Anderson Family Thanksgiving Update

We are here in rural MN!! Here's a quick run down of the Anderson family Thanksgiving frolic and drama, thus far:


- Airplane ride with Aubrey went very smoothly. She's an angel to travel with until...
- Got to the rental can and Aubrey hated the smell of the air freshener so much she started to cry and screamed, "This car smells disgusting!" Right in front of the Enterprise lady. That lady was a bitch anyway, so it's all good. 
- Boyfriend arrived on a separate flight and has been on good man behavior
- Mom fell and broke her shoulder yesterday (uh... yes)
- Went to a big indoor water park with Aubrey, SIL, nephew and boyfriend today which was a much needed getaway from the house for the kids. And adults. 
- Have eaten more carbs in 3 days than I've eaten in all of 2011 leading up to now
- Found out my mom's bathroom scale is 4 lbs under actual weight. DAMN YOU SCALE!
- Got my newsletter mailed out
- Got an interview for a show I'd love to be on
- Watched the new episode of Modern Family with MY Modern Family
- Ate Dairy Queen and Culver's - awwwwww yeaaaaaahhhh!
- Back is killing me from the very stiff mattress in my parents' guest room
- Having a great time being with Aubrey. She makes every day sun shiny!


Tomorrow is the big T-Day. We'll see if my boyfriend drinks too much and picks a fight with me, how long it takes for either my dad, my brother or me to yell at my mother to sit down and rest (remember, she broke her shoulder?! She WILL attempt to do it all with a sling and an oxygen tank.) and if Aubrey can make if through one more day with her cousin without a time out. She came VERY close tonight.


Tis the season! I give thanks for my interesting family. What else would I blog about?

Two Princesses

It's almost Thanksgiving and I have a CRAZY week coming up with a show in CT on November 17, then a show in WA state on November 19, then home to pick up Aubrey in SoCal on November 20 and leave for MN on the same day. We'll land in Minneapolis late that night and head up to the nowhereland my parents decided to retire in the next morning to hang there for Thanksgiving. It's a 2.5 hour drive from Minneapolis.


We'll be travelling alone, Aubrey and me, and anyone who has travelled alone with a young child knows how harrowing of an event it can be. Fortunately, Aubrey is good as gold on an airplane because she loves flying, loves getting snacks and watching videos and having her own seatbelt and tray. She thinks it's a hoot. But it's still a ton for work for mom - lots to schlep alone. I'm dreading the schlep, but looking forward to the time with family and playing in the snow with Aubrey and her cousin, David.


Anyway, this was a really roundabout way of saying this week has been really busy getting ready to head out for work and holiday travel, back to back. Today was the only afternoon to spend with Aubrey before I leave and we took a little time to play princess. Aubs isn't all that much into the princess scene (thank God) but she does love to dress up in anything frilly or silly. She got out these princess crowns and made up her own rules. This girl never stops cracking me up!

WIKETS! Recs & Rewards!

Hi Peeps!


I'm helping a friend of a friend launch their new app called WIKETS. I just downloaded it today and it's really quite cool. It's kind of like Facebook meets Yelp meets Amazon meets Twitter... but not complicated at all.


You build a network of friends and make recs (recommendations) of products (your favorite blender, the best spatula you've ever bought, the warmest snowboarding mitts on the planet) and places (sushi that will make you die, only garage to get your car serviced, the Thai massage that made you cry for your mother...in a good way), build wish lists and then earn rewards like Amazon gift cards for using friends recs, wishlists and re-recs.


WIKETS is FREEEE and currently available for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch with iOS 4.1 or later.


Here's one last thing I should mention - I'm in a contest to see who can ge the most people to download with their promo code. I can will a MILLION DOLLARS! 


OK, it's actually only $500 but that could buy a lot of tater tots (currently Aubrey's favorite food).


Here's what to do:


1) Install WIKETS from the app store on your device, for free
2) Open the app on your device 
3) Create an account
4) During account creation, it will ask you if you have a promo code: FunnyYellowMom


That's it! Then enjoy the app! It's pretty fun and could be addictive... like you need another time sucker! HA!


You can follow me too, to see my recs. :)


GooooooOOOOO WIKETS!

Disney Pixar's Toy Story 3 On Ice!

Tis the season to put things on ice and I've seen lots of stuff on ice... Smurfs, Christmas, Vanilla.... but nothing is better than Disney characters on ice. Last year we took Aubrey to Disney On Ice "Let's Celebrate" and she went so ape sh*t for it, she STILL wants to read the program as a bed time book, a year later. So when I told her there was a new Disney On Ice show, well, monkey poo flew. She's a little excited. Just a little.

This year we will be treated to our favorite Toy Story characters, Woody, Jesse, the Potato Heads, Buzz Lightyear, Ken and Barbie as they tell the story of installment #3. Aubrey loves these characters and I know I can't wait to see a horse, a t-rex and a pig on skates. Really, how do they do that?

Disney-Pixar's Toy Story 3 On Ice will be touring all over the US this winter starting this week through April 2012. If you live in WA, CO, NV, AZ, UT, FL, KY SC or the best state in the country... CALIFORNIA, you are lucky people. The show is coming to you!


