(Note: Post is long with photos & video so please make sure to check those out! Thanks.)

Waking up at 6 am is something I usually don’t like doing in the summer. I’m a wahm (p/t)  so the summer days for us are also lazy days. We go to sleep late from watching TV, movies or playing games and usually the kids are sleeping til 9am.

This past Tuesday was exceptionally different. Several days ago I received an invitation from a representative of Tide detergent about the upcoming advanced screening of Ramona and Beezus (which is also based on the popular book Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary) and the possibility of meeting the stars of the movie, Selena Gomez & Joey King in person.  As soon as I told my girls that they may be able to meet Selena Gomez and Joey King in person, they freaked out!  They saw the trailer of the movie while watching the Disney channel plenty of times so they were extremely ecstatic.

I mentioned to my girls that it would a public event so we may or may not meet Selena but will probably have an opportunity to take a photo with her. They were gleaming with excitement. The only thing they were not happy about was waking up at 6am.

The day of the premiere, my girls surprised me by waking up with no problem. I’m sure Selena Gomez helped out with that.

When we arrived to Madison Square Park, we saw a crowd of people but the crowd wasn’t too bad. The Tide tent was up, the mural and paint were ready to be used and the crowd was getting ecstatic about seeing the stars of Ramona and Beezus.  You can definitely feel the positive vibe in the air.

Before Selena and Joey arrived, the Tide team gave out t-shirts (to cover ourselves while we help paint the mural), samples of the new Tide Acti-Lift detergent and of course free passes to see an advance screening of Ramona and Beezus that same day at Loews Theater on 19th St..

While waiting for the big stars to show up, my girls, Migdalia, her son and I decided to get a snack so I walked over to Shake Shack and waited on line to finally taste a Shack burger. It wasn’t long before I sank my teeth into a delicious and addicting burger.  I heard a lot about the Shack burger but never knew it was that tasty.  If you’ve never been to a Shake Shack in New York City, you are missing out. They are GOOD!

After our lunch, people were lining up to finally catch a glimpse of Selena and her co-stars but since bloggers are considered “media”, we had the VIP treatment thanks to Tide.  We didn’t have to stand on line, we actually went in the tent with the other Tide members and the people behind the scenes of the movie.  It was great being able to wait inside with less people than waiting outside with the crowd of screaming girls (there were a ton of girl scouts that were just too loud for me but Tide loved every minute of it).

It seemed like we waited for hours but finally the stars were walking the “red” carpet.  The first star I saw was Hutch Dano who played Selena’s crush.  He was very personable to the media who were interviewing him and smiling the whole time.  The second star I saw was Bridget Moynahan, who played Ramona and Beezus’s mom.  She is as gorgeous in person as she is on the big screen.  A few minutes later, Joey King walks in and the screams from the girl scouts grew even louder.  I bet she will do well like Selena because you can see the sparkle in her eyes as she walked down the carpet. She was loving every second of everything.  She loved being the center of attention and the fans love her too.

After everyone walked the carpet, it was time to take pictures with the stars.  It was getting chaotic once the stars got in the tent with the rest of the VIP attendees.  It got so crazy that the family photo opp was never done (Tide mentioned that this would be a possibility). Instead the kids took a group shot with Selena and Joey.  They seemed happy about it.

I asked Selena’s bodyguard if I can take a picture of my girls w/ Selena but he said no but Selena said YES!! And so it happened!! Kiss that bodyguard! Oh and don’t worry about my little one. She was upset because SHE was not next to Selena.

Once the craziness was over, it was time to walk over to AMC Loews Theaters to see the advance screening of Ramona and Beezus.

We got there a bit early so we just chilled out inside the main lobby on the floor.  It felt so nice to finally sit down after hours of standing.

Before going in the theater, we were all treated to a small popcorn and a small soda thanks to FOX.

Inside the theaters, I noticed that we were going to be sitting just a few feet away from the stars of the movie minus Selena (she had a prior engagement with David Letterman).  I thought that was really cool to be able to sit down in a theater with the actors from the movie.  It was my first experience and hopefully won’t be my last.

Before the movie started, the cutie pie Joey King announced the movie to the crowd and it was finally time to see the screening.

About the movie; Ramona and Beezus:

The adventures of young Ramona Quimby (Joey King) and her big sister Beezus (Selena Gomez) come to life in this all new film based on the best-selling books (over 30 million…and counting) by Beverly Cleary. Ramona’s vivid imagination, boundless energy, and accident-prone antics keep everyone she meets on their toes. But her irrepressible sense of fun, adventure and mischief come in handy when she puts her mind to helping save her family’s home.

Our thoughts (no spoilers ):

My girls and I absolutely loved the movie. It was better than I expected.  I laughed, had tears in my eyes and could relate with many different situations that happened in the movie. It was not in any way far-fetched either.  It was like real life. There were no huge mansions, fancy cars or anything that didn’t seem real out the world that “normal” people live in.

