Getting Goofy for the Holidays

L.A. mom Karen Griffith (right) joined me for the mom blogger's day out at Disneyland with Kate (center) and Karen's children Danny and Katie.

Boy, Disneyland is decked out for the holidays! Our family enjoyed the new Disney Believe in Holiday Magic fireworks show (complete with falling "snow") as well as the decorations, the lively new "Tiana's Showboat Jubilee!", the visit with Santa at the Reindeer Roundup and all the other festive trappings.

And I was extremely happy to share it with the winner of my blog's Disneyland Holiday giveaway: L.A. mom Karen Griffith as well as her husband Chuck and two delightful kids, Katie and Danny.

Thanks to the hundreds of you who entered – and for all your great tips on visiting the park. Here's just a sampling of some great ones, which I was able to put to good use last weekend:

Because I'm a single mom of 2 I have to make sure we eat REALLY good before getting to park.  So, I'll make a big breakfast to fill us up. I make sandwiches and pack snacks & drinks and leave it in the car in an ice chest. I bring extra clothes in case we get too wet and want to change or if it gets cold and we need to add layers. Then we just have a great time together all day at the park.
– Kim Kingi, L.A.

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1. Get to the park before it opens to get in line for the entrance.
2. Go straight to the Disney Fairies section for pictures (avoid lines this way).
3.  Then we go straight to the Disney Princess area for pictures (avoid lines again).
4.  When the park opens until noon is the best time for the picture areas and to get on the more popular rides.
– Melanie Stoa, San Pedro

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1. Pack snacks (for when your standing in those long lines with the kids)
2. Wear sneakers (we may live in CA, but there are always tons of people at Disneyland stomping on the toes!)
3. Go into the day knowing you WILL have to stand in line and just enjoy the atmosphere!
– Sandy Jacobs, Long Beach

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Our family purchased annual passes a few years back and really enjoyed using them.  My husband and I sat the kids down and told them that since we had the passes we would be going to Disneyland more often, which meant it wasn’t such a “once-in-a-lifetime” event anymore.  This enabled us to save money on souvenirs and such because just going so frequently was the treat. We also packed lunches for our Sunday trips, which saved a ton of money.  We would spend minimal money on snacks and drinks during the day, and leaving the park to grab food gave us a nice break and rest, gearing us up to finish off our evening at the park. One trick we found for our favorite ride at California Adventure, California Screamin’, was to get in line as single riders.  My husband, myself and our oldest daughter did this a lot, and it allowed us to ride several times in a row without waiting very long.
– Michelle Perez, Burbank

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My favorite tip is to snack use the lockers outside of the entrance for your cooler and picnic at the tables nearby during lunch to avoid the high cost of Disneyland restaurants.
– Joy, L.A.

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1. Freeze some Capri-sun drinks to put in the cooler instead of using ice packs. Water bottles will work, too.
2. Go to Disney's California Adventure to pick up a Guest Assistance Card (GAC) for our son who is autistic. The line is so much shorter than going to Disneyland's City Hall. (Our son is not able to wait 30 to 45 minutes for a ride. We still have to wait with the GAC, just not as long.) Can use only if you have a park hopper ticket or an annual pass.
3. Bring in some tuna sandwiches(one per person) in the cooler with our water. It makes a good lunch with a bag of chips. That way we only spend money for dinner at Disneyland.
– Inez Arakaki, Alhambra

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My family loves going to Disneyland! One tip for visiting the park is definitely utilizing the fast pass to optimize your riding time. You get a fast pass for the ride that has longest line first, and then go ride other rides with shorter lines while waiting for your fast pass time. If you keep doing that throughout the day then you should have no problem getting to all of your favorite rides!  Also, I have a tip for coffee drinkers. If you buy coffee at the Market House on Main Street, save your receipt! You can go back any time throughout the day, show them your receipt from earlier and you can get a free coffee! You don't need to hold onto the cup, just the receipt.
– Tyava Winborne, L.A.

