Wordless Wednesday - #10

Summertime Sweet Treats at Powell's Sweet Shoppe in Willow Glen!

Click HERE for my past Wordless Wednesday blog posts.

Enjoy!
Gail
the MicroBlogginMom

Summer Fun!

As a mom of a 6 year old daughter & 3 year old son, I know how tough it can be sometimes to keep the kids entertained, while still maintaining my sanity. Especially during what "seems like" a super long summer break.

So below is a list of things I've researched, found, heard of, etc. that we plan on exploring during the next couple of months, until school starts.

Enjoy!
Gail
the MicroBlogginMom



Local Happenings:

• Music in the Park at Downtown San Jose - Thursday Nights
  
• Music in the Plaza at Evergreen Village Square - Friday Nights
  
• Farmer's Market at Evergreen Village Square - Wednesdays & Sundays 9am-1pm
  
• Movies Under the Stars at Evergreen Village Square - June 25, July 23, & August 20
  
• San Jose Japantown Obon Festival - July 10, Noon-10pm & July 11 Noon-8pm

Local Parks & Places:

• Happy Hollow Park & Zoo
  
• San Jose City Swim Centers
  
• San Jose Public Library - Evergreen Branch
  
• Fowler Creek Park - at Altia & Cortona
  
• Evergreen Park - at Yerba Buena Road & San Felipe Road
  
• Lincoln Glen Park - at Radio Ave & Curtner Ave
  
• Aborn Park - at Renfield Way & Pentland Way (New opening this summer)
• San Jose City Dog Parks
  

Staycations:

• Del Valle Campground
  
• Santa Cruz Beach & Boardwalk
  
• Raging Waters
• Gilroy Gardens
  

Cheerleading:

• Cambrian Valley Longhorns Youth Football & Cheer
  
• Peninsula Pop Warner Youth Football & Cheerleading League
  
• Pop Warner Little Scholars
  
• JAMZ Cheer Camp
  

Rest & Relaxation:

• BluCocoon Medspa
  
• Bikram Yoga at Balance Yoga Center
  
• Burke Williams Day Spa - at Santana Row
• Lavande Nail Spa - Santana Row
  

My Daughter... the Young Author!

This year, My 6 year old kindergartner was given the opportunity to write (and draw) her very own creative story for the school's Young Author Book Fair.

We took a picture of each page of her book & created this SmileBox slideshow of her story.

Enjoy!
Gail
the MicroBlogginMom

I love Stuck on You!

If you know me, I am notorious for labeling our belongings, especially the kids stuff. So a couple of years back I was in search of durable labels. And I mean DURABLE iron-on clothing labels that withstand wash after wash and stick-on vinyl labels that are dishwasher & microwave safe. With a quick google search, I found several options, which I blogged about HERE. I purchased a couple of different kinds from different companies and appropriately named, Stuck on You are the labels I love the most!

Recently, I entered a contest to share my story...

I Was Lost & Now I'm Found!
This year my daughter started kindergarten at a private school, where they wear uniforms, including a very nice cardigan sweater. My daughter is usually very good about keeping tabs on her stuff, but one day she was really hot while outside on the playground and removed her cardigan and forgot to grab it on her way back to class. When I picked her up from school, she told me she left it on the playground, so off we went to check the playground, then the lost and found area. Sadly, nothing. Read More...

I was thrilled to be informed of winning the contest in this category and I am even more thrilled to share the news of Stuck On You continuing their 10-year Birthday Celebration where you [the readers, fans, etc.] GET the GIFTS! So I highly encourage you to check out the amazing products that Stuck on You USA has to offer, enter their contest, follow @stuckonyouusa on twitter, be a Facebook Fan, etc.

Enjoy!
Gail
the MicroBlogginMom

2010 is the year for bikes!

This year my family decided that for each of our birthdays we would get a bicycle.

For me it's all about the comfort & a smooth leisure ride. So, I chose the comfy Trek Calyspo cruiser bike 2010, in pearl/pink/brown. The bike is decked out with 7 speeds, hand breaks, chainguard, fenders, a bike basket, a bell, & more. Besides enjoying my new bike, I'm having fun accessorizing! Hubby is getting me the very fashionable Yakkay bike helmet during his next business trip. I am consulting with Tara at Betty Basket Liners to purchase a very chic custom hand made bike basket liner that converts to a handbag - it's a substantial bike basket liner and designer purse in one!

My 5 year old daughter just learned how to ride a bike without training wheels. So, she chose the Trek Mystic 20 bike 2010, in hot pink. The bike is decked out with coaster & hand breaks, streamers, a bike basket, a bell, & more.

My 3 year old son who's been riding a tricycle just learned how to pedal a bike with training wheels. So he has inherited a friend's Specialized Hotrock 16 boys bike, in blue. His birthday is not until the very end of the year, so his motivation to "pick out" his own brand new bike will be to learn how to ride without training wheels.

