“It’s a Small World” Trivia
Disneyland opened its renovated and enhanced favorite ride “It’s a Small World.” It’s the song that once you hear you cannot forget for the rest of the day no matter how hard you try. It’s the ride that has captivated young and old for many years. So, with the new opening I thought it would be fun to share some trivia with you.
I hope to see you on the ride someday. Maybe we’ll find the 29 characters together. Comment to this post as you find them!
bethany@exclusivebaby.com

Disneynature earth is coming to theaters April 22 (Earth Day) and I think I'm more excited than my kid's. Here are a bunch of fun facts to know before you go.
Disneynature earth Fun Facts 
The humpback whales in the film migrate 4,000 miles from the warm waters of the tropics to the waters off Antarctica where they feed on krill and small fish.

All right OC Moms we still have some tickets for Thomas and Friends.. Give us a shout at Mom@OCMomsBlog.com for FREE Tickets. (4 Left)
Percy, James, Gordon – and, of course Thomas - are headed your way! Join these engine friends, Sir Topham Hatt and the townspeople of Sodor for a one-of-a-kind not-to-be-missed live entertainment experience: Thomas & Friends™ Live! On Stage: A Circus Comes To Town.
The 90-minute musical adventure, produced by HIT Entertainment and AEG/ThemeSTAR, includes brand-new singalong songs and a colorful cast of circus performers to tell the engaging story of how all the engines on the Island of Sodor must work together to prepare for the exciting event under the Big Top. Problems arise along the way, and Thomas has to prove he's a really useful engine once again. Thomas & Friends™ Live! On Stage: A Circus Comes To Town demonstrates the importance of friendship and cooperation as it gets young children dancing and singing along, creating lifelong memories for them and their families.
"We're thrilled to bring families an entertainment experience they can't find anywhere else," said Mark Avery, CEO, AEG/ThemeSTAR. "Thomas & Friends™ Live! On Stage: A Circus Comes To Town engages and captures kids' attention the way Thomas and his friends have captured their imagination for generations. Kids will never forget the fun they have at the show – and their parents will never forget the smiles it brings to their kids' faces. If a family can only see one live entertainment show this year, make it Thomas & Friends™ Live!"
Just in time for the holidays, Southern California Residents Can Now Purchase Annual Passports through a New Monthly Payment Program
As Disneyland Resort celebrates the holiday gift-giving season, a newly launched Monthly Payment Program for Annual Passholders will make it easier for Southern California residents to have their own frequent Disneyland Resort celebrations in the year to come.
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A single mother with young children is preparing to enjoy her family’s first Christmas off of the streets at the Village of Hope. Last Christmas this family faced a hard reality living in the family vehicle through the holidays. This year her children will enjoy a warm meal, presents and a safe place to sleep, celebrating Christmas the way children should be able to, at the Village of Hope homeless center.
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Wonderland Bakery, a specialty bakery with a fairy tale beginning, has won the heart of the mayor of Newport Beach, the governor of California and now Whoopi Goldberg, co-host of ABC’s ‘The View.’
Whoopi was on a mission to find “The Best Gingerbread Cookie” that was reminiscent of her childhood memory of this classic treat. There was a coast to coast search and taste test with the final results broadcast on ABC’s ‘The View,’ Wednesday, December 10, 2008. Whoopi officially declared ‘Wonderland Bakery’s Gingerbread Cookie’ as her favorite.
“This is it!” says Whoopi “I wanted him (gingerbread cookie) to have that groove when you eat him. Wonderland made the cookie with the right combination of gingerbread and raisins, I love this cookie!”
It will be a very Merry Christmas for Wonderland Bakery with an endorsement from Whoopi on ABC’s ‘The View’ which has an audience of 4.67 million viewers weekly.
<< MORE >>The Merriest Of Holiday Celebrations Make Spirits Brighter Than Ever At Disneyland Resort
When it comes to celebrating the magic and sparkle of the holidays, there’s no place like the Disneyland Resort, the Merriest Place on Earth. From November 21 through January 4, the annual Disneyland Resort holiday celebration will be more dazzling than ever.
Guests will enjoy the return of the holiday’s most popular offerings as well as be immersed in new entertainment at both Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure parks.
Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle, first introduced in 2007, will be decorated even more elaborately this holiday season with additional snowdrifts and icicles. After dark, a sensational new holiday lighting and special effects show will carry the magic of the holidays from the Castle all the way to the Christmas Tree in Town Square. And, for the first time in 53 years, the Christmas Tree will be completely artificial, which enables Disneyland to present a holiday light show like no other with more than 62,000 energy-efficient LED lights.
The Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle presentation unfolds throughout the evening in three acts, each of them featuring a touch of winter snow on Main Street, U.S.A. The finale of the show includes the legendary “Believe … in Holiday Magic” fireworks show, which takes guests on a journey of sights and sounds of the season and ends with a touching rendition of “White Christmas” along with a climactic snowfall swirling down on Main Street, U.S.A., “small world mall” and New Orleans Square.
Tickets on sale now!
The Ice Tour, produced by Feld Entertainment, Inc. and Kenny Ortega, spotlights popular East High Wildcat story and musical moments, including 11 Billboard Hot 100 hit songs from the Emmy® Award-winning Disney Channel Original Movies. In this modern day Romeo and Juliet fable, world and national skating champions portray the popular characters with a combination of the movies’ dance moves and ice skating choreography that includes spins, jumps and pairs skating.
The Ice Tour is the only way for Wildcat fans to experience the pep, pop, drama and dazzle of the first two “High School Musical’ movies live, plus an exclusive High School Musical 3 pre-show feature that will rock the arena. The complimentary Special Bonus Experience includes High School Musical 3: Senior Year behind-the-scenes footage, music videos and cast member interviews. Kenny Ortega introduces this exciting feature via video screen, and families are treated to a one-of-a-kind experience as movie and Ice Tour choreographer Chucky Klapow joins Kenny on screen to provide a High School Musical 3: Senior Year dance lesson. Fans will be rocking in the aisles to the new movie’s anthem song as skaters demonstrate the hot new steps on ice.
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Knott’s Merry Farm Invites Everyone to “A Charlie Brown Christmas” Before you know it Christmas vacation will be here. Knott's is a festive and fun place for the whole family to enjoy this Holiday season...
Knott’s Berry Farm will magically transform into Knott’s Merry Farm this holiday season as they present “A Charlie Brown Christmas” with seasonal entertainment, spectacular decorations including a 65 foot tall Christmas tree, and a colorful Christmas parade starting Thanksgiving day and running through December 30, 2008.
The newest and very cool community for OC foodies
Hi Mom's hope you are all doing well in these crazy holiday days! I know I've been horrible about posting lately...sorry. I've been working behind the scenes on some great new events coming to Orange County in 2009. For instance Orange County Restaurant Week, Happy Hour Week and Kid's Restaurant Week...
Join...It's FREE www.ocfoodies.com << MORE >>
Make your Family a little BIGGER with a new pet for the Holidays...
Question: What does global warming have to do with a cat population explosion?
Answer: A lot! With the earth’s temperature increasing, we have experienced longer dry summer months which have led to a longer mating season for cats, resulting in thousands of additional kittens. This population explosion has resulted in drastically overcrowded shelters and rescues, thus straining resources and leading to higher euthanasia rates.
The Irvine Animal Care Center is trying to address its own cat overpopulation issues by hosting a Home for the Holidays adoption event on Sunday, Dec. 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Numerous other rescue groups from Orange County and surrounding areas will be participating as well, bringing over 200 homeless dogs and puppies. Plus, Santa Claus will be on hand for pictures with children and pets. There will also be food, vendors, a silent auction, raffle and a pet toy booth. It will be great holiday fun for the entire family.
The Irvine Animal Care Center will also offer special discounted adoption rates for its more than 300 dogs, cats and rabbits. The shelter currently has over 200 cats. The average for this time of year is about 60.
Home for the Holidays is presented by Ralph’s Grocery. Pets are welcome; admission is free.
The Shelter is located at 6443 Oak Canyon Road in Irvine. For more information, go to www.irvineshelter.org or call 949-724-7740.
