Red Lotus Mama

I have moved!

noreply@blogger.com (Red Lotus Mama) — Mon, 16 May 2011 05:26:00 +0000

Thanks for stopping by! I have moved my blog to a self hosted Wordpress site, but you can view archive post and comments here.

Go to the new Red Lotus Mama now!

Wordless Wednesday: Mother's Day Gifts

noreply@blogger.com (Red Lotus Mama) — Wed, 11 May 2011 07:00:00 +0000

Motherhood

noreply@blogger.com (Red Lotus Mama) — Sun, 08 May 2011 07:00:00 +0000

I will never forget how I felt the day I found out I would become a mother ... excitement, anticipation, fear, shock, relief and above all else, love. Unconditional love for the child that was growing inside of me. I had no idea what was in store for me. I had no idea how to be a mother. What I did know is that this child was already the most important thing in my life.

There are days when I just want to be alone. I want a 10 hour night sleep without a being woken up by Princess D crawling into my bed at 7am to watch My Little Pony. I want to spend an entire day reading a book that doesn't have pictures of a Disney princess in it. I want to take a shower without having rush because she needs me help her with something. I want to not worry that I am spending too much time on me when I should be spending it on her.

It is when I hear her say "I missed you, Mommy" I realize my time to be selfish will come. I can already picture those pre-teen years when I will be missing all the things I want a break from right now. This little girl is my world. It is her love that fuels me every day and gives me a purpose. Motherhood is not a job ... it is my life, and I love it! I love her.

Happy Mother's Day to my mom and all of you other mommies!

Vi Peel ... Round 1

noreply@blogger.com (Red Lotus Mama) — Fri, 06 May 2011 20:21:00 +0000

It has been one week since I got the Vi Peel done at OasisMD Plastic Surgery & Medical Spa. My overall thoughts ... AWESOME!

The process is painless. First, my face and neck was cleansed with a gentle soap to get rid of any makeup or dirt. Then alcohol pads were used to remove oil and any dirt that is deeper down in my pores. Finally, the chemical peel is applied in one coat. Since my skin didn't react badly to the chemical another coat is applied. My skin still didn't react badly after the second coat, so a final coat is applied as close to my under eye skin as possible. The only sensations I felt was a warm tingle on my face and the scent was overwhelming. I was sent home with instructions of how to take care of my skin for the next week, two scrubbing cloths, a heavy lotion and SPF 30.

The first day after the peel was applied I didn't see much of a difference. My skin never got red and patchy. I just look like I had been at the beach the day before. Day 3 and 4 was when I really started to peel. It was painless ... just a bit messy. I recommend keeping your hair pulled back and to not wear a black shirt those days! I wore a really good hat when I was out in the sun and made sure to reapply the lotion and sunblock.

By day 5 the peeling was just in spots around my face. Today there is a little bit of peeling around my ears and neck, but it is not very noticeable. What is noticeable is the reduction of my acne scars, the color of my forehead is more even to my cheeks and my skin is smoother all over.

NOTE: These photos were taken with my mobile phone camera in the office with overhead lighting and natural light through the windows. I did not retouch the photos other than add my watermark. I am not wearing any makeup other than eyeliner and mascara.

I have two more peels to go and I am really looking forward to the end result! Stay tuned ...

Wordless Wednesday: Big Sister & Little Brother

noreply@blogger.com (Red Lotus Mama) — Wed, 04 May 2011 07:00:00 +0000

Like Riding a Horse ... Not a Bike

noreply@blogger.com (Red Lotus Mama) — Tue, 03 May 2011 13:00:00 +0000

I have a confession ... I don't know how to ride a bike.

Yes, you read that right. I simply never learned how to ride a bike when I was a kid. Shocked? Most people are. I had a red bike with training wheels, but my mom was always afraid that I would get hit by a car. So, I just wore my roller skates since most places I needed to get to were either really close by. My parents or friends never pushed me to learn, so I just didn't.

