August 2014 - Over The Top Mommy

Month: August 2014

Don Roberto Jewelers Knows How to “Bling It On”!

August 24, 2014 / Lifestyle, Los Angeles, Shopping

When I was invited to the grand opening celebration of the Don Roberto Jewelers in Huntington Park, I gladly accepted as it was a chance to meet up with some of my girlfriends for some “Mommy Time” to do some jewelry shopping. There were mariachis, food, balloon animals for the kids, and a raffle for some great prizes!

I loved their beautiful costumes!

I enjoy trying on jewelry and Don Roberto has a gorgeous selection of jewelry and watches in their store. My eyes were immediately drawn to some pieces in the front case of the store. Everything was so sparkly and I spotted the most perfect necklace with a little crown on it. Obviously this necklace would be perfect any princess, both young and old.

Right next to the crown necklace was a lock and key necklace. I loved the way this one too. I wear a lot of white gold and I like the look of pavé. The salesgirl was so helpful and even suggested pairing the 2 necklaces together to create an even prettier look.

As I continued to browse the jewelry case, I also found some gorgeous heart earrings with a matching heart necklace. I could feel my Don Roberto jewelry wish list growing by the minute!

A hot pink pop of color was the first thing that caught my eye from the watch case! They have a huge selection of watches in the store that are very reasonably priced, including Juicy Couture. I had no idea that Juicy Couture watches were made my Movado! That speaks a lot about their quality.

Both of them are beautiful! I love the extreme bling on the left one, but love the simplicity with just some bling on the right!

I also loved some of their other watches, especially the Hello Kitty collection. It seemed like everyone was trying these watches on. You’re never too old to love Hello Kitty!

After trying on a few watches, we decided we needed to stop and take a selfie! It’s just what my friends and I love to do!

Jewelry shopping with @ThatsItMommy and @KindaSillyMommy was so much fun!

When we resumed our shopping, I checked out some of the beautiful earrings. I loved the petite hearts because I usually wear really small earrings, but I also loved the flower earrings. They were very sparkly on my ears.

I also tried on this delicate bracelet that was all hearts linked together. I could wear this for everyday but also for a special occasion where I need to dress up an outfit or formal dress.

The last piece I tried on was a very simple, tri-colored necklace. I like the combination of the metals on this necklace. I also like that it’s different from anything I usually wear.

After spending almost 2 hours in the store, trying on jewelry and socializing, I needed to make a decision about what I was going to get. Sometimes you end up finding way more than you originally intended to shop for. Don Roberto offers an “Easy Pay” option, which is a line of credit that makes buying jewelry WAY easier.

Look at my new Hello Kitty watch!

I finally decided on one of the adorable Hello Kitty watches! Why not? I never buy anything like that for myself and so I decided to do so for once. They packed my new watch it in this beautiful red bag for me to take home.

I had such a fun experience shopping at Don Roberto Jewelers. The staff was so friendly and helpful and really made me feel welcomed. I hope to go back and shop there again soon. They know how to “Bling it on”!

Did you see anything that YOU liked?

Connect with Don Roberto on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter.

Disclosure: I was invited to attend a grand opening celebration at Don Roberto Jewelers and received a gift card as compensation for sharing about the event on my social medias. All opinions are my own.

We’re Doing CHOC Walk at The Disneyland Resort!

August 23, 2014 / Disney, Lifestyle, Orange County

I’m excited to share with everyone that Emi and I will be doing the CHOC Walk in the Park on October 12th this year for our first time. We’ll be participating as part of the Blogging While Walking Team!

The 23rd Annual CHOC Walk will be held at The Disneyland Resort, and will go through both parks and Downtown Disney. This is a wonderful opportunity for people (like us) to help raise money which goes towards health care programs and medical research for CHOC.

Emi and I would LOVE it if you would consider sponsoring us for the CHOC Walk so we can reach our goal. No donation is too small and every little bit helps. To donate to our team, just click here! We thank you in advance. We’re so excited to be participating in something that benefits such a great cause.

To read more about the 23rd Annual CHOC Walk in the Park, click here.

Let’s Go Back-to-School Shopping at The Shops at Mission Viejo!

August 15, 2014 / OC Events, OC Fun, Orange County, Shopping, SoCal Life, Uncategorized

This is a sponsored post.

Summer is coming to an end and if you haven’t already started your back to school shopping, you should probably get to it soon! I know I need to start mine, so I’ll be heading to The Shops at Mission Viejo…again!

