10am
5 (Wed)	ParaNorman	PG	10am
6 (Tue)	Dr. Seuss' The Lorax	PG	10am
6 (Wed)	Big Miracle	PG	10am
7 (Tue)	Yogi Bear	PG	10am
7 (Wed)	Journey 2: The Mysterious Island	PG	10am
8 (Tue)	Racing Stripes	PG	10am
8 (Wed)	Happy Feet Too	PG	10am
9 (Tue)	African Cats	G	10am
9 (Wed)	Chimpanzee	G	10am

Kern County
Edwards Bakersfield Stadium 14 - Bakersfield, CA  (June 4, 2013)

Orange County
Edwards Aliso Viejo Stadium 20 - Aliso Viejo, CA   (June 18, 2013)
Edwards Anaheim Hills 14 - Anaheim Hills, CA  (June 18, 2013)
Edwards Brea Stadium West 10 - Brea, CA  (June 18, 2013)
Edwards Metro Pointe Stadium 12 - Costa Mesa, CA   (June 18, 2013)
Regal Foothill Towne Center Stadium 22 - Foothill Ranch, CA   (June 18, 2013)
Regal Garden Grove Stadium 16 - Garden Grove, CA   (June 18, 2013)
Edwards Irvine Spectrum 21 - Irvine, CA   (June 18, 2013)
Regal La Habra Stadium 16 - La Habra, CA   (June 11, 2013)
Edwards Long Beach Stadium 26 - Long Beach, CA   (June 18, 2013)
Edwards Kaleidoscope Stadium 10 - Mission Viejo, CA   (June 18, 2013)

Los Angeles County
Edwards Alhambra Renaissance Stadium 14 - Alhambra, CA  (June 4, 2013)
Edwards Calabasas Stadium 6 - Calabasas, CA  (June 18, 2013)
Edwards Cerritos Stadium 10 - Cerritos, CA   (June 25, 2013)
Edwards La Verne Stadium 12 - La Verne, CA   (June 11, 2013)
Regal Promenade Stadium 13 - Rolling Hills, CA   (June 18, 2013)
Edwards Canyon Country Stadium 10 - Santa Clarita, CA  (June 4, 2013)
Edwards West Covina Stadium 18 - West Covina, CA  (June 11, 2013)

Riverside County
Regal Corona Crossings Stadium 18 - Corona, CA   (June 4, 2013)
Edwards Eastvale Gateway Stadium 14 - Eastvale, CA   (June 4, 2013)
Regal Indio Metro 8 - Indio, CA   (June 11, 2013)
Regal Rancho Mirage Stadium 16 - Rancho Mirage, CA   (June 18, 2013)
Regal San Jacinto Metro 12 - San Jacinto, CA   (June 11, 2013)
Edwards Temecula Stadium 15 - Temecula, CA  (June 4, 2013)

San Bernardino County
Edwards Ontario Palace Stadium 22 - Ontario, CA  (May 28, 2013)
Regal San Bernardino Stadium 14 - San Bernardino, CA   (May 28, 2013)

San Diego County
Edwards Rancho San Diego Stadium 15 - San Diego, CA   (June 18, 2013)
Regal Parkway Plaza Stadium 18 - San Diego, CA   (June 25, 2013)
Regal Escondido Stadium 16 - Escondido, CA   (June 18, 2013)
Regal Oceanside Stadium 16 - Oceanside, CA   (June 18, 2013)
Edwards Mira Mesa Stadium 18 - San Diego, CA  (June 25, 2013)
Edwards San Marcos Stadium 18 - San Marcos, CA  (June 18, 2013)

Santa Barbara
Edwards Santa Maria 10 - Santa Maria, CA  (June 4, 2013)

Ventura County
Edwards Camarillo Palace Stadium 12 - Camarillo, CA  (June 18, 2013)
Regal Simi Valley Civic Center Stadium 16 - Simi Valley, CA  (June 18, 2013)

Taking A Toddler To Disneyland

I recently took my daughter to Disneyland for her first time and it was way too hot. 100 degrees or so. Here are some tips I gathered for you just from my 2-3 hours (because we had grandma rescue her after we couldn't keep her in the heat any longer) at Disneyland with a toddler.

1. Don't go when it's too hot/too cold.
2. Bring plenty of water/drinks, food/snacks, diapers, and wipes.
3. Bring your own stroller and be prepared to run people over.
4. I might even suggest getting one of those baby backpack/leashes...
5. Let him/her run around every once in a while so they aren't stuck sitting all day.
6. Don't forget sunscreen!
7. Wear layers.
8. Fast passes are your friend!
9. Map out ahead of time which rides you want to take him/her on so you are sure to hit them all.
10. It's a Small World is one of the best rides to get indoors, relax, and entertain your kid.

-Shelley