ToothFairy Giveaway and Review

This week we headed up the coast for a much needed vacation with the kiddos. A big part of our roadtrips and outings are movies. I have to tell you, we would not be able to survive any type of long drive if it wasn't for movies and our mobile DVD player. How did our parent's do it?

We have watched quite a few movies on our vacation and I have to tell you that the Tooth Fairy was our family's favorite! This fun movie features Dwayne Johnson, The Rock, as Derek,  a minor league hockey player nicknamed "The Tooth Fairy" because he is known for knocking the teeth of his opponents. The movie follows what happens when Derek steals a dollar from his girlfriend daughter that had been left for her lost tooth. Later that night, he grows wings and becomes a temporary tooth fairy to make up for what he did.
We loved this  cute movie and I am so excited that I have two copies to giveaway. All you have to do is leave a comment under this movie on why you would like to win. That is it! You have until next Monday the 3rd to enter. Winner will be selected on Tuesday, May 4th. The Tooth Fairy will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray on May 4th. Good luck!

Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)/NASA Open House

*JPL photograph

Happy Wednesday! I have an event to tell you about that is still a couple of weeks away but I wanted to make sure you have time to mark your calendars! On Saturday and Sunday, May 15th and 16th, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory will hold an open house that is free and open to the public. This is one that your little space and future rocket scientists will not want to miss!

This popular event celebrates JPL's accomplishments with exhibits and demonstrations about the Laboratory's ongoing research and space exploration. Many of the Lab's scientists and engineers are on hand to answer questions about how spacecraft are sent to other planets, how scientists utilize space technologies to explore Earth and how researchers are searching for planets beyond the solar system.

The Open House is a fun and educational experience for the kiddos,  with special hands-on activities designed specifically for them. This is a really fun event. The best part is that admission and parking are Free!!

JPL is located at 4800 Oak Grove Drive in Pasadena, off the 210 (Foothill) Freeway at the Berkshire Avenue/Oak Grove Drive exit. Parking is available near the Oak Grove main gate and the eastern boundary of JPL, accessible from Windsor Avenue via the Arroyo Boulevard exit off the 210 Freeway.
For more information, head over here.

Happy Wednesday from Daytrippingmom

Remember, there is still time to enter in this week's giveaway from The Bella Cristalli design studio. Leave a comment under the giveaway posting.  Entries must be in by Friday night at midnight!

Los Angeles Times Festival of Books

Are you looking for something fun that the entire family will enjoy this weekend? Look no further and make plans to attend the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. It is a really special treat and it is FREE to the public.

 The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books began in 1996 with a simple goal: to bring together the people who create books with the people who love to read them.The festival is a free public event, and includes exciting author events, storytelling, cooking demonstrations and poetry readings. Outdoor readings, storytelling and presentations are held on the Target Children’s Stage.

The outdoor Target Children’s Stage will feature storytelling and readings for children. The YA Stage features panels and talks for teens and tweens. There are dozens of booths featuring children’s books, toys and art. In addition, there will be several activities coordinated by educational and cultural groups and costumed characters on the festival grounds

Dates & Location


The annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books will be held Saturday & Sunday, April 24-25, 2010 at:



UCLA
405 Hilgard Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90024

Parking is $10


Hours
Saturday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.


I'm heading up with my family and a couple of friends. I hope to see you there!
For additional info head here.

Bella Cristalli Mother's Bracelet Giveaway - just in time for Mother's Day

Bella Cristalli is providing one lucky reader of Daytrippingmom a free Mother's Bracelet in honor of Mother's Day.


The Bella Cristalli design studio specializes in creating unique mother's bracelets with the finest materials -- including sleek sterling silver beads, Swarovski crystals, and romantic Indonesian Bali beads.  For those who are looking for the perfect gift, designs are available in a wide range of exquisite colors and styles that compliment any lifestyle. The pictures above are examples of single-strand and double-strand bracelets.  Their Mother's bracelets are designed for you to showcase your children's names. Accent your children's birthdates by choosing birthstones to match their names. 


To be entered in the giveaway, just leave a comment below here on the blogsite.  The winner will be selected Saturday, May 1st.

Discovery Science Center's Free Rocket Launch Event

*photo courtesy of DSC

There are so many fun events that are coming up and this is one that you don't want to miss. The Discovery Science Center is hosting a Free Rocket Launch event at The Boeing Company in Huntington Beach.

