Cars 2 Gift Pack Giveaway!

We have eagerly been awaiting the arrival of Cars 2 in theaters.  The first Cars movie is one that has been watched many many times in our house.

I've got a really cool prize pack of Cars 2 items to giveaway to one lucky reader. It includes a Cars 2 t-shirt in youth sizes (pick S, M, L or XL), a set of 3 Cars 2 bumper stickers, Cars 2 temporary tattoo sheets (2) and a Cars 2 puzzle.


Giveaway will end Sunday July 3rd, 2011 at 12 midnight pacific time.  A winner will be drawn using random.org and I reserve the right to draw another winner if I am not able to get mailing address information in a timely manner.  Giveaway is only open to residents of the contiguous US.

Required first entry is a comment saying who your favorite character was from the Cars movies.  Additional entries will be accepted for becoming a Facebook fan of OCMomActivities, following on Twitter, posting about this giveaway on your Facebook page.  Please be sure you leave me a way to reach you!

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Discount Coupon for Kids Haircuts

Kids haircuts can a fantastic experience or a nightmare.  I'll never forget my oldest son's first haircut...  I'm so thankful I had a fantastic stylist cutting his hair because he literally had to chase my son around the salon taking the snips from his hair whenever possible.  At one point he was underneath the sinks - which proved to be the easiest place to finish the haircut apparently.  Everyone was laughing hysterically (including the stylist who is a father of 4 kids!).  

My youngest has never been a fan of haircuts and to this day (at age 7) he still sits there with the look on his face of... "I can do this.  Only a little bit more.  I will survive.  Only a couple more minutes until I get my lollipop..."  It wasn't until we found Cool Cuts when my boys started to warm up to getting haircuts.  I'm not sure if it was the distraction of being able to watch some of their favorite movies of their choice or the option of playing video games, or being able to sit in the themed seats.  

We've gotten many, many haircuts for the boys at Cool Cuts and each time I knew it wouldn't be a struggle to get their hair done!

Just in time to kick off the summer, here is a fantastic $5 off coupon for new customers at Cool Cuts.  Note it expires 7/31/11.  You can also go here to download another image and search out locations for your closest Cool Cuts.

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We have a winner for the Wendy's card!

We have a winner for the Wendy's gift card!
 

Mami2jcn said...

We plan to go out to lunch on Father's Day.

mami2jcn at gmail dot com

 (I'm emailing you right now!) 

Don't forget to stop in to any Wendy's this weekend and buy a Frosty - for a great cause!

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Wendy's #TreatItFwd and Rapid Giveaway! Hurry!

This Sunday is Father's Day and Wendy's is working to #TreatItFwd by making lots and lots of donations to the Dave Thomas Foundation the weekend of June 18th and 19th.  50 cents from each Frosty purchase will be donated to the Dave Thomas Foundation to benefit Wendy's Wonderful Kids (a program that helps foster children find great homes).

More ways to easily donate are:

• Tweet about it using the hashtag of #TreatItFwd
• Send a "virtual" Frosty on Facebook (note: you can use the application here to do that easily, look for the Treat It Fwd tab). You can also post a picture of you with your dad and post it on the Facebook Fan page here (tag it with the words "Wendy's Father's Day Frosty Weekend".  You can also tweet it!
• Check in to any Wendy's using Foursquare on June 18th & 19th.

As you can see there are LOTS and LOTS of ways to participate and #TreatItFwd this Father's Day weekend.  But, here's the best part... I've got a $10 Wendy's Gift Card to giveaway to one lucky reader!  Comment here on this post or on the Facebook fan page, I'll accept all entries.  It will close at 9pm pacific time on JUNE 16th, 2011!  Hurry and post a comment saying what your plans are for Father's Day.  This is a VERY fast turn around on this giveaway so that I can get the gift card sent out in time for Father's Day.

Additional entries will be accepted for tweeting the using the hashtag of  #TreatItFwd on Twitter, becoming a Facebook fan of OCMomActivities here, recommending OCMomActivities to your friends on Facebook or comments on why you think Paying it Forward is so important (great opportunity for getting creative!).  Hurry, get posting, tweeting, checking in and commenting!

*Note this is only open to residents of the US.

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Love iCarly?

Do you have kids that are huge fans of iCarly?  If they are you will want to be sure to head out to Crossline Commnunity Church 23331 Moulton Parkway, Laguna Hills this Saturday (6/18/11) at 10 am (event is FREE and goes until 1:30pm) where kids will get the change to meet and greet with Noah Munck (also known as Gibby on iCarly on the Nickelodeon channel).  It's a family event that will have giant inflatables, giveaways, balloons, face painting, carnival games, cotton candy lunch and lots more.