What my mom did want me to learn was to ride was a horse. Growing up she was terrified of horses and she didn't want me to have that same fear. She put me in lessons at a local stable when I was 12. It didn't last long because I was allergic to the horses, but I learned to love riding. The summer I lived in London I went on a 2 day horseback riding trip in Wales. I will never forget riding in the fields amongst sheep and the view of Abergavenny below.

Princess D has started to take an interest in riding horses. She has ridden on ponies at fairs, but she has never taken a lesson.

I was really excited to find out that on March 21 Liz Bolton Stables in San Marcos will be hosting an open house to view the facility, meet the trainers and staff, and meet the horses! Kids can help groom, pet and feed the horses. There will be arts and crafts, entertainment, refreshments and free trail loop horseback rides for the kids. You can bet Princess D will want to ride a horse ... and maybe I will get to as well!

Hi Girlfriend!

noreply@blogger.com (Red Lotus Mama) — Mon, 02 May 2011 13:00:00 +0000

My 5 3/4 year old daughter received her first real phone call from a friend in her class on Friday night. It went something like this ...

Friend on phone: "Hi girlfriend!"

Princess D: "Hi girlfriend! What are you doing right now?

Friend on phone: "I'm in my backyard. What are you doing right now?"

Princess D: "I am getting ready for bed. What are you doing now?"

Friend on phone: "I'm going to my bedroom now. What are you doing this weekend?"

Princess D: "I am having a fancy sleepover at my grandma & grandpa's house. Do you want to have a play date and a sleepover?

Friend on phone: "Yeah!"

Princess D: "Ok girlfriend! Let me ask my mom."

Friend on phone: "Ok girlfriend! I have to go now. I love you!"

Princess D: "Bye girlfriend! I love you!"

Friend on phone: "Bye girlfriend!"

I couldn't help laughing while being unnerved at the same time. This is happening way too soon!

Sweet Street Faire Finds

noreply@blogger.com (Red Lotus Mama) — Mon, 02 May 2011 04:17:00 +0000

I love street fairs, and today was the Carlsbad Village Street Faire. It is the biggest street fair in San Diego, featuring 900 vendors and over 50 food stands, that takes place twice a year (one Sunday in May and one Sunday in November). The weather is always spectacular the day of the fair drawing a very large crowd of shoppers. Parking is free in the lot west of State Street. So, I try to get their at 8am with cash, a reusable shopping bag and a hat.

Like all fairs you can find the typical silver jewelry booths, t-shirt and hat vendors, posters and wood carvings. I always go with a mission to find local, handmade and unique goods. Here are few that I found today ...

Shiny Silver large button ponytail holder
Bitty Buttons
www.bittybuttons.net

Hummingbird ornament hand beaded by local artisans from Guatemala
Sol Dancer
www.soldancer.com
A portion of their proceeds are donated to the Friendship Bridge, a non-profit micro credit organization offering small business loans and education to underprivileged village women in Guatemala.

Hollander wood earrings
Green Tree Jewelry
www.greentreejewelry.com
San Diego based company that creates affordable fun jewelry from renewable resources and recycled materials in the USA.

I also picked up some delicious white chocolate macadamia nut toffee from The Toffee Box and some oven baked Honey Peanut Butter dog cookies from Beggar's Bakery for Chloe.

Don't worry if you missed the Carlsbad Village Street Faire today because the Queen Bee Market is on Friday, May 6th & Saturday May 7th at the Del Mar Hilton. This market will feature 50+ handmade vendors and a portion of the proceeds will go to local San Diego charities.

Spaphile's Mother's Day Sweepstakes

noreply@blogger.com (Red Lotus Mama) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 07:00:00 +0000

Other than a homemade card or keepsake from my daughter the one thing I want most for Mother's Day is a spa treatment. A massage. A facial. A spa mani/pedi. A body scrub or wrap. All, or any, would do!

Spaphile San Diego is a weekly deals site (like Groupon) that specializes in the best spas and salons in the San Diego area. It features incredible high-end beauty deals, but also hosts a variety of events offering complimentary spa and salon services to it's subscribers. This year, they are putting on a Mother's Day sweepstakes and several lucky winners can give Mom (or themselves!) the gift of relaxation.