National mom marketing agency, Mom Central Consulting, has just released an extensive 55-page trend report, illuminating the Power of Mom Bloggers. Mom Central, the country's premier voice for the mom marketplace, has delved into the tremendous viral power of this group and their ability to influence the success of a brand or company. The study, which was just completed, includes in-depth interviews with nearly 300 of the most influential and popular mom bloggers along with surveys of 495 Moms nationwide. Mom Central CEO Stacy DeBroff says, "Every day, we work with hundreds of Mom Bloggers, both in terms of research as well as running extensive blog tours for corporations. We wanted to share an elusive insider's perspective into these Mom bloggers-who exactly they are and how they build powerful brand awareness and influence consumer behavior."
Some key findings:
— 96% of Moms value recommendations they find on Mom Blogs
— Over 78% of Mom Bloggers now review products and services
— 94% of Moms rely on other Moms to make purchasing decisions
— More than 60% of Mom Bloggers consider making money important and want more connectivity with companies
— 37% of Mom Bloggers have been contacted as resources for the press
The researchers at Mom Central asked mom bloggers to describe why they blog, their financial motivations, how much time they devote to blogging, their personal and professional backgrounds, and their interactions with brands. Mom Central's Vice President of Research Tracey Hope-Ross says, "We wanted to delve deep into what motivates mom bloggers and why they represent such an untapped viral force for both corporations and causes. We were surprised by our findings and are excited to share these valuable insights."
For additional information on the Mom Blogger trend report, contact Tracey Hope-Ross VP Research | Mom Central, Inc. tracey@momcentral.com
"Play experts" urge parents to recognize the importance of healthy play
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What was once considered child's play is now a key factor in healthy child development. Board games and interactive play are considered essential in leading a balanced life, according to a clinical report by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). |
And Chief Funster and co-founder of SimplyFun, Gail DeGiulio says the importance of healthy play goes beyond just fun – it’s imperative to be included in daily routines. According to the 2007 AAP report, "Play allows children to use their creativity while developing their imagination, dexterity, and physical, cognitive and emotional strength."
Today, video games and digital entertainment compete with traditional forms of play, such as board games, puzzles, and imaginative toys. According to DeGiulio, face-to-face, real interaction between family and friends through traditional tabletop games reinforces life’s most important lessons."When you play a board game, conversations naturally take place while a child’s communication skills are being developed. For parents, there is nothing that can replace those special teaching moments," DeGiulio said.
Healthy play is not just vital for kids. Play is for families and adults as well, DeGiulio says. "Families that play together, stay together – that’s our belief. There is irreplaceable bonding, positive interaction, and life lessons taking place during play. Children can learn family values, and a family’s identity can be discovered through play. For adults, play brings much-needed balance and down time, while deepening social relationships."
SimplyFun's mission is to "promote the importance of play and create lifelong memories that enhance the quality of life for its consultants, customers and employees." The company focuses on a series of guiding principles that include: healthy play at all ages must be fun, promote face-to-face interaction, foster social skills and other important learning, and the play experience must be enjoyable over and over again. In short, play should enhance the experience of living.
For more information on the importance of play and SimplyFun, please visit www.simplyfun.com. For more information on the American Academy of Pediatrics and their report titled "The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development," please visit www.aap.org/pressroom/play-public.htm.
I love to play. Who doesn’t? We don’t get enough play time these days, specially for moms. With the last Exclusive Baby Cruise of 2008 only two weeks away we thought it would be fun to play a game!
On our April cruise we were delighted to have a celebrity on board. The boat was all a twitter about her appearance. She enjoyed shopping, talking and spending a day with her mother and cousin. Megan of Mommy Shots Photography caught them having a ball on the Exclusive Baby Cruise. We caught them enjoying a mini-massage from Dr. Jennifer Angell with Adjust4Kids, shopping from our boutique of hip and chic baby accessories from Patricia Ann Designs and La Tee Da and being amazed at Oopsy Daisy’s no-rinse shampoo (no water needed – yahoo)!
So who was this mystery person? Enquiring minds want to know! Well, it wouldn’t be any fun to just tell you so let’s play a game. Besides, by playing a game we get to give away prizes! What is more fun than giving away gifts? Winning them – duh! So come play. It’s simple.
