The Juice On Walking With Dinosaurs

Last week, my 3 year old son and I had a heart-to-heart…it went something like this.

Me: Do you remember when we went to the museum in New York City and saw the dinosaurs?

Toddler: Yeah…

Me:  Were you scared of the dinosaurs?

Toddler: Um…yeah…

I then proceed to show him this clip.

Toddler:  I’m not gonna be scared of the dinosaurs.

The Dinosaurs are coming…to Southern California! The original company of Walking With Dinosaurs – The Arena Spectacular will end it’s 3 year tour at the Honda Center in Anaheim (September 1-5) and the Staples Center (September 9-12).  The show is based on the award-winning BBC Television Series and has played for over 4.1 million people in the US, Canada, and Mexico.

Walking With Dinosaurs features ten species from the entire 200 million year reign of the dinosaurs and includes the Tyrannosaurus Rex, the Plateosaurus and Liliensternus from the Triassic period, the Stegosaurus and Allosaurus from the Jurassic period and Torosaurus and Utahraptor from the Cretaceous.  The largest of the dinosaurs, the Brachiosaurus, is 36 feet tall, and 56 feet from nose to tail (wow!).

The live show combines science, technology, scenery, puppetry and acting…How could it not be amazing?

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased via Ticketmaster.  You can also find a limited number of discounted tickets on Goldstar.

No compensation was received for this post.

KidTrip: American Museum of Natural History

We’ve been back nearly a week and I have so much to write about our trip to New York.  I am such a city girl and coming home was bittersweet.  I absolutely loved being able to walk to Times Square from the apartment we rented.  But lugging the double stroller up and down the stairs to the Subway…not so much.

One of our “must see” activities was visiting the American Museum of Natural History.  Admittedly, both the hubby and I were intrigued by Ben Stiller’s adventures in Night at the Museum. The museum is “one of the world’s preeminent scientific and cultural institutions and renowned for its exhibitions and scientific collections.”

Because the museum is HUGE (as in 500,000 square feet, 45 permanent exhibition halls in 25 buildings) and we only had one day there (you need at least a week…and I’m only half-joking), we decided to spend half the day exploring the museum on our own, and half the day on their special exhibitions.  If you have an iPhone or iPod touch, you might find their new mobile application, American Museum of Natural History Explorer, useful.  The app functions as an indoor GPS to help newbies like myself make the most of a day at the museum.  The app pinpoints your location and offers turn-by-turn directions to halls and visitor facilities, information about exhibits, customizable tours, and a fossil treasure hunt.  If you don’t have an iPhone or iPod touch, you can borrow one at the museum (something I wish I had known at the time).

The very first exhibit we ventured to was Lizards & Snakes:  Alive which features over 60 live lizards and snakes in re-created habitats. A majority of the exhibits in the museum are not alive, so it was quite fascinating to see Madagascan Geckos and Red Spitting Cobras.  If you can believe it, these scaled beings are as old as dinosaurs and live in diverse climates.

Lizards & Snakes:  Alive is on display until September 6th.

A visit to the museum is incomplete without an IMAX film. Now through January 10th, you can see Hubble, an “awe-inspiring” film narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio which features the Atlantis STS-125 crew.  I have yet to see images of space so striking including, of course, the infamous Hubble Space Telescope.

Home to one of the most impressive planetariums in the world, the museum features it’s latest space show entitled Journey to the Stars.  The film is narrated by Whoopi Goldberg and features impressive images from telescopes on the ground and in space and takes us through a journey into space to follow stars through their life cycle.  Journey to the Stars was created by the Museum’s astrophysicists, scientific visualization, and media production experts with the cooperation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and more than 40 leading scientists from the United States and abroad.

In November, the museum will house a new exhibit called Brain: The Inside Story.  Visitors will explore how the brain produces thoughts, senses, and feelings.

For exhibit information and ticket pricing, just visit their site.

We spent the last half of the day navigating the remaining halls.  Most of our time was spent in the mammal and fossil halls.  It was striking how true-to-life the animals appear.  The halls dedicated to mammals allow visitors the opportunity to travel across continents and through time to see North American, African, and Asian Mammals.

Unlike most 3 year old boys, my son is fascinated with dinosaurs.  The AMNH houses the world’s largest collection of vertebrate fossils (nearly one million specimens).  I have to admit that sometimes, I have a difficult time believing that such striking creatures once existed.  After vising the museum (and a chastise from my husband), I’m a believer.  Check out some of our photos:

If you’re visiting the museum with small children, I highly recommend checking out the museum’s website specifically targeted towards kids and families.

The museum is open daily from 10 am to 5:45 pm.  Ticket prices are as follows:

Adults: $16

Children (2-12): $9

Seniors/Students: $12

Photo Credit: {Rockin’ Mama – All Rights Reserved}

No compensation was received for this post.  VIP tickets to the museum were provided which helped to facilitate this review.

