Sno On The Go

Have you been looking for a shaved ice or snow cone place in Orange County and having a hard time finding one? I have found the Diamond in the Rough! "SNO ON THE GO" is located on Edinger in Huntington Beach. A bit of a drive for me from Anaheim Hills but my family, plus a ton of our friends don't mind making the drive at least twice a month to get one of their awesome creations.

Do you remember when you were a kid a typical shaved ice or snow cone was just one to three colors of some really thick, sticky syrup? Well, you are in for a treat! SNO ON THE GO has over 20 flavors, you can mix and match the regular and they are anything but ordinary... Among these is rootbeer, wedding cake, and cola, along with all your regular favorites. Then there are the stuffed specialties like, Green tea raspberry, apple pie, caramel apple and tropical treat! These are amazing! Not only are they delicious shaved ice but they are stuffed all the way down the middle with soft serve ice cream and have real fruit in the middle to add to the awesome delight!

If you are looking for a wonderful cool treat at a great price and don't mind a small drive, head over to SNO ON THE GO to try a stuffed or original flavored shaved ice! I guarantee, you will not be disappointed!!!

Vacation On A Budget Laughlin Style

Ok everyone... So you want to go on a vacation without a lot of money and you don't know where to go. You want relaxation but you are kinda wanting pizazz of Vegas as well. Do you have kids? No problem!!! I can give you some fun ideas for a kick-back Vegas influences (of-course) vacation with a lot less out of your pocket!

To me, there are actually 3 real main parts to Laughlin. There is main Laughlin, The Avi, and then there is the Arizona side that there is a lot of fun that can be explored.

My suggestion when you first get in town, plan your days, down to your meals, where they will be and how much you will be paying for each. Set a gambling budget and if you have kids, set a budget for them at the kid play areas if you intend to have any alone time....

In the main part of Laughlin, you find the bright lights and big casinos kind of like Vegas with one little twist, the river. The river has boat rides offered up and down at reasonable rates and you can rent sea-doos to ride hourly or even for the day. But don't jump right into renting there, they are pricey! If you go over to the Arizona side to rent the skis, you can rent for 1/3 the price as the Laughlin side leaving you more money to gamble, eat or just plain keep in your pocket for souvenirs.

Then there are some free activities over in Arizona that you can do. There is an Old Ghost Town in Oatman where you can shop, see an wild west show put on by the locals and also pet some burros (wild donkeys), even feed the burros. If you plan on heading out to do this, plan on spending half a day at least out there and bring plenty of snacks and water so you keep hydrated and fed. In the summer, it is extremely hot and easy to overheat quickly!

If you are in the Old Ghost Town and want to head over to The Avi, it's just a quick drive, maybe half an hour to the Avi. Follow the signs! This is an all inclusive hotel, including a beach for the river, a beautiful pool, a nice buffet, a nice casino and a Kid's Quest. You can drop the kid's off at the kid's Quest to play for an hourly rate while you gamble. The price is usually $6-$8 per hour, per child. The Riverside in main Laughlin also has a Kid's Castle which is the same thing.

We stayed at The Avi this summer and a couple weeks later we received a complimentary night stay for our next visit! This will definitely bring us back since we really enjoyed the hotel in the first place!!!

For a family of 4 on a budget doing all the extra activities I described plus rooms, you can do this vacation for 4 or 5 days on a budget of around $700 with the rooms included. Just be careful with your gambling and be creative and remember to pack waters and snacks from home and a travel cooler you can take with you wherever you go.

I hope this helps and you enjoy your vacation in Mini Vegas!!! Remember, a vacation is about relaxing, not stressing! When in doubt, the pool is free, kids love it and naps rejuvenate you!!! :)

Oh and one more thing... If you have any friends or relatives that go to Laughlin like we do, they might have comp rooms they might not need that they could gift you. So check around, I'm sure they wouldn't mind parting with them! ;)

I'd love feedback if anyone has any... Please give me some if you do go and let me know how your trip was and what your budget was....

Thanks and good Luck! Win Big!!!

It is better to Give than to Receive

How many of us were taught this when we were children? I know I was and I try to practice this whenever possible! Do you? What do you think you are teaching your children or nieces and nephews? What would your parents say? You still practice this or ....



It seems like almost everyday when I drive off a freeway off ramp or stop at a turn signal, there is someone standing there holding a sign that says they are homeless, or hungry or some sad story written on a cardboard box. What do I (we) do in this situation? Give them the money because of this learned expression? Well, I have to say that I do most of the time because I was raised that when you give, you shall receive.... And I believe that even if you only have $1 left in your wallet, you still have much more than the supposed homeless person standing or sitting there begging for money.



The question is, are they really homeless or is this their job???? I can't help but wonder sometimes if this is someone who is just trying to make some extra cash, for whatever it is they are in need of, be it even something very bad! What are your thoughts?



Then again, we weren't taught to judge what we "think" they might do with it, but society has shown us that money is not always used to take care of a family's desperate needs like shelter of food. It sometimes is used for the cravings of drugs and alcohol which very well might of put that person in this situation.



In this case, would you then not give them money to survive? Would you judge? I think I would, I would even go as far as to buy the food for them in order for them to get the nourishment, and have!!!



This is just to get you thinking, the next time you see someone on the street asking for money, think more about giving up that dollar, they surely aren't making enough to have the house, the car and the happy life that we take for granted everyday!!!

Why do we get sick?

Why is it that we are feeling fine and then all of a sudden we get run down and then come down with a terrible cold, cough, fever, etc...

When is the cold season? What is the times of year that different things go around? Why is it that we get more colds in the winter than in the summer and why does the flu only come around a certain time of year?

I have a few of these answers but it all just kind of stems from what is happening in the world around us! Like for instance the H1N1.... This started somewhere else during our "flu season" or just a little before it so we were prepared for the flu season and the season to be extra bad because it was going to include this extremely scary virus H1N1!

I have a theory on why we get sick in the winter more than the summer... Could it be because we stay in heated rooms all day long and then emerge into chilly temperatures to go out to dinner, the grocery store, etc. And if this is the case, why doesn't it effect people the other way around? Like durring the summer, we always have air condition going and then we step out into the blazing heat to get into a scorching car to blast the air in on us...

I think the winter is a bigger shock on our bodies though and our bodies work harder to keep us warmer, ultimately making us vulnerable to those pesky viruses waiting to infultrate our bodies and force us to rest!

Since I've left all these questions, here is another one to ponder... Why is it with sore throats that they hurt so much more in the morning and then lessen as the day goes on, well at least a little. And why is it that some people get sore throats and some don't, even though it's the same virus?

What are your thoughts??????????

Raid in the neighborhood

So I guess you can't escape it anywhere you live! I thought we lived in a good neighborhood but the other day, we were in the pool and i heard cars screech up the street and a cop jumps out in the middle of the road screaming to get the F*** out of the car and on the ground! Well, I sprung into action! i got the kids out of the pool and over to the opposite side by a building for shelter because only God knew what was going to happen next! Luckily, it all went smoothly and there was no need for the guns but it was terrifying!

Come to find out that on the next block they were doing a raid. A drug bust the next block over! GREAT!!! This neighborhood is supposed to be a good neighborhood! But then again, I hear that those characters move into this type of a neighborhood so they are not suspected! Well, I guess they met the wrong friends, "undercover cops", took them into their confidence and were BUSTED!!! Woohoo!!!

Thank you to the police officers that put their lives in danger each day to get the bad people off the streets to make it a better place for us and our children, and our grandchildren! We owe you our appreciation at the very least!!!

The OC Fair

Are you going to the OC Fair? If so, pack a lot of money! Oh and sunscreen and water are not a bad idea either! It seems as if things cost more and more every year even though we make less and less!!! Especially the food we all love to eat that's extremely bad for us!!! lol

We went to the fair for my daughter's dance performance yesterday, she dances with the TDAD (Tracy Dee Academy of Dance). It was beautiful! Since we had paid to get in, we thought we'd stick around the fair, get some food and let her have a little fun on the little kid rides and play some of the little kid games.

$40 later, my daughter and 2 friends had played 2 games and went on maybe 3 rides... It was so expensive! But, I have a suggestion. If your child wants to go on a lot of rides, there are bracelets that are specifically for the rides. I think they are about $25 and they are unlimited. Very worth it, believe me!!! But, be sure to buy it before 5pm, they stop selling them then. Another money saver is the refillable cup. It's $5 everywhere and you can refill everywhere as well for only $2.50.

Unfortunately, if you are going to play games, you are going to have to buy the cards that hold the tickets and each game is a lot of tickets to get to the big prize. My daughter got a goldfish for $5, which is the equivalent to 10 tickets and when we got home, sadly, she watched her goldfish, Muffin, take it's last breaths and pass away right in front of her! It was so sad and she was heartbroken! So, be careful if you decide to get a goldfish, it might not make it home....

Good luck with the deals, check everything out before you buy, and enjoy yourselves at the OC Fair!!!

Secret Night Flights

If you live in North Anaheim, Yorba Linda or Placentia, you are bound to have heard them... 2 helicopters late at night, 9:30 or so, almost every other night for a few weeks now. What are they doing? Where are they going? Here are some theories... Boeing is not far from the area and since one is cloked in darkness and the second lights it's way, people believe they might be moving something top secret. It's done all the time, why not now? What are they moving? Plane parts most-likely. Probably to a top secret bomber or plane of some sort either known of or not yet revealed. Alien remnants? Not likely. They wouldn't make so many trips. Why not take them by truck? Quicker and maybe safer all around by air, not quite sure. Questions, questions. Something to ponder...........

We travel frequently by the train tracks on Orangethorpe and recently saw trains moving huge engine type parts that were shrink wrapped. Very interesting to just watch the trains move back and forth, they move so many important things on the railroads.

Next time you hear those helicopters fly by, log on and let me know what you think they could be transporting. You never know, you could be right!

Laughlin vacation part 2

So where did I leave off? We left the Old Ghost town and found a short cut to the Avi and found ourselves there in around a half hour. We checked in about 3:30 even though check in is at 4pm, then headed up to the room. The Avi is very nice. They have a private beach to the river and a Kid's Quest that is close to the Riverside's Kid's Castle without the tickets. There is a very nice pool with a waterfall, lounge chairs in a shallow part of the pool so you can lounge in the pool, a kid's pool with sprayers and for your convenience, there are water taps by the snack bar where you can keep hydrated with fresh water in the hot temperatures all day long while you swim. This comes in handy if you don't want to buy anything since they don't allow anything brought in from outside. While we were at the Avi, it was a breathtaking 113 degrees.

The beach part is extremely handy for small boaters or jetskiiers so you can dock your small watercraft right there during the day for a fun filled water day on the beach and river. This water is considerably colder! The locals tell me it's around 60 but it felt like 40-50 degrees the way it almost burned my arms as the cold water and hot air mixed.

The buffet is pretty nice at the Avi, I have kinda a strange story of our night at dinner there. We were eating and it wasn't that busy when all of a sudden it started to get really busy! I mean people coming in from everywhere it seemed. We figured it was at least one or two bus turnover trips. But these people were crazy! They didn't wait to be seated, they just came in and sat. They had the servers and seater scratching their heads like "What's going on? What just happened?" There was even a couple that sat at a dirty booth behind us and told the waitress that there were a bunch of dirty plates at his table, and can't someone take them away? I'm talking at least 100 people! They were like "locusts" is how my husband put it. It was insane! We were afraid to go up for desert because when I went up to get my daughter some food, I got pushed out of the way twice from two different ladies! It was so bizarre! So, when you're at the buffet, look out for the locusts! ;) And happy travels!

Laughlin Vacation part 1

We took a 5 day vacation to Laughlin with our 6 year old daughter last week and it was great! We started out at the Tropicana on Saturday night where we had dinner and just kinda hit the sheets early that night getting rest after a long day of running around and driving. Sunday, we went to the pool and also explored the area. We walked across the street in 113 degree weather to the Colorado Bell to see the river and we could barely breathe it was so hot! I do not recommend this!!! We also later took our car to the Riverside where we heard there was a kid area and were pleasantly surprised to find the Kid's Castle. If you haven't heard of it, this is a Chuck-E-Cheese type setting of games with tickets and a jumper without the pizza but the kids can get snacks and drinks. Then when you pick them up, they can turn their tickets in for prizes. Yes, I said "Pick them up". This is a drop off for kids so you and your friends/ spouse can go play while your child(ren) are playing themselves! There is a 2 hour minimum and I think it's about $7-$8 but totally worth it! When we picked her up, she said she had a great time and we were very relieved we could go play slots while she was having fun as well!

If you are looking for a good buffet out there, I hear that the Harrah's has the best. I have only been out there this one time since like 10 years ago so I am just letting you know what I've been told. We ate breakfast there and it was quite good.

We checked out Monday morning and went on an adventure! We crossed over to Arizona and went to look for a modern day ghost-town. Yes, that's right, a ghost-town that people are still in today. Not only does it have people in it but burros as well. Wild donkeys walk throughout this town from person to person wanting to be fed and pet. It's crazy fun. It is like taking a step back into the wild west with a comic twist. It aslo has plenty of shops to buy souvenirs and drinks and snacks but to save money, pack your own, and just enjoy yourselves! The city is called Oatman and is located off the 95 and a street with the name cone in it. I don't exactly remember but if you just stop and ask a local in Arizona over there how to get to Oatman old Ghost-town, they will direct you. That's what I did and they were very happy to help.

Have fun in Laughlin, make sure to take in more sights than just the casino! You can go over to Arizona, just over the river or even go on the river by bringing up a boat or seadoo or renting one for the day or a few hours. Tip on this, rent from the Arizona side if you can, the prices are way cheaper! Look around, find the best deal! They are everywhere!! JUST HAVE FUN!!!

Fun Water Day at California Adventure

For all you passholder parents who want to do something fun for the kids in the hot summer that includes water, I have an idea for you. This weekend we had a yard sale and we were hot afterward, my husband wanted to go to California Adventure in the evening for The Glow Fest, my daughter really enjoys the music and the dancing. This was my idea...I remembered that Bug's Land has a water area and then of course there is the Grizzly rapid ride that you can potentially get soaked on! So we put on our bathing suits, packed an extra pair of clothes and headed out. We checked the wait time on the rapids and it was an hour so we got a fast pass for 2 hours later and headed over to Bug's Land to play in the water while the waiting time went by. We got soaked there. But we were finished early with nothing to do so we went through the tortilla factory and then realized the parade was going to go by soon, so we waited for that and watched it as well before we headed to the rapids. By the way, the current California Adventure parade sprays water, this kept with our water fun day theme. ;) Finally we headed to the rapids where, yes, we did get a bit of water but not the soaking we were anticipating, thank goodness. That ended our water fun play.

We then headed back to the car, got changed into our dry clothes, headed to Downtown Disney for dinner at Tortilla Jo's outside diner. Tip here is, it is less expensive and faster so you can save money and head back to your next destination more quickly. Make sure to show your pass for an extra discount off your meal, you will be pleasantly surprised how much you can save!

Lastly, we made our way back to California Adventure just in time for Glow Fest, it starts at 8:15. We stumbled upon a fake tattoo stand where they do really great face painting and tattoos made of glitter that last for up to 7 days. The tattoos range in price from $10 to $17 depending on design and how many colors, and there are 60 different art pieces to choose from. We had Tisha do one for our daughter, she was great and it turned out beautifully! It was a shooting star!!!

One more thing we did for the evening that we have never experienced before is the Muppets 3d show. It was fantastic! I can't believe in all my years of patronage to the park that I have never seen it! It was hysterical to see my daughter jumping out of her chair trying to grab stuff, it was that realistic. I had to keep telling her it wasn't real. It was so funny!

I hope this helps you enjoy a fun-filled, relaxing, water day at Disneyland's California Adventure! :)

World of Color in California Adventure Disneyland

So recently we took my husband to Disneyland for Father's Day. We actually went to California Adventure to see the World of Color, he is a tech finatic. Anyway, we made reservations at Ariel's Grotto with the Disney Dining phone line and had our reservations for dinner at 6:30. When we got seated, they handed us a special menu. There were 2 appetizers to choose from, they are mostly cheeses and grilled veggies with a salad. Then I believe there are 4 entrees to choose from, and my daughter had a few meals of her own to choose. It was delicious, if you go, I highly recommend the tri tip. At the end you get a very decadent dessert. Then we got our bill and it was $103. Wow, I was in shock. You see, when I made the reservations, they said it came with preferred seating at the World of Color show but said it was included in the dinner, they did not say, the prices were way more than usual. Even if you want to sit in the bar at Ariel's Grotto, there is a $10 per person cover charge now, Yikes! Use your pass though to get a discount on your dinner, we did and it saved us about $14. Which was about the tip. It's scary when kid's mac and cheese ends up being $21. I also suggest to get your reservation before 6:00 so you can get done and over to the preffered diner area for the show a little before or right at 7:30 if you want front row. It was already filling up fast when we got there about 7:45 for the 9:00 show. Also, you won't be waiting there the whole time, they do a cute little pre-show so the crowd doesn't get restless. A good tip is bring a blanket and maybe a deck of cards to keep you and the kiddos busy playing go-fish or any game you'd like :).

After that, we headed over to the Hollywood Blvd Backlot where there is a great GLOW PARTY going on where we danced the rest of the night away in the florescent streets! There are even a few bars up and down the street that sell cosmos and even a nonalcoholic drink in glow glasses! It was a blast, you should definately check it out!!! Enjoy your night of lights in California Adventure!

Dance Studio

My daughter is part of the Dance Studio... Tracy Dee Academy. They are a great studio. i have dance training myself and they are one of the best studios around. They teach the basics CORRECTLY to our children to set them up for a chance at a future if the parents and children decide to do so. One of the owners, Tracy, is an actual professional ballet dancer and her daughter as well teaches there and she currently dances professionally for the Nevada Ballet Company. Brenda, the teacher for the younger children is acceptional with them! She has so much patience to have a classroom of 10-15 little ones at a time, it's amazing. And then there's the shows that they put on twice a year. The only word I can find to describe them is "GORGEOUS". They have themed performances every year and they surprise all the parents with such beautiful costumes and sets and dance performances that it would bring a tear to your eye. It has braught quite a few to mine... If you are looking for a dance studio, look no further, this is the one!