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Lifestyle

Mom Talk: 5 Things I’m Doing For ME Now + Free Daily Printable

March 21, 2016 / Food, Motherhood

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #LoveDoveFruits #CollectiveBias

At the start of the new year, I met with a life coach and have worked really hard to make some changes to the way I divide up my time and energy. I made a promise to myself, to start doing more for me and doing more to take care of me.. I also learned not to be so hard on myself and to realize that it’s ok not to get everything on my never-ending “to do” list done before taking care of me. It’s also OK to reward myself daily. One of the ways I like to reward myself is with a small treat each day and my latest favorite snacks are the DOVE® Chocolate Fruit & Nut . Have you tried these yet? I found these different varieties on the candy aisle at Walmart:

DOVE® Dark Chocolate Strawberry & Cocoa Almond
DOVE® Dark Chocolate Blueberry & Vanilla Cashew
DOVE® Dark Chocolate Raspberry & Honey Roasted Almond
DOVE® Dark Chocolate Cranberries
DOVE® Dark Chocolate Blueberries
DOVE® Dark Chocolate

I still can’t decide which is my favorite!They’re all really yummy and something I enjoy in moderation each day. They combine the wellness benefits of dark chocolate with fruits while satisfying my craving for something sweet and keep me in line with my goals for the New Year.

Trying to keep up with being a mom and working a full-time job, in addition to all of life’s other things that keep me busy, is a lot to juggle. I feel like on most days, I fail at fitting it all in. I find myself doing everything for everyone else at home or at work and leaving very little time to take care of me. I will totally admit that in the last few years, I’ve gotten in the habit of practicing “Mom Self-Neglect” on myself. I know there are other moms like me who can relate. What happens is that I’m left at the end of the day with zero energy or extremely exhausted and a feeling unaccomplished.

I started using a daily printable (see below to print out your own copy) to keep track of my days. I keep it nearby on a clipboard.. It allows me to see my accomplishments, no matter how small they are, as well as look back on previous days to see how well I’m doing. One of the strategies I discussed with the life coach was treating each day as a new beginning. It’s hard to make changes and sometimes I feel like I want to be perfect, so when I’m less than perfect, it makes me feel frustrated. By starting fresh each day, it’s a new chance to achieve the goals. Reward yourself.

Here are 5 little things I’m working on improving this year:

Drink More Water – I seriously need to drink more water! I don’t know why it’s so difficult for me to do this but I know I’d feel better if I did it. There are just so many benefits to drinking a lot of water. On some days, I actually find myself carrying around a water bottle around and not even drinking it! I set a goal of 6 small water bottles a day, so I’m keeping track with tally marks.
Eat Better – One of my biggest downfalls, is failing to prepare food and snacks for myself. To be perfectly honest, sometimes I’m just too busy to pack my own lunch and opt to just skip a meal or grab something on the go, which isn’t always the best option. Carrying more snacks with me to eat during the day is a goal for me.
Get Movin’ – Although I am active at my job and am constantly on the go, I need to make an effort get out walking or to the gym to do some cardio, even if it’s just for 30 minutes a day or so. There are many benefits to exercising regularly.
Take Time For Me EVERY Day – It’s important to set time aside for yourself each day, even if it’s just 20 or 30 minutes to read or watch TV or do something you enjoy, which allows you to unwind. Ultimately, this makes you feel like you’ve done something for yourself.
Acknowledge the good in every day – Since I’ve taken on the viewpoint that each day is a chance to start again, I’m also trying to think about the good in each day, no matter how small it may be. It’s helpful to write down something positive that happened or that I did on my log.

So far this year, I feel like my new outlook, along with my daily log, has really helped me stay more positive and keep more focused. It’s nice to be able to look back and see that I actually have accomplished things on a daily basis. The link to this free printable is right below the image.

Print out this free printable by clicking here.

So, what are you doing to take care of yourself? Have you set any goals this year for your own well-being? Have you tried the DOVE® Chocolate Fruit & Nut yet? To print out a coupon, click here. Thanks for reading and have a great day!

