Hey September!

Our first year of homeschooling seemed endless...  so when Summer vacation finally started in May, we milked it.  We were lazy, we had adventures.  This was our best Summer yet.  Now that it's over, we've been trying to get into a new routine for the past two weeks.  Dame started high school, Ty returns as a Junior and Chris is back for the Fall semester.  If things work out, he'll be graduating with a degree in Fine Arts in May!  Now that Omie is older and active, it is a bit more challenging to homeschool Duke.  It is officially Fall but we're experiencing an ugly heatwave and I wish it would go away!  We are so much more productive in the Fall!  I'm pretty sure the cold weather motivates us!

Chris and I received letters last week offering us our jobs back but it was because of a court order so we're not budging.  There's language in the letter that states we can be let go after 60 days anyways.  This could've all been avoided way back when we got laid off.  I want my 18 years seniority back and I want to remain a Union member.  We are struggling but feel strongly about this.  I have had stability my whole life so this is hard for me to admit - maybe getting laid off was the best thing to happen to me.  I would have never dreamed of working from home but here I am - happy and enjoying my children.      

We started camping in our living room a few days ago.  The ac unit is in the front, we brought out our big fan and have been relaxing at a dreamy 68 degrees while outside is 101.  Sleeping on the floor is tough but I'd rather be a little sore than sweating.  The littles love it.  Tight spaces = closer family.    

Using Lego minifigs for Math!

Let me tell you how adorable they are watching and singing along to music videos on YouTube.

OC Fair 2013 - It's All About The Food

One of my favorite things about Summer is the OC Fair!  The kids love the rides and games.  Chris and I love looking at all the outrageous food offerings.  Fair food is amazing.  AMAZING!  Here's the deal, I usually dislike copy & pasting press releases but it was too delicious not to!  Are you ready for this Summer's OC Fair food?  It's all about the FOOD!

Featuring 23 days of deep-fried food, celebrity chefs, decadent desserts and culinary competitions

• Chicken Charlie: Chicken Charlie is churning out new food with Krispy Kreme Sloppy Joes, Deep-Fried Bacon-Wrapped Pickles and Waffle Dogs (a hot dog wrapped inside a waffle and all on a stick). Plus, don’t miss deep-fried cookie dough!

• Bacon A-Fair: This year’s new additions at Bacon A-Fair include Truffle Gouda Bacon Fries, Bacon Beer (root beer) and Cheesy Bacon Bombs. Plus, wild boar bacon on a stick will be served exclusively at the OC Fair.

• Biggy’s Meat Market: Channel your inner cave man (or woman) and come to Biggy’s Meat Market for the returning 17-inch The Big Rib plus the new Biggy Sausage, a 2-foot-long smoked sausage on a stick, and the Big Chic, 24 ounces of chicken breast on a stick of course.

• Ten Pound Buns: The mad scientists at Ten Pound Buns have added ground bacon, whipped butter and Nutella on top of their famous sourdough “pizza” for the Bacon Nutella Bun.

• Pink’s Hot Dogs: Long known for their innovative hot dogs named after celebrities, the Ghiradelli hot dog takes it to a new level. It is a beef dog topped with cream cheese, honey mustard, crumbled bacon and dark chocolate.

• More New Food: There are new tastes to be found throughout the OC Fair this year including deep-fried strawberries, a macaroni and cheese hamburger, fried bacon ice cream, deep-fried lobster, cream cheese on a stick, mango & chamoy popsicle (spicy-sweet lemon chile flavoring), heart-shaped funnel cake, Dirty BBQ Tasti Chips and more.

• OC Fair Foodies: New this year the OC Fair is introducing food-themed mascots including Scoop, Carl, Dip and their foodie friends all inspired by iconic Fair and farm foods such as ice cream cones, cotton candy, corn dogs, vegetables, fruit and more. Costumed characters, plushes and signage will be representing the foodie friends throughout the Fair.

• $2 Taste of Fair Food: Every Friday from Noon-4 p.m., Fairgoers can sample the best the Fair has to offer for only $2 each sample. Fun-sized samples include funnel cake, BBQ tri-tip, lemonade, cinnamon rolls, corn dogs, tacos, gelato, cotton candy and more.