Guess who the celebrity is from the picture. Think you’ve got it? Then click on the picture and tell us who you think it is. If you guess right then you’ll receive a fabulous discounted shopping spree! But what if I guess wrong? No worries, you’ll still be able to shop with a few perks thrown in.
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The season of tricks and treats will be celebrated at Disneyland Resort with the traditional giant “Mickey Mouse” jack-o’-lantern in Disneyland Town Square, Haunted Mansion Holiday in New Orleans Square and Candy Corn Acres in Disney’s California Adventure, along with festive foods, a lively mix of Disney characters in Halloween costumes and year two of Disney’s Happiest Haunt Tours. During regular park hours at Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure, Halloween Time at Disneyland Resort offers parents and children plenty of family-friendly fun in addition to the parks’ many popular adventures. Halloween Time activities include special shows, meet-and-greets with Disneyland characters in spirited costumes, along with opportunities to decorate Halloween cookies and listen to storytellers at “Woody’s Halloween Roundup” at Big Thunder Ranch. |
“What thoughts are you wearing?”

If you’re looking for a little more inspiration in the world, it may be as easy as getting dressed in the morning. Awareables.com is a new favorite of mine that I wanted to share with you. This new clothing company is about positive thinking, positive energy and changing your outlook from the inside out. Their high-style tees have all kinds of sayings from “Gratitude Rocks” and “Grounded for life” to “Inhale. Exhale. Repeat.” and “Shift Happens.” (That last one always gets the most comments when I wear it.<< MORE >>
Selia Ricardez from Whittier, California, has been named the nation's GRANDParent of the Year for 2008 — A radiologic technologist, Ms. Ricardez has demonstrated
the ability to see into and penetrate the hearts of others with healing love and wisdom. Selia gets up at 5:00 am every day to make lunches for her four grandchildren, help their busy, working
parents take them to school, attend to bumps and bruises as well as their spiritual needs, and enrich the lives of this quintessentially American family, which encompasses several cultures, including
Chinese, Hispanic, and Cambodian.
Grandparents are the primary caregivers for nearly six million children across the U.S. — and the numbers are growing. In fact, 75 percent of all nonparent care of children in America is now provided by grandparents.
"I always ask: 'What did you do on the playground? What happened at school today?' says Ricardez. "Maybe someone pushed them. Now they're relaxed, they feel safe, they'll talk about it. I think they open up with me because I share things from when I was a little girl, they listen, they relate to my stories, to my opening up and sharing."
20 Finalists from 16 States
Because there were so many inspiring stories submitted, 20 additional finalists from 16 states have been named. The stories of the ten semi-finalists can be found on the website, http://www.grandmagazine.com.
"In choosing our winners, we read compassionate stories of Grands who are raising their grandchildren," says GRAND magazine publisher Christine Crosby. "Grands who are active in their grandchildren's lives despite disabilities, Grands who moved away from comfortable lives in order to live closer to the grandchildren, Grands who juggle work and family, Grands who are teachers of life, spiritual guides, role models, advocates for the rights of others, peacemakers, and adventurers."
"Grandparents are becoming increasingly critical to the health and welfare of our nation's children," says Dr. Lorrie Henderson, acting president of the 126-year-old national children's crisis charity KidsPeace. "At a time when children are facing unprecedented stresses and many parents are busy juggling home and career, the deep reservoir of knowledge and parenting wisdom held by today's 79 million grandparents amounts to nothing less that a national treasure. There's a Mother's Day. There's a Father's Day. There's even a National KidsDay(R). It's time we recognized the invaluable contributions made by today's grandparents."
GRAND Magazine, the Official Magazine of Grandparents, is a national resource for today's active grandparents.
So did any of you celebrate Grandparents day? If you are like me and no idea it existed, you can make it twice as nice next year..I will
You're invited to Work On Your Terms...A Conference for Women
When I started Part-time Professionals late last year, one of the primary driving factors was the need that I saw for helping professional women find challenging, fulfilling work that would fit in with their lives and family's schedules. I speak to several women each day seeking work flexibility, and the challenges we face are the same.
Part-time Professionals and Vector Performance has put together a women's work/life event that was created to provide you with what you need to Work On Your Terms. Please join us for a day of learning, building community, and inspiration.
