Avengers 2 Movie Review by Hubby

Go see Avengers: Age of Ultron. That's what a savvy, cynical product review reader would expect to see here. Without sacrificing any journalistic integrity though, I can say that a great product doesn't rely on word of mouth. You don't need me to tell you to go see Avengers: Age of Ultron. If you're reading this, you've probably already bought your tickets. Good for you. A movie this big doesn't need me or you and yet it feels like it was made for all of us because it is. Just. That. Big. This isn't your usual plot-driven movie review because Avengers: Age of Ultron isn't your usual plot-driven costumed caper. Also, I'm going to make this shorter than my last movie review.

They say that a hero is only as interesting as the villain they must face. Speaking of faces, any villain without a prominent nose reminds me of Voldemort from the Harry Potter franchise. Ultron, the titular villain in this Avengers movie sequel, doesn’t have a nose. He’s a robot so he doesn’t really need one. His creator, Iron Man, doesn’t have a nose either and this brings us back to the symbiotic link between heroes and villains. Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man was already an interesting character, with or without a nose, and long before any sequels came along. What Ultron provides is an “ultra” version of Iron Man, a funhouse mirror of only his best and worst traits. It makes you wonder if “ultra” versions of Captain America, Thor, or even Harry Potter could make those less nuanced characters more interesting.

Is Ultron a better villain than Voldemort, or Loki from the first Avengers movie? I’m almost tempted to say yes, but I admit that his rage is far less meaningful. He essentially boils down to fear (which I consider to be a truer opposite of love than hate). He has no love for anything, not even himself, as he tries to “evolve” the mirror image of his creator. What he does have over Voldemort or Loki is direct contact with more and newer characters, and that’s what sequels are really about (Wakanda!). The Quicksilver character in Age of Ultron may not provide the laughs that the Quicksilver in last year’s X-Men: Days of Future Past did, but he (SPOILER ALERT) personally saves way more people. I'm just glad that Disney bought Marvel so that Ultron could sing Pinocchio's song from Stromboli's puppet show because every villain deserves good theme music.

This Year for Halloween...

Pinga dressed up like Izzy from Jake and the Neverland Pirates. She had planned to wear an old, ladybug dress that was falling apart and then changed her mind at the last minute. Fine by me! She wants to wear this costume every day and does, in fact wear the pixie dust necklace all the time.

Bean was Captain America for the third year in a row. If you've got a great costume and it still fits, why not wear it for as long as you can? Everyone seems to really like this costume and I think it suits him very well.

This year, I dressed up too. I was Katy Perry, which was a lot of fun to create and to wear. I took inspiration from Susan over at Mom Swim Bike Run, who made a Katy Perry costume last year, and also followed her easy directions for the no sew tutu. I think it turned out pretty well, especially since I've never made anything before!

Halloween night, we got together with a bunch of friends for a yummy dinner, and to go trick or treating around the neighborhood. A good time was had by all!

Mother Knows Best

Thanks to Nestlé® Pure Life® Purified Water for sponsoring today's discussion.

Lately, Bean is constantly asking for water."Water please" is one of his favorite phrases. After the fifth cup in a row, and Pinga holds out her sippy cup to get in on the action as well. It's almost irritating, but then I remind myself of how proud I am of their choice to always choose water. We haven't had juice at our house nearly all summer, and the kids don't mind one bit. I like to think I have such great kids because...

The thing is, my kids are teaching me. They set a great example for our whole family to drink more water. Bean is also obsessed with making sure that the trees and plants are getting enough water.

He is also excited for school to start, when he can take his water bottle with him every day.

Take the Hydration Pledge! Go to the Nestlé® Pure Life® Purified Water Facebook page and visit the Hydration Movement tab. Pledge to drink more water and sign up to join the Hydration Movement. You'll also be able to enter the Sweepstakes for a cool prizes, like the grand prize trip for four to Universal Studios Hollywood and more!

What healthy changes have you made recently?

