Watch for the DOLE Rose Bowl Parade Float - Will They Win Again?

We were invited to attend a DOLE Family Fun Day Event for DOLE employees to preview their New Years Day Rose Bowl Parade Float. One family was randomly drawn at the event to ride on the float on New Years Day. LUCKY

Tips for Queen Mary's CHILL @TheQueenMary #QMChill

We were invited to check out Queen Mary's CHILL and were pleasantly surprised - We had the best time! Here are some highlights, and I also shared some tips for surviving Ice Kingdom below. Hint: Bundle up and pack gloves! You can thank me later...

Attractions include:

• Entrance to The Ice Kingdom,  
• Indoor Ice Tubing, 
• Ice Skating rink, 
• Holiday Village, complete with Christmas trees, 
• Gingerbread decorating, and
• Carolers.

Happy Holidays!! from Mary@LetsPlayOC

We're busy traveling this year, but wanted to stop by to wish you all a joyous holiday season with loved ones!

Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for 2013!

Sincerely,

Mary@LetsPlayOC

Here's a video that my brother-in-law made for us. Enjoy!

(c) T&L Productions


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Newport Landing: Christmas Boat Parade Time

If you're looking for something fun and festive to do this week, yesterday marked the start of Newport Harbor's nightly Christmas Boat Parades. Now thru December 23rd, you can join the parade three times a night with one of many of Newport Landing's Holiday Cruise Boats wherever the parade is in the harbor. 

Real Snow at Pretend City Friday, Dec 21, 2012! @PretendCity

If you're looking for a Snow Play Day in SoCal, look no further. Pretend City Children's Museum is getting real snow on Friday, December 21st!

10 tons of real snow is coming to Pretend City! Snow adventures include:

• experimenting with footprints
• building snow forts
• creating snow angels, and
• making snow balls!

GROUPON: K1 Speed Go-Kart Package (Save 48%) #ad

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. UPDATED!

Looking for the perfect gift for the men in your lives? This might be it - Get this Groupon! With eco-friendly electric karts, speeds up to 45 mph, and a collection of racing memorabilia on display, here's something they can bond over.

Here's the K1 Speed Deal! 

$48 for a Racing Package with Four Races and
Two Yearly Licenses at K1 Speed ($91.96 Value)

• Four races to be used by one or two people
• One yearly license for one person or two yearly licenses for two people, good for free use of helmet and head sock, the online K1RS system, and monthly email offer

4 Local K1 Speed Locations - Anaheim, Irvine, Ontario, and Torrance!

Promotional value expires Nov 27, 2015. Amount paid never expires. Not valid 9/4/15–9/7/15. Limit 2 per person, may buy multiple additional as gifts. Must activate licenses by expiration date on your Groupon. More details at Groupon!

Annual Tree Lighting at Queen Mary is December 13th (Plus a CHILL Giveaway!)

Tonight, December 13th, Long Beach celebrates an Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Queen Mary.

Our New Traditions @Knotts Merry Farm | #MerryFarm

It was our first Knott's Merry Farm experience. (We've been before but not during the holidays). This time it wasn't all about the rides, it was about experiencing new holiday traditions. 

BabbaBox Kits are Educational and FUN! (Plus get 50% Off to Try it)

We received a BabbaBox to share a review with our readers.

What is a BabbaBox?

A BabbaBox for me is a monthly themed-project kit that is delivered straight to my door.  It allows my kids and I to spend more quality time together exploring. It's really educational!

Don't Forget EBATES for All Your ONLINE Holiday Shopping! Get Cashback!!

Do you guys know about Ebates? Get a rebate from ALL your ONLINE purchases and it's FREE. I'm not kidding! Shop from major stores like you normally would like Macy's, Walmart, Amazon, Best Buys, ToysRus, Target, etc. (only to name a few), then after the holidays you get a rebate check in the mail! Simple as that. 

My sister-in-law thanked me because over Black Friday, they had this bonus deal that doubled her cash back and she got about $90 coming back to her. You're welcome!

Signing up is really easy. All you do is: 

Hop Aboard the Christmas Train @ Irvine Park Railroad (Plus an Exclusive Offer)

Last weekend, we took the Christmas Train to see Santa at Irvine Park Railroad.

 

I think we went at the perfect time. We were there at 5pm and got to experience the best of both day and nighttime (not to mention the lines were not extremely long yet.)

Candlelight Ceremony @ Disneyland with Kurt Russell!

Waiting for the ceremony to begin/(c) Let's Play OC

Last week we attended a Candlelight Ceremony at Disneyland with Kurt Russell as the celebrity narrator and was pleasantly surprised.

Super STAR Storytime - "Storytime Touching Autistic Readers"

This is really unique. Placentia Library hosts these monthly special storytime for Autistic Readers. 

 

Super STAR Storytime

Experience Santa's Wonderland in SoCal (Plus a GIVEAWAY)

We were invited to experience SoCal’s newest holiday attraction: Santa's Wonderland. Tickets include a two hour experience and lots of rooms to explore. I want to share with you our favorites.

 

Letters to SANTA

Kids can write letters to SANTA in this mailroom. An ELF is there to help. There’s also a mail drop box. How cute!

Transformers: The Ride-3D @ Universal Studios (and our KRE-O Collection) #PhotoGallery #Grinchmas

Our KRE-O Collection

My boys are HUGE and I mean HUGE Transformers fans! We started collecting these KRE-O Transformer's set this year, and I think we're almost done.  (KRE-O's are HasbroToys version of construction sets). The boys enjoy building them together with their Dad, and they spend hours and hours playing with them (under supervision). They don't transform, but they can build them in two different ways.

Holiday Finds @ The Children's Place (Plus a GIVEAWAY)

Lately, SoCal's weather has been unpredictable so I find that layering is always the best way to go. We were invited to browse the holiday collection at The Children's Place and we were so happy that we did.

ICE AGE: Continental Drift is coming to Blu-ray/DVD December 11th!!

Yesterday, December 6th, I attended a Family Media event in honor of the holiday release of ICE AGE: Continental Drift on Blu-ray/DVD at the ICE AGE ICE PALACE at the Beverly Center in Los Angeles. My kids are HUGE ICE AGE Fans!  

ICE AGE ICE PALACE at Taubman Shopping Centers/
(c)Taubman/Fox Home Entertainment

Don't Miss LA Auto Show 2012!

The LA Auto Show is an annual family tradition for us. Each year the boys enjoy it a little different as they get one year older. Who doesn't love cars?!

On our way in, we ran into this Hot Wheels display near the West Gate Entrance.

Photo Gallery: Christmas Transformation of It's a Small World @ Disneyland

I love the Christmas transformation of It's a Small World at Disneyland!

Enjoy pictures from my photo gallery.

(c) Let's Play OC!

Don't Miss Christmas at the OC Zoo on December 8th!

Brown Bear with Christmas Tree/(c) OC Zoo

Fun for the whole family!

Animals at the OC Zoo gets a special Christmas treat on
December 8th! 

"Come visit with Santa, join Mrs. Claus at story time, make festive crafts, and get your face painted! Come see the zoo animals receive treats inside their Christmas trees!"

2012 TOYS FOR TOTS Deal @Knotts Merry Farm! #MerryFarm

Have great fun while donating to a great cause! Donate to Toys for Tots at Knott's Berry Farm and enjoy Snoopy's Magical Nights of Lights every evening, a Winter Wonderland performance by Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy and Pals, It's Christmas Snoopy! on ice, and A Peanuts Holiday Parade - just to name a few happenings at Knott's Merry Farm. Don't you just love Christmas time?!

  

"Knott’s Berry Farm will look like Santa’s Toy Shop this year as it stocks hundreds of toys for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Drive."

GROUPON for The Ice Kingdom at Queen Mary's Chill!

Get this Groupon for $19 admissions to The Ice Kingdom at Queen Mary's Chill and get a return pass to come back to the Queen Mary.  (Save up to 53%)

The Queen Mary

$19 for One Ticket to The Ice Kingdom at Queen Mary's Chill and One Queen Mary Day Visit Pass (Up to $39.95 Value)

More details at Groupon

GROUPON for Santa's Wonderland!

Get this Groupon for Santa's Wonderland!

$12 Weekdays OR $15 Weekends!
(save up to 52% off)

Weekday or Weekend Visit to Santa's Wonderland
(Up to 52% Off)

More details at Groupon

Disney's MONSTERS UNIVERSITY is Coming! #MonstersU #Trailer

Disney PIXAR's MONSTERS UNIVERSITY will be in theatres on June 21st, 2013!