You can join the challenge to design, build, and launch a rocket made from a 2-liter plastic soda bottle that uses a combination of pressurized air and water for propulsion.

The competition will consist of creating and launching a rocket that will deploy a parachute. The person with the longest “hang time” in the air will be invited to attend a real rocket launch at Vandenberg Air Force Base!
To learn more about this event and to register to participate head here.
When: May 1, 2010 • 9am - 2pm
The Boeing Company
 5301 Bolsa Ave,
 Huntington Beach, CA 92647

Making my life easier: Fresh & Easy

I'm  a busy mom. Actually, I've yet to meet a mom who isn't busy. With the kids, hubby, work, school and my blog I keep pretty darn busy. I've decided to share each week on the blog places and things that make my life easier as a mom. This week I want to feature Fresh & Easy.

We love  shopping at Fresh & Easy at home. We do not have one nearby and since discovering this awesome little market, I've been driving for twenty minutes once a week to the nearest store. Yes that is how much I love the place! I'm planning on heading on vacation next next week and will be stopping by our prepared snacks because their selection is great!

I was invited by Fresh & Easy a couple of weeks ago to check out their Eat Well prepared meals and let me tell you they are amazing! They are healthy and delicious! I've picked up a couple of their entrees and I absolutely love them. Actually I haven't found one thing that I haven't fallen in love with at Fresh and Easy. Their prepared section is delish!

Thanks in part to my friend Katie  ,who first introduced me to Fresh & Easy, I have now cut my grocery bill in almost half. She inspired me and I now spend about $100 a week to feed my family of four for the week. Here is how she does it...

Katie, from ocmomactivities, writes..
 I spend $100/ a week on groceries for our family of four (yes, that includes lunches for the kids at school)! It all started a few months ago when I got tired of how high our grocery bill was getting with multiple "quick stops" in to the local grocery store to pick up things here and there. It had to stop. I'm not sure if my biggest motivation was saving money or if it was just being organized for the week so we weren't scrounging around for last minute dinners. An added side bonus is my husband now cooks most of the dinners! Don't believe me? Well, as you'll see below the dinners are easy, fast, healthy and super easy on the budget.

 to read more about her experience head here.


Katie, has a great Frugal Friday series that you have to checkout. I've picked up some great tips.

*I was not compensated for this post. A gift card was provided to experience Eat Well.

Railroad Days Rail Festival in Brea

If you have a little train lover like I do, you do not want to miss Railroad Days Rail Festival in Brea- Saturday May 1st and May 2nd.The Southern California Railway Plaza Association nd Brea Downtown Owners Association are joining to welcome kids and their families for a weekend of FREE train exhibits and tours.

Displays will feature railroad memorabilia, scenic garden railroads and numerous model-train layouts in many scales, as well as rail safety education booths and an entertainment stage on Birch Street. They will  also have a new Union Pacific Genset switching locomotive on the tracks off Berry Street. A free shuttle will connect the two areas.

There is also a preview center  open daily from now until the festival, which has a large LEGO model-train display and HO modules on display. The preview center is open daily. You can stop by to learn more about the festival and check out the  LEGO's model trains. The preview center is located on the southwest corner of Brea Boulevard and Birch Street.

To learn more about the festival head here.

Railroad Days Rail Festival
Birch Street- West of Brea Blvd & Railroad tracks at Berry
North of Imperial
Sat May 1st and Sun May 2nd
9am to 5pm

Our visit to Legoland and Clutch Powers 4D Movie

A couple of weeks ago the kiddos and I headed to Legoland  to check out Clutch Powers's 4D Movie. We were in for quite the treat!  Clutch Power's 4D movie was a big hit with my kiddos. It was so fun watching them giggle, gasp and squeal in delight. They love 3D/4D movies and Clutch Powers is the perfect lenght! It is an action packed show that your kiddos are going to love.

After we watched the movie, we spent the rest of the day exploring Legoland and the Sealife Aquarium. We had a fantastic time. If you have kiddos between 2-8, Legoland is the perfect place to play. My kids loved every single minute of it and I'm seriously contemplating buying an annual pass.

The kiddos loved the different lego areas, being able to "get a license" and drive their own "lego cars", play in the water areas, Clutch Powers, riding a rollercoaster  and so much more.

One thing that I absolutely love about Legoland  is that it is very easy to park and head into the park. It seemed like we just walked a couple of steps and we were at the front entrance. I loved this!