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Tips for those last minute Father's Day gifts

Father's Day is coming up and if you're like me you are just now thinking about what to get for the fathers in your life. I love saving money whenever possible and wanted to share some great online shopping tips from Barry Boone, owner and founder of CurrentCodes.com, a Web site clearinghouse for promotional codes that directs shoppers to timely bargains and discount codes. (You'll find some great Father's Day online discount codes at the end of this post!)

1) Check for Promotional Codes: Always check for a coupon or promotional code online before checking out. Finding a discount code Web site through your favorite search engine only takes a few seconds and could save your family anything from free shipping to 50 percent off or more.

2) Compare Prices: If you know the exact product you want to purchase, it pays to visit several online retailers to compare prices. Some Web sites can help shoppers find the best price by providing a list of online stores in a particular category.

3) Pay with Credit Card: Security of credit card information is a top concern when shopping online. In general, it is far safer to use a credit card than a debit card. Most debit cards do not offer the same level of protection as a credit card does when making an online purchase.

4) Review Carefully: Always take time to review the final checkout screen. Be sure to confirm that your order reflects the correct items, quantities and pricing before you click “submit.”

5) Protect Your Privacy: One of the most important steps of online shopping is how to find Web sites that are safe and secure. It is important to keep your personal information out of the hands of identity theft predators. Be sure to read the site’s privacy policy on information sharing, and don’t unintentionally opt-in to having your information shared with third parties.

6) Sideline Sales Tax: Some merchants are required to collect sales taxes in your state, while others may not. It can save you money to check several online retailers if the merchant you are about to purchase from wants to charge sales tax.

7) Beware of Shipping & Handling Fees: Pay close attention to shipping charges. Some retailers make up for their “low” prices by padding the shipping fees, so be sure you are getting the lowest possible overall price.

Here are some great Father's Day Discount codes too!

MyGolfer.com- Receive 5 % off tool purchases with code TOOLSFORDAD
Neckties.com- Receive 10% off with code DADGRAD
Ties.com- Receive 10% off with code DADGRAD
Wrangler.com- Receive Free shipping on order with codes DADFS1
Original Penguin- Receive 30% off order with code OPGDAD30
Perry Ellis- Recieve 30% off slecetd items with code FATHERSDAY30AF
Cabelas.com- Receive $5 Shipping on $150+ order with code WDADSDAY
Kiehls- Free shipping on any $30 order with code FATHERS
Carol Wright Gifts- Save $4 off $40+ order with code CWLDAD
Vosges Haut-Chocolat- Save 15% off with code DAD15                    
Wildties.com- Save 10% off with code DADGRAD
ShopCatepillar.com- Free shipping on $75 or more with code CATDAD1
Wine.com- Save 10% on all wine club memberships with code CLUBDAD
Sears.com- Receive free shipping on all orders over $99 with code SHIP4DAD

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Tips for Disneyland Trips

Summer vacation is here and many are planning trips to Disneyland.  Here is a great guest post with some fantastic Disneyland trip tips!

I just returned from a spontaneous weekend trip to Disneyland with my husband and two daughters, ages 11 months and 3 1/2 years. Most of my friends thought we were crazy and, in hindsight, we may have been!

My oldest daughter had a great time touring Disneyland and she'll always remember meeting Mickey and Minnie Mouse. However, I learned a lot from this trip and the next time we make a visit to the "happiest place on earth," I'll spend more time planning. So to help other mothers plan a more perfect Disneyland getaway, I put together several tips based on the lessons I learned during this experience.

1. Character Dining
Make the most of your time at the park and skip the "Meet and Greet" lines for Disney characters. Waiting in the "Meet and Greet" lines doesn't always guarantee you'll meet your character of choice. Opt instead for Character Dining, where your child is guaranteed to get an up-close encounter with their favorite Character. You'll find these opportunities at:

• Disneyland Park - Plaza Inn Disney California Adventure - Ariel's Disney Princess Celebration
• Disneyland Hotel - Goofy's Kitchen
• Grand Californian - Storytellers Breakfast
• Paradise Pier Hotel - PCH Grill Breakfast

2. Best Time To Go
Crowds are overwhelming during school holidays and three-day weekends. The summer months are extremely busy as well, but the park is open longer and most of the rides and attractions are operating. Try Sundays, when the park is usually less busy.
January and February weekdays are the least busy times, but the park is open fewer hours.

