My Kia, My Family

I went on a trip recently to the Bay Area and rented the sassy Kia Soul.

I was pretty excited to try out this hot little number!

From the moment I started it up to the time I brought it back, we had fun!

It was zippy, easy to drive, and had a great sound system for our road trip moves!

It got great gas mileage too, which always makes me happy!

It made me start thinking about how this car would fit our family and our adventures.

1. Our family of four would fit great! 

The front and back were roomy enough for a mom, dad and two kids! 

It would fit five, but I like a little more space between the kids in the back, 

if you know what I mean!

2. My husband and I, like most couples, usually run different temperatures.

I love the optional seat heaters and coolers that would keep us more comfortable!

3. The inner mood lighting that fluctuates with the music would be super fun!

My kids and I are big into singing and dancing in the car,

and the awesome lighting would have us bustin' a move for sure!

4. I have always wanted a sunroof, and the Kia Soul 2014 has the option of a panoramic sunroof!

That's a great view of the big sky for everyone in the car!

5. My husband and I are kind of helpless when it comes to cars. I just like them to start and go.

So I love the UVO system in the Kia that covers everything from roadside assistance

to vehicle diagnostics. It also has Google Maps and an assortment of music options!

6. We love things that last. It's pretty annoying when you have to replace your stuff over and over.

So we are big fans of LED lighting and are pleased to find it featured on the Kia!

So many reasons to buy a Kia, but really all that matters is these two little angels.

When we get on the road, the first thing I think about is making them as safe as possible.

The Kia Soul comes standard with:

Dual Front Advanced Airbags

Dual Front Seat-Mounted Side Airbags

Full-Length Side Curtain Airbags

3-Point Seatbelts for All Seating Positions

Front Seat Belt Pretensioners

4-Wheel Antilock Braking System (ABS)

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

Vehicle Stability Management (VSM)

Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD)

Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC)

Tire-Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)

Side-Impact Door Beams

Front and Rear Crumple Zones

Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH)

Rear Child-Safety Door Locks

When you're considering your next car purchase, consider your family and take a look at Kia!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

GIVEAWAY: L.A. County Fair Food Preview & Tickets!

This week we went to the L.A. County Fairgrounds to have a taste of what you will find at the fair!

Because after all, the food is the BEST part of the fair, right??

Check out these Tasti Chips...gluten free, fried in 100%  pure allergen free peanut oil

and comes with a variety of tasty toppings!

I highly recommend the sweet meat.

This little gem was the hit of the night! They call it the Brisket Sundae.

It is bits of bbq heaven on top of creamy mashed potatoes and topped with a "cherry" tomato!

I could not keep my hands off the Blooming Onion with its delicious ranch dipping sauce!

It disappeared quickly.

Monster Dogs makes the best corn dogs we have ever tasted! 

They were crisp and sweet and so perfect I didn't even need to dip them in ketchup!

And curly fries are always a winner.

It was a scorcher so we were loving these smoothies from Cornucopia Cafe!

Our favorite was the mango! You can also get strawberry and pina colada!

Best all around L.A. County Fair food stand for our family was Chicken Charlie's!

The Krispy Kreme hamburger was so tasty that I don't think I can eat a regular bun on my burger!

The deep-fried twinkie with strawberry or chocolate sauce was a big hit with the kids!

And that chicken kabob was huge and juicy with flavor!

Of course, along with the fair food, you'll also find our other fair favorite, the animals!

The L.A. County Fair has this four-horned sheep, sea lions, sharks, 
the ever darling racing pigs, and many more!

August 30 - September 29th!

LA County Fair

1101 W. McKinley Ave.

Pomona, CA 

www.lacountyfair.com

REGULAR ADMISSIONS

Season Pass $29.99

WEEKDAYS

Adults, 13+: $12

Child, ages 6-12: $8

Seniors 60+: $10

WEEKENDS

Adults, 13+: $19

Child, ages 6-12: $12

Seniors 60+: $15

PARKING 

Weekdays $12

Weekends $15

Valet/Gate 3 $30

Season Pass $60

SPECIAL OPENING WEEKEND HOURS

Friday, Aug. 30, 3 p.m.-midnight 

Saturday, Aug. 31, 10 a.m.-midnight

Sunday, Sept. 1, 10 a.m.-midnight

Monday, Sept. 2 Labor Day 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

REGULAR EVENT HOURS  (Sept. 4 - 29)

Closed Mondays & Tuesdays

Wednesdays noon-10 p.m.

Thursdays noon-11 p.m.

Fridays noon-midnight

Saturdays 10 a.m.-midnight

Sundays 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

Check their website for special promotions and discounts!

And now for the fun part! 

All this and more can be yours!

You can win 4 tickets AND a parking pass
to the L.A. County Fair!!

GOOD LUCK!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wow Me Wednesday #111

Welcome to the party!!

It's my favorite day of the week,

and I'm so excited to see all your fun projects!!

Grab the WOW button,

check out other entries that catch your eye,

and leave a little crafty comment love along the way!!