OCTA To Offer Angels Express Bus Service for 2016 Baseball Season

March 18, 2016 / Lifestyle, Orange County

Calling all Angels fans! Great news! Beginning April 4, fans can go directly from Huntington Beach to Angel Stadium. The popular Metrolink service is ready to roll again for the home opener! Baseball fans will have two easy and affordable options for hopping aboard the Angels Express to and from Angels home games this season, now that bus service is being added to complement the already popular rail service direct to the stadium. Both the Angels Express special Metrolink service and the new Angels Express Bus service will begin transporting baseball fans to the stadium on Monday, April 4, the home opener for the Angels against the Chicago Cubs at 7:05 p.m. The Angels Express (by rail or bus) allows fans to avoid traffic jams, and save gas and money, by skipping the car trip and parking fees.

Thanks to a $128,500 grant to the Orange County Transportation Authority from the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee, Express bus service to the stadium is being added this year. The grant was approved on March 17, just in time for the start of the season. The special Metrolink service has been running since 2011 and, last year, attracted 54,356 boardings during the season, a 24 percent increase over the previous year.

OCTA is excited to offer another option for the Angels Express this year so fans can get to the ballgame by bus or train. They’re ready to welcome back fans of the Angels Express for the new season and encourage new riders to check out a stress-free and affordable way to catch an evening game.

The Angels Express Bus will run from the Goldenwest Transportation Center, 7301 Center Ave. in Huntington Beach, to Angel Stadium, letting passengers off just feet from the stadium’s main entrance. The bus will serve weeknight home games beginning at 7:05 p.m., for a total of 50 games scheduled for the season.

The express bus is intended to serve communities in the west part of Orange County that can’t as readily access rail service, including Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley, Westminster and Seal Beach. Studies indicate that about 60,000 fans from those areas attended Angels games last season. The goal is to attract more than 9,000 passengers for the season.

The cost to ride the Angels Express Bus will be $2 each way ($4 round trip), with discounts for seniors and passengers with disabilities, and free for children 5 and under when accompanied by a paying adult.

The rail service will run to the Anaheim station, immediately adjacent to Angel Stadium of Anaheim, with service from Los Angeles Union Station and Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo station for weeknight home games that begin at 7:05 p.m.

Service from Riverside is also available for Friday night home games, with a transfer at the Orange train station to Anaheim. Angels Express trains arrive at least 30 minutes before game time and the return trains leave 30 minutes after the final out.

The regular price for the Angels Express train is $7 round-trip, with discounts for seniors and riders with disabilities ($6), and children ages 6 to 18 years ($4). Children 5 and under ride free with an adult fare. Two events are planned for early April to kick off the rail and bus services, respectively. OCTA is hosting a pre-game rally at the Irvine Metrolink Station, 15215 Barranca Parkway, at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, April 4 to mark the beginning of Angels Express train service. The event will include free snacks, music and prizes. Angels Express trains will depart at 5:10 and 5:59 p.m.

To celebrate the start of the Angels Express Bus service, am event is planned for 4:30 p.m. on Friday, April 8 at Goldenwest Transportation Center in Huntington Beach. The first 100 people will ride the Angels Express Bus for free. The first bus leaves at 5:15 p.m. – three buses will run to the stadium prior to the start of the game.

For more information, visit http://www.octa.net/angelsexpress.

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% my own. Images and logos are property of OCTA.

Easter Bunny Photos at The Shops at Mission Viejo!

March 13, 2016 / Family Fun, Lifestyle, Orange County, The Shops at Mission Viejo

Easter is almost here and for families like ours, the season isn’t complete without a trip to the Shops at Mission Viejo to take photos with The Easter Bunny! It’s an annual tradition for us.Guests can visit the Bunny at The Shops at Mission Viejo now through Saturday, March 26. The Bunny is located on the lower level, near Nordstrom. (Just look for the adorable garden setting that he sits in.) We actually reserved a spot with The Bunny online before heading over. It was so convenient and helped alleviate some of the wait time. Reserving a spot ahead of time is optional and guests may visit The Bunny anytime. To reserve your spot with The Bunny, click here. We love The Bunny at The Shops at Mission Viejo because he’s very interactive with all of the kids and we saw him waving to children in the mall when he wasn’t busy.. My daughter likes that he wears glasses, just like she does! The Bunny at “our mall” is also really fun and after we finished taking the photos for our package, he took a couple of extra fun ones with us. Noerr Programs runs the Bunny Photos and offers several options for photo packages available for purchase. It’s really easy to select your favorite pose and have them printed out in a package, right on the spot. Have you visited The Bunny yet? If not, you’ve still got a little bit of time left but make sure to get there before March 26 cause he’ll be hopping away after that!