Who Should Attend?
ALL net proceeds will be donated to the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Fund
Questions: Contact info@part-timeprofessionals.com
On-line registration at www.part-timeprofessionals.com
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The Disneyland Resort is celebrating health, fitness and family fun with more than 18,000 participants who registered for the third annual Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend, August 29-31. The highlight of the weekend is a 13.1 mile event affectionately dubbed “The Happiest Race on Earth.” Participants in the Disneyland Half Marathon will travel a course unlike any half marathon in the world. It passes through the two Disneyland Resort theme parks – Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure – and it’s full of Disney inspiration with flaming cannons at the start, live entertainers all along the route, and Disney characters as cheerleaders. |
In three and one-half hours or less, runners will pass Disneyland icons such as Sleeping Beauty Castle and the Matterhorn, and they will also pass Anaheim landmarks such as the Honda Center, Angel Stadium of Anaheim and the Anaheim Convention Center before finally crossing the finish line in the Downtown Disney District.
The Disneyland Half Marathon has become a popular road race for its flat loop course and mild climate, ideal for personal best times. Hosted by the Disneyland Resort and the City of Anaheim, it reached registration capacity in July. More than 13,500 runners are scheduled to participate in the Half Marathon on August 31, and 5,000 participants will be competing in the Family Fun Run 5K and Kids' Races on August 30, with participants from all 50 U.S. states and 16 countries.
Teenagers Launch “Inconvenient Youth” Network to Fight Global Warming
Stanford Workshop Trains 80; Social Network Goes Live

Inconvenient Youth, a new non-profit, non-partisan network for and by teens has started recruiting and training young people to fight global warming. Today the group launched with a three-day workshop on climate change at Stanford University attended by youth from around the world.
The inaugural training will run from August 15-17 and is based on the acclaimed “An Inconvenient Truth” presentation by former Vice President Al Gore. Eighty students from as far away as New York and Japan are learning how to educate others about global warming and what they can do to fight it. Sessions include environmental science backgrounders, breakout discussions, brainstorming and plenary meetings. Keynote presentations will be delivered by Mary Doerr, founder and executive director, Inconvenient Youth; Steve Shenbaum, president, GameOn Media; Adam Metz, president, Metz Networks; and Raj Shukla, project coordinator, The Climate Project.
Inconvenient Youth is a non-profit network founded and driven by a team of four teenagers based in Menlo Park, California. Their goal is to mobilize young people to educate their communities about environmental science and solutions using a youth-focused version of “An Inconvenient Truth.” The network is working to build enough momentum to make a real impact in solving global warming. Among the actions recommended by the group are grass-roots campaigns, forming campus climate clubs, and video recording sessions with city council and congressional members.
“The world’s youth have a huge personal stake in global warming,” said Inconvenient Youth founder Mary Doerr, a high school senior. “After all, it is our future that hangs in the balance. The Inconvenient Youth network will give a voice to the many youth around the world who want to make difference now.”
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When’s the last time you got out of the house for a date night, or – even better – ALONE? Been a while? Can’t even remember? I’m with you sister, and the number one reason that we don’t get out is that we just can’t find a sitter. But not just any sitter, I want someone I can trust to engage my kids and not just plop on the couch in front of my tv on the phone! I want someone who will get down to their level, play their games, act silly, and enjoy herself. And it wouldn’t hurt if she was CPR certified and came with awesome references. Now where do I find someone like that?
Almost Back to School!
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Part of me loves the month of August, and part of me dreads it. August is the month of our wedding anniversary, the Little League World Series and of course fantastic Angels Baseball. August also means warmer and more beautiful weather here in OC. Unfortunately, August also means “back to school.” I actually look forward to the return of a normal routine in our home. Both my husband and I work full time outside the home, so our schedule with the kids doesn’t change much in the summer. |
For Moms that are currently working or thinking about working again someday.....
ARE YOU "LINKED IN"?
I recently attended my monthly National Association of Women Business Owners meeting, and had a mentor class with Cara Good, CEO of Wundermarx PR. She spoke about how all of us can utilize social networking to identify opportunities for ourselves and our businesses, and also how we can communicate our expertise through the use of Linkedin. If you would have asked me a few years ago what Linkedin was, I wouldn't have had a clue. Technology and the use of it to connect with people has changed so much in the past few years. I'm determined to learn more about all of this stuff since it seems that is the direction where everything is going in business today!