• Celebrity Chefs: The 2013 OC Fair presents two shows in The Hangar featuring charismatic celebrity chefs demonstrating their culinary prowess. Scheduled appearances include the owners and chefs of the award-winning La Casita Mexicana Restaurant Jaime Martin del Campo and Ramiro Arvizu (July 20, 4 p.m.) and award-winning chef and owner of Bottega in Napa Valley and Coqueto in San Francisco Michael Chiarello (August 1, 4 p.m.) Free with Fair admission.

• Culinary Presentations: In addition to celebrity chefs, the 2013 OC Fair is also featuring local professional chefs from some of the county’s top local restaurants and other culinary artisans in the OC Promenade. Presentation days and times vary.

• Food Truck Fare at the OC Fair: On top of traditional and new Fair foods, Fairgoers can purchase gourmet fare from their favorite food trucks from inside the OC Fair gates every Thursday from Noon-10 p.m. Access is free with Fair admission and prices for food and drinks vary per truck.

• Kitchen Challenge: Watch local culinary professionals show off their chops and go head-to-head in a series of live cooking challenges set to various themes every Thursday in the OC Promenade: Meatheads (July 18), Time to Make The Donuts (July 25), Firehouse Chefs (August 1) and Vegan (August 8). Winners will receive bragging rights and an award to commemorate their culinary victory. Viewing is free with Fair admission.

• Contests and Competitions: Most of the traditional Culinary Arts competitions have closed their registrations but the Culinary Arts department is again hosting live contests that offer late registration with the Special Culinary Contests held the last four Saturdays, including the popular OC Cupcake Classic on August 3. Registration for these contests is the Wednesday before each contest. New this year is the Salad Daze contest, which is judging for the best picnic-ready salads. For a complete list, visit ocfair.com/competitions.

• Food As Art: Chef Ray Duey is an acclaimed food sculptor who was a gold medal winner from the Food Network’s Challenge Team and will be creating works of art out of fruits and vegetables daily in the OC Promenade. Award-winning Shaile Socher creates masterful floral arrangements out of sugar and will be demonstrating her intricate and dazzling talent in the OC Promenade daily. Demonstrations are free with Fair admission.  

• Centennial Farm: Experience being home on the range in this year-round, three-acre demonstration farm complete with crops, livestock and the Millennium Barn. Check out educational exhibits, agricultural organizations and the fruit and vegetable competitive entries. Visit ocfair.com/competitions for details on the Garden and Floral competitions offered.

The 2013 OC Fair, themed Come & Get It is July 12 – August 11 and brings 23 days of food, rides, exhibits, animals, music, action sports and fun, as well as the Toyota Summer Concert Series at the Pacific Amphitheatre, The Hangar and Action Sports Arena. The Fair is open Wednesday-Sunday. Concert tickets, action sports reserved seats and single-day general admission are available for purchase online at ticketmaster.com or from the on-site Box Office. The popular Super Pass, which offers the passholder 23 days of admission, is available for purchase online at ocfair.com from the onsite Box Office.

The OC Fair & Event Center is located off the 405 and 55 freeways at 88 Fair Drive in Costa Mesa. For more information, please visit ocfair.com, become a fan at Facebook.com/OCFair, follow us at twitter.com/ocfair or call (714) 708-1500. Also, download the free OC Fair iPhone and Android apps featuring a Food Finder and schedules of events.

Bacon Bombs from Bacon A-Fair
Photo credit: OC Fair & Event Center

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Disclosure:  I am receiving passes for my family and a lucky reader.  I genuinely love OC Fair and if I didn't, I wouldn't be posting about it.

Discovering style at Sears #ThisisStyle

Summer is almost here and it is definitely my second best season to dress for... I love shopping for dresses!  I live in dresses the minute the sun is out and temps hit 76 degrees!  Dresses are an affordable fashion piece that you can pair up with something you already have and then go out and buy accessories to dress up your outfit!  Earlier this month I went to SoFabCon (an amazing blogger and brand conference by Collective Bias) and in chatting with friends found out some good looking outfits were totally from Sears.  I really couldn't believe it, Sears fashion stepped it up.  I haven't shopped at a Sears store in years.  I was under the impression it was a man's store - it was where men went to get their tools!

With Memorial Day around the corner, I needed to get a pair of good sunglasses for all the fun shindigs.  My optometrist tells me all the time that I need to protect my eyes with sunglasses but have I listened to him?  No.  For the sake of fashion and my husband hounding me to get a pair... Yes.  I had the perfect pair in mind.  Big and cheetah print!  Maybe even a pair of cute sandals... I've been hunting for a fun shade of blue!