This is not a sponsored post. We received complimentary photos in order to write this review. All opinions are 100% my own.

3rd Annual Truck Adventures benefiting Make A Wish Foundation Greater Los Angeles

March 12, 2016 / Family Fun, Lifestyle, Los Angeles

It’s almost time for the 3rd Annual Truck Adventures benefiting Make A Wish Foundation Greater Los Angeles! This year, the event will be held on Saturday, April 23, 2016, from 9am to 3pm at Santa Anita Racetrack. The event is designed to be a memorable experience that will allow children to see, touch and explore vehicles of all types such as fire trucks, police cars, construction, military vehicles and many other vehicles. This unique, fun filled event, allows children of all ages to get up close to and even sit in more than 90+ trucks and vehicles that they see on the road everyday. Some of previous year’s participants include Kraft Foods Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, Harley Davidson, LA County Fire Dept Shakey Quakey Van, Nickelodeon’s Sponge Bob Car, Fedex, Hertz, LA Port Authority TransPORTer, City of Hope, Colgate, Time Warner, DirecTV, AAA, City of Arcadia Police, Fire & Public Works depts, Sunstate Equipment, Quinn Rental, Caltrans, Los Angeles Police Department SWAT, DEA, Brinks Armored Trucks, US Forestry, Waste Management, Republic Services, US Navy, Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, California National Guard, HD Forensic Scientific Investigation and many more.

Some of the other fun activities for kids at the event will be provided by Home Depot’s Kids Workshop and Dave & Busters. Food trucks will also be available.

To purchase tickets in advance, click here. Tickets may also be purchased on the day of the event.

Santa Anita Racetrack is located at 285 West Huntington Drive, Arcadia, California. The event will be held next to Westfield Santa Anita Mall. Guests should enter through gate 3.

Connect with Truck Adventures on Facebook and Instagram.

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% my own. Images and logos are property of Truck Adventures.

Our Pet Adoption Story

March 2, 2016 / Lifestyle, Pets

Last Fall, we had to put our precious, almost 19 year-old, cat “Baby” to sleep, after she became very ill. She was the sweetest, most gentle and loving black cat there ever was and lived a good, long life indoors. She snuggled, she played with my daughter, and they had grown very close in their years together. Her passing left a giant hole in our hearts and an absence in our home and we miss her every single day! Baby the Cat was our “person”. As Thanksgiving neared, I realized that this would be the first holiday season in 19 years, that we would be pet-less. My daughter has been extremely emotional about the loss of our cat and began asking for another cat, specifically a kitten. I even overheard her ask Santa for one. Luckily, Santa told her that a kitten was a gift that she’d have to ask her parents for. I couldn’t see any reason NOT to get another cat and I really wanted to adopt one because there are far too many animals sitting in shelters and rescues that need a good home. I’ve always taught my daughter about the importance of animal adoption. If you are looking to get a new family pet, there are numerous shelters and pet rescues to turn to. I would definitely say that it’s not easy or quick to do a pet adoption, but it’s totally worth it when you do! We were so blessed to find “Mrs. Donner” in our local animal shelter, right before Christmas. She was found on the streets as a “stray cat”. We knew she was the one because she “talked” to us through her cage when we walked by.She has the cutest voice and is definitely a talker. She also has the most beautiful green eyes, don’t you think? What we didn’t know at first was that she had recently delivered a litter of kittens. (that’s a whole other story) After we put in our application to adopt “Mrs. Donner” we had to wait a couple of weeks to be able to bring her home until all of her milk was dried up AND until she was spayed. We continued to visit her in the shelter on a daily basis though. We spent time with her in one of the rooms because we wanted her to know us and our scent. We wanted her to know we were now “her people”. On the day we got to bring our new kitty home, we showed up with a cat carrier to take her home. She was a bit skeptical and still doesn’t prefer loud noises but I swear she was smiling once we got her home! Actually, she smiles a lot! I think we really lucked out because she doesn’t use her claws AT ALL or bite. If she does grab on, it’s so gentle and just to play. We renamed her “Lucy Belle” and her nickname is “Luz”, which means “light” in Spanish. She’s adapted really well in our home in just a short amount of time. I don’t know if Lucy realizes what the internet even is, but I love to post lots of pictures of her on my Instagram because I’m so proud to be her owner! We want Lucy to be an example of how much potential a shelter cat has and hopefully inspire others to adopt. She also has her own Instagram and Twitter accounts because we want her to be a face for the animals who need homes since there are way too many! It wasn’t easy to adopt a pet and it definitely wasn’t a quick process. However, adopting an animal is the right thing to do and anyone wanting to get a pet should give one (or more) of these homeless animals a place in their heart and a place in their home!