1st Prize - One "Velia Voyage" spa package. Includes a 50-minute signature pomegranate polish, 50-minute Velia Aromatherapy Massage, and a 50-minute Classic Rejuevnation Facial. Courtest of Spa Velia.

2nd Prize - $100 Gift Card towards spa services at Se Spa in the Se San Diego Hotel. Courtesy of Se Spa at Se San Diego Hotel.

3rd Prize - Custom Facial Treatment at L.S. Skin Care. Courtesy of L.S. Skin Care.

4th Prize - $25 Spaphile Credit to be used towards future Spaphile purchases. Courtesy of Spaphile.com.

HOW TO ENTER:
Share with Spaphile San Diego your favorite photo of your mother (or another inspirational woman in your life) through one or all of the following ways (up to 4 entries per person):

1. Posting it to the Spaphile Facebook Fan Page
2. Tweeting @Spaphile_SD with a link to the photo
3. Emailing it to hello@spaphile.com
4. Blogging the photo with a mention of the sweepstakes and sending us the link

RULES:
For this contest, there are four (4) entries per person. The deadline to enter is May 7, 2011 at 11:59pm PT. Spaphile will randomly selected the winners. Click here to download the sweepstakes flyer.

IPL vs. Vi Peel

noreply@blogger.com (Red Lotus Mama) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 01:25:00 +0000

Plastic Surgery scares me. PERIOD.

I have seen a few of my mom's friends who have gone under the knife for a "lift here" or a "tuck there" and I wanted to cry for them. The idea of injecting something into my skin that eventually gets absorbed into my system and has to be redone again and again in order to keep looking the same ... doesn't sound like a very good long term solution to having a younger, healthier face. Even though I am thirty-something, thanks to my Asian genes I very few wrinkles and fine lines, but my skin does have sun damage and teenage/adult acne scars. I am not a huge fan of wearing foundation or concealer, so my "flaws" are often visible. Who doesn't want gorgeous complexion? I know I do!

For Christmas my dad bought my mom a treatment of IPL (intense pulsed light) Photofacial. She loved the results so much that she got 2 more treatments. My dad was so impressed he got himself 2 treatments. My cousin was also so impressed she had 2 treatments done as well! They all have a significant reduction of sun damage, scaring and age spots. So, when my friend Jen sent me a link to a $99 coupon for IPL on Buy With Me I figured why the hell not!

Today, with 3 vouchers in my wallet, I walked into OasisMD Plastic Surgery & Medical Spa for my IPL consultation. My enhanced image photos showed that my skin has very large pores, sun damage and darker pigmentation on my forehead, scars on my cheeks and around my nose, but minimal deep skin damage. Overall, not so bad.

Top Left: Pores & Wrinkles Image, Top Right: Spots (PL) Image
Bottom Left: Skin Tone Image, Bottom Right: Sports (UV) Image

Unfortunately, because I have "Level 4" skin I am not a good candidate for IPL. The laser could cause hypopigmentation streaks on my forehead which would not be pretty. This ruled out all facial laser treatments and left me with the option of a chemical peel.

Do you remember the episode of Sex and the City when Samantha gets a chemical peel? If not, here is what she looked like when the peel was doing its magic.

The Vi Peel I had done apparently will not have the same drastic effect. I promise to tell you what the next week is like (with photos if you are lucky). So stay tuned ...

Wordless Wednesday: Keep Calm

noreply@blogger.com (Red Lotus Mama) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 18:11:00 +0000

$20 for $40 worth of products at The Body Shop

noreply@blogger.com (Red Lotus Mama) — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 16:07:00 +0000

There are only hours left to get $20 for $40 at The Body Shop. What makes this Groupon extra sweet is that if you redeem the Groupon by May 30, it is worth $45 instead of $40! AND, it's also good on sale items. You can even buy up to 3 Groupons. One caveats is that the Groupon is good for in-store purchases only.