I refer to The Shops at Mission Viejo as “my mall”. Not only do we live close by, but I LOVE this mall because it literally has everything we need in one place and it’s family friendly. We always find the latest fashions there! Emi and I spend a lot of time hanging out together there.

Just making the list of things Emi needs counts as starting Back-to-School prep, right?

Every year, Emi and I make Back-to-School shopping an entire “Girls Day Out”. There are so many stores to shop at in The Shops at Mission Viejo and lots of choices for a stop to lunch, when our feet need a rest.

Here are just some of the stores Emi likes to shop at most for Back-to-School:

Justice
Childrens Place
Nordstrom
Old Navy
Claire’s Boutique
Macy’s
The Disney Store
See’s Candies (you’ve GOTTA bring something for the teacher on the first day!)

Wish me luck with my Back-to-School shopping!

For a complete mall directory of The Shops at Mission Viejo, click here.

Visit The Shops at Mission Viejo on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay up-to-date on the latest events, trends & news.

“You’re Free Now, Genie!” RIP Robin Williams

August 12, 2014 / Disney, Disney, SoCal Life, Uncategorized

The world lost an incredible man yesterday, Mr. Robin Williams. I’m still in shock today and my heart hurts for the loss of this amazing actor, but it mostly hurts for his family. I cannot imagine what they’re going through. He truly must’ve been in so much pain and so tired to do something like that.

“She” rocked our world! (photo credit: @pj_campbell)

I grew up watching Robin Williams and truly admired his talents as an actor. He could take on pretty much about any role. Since I’m a huge Disney lover, his death infiltrates into my Disney Side as well, as he was Peter Pan and Genie. Recently, Emi somehow watched “Mrs. Doubtfire” for the first time and was just enamored by her (him). Although the storyline of the movie is pretty harsh and sad, I think a majority of that goes over her head. She’s just in awe over Mrs. Doubtfire and so I’ve recently found myself watching this old classic quite a bit because it’s on our DVR! We were JUST at Target the other day, looking for movies for our road trip, when Emi pointed at the Jumanji cover and said, “Look it’s Mrs. Doubtfire!” We didn’t buy Jumanji on that shopping trip but now I wish we had. I am so happy that Emi knows who he is and appreciates Mr. Williams as an actor as much as I do.

He starred in so many great kids’ movies. I can’t wait to watch more of them with Emi! (photo credit: @diningindisney)

This loss hits so close to home for me. I, too, lost a very close friend to suicide. It’s been 2 1/2 years now and I think about her all the time. I don’t talk about her loss as much as I think about it because people start to think there’s something wrong with me and that I “need help”. Her death left a hole in my heart and it’s something that never really gets better for me. It feels like a wound that gets reopened every time I hear about another suicide. I cried for her last night as I cried for Robin Williams.

I don’t think that people who don’t suffer from the kind of depression that can lead to suicide, can really understand how and why it happens. How could they? It irritates me when people say things like “Stop feeling sorry for yourself” or “You need to get over it.” to someone who’s suffering. I also believe that using words like “selfish” or “cowardly” when talking about suicide, or to describe someone who committed suicide, also demonstrates a lack of understanding.

I feel so fortunate to be able to say that I don’t suffer from depression, because it seems like such a tough struggle that a person has to battle for their entire life. I know a TON of friends who do suffer from it though. Just because a person suffers from depression doesn’t necessarily mean they’re suicidal, but I feel that there are times that we, as human beings, could be more aware of when others might need help or are having a hard time. Perhaps giving someone words of encouragement, asking them if they want to talk or just being a good listener to another, would be something that we could all go out of our way to do. Most times, people who are suffering the most, will be the ones who are talking about it the least and that’s why we need to keep an eye out for each other. If you see someone is suffering, do something. Be proactive. Even turn to available resources where you can find help for someone. Do what you can to take care of others, even if it’s just something small.

I can’t tell you HOW many times I’ve tried to go back to the time before my friend’s death to question what I could’ve done to help or how I could have helped her know that she, too, was worth something and loved by so many of us here, including her own family. I spoke at her service, I told her that she was beautiful, she was loved, she was GOOD ENOUGH! I just wish I could’ve told her that more often before it was too late.

Robin William’s death is so heartbreaking. I only hope he’s at peace now.

He will be truly missed by his fans. RIP Mr. Williams!

This is the quote I live by. I find that as I get older, I even try to do it more.

Happy National S’mores Day!