Have you ever adopted a pet or considered doing so? It’s the best!

This is not a sponsored post All opinions are 100% my own and from my heart

10th Annual Kids Summer Opportunities Jamboree at Discovery Cube on 3/5

March 1, 2016 / Discovery Cube OC, Family Fun, Lifestyle, Orange County

Parenting OC magazine has partnered with Discovery Cube in Santa Ana to present the 10th Anniversary Edition of the Kids’ Summer Opportunities Jamboree! The event will take place on Saturday, March 5, 2016 from 10 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the iconic Orange County family destination and is free to attend. Discovery Cube, which expanded this past summer and doubled in size, adding the 10,000 square-foot Julianne Argyros Showcase Theater and other attractions, is the leading hands-on science center for families in Southern California.
The Jamboree event will take place in the Showcase Theater and feature over 60 exhibitors from:

day camps
overnight camps
sports leagues and clinics
outdoor adventures
horse and cattle ranches
surf and swim programs
science and technology camps

The popular family event is designed to help parents plan their kids’ summer with one-on-one face time with camp director and program leaders. Moms and dads can research and get all their questions answered. One of several family fun attractions at The Jamboree event is Parenting OC’s “Cutest Kid Cover Contest”. The contest, which has been held every year for the past 12 years, includes four age categories:

Baby (6 months to 2 years)
Tot (ages 3 to 5)
Kid (ages 6 to 9)
Tween (ages 10 to 13)

The winner in each category will be photographed at the event by internationally-celebrated cover photographer, Ana Brandt. Each winner will be featured on the cover of the magazine, which has won national awards for its covers. All nominees are photographed at the event, and will receive a keepsake cover just for entering.

Families attending the event will also be able to have fun with:

a Curious George meet and greet with photo opps
Jedi Knights
those oh-so-popular Frozen princesses
hands-on opportunities with slithery snakes, giant frogs, hairy tarantulas and an alligator from The Reptile Zoo
The Extreme Game Truck – In the parking lot, gamers can show their X-Box and Playstation skills in the Extreme Game Truck, a hybrid luxury limo-semi with mood lighting effects in the ceiling, 6 55-inch screens, surround sound and every major gaming console known to little mankind.
The family scavenger hunt – There’ll be $3500 in prizes available to win by those who successfully complete the family scavenger hunt. Prizes include a week of summer camp (Camp James, Camp Galileo, Irvine Slammers Soccer), an OCSA class, $1,000 toward Smile Wide orthodontia and a two-year family pass to Discovery Cube. This event will be held on the exhibit floor.

Afterwards, families can head off for even more fun at the Cube. Free passes will be available to all children, ages 3 to 14, for admittance on the day of the Jamboree event. (Child must be accompanied by an adult.) The tickets (each valued at $12.95) can be downloaded from http://www.parentingoc.com.
The Discovery Cube is located at 2500 N. Main St., Santa Ana, CA, 92705. For more information, please visit http://www.parentingoc.com, or call 714-630-4510 x 6.

