In My Birthday Era Kennedy's 10th Version

Yesterday Kennedy had her very best friends over for the ultimate Taylor Swift "In My Birthday Era: Kennedy's 10th Version" party. The girls created Fearless guitars, Rep mics, made friendship bracelets and Junior Jewels shirts. They took selfies, danced, ate, and had the best time. Thank you to all the girls who came! You could have spent your Wednesday afternoon doing anything you wanted, but you chose to celebrate and spend your evening with Kennedy and we love you for that.  Watch the video HERE of all the fun we had at the party!

Minute Instant Rice & Quinoa

With everything we have going on in life it can be hard to find the time to eat well. That is why I love using Minute Instant Rice & Quinoa. All you need is 10 minutes, then you have enough time to enjoy the whole grain deliciousness you crave in your meals. Minute Instant Rice & Quinoa is ready to complement my everyday meals, especially on busy nights when I want to eat well, but get a meal on the table fast. This week I served this Minute Instant Rice Quinoa with a simple chicken piccata. The entire family loved it.

MOANA 2 In Theaters November 27

Check out the new teaser trailer for Walt Disney Animated Studios’ “Moana 2.” Moana voyages back to the big screen this November in the all-new feature film starring Auli‘i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson as Moana and demigod Maui, respectively. 

Disney's The Lion King 30th Anniversary Live To Film

The Pride Lands were so magical last night at the Hollywood Bowl for Disney’s The Lion King 30th Anniversary: Live-To-Film Concert Event! Thank you Disney Plus and Disney Concerts for inviting us. This entire concert will be on Disney Plus soon.  See all the fun we had here.

Congratulations Carter

Carter is officially done with elementary school. He had his 6th grade promotion last night and will move on to junior high in August. We could not be more proud of his accomplishments. He has received gold honor roll all of his years in elementary school, which is the highest honor you can achieve. Last night he received the reading award at the promotion ceremony. This school year he was a 2 million word reader (which is a big deal at his school) and received an award voted on by his classmates and teachers as most likely to be a future artist for Disney projects. At the moment he really wants to be an animator when he grows up. He had the most wonderful teachers this year. They were there every day and they showed love, compassion, answered emails, questions, and they were two of the kindest teachers. We got really lucky this year. Carter loved his teachers, classmates and school this year. We can't wait to see what the future holds for Carter. Here are some moments from this week, and I also wanted to share his yearbook page, which he insisted on adding pictures from movie premieres, including his photo with Milo and Meg. We love you 3000!

Harold And The Purple Crayon August 2

Inside of his book, adventurous Harold (Zachary Levi) can make anything come to life simply by drawing it. After he grows up and draws himself off the book’s pages and into the physical world, Harold finds he has a lot to learn about real life and that his trusty purple crayon may set off more hilarious hijinks than he thought possible. When the power of unlimited imagination falls into the wrong hands, it will take all of Harold and his friends’ creativity to save both the real world and his own. Harold And The Purple Crayon is the first film adaptation of the beloved children’s classic that has captivated young readers for decades.  Get ready to paint the town purple on August 2!

DESCENDANTS: THE RISE OF RED PREMIERING JULY 12 On Disney+

Today, Disney+ released a NEW trailer and poster for “Descendants: The Rise of Red,” the next installment in the mega-hit “Descendants” franchise that features the teenage progeny of iconic Disney heroes and villains. The music-driven Disney Original movie starts streaming Friday, July 12, exclusively on Disney+, followed by a special encore Friday, August 9, at 8:00 p.m. EDT/PDT on Disney Channel. 

Big City Greens The Movie: Spacecation

Big City Greens the Movie: Spacecation, an original, music-filled comedy-adventure from the creators of Disney Channel’s hit animated series Big City Greens, will debut Thursday, June 6 (8 p.m. EDT), on Disney Channel and Friday, June 7 on Disney+.

Come With Us To The Garfield Premiere

Hide the lasagna! On Sunday we attend The Garfield Movie Premiere to interview the cast on the orange carpet. We had so much fun talking with Chris Pratt, Hanna Waddingham, John Cohen, Jim Davis the creator of Garfield, Harvey Guillen, Cecily Strong and more! Everyone from the cast signed our Garfield Movie book, we handed out Garfield bracelets to the cast and they loved them. We had the best time, but meeting Chris Pratt who voices Garfield was truly the cheese on top of the lasagna! He was so nice! Thank you Sony Pictures and The Garfield Movie for allowing us this amazing opportunity. Don't miss The Garfield Movie in theaters this Friday May 24th! Check out all the fun we had HERE.

