Happy New Years Eve

Since we had Carter (2011) we have stayed home for NYE. I actually love it. We get take out (pizza or Chinese), take our annual NYE photo and just enjoy being home together. We play games and usually none of us see midnight, but that is okay. I wanted to share some ways you can celebrate with your family this year at home.

Wrap Up A Healthy Meal With CAULIPOWER Cauliflower Tortillas

This post is sponsored by CAULIPOWER Cauliflower Tortilla but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Whether it's tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, wraps, or more, I am so excited to share with you what I make with CAULIPOWER Cauliflower Tortillas! Available in both Original and Grain-Free, these tortillas are wheat and dairy-free, vegan, Non-GMO, and preservative-free. The Grain-Free CAULIPOWER Cauliflower Tortillas feature chickpea flour with 7 grams of protein and only 8 net carbs per tortilla. Find them in the freezer or refrigerator aisle of a grocery store near you! I love that Cauliflower is the first ingredient. They’re ready in less than 1 minute in your microwave or skillet and are SO yummy!

2019 What A Year!

With every year there are ups and downs, triumphs and challenges. I guess that is how we grow each day, learn from mistakes and challenge ourselves to do better. This was such a wonderful year for me and my family and I wanted to share some highlights with all of you. Thank you again for following along with me. This March will be my 12th year blogging and I swear it only gets better with time. I am so very thankful for all of you who follow along, read my blog posts, comment, follow me on FB, IG, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest. Without you I would not have had some of the amazing opportunities I had this year and with that said I am eternally grateful for all of you. Happy New Year and I can't wait to see what 2020 brings!

A Recap With Tinsel & Jingle: Elf On The Shelf

The Elf On The Shelf: The Christmas Tradition came out in 2005 and instantly was a success. It won best toy award in 2008, 2009, and 2010. I could not wait to begin the tradition with Carter once he was born in 2011. The first couple of years I don't think Carter really understood, but I loved it. I moved Tinsel every night, helped Carter find him in the morning, and Tinsel always left a little treat from the North Pole that he got from Santa each night for Carter. A couple years later Kennedy joined the fun and as they both grow each year and mature they seriously can't wait to wake up each morning find Tinsel, and now Jingle too. Tinsel and Jingle leave a note each morning for the kids and Carter loves to read it to us at breakfast. They still get a little gift each day and they get so excited to see what Tinsel and Jingle have left for them. I really enjoy The Elf On The Shelf, so if you are on the fence about doing it I wanted to break it down for you a little more.  You can also view my IG highlights for all of this year's fun.  I  showed what Tinsel & Jingle were doing daily and what they left for Carter & Kennedy.

DreamWorks Trolls: The Beat Goes On! Season 8 boogies its way to Netflix!

It is Christmas vacation and what better way to spend Christmas vacation than to catch up on all your favorite shows. My kids are obsessed with Trolls. They loved the movie and now we can watch the animated series on Netflix. Season 8 was recently released and the adorable, happy Trolls are back in a fantastical season of DreamWorks Trolls: the Beat Goes On! The adventure is unstoppable as Guy Diamond participates in an epic sing-off, Biggie and Mr. Dinkle prepare for the ultimate “Funsgiving” feast, and Poppy and Branch get caught in the biggest switcheroo of all time!  So grab some popcorn, your Trolls and get ready for the best season yet!

CHRISTMAS HOME TOUR 2019

Merry Christmas from the Patricios! Welcome to our Christmas home tour! I hope you are having a wonderful December.

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CELEBRATING THE HOLIDAYS AT DISNEYLAND AND DCA

We just got back from spending a few days at Disneyland and DCA. Our favorite time to go is Halloween, but Christmas is a close second. We had a magical time and I have so much to share if you are taking a trip soon, so be ready for lots of fun! I am just warning you now, there are lots of pictures! I should also remind you that at the parks the Christmas season runs until the beginning of January 2020.

My favorite Los Angeles Hotel: Sheraton Universal

 Every December we visit Universal Studios Hollywood and over the last several years we have been spending more and more time in Los Angeles. It is important to find a convenient hotel that caters to families, has a friendly staff, clean, comfortable beds, a decent size bathroom, room service that is prompt, and serves Starbucks coffee in the lobby. Well, guess what... the Sheraton Universal Hotel checks off everything on my list and more.

Abominable arrives home for the holidays

This Holiday season cozy up with everyone's favorite yeti in the #1 original animated movie of the year, brimming with magic, music and laugh out loud family fun.  DreamWorks Animation and Pearl Studio’s co-production ABOMINABLE is a magical action-packed adventure for the whole family.  We saw this movie in theaters and loved it and we are so excited to own it now on Blu-ray + DVD.