My husband hasn't had his own bike since he was a child, so he was super excited to research & pick out his brand new bike. He wanted a bike he could enjoy while riding with our young kids but also enjoy while riding with his friends, some who are avid mountain bikers. So, he chose the Diamondback Response Sport mountain bike 2009, in blue. The bike is decked out with a sturdy but light aluminum frame, SRAM x-4 8 speed trigger shifters, disc brakes, & more.

We are all super excited that spring is finally here. Check out the slideshow below of all the fun we are already starting to have.

Enjoy!
Gail
the MicroBlogginMom

Sisterhood

One of my most memorable college moments was being part of a sorority. And over 10 years later it's so nice to know that these wonderful women are still a huge part of my life.

I had a whrrl of a time at this year's SAPhi SJSU Chapter, Sisterhood Holiday Luncheon. Check out all the fun we had.

Enjoy!



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Disneyland Resort: Holiday Parent Blogger Event

Ahhh... the magic of Disney!

About 2 weeks ago, I received an email invitation from Disneyland Resort Public Relations detailing the Disney Holiday trip I won from Xiaolin Mama, which included:

• Roundtrip flights between SJC & LAX for me & my family, provided via United Airlines
• Shuttle Transportation between the Disneyland Resort and LAX Airport, provided via the Disneyland Resort Express operated by Gray Line
  
• 2 nights accommodations at the Disney Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
• 3-day park hopper tickets for me & my family

Exclusively for the Holiday Parent Blogger Event:

• Special reserved viewing of the new show, “Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee”
• Priority boarding for “It’s a Small World” holiday
• Private Holiday VIP Reception on Saturday, November 21. Which includes buffet dinner, Disney characters, tons of activities, etc.
• Special reserved viewing of the Disneyland Resort “Believe in Holiday Magic” fireworks show.
  

It’s no secret that I absolutely LOVE Disneyland. And I love it even more when my family & I get the VIP treatment to experience the Disney magic in style! Our experience last week was absolutely magical. The Disneyland resort, including Disneyland, California Adventure, Downtown Disney District, & the Disney hotels, were all decked out for the Holidays!

So much to say & even more to see during our jam-packed 3-day holiday at the Disneyland Resort for the Holiday Parent Blogger Event sponsored by Disneyland Resort Public Relations.

See our magical story on whrrl.

More stories at Disneyland & California Adventure

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My husband & I are still in awe and can’t stop talking about the magical time our family had at Disneyland as well as the very swanky Private Holiday VIP Reception. That evening Parent Bloggers (like Xiaolin Mama) & their guests (like me) got to hang out with Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Princess Tiana, & Mrs. Clause while being treated to a delicious buffet dinner, & activities like cookie decorating, face painting, Studio Disney 365 makeovers, and more.

To cap off the evening, we enjoyed reserved viewing of the Disneyland Resort “Believe in Holiday Magic” fireworks show. This is a “must see” magical experience & Disney does not disappoint with this fireworks spectacular above Sleeping Beauty’s Castle & surprising the crowd with a spray of “snow” that covered Main Street as the fireworks show ended.

Simply put, we had a magical time!

Happy Holidays from my family to yours!



FULL DISCLOSURE: I won this trip from a contest hosted by Xiaolin Mama & sponsored by Disneyland Resort Public Relations. I was not paid to do this review… I just absolutely LOVE Disneyland! Thank you Disneyland Resort cast & crew for hosting this VIP Parent Blogger event that made our Disney Holiday trip possible.

Christmas wishes really do come true

This past summer we vacationed in Southern California and of course, the trip would not have been complete without a visit to the Disneyland Resort. Being that my kids are little and we are a family of Disney fanatics, I definitely hope to see many more visits to Disneyland in our future. However, one thing I kept thinking about after this last summer trip was how cool it would be to visit Disneyland during a different part of the year, besides summer. So I was thinking, with a little saving of $$$, maybe next year instead of a summer trip we could visit Mickey during the Halloween or Holiday season since that’s a Disney experience we have yet to encounter. And honestly with the kids only getting older, vacations during the school season will only get trickier.

So in October, while I was checking out Twitter & Facebook updates, I stumbled upon and entered a contest from Northern California Bay Area local blogger Xiaolin Mama. On her review blog Xiaolin Mama Reviews she blogged about her Disney Halloween Experience & hosted a Disneyland Trip Giveaway. Was I surprised when I received an email from fellow blogger & twitter friend @xiaolinmama herself just days before Halloween, informing me that I won “the trip to DISNEYLAND!” I guess you could say that, Christmas wishes really do come true, since this year my family is getting the best gift ever… A Disneyland Holiday Celebration!

Kids just found out that Mommy won a trip to Disneyland!

Stay tuned, as I will most definitely be blogging about our magical Disneyland Holiday!

*** UPDATED: Here's a direct link to our magical Disneyland Holiday!

SF 49ers Jr. Gold Rush cheerleading fun!

We had a whrrl of a time this weekend as my daughter participated in the 2009 San Francisco 49er Junior Gold Rush Program.

Enjoy



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See the morning rehearsal on YouTube.

Twilight November!