I bought a Groupon for myself since I am almost out of Peppermint Cooling Foot Rescue Treatment. This stuff feels so good after a long day and makes your heels so soft. Princess D loves their body washes in strawberry, lemon, raspberry and apple.

Don't forget that Mother's Day is on May 8th (only 12 days away), so you could use this Groupon to put together a really nice gift for your mom!

Feathered Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Red Lotus Mama) — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 05:58:00 +0000

Last week I wrote about health, so this week I am going to write about vanity!

Recently, the gorgeous San Diego Momma called me "rock star" because of my feather extensions. As flattered as I was, she is totally off base! I am the opposite of "rock star" when it comes to fashion and life style. The word I would use to describe myself would be "basic." It is little things like feather extensions that I love to help make me a little less "basic."

I had my first feather extension put in at the San Diego MOMfia Blow Dry Boot Camp at Detour Salon. I chose a bright blue cluster of feathers to that it would stand out in contrast to my hair color, but it was a bit buried. When I went back to Detour Salon for my hair cut I had my stylist, Kristin, move the feathers to a more visible location and add another bunch of pink and yellow feathers. Later that day, at the the Spaphile launch party feather extensions were being done for free! I just had to get a red and tan cluster of feathers put in.

When Frugal Queen said she wanted to turn her "MOM-do into a WOW-do" you can bet I suggested she get a feather extension and referred her to Kristin at Detour. She made her appointment, and she now looks "rock star WOW!" This past weekend I took Princess D and Miss to get feathered at Detour Salon too ...

Clearly, I am a HUGE fan of the feather extensions! You can wash the, blow dry them and curl them. Get them put in correctly and they don't have to be adjusted for months. You can get loud colors so they stand out, or subtle colors to just give your "do" a little bit of pop. Have them put in a bit buried if you need to hide them at times, or let them show. Whatever you choose ... ROCK THEM!

Ritual Cleanse - Day 3 (that didn't happen ...)

noreply@blogger.com (Red Lotus Mama) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 05:11:00 +0000

When going to bed last night I spiked a fever. It came out of now where. Throughout the night I couldn't get warm or comfortable enough to fall into a deep enough sleep. The times I did doze off I would wake up soaked in a cold sweat. By the morning I was a wreck and still had a low grade fever. My body was so exhausted that I physically couldn't get out of bed.

Thank gawd for my parents! My mom got Princess D ready for school and my dad drove me to the doctor. The doctor said that the cleanse was not the problem. The problem was another sinus infection that was draining into my lungs, and I got dehydrated from the cold sweats. After she gave me fluids and antibiotics then sent me home to rest. I spent most of the day sleeping ... and EATING!

I did not complete my third day of the Ritual Cleanse, but I am not disappointed. Two days on a juice only diet was a huge attempt for me. My system does feel cleaner and lighter (now that I am hydrated again). I don't feel the need consume such a large amount of food in one meal like I did before. Too keep up with maintaining a healthy green diet I will start drinking a Naked Truth Green Machine Superfood Juice Smoothie every day. As for attempting a cleanse again ... I think only one day once a year is enough for me.

Ritual Cleanse - Day 2 (almost there ...)

noreply@blogger.com (Red Lotus Mama) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 05:13:00 +0000

This morning I woke up totally refreshed from one of the best night's sleep I have had in a while! I felt light on my feet, clear headed and determined to take on my second day of the Ritual Cleanse.

Yesterday was not easy. The juices did not taste like I expected them to. I had a negative attitude with the first gulp of juice. The Boyfriend has been extremely skeptical. So, I expected today to be much harder because I knew what was ahead of me. Thanks to a lot of supportive tweets cheering me on and wanting to join in, I had a complete change of attitude and it kicked my willpower into gear.

The juices went down much easier today ... even the spicy lemonade. What was hard was seeing food around me. This morning my daughter had a crepe with caramel sauce for breakfast. Then she brought home leftover macaroni & cheese and chocolate cake from dinner with her grandparents. It is torture seeing my favorite comfort foods and not being able to eat any of them. I miss tasting different flavors or feeling the texture of different foods.

