Giveaway: Irvine Park Railroad Easter Eggstravaganza 2016!

My favorite season of the year is Spring, 

and it's especially fun at the Irvine Park Railroad!

In one month, the Easter Bunny arrives at your house, 

but you can find him March 5th - 26th at the Irvine Park Railroad Easter Eggstravaganza!

 Along with coming to see the Easter Bunny, there are also lots of other things to do, 

like getting your face painted, hay rides, bounce houses, 

cookie decorating, carnival games and the Easter Egg Hunt!

You can bring your own basket or purchase one when you get there!

No matter how old my kids get, they always look forward to riding the train!

It is a tradition that they will always remember.

Hope to see you and your family at the Irvine Park Railroad!

Enter the GIVEAWAY below for FREE tickets!

Easter Eggstravaganza

March 5th - 26th

10AM - 4PM

Park Entrance Fee:

$3 on Weekdays

$5 on Weekends

Easter Egg Hunts begin at 10AM daily!

Pictures with the Easter Bunny only $10!

Please visit the Irvine Park Railroad website for complete Easter Eggstravaganza details!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bubble Gum Valentines!

Valentine's Day parties are upon us this week,

and as usual, I am getting mine done just in the nick of time!

My kids are totally into bubble gum right now,

so these bubble gum valentines are perfect for them!

They are super simple to make too if you've got a camera and photoshop!

First I took a side view of my daughter blowing.

Then I cropped it so her head was in the left half of the photo 

and there was space on the right.

I added a big pink circle for the bubble and put the message inside.

I am in LOVE with how they turned out!!

I think they're super cute, and I can't wait for her to give them to her friends!

They were fairly inexpensive too, with prints at Costco,

and mega packs of bubble gum I found on Amazon!

I attached the gum with double sided tape and they are ready to go!

My son is older, so we made his different without a photo.

Who knows what middle schoolers think is cool, but hopefully they'll like it!

You can download the file HERE and make your own bubble gum valentines!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

XO

Jaime

Knott's for the Cure 2016!

It's that time of year again!

Knott's Berry Farm is teaming up with Susan G. Komen Orange County

to raise money for breast cancer awareness, services and research!

"Pink Tickets" are on sale now and limited edition T-shirts!

75% of the funds raised for Susan G. Komen are used

to provide local services throughout Orange County:

- Breast cancer detection and treatment education

-Information and support for breast cancer survivors and families

-Funding for free mammograms for uninsured and underserved women

25% of the funds raised for Susan G. Komen

support national research to discover the cure for breast cancer.

Two years ago I attended the kickoff to the very first Knott's for the Cure!

Little did I know that I would be diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer just a few weeks later.

 Last year I attended the second annual Knott's for the Cure

as a survivor and key speaker about my battle with breast cancer.

I truly came full circle from being there as a supporter, through cancer,

and back to stand and support with my fellow breast cancer survivors!

 Susan G. Komen was founded by one sister supporting another 

through her fight with breast cancer, 

and I was honored, humbled and blessed to be able to stand

 with my fellow breast cancer sisters 

to celebrate our victories and raise money to prevent 

and fight breast cancer for all the women in Orange County!

Come enjoy the park and support this important cause 

by purchasing your "Pink Tickets" now through April 1, 2016!

This special price of $40 is almost half off regular admission 

and a portion of the proceeds go to such a great cause.

All of us have been or will be affected by a loved one's battle with cancer.

I am so thankful for the chance I had to fight 

and the opportunity I have to be here with my family.

Get your "Pink Tickets" and fight with us today!

Follow Knott's Berry Farm on social media and share who you're fighting for with the hashtag #KnottsPink!

Knotts:

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook

The opinions in this article are my own. I do not work for, or with, any brand mentioned in this article, 

nor do I have any official relationship with them.  I have a relationship with GigaSavvy, for whom I create original editorial content.

Belicious...Real Food in a Pouch!