Always exciting, fresh and HOT, cb Coco Brazil bikinis combined the best of Brazilian style and colors with the fit and quality expected of North American brands. To see the all the cute styles to choose from go to http://cbcocobrazil.com/carolina.html.
To enter all you have to do is leave a FANTASTIC comment on this post. Please be sure to include your email so that I can contact you if you’re one of the lucky winners.
<< MORE >>Starry, Starry Night Charity Event
Didn't want you to miss this great charity event. It's posted on OCEZINE.com, here's the scoop...
When: Thursday, September 11, 2008 from 7 – 10 pm
Walk Orange County’s ultra exclusive red carpet, bid on priceless live and silent auction items while mingling with The Real Housewives of Orange County. All proceeds will benefit Working Wardrobes, a non-profit organization that gets adults in crises back to work. http://ocezine.com/2008/07/26/starry-starry-night-charity-event.aspx
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Dr. Jerry Weichman — a popular Newport Beach based teen psychologist, parenting expert andmotivational speaker — today announced the publication of How to Deal, hisfirst book for young adults. The book, which was pre-ordered by variousschool administrators throughout Orange County, follows Dr. Weichmanthrough his personal struggles while giving readers practical tools andadvice for dealing with the challenges of being a teenager today. "Sex, drugs and alcohol, stress, social drama and extraordinaryacademic pressure — being a teenager is harder than ever. Teens today arefacing adult pressures and issues on a daily basis. Especially with accessto the Internet, cell phones and two-ways, teens are exposed to — and areexpected to keep up with — a constant stream of adult information," saidJerry Weichman, Ph.D., author of How to Deal. "As teens struggle to definewho they are, they often demand the freedom and responsibility of being anadult, when they really need and crave structure. |
It Chick Clothes - online plus size boutique for tween girls - is launching a Photo Essay Contest! Winner receives a Wii Fit!
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“If the body is a temple, I need to beg for holy Zen Mama forgiveness!”
Did I commit double deadly chocolate cake sin? Sun myself to a crispy, bubbling summer mess? Drink Cosmos till I dropped? No, it’s worse … I took a Lean Extreme Sculpt class! My girlfriend teaches fitness, so I innocently thought I’d support the cause. How bad could 60 minutes be? Well, after the lunges, crunches, weights and push ups paired with intermittent, heart-racing athletic drills, I almost threw up, and couldn’t walk for three days post this body “betterfication” attempt. Now granted, I’m a little out of shape, and while my alter ego is my illustrated serene Yogi lady who can do a full lotus with ease, I am far from that aspiring limber, flexible status. But since I want to be her someday, I bring her along for the ride.
| My new interest in exercise was initiated as part of my “Peace, Love and Momminess” journey to find improved mental and physical wellness for myself, my kids, my family. It also stemmed from the fact that I couldn’t find a pair of jeans to save my soul. So I lost 40 pounds and every day get a little closer to my goals. Back to the do-or-die fitness class. After that class, I felt like I should give my body some ridiculously huge peace offering, perhaps the entire deadly chocolate cake? A weekend of hot stone massage? Something? Anything … in exchange for the shock-induced, fiery hell I sent it to. |
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Creature Discomforts
Disability awareness is not just exclusive to Orange County and the

One problem she had came from her very independent first child. The one who says, “I want to do it!” She wanted to do everything herself, including feeding herself at a very early age. Of course this resulted in food everywhere – the floor, the walls, the clothes and most of all in her hair. Not wanting to bathe her every time she ate, Debby wanted a shampoo that was quick, fun and did not require water!
Armed and ready to find the solution to her problem she went to the Internet ready to purchase. To her frustration and surprise she could not find anything that would help her. As any woman would do (you go girl!), she decided to come up with her own solution and we are all thankful she did.
Listen to my interview with Debby of Oopsy Daisy Beautiful Baby to discover how you can benefit from her determination to solve her problem – a line of amazing no-rinse products including shampoo, body wash and conditioner. Whether your child is a baby or a teenager you will love this product. It is great for everyday living as well as those trips to the beach or camping vacations.
