The past few months we have visited as a family three aquariums and the kiddos have thoroughly enjoyed learning about the different sealife that surrounds our beautiful coastline. A few months back I remember reading an article in a parenting magazine about reinforcing learning through films. It was a fascinating article and I can now kick myself for not writing down the name/title and for not keeping it. One of the suggestions was after say a trip to the aquarium, zoo, etc.. to sit down and watch as a family and watch a film about the specific animals you encountered. We put this to the test two weeks ago and let me tell you my son was on the edge of his seat and excited as could be.

We decided to watch Disney’s Oceans. It is really a great film for the entire family. The documentary was released on Earth Day 2010 on IMAX screens and I almost want to kick myself for not watching on the big screen. The film was filmed in over 50 locations and took almost 4 years to make. It features every kind of ocean animal imaginable. The film is breathtakingly beautiful and even my 5 year old was able to appreciate the beauty and quality filmmaking. He loved every second of it and asked questions throughout the entire film and also provided a running commentary. I think he really enjoyed being able to connect what he learned at the aquariums to what was going on in the film. If you haven’t seen this film, I highly recommend it. If you’ve already seen it, watch again after that trip to the aquarium.

I also downloaded the educators guide here. This is a great resource for homeschooling parents or for those of you that simply want to expand your children’s learning.

We will be heading to the San Diego Zoo next month and just in time for Disneynature’s newest release, Chimpanzee which will open nationwide on Earth Day, April 20th, 2012. I cant’ wait to watch it. I’m hoping to get a group together to watch the film on IMAX.

Credit: S Morales

Do you love cupcakes? Who doesn’t right? Syreeta shares about a one of a kind event all about cupcakes.

Two weekends ago I took my best friend to the LA Cupcake Challenge, hosted by Drink Eat Play, for her birthday.  What is the LA Cupcake Challenge?  It is a battle between awesome bakeries and cupcakeries from all over Southern California to determine who has the best cupcakes in our land.  Eighteen fierce competitors came together at the Renaissance Hotel in Hollywood on Saturday, February 4^th armed with two of their best mini cupcakes for patrons to partake in.  The tickets to the event are $40 (plus $3.86 service fee, natch), and that may have you thinking no cupcake is worth such a steep cost.  But what other time can you pig out on cupcakes in the name of history?!  The price of the ticket grants you entry into the event and one of each mini cupcake flavor from each of the 18 bakeries.

Credit: S Morales

When you enter the main room at the hotel, you will be overwhelmed by the noise and the amount of people packed inside waiting to have their sweet tooth satisfied.  At first glance, there appears to be a line for the row of bakeries that leads around the room like a Candy Land board game.  As you make your way through Yummy Town, people will ignore the line and cut in front of you, but resist the urge to smear frosting on their faces.  There are enough cupcakes for every ticket purchased.  The most important thing I learned is that, unless you have 18 hands to hold your 36 cupcakes, you will need to bring some form of Tupperware or cake box large enough to hold your treats.

By far, the best part of the LA Cupcake Challenge is the bakery owners and their employees.  They are enthusiastic, super knowledgeable about cupcakes, and downright jolly.  This is what they love to do, and they are beyond thrilled to see you gobble up their masterpieces.  As you make your way to each bakery’s table, they will mark their name off the yellow rate sheet you are given when you check into the event.  They will describe each of their cupcakes to you in delicious detail.  You will want to stop right there and dig in.  Be strong!  There’s time for that later.

Credit: S Morales

After you gather all 36 of your delectable treats, find a table and stake your claim pronto.  A few dedicated cupcake lovers had to sit on the floor.  They didn’t seem to be enjoying their cupcakes any less.  Sit down, and prepare for sugar overload.  The second most important thing I learned was to share one mini cupcake at a time with my best friend, instead of digging in to a whole one all by myself.  Once we started this practice, we were able to enjoy more cupcakes without feeling sickly.  Plus, you can take the leftovers home to your kids and they can eat them without wondering why there’s a big giant bite taken out of their dessert.