August 10, 2014 / Food, Recipes

Today is National S’mores Day! It’s one of my favorite food holidays of the year! I mean, in addition to National Popcorn Day (March 14), National Cupcake Day (August 18th) and, of course, National Pancake Day (September 26)! I love the fact that there is a National Food Holiday for every day of the year! (at least for the U.S. there is) It can also be a problem since most of us are trying NOT to eat these things on most days, but it still makes for something to be excited about on any given day, right?

For me, it’s important to choose the right product brands that will make quality s’mores. You don’t want a s’more that’s going to break when you’re making it! (I’ve tried store brand and I wasn’t a fan) I always use HoneyMaid graham crackers for mine. I also have to use Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows! They have so many marshmallows to choose from, even Stackers, which are perfect for s’mores because they’re kind of flat and fit into a s’more! You know that any marshmallow with its own Facebook fan page has GOT to be good! I also insist on using Hershey’s chocolate bars for s’mores. I love using the baby ones because they’re the perfect size for a s’more.

This year, we decided to a add a little something extra to our s’mores…..mustaches!!!

These Wilton mustaches from Michael’s were WAY TOO CUTE to pass up!

It was so funny that she stuck the mustache on her own face here!

Did I mention that I just want to eat this girl up? She’s too cute!

I mustache you a question…how are YOU going to celebrate National S’mores Day?

Knott’s Scary Farm 2014: All of the Frightening Details! #ScaryFarm

August 7, 2014 / Knott's

It’s only August and here I am, already getting excited for Halloween! I was ecstatic to be invited to Knott’s Media Preview where they released all of the exciting details for Knott’s Scary Farm this year! Luckily some of my friends there with me to hold my hand though, because I was kind of scared and everywhere I turned, there were monsters and zombies!

As the fog rolled into the already-dark theater we were all seated in, the lights went all the way out and screaming began. Most of the screams were excited Scary Farm fans, but I think I also heard a few REAL blood curdling screams too. I didn’t dare investigate to see where those were coming from though!

Thank goodness @socalpocketmemories was there to keep me safe in the dark! I was so scared!

The announcements started out with news about the return of the one and only, Elvira, Mistress of the Dark! Elvira will be making appearances in her show, Elvira’s Big Top, every night of Knott’s Scary Farm this year in the Charles M. Schultz Theater.

Elvira is truly timeless! (photo credit: Knott’s)

This year, Elvira will also have her own Boo-tique and guests who spend over $50 in her Boo-tique will have an opportunity to meet Elvira! Check out some of the merchandise! I already see some things I NEED from Elvira’s Boo-tique! (photo credit: Knott’s)

Wow, you can shop AND have a chance to meet her? That sounds like a win-win!

(photo credit: Knott’s)

I grew up watching Elvira! If you could see her in person you would totally understand why I was fangirling that night! The lady looks amazing from every angle and I swear she doesn’t need to lie about her age because clearly she’s only 29!

As soon as Elvira exited the stage, I heard a loud gunshot and looked to see the Sheriff was in town to announce that The Hanging would also be back this year for Knott’s Scary Farm!

Yep, you can witness it over in Calico Square! Did you know that you can even vote for WHO they hang in Calico Square? Just click here to vote! (I, myself, am voting for Justin Bieber!)

I wouldn’t want to get on these guys’ bad side! (photo credit: Knott’s)

Next came all of the news about which mazes and Scare Zones would be back for the 2014 season.

Here’s a list of the mazes that are returning this year and where they’ll be located:

Dominion of the Damned will be adjacent to GhostRider
Forevermore will be at the Mystery Lodge Entrance
Gunslinger’s Grave will be adjacent to Silver Bullet
Black Magic will be near Xcelerator
Trick or Treat will be adjacent to GhostRider
Pinocchio Unstrung will be inside Wilderness Dance Hall
The Witch’s Keep (Calico Mine Ride)

The 4 Monster Scare Zones you can find in the park this season are:

Ghost Town in Old West Ghost Town®
CarnEVIL at The Boardwalk
Fiesta De Los Muertos in Fiesta Village
Gypsy Camp in the GhostRider Area

These are some of the monsters you’ll encounter in the Scare Zones! I can barely make eye contact with these pics!

