Butterflies Up Close and Personal - Wordless Wednesday

The butterfly that landed on my hair at the Butterfly Exhibit at the San Diego Wild Animal Park.

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Sid the Science Kid Event and a Giveaway!

With two active & inquisitive boys, I can use all the help I can get to quench their never ending thirst to learn new things.  It's not uncommon for family movie night to be the latest new show on the Discovery Channel, PBS or other Science show - it's just the way things are around here!  I grew up loving Fraggle Rock, the Muppets and other Jim Henson productions... so when I heard about Sid the Science Kid (on PBS), I knew it was a winning combination! 


On June 21st you can catch the premier of "No School Singalong Special".  To celebrate the premiere, Sid will be available at the Jim Henson Family Day at the Egyptian Theater in Los Angeles on May 22 from 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased on Fandango or here, Adult tickets are $11 each and kids are $9 each.

Here's the schedule for the day:

10:00 AM: Co-presented by the Producers Guild of America/New Media Council as part of the Saturday 2.0 series, a screening will take place of A Better World: Living in Harmony beginning with a rarely seen episode of “Fraggle Rock” (1983), the TV series that contrasts three communities - the musical Fraggles, the industrious Doozers, and the giant Gorgs - who all co-exist in a carefully balanced underground world far below those mysterious silly creatures who live above ground (the humans). Next is "Song of the Cloud Forest" (1989) directed by Jim Henson which features a blend of music, puppetry and animation resulting in a vibrant landscape of color that echoes the natural beauty found in the real world's rain forest. Starring a brightly colored cast of puppet animals, the show celebrates the beauty of this natural environment while educating the audience of the real dangers threatening the survival of both the rain forest and its inhabitants.

11:30 AM: Premiere of “Sid the Science Kid:” “No School Singalong Special!”

12:00 PM: Premiere of “Dinosaur Train:” “Pteranodon Family World Tour,” “Gilbert the Conductor”

12:30 PM: “Wilson & Ditch: Digging America:” Two comical gopher brothers explore America

12:45 PM: “The Possibility Shop:” Creative Guru Courtney Watkins demonstrates how to turn ordinary afternoons into extraordinary creative adventures for the whole family
*10:30AM – 2:30PM Activity stations and photo opportunities in the courtyard

But here's the best part!  I've got two tickets to giveaway!  Remember to post a comment for each entry.  The contest will close this Tuesday May 18th at 6pm (pacific time).  I will email the winner and will need a response with your mailing address within 24 hours so the winner can receive their tickets in time.


Here are your ways to enter (remember I will need a way to reach you within 24 hours):

• Post a comment on here saying why you'd love to win the tickets!
• Become a fan of OCMomActivities on Facebook (1 additional entry)
• Subscribe to one of the feeds for OCMomActivities (email, rss, google, etc. 1 entry each)
• Follow OCMomActivities on Twitter (1 additional entry)
• Tweet about this giveaway (1 additional entry, allowed once per day, just remember to post a comment each time you do)

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Wordless Wednesday...

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More Free Coffee Drinks at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf!

As you may have guessed by now, I'm a huge fan of Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.  They've been having some great deals lately... here's another!

TODAY - May 11th, 2010 from 4-7 pm at your local Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf store, you can pick up a complimentary 12 oz. Ultimate Ice Blended drink!  They've got some great flavors to try... the Honey-Kissed, Caramel or Dark Chocolate.

Enjoy!

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Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms and Moms-to-be out there.

Whether you are celebrating with your own Mom or in spirit, take a few minutes to appreciate all she's done for you!

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Cinco de Mayo - Small World Style! Worldess Wednesday

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Free Coffee (or Tea) at Coffee Bean!

I'm a huge fan of Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf ... so when I heard about their current promotion, I knew I had to share!  If you load $25 on to a Coffee Bean Gift card (re-loading counts), you get a free coffee!  So head on over to your local Coffee Bean and pick-up a gift card!  But hurry because the offer ends this month (May)!

And if you've never had a mocha from Coffee Bean... you are so missing out!

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Mother's Day Brunch Idea

Mother's Day is coming up and if you don't have plans yet... The Californian Restaurant at the Hyatt Regency in Huntington Beach is a great place to head to.  The menu for the morning is mouthwatering to say the least...

The brunch will also include a sumptuous Hot Entrees station will boast Grilled Rack of Lamb with Mango-Mint Chutney, Prime Rib of Beef complimented by Horseradish, Dijon and Pommery Mustards, Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes, Pineapple-Glazed Ham, Roasted Chicken and Spinach Ravioli with Garlic, Cream and Reggiano and Shrimp & Mascarpone Ravioli will be available at the Pasta Station. The Seafood Station will include a Sushi Bar featuring a bountiful selection of freshly made-to-order Sushi, Jumbo Shrimp and Crab Claws, Smoked Atlantic Salmon and Californian Ceviche Shooters. For dessert, the pastry team will tempt the taste buds with a sensational assortment of delectable sweets including Warm Apple Cobbler, assorted Cupcakes featuring Red Velvet, Vanilla and Coconut flavors, a Strawberry Shortcake Station, Ice Cream Sundae Bar, miniature pastries, parfaits, and the ever popular Chocolate Fountain, an endless supply of rich warm imported chocolates accompanied by an array of dipping choices.

Brunch is from 10am- 2pm and reservations are encouraged. Cost is $78 for adults, $68 for seniors and $25 for kids ages 6-12 (5 & under are free). Call (714) 845-4885 to make your reservations now!

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Universal Studios Hollywood - Fabulous Yet Frugal Friday

I'm always looking for ways to save money but still enjoy what Southern California has to offer.  For this week's edition of Fabulous Yet Frugal Fridays, I wanted to be sure you guys didn't miss out on the amazing deal at Universal Studios - Hollywood that ends April 30th.  By paying $69/per person to enter the park, you get the REST of 2010 free simply because you are a Southern California Resident.  No blackout dates.  This is a fantastic deal especially if you have kids ages 6 and up.  There are just enough attractions to fill your day, but you'll feel like you can get to everything in a day.  Our family has become huge fans of getting to the park as it opens, spending a few hours and leaving as the park gets busy (this is also a great approach for Disneyland, Sea World, San Diego Zoo and San Diego Wild Animal Park). 

Our favorite rides at Universal are The Simpsons Ride, Jurassic Park (not my favorite- I don't like the drop), the Backlot Tour (surprise hit with the kids) and Shrek in 4-D.  Definitely missing the ET ride and Back to the Future though...

For more information about hours of operation and the buy a day- get the rest of the year for free deal can be found here.

Over the next couple of weeks I'll be sharing some of the great deals you can find for local attractions to maximize and plan ahead for summer vacation!

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Wisteria Lane - Wordless Wednesday

A trip down Wisteria Lane (courtesy of the Backlot Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood)...

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