Reviews Archives | Yvonne Condes

September 28, 2012

Las Olas de La Luna (The Waves on the Moon) and Milk Giveaway

Bedtime at my house usually involves my two boys running around the dining room table yelling that they’re not tired. Like I mentioned before, we have a pretty solid bedtime routine even if it sometimes doesn’t work.

After they’ve run themselves out, my boys put on their pajamas and then we read a story. Well, now that they’re 7 and 8-years-old the stories are very different than the sweet and calming “Goodnight Moon” or my favorite, “Snuggle Puppy.” Now it’s “Superhero Squad” or any book with man in the title; “Batman, “ “Spiderman,” “Ironman.”

We are always on the lookout for new books and I was thrilled when Latina Mom Bloggers and the California Milk Processor Board sent me the adorable bedtime story “Las Olas de La Luna.” It’s about a girl who thinks the moon is made of milk. I love it not only because it’s sweet, but it’s in Spanish and English.

I recently enrolled my boys in Spanish classes so I’ve been on the lookout for Spanish/English books. (Any recommendations appreciated!) We read this book together and it was great to see how my older son could make out some of the Spanish words before I read them in English. My younger son is a reluctant Spanish learner so he complained a little and then fell right to sleep.

You can now download Las Olas de La Luna and many other adorable stories at www.otroscuentos.com. Then grab a glass of milk and sit down with your babies and read. Milk at bedtime can be a comforting ritual that may help your child sleep better.

If you’d like the books plus milk sent to your home, just enter this contest for a chance to win. I’m giving away one (1) Two month supply of milk via a $40 Walmart Gift Card, and a hard copy of the Bedtime Stories Book Collection. (Please note that the book will be sent within 4-6 weeks from the conclusion of the giveaway.)

To enter, please visit www.otroscuentos.com and leave a comment below telling me the name of your favorite bedtime story before midnight Oct. 8. To enter, you must live in the United States and be 18 years of age and up. Good luck!

If you’re looking for a little Positivismo, stay connected with El Maestro del Vaso Medio Lleno on Facebookand Twitter.

This is part of a sponsored campaign with the California Milk Processor Board and Latina Mom Bloggers. However, all opinions expressed are my own.

September 27, 2012

Samuel L. Jackson Obama Ad

This video is too awesome not to share. As you can tell from the title there is some swearing. But it’s time to start swearing, people.

September 14, 2012

It's Time To Go To Sleep

One of my claims to fame with my circle of friends was that I could get my kids to go to bed every night at 7. I’m not much of a routine person; they never had a nap schedule that I kept to, but bedtime was a different story. Every night, my husband or I would read a story to our boys and they would climb into bed and go to sleep.

Well, I knew that it couldn’t last forever and over the last year, bedtime has gotten harder and harder. My boys are 7 and 8 now and they go to bed between 8 or 8:30. And sometimes they go to sleep and sometimes they get up 10 times because they’re hungry, want a glass of water, or want to see what we’re doing. Even the nights they’ve gone to bed late, one of them will stay up and call “Mama…mama….mama..mamamamamamamamammama…MAMA!” I’m at my wits end and I’m about to turn to an old fashioned remedy to see if it works.

The California Milk Processor’s board has an adorable new commercial about getting kids to sleep. Having a glass of milk before bed may help kids to sleep better and be more alert the next day. In researching this, it appears that there it could be a psychological reason that it helps. It’s comforting like a warm blanket. And milk is a protein rich food that will satiate their hunger.

We’ll see what happens, but in the meantime check out the “Ya es hora de ir a la cama” (it’s time to go to bed) television spot that is airing on Univsion and Telemundo between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. on the west coast. It’s so cute.

If you’re looking for a little Positivismo, stay connected with El Maestro del Vaso Medio Lleno on Facebook and Twitter.

This is part of a sponsored campaign with the California Milk Processor Board and Latina Mom Bloggers. However, all opinions expressed are my own.

August 31, 2012

Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood on PBS KIDS Premieres Sept. 3, 2012

mom blogger los angeles daniel tiger yvonne condes

“Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” premieres Monday on PBS KIDS. Daniel Tiger was inspired by “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” as you may have guessed by Daniel’s sweater and sneakers. The show is about Daniel and his family and friends living on Jungle Beach. (Daniel is the son of “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood’s”, Daniel the Striped Tiger.) The show is geared toward preschoolers and aims to give kids valuable life skills like dealing with their emotions.

It’s filled with cute songs and lessons about how to share, how to manage anger, and how to use manners. Here is the shows creator, Angela Santomero, talking more about the show and the importance of teaching these life skills to young kids.