One more day of juice before I can enjoy eating again. I can't wait!

Ritual Cleanse - Day 1 (2 more long days to go ...)

noreply@blogger.com (Red Lotus Mama) — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 05:26:00 +0000

Since I went to Vegas at the end of January I have not been well. My asthma has been out of control causing fluid in my ears and sinuses to be out of control too. I have been going through rounds of prednisone, shots of cortisone, and changing inhalers to find anything that would work. The wheezing and coughing has forced me to miss a few Tuesday night hip hop classes (which I am not happy about). With my body being polluted with meds and not exercised regularly I have felt run down and ... well ... yucky. I figured that it is time to do some "Spring cleaning" with my body (the closet will have to wait a couple of weeks).

Stefanie from Ooph recommended Ritual Cleanse. Considering how fabulous she looks I figured that she wouldn't steer me wrong. The cleanse includes 6 freshly pressed 100% organic juices designed to drink throughout the day for maximum nutrient absorption. A single day of has more than 15 lbs of raw vegetables and fruit. My goal is not to lose weight (even though I really need to) and I am not looking for a miracle to cure my asthma. I simply want to clean out my system of the toxins and congestion.

This morning when I was leaving the house to take Princess D to school I discovered a a big green bag sitting on my doorstep. It was filled with 18 bottles of green and orange juices. Now, I have no problem drinking green juice (in fact I really like The Naked Truth Green Machine Superfood Juice Smoothie), but when I saw how much there was I realized that maybe I was a bit desperate when I agreed to 3 days.

The first juice went down easily thanks to my eager attitude. The second was not as easy since my urge to actually chew on something was kicking in. I snacked on some cucumber slices throughout the day to help keep me going. By juice #3 I was getting sick of the same overwhelming flavor of celery, spinach and kale. It was the fourth juice -- the "spicy lemonade" -- that almost made me quit. It gave me heartburn and I thought it wouldn't stay down. I welcomed back the green juice as my 5th for the day. It actually tasted better and got rid of the heartburn. I finished off the day with a sweet and filling juice.

So, I made it through my first day complaining A LOT. I do feel lighter on my feet and I am looking forward to a good night sleep. Tomorrow will probably be even harder since I now know what to expect, but I know I can do this!

REVIEW: RoseArt Color Blanks

noreply@blogger.com (Red Lotus Mama) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:45:00 +0000

Every time my daughter sees one of those ceramic figures you can paint she asks if she could get it. I have always said no because usually HER art project turns in to MY art project. I just can't justify spending the money on something she would do for 10 minutes before getting bored or accidentally breaking it. Then I received a RoseArt Color Blanks™ set ...

Princess D was really excited to decorate her blank animal! The set included a figurine, 3 permanent markets, 4 glue dots and a sheet of stickers. The figurine is a shatter proof plastic and a good size for small hands. The stickers can easily be changed if necessary, yet stick really well. I do wish that the markers were washable since little kids are not the neatest. If you want to use the glue dots for for anything (pompoms, felt pieces, etc.) you have to purchase them separately. Princess D did use some of her own glitter glue to jazz up her blank.

As expected, Princess D didn't spend very much time designing her blank and asked me to finish it for her. Overall, she had fun and was proud of her little creation. I think kids who are very artistic would love RoseArt Color Blanks™.

Right now when you purchase set of 3 Color Blanks™ for $19.95, plus shipping & handling, you will receive an additional set for free!

********************************************************************************
Bender/Helper Impact provided the RoseArt Color Blanks™ set. I was not asked to post about them or the product. All statements are my opinion and my opinion only.