Not only did I find my perfect sunglasses but they were 30% off!  I also found another pair of cute sunglasses that I had to have and 2 pairs of earrings - all of that for $60 and I got rewards by using my Shop Your Way Rewards Card!  SCORE!  I am going to look so cute accessorizing up my outfits this Memorial Day!

I am totally flaunting how awesome my Sears is... The American flag and palm trees... Southern California doesn't get any better than this!  This one is at Buena Park Downtown - I love my city!

So the entrance we just randomly chose to park next to was the men's department.  Wah!  Show me the fashion!

And then I found the shoe section!!!

Oh my, there she is there - my sunglasses!  SOLD!  Ring me up!

These caught my eye - pretty much because I tend not to wear earrings because I like my hair in the front (refer to the picture above) but I have seen some women look spectacular with huge earrings and I had to have it for the colors and textures.  SOLD!  Ring me up!

These also caught my attention because of the cheetah but I didn't want to go overboard...

My husband loved these Kardashion Kollection cat eye sunglasses and I gave in and got 'em - got on my cheetah print dress with my trusty denim jacket and a pair of earrings I picked up from Sears!

I recently purchased this blue top and thought it would go well with my big earrings.  I like!  This picture is totally unflattering because I am in the process of training my husband to take my picture.  EEK!  This is the look of frustration!  I love these earrings by the way - they are the gateway to more earrings!


I am totally sold on Sears now - Are you?
Check out my whole shopping trip on my Sears Google+ Album! 

Get Social with searsStyle:  @searsStyle on Twitter / searsStyle on Facebook / searsStyle

Coca-Cola Swelter Stopper At Knott's Berry Farm

Today through May 8th from 11am-5pm - you can check out the Coca-Cola Swelter Stopper in front of Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, CA!  Experiences Include... "Perfect Serve" Ice Bar, Interactive Gaming, GreyScreen Video Studio, Photo Station and Energy Dance Floor!  And it is all FREE!!! 

We happened to pass by this morning on the way to the airport and the truck looks amazing!  I can't wait to check it out this weekend! 

For more information, visit swelterstopper.com

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@swelterstopper on Twitter

Instagram: swelterstopper

Disclosure:  This is not a compensated or sponsored post.  I love Coca-Cola!

Spend The Summer at Knott's Soak City

One of our favorite things to do in Southern California with kids is spending the day at Knott's Soak City.  We had season passes when I was pregnant with Duke.  We were there just about every day and I had the best tan.  Our routine was to get there early and get chairs in the shade but in a central area.  That was the #1 priority.  Once that was settled and sunscreen was applied, the kids went on their own and I got to relax.  

Of course I would insist on family time and our family favorites are:

Gremmie Lagoon offers our smallest thrillseekers their own pint-sized playground of interactive octopus, submarines and other oversized landmarks that squirt, sprinkle, soak and splash kids and parents too! 

Height Requirement: Must be UNDER 54 inches barefoot  

Sunset River You can’t resist the lazy river action of the 1,780-ft.-long Sunset River. At one-third mile in length, Knott’s giant figure-eight waterway is the widest and one of the longest water park lazy rivers in the world! 

Height Requirement: Guests under 42 inches must be accompanied by a responsible adult 

Rider Safety: Swimmers under 48 inches must wear a life vest

Tidal Wave Bay Locals know to head for our 750,000-gallon Tidal Wave Bay for the City’s best surf. Here, you can bask in the sun when the waves are “off” and shoot the curl when the breakers start rolling in! 

Height Requirement: Guests under 42 inches must be accompanied by a responsible adult 

Rider Safety: Swimmers under 48 inches must wear a life vest

Toyota Beach House Exclusively for tomorrow’s surfers, the Toyota® Beach House offers three stories of hands-on water fun including interactive water guns, nozzles, faucets and other surprises. And beware! Every five minutes the water bucket unloads 500 gallons of water on anyone below!

The kids would beg for Dippin' Dots before we called it a day and if they were lucky we'd do it all over again the next day!  I highly recommend getting Season Passes.  They have been the answer to boredom for us and necessary for those intensely hot Summer days.  We are so excited for opening weekend, we're excited to let the baby play in Gremmie Lagoon!      

2013 Knott's Soak City Pass Prices:    All 2013 Season Passes allow unlimited admission to Knott's Soak City during public operating days.