This year, there was only one category: Best Bakery.  After you’ve filled up on cupcakey goodness, you choose the Top 3 bakeries whose cupcakes you loved the most, and turn in your yellow rate sheet.  The rating given by the ticket holders and a special panel of judges chosen by Drink Eat Play determines the winner.  My Delight Cupcakery in Ontario was the winner for the 3^rd year in a row.  While I was not impressed with either cupcake they brought to the event, I am a HUGE fan of their bakery.  My faves at the event?  Sugar Babies Cupcakery with their savory ‘n sweet  Pancakes ‘n Bacon cupcake, and The De“Bite”ful Cups Cake Pop Shop who brought a mind blowing treat they dubbed Pastelitos Caliente: a hearty cornbread cupcake with bacon, and a cilantro frosting.  YUM!  Will I be attending the LA Cupcake Challenge next year?  Me and my 18 arms can’t wait to buy a ticket!

Syreeta is  mom to two very busy boys, ages 3 and 10.  She works full time as a loan processor at a local credit union, and part time as a finder of fun!  She loves to take her  family out on new adventures all over Southern California.  Disneyland is her  favorite place to make memories, but she  also enjoys other amusement parks, museums, zoos, exhibits, and anywhere else there are good times to be found.

La Mirada Performing Arts Center

My husband and I are both love the theater  and before we had children we used to watch at least two shows per month. Now that we have kiddos we don’t have the opportunity to watch shows quite as often, but we love to catch a good show whenever the opportunity allows. I want to make sure my children develop a love for the arts and I think early exposure is a huge part in developing that love.

We are lucky enough to live in beautiful Southern California where the opportunities abound. One of my favorite theaters,La Mirada Performing Arts Center, has a fantastic and inexpensive program for kids that can introduce kids to some great live theater.

The La Mirada Performing Arts Center Youth Program features a few shows per seasons geared just for children. This season features four shows that would be perfect to watch as a family. This Saturday they will Jambo, Watoto!Tales and Rhythms of Africa, Are You My Mother? based on the popular book by P.D. Eastman, Cinderella, and Funky Punks.

Shows are only 1 hour long with no intermission. It’s the perfect time frame for younger kiddos. Tickets are only $8 for children and $12 for adults. For the price of a movie you can introduce your children to the world of live theater and a love of art. It is a great deal! I priced out tickets for my daughter and I to watch Cinderella for a mommy/daughter special day out and it would only be $20! You can’t beat that!

For additional info and to purchase tickets head here.

Credit: Maribel Reyes

Have you ever visited Mingei International Museum in Balboa Park?  Mingei is a unique museum because it not only displays art but also local crafts and from around the world. Recently Maribel took her daughter to Balboa Park for a mommy and med outing. She shares all about it.

Last month we visited Mingei for their Family Sunday –which is held on the third Sunday of the month (This weekend!) and it was so much fun! It’s the perfect way to spend a day with the family and at only $5.00 per family or $3.00 for individuals also easy on the wallet.

You are greeted at the front entrance with a “map” with photos of the exhibits to begin a treasure hunt. The treasure hunt has trivia and takes you throughout the museum and makes learning FUN! Once you have toured the museum and have found all your clues you can return to the entrance, turn in your completed hunt and receive a prize!

Credit: Maribel Reyes

Family Sunday at the Mingei is truly a ton of fun! The museum also hosts a local artist demonstrating a make and take craft project. The day we visited the artist was Natasha Papousek (you can find her on ETSY). Natasha demonstrated beading and we had a great time putting our crafting skills tot the test.

The Mingei International Museum is open 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Tuesday – Sunday. For more information head here.

It’s Giveaway time! If you can’t make it to Family Sunday but would love to visit, We have a family 5 pack of admissions to the Mingei International Museum to giveaway. All you have to do is leave a comment letting us know why you would like to win. Giveaway ends on Sunday, February 26th. Winner will be chosen at random.

Maribel Reyes is mother to 2 adventure seeking kids and is always looking for new ways for them to learn through fun. Follow her on twitter and on her personal blog Stroller Adventures. You can also follow Maribel on Facebook here.

Credit: Heal the Bay

If you are looking for something fun to do this President’s weekend, you don’t want to miss out on Whale of a Weekend. This fun event is taking place in Santa Monica this weekend and features fun for the entire family. We are currently in Whale migrating season and it is the perfect time to catch glimpses of these majestic creatures. Heal the Bay is celebrating the grey whale’s migration at the Santa Monica Pier.

