a sad day, tears being shed. seriously.

A sad day in the life of Christina....

to read the full post, visit the ladera ranch music makers blog

I wanted to let everyone know that I have had to make a difficult decision this month. I am needing to quit teaching Music Makers :( I can't express how sad this is for me to say, but that time has come.

I will be teaching 2 FINAL CLASSES:

Tomorrow, Monday October 19 & NEXT Monday, October 26

10:30-11:30am

@ the Mormon Church on Antonio & Oso (same place as always)

With this happening, I will no longer have use for ALL the supplies I have!

I will be selling individual sets of "music makers toys" for $10 each. You will get 1 set of rhythm sticks, 1 wrist ribbon, 1 shaker, & 1 bean bag.

No music will be provided (due to copyright laws, etc). Music Makers Toy sets will be available on a first come, first serve, cash only basis. I will have them at the last 2 classes.

I look forward to seeing many of you tomorrow!

-Christina

It's BA-ACK!!!

MUSIC MAKERS

will officially begin in

September!!

for class details...

www.laderaranchmusicmakers.blogspot.com

Fun To Do's...Free Summer Kids Movies!

Who doesn't love a going to the movies??  My kids LOVE trips to the theater...we do it once or twice a year, so it's ALWAYS a treat!  I've posted movie dates/times for theaters near me...click HERE to search for FREE SUMMER MOVIES near you!

REG’s Free Family Film Festival is Now Showing! When school’s out, kids around the country visit selected Regal theatres for the Free Family Film Festival. It’s a fun-filled nine weeks of movies for kids and parents. Since 1991, Regal has provided this service to the community, and best of all it’s FREE!

Selected G & PG movies start at 10AM each Tuesday and Wednesday during the festival. First-come, first-served seating is limited to theatre capacity. The Free Family Film Festival is safe, lots of fun and a great way for kids to spend a weekday morning in the summer.

Tickets for our 2009 Free Family Film Festival are exclusively available at select theatres’ box office on the day of the show.

Aliso Viejo Stadium 20 & IMAX 26701 Aliso Creek Road Aliso Viejo ,CA 92656 949-425-3861
06/16/2009-06/17/2009	Space Chimps (G)
	Igor (PG)
06/23/2009-06/24/2009	The Tale Of Despereaux (G)
	Nim's Island (PG)
06/30/2009-07/01/2009	Horton Hears A Who (G)
	Spiderwick Chronicles (PG)
07/07/2009-07/08/2009	Kit Kittredge: American Girl (G)
	Surf's Up (PG)
07/14/2009-07/15/2009	Charlotte's Web (G)
	Kung Fu Panda (PG)
07/21/2009-07/22/2009	Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: Veggie Tale Movie (G)
	Inkheart (PG)
07/28/2009-07/29/2009	Everyone's Hero (G)
	Madagascar 2: Escape To Africa (PG)
08/04/2009-08/05/2009	Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (G)
	Alvin And The Chipmunks (PG)

Foothill Stadium 22 26602 Towne Center Drive Foothill Ranch ,CA 92610 949-588-9402
06/16/2009-06/17/2009	Charlotte's Web (G)
	Kung Fu Panda (PG)
06/23/2009-06/24/2009	Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: Veggie Tale Movie (G)
	Inkheart (PG)
06/30/2009-07/01/2009	Everyone's Hero (G)
	Madagascar 2: Escape To Africa (PG)
07/07/2009-07/08/2009	Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (G)
	Alvin And The Chipmunks (PG)
07/14/2009-07/15/2009	Doogal (G)
	Surf's Up (PG)
07/21/2009-07/22/2009	Space Chimps (G)
	Igor (PG)
07/28/2009-07/29/2009	The Tale Of Despereaux (G)
	Nim's Island (PG)
08/04/2009-08/05/2009	Horton Hears A Who (G)
	Spiderwick Chronicles (PG)