Lego Octopus, Spa, Chiropractor ... OH MY!

noreply@blogger.com (Red Lotus Mama) — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 19:04:00 +0000

It has been a week since I got back from England. Amazingly I kept up with writing posts, checking emails and keeping my calendar up to date while on the other side of the pond. I knew that I would be really busy the first week back just with diving back into my day job and shuttling Princess D around, but I didn't realize how many social media events I had RSVP'ed that I would attend. Here is the recap:

Special Event at SEA LIFE Aquarium: Compliments of BuyWithMe
On Thursday, SDBloggers and BuyWithMe hosted an exclusive preview of SEA LIFE Aquarium's upcoming exhibit, Octopus Garden. I have never been to SEA LIFE Aquarium and I live only 10 minutes away, so I was really excited to check it out! It is a smaller aquarium than the others I have been to which is nice for little kids. The displays were simple and colorful. There were Lego play stations and touching pools. I only got to see the downstairs area, but I could see why kids love this aquarium!

It was an intimate event of local San Diego bloggers. Delicious food was served in a square room with moonfish swimming in a huge school around you. Adorable mocktails with a gummy octopus stuck to the side of the champagne glass were offered when we walked in. Wine was being served around the starfish and sea snail touching pool. I had so much fun chatting with La Jolla Mom, Muffin Tin Mom, San Diego Deals & Steals, Sugar Jones, SD Bargain Mama, and many others!

Overall it was a great event. I would have liked to learn more about the concept around the Octopus Garden, but I will certainly be back with Princess D since I purchased the Buy With Me deal - $7 for one general admission ticket to SEA LIFE Carlsbad Aquarium!

SDMOMfia and La Costa bring you #SpaSocial
On Friday, the San Diego MOMfia hosted a spa social event at Spa La Costa for about 200 bloggers from San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles and Arizona.

This event was FABULOUS! The champagne was flowing along with the delicious lobster and crab sliders, seared tuna skewers, angus beef sliders, hummus and duck dip, and sorbet with chocolate dipped strawberries. Hand exfoliation treatments were offered as we lounged in our plush robes. We could take dip in the pool and hot tubs, use the saunas and walk the reflexology path. Amazing prizes were given away and everyone got to go home with a goody bag.

I got to catch up with so many of my favorite local bloggers, chatted with women I follow on twitter but have never met, and met a lot of bloggers I didn't know before. It really was a great night with so many fantastic women!

La Jolla Tweetup with Dr. David Klein
Last night Dr. David Klein (also known as "DK") hosted a tweetup organized by Sogeshirts. I didn't know who DK was before the event (at least I thought I didn't) or even what the even about, but Surfer Wife had invited me so I wasn't going to say no!

About a month ago I tweeted that I had a headache. Minutes later I got a reply wanting to know if I was interested in natural headache remedies. Of course I was, so I replied with my email address of where to send the information to. Shortly after I received an email to a link to a YouTube video about headache relief tips. The tips were valid and interesting so I "favorited" the video. Last night when I walked into the event I greeted by the man in the video ... it was DK! He did not know that I had seen his video and it did not convert me into a paying client of his at the time, but social media marketing worked because I instantly recognized him and have referenced this video to other people who suffer with headaches. It is clear that DK is not just a chiropractor, but he is an internet entrepreneur.

The event was held at Dr. Klein's San Diego chiropractic office for about 10 bloggers to learn how to monetize our sites. During the evening we got to sample Falkner Wines, ate sushi, and were treated to massages and spine evaluations. Because it was a small group of people it gave us a chance to "talk shop". We brain stormed ideas, made connections and laughed ... A LOT! It was a really good evening chatting with Surfer Wife, San Diego Momma, Maegan, Semper Fi Momma, Sogeshirts, Morgan, and Cathie.

It was a whirlwind of social media events! They were all so different from each other, but I am so happy I attended all of them. Thank you to all that hosted!

Don't miss the My Little Pony special event on The Hub

noreply@blogger.com (Red Lotus Mama) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 22:48:00 +0000

My daughter LOVES My Little Pony. She can't get enough of them. Every day she watches one episode of the "My Little Pony Friendship is Magic" on The Hub (which is a joint venture of Discovery Communications and Hasbro, Inc.). When the ponies were the McDonald's Happy Meal toy we were on a mission to get every single one of them. She has been wanting the Princess Celestia pony, so I am using it as incentive to get her to pass her reading words test ... we'll see if she passes next week!