Who’s Your Nanny? *Giveaway*

This giveaway is now closed. Thanks for stopping by.  The winner is Sabrina. Congratulations!

Over the past two weeks, my husband and I have witnessed some pretty impressive 3 year old tantrums.  And without preschool as a buffer, my husband and I were wracking our brains in search of creative discipline.  We finally resorted to bribery with organic lollipops and all-natural Popsicles (I’m only half-joking).  It’s in moments like these where I wish I had a Nanny McPhee of my own to transform my children into little angels.

On August 20th, the family comedy Nanny McPhee Returns opens in theaters nationwide. I didn’t see the first one, but here is a brief synopsis from the site:

Oscar—winning actress and screenwriter Emma Thompson returns to the role of the magical nanny who appears when she’s needed the most and wanted the least in the next chapter of the hilarious and heartwarming fable that has enchanted children around the world. In the latest installment, Nanny McPhee appears at the door of a harried young mother, Mrs. Isabel Green (Maggie Gyllenhaal), who is trying to run the family farm while her husband is away at war. But once she’s arrived, Nanny McPhee discovers that Mrs. Green’s children are fighting a war of their own against two spoiled city cousins who have just moved in and refuse to leave. Relying on everything from a flying motorcycle and a statue that comes to life to a tree—climbing piglet and a baby elephant who turns up in the oddest places, Nanny McPhee uses her magic to teach her mischievous charges five new lessons.

Win It! I have four family four-packs to give away along with some other movie-themed items (shirts, notebooks, etc.).  If you’d like your chance at attending a special pre-release screening this Thursday in Irvine, just leave a comment below before Wednesday, August 18th at 11:59 PM PST.  Tickets will be available for pick-up from me at the venue. Here is the screening info:

Screening starts at 7pm

1. No Purchase Necessary

2. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis

Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.

Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about the contest.

Subscribe to my feed via email or reader.

Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments!

No compensation was received for this post.  Screening passes and giveaway items were supplied by the company.

A Week In New York City

I’m back!  I’ve just spent the most memorable 10 days in the city that never sleeps.  Last year, around this time, BlogHer announced that they would hold it’s annual conference in New York City.  I couldn’t purchase my ticket fast enough.  And because we live all the way on the other side of the country, our vacation was decided in that moment.  For a year, my husband and I dreamed and planned our trip. Where would we stay?  How long should we plan to be there?  What would we do?

Two weeks seemed too long with two children under 3, and one week wouldn’t give us enough time to recover from jet lag and late night BlogHer events.  We decided on ten days…in an apartment…with the babysitter my parents.  I wanted to see a Broadway show and visit American Girl Place.  My husband wanted to tour the High Line and eat at Morimoto.  My son wanted to ride in a taxi…and take the subway.    We did most of that and so much more.

Every day this week, I’ll highlight the city, although I’m in no way an expert.  In fact, I highly encourage you to visit Carol or Nicole…local New Yorkers who are experts on navigating the city with kids.

If you had one week in the Big Apple….what would you see and do?

{Photos: All rights reserved}

Wordless Wednesday: Rockin’ New York City

American Museum of Natural History

Frozen Hot Chocolate at Serendipity 3

Times Square

Images obtained via Nikon D90.  All rights reserved.

Modern Baby Product Guide: Coverplay

In less than a week, we’ll be on a plane to New York City!  With family in tow, we’ll ascend the Empire State Building and hit Broadway (amongst many other things).  As I write this post, I am thinking about all of the things we need to pack for two little ones.  Fortunately, a portable crib is not one of them.  Since my daughter co-sleeps and my son is long out of a crib, we have one less thing to keep up with.

For  many parents, the thought of lugging one more piece of baby equipment seems unmanageable.  Hotels offer the convenience of stocking portable cribs, ready to deliver at the touch of a button.  Unfortunately, play yards are difficult, if not impossible to clean because they are primarily comprised of fabric.  That is until Coverplay. These stylish play yard slipcovers are brilliant for shielding kids from germs that may be lingering on play yards.  Parents concerned about safety can rest assured that Coverplay is the only bedding recommended by pediatricians for portable play yards.  Coverplay easily slips over play yards and includes the same amount of mesh that you find on a play yard for adequate ventilation.  Coverplay slipcovers come in 10 different patterns and are conveniently machine washable.

Coverplay recently announced that it now supplies hotel chains like the Hilton, Hyatt, Club Med, Embassy Suites, and Doubletree with freshly laundered slipcovers as part of their Tots Travel Too program.  For more information about program offerings, visit the website of the hotel you’re staying at.

No compensation was received for this post.

Modern Baby Product Guide: Kidgets *Giveaway*

This giveaway is now closed. Thanks for stopping by.  The winner is Shirley. Congrats!

It’s funny how much I’ve learned this time around as a mother to two.  Before my son was born, I bought way too many toys, books, clothes, and shoes.  There was so much that he didn’t use or wear.  Fortunately, our family, friends, neighbors, and local charities have benefited from my shopping addiction overspending.

