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Joie De Viv

finding the joy in every day

Summer Unboxing with Rockets of Awesome!

July 6, 2018 ·

It’s been a very hectic Spring leading up to the Summer. So much so that when Rockets of Awesome approached us, I was in the midst of our back-to-back trips. Subscription boxes are all the rage these days, and definitely something every busy mom could use and appreciate! Honestly, as much as I love to shop, I can’t remember the last time I really had the time to go to the mall for an actual shopping trip. After taking a peek at their fun Insta, I hopped on over to their site to take the easy Style Quiz. If there’s something that I do love to do late at night , are silly quizzes. These were so fun, I had to do them for both kids of course!

After a few simple selections, we were done! A stylist would compile the first box for you, OR you could choose from specific items. I loved that they actually were concerned about what your child absolutely would NOT wear, because if you have an opinionated child(ren), such as my own, you would know the challenge getting dressed can be. Still, a surprise is always fun, and Kaitlyn is obsessed with blind boxes and unboxing videos, so we chose that option.  I took so many videos of Kaitlyn unveiling all her new pieces. I love her enthusiasm for everything! It also surprised me what some of her favorites were!

This navy blue top was her absolute favorite because of the soft, stretchy fabric, and the bedazzled stars! It would be perfect for 4th of July and Labor Day!  These glittery, yet soft, dolphin-style terry shorts make for a comfy summer staple.

No surprise here, this rainbow sunnies adorned kitty tee, and glittery pink tutu skirt were huge hits.  She called it her “confetti pop” skirt. I think she would wear this outfit every day if I let her!

It’s no secret we love Disneyland, and this comfy cotton tee is perfect for summer days at the park.  The various graphics seem to encapsulate favorites of young girls everywhere!

Posing with “Disgust”

The best part of the subscription for me, the mama: the service, shipping, and returns are FREE!  You only pay for what you keep, and they send you a return label and mailer in the package.  With the preview option before shipping, I already knew what we would be getting, so we didn’t choose to return anything at all.  Prices and quality seem comparable to CrewCuts or Gap Kids, and best of all, I heard zero complaints about itchiness!

And for the extremely hot summer days, where you need to beat the heat, the box makes for an excellent indoor activity.

Rockets of Awesome’s Summer Box couldn’t have come at a better time.  With Kaitlyn starting school NEXT WEEK, I just haven’t had time or prioritized “back-to-school” shopping.  We received a great bunch of staples and I can focus my time on creating cherished memories.  After all, with only 18 Summers, memories are what really matters!

 

You can try Rockets of Awesome for 20% OFF with my code: VIV20!  

If you do, please let me know how you like it!

Here’s to a summer of awesome, and less time fighting with kids on what to wear!

*** I partnered with Rockets of Awesome for this post, but all expressed opinions are 100% my own, and Kaitlyn’s! ***

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged: 18 summers, baby, clothing, disneyland, haul, kid box, kids, rockets of awesome, shopping, subscription box, summer, toddler, unboxing

SoCal Kid Spot: Great Wolf Lodge & Tips

March 11, 2018 ·

A couple of years ago, Great Wolf Lodge opened a new location in Garden Grove, CA, JUST down the street from Disneyland! We have just spent our second “staycation” at the resort, and I hope I can share some of our experiences and tips we’ve found with other families who are considering this super fun family attraction!

The 105,000-square-foot indoor water park is exclusively for hotel guests and boasts over 600 suites. Our first trip was for Kaitlyn’s 4th birthday. We booked a standard suite and invited family to come along. We were able to purchase guest visitor passes for $50/pp and kids with 4 little toddlers, 3 of whom did not require a wristband. Despite their young age (3 under 3), the kids all had a blast! This year, we booked 2 suites for both families and the kids (5 under 5!) – and again all throughly enjoyed the park!

For the toddlers, we’ve always packed their Puddle Jumpers, because they are all familiar and comfortable with them. The resort does provide complimentary life vests and suggest all children under 48″ wear them.