Whale of a Weekend highlights the annual migration of the Pacific gray whale, which completes one of the longest migrations of any species, traveling 10,000 to 14,000 miles round trip between the arctic seas and the warm lagoons of Baja California, Mexico. This migration takes the whales past the Pier – sometimes within viewing distance from the west end observation deck.

The Santa Monica Pier Aquarium will provide an observation deck at the end of the pier, complete with binoculars and field guides. There will also be American Cetacean Society/Whale Watch representatives staffing the observation station can address questions about gentle and magnificent mammals.

There will also be a discussion/lecture and Feeding of the sharks at 3:30pm. Admission to the aquarium is free for kiddos 12 and under. Admission for those 12 and over is $3. I would suggest parking at the pier because its the easiest with kids. It’s a little more but with OVO playing on the pier parking might be a little tight.

For additional info head here .

The Secret World of Arrietty was originally released in Japan in 2010 and was the highest grossing film of the year. The  animated films is  based on the novel, The Borrowers, by Many Norton and centers around The Clock Family. The Clock’s are tiny people that ive under the floor boards of  a human inhabited home. They have lived for years under another family’s home until one day the brave and strong willed Arrietty is spotted by one of the humans, Shawn.   Arrietty’s world is soon turned upside down by the Shawn’s discovery.  They form a unique friendship and both learn from each other.

My daughter and I both loved the film. I loved that Arrietty was such a great character role model. She is strong, independent and very courageous. The animation in the film is absolutely stunning. The colors in the movie are beautiful and before this film, I was not a fan of Anime. Well Arrietty has turned that around. I absolutely loved this film and would recommend it not only for kids but also for adults. It’s a film the entire family can watch together.

If you are looking for something to do this holiday weekend, I would definitely consider taking a trip to the local theater to watch this film. I think you’re going to love it! I don’t know if you remember the cartoon the Littles(boy that dates me doesn’t it?), but if you do, you’re definitely going to love this film!

Medieval Times New show

Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to experience  the premiere of Medieval Times All New Show. We love Medieval Times and have taken the kiddos to watch the show for birthdays and other special occasions. I think if you’ve grown up in Southern California, chances are pretty good that you’ve all experienced at least one birthday there. If you haven’t, you are missing out. It is a super fun evening out that the entire family will enjoy.

The All New Show was formulated by using suggestions from guests and fans of the show.  Guests are still divided into different sections and colors cheering on for their own knight. However the all new show is more exciting than ever. I had the opportunity to attend a birthday party last September and the new show is definitely more thrilling and exciting that the previous show(although that was a fantastic show). Medieval Times has improved a good show to make it a great one! The entire process took a little over two years to come to life and it shows. The show is jam-packed with jousting, sword-fighting, cheers, competition and overall a super fun time!

The Show in Full Swing

I took my friend to the premiere of the show and made it an adults only night and that was so much fun! It would make a perfect date night. I’ve also like I mentioned earlier taken the kiddos a few times and they absolutely loved the show. I can’t wait to take them again! I wouldn’t recommend taking anyone younger than four because the show is probably a little too long for their attention span. My kids loved cheering for their knight and loved not having to use utensils when they ate. The experience is truly so much fun!

My view

To help celebrate the New Show’s arrival, Medieval Times is offering a discount on tickets. You can purchase an adult admission for $44.95 and tickets for kiddos are $22.95. To take advantage of this offer head here.

Disclosure: This is not compensated post. I did receive complimentary tickets to facilitate the review.

I love to bake whenever I have the opportunity and I love a great challenge. When I was approached to take part in a baking challenge using plastics, I knew I wanted to be a part of it. With Valentines’ Day and Love in the air I decided to make my husband’s and daughter’s favorite treat, mini cheesecakes.  Our challenge involved using only plastics to help make our favorite Valentine’s Day recipe.

I admit, before this I was trapped in the belief that you only bake using metal cookie sheets, mixing bowls, etc.. Boy was I wrong. I used silicon bakeware and I don’t think I can go back.  The silicon is a breeze when it comes to unfolding and removing my goodies was a cinch. In my opinion plastics also cool much quicker than metal bakeware and because they are so easy to use my daughter helped me unmold the mini cheesecakes in a snap.