When it comes to shoes and clothing, my son never conformed to standards.  He always wore a size bigger than his age and outgrew everything too quickly.  I gave away outfits that had either been worn once or never been worn, some even with tags still attached.  With my daughter, it’s been the opposite.  I bought at least half of what I did with my son, and she’s still in 6 month clothing at 7 months old.

All that to say, while I would love to buy both of my children entire wardrobes of designer children’s clothing, it’s not practical or affordable.  I was recently introduced to a stylish and affordable line of children’s clothing called Kidgets. The line, which offers clothing and accessories for newborns through toddlers at prices under $10, is sold exclusively at discount retail chain Family Dollar.

We received two adorable outfits (one of which is too big for my daughter right now).  Can you believe that the outfit below retails for $6?

Now with the clothes so affordable, my first question was whether or not they would be made well.  So my daughter wore them…and played in them…and I washed them.  The fabrics didn’t fray or shrink and the colors didn’t fade.  I actually find the clothing to be quite soft, which is important for babies and tots.

The unfortunate part is that there isn’t a Family Dollar store within 120 miles of where we live.  I hope that perhaps they have plans for online shopping because their clothes are adorably affordable.

For a complete look at the Kidgets line, visit your local Family Dollar store.

Win It! One of you will win a $50 gift card to Family Dollar to check out the Kidgets line.  Simply leave me a comment with something you liked or learned from the site.  Comments will close on August 13th, 2010 at 11:59 PM PST.  Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn. Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.

Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about the contest.

Subscribe to my feed via email or reader.

Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments!

No compensation was received for this post. Products for review and giveaway were supplied by the company.

Summer of Toys: Sid the Science Kid Gotta Know Microphone

One of the few TV shows that I’m ok with my son watching is Sid the Science Kid.  The animated  PBS kid’s series was created for children ages 3-6 and stars Sid, an inquisitive preschooler who “wants to know why things happen and how.”  The show was developed to inspire curiosity and a love for learning and encourage children to figure things out.  If your child watches the show, then he/she is all too familiar with Sid’s trusty microphone.  Now your child can have one too!

Kids can ask “big” questions, tell jokes, and sing songs just like Sid with the Gotta Know Microphone.  The microphone includes 4 different buttons that when pushed, play music, clapping, laughter, silly sounds, and the theme song from the show.  Children can also push the “echo” button to hear their own voice, just like a real microphone. I think that the song or sounds should play once the button is pushed, rather than requiring that a child hold the button down the entire time and I would love to see a record option so children can play back what they’ve said or sung.  My son adores pretend play and has had a lot of fun pretending to be Sid.  Here is a short video showing him dancing away:

The microphone retails for $14.99 and is available at retailers nationwide.

No compensation was received for this post.  A product sample was provided to facilitate this review.

Summer of Toys: Pop On Pals

My 3 year old son spends most of his playtime talking to his toys.  Pretend play is how my son builds his social, emotional, thinking and language skills. It’s also how he expresses and uses his imagination.  I’m a big proponent of open-ended educational toys that encourage imaginative play. Pop On Pals is  a “new world of ‘Popabilities’ from Spin Master,” who’s products I reviewed awhile back. What’s neat about the characters is that they can be mixed and matched.  For example, a fireman can become a musician…a princess can become a baker.  Designed for children ages 2-4, Pop On Pals encourages discovery and fosters the development of fine motor skills. We received the Amusement Park Play Set which my son just had to open as soon as it arrived.  He knows all about roller coasters, since we’ve recently been to several amusement parks and the county fair. The set comes with one pal (I think it should at least be two) which can be placed on different points for action/reaction play (lights and sounds are activated by placing the pal on different points).  My son’s favorite thing to do is push the pal down the roller coaster.

Here is a little video showing how much fun he has playing with Pop On Pals.

Pop On Pals offers several sets and packs which can be found at Toys R Us, Target, and Sears.

No compensation was received for this post.  A product sample was provided by the company via Team Mom.

Summer of Toys: Chalkboard Floor Puzzles by Crayola

When I was a child, my dad and I put together a lot of puzzles.  We even glued some of the best ones together and framed them.  I like age-appropriate puzzles because they stretch children and encourage them to think abstractly.  They require that children look beyond the individual pieces to the “bigger picture.”

Crayola’s new Chalkboard Floor Puzzles “inspire creative play and learning.”  Each 48 piece puzzle includes a one Crayola Sidewalk Chalk Stick and features big pieces with shapes which make it easier for children to put the puzzle together.  Once the puzzle is put together, children can draw on it with the chalk (which then erases like a chalkboard).

We received the USA Map puzzle which is actually quite perfect for us.  We love to travel, and my son and I had fun identifying where all of our friends and family live across the country.  There are three Crayola Chalkboard Floor Puzzles available including Playground Fun and SpaceZone.  Each puzzle retails for $12.99 and are available for purchase at Toys R Us.

No compensation was received for this post.  A product sample was provided to facilitate this review.

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