Interview With Mike Mitchell (Director) & Sean Sexton (Head of Character Animation) Kung Fu Panda 4

Last week Carter had the honor of interviewing Mike Mitchell (director) and Sean Sexton (head of character animation) for Kung Fu Panda 4. Carter wants to be an animator when he grows up, so being able to chat with Mike and Sean was really cool for him. It was so fun to learn more about the movie, the process of drawing Po and the other characters, why they chose a chameleon as the villain and more. We also have more exciting news to share... Kung Fu Panda 4 arrives on 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD on May 28!  Watch our video HERE how to have a movie watch party at home!

Meet & Greet With Jessica Biel

On Saturday we went to Annabelle's Bookclub LA and celebrated the release of A Kids Book About Periods by the beautiful Jessica Biel. She was so sweet. We got our book personalized, she spent time talking with us and it was so nice to meet her. Thank you Annabelle and Jessica Biel for such a fun event. See more about the event here.

Garfield Movie Unboxing

Thank you Sony Pictures & The Garfield Movie for sending us this fun PR package to get us ready for the new animated Garfield Movie coming out on Friday, May 24. Make sure you are following along because in a few days will be attending the premiere and interviewing the cast on the red carpet!  Watch the unboxing here.

Interviews With The IF Cast & Review

We loved the film IF. The movie delivers a lot of heart and teaches everyone to keep the magic alive. It is fun, silly and will have everyone shedding a tear in the theater and thinking about their childhood or imaginary friend.

Everyone deserves the chance to fly! Watch the Wicked Movie trailer now.

My favorite Broadway play is Wicked. I can't wait to see the play again this fall. It will be in LA and SF this fall/winter. The movie will hit theaters November 26. I can't wait for this movie. It will be the kids first time seeing the play and movie. The movie is about Elphaba, misunderstood because of her green skin, she forges an unlikely but profound friendship with Glinda, a student with an unflinching desire for popularity. Following an encounter with the Wizard of Oz, their relationship soon reaches a crossroad as their lives begin to take very different paths.

Universal Studios Hollywood NEW 60th Anniversary Tram Tour

Have you ever wanted to get off the Universal Studios Hollywood Tram Tour and step onto the studio backlot to pretend you were actually in a movie?! Now you can with Universal Studios Hollywood's NEW 60th anniversary tram tour. You can hop off the tram near the Psycho House and Bates Motel and get an up close look at some sets, props, and so many photo ops like a Hollywood sign, Fast & Furious cars, Jaws, King Kong and more. The new 60th anniversary studio tour will run until August 11th, 2024 so make sure you visit this summer to check out all the action!  Watch all the fun we had here on the tour.

Symphony Of Dance With Derek & Hayley Hough

Blake and the kids asked me what I wanted to do for Mother’s Day and I told them I wanted to spend the evening with Derek Hough and Hayley in Symphony of Dance. They did not disappoint and we had the best seats and the most amazing time. Derek, Hayley and all the dancers are extremely talented and performed for 2 hours straight (there is a short intermission). Derek sings, plays instruments, dances, engages with the crowd, and even comes out into the audience not once, but twice! It was so beautiful to see Hayley back on the stage and her and Derek’s love is so special and you can feel it from the stage. Don’t miss Symphony of Dance on tour now.  Watch all the fun we had here.

IF Movie Premiere At Paramount Lot

Have you ever had an imaginary friend? Today we were invited to the IF premiere on the Paramount Lot. At the premiere they had croissants, ice cream, cotton candy, a postal service where you could write letters to your imaginary friend, purple waffle sticks, churros, carnival games, painting and coloring stations, airbrush tattoos, and more. After discovering Bea can see everyone's imaginary friends, she embarks on a magical adventure to reconnect forgotten IFs with their kids. IF is a fantastic film that is perfect for the entire family. The cast is outstanding and the CGI work is so impressive. This movie will bring you right back to your childhood in all the most magical ways. This film deals with healing yourself and creating distractions when life gets tough. See IF in theaters May 17th.  Check out all the fun we had HERE on the Paramount Lot!