Here in SoCal, you have four options: 
Los Angeles Staples Center: Dec 14-18 
Honda Center of Anaheim Dec: 20-25
Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario Dec: 28-Jan 1
Long Beach Arena: Jan 4-8


Check back here on my blog to find out how to get discount ticket pricing with a code that can be used for orders online, by phone or at the door!


In the meantime, happy Thanksgiving! Gobble gobble!


For ticket, dates, locations, please visit: http://disney.go.com/disneyonice/

Disney Interactive Media Halloween Bash!

My mini-MJ busting some sweet moves

Last week, Aubrey and I went to the Disney Interactive Media Group's Halloween Bash at the Disney Studios in Burbank. This group puts on the BEST parties and this one was no exception!


Guests were treated to samplings of the newest Disney console and online video games and web site offerings on DisneyFamily.com and FamilyFun.com and there was even an artist on hand giving lessons on how to sketch the penguins from Club Penguin! 


Of course there were amazing treats and activities too! Aubrey loved decorating her own Tinkerbell cookie so much, she made two.

Mmmm...Tinkerbell cookies!

If you're into family video games, there are some really fun ones that just came out including Disney Universe, Cars 2 and LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean but Aubrey's favorite was the Phineas and Ferb: Across The Second Dimension. 

Aubrey and her bestie, Isabella, playing Phineas and Ferb

Her other favorite of the night was Club Penguin. I'd heard about the Club Penguin craze and now it has become a reality for us. I may need to put a lock and chain on my laptop. What am I talking about? Aubrey has a job. She can buy her own compter! Geez.

Aubrey held this poor woman prisoner for a large part of the evening

Little ones can also check out Pixie Hollow online and the new mobile apps: Where's My Water and Puffle Launch for iPhone, iPad, iPod and Android devices.

A well-deserved Jack Skellington cupcake!

We had an AWESOME time that night and the perfect end to the evening was that Aubrey won the kids' costume contest with her Michael Jackson get up. She even busted a couple moves to Thriller when they queued up the music to call out her name. She was, literally, thrilled! 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE! Have a safe and super fun holiday!

xo Amy & Aubrey

Mickey's Halloween Party 2011

If you've ever wanted to witness several thousands of people attempting to collect $49 - $64 worth of free candy, then have I got the party for you!


This past Friday, the fine folks of the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim invited Lee, Aubrey and me to attend Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland for the second year in a row. We had SO much fun last year and this year was even more fun because Aubrey was old enough and brave enough to go on some of the scarier rides!

She wore her Michael Jackson costume (sans homemade sparkly glove & wig - too much hassle on the rides) and we went on tons of rides including the Haunted Mansion Holiday, Mr Toad's Wild Ride, the teacups, the Matterhorn, Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Dumbo and more and of course, Aubrey had to see the Captain EO movie!

MJ, I mean Aubrey, all ready to Rock The Night Away!

There are only eight more nights to attend Mickey's Halloween Party and it is a separately ticketed event during the evening/night time hours. You'll be treated to a special Mickey's Costume Party Cavalcade parade, photo opps with Disney characters in their Halloween garb, and a really kick-ass Halloween fireworks display. They have also added scary elements to Space Mountain and there are two really fun dance parties with characters which Aubrey really enjoyed.

Aubs Shakes Her Body Down at Buzz Lightyear's  Intergalactic Space Jam!

Mickey's Costume Party Cavalcade Parade

The best part of all was the Trick-Or-Treat Trails. Throughout the park there are candy stations and when you check in you get a huge bag to collect as much as you want. And the people handing out the treats were very generous too - handfuls at each stop! Oh and there are raisins, carrots and apple slices in addition to the candy so you can eat one of those and then feel justified in downing a pound of peanut butter cups. We now have so much candy at our house...we should be put out of our misery. I'm expecting love letters from our dentist to start arriving any day now.

LOTS of candy, people. Lots.

Check event details, dates and prices here and I would suggest buying tickets in advance. The night we were there it did sell out! Get those costumes on and have a great time!

Aubrey Explores Her Possibilities With Courtney Watkins

Hey, you forgot your pearl necklace, Courtney!

Aubrey and I attended a special event at the Jim Henson Studios in Los Angeles with Courtney Watkins from Disney's Family.com webisode show, The Possibility Shop. 


Courtney Watkins is a teacher, crafter, writer, hostess and super mom with the mostest. From what I can tell she's kind of the Martha Stewart of family activities (aka the polar opposite of me). She even writes, creates and executive produces this webisode which leads kids and parents through creative activities, projects, games and more all fueled by your child's imagination. No gimmicks, no game consoles or apps involved. Amazing, huh? 

Aubrey and her flaming flashlight!

Aubrey really enjoyed the activities that evening which included making shadow puppets and putting on a show, creativity exercises that were as simple as coming up with different uses for a lemon and playing the "Get To Know Me" game. She also got to make a flashlight into a pretend campfire with tissue papers, cellophane and rubberbands and then the kids set up a pretend camp ground! (Today at preschool, she brought her special flashlight for "share day".)

Jar O S'mores

I think her favorite part of the night was getting to make a take-home S'mores snack jar, which I'm doling out to her in small portions at a time. Anything involving marshmallows is a hit with Aubrey.


You can check out The Possibility Shop webisodes on www.Family.com/PossibilityShop and follow the show on Twitter.com/PossibilityShop too!