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% my own. Images and logos are property of Discovery Cube and Parenting OC.

{Giveaway} Irvine Park Railroad’s 9th Annual Easter Eggstravaganza

February 29, 2016 / Family Fun, Irvine Park Railroad, Lifestyle, Orange County

Are you ready for Spring and some Easter fun? Ok it might be a little early for it to be officially Spring but the weather sure feels like we’re there and I’m super excited about having an early Easter this year! You know what that means? It means that the Irvine Park Railroad’s 9th Annual Easter Eggstravaganza is beginning earlier than usual! This year’s festivities will run from Saturday, March 5th through Saturday, March 26th. Watch this fun Easter Eggstravaganza video from Irvine Park Railroad’s YouTube channel.

This annual event has become a tradition for our own family and is so much fun! Irvine Park Railroad’s Easter Eggstravaganza seems like a family favorite of many Southern California families. This year, event activities will include:

Train rides – The cost for train tickets is $5.00 per person; children younger than 12 months ride free.
Easter Bunny meet and greet with photo opportunities – For the cost of $10.00, children can meet and have their photo taken with the Easter Bunny. This cost includes one (1) photo that will be taken by Irvine Park Railroad staff. Each additional print of the same photo will $6.00. Photos will be printed in a few, short minutes at the Easter Bunny booth.
Easter egg hunts – Easter egg hunts begin daily at 10:00 AM and tickets may be purchased and exchanged for a wristband to participate in an egg hunt at a specific time. Please bring an Easter basket for each child that will be participating in the Easter egg hunt. Irvine Park Railroad will also offer Easter baskets for sale. Tickets must be purchased on the day of the event in order to receive a wristband for the Easter egg hunt. Please visit http://www.irvineparkrailroad.com for complete details on the Easter egg hunts including times and costs.
Hay rides
Moon bounce
Easter cookie decorating
Carnival games
Picture stands
Face painting

Please visit http://www.irvineparkrailroad.com for full details including costs. Irvine Park Railroad opens daily at 10:00 AM and is located at 1 Irvine Park Road, Orange, CA 92869. While you’re at Irvine Regional Park, be sure to visit the park’s other activities including Wheel Fun Rentals® at Irvine Park bike and paddle boat rentals, pony rides and the Orange County Zoo.

Please note: There is park entrance fee , charged by the County of Orange, which is $3.00 per vehicle on weekdays and $5.00 per vehicle on weekends. Connect with Irvine Park Railroad on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Irvine Park Railroad is also providing 8 acitivity tickets for the Easter Eggstravaganza and 1 Wheel Fun Rentals at Irvine Park Bike Rental (excludes the double surrey) for one of my lucky readers. Enter to win on the Rafflecopter below! Good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This is not a sponsored post. I was invited to attend a media day at Irvine Park Railroad’s Easter Eggstravaganza. All opinions are 100% my own.

My Daughter Loved Using The SOCKIT Soccer Trainer

February 26, 2016 / Lifestyle

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 editorial content.

From an early age, my daughter has always been interested in sports. She was ready to jump in the water and swim, even before she knew how to. She loves to run around at the park, ride her bike, and even started playing on a soccer team at age 4! Have you seen how teeny, tiny those shin guards and cleats are? So adorable!My daughter also enjoys doing other things such as playing playing with dolls, painting and drawing, cooking, reading, and hosting tea parties with her teddy bears. She’s a girly-girl who’s athletic! In my opinion, she is the perfect combination of a kid! As she’s grown up, she’s continued to play Fall soccer each year. During the season, she has regular coached practices and plays a full schedule of games. During the off-season though, is when she needs to continue practicing so she doesn’t lose her game by the time Fall rolls around again. When we received a SOCKIT in the mail, I knew this was the perfect way to help her while she practiced.