Teacher Appreciation Week Gift Ideas

Teacher appreciation week is here! These gift ideas could also be used for thank you gifts for teachers and staff for the end of the year which is approaching in just a few weeks. Remember those art, music, PE, and other special teachers too at your school. Everyone likes to feel appreciated and loved! No teacher expects any gifts, but it is so nice to make them feel special and tell them thank you for tying my child's shoes a million times each day, helping them wipe or blow their nose, listen to their silly stories, help them put jackets on and off, help them open packages from their lunch, and so much more. The list of things a teacher does all day long goes on and on. The work, love, energy and dedication of teachers holds such a special place in my heart. Being a teacher is no joke. God bless all teachers!

Disney Descendants series, Beyond The Isle Of the Lost

Let's create a Red inspired look to celebrate the newest book in the Disney Descendants series, Beyond The Isle Of the Lost. This book is filled with humor and adventure. This addition to the best selling series explores a madcap prequel to Disney's Descendants: The Rise Of Red premiering on Disney Plus July 12. The book is available now.  Watch the video here.

Aladdin The Hit Broadway Musical

Let's go see Aladdin, the hit Broadway musical. It is based on the Disney 1992 movie and is pure Broadway magic! You will be singing along to all your favorite songs, watching Aladdin and Jasmine fly in the air on a magic carpet, laughing out loud to the most magical electrifying Genie, and being in awe over the stage, the costumes and the most amazing cast. After the show we got to meet some of the cast and tell them how much we enjoyed the show. Don't miss Aladdin the musical on tour now.  Watch our video here of all the fun we had today.

Oilpop Barbie Event At VanLeeUWen

Come with us to the Olipop Barbie event. We got to taste the new limited edition Olipop Barbie Peaches and Cream Soda. It's a sippable tribute to the Peaches 'N Cream Barbie doll. The soda captures her timeless, vibrant, and sweet, but not too sweet, spirit with an unforgettable fusion of real peach juice, vanilla, and white peach gummy flavor. We experienced a slice of Barbie's Dream World where we tasted this iconic flavor paired with ice cream and left with some extra peachy swag. We even got the re-released Peaches 'N Cream Barbie. Thank you Olipop and Barbie for inviting us. We really ap-peach-iate you! So go ahead, crack it open and celebrate the magic and joy the iconic doll has brought countless hearts over the years and make your sweet tooth happy too! Find the new Olipop Barbie Peaches and Cream Soda at Whole Foods and Sprouts and online.  Check out our video of all the fun we had HERE.

IF Movie In Theaters May 17

From writer and director John Krasinski, IF is about a girl who discovers that she can see everyone’s imaginary friends — and what she does with that superpower — as she embarks on a magical adventure to reconnect forgotten IFs with their kids. IF stars Ryan Reynolds, John Krasinski, Cailey Fleming, Fiona Shaw, and the voices of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Gossett Jr. and Steve Carell alongside many more as the wonderfully unique characters that reflect the incredible power of a child’s imagination.

Minute Instant Basmati Rice With Dried Fruit And Almonds

The end of the school year is always busy. With graduations, parties, teacher appreciation week, projects, and other extracurricular activities, I like to prepare a meal for my family that is simple so I can spend less time cooking and more time enjoying the meal and time with my family. One of our favorites is Minute Instant Basmati Rice with dried fruit and almonds. I usually serve this meal with chicken kabobs. It is a family favorite and is so delicious and easy to make.

Graduation Gift Ideas

It's May and that means graduation season is upon us. I have two really cute gift card/money holder ideas for boys or girls graduating this year. First up is this graduation tumbler from the dollar store. I added crinkle paper, money, and some cute ribbon tied around the straw. I think this turned out adorable and it just adds a little extra touch than giving a gift card or money in a card. Next is this circular pouch from Hobby Lobby. I used black felt and cut a square then I cut out a circle in the middle to add the pouch so it would look like a graduation cap. I added crinkle paper, a gift card, a patch from Hobby Lobby and some ribbon.  Watch the tutorial HERE on how to put these gift ideas together.