(photo credit: Knott’s)

Everyone was just DYING to hear about the new additions to Knott’s Scary Farm this year! Here’s what they’re adding:

Voodoo will be adjacent to GhostRider
The Tooth Fairy will be adjacent to GhostRider
TRAPPED: Lock and Key inside Boardwalk Ballroom (Reservation & additional fee required. Click here for more info)
Special Ops: Infected will be throughout Camp Snoopy’s six acres

The final announcement was the BIGGEST and BEST one of all!

Even with all of that exciting news about the horrific additions to Scary Farm this year, there was one more HUGE announcement to make and we were all made to wait in suspense….until finally they shared what the biggest news by far was…this year for Knott’s Season Passholders, a special unlimited Knott’s Scary Farm pass is available for purchase online for only $65 (plus applicable taxes and fees)!

That means you can go as many nights as you wish and there are NO blackout dates! Wow, talk about a pass holder perk! These special tickets are on sale now through August 17th. If there are any left, they will go on sale to the general public on August 18 for $75 (plus applicable taxes and fees). This announcement pretty much brought the house down with excitement that night! I’m SURE all of the pass holders who were there went home and bought their Knott’s Scary Farm pass! (if they didn’t do it right then and there from their smartphones!)

It was such an exciting night of announcements and now I’m just counting the days down until Knott’s Scary Farm starts on September 25th! Are YOU brave enough to partake in all the fun? I sure hope so!

For additional information about Knott’s Scary Farm and to purchase event tickets, click here.

Connect with Knott’s on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram too!

DISCLAIMER: 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.

Fresh Market Opens in Laguna Hills

August 4, 2014 / Lifestyle, Orange County, Uncategorized

Disclosure: We were invited for a preview tour of Fresh Market. No compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

There’s a new Fresh Market in town in Laguna Hills! It’s one of the first businesses open in The Village at Nellie Gail Ranch, which is a retail center that’s been newly renovated.

We had the opportunity to grab a sneak peek inside of the newest Fresh Market location, the night before it opened to the public. It was so exciting to watch all that was going on behind the scenes for their grand opening. Everywhere we turned there were people stocking the shelves and aisles for the big day!

Right when you walk through the front door of Fresh Market your eyes are drawn towards all of the color in their produce section and you’re soothed by the classical music playing. Their produce sections seems to make up about 1/3 of the store and offers fruits and veggies that are fresh, locally grown and ready to serve at your table. When I say “local” I mean grown within 100 miles if it’s labeled “local” and within 300 miles if it’s labeled “regional”. I like having fruit that is ready to be eaten and not something sitting on the counter for a few days to ripen. I also like that they offer a variety of fruit and veggies that are cut and freshly packed on site. They’re perfect as after school grab n’ go snacks for my daughter.

The bakery department in Fresh Market appeared to have many empty baskets because they were all waiting to be filled with freshly baked goods.

We learned that many items are baked on a daily basis for the next morning, with the bakers coming in at 9pm to bake for the next morning. It’s an around-the-clock effort over there to provide the freshest for the customers. There are lots of other yummy items to choose from in the bakery department, aside from just bread.

We got to enjoy samples of a delicious Blackened Steak recipe prepared by one of the chefs from Chefs USA.

Did you know that Fresh Market features an extensive collection of recipes on their website . They also hosts in-store chef-led demos of some of their recipes for customers to watch and be able to taste. I can’t wait for the next one!

They have an unbelievable selection of cheeses!

She’s a girl after my own heart…she loves cheese too!

As we got to browse the store on our own, I felt like a kid in a candy store. Ok literally on the candy aisle I did! How can you NOT be mesmerized by a rainbow of colored candies?

Their aisles had so many wonderful products on the shelves, as did the refrigerated section. Fresh Market carries their own brand, as well as some other hand-picked brands.

You can even “build your own 6-pack” at Fresh Market. Just choose any 6 beers and make one!

The concept behind Fresh Market is similar to that of a European market, where you are stopping by 3-4 times per week to shop for that day’s meals. I especially love that idea because often times I am a day-by-day planner. I also get a little weird about my food being in my fridge for too long, so knowing that what I’m stopping by to pick up is fresh, gives me that peace of mind. If you don’t have time to stop by the actual store, they also offer home delivery through their site with online ordering!

If you haven’t stopped by a Fresh Market, you should do so soon. Click here for a location near you.

Connect with Fresh Market on Facebook and Twitter!

The Day We Personally Welcomed Fresh Brothers Pizza to Orange County!