Irvine Spectrum 21 & IMAX 65 Fortune Drive Irvine ,CA 92618 949-450-4920
06/23/2009-06/24/2009	Kit Kittredge: American Girl (G)
	Meet Dave (PG)
06/30/2009-07/01/2009	Charlotte's Web (G)
	Kung Fu Panda (PG)
07/07/2009-07/08/2009	Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: Veggie Tale Movie (G)
	Inkheart (PG)
07/14/2009-07/15/2009	Everyone's Hero (G)
	Madagascar 2: Escape To Africa (PG)
07/21/2009-07/22/2009	Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (G)
	Alvin And The Chipmunks (PG)
07/28/2009-07/29/2009	Doogal (G)
	Surf's Up (PG)
08/04/2009-08/05/2009	Space Chimps (G)
	Igor (PG)
08/11/2009-08/12/2009	The Tale Of Despereaux (G)
	Nim's Island (PG)

Marketplace 6 2961 El Camino Real Tustin ,CA 92782 714-669-9279
06/16/2009-06/17/2009	Kit Kittredge: American Girl (G)
	Meet Dave (PG)
06/23/2009-06/24/2009	Charlotte's Web (G)
	Kung Fu Panda (PG)
06/30/2009-07/01/2009	Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: Veggie Tale Movie (G)
	Inkheart (PG)
07/07/2009-07/08/2009	Everyone's Hero (G)
	Madagascar 2: Escape To Africa (PG)
07/14/2009-07/15/2009	Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (G)
	Alvin And The Chipmunks (PG)
07/21/2009-07/22/2009	Doogal (G)
	Surf's Up (PG)
07/28/2009-07/29/2009	Space Chimps (G)
	Igor (PG)
08/04/2009-08/05/2009	The Tale Of Despereaux (G)
	Nim's Island (PG)
08/11/2009-08/12/2009	Horton Hears A Who (G)
	Spiderwick Chronicles (PG)

For $1 you can go to The District in Tustin (AMC Theater) to see these movies on Wednesdays at 10:00am.  There are also $3 kid snack packs available (kid size popcorn, drink & snack)...seriously?  why am i leaving CA for 6 weeks this summer?  all the fun stuff is HERE...oh yeah....except grandma & grandpa!

June 17 Space Chimps

June 24 Kung Fu Panda

July 1 Madagascar 2

July 8 Tale of Despereaux

July 15 Horton Hears a Who

July 22 The Spiderwick Chronicles

July 29 Nim's Island

August 5 Star Wars: The Clone Wars

PROJECT!!

I think...Y-U-M-M-Y...

Happy Preschool Graduation Kylee-Bug

more yummy baking tips tricks & ideas, visit this blog

fun to do's...Tanaka Farms in Irvine

If you haven't had your 8-13 servings of fruits and veggies today...head up to Tanaka Farms in Irvine!

We went on a field trip with both C & K's preschool groups...definitely a favorite every year for moms and kids!

They have tours in the mornings (I recommend going early to miss the heat)....you load up in back of the tractor and get taken on a tour of the whole farm, stopping here and there to taste the YUMMY crops this farm produces!  The Strawberry Tour (this particular spring) tastes green onions, lettuce, peas, green beans, carrots, cilantro & celery...and of course, a stop at the Strawberry field where you get to wander around picking your own strawberries to fill your basket and eating as many as you like on the way!  Few things are better than a sweet strawberry right from the vine!

me and my brood filling our baskets...mouths watering!

Coming in June (for the summer) are the Watermelon Tours!  I haven't been on this one yet, but I imagine it's a Tasty treat...filled with picking your own watermelon off the vine, tasting other melons on the way, sweet corn on the cob, tomatoes & other in season tasties!! There is also a Pumpkin Patch in the fall, which we have done...super fun, more tasting and picking your pumpkin...and then a christmas tree tour in the winter.  

Oh---and you can't forget the great little Farmer's Market onsite! My salsa tastes it's BEST when I get my fruits & veggies here!

click HERE for info about Tanaka Farms

is there such thing as too much mc'ds?

my sister-in-law has this awesome pic on her blog and i HAD to have it!  so fitting!  How many of you are there with me?  come one....admit it.

Fun To Do's...La Habra Children's Museum!

SUPER FUN!

If you live in south Orange County, it's a drive (45+minutes) but totally worth it for the kiddos! K's preschool groups went on field trip today and had a blast....we could've easily spent a lot more time there and I will definitely be taking all of my kids back...SOON!