I remember when I was a little girl I loved My Little Pony as well. I had the figurines to play with, but now The Hub is introducing an all new "My Little Pony Friendship is Magic" cross-platform initiative that includes an online event, coloring pages and a special "My Little Pony Friendship is Magic" episode airing on Friday, April 15, (1:30 p.m. ET). The Cutie Mark Chronicles is about the origins of their favorite ponies' signature "Cutie Marks" for the very first time. A pony’s "Cutie Mark" is both important and symbolic to each pony’s individuality and serves as a personal symbol that defines their unique character, passions and ambitions. The episode follows three young ponies known as "The Cutie Mark Crusaders" on a quest to seek out the untold stories of the iconic ponies and their famous "Cutie Marks." The special online event My Little Pony Tales lets you and your child view a clip from the episode, read three short stories and choose an answer to "How did RAINBOW DASH get her Cutie Mark?". The Friday, April 15, episode will reveal which of the short stories is true and how the episode ends.

The Hub will be featuring "My Little Pony Mega Cutie Mark-a-thon," a special marathon of episodes on Saturday, April 16 from 9-11 a.m. ET. This two hour marathon of popular "My Little Pony Friendship is Magic" episodes will feature an encore presentation of “The Cutie Mark Chronicles” airing at 10:30 a.m. ET. You know I will be filling up my DVR that day! To find the channel in your area check the Channel Locator at the top of The Hub World website.

If you love My Little Pony like we do here are some pony coloring pages you can download:

Download Young Applejack Coloring Page
Download Young Spike the Dragon Coloring Page
Download Young Twilight Sparkle Coloring Page
Download Young Rainbow Dash Coloring Page

WINNER: Dream Big, Little Pig! by Kristi Yamaguchi

noreply@blogger.com (Red Lotus Mama) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 00:58:00 +0000

Before I left for my trip to England I posted a giveaway of Kristi Yamaguchi's children's picture book Dream Big, Little Pig! There were 15 entries! I loved reading everyone's big dreams and hope they become a reality (even the unicorn!). Unfortunately, I can only make one dream of winning this book come true ...

This drawing was held by Nicole Kempka in a fair and unbiased manner, using RANDOM.ORG's Third-Party Draw Service. For details, please see the drawing's record.

Congratulations, Ali!

England 2011 - Day 8

noreply@blogger.com (Red Lotus Mama) — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 19:28:00 +0000

When ever I go to England I always have a list of things to bring back for friends and family -- chocolates from Hotel Chocolat, sweets from Marks & Spencer, and Tesco reusable shopping bags. The list for this trip was different. With the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton at the end of the month people were asking me to bring back wedding memorabilia. I think the British have become desensitized to the impending wedding because when I asked The Boyfriend to help do some pre-shopping at before I arrived he no idea where to go. But, there are souvenirs EVERYWHERE.

You can get the ultimate tourist versions of stuff like tea cups or tea towels or you can get the fancier versions.

On the right is the Royal Collection Wedding Tankard I found at the Westminster Abbey shop and at Fortnum & Masons.
On the left is the mug from a tourist shop in Piccadilly.

On the right is a tea towel from Duty Free in the airport.
On the left is a tea towel from Cath Kidston.

There are so many products commemorating this wedding that it is a bit ridiculous ... chocolates with the couples faces imprinted on them, tree ornaments, Union Jack flags with their photos in the middle, magnets, key chains, wall posters, etc. Some of the stuff at the tourist shops are so poorly made that the images dodn't even look like Prince William or Kate, yet people were buying them! The British people should thank the obsessed foreigner who buys a suitcase full of royal wedding memorabilia because those people are helping to keep the British economy and tourist industry going!

So why the ~~obsession~~ fascination? I believe it is because England (even with the anti-royalists) maintains an active monarchy while America doesn't have REAL royalty. The idea of kings, queens, princes and princesses are only in fairy tales and Disney movies for us. My daughter LOVES the fact that there is a REAL prince and (soon to be) princess, so even I got a little caught up in the excitement of a royal wedding. I didn't go overboard, but I did pick up a canister of the Fortnum & Mason royal wedding tea blend and a cute "Princess in the making" shirt for my daughter. I even took Princess D to Westminster Abbey so she could see where the wedding will be taking place, and you can bet I will be recording the ceremony!