Click here to listen to the interview.
Subscribe to Exclusive Baby Podcast by Email

This past week, I noticed a new billboard on the south 55 as you pass the Edinger exit. The sign reads, “Chances are there is a CHOC miracle in the car next to you” and it is clearly an advertisement for Children’s Hospital of Orange County. As I see this sign each morning on my drive to the office, it pulls at my heart a bit as I think to myself, “If Jenelle was in the car, a CHOC miracle would be in my car!”
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Are Evites impersonal? Or practical
My daughter’s first birthday was about two months away and we thought about what we were going to do it. She probably won’t remember anything, so should it be a big shindig or a small family gathering? After much discussion and reminiscing about what our friends and families did, we decided Yes, BIG party!
We had received a party magazine in the mail just a few days before and let her look through it for the theme. She just about jumped out of her skin when she came across the Backyardigans page, so Backyardigans it is! And that was about as far as we got until we went on vacation for two weeks. During our vacation I wrote out the guest list, decided on what food to have, and ordered decorations. I even looked online for inflatable pools for the backyard. But there was something I was missing…. What was it? Hmmm…. Think, think, think. THE INVITATIONS!!!!!
3 Things I learned on our Vacation

Motion sickness can last for days.
After much planning we were off on our vacation. Our vacations normally consist of camping trips but this year we had saved enough mileage points on our credit cards to visit family in Chicago. Not the exotic vacation of our dreams but a vacation that would end up being a memory more valuable than money could buy.
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I am always amazed by the honesty that comes from children. They tell it like it is, they aren’t afraid to ask questions and are never concerned with being politically correct. We should all be so lucky.
A year ago, my 7 year old next door neighbor came knocking at our door. When I answered, she was standing there with a friend. She then explained in a matter of fact tone that her friend had never seen a "mentally retarded kid" before, so she wanted to introduce her to my daughter Jenelle. With a smirk on my face, I invited her into the house and watched our neighbor introduce her friend to Jenelle.
I said “Yes,” and I’m so glad I did
Yesterday was one of those days where nothing went right. The morning began with a long “to do” list and rushing out the door. My daughter was off to a camp through Campfire and my son and I had some very special errands to do that I had been putting off with the words “we can do that when school is out because we’ll have time.” Yeah right! Summer is not more time, just different busyness.

Do you dig into other people’s trash to recycle their cans? Do you recycle bath water for the next person? Are you fighting with your husband over what light bulbs to use? Do you not see the beauty anymore in a view of city lights? Do you dare let your kids run through a water-consciousless sprinkler this summer? I just did that last one and, quite frankly, the whimsical, summer fun ritual was lost on my guilt of leaving the water running while the kids played, then ran away, then played, then ran away. Silly? Probably.<< MORE >>

Eco-Anxiety! Are We Green with Panic?

Father's Day
I’m so excited to be a part of the OC Mom’s Blog. We’re going to have a great time sharing our lives and the ups and downs of motherhood together.
With Father’s Day only a few days away I couldn’t resist writing about the perils we women have on making dads feel special on Father’s Day. We women have a list a mile long for Mother’s Days – the spa, a massage, jewelry, pictures… We are the easiest persons in the world to buy for but not our counterparts. Oh my, finding a present for any occasion for men is enough to make you have premature gray hair (and you thought it was from the kids!).
In my vast experience (yeah right!) I have found that presents don’t make the day for dads. Besides, when you give it to them they are only thinking "how much did this cost me?" or "she didn’t have to spend that much money on me." For men the cost of items does not relate to how special they are to us. That’s a woman thing. So in this time where we are beginning to dig for lost change in our couches here are some ideas for the upcoming Father’s Day:
Dads, just like Moms, love the unexpected little things that can make a day special. I’ve come to realize it is not at all about the biggest, most expensive gift that makes the day but it is all about the memories and helping Dad see how special he is to the family. Have a very special Father’s Day.