As soon as the kids got out of the car they were off and running....to the fun Dinosaurs in front of the museum (little did we know that we could've let them run around this all morning and not paid admission to go into the actual museum and they would've been perfectly content!)

Inside were 8 rooms-o-fun to play in....a grocery shopping area, a real OCTA Bus (the favorite for most of the kids), an "around the world" room (fun dress-ups & and play things from a handful of different countries), train exhibits, the "room with the gong" (one child in particular spent a majority if his time banging that gong with all his might!), dress-up/stage/acting room, treehouse, puppet show, carousel...such fun things for these kids to play with!  Everything is hands on and VERY kid friendly!

click HERE for more info on the LaHabra Children's Museum

Just a Hint....

I have been collecting ideas for 7 years and rounding up materials for 8 months....I have FINALLY started my first real home facelift!  This is our 5th home, we've been in it almost 3.5 years and I have been dying to really make it "ours"....as much as I can since the Mr & I don't have exactly the same tastes!  For instance....our downstairs bath....inspired by this Pottery Barn Kids Nursery (the Sadie Nursery)....and by inspired, i mean the color scheme only (no animals...and so far no polka dots!)...only imagine the yellow a very bright, wake-you-up-in-the-morning type of color....as in the 4th picture....he tells me he has to close his eyes every time he walks in!  I will have before and after pics SOON....just finishing up the final details of my own bathroom (wall decor, bead board, etc....)  i LOVE how it is turning out...i KNOW my mom will HATE it....but i have never had the courage to just pick something i like and go for it.  I always choose something safe..."Macaw Yellow" is not safe and definitely will not be a selling point for this house....good thing we aren't trying to move anytime soon!

The grayscale pics are ideas for our Master Bedroom.  We are going with total grayscale - Silver, Pewter, Creek Bend, Black & White....I like the stripes behind the pictures & the kitchen picture is for the all color....we have been back and forth about wall color for the main living areas downstairs...because we aren't able to change our flooring we are having to make a MAJOR compromise with wall color!  Mr and I agreed 100% on a cinderblock/urban loft/silvery-gray color....but it TOTALLY clashes with our brown/tan/beige tile floors....oh well...a girl can dream.  We are set on making our house reflect us while being both comfortable to be in and aesthetically pleasing (clearly the Macaw Yellow bathroom is NOT a relaxing place of rest....but sometimes I go in and turn on the light because it makes me smile!!)

The whole bathroom started out dark red, cabinets began brown (stock builder cabinets that are throughout our house....all of which are being redone)....look closely and you'll be able to see the birth of my bright smiling yellow!  A complete before-and-after is SO CLOSE to being posted.... 

BTW---the work is further along than this picture....walls are done, cabinets are done...the red is almost completely covered....

Fun To Do's...CPK

California Pizza Kitchen....been there?

GO!!  Especially if you round up a group of kids (ages 5-8), call ahead of time to schedule an appointment, and get to have a great time FOR FREE touring the restaurant, kitchen, preparing your own personal pizza & then tasting the Y-U-M-M-Y goodness you created!

We took K's preschool for a field trip last week and had a tasty time!  The best part (that us moms couldn't believe) was that it was 100% FREE.  zip, zilch, nada...the kids walked in, sat down to color their kids menus, went on the official tour with Chef Anothony (Gen Mgr), took a looksee into each part of the kitchen (where we were all amazed....the pantries only hold 1.5 days worth of food!  you can't imagine how many bottle of hershey's syrup this place goes through in a day!)  At one point we were in the refrigerator....a so-called sound-proof room....Chef Anothony really asked for it when he told the kids to 1-2-3 SCREEAAM at the top of your lungs...."sound-proof"?  not exactly when you're talkin' about 12 4 & 5 yr old kids!

After the tour it was off to the tables to prepare our pizzas (this is a watching field trip for parents...free pizzas only go to the kids....though he did bring out drinks for all the moms...he must have seen that "we need caffeine" look we were giving....at least from me...everyone else wanted lemonade!)  The kids each got their own drinks, colored while waiting for the pizza to cook and then it was tasting time!  K thoroughly enjoyed her pizza & earned her CPK Certificate (also good for another free kids meal when we bring the family back....here's the part that isn't so free!)