3. Fast Pass and Rider Swap Tips
Every Disneyland ticket comes with the opportunity to receive Fast Passes for specified rides. A Fast Pass will give you a return-time window so you can skip the standby line and head to the front. If used correctly, Fast Passes allow you to maximize your time at the park. Usage is complex, however, so make sure you know all the rules before buying a pass.

4. Cheap Tickets
Discounts on Disneyland tickets are hard to find. If you purchase your tickets online in advance, you can save a couple dollars through travel sites like Priceline, Expedia, Orbitz and Disneyland.com.

5. Discount Disney Gift Cards
Before your trip to Disneyland, buy discount Disney gift cards on GiftCardGranny.com and save up to 10 percent at Disneyland's ticket counters, stores, restaurants and food stands.
If you're willing to take a risk, however, you might try buying tickets on eBay. Alternately, you can try hitting up a cast member for the complimentary passes they receive (make sure you tip) or ask patrons leaving the park if you can have their tickets. Look for the most expensive tickets that haven't been signed.

6. Time to Ride
People tend to head to the right side first when entering the park, so go to the left side of the park in the morning. The rides with height restrictions had smaller lines first thing in the morning during our visit. Another good time to ride is during parades and firework shows, but be aware that some will close. You also might check with your hotel to see if they offer extended Disney hours.

7. Strollers
Tie a brightly colored ribbon to the stroller so you can locate it more easily. You'll also want to write your name on a piece of tape and hide somewhere on the stroller for identification in case of theft.
Dont lock strollers to anything or leave them in one spot for an extended period, as cast members will remove them.

8. Baby Care Centers
The Baby Care Centers at Disneyland are located at the end of Main Street. At Disney California Adventure, you'll find it next to the Mission Tortilla Factory in the Pacific Wharf. The centers include rocking chairs, nursing rooms, filtered water for formula, changing tables, etc. There's also a kiosk that sells diaper-changing kits and such basic baby-care items as food and formula.

9. Save on Food
Even though there are plenty of food kiosks at Disney, you'll find most food is overpriced. Instead, pack food in a cooler and store it in a locker. If you're traveling from out of town, there's a Target less than a mile away from Disneyland where you can stock up on supplies. Be sure your hotel has a mini fridge, if you plan on storing cold food items during your stay.
If you're traveling with older children, buy a discounted gift card for them to use in place of cash when they're touring the park on their own.

10. Save on Pictures
Park photographers will give you a Photo Pass so you can view your pictures online and pay between $10 and $30 for prints. Instead, use the Photo Pass to view your photos, then download a screenshot.
To read the full story "How To Avoid Going Goofy At Disneyland" please visit here.

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Maisie Knowles is the founder of BestBabyStuff.com, a website reviewing only the best baby products, and co-founder of FreeShipping.org. She earned a B.A. in Communications from the University of Colorado in 2003 and currently spends most of her time at home with her two young girls while continuing to be involved in business operations for Kinoli Inc. in Fort Collins, Colorado.

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Ridemakerz - Completely customize your own car

We recently had the chance to head over to Ridemakerz at Downtown Disney in Anaheim.  As I'm sure you have figured out, I'm not the dainty mom. The kids come to me when they need help passing a level at video games and my husband is the first person to admit that.  I love love love being the Mom to two wonderful boys and love building legos, racing RC cars and the other childhood fun for boys.  (Yes... I do wish that one day I would be able to venture on to the Princess rides at Disneyland or actually buy something on the Barbie aisle at Toys 'r Us).

Ridemakerz is the boy equivalent to Build a Bear Workshop.  From start to finish the kids get to pick out rims, body style, spoilers, running lights and much much more.  There are tons and tons of selections to make for a completely unique car.  I knew my kids would be in to picking out the different parts of the cars, but had no idea they would be so in to the actual building of the cars.   (Okay and a confession... there might have been a little smack talk between all of us about which car was going to be faster.)

There are selections for all types, from girls to boys, mom to dads as you can see from the variety of cars our family built.

The kids (and adults) had an amazing time customizing our cars.  

Ridemakerz has just released several exclusive Cars Movie cars, so if you have a Cars movie fan in your house, be sure to head over there so they can customize their very own car from the movie.

Want to go build one?  Father's day weekend, they are offering a BOGO offer, so fathers and sons can go get a fantastic deal on customizing your own Ridemakerz car!  For more information you can head over here.  Be on the lookout for Ridemakerz accessories at some of your favorite retailers.

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