Bridget Moynahan and John Corbett did really well as Ramona and Beezus’s parents.  They were sincere and very genuine.  Ginnifer Goodwin did wonderfully as Aunt Bea.  She took the time with her nieces to guide them to the right path.  Josh Duhamel was the cutie (isn’t he? lol) next door who turned out to be someone’s true love (I won’t spoil it by saying who) and the guy who played Selena’s crush, Hutch Dano was pretty good too. All the tweens and teens adored him. I can see him as a future heart throb with all the young girls screaming out his name wanting an autograph.

I give Ramona and Beezus 5 stars.  It’s a great family movie and I think it’s a movie we all can relate to.

This pic was pure luck! Literally a second after the flash went off, her publicist called her and said no more photos!

If you haven’t seen the trailer, check it out below:

Ramona and Beezus will be in theaters everywhere tomorrow, July 23rd.

It was all about my girls yesterday at Madison Square Park.  They had a once-in-a-lifetime experience they will never forget.  They both met two of their favorite actresses: Selena Gomez & Joey King.

Both photos above “almost” didn’t happen. Read on to find out what happened.

The first one with Selena: I respectfully asked one of the bodyguards if I can take a pic of my girls with Selena, he replied back with a firm no but seconds later, Selena decided to say c’mon girls, and I took the shot. Thanks Selena for making my girls super happy!

P.S. My little one was upset because she was not standing next to Selena. Oh the drama! lol

The second one with Joey King: While at the premiere of Ramona and Beezus, we noticed that some of the stars from the movie will be joining in the theater with us.  As soon as Joey King came in the theater, the crowd went wild! People were going crazy taking pictures with the adorable actress. One point she walked to the other side of the theater to say hi to her family members and I asked the relative if I can take a picture of my girls with Joey. She said of course! She’ll love that! Joey came toward my girls, placed her arms around them both and I took the shot. Sadly her publicist said no more pictures so that made other kids very sad.

Overall, my girls and I had a fabulous time! The day was extra special because my daughters and I got to spend the day with Mslatina and her handsome son.

Happy WW Day!! If you want to join in on the WW fun, please link up your post below. I would love to see your WW photo!

A few weeks ago, I was invited by my lovely friend Nancy to attend
the YouCake event that was held at the MoonSoup. If you don’t know what
YouCake is, let me explain.

YouCake is a custom-made cake topper (can be from any photo) that’s made from edible ingredients. It’s made out of corn starch, sugar & food coloring (edible ink) – that’s it! The topper is totally edible, tastes great and looks beautiful at the same time.  The cake toppers are kosher, allergen-free, gluten-free & lactose-free AND very affordable on any budget (average price of $14.99).

The reason for the event was to launch their new cake toppers and to showcase how it can be used.  At first I thought it was only for cakes that are either round, rectangular or square but I was mistaken.  They can even customize cookies and cupcakes! I thought that was brilliant.

Who doesn’t love a cupcake? I sure do!! And the best part, it’s customizable!  You send them your photo or you can have them design one for you (for a nominal fee).

Carolyn, the creator of YouCake Custom Cake Toppings.

Carolyn demonstrating to us the proper way to apply the topper onto the cake.

Overall, it was a fun event. The kids (and adults) had fun eating the sweet treats and they all love the play place in the back of MoonSoup (it truly is a nice & safe area).  It was also great to see all of my bloggy friends and chat while the kids were playing in their own little world.

I can’t wait to get a YouCake topper for my son’s birthday in September. I’m just wondering what photo he’ll choose to be on the cake. Hmmm, we shall see.

For more information on getting one for yourself or a loved one, go to their site for more information. You can also visit them on Twitter and Facebook.

On May 22, 2010, yours truly will be co-hosting (along with some amazing NYC and Philly-based bloggers) The Official Kick-Off “Hebrew National’s Better-Than-A-Picnic” Picnic at Randall’s Island. It’s a fun-filled, free event (You MUST RSVP) where you and your whole family will have a fantastic time.

There will be free food (delicious Hebrew National hot dogs, of course!), drinks, activities for all, games, music and we’ll also be helping out a local charity (details to come).  Bring your chairs, blankets, sunscreen or whatever you like to the picnic.  If you’re a vegetarian, you’re more than welcome to bring your own food for your own family.

So, how does that sound?

If this something you would like to do, please send me an RSVP email to Lisa [at] NewYorkChica [dot] com with “Hebrew National” at the “Re” area, your name, phone number (just in case) and the # of people who are attending.

Please note: Although this event is a free-for-all, in order for Hebrew National to feed everyone, it would be nice to get a head count so that no one is without food and/or drinks! So please make sure you RSVP!

The event will start at 11:30 am and go on until 3:30 pm.  It will be held at Central Fields by Scylla Park.