It's a "Twilight" kind of November and the final countdown to the movie New Moon, the 2nd installment in Stephanie Meyer's The Twilight Saga is in full swing with movie release parties, advance ticket sales, giveaways, cast tours/interviews, and so much more... all over the blogsphere, facebook, myspace, & twitteruniverse. So as a fellow twilight mom myself, this MicroBlogginMom just had to post my newest find.. the Twilight MicroWidget filled with videos, photos, & of course a countdown. Can't wait to sport my new twilight mom sparkly tee during our girls movie night out!

Enjoy!

Makes me smile!

My kids love to sing & dance! And I have to admit, after a long day at work, they are quite entertaining & definitely know how to put a smile on my face. =)

Just the other day my 2 year old son was bopping his head while saying "gotta get get" and "boom boom" and... "Let the beat rock!" which he heard while watching the music video for Boom Boom Pow by the Black Eyed Peas. He's way too quick for me & is currently a little camera shy... but one of these days I'll capture him on video. =)

Now my 5 year old daughter on the other hand currently loves singing along with Taylor Swift. Her favorite right now is "You Belong With Me" so even though she'll probably hate me when she's a teenager, I just had to share this YouTube video because I think it's just way too cute.

Enjoy!

My little princess started Kindergarten today!

Proud Mamma w/ my princess

Kindergarten... here I come!

Enjoy!

Worldless Wednesday - #9

2008 Princess Ballerina | 2009 Tap Diva

Dance Recital mode in full force!

Click HERE for my past Wordless Wednesday blog posts.

To view more Wordless Wednesday participant posts click HERE & HERE.

Enjoy!

To Blog... To Twitter... To Whrrl!

Lately I have been having lots of fun using a new application called whrrl.

You see, I like to blog, but as a busy working mom I often don't have the time. I also really love to twitter, but sometimes I have way more to say (and show through pictures) than the 140 characters allow. So when I found whrrl, I instantly became hooked. I think it is a great "in-between" for a microblogginmom like me. =)

I'm still playing around with whrrl and learning to use it's many cool features, such as embedding whrrl stories into my blog. Check it out... We celebrated my nephew(and godson) Niko's 1st Birthday at Lake Cunningham Park in San Jose, California last month. You can see the story on whrrl by clicking on the image below. I love how I can also share any of my stories with friends on facebook & twitter.

With school out, hubby's sabbatical in sight, & vacations planned... this MicroBlogginMom is going to whrrl her way through the summer, capturing our family vacation moments. Thanks to the whrrl blog widget, the top section of my blog will showcase the most recent whrrl stories for your viewing pleasure. So, if you don't want to miss the sights we are going to see & reviews I'm going to share, be sure you subscribe to my blog in your favorite reader or via email (see top right corner) and follow me on twitter @MicroBlogginMom. We're in for a fun & exciting time!

Do you whrrl? Leave a comment, I would love to know what you think of whrrl & would love to view some of your whrrl stories too!

I'm a Purex Insider!

A few weeks ago a mystery package came in the mail and I found out I was accepted to be one of 200 Purex Insiders.

When I originally signed up, I wasn't even really sure what a Purex Insider meant. Well I soon learned that as a Purex Insider I am one of the first consumers to try their new Purex® Complete 3-in-1™ Laundry Sheets and have been asked to tell them what I think about it. I'll also have a chance to share money saving coupons with friends.

The mystery package came with a sample of their new revolutionary product. At first glance, I was quite impressed with their concept of “3 laundry products in 1.” Heck, no more heavy bottles of laundry supplies. No more measuring. No more forgetting to put the fabric softener in during the rinse cycle. No more forgetting to put in the dryer sheet.

Taken from a press release, PUREX® BRAND REVOLUTIONIZES THE LAUNDRY CATEGORY!, Purex describes their new product as follows:

Purex® Complete 3-in-1™ laundry sheets are thin, lightweight and sturdy, and formulated with the perfect amount of detergent, softening and anti-static ingredients for a single load of wash. Simply toss a laundry sheet into your washing machine along with each load, and the blue detergent portion releases during the wash cycle. When the wash cycle is complete, simply transfer the laundry sheet to the dryer along with the wash load. The heat of the dryer activates the softening and anti-static ingredients, leaving laundry clean, soft and freshly scented. It’s that simple. The days of waiting for the rinse cycle are now over.

For me, laundry is not so fun. For my daughter, anything she can do to help… is fun. And surprise, surprise, she loves to help me with laundry. And now with Purex® Complete 3-in-1™ laundry sheets being so simple & easy to use, even a little 5 year old can have some fun while helping out with doing laundry! =)

Overall, I'm quite impressed with this new product. I would definitely recommend giving it a try.

Now if only my laundry could magically transport itself from the washer to the dryer!

Worldless Wednesday - #8

Reminiscing how DD became a Big Sister 2.5 years ago.
These are the moments that make me LOVE being a mom.

Click HERE for my past Wordless Wednesday blog posts.

To view more Wordless Wednesday participant posts click HERE & HERE.

Enjoy!

Another Twilight Tuesday... treat!

Summit Entertainment has given the official Twilight Movie website a new look. Check out The Twilight Saga: New Moon official movie website. With wallpaper downloads, widgets, updates, & more.



Enjoy!