Ready, set, GO!!

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GIVEAWAY: Buccaneer Cove at Boomers Irvine!

We were invited over the weekend to check out the brand new Buccaneer Cove at Boomers Irvine!

It is everything we love about summer!!

With water squirting everywhere, and the sun shining overhead, you can't help but have fun!

Buccaneer Cove has a little bit of everything for everyone!

With four levels of water fun, my big boy and my little girl both enjoyed themselves!

My son went down the slides over and over and declared that the yellow slide was his favorite!

It is the tallest and longest slide in Buccaneer Cove – 380 feet from start to finish! 

I tried it too and it was smooth! 

On the way down, you’ll twist through a figure 8, 

then pick up speed with a straight chute and spiral to the end.

My daughter met the 36" height requirement for the big slides, 

but much preferred the short slide down below!

It's the perfect slide for the smaller kids. 

It’s a two lane open slide and both lanes start at the 1st level. 

It’s a gentle slide but a big thrill for the little ones.

And as for the mommies, you could find us having fun in the water 

or relaxing on our lounge chairs!

There are even cabanas you can reserve if you're feeling fancy!

Buccaneer Cove will have your whole family dancing for joy!

Come on down and enjoy summer while it lasts!

Buccaneer Cove is open daily 11am-7pm through August,

and on weekends in September.

ALL DAY BUCCANEER COVE PASS

$19.99

CHAMP PASS WITH BUCCANEER COVE

Only $36.99 when purchased online - SAVE $3.00

$39.99 at the park 

Proper attire are shirts that are tight, non-cotton, form fitting to the body rash guard 

or sun protecting shirt cut top with an appropriate bathing suit bottom. 

Regular bathing suits are suitable as well. 

Grommets, rivets, buckles, belts, or metal ornamentation are not permitted. 

Water shoes can be worn in the Buccaneer Cove area, 

but are not allowed on any of the water slides.

Must be at least 36” in height to slide. 

Children less than 36” may use the kiddie multi-lane slide, 

when supervised by a responsible adult 18 years or older. 

Rider weight must not exceed 295 lbs.

Thanks Boomers Irvine for an awesome time at Buccaneer Cove!

So great to have a place that's fun for the whole family!

And now you can win tickets for your family!
Enter today and GOOD LUCK!!

Disclosure: This is a non-sponsored post. We were provided with tickets to Buccaneer Cove 

to facilitate this review. All opinions are our own!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Behind the Scenes of Epic on Blu-Ray and DVD!

Yesterday we went to Fox Plaza for a sneak peek into Epic, now available on Blu-Ray and DVD!

Ken the Bug Guy from Tuscon's Exotic Pet Shop was on hand 

to tell us a little bit about the inspiration behind the bug characters in Epic. 

Ken is contacted frequently for "props" in TV and movies. 

You can find Ken featured in the Epic Blu-Ray bonus piece, "Bugs of Camouflage."

The armor of the leafmen in Epic is based off bug exoskeletons.

Here you can see one of the cool features of the Emperor Scorpion, a glow-in-the-dark shell!

They use these to be able to see themselves in the moonlight.

If they are glowing, then they know it is too bright to safely come out!

Some other random bug facts we learned from Ken the Bug Guy:

- Grasshoppers come in different colors to blend into their various environments.

- Tarantulas are the most popular bug to collect. There are over 100 types!

- Ken's favorite bug in the movie Epic is the fruit fly.

We went home with these little figurines from Epic!

My kids will have so much fun acting out their favorite scenes from the movie

and using their imaginations to create new storylines with these great characters!

Thanks Fox for a great movie and a great day!

Check out Epic on Blu-ray Combo Pack, Deluxe Edition Blu-ray and DVD!

Every Blu-ray and DVD comes with the Epic Coloring and Storybook Builder app. 

The app will allow kids to create their own Epic story and share it with family and friends!

The Epic Blu-ray combo-pack includes Blu-ray, DVD and DigitalHD 

and comes complete with exclusives that will have kids both engaged and learning about the environment!

Which one will you buy??

Wow Me Wednesday #110

Welcome to the party!!

It's my favorite day of the week,

and I'm so excited to see all your fun projects!!

Grab the WOW button,

check out other entries that catch your eye,

and leave a little crafty comment love along the way!!

Ready, set, GO!!

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Boomers Irvine presents Buccaneer Cove!

There's a new water park open in Orange County!

Boomers Irvine invites you to bring your merry band of pirates 

and explore their newest attraction, Buccaneer Cove!

It’s a super-sized water play area that’s four levels high with slippery slides, 

wet tunnels, spray loops and a huge 100 gallon splash bucket! 

Make the fun happen with spray cannons and the interactive aqua dome. 

With over 1000 feet of water slides, Buccaneer Cove will keep you slipping and sliding all day long!

Buccaneer Cove is open daily 11am-7pm through August,

and on weekends in September.

An All Day Buccaneer Cove Pass is just $19.95 per person,

or get a Champ Pass for $20 more and enjoy some of the other

fun attractions at Boomers Irvine!