Bethany Sunny
www.ExclusiveBabyCruise.com

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In celebration of Earth Day (Earth Week) I really feel like I should do my part to help spread the GREEN Word. I spent a few hours Sunday researching ways that can really make a difference in global warming. Most of us have heard the obvious, like cars that are eco friendly and using the right kind of light bulbs.. I was on a mission to find bigger things that we can all do. When I was a kid everything I watched on TV or the movies always boiled down to sides of good or evil, dark side or light side. When it comes to living green those sides exist, you are either a planet healer or destroyer. I know that seems a bit drama but it's true and that's how I explain it to my kids. You have to pick a side, which one are you on?
Personally I'm working on as many as possible, but I admit I have a long way to go before I'm green enough. So here are some of the things I found on my lovely Sunday afternoon of searching for green tips.
The first thing that I found to be a very important issue is DEAD TREE MEDIA, what an ugly term. But it speaks loud and clear, it’s from dead trees and it’s media the worst kind of media, especially magazines. You know trees are here for many reasons, one of them is to shield us from global warming by absorbing carbon. According to Forest Ethics, deforestation accounts for 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions. As Mom's we can protect forest by taking action online, let advertisers know how you feel about print (especially glossy paper), support more online programs, write letters do whatever it takes. The glossy pictures on the covers can look so pretty I know, but what is even prettier is planet Earth and it needs our help. Many glossies out there write about being green, but don't practice what they preach they follow a do as I say not as I do approach. The glossy paper most magazines use is one of the worst papers you can use, you can’t even recycle some of these papers. I found a good article at CNN if you'd like to read more about what the Big magazine publishers are doing
read here>>The next one can be a bit tough, for me anyways. IT'S COFFEE, I know this may have sounded scary because a lot of us love stopping by starbucks and reading our glossies...BUT we can do so much for the planet by bringing our own coffee cup and laptop. If you want to read DEAD TREE MEDIA make it a newspaper, at least we can recycle that paper (unlike many magazines). Or bring your laptop and read the online version of your favorite magazines. The paper cups can be so festive and fun around the holidays, but you can resist the temptation Mom's I know you can. When our kid's see us doing this they will continue this as they grow up and bring a cup with them where ever they go. After enough Mom’s have stopped reading the glossy magazines, publishers will get the point and change their evil ways.
This is one I love and can be easier for us, because it looks good
I'm talking about Bamboo. Bamboo is so amazing and an incredible replacement for wood in just about everything we use wood for. Bamboo is one of the strongest building materials. Bamboo's tensile strength is 28,000 pounds per square inch versus 23,000 pounds per square inch for steel. It can be harvested in 3-5 years versus 10-20 years for most woods, now that's impressive. You can read more about bamboo at
Washing the dishes and the planet, well scientist say that running your dishwasher uses less water than washing everything by hand - thank God!
But there’s a catch only run the dishwasher when it is completely full and when you pre-wash the dishes to place in the dishwasher don’t rinse the bubbles.
This may freak some of you out, but think about it the dishwasher is going to re-soap the dishes and then rinse so no need to rinse before they get loaded up. This will save each house hold hundreds of gallons per year, you can read more dish washing
Cool tips or Kid's being green
Rainforest Alliance
When: March 16 at 9am
Where: Departing from Newport Beach
Cost: $35 - $75
More information: (949) 673-1434
Online: www.acsonline.org/orangecounty
Raise an Environmentally Aware Child and Family
Right now it is our time to shine as MOM. We can make so many changes simply by raising our kids to be friends of the Earth. As a kid I remember Ricky Raindrop and give a
Hoot don't polute. They said their message loud and clear in between commercials on Saturday Morning cartoons. What our kid's get is quite different and scary GLOBAL WARMING. A great way to
ease fear is knowledge. When you and your family are actively making changes to help Earth your kids will feel a sense of hope that we can make a difference and we can be the change. I have put
together a few resources that are really helpful. If you have any resources feel free to add them in a comment.
Pumpkin Ice Cream
Ingredients:
1 can pumpkin pie filling
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/4 cups simple syrup (1 part water to 1 part sugar)
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Method:
In a bowl, mix together all of the ingredients. Pour the mixture into an electronic ice cream maker9or follow your ice-cream makers directions. Freeze for 20 minutes, or follow the instructions for your ice cream machine.
Makes 1 quart (4 cups)
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