Adult Season Pass $59.99 - or 6 payments of $9.99

Jr./Sr. Season Pass $56.99 - or 6 payments of $9.49

PRICES GO UP ON MAY 27th!!!  

For more information on Soak City, please visit www.soakcityoc.com

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Disclosure:  I am a member of GigaSavvy Blogging Network and will receive tickets for this event as well as for the giveaway.  All thoughts are my own.

Family Movies at Grauman's Chinese in Hollywood for a quarter!

Came across this gem while looking for fun family things to do this Summer!  Family movies at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood for a quarter!  ONE QUARTER!  Bargain movies at Grauman's is usually $13.75 - this is a steal!  Grauman's is World Famous, a Hollywood must-see and now you can treat yourself and the kids out for a Saturday of fun, exploring on the cheap!

Every Saturday at 10am in July and August

July 14 - Madagascar
July 21 - Puss In Boots
July 28 - Kung Fu Panda
August 4 - How To Train Your Dragon
August 11 - Megamind
August 18 - Monsters vs. Aliens
August 25 - The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie

Grauman's Chinese Theatre
6925 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90028
(323) 461-3331

And so it begins... Our adventure in Homeschooling.

Yesterday was Day 1 of Homeschool.  My patience was tested.  Duke likes flying through his work and his writing ends up sloppy. I ain't having that. I explained to him it's not a race, he's not going to win a contest. I get that he knows what he's doing and that was one of the major problems in Kindergarten - he had free reign. His teacher didn't give him one-on-one time because she knew he would be "fine" and other kids needed her more. So now that I'm his teacher and giving him all my attention... we're working on the areas that needed help and it's handwriting!

Today was better.  I think he got the message yesterday.  Chris was off today so we headed to a local park that has a wading pool so Duke could get his PE on.  He loved it!  The pool was 1-2 feet deep and there were only 4 other kids there.  It was so lowkey.  There was even a lifeguard!  After playing in the pool for about 45 minutes, we shot some hoops at the basketball courts.

And then we took a little "field trip" to a comic book store.  He didn't buy anything but has a better idea at prices and that he has the option of trading or selling his old toys there.  Duke says it was a good day!

I still have many questions and anxieties about homeschooling.  First question is WHAT DID I GET MYSELF INTO!  Just kidding.  I got this.

We have to buy radish seeds and foil pans tomorrow to start a Science project.  And we'll be tackling some Art.  Wee!  

It's going to be an Old Navy Summer!

This post is underwritten by Old Navy. Whether you're looking for a tankini, bikini, or a one piece, Old Navy has you confidently covered at a great price.

I love Summer activities - like hanging out by the pool, in the pool, at the beach, at local water parks...
We had an amazing Summer last year and I'm so excited to enjoy my family this Summer!

Last Summer started out with my family & I taking a trip to Alabama for my cousin Irene's Wedding.  We flew into Atlanta, Georgia and checked into our hotel.  The plan was to enjoy the city for a day before we had to drive 90 minutes to Alabama to meet up with the rest of our family.  We weren't in our suite for five minutes when my 5 year old son Duke and 12 year old son Damien were begging to hit the hotel pool.  Since our time in Atlanta was limited and I was exhausted from the long flight, I thought it was a good idea to relax by the pool.

It was perfect because I had just picked up a one piece swimsuit and was dying to show it off to my husband Chris.   My only complaint was that it was a boring black.  Why are all swimsuits for curvy girls like me - black?

And then I saw that Old Navy is offering a Women's Control Max Halter Swimsuit in Royal Rowena - it's gorgeous!  Color is fun!  Black is playing it safe and I don't want to play it safe anymore!

So this Summer, I will be sipping smoothies by the pool and laying out at the beach in color!!!  I will also be teaching Duke how to swim!  The Women's Control Max Halter Swimsuit suits me because it's adorable, I love the color and it will help control my tummy when I'm in the water!  

I chose to highlight these two super cute suits for Summer - Women's Control Max Halter Swimsuit for me NOW and the Ruffle-Tiered Bikini for me NEXT SUMMER!  I say next Summer because I just had a baby at the end of April and you know how that goes...  

Summer fun, here we come!

Which suit will your body be rockin' this Summer?

   

Thank you to Old Navy for sponsoring my post. I was compensated for this post as a member of Clever Girls Collective, but the content is all my own.