Check out this awesome video!

Hope to see you at Buccaneer Cove!

Photos and video courtesy of Boomers Irvine.

Disney Junior Live On Tour: Pirate & Princess Adventure!

Do your kids love Disney Junior??

My kids do! And they're going to be so excited for Disney Junior Live!

In this original storyline, Mickey and Minnie lead the audience on an exciting adventure that will have families rooting for

their favorite pirate Jake and Disney's first little girl princess Sofia. Disney Junior Live On Tour! Pirate and Princess

Adventure begins with a special interactive pre-show featuring the loveable 6-year-old doctor to toys and stuffed animals,

Doc McStuffins. Children and their parents will sing “The Check-Up Song” along with Doc as she provides tender love

and care.

Audiences will then embark on a journey to the magical world of Enchancia, where Sofia, her step-siblings Amber and

James, and the entire kingdom are preparing for the annual friendship festival. Sofia has the honor of delivering the

perfect gift to her royal subjects at the celebration, and the one-and-only Cinderella visits the castle to help Sofia in her

mission to find just the right present.

The excitement continues when families cast away to Never Land where Jake and his Yo Ho pirate friends Izzy and

Cubby are in a race against time to locate a mysterious treasure-filled volcano. Danger, thrills and adventure lurk around

every turn when our swashbuckling friends battle Captain Hook for the ultimate prize. Peter Pan makes a special

appearance, aiding the team in their heroic quest, and with the help of Tinker Bell’s pixie dust, Jake and his crew fly

above the stage in their journey.

Disney Junior Live is touring all over the United States and will be in Southern California soon!

Get your tickets today and we will see you at the show!

LONG BEACH

Terrace Theatre (300 E. Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach, CA 90802)

September 21st, 2013 (1:00pm, 4:00pm) - September 22nd, 2013 (1:00pm, 4:00pm, 7:00pm)

Ticket Prices: $25.00 / $30.00 / $45.00/ $70.00

To order tickets by phone: 800-745-3000

Online: www.ticketmaster.com

HOLLYWOOD

Dolby Theatre (6801 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, CA)

September 27th, 2013 (6:30pm), September 28th, 2013 (10:30am, 1:30pm, 4:30pm),

September 29th, 2013 (1:30pm, 4:30pm)

Ticket Prices: $25.00 / $30.00 / $45.00/ $70.00

To order tickets by phone: 800-745-3000

Online: www.ticketmaster.com

D23 Expo presents Phineas and Ferb Mission Marvel!

Are your kids Phineas and Ferb fans?

I secretly think that show is kind of hilarious.

The D23 Expo opened this year with a preview of the brand new episode of Phineas and Ferb

coming tomorrow morning at 8am to Disney Channel!

Phineas and Ferb join forces with the Marvel Superheroes

to defeat the Marvel Villians and Dr. Doofenshmirtz!

The Waffle-inator, evil creation of Dr. Doofershmirtz, was on hand.

Because how else can you defeat the world but with the power of waffles!

We even got to eat some waffles ourselves, and who do you suppose popped by our table?

The lovely Allie Mac Kay of KTLA Morning News!

Check out the Disney Channel website 

for the Phineas and Ferb Mission Marvel online game, 

Super Perry and The Marvel Alliance!

Don't forget to tune in tomorrow morning to Disney Channel for the world premiere

of Phineas and Ferb Mission Marvel!

It's going to be EPIC!!

Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel Trailer on Disney Video

Wow Me Wednesday #109

Welcome to the party!!

It's my favorite day of the week,

and I'm so excited to see all your fun projects!!

Grab the WOW button,

check out other entries that catch your eye,

and leave a little crafty comment love along the way!!

Ready, set, GO!!

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Velveeta Cheesy Skillets Singles #PersonalFeast

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. 
This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and their client.

We are a busy family, and mealtime can be a bit chaotic.

Sometimes my husband is left on his own to figure out what to eat, 
and it's the old sandwich stand-by or cold cereal.

Velveeta Cheesy Skillets Singles are a great option for an easy lunch, just heat-and-eat!

With only 60 seconds between you and your lunch,

the Skillets Singles can be my husband's personal feast!

He loved that there was no water to add, and no fancy instructions.
All you do is heat the meal and then mix in the cheesy sauce!

I chose the Chicken Alfredo.
(See my shopping experience HERE.)

I loved that the whole meal was under 300 calories!

That's hard to come by when my husband feeds himself!
The meals are a step up from the traditional prepared pastas on the shelf.
With protein packed in, these will keep your hungry man satisfied!

If you're looking for a great way to fill up your man or some of those kids that are always hungry,

stock up on some Velveeta Cheesy Skillets Singles.

They come in these great choices:

Chicken Alfredo

Chicken Chili Cheese Mac

Ultimate Cheeseburger Mac

Lasagna with Meat Sauce

Check your ads for $1 off coupon!

And check out these other great blogs who have tried Velveeta Cheesy Skillets Singles!