The water park itself is indoors, heated to a comfortable 84F, with water temp at 82F. Fresh, dry towels are limitless – my how this was important with so many kids! The large number of employees and life guards on watch was reassuring as well.  With our group’s young ages, we typically spent a lot of time in the Cub Paw Pool.  Even our littlest (10 months) enjoyed the shallowest of waters, with a beach style-slope entry, water fountains, water tables, and the tiniest of slides.  The older toddlers also loved the slides in the Cub Paw Pool and overall semi-freedom of being able to bob, walk, and paddle in the shallow waters.  Our toddlers also LOVED Fort Mackenzie and all the water slides it offered. Even our 2 year olds could slide down solo, with a parent waiting at the bottom.  The lazy river and wave pools were also a huge hit with the older toddlers, accompanied by adults of course.  The adults took turns supervising little ones and going on the big slides for some thrills as well.

We made a point to attend their famous Bedtime Storytime in the main lobby. We had missed it on our first trip because we were still playing in the water. Plan accordingly if you want to attend this FREE nightly event. We set enough time to get up to the rooms, shower, get the kids in PJs, and scope out good seats. The kids got a kick out of going downstairs and seeing everyone else in their jammies as well. The stage involved moving characters, screens, a live storyteller, and a large character for meet-and-greet afterwards. If your child is timid, it may be better to choose a spot further back from the stage.

To save some serious dough, book a weeknight stay. The second best alternative, as we have done both times – book a Sunday/Monday stay. Groupon also regularly has deals for Great Wolf, so be sure to check it out. You are allowed to use the waterpark as early as 1pm on the day of your stay, with check-in typically around 4pm. You can also pre-check in and they will send a text to let you know when your room is ready. For the day of checkout, check out is at 11am. You may pay an additional fee for a later check-out if space is available. You are also able to use the water park the FULL day until closing, on your check out day. Plan ahead and pack a change of clothes and toiletries. There are showers and changing rooms in the water park.

We have yet to try the interactive MagiQuest game that is a huge hit with the resort, but we did see many groups throughly enjoying it! Be warned though, if you decide to partake, from my “interviews in the elevators”, the game requires a lot of elevator trips, and approximately 6 hrs to complete in entirety. It is also not free. I heard it cost about $40 ($20 per wand, and $20 for the game). It was conclusive by all participants we saw, that they thought it was completely worth it! When our kids are old enough to enjoy, I am sure it will be an activity we do as a family!

Additional Tips:
* A refillable souvenir cup for drinks can be purchased for $14.95 plus tax and includes free refills for the duration of your stay.
* Dunkin Donuts (on main lobby level) also has a refillable coffee cup for $9.95 plus tax.
* Guests celebrating birthdays can request a special “wolf ears” headband, as long as available. Our first year, they were all out. All children guests receive complimentary wolf ears.
* There is a Target within 1/2 mile down the street for anything you may need or forget.
* McDonald’s is across the street.
* The Great Wolf “story” and an accompanying episode can be found in animated version on the in-room tv station.
* There is a refrigerator, microwave, and coffee maker in the room. We also received a couple of free bottles of water.
* Though the signs state no outside foods can be brought in, we never had any trouble with the snacks and milk we packed for the kids.

* GWL provides a limited number of complimentary shuttles to and from Disneyland Resort.

 

Years ago, we never would have thought we would have needed or found a reason to stay locally at an indoor water park.  However, Great Wolf Lodge really has become such a treat that we’ve all fallen for.  Have you stayed at a Great Wolf Lodge?  Please feel free to share any of your tips as well!

***ALL OPINIONS AND TIPS ARE MY OWN.  NO COMPENSATION WAS PROVIDED FOR THIS REVIEW.***

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Filed Under: Baby/Kids, mom life, review, So Cal Kids Activities, Southern California kids activites, things to do with kids, travel Tagged: Anaheim, california, disneyland, great wolf lodge, review, Southern California, staycation, things to do with kids, vacation, water park

Fit FOUR A Princess!

December 15, 2017 ·

Each year, until this current one, I’ve done a photo session for Kaitlyn’s birthday.  We managed to finally get in right at her “Half Birthday” and I’m thrilled with the results.  FOUR is such a transitional year!  Once Kaitlyn turned 4, she proclaimed she was a big girl, quit sucking her thumb on her own (hallelujah!), and started having just much more mature thoughts and conversations.  Still… she’s little.  Little enough to believe in magic and fairy godmothers.  Little enough that she delights in wearing princess gowns.  Little enough to sing at the top of her lungs and skips to the beat of her own drum without any hesitation.  I love this age.  I want to soak in every minute of it and remember it all so vividly.



Thank you Alicia P. Photography for capturing my little princess in her true spirit!

 

 

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Filed Under: Baby/Kids, Disney, Uncategorized Tagged: candid childhood, carousel photo, castle, childhood, disney, Disney castle, Disney life, Disney mom, Disney world, disneyland, family photography, four year old, magic, Mary Poppins, photography, princess, tutu dress, ware doll

Kingston Files: Terrific, Terrible, Tremendous TWOs!

October 24, 2017 ·

TWO – oh yes, we are firmly in the second year now!  Kingston turned 2 last month and I wanted to document it with a photoshoot at our home away from home, mainly focusing on his current OBSESSION: the CARS franchise.  We’ve been spending A LOT of time in CARSLAND, so it was a no-brainer!

 

TWO is moody, is fun, is completely unpredictable.  Two also means you want to wear what you want to wear, no matter what mom may have planned.  Heat contributed to some not-so-happy faces, but I found it captures the true spirit of Kingston at 2.  We also managed to document a prominent bump on the head from all the running and falling you do.  hehehe #reallife

Hey buddy, I hope you know how much your mama loves you and how much effort it took to get these pics!

At age 2, RUNNING is your jam!

Dinosaurs are also the second coolest things, so this Cars Dinoco cup is a prized possession.

A lollipop break is ALWAYS a good idea.

You are sweet one instant, and then a little devilish smirk the next.  Oh how that face just gets me!

When you’re done, you’re DONE. lol

You might exude a tough-guy attitude, but your mama knows you’re a softy inside. 🙂

Love you to the moon and back my little man!  As long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be!  Here’s to a terrific, tremendous, and twist-turning year two!

 

Photos by Alicia P. Photography

Filed Under: Baby/Kids, Disney, mom life Tagged: birthday, cars land, disney, Disney cars, disneyland, Kingston, Pixar, Pixar cars, two, two years old

What’s In My ‘Super Be’ Bag: Disney Day!

August 22, 2017 ·

With J gone all last weekend and the end of major AP blackout dates coming to a close, I took full advantage and took the kids SOLO to Disneyland 3 out of 4 days!  When I plan longer Disney Days, (anything over 4hrs for us), I end up using my City Mini Double GT stroller.  It has 2 fully reclinable seats and excellent maneuverability.  However, this style stroller poses some storage issues I wasn’t used to with my Uppababy Vista.  Mainly that you cannot access the storage basket underneath the seats very easily, especially not with kids sitting in the seats.  Also, it is back heavy, so any substantial weight (or kids standing/climbing) can cause it to tip backwards.  For Disney now, there are strict security measures in place, and you need to take everything out from under the stroller and have all bags inspected.  While a backpack easily solves this issue, when it is hot and I am flying solo with both kids, I prefer to carry as little on me, as possible.

I have recently purchased some Jujube Super Be tote bags, and it has quickly become my favorite bag for Disney!  I pack EVERYTHING in a Super Be bag and set it in one side of the stroller, or on double hooks on the handlebar (only with both kids securely sitting in the stroller).  

After we clear security, I can easily put bulky items, and organized Be Set or Be Quick pieces underneath the basket!  I can even then leave the Super Be hanging from the stroller bar with light items that I constantly need access to (“hello wipes!”) or shove the whole thing under the basket as well.  It weighs virtually nothing and hardly takes any space.  This Mary Poppins bag is simply amazing.  Take a look at everything I packed inside for a day!

Ears (bc, duh), Fuel Cell (2 thermos bottles, 2 milk cartons, 2 applesauce pouches, and a small Be Set piece with medicine and first aid supplies), small Be Set piece with “mom stuff”, snacks, large Be Set piece (snacks), two Be Quicks (diapers + change mat; spare clothes), wipes pouch, Travelon Cube (swimsuits for the splash pad), sunscreen, muslin blankets (mouse & medallion).

I ended up having some spare space and stuck a pair of leggings and sweatshirt for myself (in case temps dropped).

Another day, another Super Be!

What do you think of my packing and how versatile this Super Be tote is?!

** All items were purchased by myself, and all opinions are my own.  Each stroller has its own safety regulations and weight capacities.  Please check and ensure safety before using on your own. **

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Filed Under: Baby/Kids, Disney, Jujube, What's In My Bag Tagged: be light, be quick, be set, city mini, diaper bags, Disney day, disneyland, double GT, double stroller, ju-ju-be, jujube, pack for Disney, stroller, super be

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Hi! I'm Vivian, and this is my creative space to share snippets from our life in Orange County, CA and some of my favorite things!
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