Disney Magic at California Adventure

Last weekend we got to party like pirates at Disney's California Adventure Park! This was the perfect way to celebrate Pinga's birthday, as she had just turned one year old the day before. First up, was a special concert by the Never Land Pirate Band from the Disney Channel show "Jake and the Never Land Pirates." Sharkey and Bones put on a great show, and Jake, Captain Hook and Mr.Smee also joined the band onstage.


Bean was in awe of the pirate decor and the treasures!



Then it was time to hit the rest of the park. California Adventure has always been fun, but this was one of the best days we've spent at ANY Disney park! For starters, there's the incredible Mickey's Fun Wheel, a dream come true for Bean. I think the ferris wheel is his all time favorite ride, and this one did not disappoint! Both kids went on King Triton's Carousel and the new Ariel's Undersea Adventure, which was awesome. The best ride you'll find at any theme park is hands down, Soarin' Over California which had Bean absolutely giddy with excitement. We were tempted to scale the wall and check out the development of the new Cars Land , but decided it was probably better to wait until this summer when it opens. Here's a random pic of Pinga soaking in the magic:

All this excitement made us hungry and so we wandered into Ariel's Grotto in search of some yummy food. This was seriously THE best meal we've had in a long, long time. Both kids behaved themselves, and we got to sit outside right next to the water. Check out this amazing appetizer plate:

After scarfing down fresh mozzarella cheese, asparagus, yellow tomatoes, seafood, apricots, olives and much more, we ate up our delicious entrees. Bean opted for the seashell macaroni and cheese. When it came out, it was topped with goldfish crackers which I thought was adorable. Of course, he ate them before I could get a picture.

Pinga couldn't get enough of the Boudin Bakery sourdough bread. Soft on the inside, crispy on the outside. Delightful.

We finished the meal with this fabulous dessert plate. We were then informed that the meal included reserved viewing to the World of Color show - an added bonus to an already amazing experience.

We rocked it out at ElecTRONica before going to World of Color, which was the perfect way to end the night. The sequence of animation clips shown on the water "screen" were inspiring and almost had me in tears. The water fountains are absolutely breathtaking. This picture was taken right after the show ended.

We didn't get to check out the Aladdin musical or the Disney Junior - Live on Stage, but next time for sure! Right now, Disney has an awesome 2 day 1 Park per day for $99 deal for Southern California residents. If I were you, I'd buy it before it ends on June 5th and experience all that California Adventure has to offer!

*Thank you to Disney, who provided us with complimentary tickets to California Adventure.

One Year Later

It's been one year since I gave birth a month early to this beautiful little girl. She was born on her Nana's birthday, which made the day extra special. She has just started walking and can crawl at lightning speed, just like her brother did. And, like Bean she hates to wear bibs. She loves to eat though. Some of her favorite foods are bread, strawberries and feta cheese. She can clap her hands, give high fives, point to her nose and say "Mama" and "Dada." Her favorite game to play is peekaboo. She has a favorite doll named "Dolly" and she and Bean constantly fight over his stuffed sheep. It's adorable. We're still working on sleeping through the night, but that will come...I think. Tonight we will eat the cake that Daddy baked just for her. Happy Birthday, my pretty Pinga. We love you so much.

A New Year

Isn't this the most perfect picture you've ever seen? This is Bean's preschool picture. I almost didn't order any because every time I try to capture his cuteness on film, it takes forever. I have to take multiple shots and then I'll maybe get one good one. I didn't want him to feel left out though, so I ordered the smallest package available.

Look at the result! Posing, smiling, and you can't even tell that he's missing his front tooth (Hubby thinks they photoshopped a tooth in, and I think it's just his bottom teeth showing through.) Whatever. It's an awesome picture. So here are a few things I want to accomplish this year:

Take awesome photos like this one

Blog more often

Continue to see Merry Mailbox grow

Start writing my children's book

Write more letters to friends and family

Eat good food

Spend more quality time with family

What do you hope to accomplish this year? Happy New Year!

There's Still Time for Mastercard and "Here's to Mom"

There's still time to enroll your Mastercard for a special $20 gift card! For those procrastinators (like me) who haven't finished Christmas shopping yet, or have family members with birthday in December this is the perfect offer to take advantage of!

MasterCard wants you to relax this season so why not take some time for yourself, avoid a trip or two to those overcrowded malls and get some of your shopping done online in the comfort of your own home, and get rewarded for it? Beyond that, you’ll also enjoy the ease of budget management through simplified online tracking of your purchases.

Enroll your MasterCard debit or credit card in the Here's to Mom promotional program, and you'll receive a $20 MasterCard gift card just for shopping online! Just spend $200 online with your registered debit or credit MasterCard until December 31st and the gift is yours. Couldn't be easier, right? Happy Holidays, everyone!

*This is a sponsored post by MasterCard

"Here's to Mom" with Mastercard

I don't know about you, but around the holidays I prefer to shop online. Last year, we ventured out to the mall and were met with the craziest line just to get in the parking lot! It took us nearly an hour just to get out of the traffic jam and go home. This year, I'll be shopping from my couch in my warm jammies!

MasterCard wants you to relax this season so why not take some time for yourself, avoid a trip or two to those overcrowded malls and get some of your shopping done online in the comfort of your own home, and get rewarded for it? Beyond that, you’ll also enjoy the ease of budget management through simplified online tracking of your purchases.

Just enroll your MasterCard debit or credit card in the Here's to Mom promotional program, and you'll receive a $20 MarsterCard gift card just for shopping online! All you have to do is spend $200 online with your registered debit or credit MasterCard between now and December 31st and the gift is yours. Easy, right? Happy shopping!

*This is a sponsored post by MasterCard

Sklonklish - The Sequel

Take a good look at this cutie:


This little beauty does not like to sleep at night. She has woken up at least once each night for the past nine months. Recently it's been more like three or four times a night, due to sickness/hunger/teething/whoknowswhat

I've been neglecting my poor blog as of late, due to the fact that I feel sklonklish. The ironic thing is that she's so well behaved in public that she's convinced everyone that she's a perfect little angel. "You should see her at 2 am", I always say. Still, I look at that face and my heart just melts. It's a good thing she's so darn cute.

Mickey's Halloween Party

This past weekend marked the opening of Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland! Last year, we attended the park while I was pregnant with my little girl. We bought her a little Halloween onesie for her to wear when she arrived. This year, she got to wear it and see Disneyland for the first time, so this was a special trip for our family.

The park is absolutely gorgeous this time of year. So much thought is put into the detailed decorations and the Disney Villains are always fun to see! You can also see meticulous pumpkin carvers, barnyard animals as well as certain attractions specially adapted for the season.


For Mickey's Halloween Party, we were allowed into the park three hours prior to the event. We took Pinga on her first ride (Jungle Cruise) and rode the train. We enjoyed a yummy meal at our favorite restaurant, River Belle Terrace and explored a few shops. When it started to get dark, we changed Bean into his fabulous costume for the trick or treating:


Captain America! He was a huge hit. The trick or treating was a blast! There were treat stations galore offering excellent candy as well as healthy snacks. Even Pinga joined in on the fun. I really liked the setup of the treat trails. They were extremely organized and I got to see parts of the park that I'd never seen before such as the inside of the saloon.

Mickey's Halloween Party presents a special Halloween Screams fireworks spectacular, that is absolutely fabulous. It's got fun, high energy music, stunning visual effects that delighted our family. Don't miss these fireworks! After the show, I decided I had to check out Space Mountain's spooky transformation into Ghost Galaxy. Scary! But terrificly thrilling at the same time. Bean and I rode on Haunted Mansion (a must do) and then he noticed the "big waterfall" that was Splash Mountain. He really wanted to ride it and he barely met the height requirement. I was a bit nervous that he would be upset because he normally doesn't like to get splashed with water. He had nothing but a smile on his face the whole time - that's Disney magic for you.

There were also all sorts of fun dance parties and a costume cavalcade. Go here to see the remaining dates and prices of the event. This is one party where the fun never stops!

*Thank you to Disney for providing my family with complimentary passes to Mickey's Halloween Party.

DS Action and A Ride of Inspiration

This is Chopper the Biker Dog. We met him along with a handful of other celebrities this past weekend at "A Ride of Inspiration". This is the annual charity motorcycle ride and poker walk event put on by DS Action.

DS Action is dedicated to improving the quality of life of all people with Down Syndrome. When I was pregnant with my son, his 20 week ultrasound indicated a soft marker for Down Syndrome. This meant that there was a small chance that he would be born with it. I spent the next two weeks alone, crying, praying, reading and researching. And then I felt peace - if this was how he was meant to be, then I was ready to accept that and be happy with my child. Bean does not have Down Syndrome, but the experience changed me forever. I have become more aware of and open to these beautiful people. Recently, I was prompted to research organizations in San Diego that I could get involved with, and that's how I learned of DS Action and this event.

The event was a blast! It was exciting to see the motorcycles take off. Even Elmo participated in the action!


There were performances put on by various local groups. Jr. Crew was an entertaining, high energy and impressive display of percussion movement. Then we saw a performance by Arms Wide Open, a special needs dance and movement group. Here at Mama Sparkles I'm always looking for things that make my heart sparkle - these performers did that and more. I was in tears. All I could do was hold on tight to my hubby while they sang and danced. They looked so happy to be performing and I could tell that their joy came straight from their hearts. They are an inspiration to us all.


There was also a kids zone, raffle, various vendors and food. I had the pleasure of chatting a bit with Sharla Hank, president of DS Action and an amazing and warm hearted person. If you are interested in learning more about DS Action and helping to raise awareness for Down Syndrome, please check out their website!

Another Plum Steal!

Okay San Diego, Plum District has another fabulous daily deal! Local favorite Hullabaloo (I know some of you are fans!) will be performing at the Hullabaloo Family Arts Festival along with other talented artists. Celebrate music, art, dance, storytelling and check out the lively marketplace. Think Woodstock for kids! There will be hands on art projects, impromptu dance classes, baby sign language and much more. All this costs just $10 for a family of four. A small price to pay for what sounds like a great way to entertain the whole family. Check out this deal now!

Plum District - A Plum Steal!

Have you heard of Plum District? It's my favorite daily deal site because the deals are fab and they are focused on moms! I've bought more deals on this site than any other, because there always seems to be something on there that's designed to make my life easier or more enjoyable.

This week there's a great deal for you local San Diegans. For only six dollars, you get two play passes and a drink at Java Mama. That's a steal! Never been to Java Mama? It's a kid friendly cafe, where you can sit and relax while your child plays in the safe indoor and outdoor areas. Hubby and I brought our son when he was smaller and he had a blast! And if you're like us and coffee's not your thing, you'll find plenty of other things to drink here as well. Be sure to check out the weekly classes in music, baby sign language, story time and more. It's a great place to go to catch a break, because you are there with your kid, yet they are supervised. It's the best of both worlds! My son didn't want to leave. To take advantage of this deal and to read more details, click here. If you are not a member of Plum District, you will need to sign up, but it's free and it's worth it! The deal ends on Thursday, July 28th, so get it while you can.

The Most Nerve Racking Experience Of My Life...

Was purchasing passes to the 2011 Comic-Con International. We've been going to this convention for the past eight years. I've been pregnant during two of them. My little boy has been twice. And this year, my little baby girl will get to go as well.

Getting tickets to the world's largest pop culture convention was not easy. It has gotten so famous that for the past couple of years it's sold out completely months before it began. This year, however was epic. Tickets went on sale in November 2010. A few minutes after online registration opened, the site crashed due to too many people trying to buy tickets. A few weeks later, the same thing happened. EPIC, the system handling the registrations shut down again, and became associated with the phrase "Epic Fail."

February rolled around, and hardly anybody had tickets. While I was in the hospital giving birth to my beautiful baby girl, Comic-Con tickets went on sale yet again, and sold out within minutes. Thus, our only hope was to wait for the resale of the refunded tickets in June.

This past Friday, I checked the Comic-Con Facebook page and found out that 1500 of the 4-day refunded passes would be going up for sale at 10am. That was 45 minutes away! I quickly put the baby down for a nap, provided an activity for Bean, and stared at my computer. A couple minutes before 10, I began refreshing the page to make sure I didn't miss it. Then the site began to slow down, and I feared it would crash again and I wouldn't get on. Frantically, I refreshed again and this time I got through. I stabbed the green button to buy tickets and was put in a virtual "waiting room." This waiting room told me that there were 1081 people ahead of me. Every two minutes, the page would automatically refresh and tell me where I was in the line. As the seconds ticked on, my heart began to pound and my hands were shaking! About forty minutes later, when I was at number 131, the page told me that badges were running low and that we would be notified if they sold out. I thought I was going to have a heart attack, but on the next refresh I was whisked into the payment area! I leaped and with quivering fingers I pounded out my info. You were limited to two passes, and you had to buy each one separately. I GOT BOTH. I still can't believe it. We're going to Comic-Con!

The next day I felt really sick. I had a bad headache, I was dizzy and I couldn't stop shaking. I'm pretty sure it's because of my experience getting the tickets. It was totally worth it though. We can't wait to go. Hubby has even said it's his happy place and I couldn't agree more.

My Little Boy

Did Somebody Say "Breakfast"?

Last night, I went to one of my favorite places:


I love the "smaller, faster warehouse" concept of Smart and Final. It's a great place to buy things in bulk, but you can also just go in and buy one loaf of bread if you want - which is exactly what I did. Smart and Final also has fabulous deals. Check out the sale items starting on June 15th:

1. First Street Chicken Drumsticks or Thighs, add Value Pack @ $.89 PER LB.

2. Fresh Seedless Watermelon @ $2.99.

3. Home Pride Bread, White or Wheat, 20 OZ., Hostess Cup Cakes or
Twinkies, 14-15 OZ, Selected Varieties @ $1.99.

4. Vitaminwater, 20 OZ., Selected Varieties, Limit 24 Total @ $ .75
(+CRV in CA Only).

5. First Street Shredded Cheese, 2 LB., Selected Varieties @ $5.99.

6. Yoplait Fridge Pack Yogurt, 8/6 OZ., Selected Varieties, Add Burst
LESS THAN 50 CENTS PER CUP @ $3.99.

7. Coca-Cola, 12/12 OZ., Selected Varieties, Limit 4 Total, @ 4 for $11 (+CRV in CA Only)

Lately, I've been wanting to make french toast so I walked out with a loaf of Home Pride Bread:


Now, I had never actually made french toast before, but we still had some fresh blueberries from when we went berry picking, so I thought that combining the two would be a great way to use them up. Then I read a suggestion online about stuffing french toast with goat cheese and that sounded delish! Therefore, I decided to make a french toast sandwich of sorts, stuffed with goat cheese and blueberries. This morning I set to work on the recipe. Here is what I did:


Whisk together two eggs, 1/2 cup milk, 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, pinch of salt. Set aside.


Combine 2 Tablespoons berries to 4 Tablespoons goat cheese. Mix together with a fork, breaking the berries up slightly.


Spread two slices of bread with the berry and cheese mixture, then top each with another slice of bread.


Dip sandwiches in the egg mixture for 15 seconds per side.


Melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium high heat. Cook for two minutes per side, until golden brown.


Serve with honey or syrup and more blueberries.

I have to say, this was unique and rather delicious. Here's the full recipe:

French Toast Sandwiches, stuffed with goat cheese and blueberries:
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Makes two sandwiches

Ingredients:

4 slices of bread
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp freshly grated orange zest
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp cinnamon
Pinch of salt

4 Tbsp blueberries
4 Tbsp goat cheese (can substitute cream cheese)
1 Tbsp butter
Honey or syrup for serving

Method:

Whisk together eggs, milk, orange zest, honey, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, add blueberries to goat cheese. Smash with fork and mix until the berries are slightly broken up.
Spread two slices of bread with cheese mixture and top each slice with an additional slice of bread. Press together to form a sandwich.
Dip each sandwich into the egg mixture, 10 seconds per side.
Melt butter over medium heat.
Cook the sandwiches two minutes per side, until browned on both sides.
Serve with honey or syrup, and more blueberries.

What's your favorite way to eat french toast?

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. All opinions are my own.