August 4, 2014 / Food, OC Events, Restaurant Reviews, SoCal Life

Disclosure: We were invited to Fresh Brothers to sample menu items in exchange for a review. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

When I heard that Fresh Brothers was coming to Orange County, I immediately did a Happy Dance and couldn’t wait for the grand opening celebration!

Our family enjoyed a sampling of some of their most popular menu items. I think it should be mandatory for every guest to start out with an order of Fresh Knots! Their menu describes Fresh Knots as “garlic bread tied in tasty knots, dusted with parmesan and served with a side of pizza sauce“. These were so amazing. Seriously!

We tried The Greek Town Special Salad next which is made with romaine, feta cheese, Kalamata olives, cucumber, pepperoncini, red onions and tomatoes.

I can never get enough feta cheese. I loved the light dressing on this salad too. All of the salads on their menu are handmade, hand chopped and hand tossed. They offer a ton of different ones on the menu and also give guests the option of creating their own salad.

An order of the Meatball Sliders arrived at our table next. They’re served on King’s Hawaiian rolls and topped with mozzarella cheese and pizza sauce. Emi especially LOVED these. If a kid likes something, you know it’s great!

Did I mention that all of the appetizers on their menu are baked and never fried? I like that. I especially liked knowing that the entire order of buffalo wings I devoured, weren’t fried. The sauce was Roasted Garlic BBQ and SO tasty! They have 6 different kinds of sauces to choose from for their buffalo wings, including traditional hot sauce.

I couldn’t stop dipping mine in the blue cheese dressing.

The grand finale of our meal was our delicious pizza! It was a delicious thin crust cheese and pepperoni pizza and it was beautiful. I say WAS because we ate the entire thing! By the way, they have gluten-free and vegan options!

The grand opening celebration of Fresh Brothers’ first Orange County location in Newport Beach had a bunch of fun activities for kids to do. There was face painting, temporary tattoos, pizza dough and cookie cutters to play with, and kids could even make their own pizzas!

It’s also fun just to play with pizza dough and cookie cutters!

Emi was so excited to make her own pizza. Being the artist that she is, she chose to make a perfectly symmetrical pizza with cheese, olives, and pineapple! She was so excited to see her pizza when it came out of the oven!

What a fun thing for kids to do!

Not only is the food at Fresh Brothers delicious, but I love the feeling you get when you’re there. It’s a family run business and you can chat with any of the family members that happen to be at the location and hear about the story of how Fresh Brothers came to be. I think the entire family was present at the grand opening celebration and just watching the way they worked together and reached out to every guest was heartwarming.

I’m so happy we have a Fresh Brothers Pizza near us now! If you haven’t checked them out yet, you need to.

To find a Fresh Brothers location, click here.

Connect with them on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram too!

Help Me Find This Couple from Disney’s 24-Hour Event! They Got Engaged! #RockYourDisneySide

August 4, 2014 / Disney, Lifestyle, Social Media, Uncategorized

I was just going through my pictures from Disney’s Rock Your Disney Side 24-hour event back in May, when I came across some that I totally forgot about. As Emi and I were walking around that day, I had my camera out and ready to snap pics. Just as we approached Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, there were a bunch of people standing around and I witnessed the end of an engagement! This adorable couple, dressed as Belle and Beast, was in the center of the crowd. I knew something special was happening so I started snapping pics. Emi totally missed it but I got a few. They seemed very shy and although the PhotoPass people took some pics, I think it was just really quick and then they were done. I never got to chase after them to tell them I caught a few of the pics because I felt like I’d be interrupting their moment. I know that no one else caught these other pictures of them though and looking at them again, I see that it was “Belle’s” birthday! (her name is Yela) I’m guessing he arranged Photopass to snap a castle pic for them, letting her believe it was just for her birthday and then broke out a ring! That’s my best guess, but I’m a total fantasizer! I believe in fairytales! Regardless of the real details, I know that they’d want these pictures, because I know I would if it were me, so I’m determined to find them, so I can give them the pictures! I was tearing up adding these to this post. I think you’ll tear up too! Just look….

This one chokes me up BIG TIME! I think the shock and excitement just settled in here!

I love her backpack! It’s him!

As I stood there in shock, they just walked away. I was too frozen to bother them in the middle of their moment!

So… I’m going to rely on social media to help me find Belle and Beast…because I know how powerful social media can be! I also know that if I had gotten engaged like this, I’d want these pictures for my own keepsakes. Sorry guys but I think this guy just set the bar really high!

Do you know them? If not, please help spread the word!

Now let’s sing it….”Tale as old as time...”