The only thing that I would recommend  when heading to Legoland is that you have even numbers in your party. Most rides only allow two per ride and it can be tricky if you are outnumbered by the kiddos.

We love Legoland and can't wait to head back again! For additional info and hours head here.

AMC's Sensory Family Friendly Films

My three year old son has been diagnosed in the Autism spectrum. It is not something I talk about often but I am always on the lookout for things to do that will not overwhelm him and that he can enjoy.

If you have a child in the spectrum or know of someone who does, you might want to check out AMC's Sensory Family Friendly Films. The program provides a special opportunity for families to enjoy their favorite films in a safe and accepting environment. The auditoriums dedicated to the program have their lights up, the sound turned down and audience members are invited to get up and dance, walk, shout or sing!

Upcoming Sensory-Friendly showings* include:
April 10 – How to Train Your Dragon
May 22 – Shrek 4
June 26 – Toy Story 3
July 17 – Despicable Me
August 7 – Cats & Dogs 2
September 25 – Guardians of Ga’Hoole
October 9 – The Zookeeper

All shows are at 10:00 am

Participating theaters in the So Cal Area are
Los Angeles


The Block 30

Covina 30

Del Amo 18

Downtown Disney 12

Ontario Mills 30

Promenade 16

Mission Valley 20


Palm Promenade 24
 
For additional information head here.

Laguna Art Museum: Open the Door to Art- Imagination Celebration

I can't believe Sunday night is already here and the start of a new week. To help ease my Sunday night jitters, I start planning my work ahead and of course look forward to the weekend. There are a couple of fun and free events coming up and this is one that you won't want to miss.

On Saturday, April 23rd, The Laguna Art Museum for Community Arts (LOCA) present Imagination Celebration: Open the Door to Art. Admission is free thanks to a donation from the Arts Council, a support group of Laguna Art Museum. Reservations are not required. Families will enjoy a fun-filled day of hands-on art projects led by members of LOCA, face painting, refreshments, and more. Musical performances will take place every hour by musicians from local schools

This is a fun event and if you are looking for something different and free to do with the kids, this is one you don't want to miss!

For additional info head here.

Creatively Fun Day at the Sawdust Art Festival- this is one you DON'T want to miss!

If your kiddos love art or you love creating art or craft projects with the kiddos, this is the one event you don't want to miss. I can't rave enough about what a wonderful event this is.
 
This Saturday April 17th from 11am to 3pm at the Sawdust Art Festival location in Laguna Beach Festival is the second annual Creatively Fun Family Day. The Creatively Fun Family Day will feature a  unique variety of hands-on fine art and craft projects, demonstrations, information displays and entertainment, presented by various community and Sawdust artists, and local non-profit groups. The Sawdust's popular Glass-blowing Booth and Ceramics Booth will also be in full swing.

Tickets are $2 for children, $4 for adults or buy a family pack for $10. It is a small price for an afternoon filled with art and what will be a fantastic time with the family.

For additional information head here.

Winner of Pet Expo!

Happy Wednesday! I love Wednesdays because I know that the weekend is almost around the corner.

To start off this Wednesday right- the winner of the pet expo tickets- selected using random. org is....amanda,  who said...


I would love to take our 3 kids. We have never been to it. Your review sounds like it would be a blast! I bet you had fun! We love animals and love to donate our time when possible at the shelters. I follow your blog, twitter and facebook. You could say I am a huge fan!

Please email me asap so that I can send those tickets off.
Thank you all for participating!

Last weekend for Bubblefest!

If you are looking for something fun to do this weekend and you have not checked out Discovery Science Center's Bubblefest this is the last weekend to do it! The Cube has added an extra performance at 5pm for the weekend. It's a very fun show. The kiddos and I are headed to check it out this morning. Your kiddos will love it I promise!

To purchase tickets or for additional info head here.

Free Event- Bolsa Chica Wetlands on Earth Day

If you are looking for something fun to do with the kiddos this weekend head over to the Bolsa Chica Wetlands Saturday from 10am to 3pm.

The Earth Day Celebration at Bolsa Chica Wetlands is a fun free way to get outside and learn about the environment with the whole family. The day will include interactive booths and games that explore all aspects of the wetlands.
Featuring marine animals, birds, oppossums, raccoons, reptiles, wetland ecology, history of the wetlands, and guided tours; kids can have fun while learning all about the wetlands and receive prizes for answering questions. Hot dogs, sno cones, refreshments and more!