Recently I learned about a line of food in a pouch, the newest craze,

made entirely from real food...whole grains, fruits and vegetables!

Belicious was developed by a woman named Heidi Huntsman...

a woman with a story very much like mine.

Heidi was diagnosed with cancer at age 37, and when she beat it, 

she started learning more about the role of nutrition in preventing disease.

Heidi has a degree in molecular biology, and set about to develop something

that would benefit her own family, with a history of cancer, and all of us!

Belicious is a great answer for people with all sorts of dietary restrictions!

There are four different flavors, and they are all 90 calories, with only 2.5 grams of fat!

* Dairy Free

* Vegan

* Wheat Free

* Nut Free

* Soy Free

* GMO Free

Energize is a sweet potato, carrot and pear blend.

Revive is a balsamic, beet and spinach blend.

Strength is a spinach, kale and orange blend.

Vitalize is an orange, beet and ginger blend.

They also contain other whole foods included for your benefit, 

such as chia seeds, split red lentils, and banana.

They can be used as a snack on the go, or for a 3 day cleanse,

which is currently on sale on their website!

No matter what your motivation is, Belicious can help you reach your goals!

This year be healthy, be strong, Belicious!

The best news is you can WIN a month of Belicious 

& a $100 Whole Foods Market gift card! 

#BeFreeBelicious New Year Reset Runs 1/5 - 2/5. 

To be eligible to win, participants enter via Rafflecopter 

and tag us in a photo with the product.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Life After Stage 4 Cancer...My New Normal

September 11 took on a new meaning for me last year.

As the country remembered the horrific events and fallen heroes from 2001,

I was given the most exciting news...I was cancer free!

My oncologist was cautious, as she always is, but I was elated!

No evidence of disease, or NED.

It's as close to remission as a stage 4 patient will ever get.

Although, they can't detect any cancer in me with all their tests and scans,

there could still be microparticles too small to see.

Because of this, I will always be in treatment, but no more chemo for now!

I will receive the drug Herceptin by IV every 3 weeks.

The hardest part is finding a vein.

It is extremely painful, despite my best efforts 

to stay hydrated and pump up my veins before infusion.

I have become very good at NOT screaming.

I kind of have a reputation.

But I can take a few minutes of pain, as I have no side effects from this drug!

I get an echocardiogram every 3 months 

to make sure my heart is not damaged from the Herceptin treatment.

They will also scan my body every year 

and do blood work every 3 months to check for growth.

I also take an oral drug daily, and receive a shot in my belly once a month.

The needle is HUGE!

Every time they stick it in my belly, I think I'm going to spring a leak!

These keep me in chemically induced menopause.

Hooray for no periods, but boohoo on the hot flashes!

My cancer is estrogen fed, and so every effort is made to suppress it.

The side effects from these have been mild too; so blessed!

In October we took the trip of a lifetime to Hawaii!

I researched for months and made a list of everything I wanted to do and taste!

We had never been, and it was a dream come true to be in that beautiful place.

We swam with sea turtles, saw countless rainbows, and ate amazing food!

I want to go back every day!

We are so appreciative of all the wonderful bloggers 

who contributed money to make our trip extra special!

We are the luckiest!

As I approach the second anniversary of diagnosis,

and the year mark of the regrowth,

I am super, super excited to begin this year with no cancer!

This will be the first year since 2013 

that I will be able to celebrate my birthday without chemo 

and eat all the berries without food restrictions!

My 40th celebration will be epic!!!

I have a new appreciation for a whole, well body.

I still marvel when I do my hair without clumps falling out.

I can climb the stairs again without aching legs, well, one flight anyway.

I have been blessed with a doctor who meticulously walks the tightrope of treatment, 

carefully evaluating what will be the most effective and least harmful.

I do not take for granted the miracle of survival.

I know the fragility of life and the blessing of each day.

It is a new normal, but still so wonderful.

XO

Jaime