The SOCKIT is a wearable soccer trainer that lights up as a way to provide instant feedback to your child, relating to how they’re kicking. It’s a great tool to help improve your child’s game. Basically, it lights up to signal perfection when a player strikes the ball correctly. This helps teach your child how to practice the correct foot-to-ball technique. It is one size fits all and is available in four different colors. (blue, pink, yellow, and orange) It’s very easy to stretch around your cleat. My daughter had to practice with it on her regular shoes since she’s currently outgrown last season’s cleats. Could someone please make her stop growing up? Your soccer star will immediately understand the ultimate feeling of a solid strike in real time with the only wearable training aid that joins how it looks and feels when they strike a ball correctly. The SOCKIT was created by Joe Briganti, a dad who wanted to find a simple and effective way to help his two young daughters become more skilled at soccer. Since there was no product available for him to purchase at the time, he created one himself!

The SOCKIT helps:

build confidence
empower players to practice more
improve foot-eye coordination
create dialogue between players, parents, and coaches
eliminate self doubt

Ultimately, we need to remember the reason for kids to play sports in the first place…BECAUSE IT’S FUN! Having a little extra help though, with The SOCKIT is great too!

I have an exclusive discount code just for my readers that you can do to receive 25% off your first online purchase of The SOCKIT. Just enter “overthetopmommy25” at checkout! I’m also giving away one (1) SOCKIT to one of my lucky readers. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment below telling me who you would like to win it for? I will select a winner via Random Number Generator on March 10th. (Giveaway will close on March 9th at 11:59 p.m.) Open to U.S. Residents only

Family Fun in the 2016 Kia Sorento

February 20, 2016 / Automobiles, Lifestyle

I was provided with a vehicle on loan from Kia in order to facilitate my review. All opinions are 100% my own.

It was so much fun to drive around a 2016 Kia Sorento SX Limited AWD! This SUV drives so smoothly and was the perfect vehicle to take on a weekend family getaway to Palm Springs! The Sorento seats 7 people safely and comfortably, so although our family is smaller than that, I can rest assured knowing there’s plenty of room, when my daughter wants to bring some of her friends in the car with us. For more storage in the back trunk area, you can just fold down the 3rd row of seats. There was a ton of room for all of our weekend necessities!

The interior upholstery was a stylish 2-tone leather that was super soft. It’s as if we were meant to spend the weekend together because the interior even matched my handbag!

You can pretty much find every bell and whistle you might want on the Sorento. One of my favorite features is the Smart Key. I am rarely without a bunch of stuff in my hands and this technology allows you to lock and unlock the vehicle by just having the Smart Key nearby. (like in your purse or your pocket). Unlocking and getting in saves makes life so much easier. With this feature, you can also start and stop the car with the simple push of a button. Also incorporated is the immobililzer function which prevents the vehicle from starting without the Smart Key. In addition to the Smart Key feature, our Sorento was equipped with a ton of other features! Here are just some of them:

Infinity^® Surround Sound Audio System with Clari-Fi™, Ten Speakers, External Amplifier & Subwoofer, HD Radio™
Rear-Camera Display
Back up Warning System
Surround View Monitor (SVM)
Blind-Spot Detection (BSD) System
BLUETOOTH^® Wireless Technology Hands-Free Connectivity
Steering-Wheel-Mounted Audio, Hands-Free Phone and Cruise Control Buttons
USB 2.1 Charger Ports & 12 Volt Power Outlets
Power Windows with Driver & Passenger One-Touch Auto-Up/Down

To see more features available on the Sorento, click here.

This Kia Sorento drove so smoothly. With such variations in the weather here in Southern California, we got to experience it all while we were driving it. Talk about great handling!
“She” shines beautifully in the warm SoCal Winter sunshine! I like the way her wheels sparkle in the sun! At some point during our weekend getaway, we experienced high winds and rain in Palm Springs. Let me just share with you that I felt beyond safe driving in that weather and never felt like we were being blown around at all. It also stayed really quiet inside the car, even when there was heavy wind and rain just right outside! The windshield wipers kept the windows clear for the driver to see out WAY better than my daughter’s glasses handled the rain! Overall, it was a great weekend spent with the Kia Sorento. I love the way it looks, I love the way it drives, and I love how many safety features are built into it. You can purchase a Sorento starting at just $25,100! To learn more and even virtually build your own model, click here. It’s truly a great vehicle that I think you’d love too!