She created the show with the help of the Fred Rogers Company. Here is Joanne Rogers, Fred’s wife talking about the show.

To learn more about Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood watch this preview or check out this infographic.

Or if you want a more interactive experience, try the Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood app for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch. It’s really cute and has 4 games for kids to play including bedtime, doctor, “in the bathroom,” and also a page where your child can decorate a room with stickers. My boys had a great time decorating Daniel’s bathroom with toilets.

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood premiere’s on Labor Day on PBS KIDS, in Los Angeles it’s on PBS Socal.

(I was not compensated for this post, but I am a member of PBS KIDS VIP.)

August 17, 2012

Paranorman Review

The movie “ParaNorman” hits movie theaters today. My boys and I knew about the movie months ago because of all of the billboards around our neighborhood. At first my 6-year-old was very excited to see it, but then the zombies on the billboards started to scare him a little.

My 8-year-old and I have no problem with zombies and couldn’t wait to see it. We watched the trailer and my 6-year-old still seemed skeptical. Then I made the genius move of showing him the trailer to “Coraline” by the same filmmaker. Well, the button-eyed mother did not help and he said he’d rather stay home. But after seeing the movie, I think he would have liked it. It is dark and yes zombies come out of the grave, but the message of acceptance and nonconformity is good and animation is very cool to watch.

It’s about Norman, a boy who talks to dead people including his grandmother (who is voiced by Elaine Stritch). He has a gift that his father, his sister, and most kids at school have not embraced. He’s bullied by the aforementioned and has one friend who he pushes away because he’s so used to being alone.

I liked Norman because he was so serious, which you don’t often see in kids’ movies. He ends up being the only one who can save the day (of course) by talking down a witch who wants to return from the grave to take over the town.

The movie was scary in parts, but I think kids who like ghost stories will love it. And once my younger son is a little bit older, I think he will, too.

August 14, 2012

Dinosaur Train at The Natural History Museum

This week is the beginning of “Big Big Dinosaur Week” on PBS Kids and to kick it off PBS SoCal brought Buddy the Dinosaur to The Natural History Museum this past Saturday for Dinosaur Train Day.

My kids have been in love with Dinosaur Train since the very first episode. They are a bit too old for it now, but when I asked them if they wanted to go see Buddy and hear the Dinosaur Train Band (Craig Bartlett’s band who is the show’s creator) they said yes right away.

And they weren’t the only ones. There were long lines to get into the museum, one of our favorite in Los Angeles.

The first thing we did was see Craig Bartlett play. The band was really fun (they did a pre-show performance of Major Tom) and played to a packed room.

We haven’t been to the museum since the Dinosaur Hall was renovated. It was like going to an entirely new museum; there was so much to see. The fossil below was discovered in a dig in Utah three years ago and it’s from a yet unnamed dinosaur. Below that is a photo of a triceratops.

After learning as much as we could about dinosaurs, we went outside to the museum’s Butterfly Pavilion. It’s spectacular if you have ever have the chance to go. The pavilion is open from April to September and hosts more than 50 species of butterflies and moths.

As we left my boys posed for the picture at the top in the Dinosaur Train. This week, August. 13 through 17, there PBS Kids will premiere 4 new episodes and introduce a new flatbed train car. According to PBS Kids “The kick-off episode begins aboard the Dinosaur Train when the Pteranodon family gets the idea to travel around and meet some of the biggest dinosaurs. They even sing the song, ‘The Biggest Dinosaurs’, before meeting Allie Alamosaurus, an enormous and friendly long-necked, plant eating sauropod.”

For more information about Dinosaur Trains’ new episodes visit PBS Kids.

August 10, 2012

PBS Parents' Internet Safety Videos Not Just Good Information; Very Entertaining

Here is one of the videos from PBS Parents’ Internet Safety series. Great information and funny enough that your kids will watch it with you.

June 30, 2012

Dynamic You Fitness – A West Los Angeles Workout Studio

I love to work out, but I’m not a fan of the gym. That’s not true; I’m not a fan of big LA gyms where the people are Hollywood skinny, the outfits are perfect, and everyone is trying to hook up over their spin bikes.

I thought my gym days were over until I was contacted by Dynamic You Fitness. It’s a small studio that to me felt instantly welcoming. I’ve taken a couple of classes there, Beach Ready Toning and Nike Training Club, and loved them.

Beach Ready Toning was taught by Robin Legat, who was very nice and patient with me considering that moving my arms and legs simultaneously is not one of my strong suits. It was a tough class, but doable and I felt strong days after. The second time I went it was a little different and still great. Not only was Robin a lovely teacher, but she’s my new hero because in addition to teaching fitness she’s in the L.A. Derby Dolls, LA’s roller derby league.