England 2011 - Day 7

noreply@blogger.com (Red Lotus Mama) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 22:51:00 +0000

The Boyfriend's son, Terror, is only 15 months younger than Princess D. Our kids have spent 3 long vacations together and numerous "play dates" on Skype. Even though Princess D has always referred to Terror as her little brother, it is on this trip I believe a real sibling bond is developing.

Terror is naturally competitive and wants so much to prove to Princess D, that even though he might be younger, he can keep up with her. When we get to a flight of stairs he screams "I want to be first!" When a button for a lift or crosswalk needs to be pushed he screams "I want to push it!" If Princess D is holding The Boyfriend's right hand Terror will want to hold it refusing to hold the free left hand. If we are eating a meal he has to eat more than her. Getting dressed becomes a race of who can win, and if he doesn't win then he declares that it wasn't a race after all.

Princess D has taken most of this in stride with the understanding that he is younger and someday he will grow out of this phase. There have been a couple of instances when Princess D has simply had enough of the "little brother" behavior reducing her tears of frustration and us having to adjust their behaviors.We set ground rules like making them take turns pushing buttons, or making him hold the door open for everyone if he insists on being the one to open it.

Then there are the moments when they just play together, or when he helps her with her video game, or when he wants to cuddle with her to watch a movie before bed, or when he insists that she sit next to him, or when he told a waitress that Princess D was his "big sister". Those are the moments when she remembers that Terror is the "little brother" she wants around ... even if he always wants to go first.

Wordless Wednesday: England 2011 - Day 6

noreply@blogger.com (Red Lotus Mama) — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 14:28:00 +0000

England 2011 - Day 5

noreply@blogger.com (Red Lotus Mama) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 22:25:00 +0000

I love to check out new sights and try new things whenever I am in England. There is so much history here that you can discover something around almost every corner - ruins dating back to the Roman times, a graveyard where a famous author is buried, a statue representing a child's nursery rhyme, or a 16th century castle. I could never get sick of this country.

This is my 5th visit (including a 2.5 month stay) and since The Boyfriend and his son lives here I am beginning to feel like England is my second home. It is so rare that all four of us are together that we try to maximize the most of our time doing really creative activities to entertain and educate the kids while sightseeing. But, today we woke up to a very grey and rainy morning in Essex, so we decided to spend the day doing "normal" family type things.

First on the list was going to Tescos to pick up some things like water, toothbrushes and reusable bags. Then we took the kids to an indoor play area so they could run around. After a little over an hour of climbing, running and jumping they were hungry so we headed to McDonald's for lunch. There is nothing better to do on a rainy day than to see a movie. We grabbed some candy and headed to "the cinema" to see HOP. After the movie we did a little shopping at The Disney Store. The day ended with take out Chinese food at The Boyfriend's parents' house.

Even with the cold, damp weather; the frustration of the kids bickering at times; and my PMS today has been lovely because it was REAL LIFE. Something I wish was more often than a just few days a year.

England 2011 - Day 4

noreply@blogger.com (Red Lotus Mama) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 15:56:00 +0000

Today's post will educate you on what a traditional English breakfast consists of. You will see pictured on The Boyfriend's plate:

1 fried egg
1 hash brown
2 sausages
3 pieces of bacon (which is more like grilled ham)
baked beans
1 whole grilled tomato
1 slice of toast
1 slice of black pudding

Now for those of you that don't know what black pudding (a.k.a.blood sausage) is, let me enlighten you ... it is vegetables (sometimes meat) and spices shoved into a pig or sheep intestine and filled with sheep, cow or pigs BLOOD. Then the sausage is boiled to serve. It can also be deep fried for those who prefer their blood sausage crispy.

Non appetite!

Ooops ... I mean Bon appetite (that was a Freudian slip by my Droid auto correct).