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Our family tip is to stay at the Disneyland Hotel if at all possible. You can get in the park an hour earlier than the general public and you can also go back to your room for naps, snacks etc.
– Karen Piolatto, Newhall

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We usually pack some drinks snacks (bottles of water, raisins, nuts, cheese sticks, 100-calories crackers packs, drinkable yogurt, etc ...) to save on meals. That way we would only buy two meals if we visit the whole day. We also get there when the park opens and rush to the attractions that later on the day will get busy, like Peter Pan's Flight, princesses, Pixie Hollow, Finding Nemo, etc. During busy hours, we usually visit attractions like the Monorail, King Arthur's carousel, Inoventions...
– Madeline Ivette Tyler, Long Beach

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1. Hang out in the Town area near the entrance and get pictures with Disney characters.
2. Try a turkey leg.
3. Pack healthy snacks and bottled water.
4. Grab a fast-pass for your favorite ride early (Space Mountain, Indiana Jones, etc) and return at the designated time later in the day.
5. Grab a seat early to enjoy the parade or fireworks show.
– Gabriel Ortega, South Pasadena

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Our youngest son is Autistic & on a special diet (gluten & dairy free).  Upon entering the park go to guest relations & ask for a special needs pass.  For my son, this allows us to avoid the long wait in lines with the crowds & avoid a meltdown. Call ahead and find out which restaurants serve gluten-free food.  A real time saver when planning your day.
– Michelle Del Rosario, Orange

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1. We all wear the same color shirts; usually orange or yellow.
2. We buy our nick knacks early and put them in the lockers so we are not exhausted and shopping at the end of the day with everyone else.
3. I bring high protein snacks to keep energy up like almonds & cheese sticks. They really work.
4. The shop next to Splash Mountain has some of the best priced merchandise.
– Monika Verdugo, Simi Valley

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Sometimes, my husband & I would "sneak" down to Disneyland during the day while the kids were at school and have lunch at the Blue Bayou after riding the Pirates of the Carribean ride... it was a BLAST!!!
– Diana Holliday, L.A.

KISS and Make Up

Just because we're parents doesn't mean we have to give up our rock ’n’ roll roots. Yes, we might mortify our children if we venture out in those tight leather pants. Others may mock our platform boots. Sure, you'll get a few stares for the black-star makeup and overly coiffed hair. But wouldn't it all be worth it if it meant you might win tickets to see one of the most iconic rock bands of all time?

Get out your white makeup, spiky metal shoulder pads and black vest and get yourself to KISS Night at the Anaheim Ducks game at the Honda Center tomorrow, Nov. 21. You'll hear plenty of KISS music and find face painters giving fans the proper look. Then be sure to enter the "best dressed" contest, which will earn the winner two tickets to see KISS in concert on Nov. 24 at the Honda Center.

If you can't make that one, KISS is scheduled to appear at Staples Center on Nov. 25 and is streaming the concert live on Facebook – just don't let that stop you from dressing up.

"Time" For the Holidays

It's holiday time. Know how I can tell? I have a zit, I want to eat a bag of chips, my dog is making me feel guilty and I have so many "to-do" lists and Post-It Note reminders of things that I could mark a trail between the office and the house.

And then there's the finances... This time of year I feel as though I should just stand in front of my house and toss dollars into the breeze – teacher gifts, office gifts, hostess gifts, kids' friends gifts. Not to mention a dog gift, since she's making me feel guilty right now.

How do we manage it all and not pull out our hair – or, in my case, end up at the bottom of a bag of Cheetos? There's no magic holiday bullet, unfortunately, but I found these tips from therapistfinder.com pretty helpful:

• Trim the tree, and your gift list. It’s time to downsize, especially in this economy. If you’re buying a gift for every sibling, aunt, uncle and in-law, talk to your family about drawing names and buying for just one person each, and set a price limit. Schedule a holiday potluck or dinner out with friends and forgo gifts, or get the group together for a festive volunteer activity, such as serving a meal at a local soup kitchen. Focus on enjoying one another’s time minus the stress of gift giving.


• Channel Santa’s workshop. Enlist the help of your partner and kids in holiday preparations. Give the kids gifts to wrap, get their help making holiday cookies, give your partner a list of gifts to buy on a lunch break, schedule a family decorating day – the stress relief, plus the time you save, will make you want to spread “Joy to the World!”


• Here we come a-scheduling. Coordinating holiday activities for everyone in the family can be overwhelming. Create a family holiday calendar that you post in a prominent place that includes color-coded activities for every family member. At a glance, you’ll be able to see what obligations are coming up, if you’re overbooked and what you need to prepare. Pencil in several shopping trips to ensure you’re not scrambling at the last minute.


• Make a list ... and check it twice. It sounds simple, but making a list of who you need to shop for, how much you want to spend and gift ideas will eliminate a lot of stress and last-minute trips to the store.  Also, buy some generic gifts to have on hand, like candles or gift cards, that you can grab if you need a spur-of-the-moment gift.


• Say no. You don’t have to attend every holiday gathering you’re invited to, or participate in every white elephant gift exchange. Graciously decline, and you won’t be overwhelmed by obligations that aren’t a priority for you.

If I can manage to do just one of these, I might have clear skin just in time for the holiday photo I need to schedule.

C'mon, Get McHappy

We all sat still, listening, hanging on her words. But Toni Santiago's voice suddenly crumbled, and in that moment, we saw her strength and raw emotion bubble to the surface. Toni is grappling with a situation no mother ever wants to find herself in – her 9-year-old son Carlo has cancer.

I was among a group of  mom bloggers who came together on Friday to tour the Ronald McDonald House near Childrens Hospital Los Angeles on Sunset. For more than 30 years, the Ronald McDonald Houses throughout the U.S. and beyond have provided an affordable, comfortable and supportive place to stay for parents and siblings who are dealing with probably one of the most difficult times in their families' lives.

With resolve and practiced composure, Toni continued to share the message of the Ronald McDonald House Charities, which have given her and her family  a home away from home while her 9-year-old son receives treatment. He recently suffered a relapse, and Toni's husband is thousands of miles away at their home in Hong Kong.

"You just do what you have to do," Toni later told me. "You just do it."

As mothers, we can easily see ourselves in Toni's shoes – and for a lot of us, the experience brought home the fact that we need to put our fears aside and step up, just like these moms have to. And we learned a lot about Ronald McDonald House Charities. For instance, did you know:

• The greater L.A. area has five houses? We toured a one-year-old addition to the Fountain Avenue building, which with the original 1980 building can house 75 families.


• The homes have stocked kitchens where families often gather. "Food is the universal language," says Vincent Bryson, executive director of the Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House. The homes also have laundry facilities, workout rooms and libraries as well as computer rooms and video game areas for "healthy" siblings.


• Families are charged only $25 per night (or whatever they can afford).


• The charities are supported locally by donations through those ubiquitous boxes at cash registers as well as local restaurant owner-operators (and other corporate and private donors and supporters).


• The Ronald McDonald House Charities also support mobile health clinics, scholarships and Family Rooms inside the hospitals.

How can you get involved? McHappy Day on Nov. 20 is a major fundraising time for the RMHC. On that day (actually, today through Nov. 20) you can visit your local McDonalds and purchase a "Give A Hand" for $1. Other ways to help include:

• Download the "Give A Hand for Ronald McDonald House Charities" Facebook application and share Hands to support the charities.


• On Nov. 20 purchase something from select menu items and $1 will be donated to RMHC.


• Volunteer! The L.A. Ronald McDonald House is always looking for kitchen help, office assistance, fundraising help and general family support. You can also help decorate for the holidays, provide gifts for holidays and birthdays or sponsor an event.
  
  L.A. mom bloggers surround Access Hollywood's Billy Bush and former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres at an L.A. McDonald's, where we learned about Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Sucking Up To Twilight

Sure, moms have Robert Pattinson to keep us eagerly tuned into The Twilight Saga: New Moon movie opening this weekend. But what do our babies have to share in this vamporific movement that is sweeping the nation?

How about some fangs to suck on?

This adorable-yet-creepy pacifier from Stupid.com ($9.99, for ages 3 months and older) is a fun way to put some teeth into this Twilight madness. Just hide the garlic.