Wii Themed Birthday Party at KidsPark!

Last weekend we celebrated both of my son's birthdays at KidsPark in Northridge, CA. Jackson turned 7 on the 18th and Parker turned 3 on the 20th. Every year since Parker was born, I have had to come up with creative ways for my sons to celebrate their birthdays on the same day. The last two parties were tricky because the boys wanted completely different themes. This year, they both agreed to one awesome theme. A Nintendo Wii Party! Parker loves all things Mario. Super Mario, Mario Kart, Mario Party, you name it. Jackson is more of a Sonic kind of kid so instantly I thought Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games. I knew right away that I was going to dress up as Mario! I always match my kid's party themes.

I knew the colors would be red and blue all throughout the party. Parker decided on the Mario Kart themed party supplies and Jackson found all the Sonic the Hedgehog supplies he wanted at PartyCity. I found a few black & white checkered racing items at Party City, but I had to order the Mario Kart supplies online so to save a little money I decided to print out a few images of Mario Kart characters. It worked out great. My two party assistants decorated the Theater Room with all of my Mario Kart items. We set the Wii up in the Theater Room for the older kids while my younger guests enjoyed running around KidsPark.

We all know that Mario & Luigi are huge fans of Italian food so I asked my Mom to make her famous spaghetti (famous because it's been the same recipe since I was a kid and my kids think it's the best spaghetti in the world!). I had to do some research on Sonic and found out that Sonic's favorite food is chili dogs. I also came up with a few themed snacks to serve just for fun. Sliced pineapples for Sonic Rings, marshmallows covered in green cake gel dots for Yoshi's Eggs and I baked a batch of Wii Remote Sugar Cookies!

The cakes were also easy. We decided on two cakes. Jackson's cake was a landscape theme that represented a level of game play from Sonic the Hedgehog. Parker's cake was made to resemble a track and a bomb from the game Mario Kart. I usually have the baker just decorate my cakes with landscaping and I purchase the cake toppers from Toys R Us. Not only will your cake be less expensive when the store isn't providing the cake toppers, but you have the freedom to let your child pick out exactly what they want to top their special cake with. Jackson picked out the exact characters he wanted on his cake and Parker found little pull-back character cars from Mario Kart.

My KidsPark package included Face Painting, an Art Project that each child can take home as a souvenir and one Activity. Jackson selected Musical Chairs and what a great choice that was! The kids really had a great time trying to make sure they nabbed a seat when the music stopped. They played two rounds of Musical Chairs and Jackson ended up winning the second round.

Everyone had a wonderful time. We ate, we played, we laughed and we all had FUN! I will definitely be booking KidsPark for Mya's birthday in November. I want to give a BIG THANK YOU to Kelsey and Karina for literally doing EVERYTHING for me! They took such amazing care of the kids and were so patient and accommodating. Their help made it easier for me to enjoy my boy's party! I also want to THANK Kathleen for making the booking process so easy. She answered all 100 questions that I threw at her and basically let me do whatever I wanted. KidsPark Rocks!!!

The Doc is in!

As if we weren't already anxiously awaiting the premiere of Doc McStuffins on Disney Junior next week, the arrival of a very special package from Disney Junior has caused my daughter to go bonkers! Mya loves all of her precious little "babies", aka Disney plushes, and she especially enjoys taking care of them when they are feeling sick. All the more reason why Doc McStuffins is going to be her new favorite show. She has been watching all of the commercials promoting the show and she just can't wait for the series to premiere.

When Mya opened the package from Disney Junior, she began to scream at the top of her lungs! It was filled with all sorts of Doc McStuffins goodies from band aids and a lunchbox to a journal for her to record each of her "patient's" treatments.

She immediately began lining up her "babies" and announced to them, "The Doctor is in!". She checked Bambi's vitals, tended to Nala's wound and wrapped up Miss Bunny's sprained ear!

Once all of her "patient's" received a clean bill of health, she made sure to make note in her Doc McStuffin's journal that "Today was a good day!".

Don't forget to watch Doc McStuffins and all her friends on Disney Junior next week, March 23rd!

Disney Channels Worldwide Upfront 2012-2013

The shining stars from the Disney Channel and Disney XD took over NYC this week! They were there to celebrate all the new and exciting things in store Disney this season!

Check out the video below and feel the love that only Disney can make you feel:

Disney/Pixar's BRAVE in Theaters this June

Since ancient times, stories of epic battles and mystical legends have been passed through the generations across the rugged and mysterious Highlands of Scotland. In “Brave,” a new tale joins the lore when the courageous Merida (voice of Kelly Macdonald) confronts tradition, destiny and the fiercest of beasts.

Merida is a skilled archer and impetuous daughter of King Fergus (voice of Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (voice of Emma Thompson). Determined to carve her own path in life, Merida defies an age-old custom sacred to the uproarious lords of the land: massive Lord MacGuffin (voice of Kevin McKidd), surly Lord Macintosh (voice of Craig Ferguson) and cantankerous Lord Dingwall (voice of Robbie Coltrane). Merida’s actions inadvertently unleash chaos and fury in the kingdom, and when she turns to an eccentric old Witch (voice of Julie Walters) for help, she is granted an ill-fated wish. The ensuing peril forces Merida to discover the meaning of true bravery in order to undo a beastly curse before it’s too late.

Directed by Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman, and produced by Katherine Sarafian, “Brave” is a grand adventure full of heart, memorable characters and the signature Pixar humor enjoyed by audiences of all ages. The film takes aim at theaters on June 22, 2012, and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D™ in select theaters.

Babies R Us Expo this Saturday!

Babies R Us is getting ready for a big day! This Saturday, March 10th, you'll get a chance to check out some of the hottest baby trends. The Babies R Us Expo is sponsored by Huggies, Tommee Tippee and Disney Baby.

Disney Baby launched with great success on January 17th and has been growing rapidly since. Disney Baby offers essential products for Getting Ready for Baby, The Nursery, Dressing Baby, On-the-Go, Mealtime, Playtime, Bathtime and Baby’s Firsts. With Disney Baby, everyday with your little one will be truly magical.

To find out more info on this event and a location nearest you, click here!

Disneynature's Chimpanzee & Earth Day!

Disneynature takes moviegoers deep into the forests of Africa with “Chimpanzee,” a new True-Life Adventure introducing an adorable young chimp named Oscar and his entertaining approach to life in a remarkable story of family bonds and individual triumph. Oscar’s playful curiosity and zest for discovery showcase the intelligence and ingenuity of some of the most extraordinary personalities in the animal kingdom. Working together, Oscar’s chimpanzee family—including his mom, Isha, and the group’s savvy leader, Freddy — navigates the complex territory of the forest.

The world is a playground for little Oscar and his fellow young chimps, who’d rather make mayhem than join their parents for an afternoon nap. But when Oscar’s family is confronted by a rival band of chimps, he is left to fend for himself until a surprising ally steps in and changes his life forever. Directed by Alastair Fothergill (“African Cats” and “Earth”) and Mark Linfield (“Earth”), “Chimpanzee” swings into theaters on Earth Day 2012.

Disney's "John Carter" at the El Capitan Theatre

Disney announced today that Hollywood’s legendary El Capitan Theatre will present “John Carter,” an epic adventure directed by Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Andrew Stanton, from March 9 through April 19, 2012, featuring an exclusive opportunity for guests to view a special collection of props, set pieces and costumes direct from movie.

Daily showtimes: 10 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9:55 p.m.

Tickets are on sale now, and available at the El Capitan Theatre (6838 Hollywood Blvd.), online at www.elcapitantickets.com, or by calling 1-800-DISNEY6. Special group rates for parties of 20 or more are available by calling 1-818-845-3110. Show times subject to change.

“John Carter” is a sweeping action-adventure set on the mysterious and exotic planet of Barsoom (Mars). The film is based on a classic novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, whose highly imaginative adventures served as inspiration for many filmmakers, both past and present. “John Carter” tells the story of war-weary, former military captain John Carter (Taylor Kitsch), who is inexplicably transported to Mars where he becomes reluctantly embroiled in a conflict of epic proportions amongst the inhabitants of the planet, including Tars Tarkas (Willem Dafoe) and the captivating Princess Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins). In a world on the brink of collapse, Carter rediscovers his humanity when he realizes that the survival of Barsoom and its people rests in his hands.

Disney presents “John Carter,” directed by Andrew Stanton, with Jim Morris, Lindsey Collins and Colin Wilson producing, and screenplay by Andrew Stanton & Mark Andrews and Michael Chabon, based on the story “A Princess of Mars,” by Edgar Rice Burroughs. “John Carter” will release in U.S. theaters on March 9, 2012.