A little over a month ago, had the opportunity to join the Curves® community in my city. I had driven past it so many times and was always curious to see what it was like.
facCurves® is a one-stop-shop for every woman’s fitness needs offering a 30 minute, total-body workout with No Makeup, No Men, and No Mirrors. When you enroll in the Curves Fitness® Program, you’re able to participate in circuit classes, utilizing strength training machines, which are designed to burn fat, increase strength, and kick start weight loss.
Curves® recently celebrated its 25th birthday. Wow, 25 years of empowering women to take control of their health and fitness levels! 
I was excited to participate in their birthday celebration on one of the days I went to work out.
I want to share about my experience with you and share 5 Things (I think) you’ll love most about working out at Curves.
- The Curves Community – The moment you walk into a Curves location, you can feel the sense of community. You’ll feel so supported by all of the ladies there. People are friendly, they know your name, they say “hi”. Every time you come in to workout again, you’re greeted by name at the front desk and by the instructors on the floor and the other women there start to remember you. To have someone genuinely ask about how you’re doing and support you, is something really special. The support of other women can really help strengthen your spirit. Get ready to embrace new friendships
- One-on-one training and guidance with Curves coaches – Unlike other fitness clubs, your membership at Curves comes with 5 training sessions with a Coach. It not only gives you peace of mind to be walked through the circuit and be properly taught on how to use the strength resistance machines, but it will also help you build confidence to come back and do it all on your own.
- Increased Strength.- After you’ve worked out at Curves for a couple of weeks, you’ll begin to feel increased strength. A strong body helps make everything you do easier and can help prevent common health problems like joint pain and osteoporosis.
- Better balance in your life – Having a regular routine scheduled, which includes a workout at Curves a few times (or more) per week, can really help you gain better balance in your life. At just 30 minutes per workout, you can take that time to clear your mind and just relax and refresh.
- Your new look – After you’ve established a regular workout routine, many things seem to follow. As I mentioned, you’ll have increased strength, as well as a lot more energy. You’ll feel that sense of balance in your life too. I think overall, you’re going to have a new outlook on life and, in turn, it’ll give you a new look. Whether you’ve set and achieved fitness goals or you’ve achieved other goals such as maintaining a regular workout schedule, it’s likely that you’ll have a new look about you, one that others will notice. Several people have already asked me what I’m doing and have commented about how great I look!
Curves International, Inc. is one of the largest chains of fitness clubs for women. Aside from gaining better fitness, it also enabled me to navigate through my days with more confidence, resilience, and grace. It’s about feeling great every day and building a healthy future. a fitter, healthier, happier me! Curves is truly a great place to go for more than just a workout, as you can see. There are over 4,000 locations worldwide. To find the closest to you, please go here.
This limited time event will bring some of the beloved stories from Pixar Animation Studios
A new fireworks spectacular – “Together Forever – A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular,” will
Two favorite parades will return to the Resort, both with fresh new Pixar surprises – . For the first time, “Pixar Play Parade” will make its way through Disneyland Park this spring, and it’s being led by someone new. The parade will begin just as all Pixar films have, with an appearance by Pixar’s iconic lamp from the short film “Luxo Jr.” Other new parade elements will welcome characters from “Up” and “Inside Out.”
Also on April 13, the guest-favorite “Paint the Night” parade returns, and this time the
To be honest, I think I spent half the party looking around at everything in awe, As the park is transformed for the occasion, frightfully fun décor, grinning ghosts, costumed characters, and extra entertainment pop up all around. There’s just so much to see and do at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Party and it can be overwhelming, in a good way, of course.
I put together a guide of tips to “know before you go” as a way to help future Mickey party-goers get the most out of their experience. Here’s my best advice for what you should see and do when you attend.
Purchase your party tickets right away – Dates for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party are announced during the summertime on 
DO Wear a Costume – There isn’t even a question. DO wear a costume. It doesn’t matter if you’re a kid or an adult. A majority of guests at the party are dressed up and if you don’t wear a costume, you’ll most likely feel a bit left out. I saw so many fun costumes. My favorites were groups of people with coordinating group Disney costumes. We put together simple DIY costumes from Monsters, Inc. because we were traveling and needed to pack our suitcases wisely, but I already know that next year, I’m going to get a little more nuts with our costumes. Actually, I can guarantee it!