(Click on the photo to enlarge to see exact location at Randall's Island)

Please check out and visit the list of amazing bloggers I will be co-hosting the event with:

Isabel, Alpha Mom http://alphamom.com

Jen, Next Kid Thing http://nextkidthing.com/

Suzanne , Mom Confessionals http://momconfessionals.com/

Amy O., Selfish Mom http://selfishmom.com/

Anna, Mommy Poppins http://www.mommypoppins.com

Carol, NY City Mama http://nycitymama.com/

Amy P., Long Island Parent Source http://www.liparentsource.com/

Kimberly, Mom in the City http://mominthecity.com/

Kelsey, Naptime Chef http://www.thenaptimechef.com/

Jo-Lynne, Musings of a Housewife http://www.musingsofahousewife.com/

Whitney, Mommies with Style http://www.mommieswithstyle.com/

Melissa, GirlyMama http://www.girlymama.typepad.com/

Emily, TheMotherhood.com http://www.themotherhood.com

If you are not in the NYC area and therefore cannot attend, don’t worry; Hebrew National will be at 8 other cities!  Each picnic with have their own unique theme and flavor so you won’t be missing out on any of the festivities.

May 31, 2010 – Boston

June 5, 2010 – Pittsburgh

June 11, 2010 – Raleigh

June 13, 2010 – Charlotte

June 19, 2010 – Atlanta

June 26, 2010 – Tampa

June 27, 2010 – Orlando

July 3, 2010 – Cleveland

If you would like to attend any of these events, please email cooper [at] themotherhood [dot] com for details.

For more information, you can visit TheMotherhood to get all the updates about the picnic.

For all you Facebookers out there, check out Hebrew National and “Like” their page. You can also check out photos from previous picnics and get updates on all the picnics from all 9 cities!

You can also follow the picnic on Twitter with the hashtag #Hebrewnational.

Directions to Randall’s Island: Click HERE to get directions from your area (any of the five boroughs) to Randall’s Island by entering your address. If you are arriving by car, click HERE to enter your address to get directions from Google.

Don’t forget to RSVP! See you there!!!

Disclosure: I am a sponsored co-host for this event.

Letting my kids get dirty is something I fail at doing.  I have 3 kids and I can’t help but cringe when I see them get dirty when they play outside. I think about the stains that will be on their nice clothes and how hard I have to scrub to try to remove them.

This past Tuesday, my daughter and I were invited to an event in New York City to check out Sun Product’s newest laundry detergent called All Oxi-Active laundry detergent.  It is a 2-in-1 detergent that has an advanced cleaning power to guarantee to wash away the top 4 toughest stains: grass, chocolate ice cream, wine and blood.

I was ecstatic to be a part of this event because I want to stop obsessing about my kids getting dirty when they’re having fun. Dr. Michelle Borba, author of The Big Book of Parenting Solutions: 101 Answers to Your Everyday Challenges and Wildest Worries was there to address the parents that kids need to have fun without any type of limitations, especially getting dirty. Her motto is “Let kids get messy – Life is too short to worry about stains and dirt so let them have fun, let them be kids and let All Oxi-Actve do all the dirty work“.

What a great motto to live by.  After her fantastic speech, it was time to have fun and get messy decorating cupcakes, cookies and paint pretty pictures with grass-colored paint.  All the kids were given shirts so the parents wouldn’t have to worry about ruining their nice clothes.

After the party, we were shown a demonstration on how tough All Oxi-Active detergent is compared to another leading brand.

By the look of the photos below, you can tell which detergent took the stain right off.

Visit All-Laundry.com to find out more about the New All Oxi-Active laundry detergent and to download a $1.00 off coupon.

Where can you get in a chocolate coma and drink unlimited, delicious Gallo wine?

Can’t think of anywhere, huh? Me neither!

I was so thankful and excited to be invited to an afternoon of indulgent moments hosted by DOVE and iVillage last month.  I wrote about the event a few days before the festivities and was happy a few of the people that commented enjoyed their time there as well.

Once I got to Chelsea market, I found a few friends (Ofelia, Tracey & Issa) that were there already.  It was my first time in Chelsea market so I was amazed but since I had my 5 year old with me and a goodie bag from another event, I didn’t remember to take any pictures.

When we got inside, I saw many people lounging on comfortable sofas, drinking wine, eating chocolate, laughing, talking and just having a good ol’ time.

The first thing I noticed was the hand massage station.

(photo credit: Facebook.com/dovechocolate)

I immediately decided to get that done first.  After the lovely massage, I went downstairs to try some of the chocolates and taste some fine wine.

(photo credit: Facebook.com/dovechocolate)

They had different types of wine. From Merlot to Pinot Grigio and a few others.  The wine I tasted was the Merlot. It tasted wonderfully with the dark chocolate.  Dove really knows how to pair wine with the different types of chocolate.  I had no idea that it was something people did. You see, I’m not a wine drinker. I’m more of a water/soda person.  I don’t drink alcohol so this event was a special treat for me.

