Where to Go and What to Do!Hello! Here's to a happy hump day!  More sick kids....GRRRRR Ok - quick rant!! As you may remember, Kelsey came down with a terrible cold the sunday before Thanksgiving. As a result, she not only wound up missing school for 2 weeks, but we had to forego a number of fun NYC excursions with Tanya and the gang the weekend following Thanksgiving. Cut to the week after Thanksgiving - the first week of December - Rebecca gets a bad case of strep throat and is confined to bed for over a week. Now, all the time, I'm pumping myself with vitamins, probiotics and Aloe Juice (which is anti-viral). It's smooth sailing for a few days and then Gianna doesn't feel well (stuffy nose, scratchy throat on Monday) and then last night sends me a text at my PTA Christmas party with a picture of the thermometer which read 102 degrees. I'm just meant to be confined to the house for this whole month!! This good news, (I hope!) is that the illnesses should be behind us for Christmas. Ok - rant over! Time to Put up the Tree So, after my blog last week about purchasing real Christmas trees, I thought maybe it was time for me to get a real tree after all these years of putting up an artificial, pre-lit tree So this past weekend, I did in fact, purchase one!!!  Standing next to my 2014 Christmas Tree Now, here we are - December 18th and I still haven't put it up or have begun my decorating. Well today is the big day. For the past 2 days, the tree has been in the garage, awaiting set up in the house. With Gianna home sick, I'll have something to do tonight and if she's feeling up to it, she can help with the decorating. Promise to take lots of pictures for tomorrow's blog.  My little Elf, Kelsey in the school Christmas Show In other news, Kelsey had her Christmas show today at school. She was an elf!! Such a cute little elf too! Today's performance was for the school (students, teachers) and tomorrow they will be putting not the show again for the parents. Denise took this pic today for me as she was a class mom volunteer back stage.  With the start of Hanukah this week, there is lots happening to celebrate the Festival of Lights, I thought I'd focus on some great celebrations going on around the country today. Please check out Tanya's side for some super Things to Do this holiday season for both Christmas and Hanukah on the West Coast. She did such a great job putting together a list of fun-filled events. ---->>>>>----->>>>>---->>>>> As far as the rest of the country, check out these Menorah Lightings in the following cities, if you are nearby! Northern, Colorado Dec. 18th: Colorado State University Dec 22nd: Greeley Dec. 23rd: Loveland Dec. 23 Each lighting is accompanied by music, latkes, donuts, dreidels and more. Chattanooga, Tennessee Dec. 18 starting at 5 p.m., with the lighting ceremony at 5:30 p.m., at the outdoor rink at Ice on the Landing Kosher Hanukkah refreshments will be served, along with a lot of fun! South Florida Dec. 22nd: 7 p.m. and will feature the lighting of Florida's Largest Menorah at Chabad of South Broward, as well as free Chanukah gelt and goodies for the thousands of children who will be in attendance. The festival, which is free and open to the public, also features live music by Avraham Fried and is expected to draw more than 10,000 people. San Francisco, California Dec. 23rd:The eight candle lighting ceremony will be at 5 p.m. in Union Square and will include traditional treats, arts and crafts, dreidel spinning and a live performance by Jewish Spiritual Rocker Rabbi Yehuda Ferris. See ya back here tomorrow for Throwback Thursday with Tanya taking us back in time!! -E  | It's another W2GWHey, how's it going out there? We are just coming off of yet another IPC Christmas Performance. This one was last night and held at the Masons Lodge for their Holiday Celebration Party. I even got my mom to come along to watch these kiddos perform in song and dance. Mumsy even got a little teary eyed after they sang the real touching song 'I Want Peace', which is definitely a real tear jerker! After the performance, she had noted to me just how much she enjoyed herself and how she should come out with us more often!  Today however is not a day that she'd be all too interested in, I'll be running around quite a bit from morning until night. I've got 2 stables to take Cosette to, I need to do some vegan holiday shopping at a speciality market that is rather out of the way, and then later tonight we are all going to the 106th Annual Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade! To most it's just another Humpday, but here on Travelin' Cousins Elisa and I prefer to call it: Where to go Wednesday or W2GW! It's where we search out the current local things to do that interest us and that might interest you too! I just found out about this one and I think I have to go and check it out!! Disney Magical Holiday Lights at Irvine Spectrum Center® When: November 28, 2014 - January 05, 2015 Where: Irvine Spectrum Center 71 Fortune Drive, Irvine, CA 92618 The holidays will shine even brighter with a unique music and lighting moment each and every evening throughout the holiday season. With Disney Magical Holiday Lights at Irvine Spectrum Center, the Edwards Courtyard comes to life with a tribute to the magical holiday shows of the Disneyland® Resort. Enjoy holiday music and light displays on the hour, every hour, from 5:30pm to closing. For More Information: 949-753-5180  This next one is at such a fun little children's museum that I really wish my kiddos were still little and that I could take them here: Hooray for Hanukkah at Pretend City Children's Museum When: December 16, 2014 to December 24, 2015 Where: Pretend City Children's Museum, 29 Hubble, Irvine, CA 92618 Happy Chanukah! Celebrate Chanukah at Pretend City. Your child will love these rich and diverse activities about the Hanukkah miracle and the importance of many of the traditions of the holiday. We’ll have fun learning about this wonderful holiday through games, finger play rhymes, art projects and activities. Featured activities include: December 17 (A.M. Activity): Menorah December 18 (P.M. Activity): Dreidel, Dreidel December 20 (P.M. Activity): Star of David December 21 (Art Studio): Chanukah Art December 22 (P.M. Activity): Tzedakah Box December 23 (A.M. Activity): Chanukah Story Time For More Information: 949-428-3900  Here's yet another one that I didn't know about until now, and want to go check out! (Seriously look at all I'm gaining from researching W2GW for TC!! Luv it!) Snoopy House Holiday Display When: December 12, 2014 - December 25, 2014 Where: Costa Mesa City Hall, 77 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, California 92626 The elaborate Snoopy House holiday display has been a Costa Mesa and Orange County holiday tradition for 47 years, attracting an estimated 80,000 visitors annually. Snoopy House, features holiday scenes populated by "Peanuts" characters, is available for viewing from 5:30 to 9 p.m. nightly from Dec. 12 through Dec. 25. Santa will make special visits to the event from 7 to 9 p.m. from opening night, Dec. 12, through Dec. 23. Children and their families will have opportunities to receive free photos with Santa. In addition to train rides, visitors to Snoopy House can hear two performances each evening by local Costa Mesa schools or groups. For More Information: 714-754-5347 Note to self: I should get the IPC to perform at this event next year!!!  And lastly, since it's Where to go Wednesday, what a better day than today to publish my blog Fun at The NYBG Holiday Train Show®!  Well, that's about all folks. It's time that I hit the town, paint it red, and go help out the economy! See ya at the Boat Parade!! -T |