You’ll receive a party guide for the evening as you enter at the Main Gate which is helpful to guide you to the treat stations and has other useful information. I just recommend planning a little bit beforehand so you don’t run out of time because there’s a lot to see.
Get there during daylight – Guests are able to enter Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party up to 3 hours prior to the event’s official start time of 7p.m. I highly recommend getting there while there’s still daylight, mainly for the photo opportunities. Luckily, the Disney PhotoPass photographers are very experienced and take great pictures even when it’s dark outside. Grab as many photos as you can though, while it’s still light outside. Also, getting to the party early will allow you to maximize your time on the attractions and explore all of the other things.
Get your trick or treat on – Guests can pick up a trick-or-treat bag at any of of the treat stations throughout the park. Locate the treat stops by looking for the super tall, lighted up stations. Expect to leave the party with a ton of candy. Tip: Bring an bag or backpack to the party so you can dump out the trick-or-treat bags as they fill up. 
Eat ALL the Halloween treats – It’s always fun to find the exclusive treats and food offerings during the party, only offered this time of year. If you keep an eye on The Disney Parks Blog before your party date, they usually share about these treats so you’ll know what to look for. Check out this fun post on the Disney Parks Blog featuring 
Seek out the characters and take photos – During Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, there are a plethora of photo opportunities with more Disney characters and Disney Villains than you can imagine! Even more fun is that you’ll find these characters dressed up in their own Halloween costumes. 
The party is your chance to grab photos with the characters without waiting in lines that are very long. PhotoPass photos are available to download and share almost instantly through the 
Don’t miss the Mickey’s “Boo-to-You” Halloween Parade (& Beware of the Headless Horseman) – There are 2 performances of this special Halloween-themed parade, each night of a party. See Disney characters as well as the stars of the Haunted Mansion. Each parade starts with a spooktacular ride by The Headless Horseman so beware!Happy HalloWishes Fireworks are a must! – There are so many great spots in Magic Kingdom Park where guests can go to watch the Happy HalloWishes fireworks.
Check out the special souvenirs and merchandise – Special souvenirs and exclusive merchandise are also available during the party and you’ll want to save some time to check out the shops along Main Street, U.S.A.
The first film, Bad Moms, gave me an excuse to let loose with the girls, but I must admit…. I haven’t been out for any kind of “girl time” since then. I’m literally doing a happy dance right now because, come November 1st, I’ll have an excuse to get out with the girls! 
Can you tell I rarely get out? Before we go any further, if you haven’t watched the trailer for “A Bad Moms Christmas” yet, please do:
I didn’t hesitate to call up a bunch of my funnest (and maybe craziest) girlfriends to start planning the Baddest Moms Night Out EVER! It was so easy to plan it with Evite™, which make helps make getting together effortless and more memorable. In this case “memorable” is more like kick-ass! Excuse my French, I just think an epic movie like this requires a crazy-good Moms Night Out though! How perfect is this Evite™ invitation I chose to send all my friends?
I put together a list of 6 Necessities for the Baddest Moms Night Out EVER! 
The 700-room hotel will feature a sophisticated design and be something never-before-seen for Anaheim. It’ll offer dynamic dining and entertainment options and a hotel experience for both resort visitors and local residents. Extensive landscaping and water elements will create a resort oasis, showcasing nature on every level of the hotel. The hotel’s location embraces the iconic Disneyland Monorail with a dedicated platform inside the hotel for direct transport into Disneyland park. Having the monorail stop inside of the hotel is such a great part about this addition and reminds me of when we stayed at Disney’s Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World! (Have you been there before?) 
The guest rooms, public spaces and gardens at the new hotel will provide views of the Downtown Disney District. The addition of an upper-level restaurant and lounge will give guests a view of the spectacular nightly fireworks in Disneyland Park. The ground level of the hotel will include shops and restaurants, opening onto an expansive landscaped plaza, and complete with playful water features, creating a gathering place for guests and visitors. The new hotel will connect all four Hotels of the Disneyland Resort through lush gardens and beautifully landscaped walkways, transforming the gateway on the west side and creating a welcoming entry for our Disneyland Resort guests.
The additional parking capacity and access lanes will streamline vehicle arrivals on the west side of the resort and eliminate backups onto city streets. In addition, the tram boarding area will be reconfigured to enhance the transportation experience for guests parking at both the new structure and Mickey & Friends. Construction is scheduled to begin in February 2018, with the structure set to open the following year.
The Monster Academy features a “day-scare” learning center designed exclusively for teaching junior monsters what it takes for school success. Activities focus on creative play, shapes and colors as part of an Early Learning Core Initiative and electricity, chemistry, and optical illusions as part of a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Proficiency Core Initiative.
My contributor spent a very special evening at Discovery Cube Orange County with some other “young monsters”, participating in the Monster Academy. Some of the activities to explore during your visit include:
All of the “Spooky Science” activities will be available through October 31 and are included in the price of regular admission. For more information or to purchase your tickets online, please visit 
Connect with Discovery Cube OC on
During NFL Happy Hour, everything offered on the happy hour menu is under $10., including loaded Island Nachos ($7.99), Sliders ($4.99), Big Island Iced Tea ($5.95) and Coors Light ($2.99).
Each location also has multiple big screen TVs playing NFL RedZone and NFL Sunday Ticket, and each restaurant features bartender-call-it specials/trivia games for chances to win gift cards and swag.
We stopped by our local Islands to join in all the fun NFL Happy Hour offers. It’s always a great time at Islands, especially when we get to enjoy some of our favorite appetizers such as the Spinach & Artichoke Dip and the Cheese Fries.
Our family also just loves dining at Islands for their regular food too. Whether it’s a salad, a wrap, a burger, a BLT, or even something off their Gremmie Menu, there’s something for everyone in your party on their menu.
Oh and of course, there’s always room for dessert! Specifically, Kona Pie! Have you had one before? They’re HUGE and plenty to share with your family! 
I’m hosting a giveaway on my Facebook page right now for one (1) of my lucky readers to win a $25 Islands gift card, so they can go in and enjoy NFL Happy Hour (or anything on the menu.) To enter, go 
So, what’s your favorite thing to eat at Islands Restaurant? Leave a comment below and share with me.
I’m also hosting a giveaway for one of my lucky readers to win a copy of Disney’s “Vampirina” on Disney DVD! To enter, go to the Rafflecopter below. Good luck everyone! Thanks for reading!
We spent a day there last weekend and it was so much fun. Since the weather is almost always perfect here in Southern California, it really turned out to be the perfect “Sunday Funday” for us, between all of the Knott’s Spooky Farm activities to the regular attractions, included water rides. Since there’s still plenty of time to head to Knott’s Spooky Farm this year, I want to share about all of the fun things you can explore on your visit. Here’s my family guide to Knott’s Spooky Farm, which includes all of the things I think you won’t want to miss!
Go Trick-or-Treating in Ghost Town
Children will be able to interact spooky (but very friendly) shopkeepers and ghosts in Ghost Town. Children are welcome to dress up in costumes. Adults are too. (no masks please.)
Visit the Creepy Crawlers of Calico in Livery Stable
Enter the Peanuts Costume Contest 
Catch a Performance of “The Monsters Are Coming, Charlie Brown” Stage Show 
Take “A Trip to Camp Spooky” on The Grand Sierra Railroad in Camp Snoopy
Take a Ride on Halloween Hootenanny
Decorate a Pumpkin in the Pumpkin Patch
Visit the Ghastly Gallery
Knott’s Spooky Farm runs weekends September 30 – October 29 from 9:00am to 4:00pm, Halloween Day from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, and is included with regular park admission. For more information on all the exciting things that are going on at Knott’s Berry Farm, click 
A very special thank you to Knott’s for hosting our family.