If you live around me....stay tuned for a summer outing....HOPEFULLY....wouldn't it be fun to get a group to go again?

click HERE for more CPK info

By The Way....

If you really want a great blog with awesome finds, deals, places to go, & freebies...click HERE!

A friend of mine, Coleen, started Just Spotted with her friend Kelly...My blogs on places to go and things to do around here is SOOOOO WEAK compared to theirs....but mine has the occasional family pic....

In case you are visiting or really are interested in finding somewhere to go EVERYDAY...check out THIS BLOG....seriously.  Scan down far enough and you'll find a listing for happenings every day during April...WHY DIDN'T I CHECK THIS SOONER?!  I was itching for fun easter things to do and Earth Day celebrations (read on and you'll see I ended up at PB Kids at the mall...I now realize I could have done WAY better!)

the reason

How boring is a blog that has no people in the pictures (or at least people you KNOW)??  SUPER BORING.  And how fun is it to receive 10+ emails at a time full of explanation and pictures either too large or too small to really see that slow down your computer for long periods of time while they are trying to load?  NOT FUN....this is my current "blogging practice" for grandparents & relatives...oh well...respecting my husbands wishes to not post family stuff...I really do try to be a good wife.  

Staying true to my word I finally got around to the beginning postings of fun things to do in Orange County (and other various places we visit).... and sorry babe, but Yes...I am sneaking in a few pictures! Please forgive me.

The hope is that I can add something new here every week...I go so many places and do tons with preschool and my kids that filling the posts shouldn't be too difficult!

Fun To Do's...OCFA

OCFA

(orange county fire association)

Every year in October...and it's 100% FREE

The biggest fire-to-do ever!  From watching a fire being put out in 4 story building, lights & sirens blazing, fire trucks galore to climb on and explore, equipment & gear to play with & try on, firemen for as far as you can see to meet & talk to, AWESOME car fires & jaws of life demonstrations, a job fair (if you're the market for new employment or you just want fun freebies from each of the tables), a stage show with a firedog clown, free hot dog lunch, bounce houses, fire truck rides, helicopter fly-bys, a chance to shoot the fire hose....this is the place to be every October.  We have gone for the past 3 years and LOVE it!  If you live in Orange County, most all the local fire stations put on an open house on the same day, but activities are fewer locally....Headquarters is the place to be for TONS of fun (top of Jamboree bordering Tustin in Irvine)!  My fam rocks our local station Tees (Ladera Ranch, Station 58!) which I bought from our station ahead of time so we could show support!

(I thought I could sneak in this family pic....it's from an open house a LONG time ago....that's okay right...just so long as it isn't a "current" picture?)

click HERE for more OCFA info

**current Open House 2009 info may not be available until august or september**

You hear "dispatch" call that a fire has started and then you plug your ears

....3 fire trucks come BLAZING around the corner and get fully set-up...

ladders, hoses, full gear...it's Awesome!

The car starts out in one piece...by the end all windows have been shattered, doors pulled off & the jaws of life pulled this car COMPLETELY apart!

What do Policemen & Firemen have in common??

They ALL want to be Firemen!

Fun To Do's...The Santa Ana Zoo

The Santa Ana Zoo...

I can't say it is my MOST favorite Zoo to visit, but it CAN be a LOT of fun if you make it that way!  I have it on the list of field trips every year for my preschool groups.  There is a small bird sanctuary, monkeys and a few other random animals, including the 4-legged farm-types (which are usually the high-light).  There is a Petting Zoo, an insect house (totally disgusting to me, but the kids LOVE it), big animal statues throughout for kids to play on, a train ride around the perimeter of the zoo (complete with a tunnel), a Merry-Go-Round, snack bar (though I would suggest packing your own snacks/lunches....costs aren't super high, but not worth what you get), a semi-tree-shaded play ground & various activities put on through the year like Sheep Shearing & Breakfast with the Animals. Entrance fees are fairly inexpensive (under $10).

click HERE for more info.

My 2nd daughter, K, and her preschool friends!