They also had a beauty station where they were giving women free mini-makeovers. I didn’t take advantage of that because my daughter was getting tired.

After a taste of great wine, I went over to try out the Dove hot chocolate that was right by the wine.  I was in heaven.  It tasted so rich and creamy; kind of like melted chocolate pudding but with a much better flavor.  After I drank the hot choclate, I mingled a little bit, took some pictures with my friends and left with a cute goodie bag with Dove chocolates inside (of course!).

Ofelia, me, Tracey, Issa and my daughter. (Note to self: Must buy a new camera!)

All and all, it was a fabulous and relaxing time.  Thanks Dove, Gallo Wines and iVillage for a great time!

Full Disclosure: I was invited by iVillage to cover this event. No monetary compensation was given and all opinions are mine.

I just received an email about a great event that is happening this weekend on March 20, 2010.  The Children’s Museum of Manhattan will be offering free entry to everyone all day this Saturday from 10am to 5pm.  It’s an all day event to celebrate their 20th anniversary.

The museum is located at 212 W. 83rd. St. by the 1 and 9 train.  For those of you who have strollers (for the little ones), please keep in mind there will be limited space so come early or let your kids roam around and leave the strollers at home .

They will have different activities for everyone such as Yoga for kids presented by Olay, Pampers will be sponsoring a Kid’s Zone, Story Circle from 12-12:30pm, Baby Loves Salsa from 1-2pm and lots more!

For more information, visit www.cmom.org.

Last week I was invited to an event that was sponsored by Ragu® pasta sauce for their “Feed Your Kids Well – Recipe For A Good Start” campaign.  It was a private event that I was excited to be a part of because my family and I love Ragu® pasta sauce.  We use it for a lot of our meals and for each half cup of sauce is a whole serving of vegetables, which is perfect for two picky kids in our household.

Upon arriving, I couldn’t help but notice the smells that permeated the air. My daughter immediately asked if she was going to eat pasta because pasta is her all-time favorite food and it was literally everywhere you looked.

The best part of the event (besides the food, of course!) was that we were going to meet Molly Ringwald and have a meal with Food Network’s newest star, Marcela Valladolid, who is the host of the show, “Mexican Made Easy.”

I don’t have to explain who Molly Ringwald is because if you don’t know who she is, where have you been? She starred in a bunch of movies such as Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club & For Keeps – just to name a few.   In my opinion, she’s a great person for this campaign since she also has 3 children.

After everyone settled into their seats, Molly Ringwald took the stand and explained to everyone why she decided to partner with Ragu®.  This is a part of what she said:

“I might be known for my roles in movies and on TV, but my most important role is being a mom,” said Molly Ringwald, actress and mother of three. “I am so proud to partner with Ragu® to recognize all the special things that parents do to give their kids a good start — like helping them with their homework, encouraging them to play outside and making sure their kids eat their veggies,” she said.  ”Thanks to Ragu®, my family gets a delicious, nutritious meal and I get extra time to do the things I know will give my children a good start – like finger painting and family reading time.”

After her great speech, everyone was divided into three groups.  Each group was then brought to a station that was also divided into three.  One was Lasagna making, the other was eating a sit-down meal with Marcela and the last one was a round-table discussion on how parents can get their kids to eat healthy.

The group I was in was the yellow team so the first thing we did was make a meatless lasgana.  At first I thought we were going to use the no-boil noodles but we actually used regular lasagna noodles.  It’s a great time saver and you save money too.

Immediately after the lasagna making, it was time to get our grub on.  The table looked amazing.  I was kind of star-struck at first because we were going to have a sit-down meal with Marcela Valladolid.  But after hearing her talk about her ways of cooking and how she incorporates healthy eating with her son, I realized that she’s just like the rest of us and afterwards I felt very comfortable.

Although it was a rushed meal (it was the other group’s turn to eat), it was fantastic.  The food was amazingly good.  We ate meatless lasagna, no-fry chicken parmesan, skillet pasta and beef dinner and a nice mixed green salad with a side of Italian bread & bread sticks.  My daughter and I were in heaven.

Ragu® and Molly Ringwald has also partnered together to launch the “Recipe for a Good Start” Contest. Through the month of March, you can send in an original recipe using Ragu® pasta sauce along with a 250 word essay sharing their tips and tricks for giving their kids a healthy start in life.

The top three finalists will cook at a live cook-off in New York City in August 2010 and compete for the grand prize of a $5,000 college scholarship for his/her child.  Visit Recipeforagoodstart.com for more information and all the details.

Can you tell we had a blast?

Thanks to Ragu and everyone at BSM Media for a wonderful time. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience.