Over The Top Mommy

Month: March 2016

Our Pet Adoption Story

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. pet-adoption-they-were-bffsHer 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”. pet-adoption-she-was-our-personAs 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. pet-adoption-no-real-reason-not-to-adoptI 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. pet-adoption-local-animal-sheltersIf 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! pet-adoption-she-was-a-strayWe 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”pet-adoption-taking-her-homeOn 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. pet-adoption-she-smiles-all-the-timeWe 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. pet-adoption-comfy-at-homeI 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 manypet-adoption-lucyIt 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

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. Jamboree-at-the-Cube-Logo-20165B DCOCTB Logo HDiscovery 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. Cute-Kid-Icons2One 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.