The Nike Training Club was challenging, but fun, too. I did it yesterday with instructor Donna and I’m feeling it today. I’m proud to say I did a minute of burpees, doing full push ups, not on my knees (unfortunately, I did not look the woman in the video linked to here).

Dynamic You has classes in the morning and evening including Zumba, a bootcamp, and Dynamic Core: Kettlebells + TRX, which is a core focused workout that uses resistance bands and kettlebells. It sounds really hard, but it’s the next class I’m going to try.

If you want to try it too, you can enter my giveaway for a free week of classes at Dynamic You plus a $30 credit toward a future class or package. You must live in Los Angeles to win and the prize cannot be redeemed for cash.

All you must do to enter is leave a comment below before the end of the day on July 4. I’ll choose one winner using Random.org and announce it on July 5.

Dynamic You also has personal training that you can do solo or with a friend. For more information, see below.

Dynamic You

310- 287-0943

3500 Overland Avenue, Suite 110

Los Angeles, CA 90034

I was not compensated for this post, but I was given a pass to attend the classes mentioned above.

Update 7/5/2012 – Congratulations, Melissa! Random.org picked you as the winner. I’ll be emailing you shortly.

June 27, 2012

El Paso Positivo Block Party

This is the summer of getting fit and what better way to get fit than to dance? My boys are always asking me when we’re going to have a party so thanks to Latina Mom Bloggers and the California Milk Advisory Board, we started the first day of summer with a dance party. An “El Paso Positivo” dance party that is.

As the video explains, we started out with made-to-order milk shakes. We had vanilla, chocolate, and coffee ice cream and Real California Milk. We added chocolate syrup, fresh strawberries, and mango.

They were delightful and gave us a lot of energy to dance. This was the dance they had tried to learn, or should I say the girls tried to learn.

Teaching 4 to 6-year-olds a dance is not the easiest thing in the world. The girls were troopers and tried to follow the dance moves as the boys slam danced around them. There was a lot of jumping up and down so I think they definitely got a workout. In the end, it turned into El Paso Positivo freeze dance.

Every child went home with this adorable tshirt and El Paso Positivo song stuck in their head, which you can download and listen to while you exercise (I do!).

If you’re looking for a little Positivismo, stay connected with El Maestro del Vaso Medio Lleno on Facebook and Twitter.

This is part of a sponsored campaign with the California Milk Processor Board and Latina Mom Bloggers. However, all opinions expressed are my own.

June 11, 2012

Tinkerbell Half Marathon

disneyland half marathon all women tinkerbell mom blogger los angeles

This past January, I was lucky enough to see Tinkerbell fly, run several miles through Disneyland at night after the park was closed, and high five Mickey Mouse. That is the kind of fun that the Disneyland Tinkerbell Half-Marathon Weekend has to offer. Registration opens today at noon for the Half-Marathon, Neverland Family 5k Run, and the runDisney Kids Race January 18-20, 2013.

The Neverland race was in the evening the last time and it was fun running through the park when it was dark and empty. This year the race will be early Saturday morning, which will be much easier on the younger kids. Or if they don’t want to do the 5K there is a 1-miler and 100, 200, and 400 meter dash. I did the half-marathon with 2 friends who were visiting for the weekend and I wasn’t the only one with a group. It’s an all-woman race and many are doing it for the first time. Tinkerbell is a great first race; it’s fun, mellow, and most people are in it to have fun, not so much to beat their best time.

As with all of the Disney races, you can wear costumes like these lovely ladies from Team Sparkle. If you do register, try to do it early. Prices go up after July 17 and again after September 4. It sold out last year as did the Disney Half Marathon so don’t procrastinate if you really want to do this race. The Disneyland Half Marathon in September sold out in February.

team sparkle tinkerbell costume mom bloggers los angeles — Kelly and Carrie of Team Sparkle

June 7, 2012

PlayStation Wonderbook Is A Must For Harry Potter Fans

Sony PlayStation unveiled what I think is their most amazing game this week at E3. It’s the Wonderbook for PS3 and it gives players the ability to turn their controller into a magic wand. The Wonderbook’s first game is “Book of Spells,” written by JK Rowling. Her son had always wanted her to write a book of spells so when Sony approached her about a game they knew they had a match.

We love Harry Potter at our house, both the books and the movies and the game is incredible. The graphics are amazing. At one point a dragon flies off of the page then the whole book goes black and a new classrooms are formed. The story will keep kids and Harry Potter fans entertained for hours.

This video better explains what the game can do. Very excited for its release over the Holidays, 2012.