Christmas TIME AT THE HOWARD JOHNSON ANAHEIM HOTEL & WATER PLAYGROUND

I can't say it enough. It's no secret that we LOVE staying at Howard Johnson Anaheim Hotel & Water PlayGround. It is simply the BEST and I am here to share with you why. When you book, use code LNLR for 15% off (USE CODE 1000022077) and if you are an annual passholder use code LNAP for 20% off (USE CODE 1000025935)! Click here to make your reservations. If you are looking for the best Disneyland ticket deals click here. See, I have you covered on tickets and your stay already. Now let me share with you why I love the HOJO!

Celebrate The Holidays At Universal Studios Hollywood

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas at The Entertainment Capital of L.A. as Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal CityWalk deck the halls with a wintry calendar of festive holiday experiences and an array of delectable treats that families and friends far and wide can enjoy. We visit Universal Studios every December and I am here to share with you why it is my favorite time to visit and why you should go this holiday season! Thank you Universal Studios Hollywood for hosting us.

World Premiere Of Jumanji The Next Level

Thank you Sony Pictures for inviting me to the world premiere of Jumanji The Next Level, Monday night in LA at The TCL Chinese Theatre. I loved the first one and thought this one was even better! It was sooooo funny! I can’t wait to watch it again with Blake. It comes out in theaters this Friday, December 13th! Just in time to take the whole family to the movies this holiday season! There is really nothing better than going to a world premiere and being able to share this experience with my best friend, Sophie. Like I ALWAYS say, "A best friend just doesn’t enjoy the great moments in your life with you. They help create them!"

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year With Shop Harvey's

It is the most wonderful time of the year and Shop Harvey's just made my holiday season a lot more magical. Shop Harvey's just came out with a Disney inspired winter collection. They released a beautiful, fun, festive collection of handbags that would look amazing under any Christmas tree!

Light Up The Season D23

Tonight we went to Walt Disney Studios to celebrate the holiday season. There were twinkling lights, music, decorations, delicious foods, yummy desserts, characters, amazing photo ops, shopping, and so much more.  Every time I am on Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank I get so excited.  It is just amazing and so magical.

FAST & FURIOUS: SPY RACERS

Blake and I love the Fast and Furious franchise and we were so excited to be invited by Dreamworks and Netflix to the blue carpet premiere at Universal City Walk for Fast & Furious: Spy Racers.  Inspired by Universal’s multi-billion dollar ​Fast & Furious ​franchise, Fast & Furious: Spy Racers is an all new animated series geared toward a younger audience, which Carter and Kennedy loved.  We were honored to be the first to see the first two episodes.  It was so good.  We can't wait to see more when it premieres on Netflix on December 26th!  The event was so much fun today, so check out my vlog below for event coverage.

Pokemon Holiday Gift Guide

Carter is obsessed with Pokemon and literally everything on his Christmas list is Pokemon. 

Whether you’re shopping for a longtime fan or someone who’s just starting out as a Pokemon Trainer, you’re sure to find the perfect gift in this holiday gift guide! From plush and figures to coffee mugs and trading cards, find a huge assortment of gifts sure to delight any Pokemon fan!

Rokit Phones Connecting You To A Better Life

Recently I was invited to an event at The Grove with ROKiT. ROKiT pairs vital life services with affordable high quality phones.  Honestly, I had never heard of ROKiT before and I am sure many of you have not either, but after visiting the kiosk, speaking with some of the ROKiT employees and hearing about their phones and all of the awesome features I was so excited to share these amazing phones with my readers.  Plus, this holiday season I will be giving a ROKiT phone away to one lucky winner!

Get Ready To Roar With Simba Mighty Roar Interactive Plush Toy by Hasbro

You'll feel the love for this Mighty Roar Simba Interactive Plush Toy inspired by the 2019 version of The Lion King. This cuddly cub comes with his favorite treat - grub on a stick - and responds to touch and noises with more than 100 sound and motion combinations, including head, legs, eyes, and tail movements.  Carter and Kennedy had this on their Christmas list and our elves brought it for them and my kids have not stopped playing with Simba!

Get Your Elf On This Holiday Season!

This is just a glimpse into some of The Elf On The Shelf merch that we own.  We have so much!  I love this time of year!

It is December 1st and do you know what that means?  Elves all over have left the North Pole and are visiting families this month. Our elf Tinsel has arrived and he helps keep an eye on Carter and Kennedy. He checks their attitudes, makes sure they eat all their veggies, help around the house, they get along, and so much more. They love having Tinsel visit. They can't wait to find him around the house each morning. As long as they are good throughout the day and evening, when Tinsel flies back home to the North Pole to report to Santa each night he will come back the next morning with a special treat for them. I love having Tinsel around because I feel like my kids behave better and it is just so much fun in general. I love planning where Tinsel will go each night, what goodie he will leave, and I put a lot of thought, love, and time into making the experience special for my kids. I love when they talk to Tinsel and ask him to tell Santa what they want for Christmas, or they tell him about their day at school. It is seriously the best time of year. The Elf On The Shelf merch is amazing. I wanted to share with you just a few of my favorite things! So get ready to get your elf on! Merry Christmas!