Plastics Make it Possible is a great website that provides info on using plastic in our lives, green living and more.  You can also find the recipe for my mini cheesecakes on the website here. You can also head over to read about the challenge I’m a part of and the best part, how you can win a plastics bakeware gift bag worth $250 to help you create your favorite recipe in your own kitchen. You can enter the sweepstakes here.

Head on over, download our recipes and enter to the plastics gift package. We received the same gift basket and it is AMAZING! Everything you will need to create the recipe of your choice. Good luck!

Disclosure: This is not a compensated post. I received $250 worth of plastic products to participate in the plastic baking challenge.

It’s winter in Southern California and sure it doesn’t snow like it does in other parts of the country but it’s still that crummy time of year that is full of unpredictable cold and rainy weather. Which makes planning a birthday party super difficult right? However, little Ben still deserves a bangin’ birthday blowout bash with all his friends. Below is a list of the best indoor party locations in and around Orange County that you probably haven’t thought of. Have another indoor party location to share? Add it in the comments section!

McDonalds: surprisingly inexpensive and fun. Call your local restaurant that has an indoor playground to inquire if they host birthday parties. We had my son’s 4^th birthday party there as a luncheon with 10 of his friends for under $100!

Hullabaloos Clubhouse: Located in the city of Orange is a super fun, super big indoor playground for kids. With a clean toddler area, rock climbing wall, huge tree house, arcade games and more there is literally something for everyone. Weekday party specials are available too.

Chick-fil-a: Yummy chicken, waffle fries and a birthday party? Yes please! Some chick-fil-a indoor playground locations do offer kids parties. Did you also know that Chick-fil-a caters?

Pretend City: let your birthday boy or girl explore over 15,000 square feet of interactive exhibits and use their imagination with all of their friends. A private room is available for cake and presents and then the play floor is theirs to discover!

Western Science Center: located in Hemet is a super fun kids museum that is perfect for your next science explorer’s birthday party location. Call 951) 791-0033 ext 230 for details.

Scooters Jungle: with 4 locations within Southern California, scooters jungle is bound to make your party extra special! Scooters Jungle is an indoor playground full of huge inflatables.

Laser Island: in Upland is a 17,000 square foot laser tag adventure great for kids ages 5 and up.

Child’s Play: located near downtown Temecula is a super clean and super fun indoor playground. Private, no hassle parties are available on the weekends.

My Giggle Place: located in Fullerton since May 2011, my giggle place is a super clean and fun indoor playground. Call: 714) 525-7529 to start planning your party today.

Sawdust Factory: If you have a crafty child that likes to paint and create, then the Sawdust Factory is the perfect place to have their next party! The Sawdust Factory is a wood craft haven with tons of projects to create. There are 15 party “themes” to choose from!

Little Prince Kids Restaurant: Located in Buena Park is a gorgeous restaurant, indoor playground for moms AND kids. Enjoy your lunch while your kids play safely nearby. Parties are avaiable too, call 714) 690-1432 for details.

Chino Youth Museum: Semi or fully private parties are available in this converted historic First National Bank building in downtown Chino that is now a children’s museum. The chino youth museum is a super fun, interactive and it is full of imaginary play.

Desiree Eaglin is a mother of a son with a January Birthday. She knows all the best indoor party location spots. You can read her personal blog at Sarcastic, Funny and Brutally Honest or you can find her on Twitter too.

Our Fancy Nancy Mommy and Me Date

Last week my daughter had the opportunity to attend a blogger/media junket with me and we decided to make a date of it. The junket was at the Four Seasons BH and when I told my daughter we were heading there, she said “mom we’re going to Beverly Hills? Like The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills?” I couldn’t stop laughing but also couldn’t believe how much I must talk about the housewife shows because my girl named all the characters. It’s almost embarrassing.

We went out to lunch at Villa Blanca(All my fellow Real Housewife addicts will know what I’m talking about), followed by a walk through the fancy shops and finishing with a pedicure for me and a polish change for her. It was perfect and I can’t wait to spend another special day with my girl again.

For more Wordless Wednesday fun  head over to Angry Julie Monday.

I would love to feature your photos of your outings on Wordless Wednesday. If you have any that you would like to share, please send them to mom@daytrippingmom.com