The event is sponsored by the Bolsa Chica Conservancy and the Amigos de Bolsa Chica.
Bolsa Chica Conservancy Interpretive Center
3842 Warner Ave
Huntington Beach, CA 92649
phone: 714-846-1114

http://www.bolsachica.org/

America's Family Pet Expo and Giveaway!

The family and I have attended America's Family Pet Expo almost every year. We always have a graet time and we are excited to head back this year.

America's Family Pet Expo is touted as the world’s largest pet and pet product expo with more than 1,000 animals including dogs, cats, birds, fish, llamas, pot-bellied pigs, reptiles, miniature horses and more on display in stage shows, competitions and demonstrations. Pet products, animal experts, pet adoptions, hands-on petting and learning opportunities are also featured.

My kiddos had a great time being able to pet dozens of furry friends and learning all about them.

The Pet Expo will be coming to the OC Fairgrounds from April 16th-18th.

I have a family 4 pack of tickets to give away. All you have to do is leave a comment and let me know why you would want to go. That's it! You have until next Tuesday to enter. For additional entries become a fan on facebook, twitter or follow the blog.

Good luck!
America's Family Pet Expo
Days & Hours
Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.


Admission: General $12, Senior (60+) $10, Child (12-6) $6. Children under 6 are free.
Parking: General $5, Preferred $8.

Free Event-Youth Expo Experience for Children at the OC Fairgrounds

The annual Youth Expo for Children at the OC Fairgrounds, is a family friendly FREE event that offers many fun, hands-on activities you won’t find anywhere else! Experience butter making, leather crafting, farm activities, arts & crafts, pony rides, a petting zoo, a children’s play area and much more.

Visitors will  also enjoy 4-H competitions with large livestock and small animals, school projects, the Home Builders Council (HBC) 21st Annual Design/Build Competition, Parenting Orange County Jamboree, Orange County Science & Engineering Fair, Centennial Farm exhibits, free entertainment and fun for the entire family. There will be competition for your children to participate in and win so many prizes including cash awards!

This 31st annual non-profit educational expo is sponsored and underwritten by the OC Fair & Event Center. This is a great opportunity to bring the kiddos and have a fun and educational day.


April 9th Friday: 9am-3pm
April 10th Saturday: 10am-6pm

For additional info head here.

First Tuesday of the month- Free Admission to select Museums

Tomorrow is the first Tuesday of the month and it is the perfect day to head out to these fun museums, especially if you have some bored kiddos on Spring Break.

Here is the list of museums that offer Free Admission The first Tuesday of the month.

1. Museum of Natural History- Los Angeles
2. George C Page Museum at the La Brea Tarpits- Los Angeles
3. Kidspace Science Center- 4pm-8pm - Pasadena

If you are heading to the Museum of Natural History make sure to make a day of it by heading next door to the California Science Center! Have fun!

Winners of the Squeakquel

Happy Monday!I hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend! I have been out of commision for the past few weeks but this week I am back on track and ready with some fun adventures. Can't wait to share!
First things first the five winners of the Alvin and The Chipmunks : The Squeakquel are:

1. Richelle  who said...


I'd like to win the movie for my daughter, Alexia, she is 6 and we always have movie night but there are not a lot of kid friendly movies out there. This would be a great addition to our family night collection

2. Kayli  who said...


I am a single mommy to my 3 year old son. This was our first mommy and son date night movie. I would love to surprise him with another "squeakquel" date night at home with his favorite snack popcorn :)with one of his favorite movies (and this time we can get up and dance to the great music:-).

3. hether78 said...


I follow you on twitter!

4. Isabel said...


The Avels' Family

I hope you haven't picked a winner yet. Our girls absolutely loved that movie. They are obsessed with it. We bought the CD and they downloaded it on their IPOD. They can't get enough. It would be a great Easter gift to them. We will have to say that the Easter bunny took a break this year and the Chipmunks are filling in. :)


TheKeilShpeel said...


I actually haven't seen the movie but when my husband saw the preview for it he said our son would love it. We have that preschoolsong, "I'm a nut. " and

my son loves it because it's in a chicmunk voice. What kid doesn't love the chickmunks. I would love to have this movie.

Congratulations! Email me at mom ( at) daytrippingmom.com with your info!