All The Single Mommies! All The Single Mommies! Put Yo Hands Up!

OK, single moms... so we're probably NOT at the club, but here's my shout out to you and your total amazingness. Most mommies in the blogosphere are awesome ladies, but we single mamas deserve some extra lovin from time to time. Check out my latest (and probably last) post for LAMomsBlog. Let me know what you think:

Can This Single Mom Ever Be Normal?

Now, I'm off to pick up the little turkey from preschool! It's gonna be ALL KINDS of crazy in my house for the next hour. She's always insane after school. Overly tired and stimulation overload. Ahhhh... good times. Today, one of her teachers told me that they thought they should get a clipboard just for Aubrey so they could write down all the funny things she says every day. She said there were so many things, that they knew they would forget them. Apple doesn't fall far people. I think I have a class clown on my hands! I'll write more about this later.

Have a great afternoon!

XBox Project Natal = KINECT! Wow!

Last week I had the privilege to attend a super cool XBox event downtown L.A. The code name for this new XBox technology was Project Natal and the big reveal gave us KINECT for XBox 360 and they did it BIG!

See? Swanky!

First we were treated to test drive some of the new KINECT games at a swanky loft downtown. We danced, we rode the rapids, we frolicked with leopard and tiger cubs, we bowled and more! So what's so special about KINECT for XBox 360? No hand controller! Nothing to accidentally slip out of your hand when you screech around the corner in your race car or bust out your next dance move. Your body actually IS the controller and it's a lot of fun!

Fellow blogger friend, Bernadette's niece, gets some instruction on how to steer her raft on Kinect Adventures

There are games available for all ages and the learning curve is fast - especially for the kids. Kinect uses a sensor that works with any XBox 360 and there is a brand spankin' new Xbox 360 console too! It's sleek and powerful with a 250BG hard drive and built in Wi-Fi and comes ready for Kinect right out of the box. It's available now and retails for $299.99. This means I will not be buying one anytime soon... but I'm sure glad I got to try it out!

The coolest part of this event was yet to come though. After scarfing down some edamame burger sliders, miniature loaded baked potatoes and a Diet Coke at the loft party, we hopped over to the USC campus to the Galen Center where we were treated to a live performance imagined by Cirque du Soleil for XBox Kinect. You know when you can commission a show from Cirque du Soleil, you're doing ok. I don't think Microsoft will be missing my $300. Hahaha!

The show was stunning and here are some of the mystical dancers who beckoned us into the arena from the outside.

Once indoors, we were told a million times not to take photos or video, so I won't post the three grainy, undercover shots I took and they don't do justice to what we saw anyway. If you've ever seen a Cirque du Soleil show, you know what I mean. A camera simply can not capture the scope and awe of their live performances. Add on top of it, the wizardry of Microsoft electronics programming and you have a truly magical experience. A family on a couch suspended from the ceiling, families in a living room that rotated 360 degrees, a woman walking and bouncing a ball on the ceiling, precision programmed video monitors surrounding the entire arena, amazing acrobatics, a sauntering life sized elephant with video monitors in its sides - I thought it was real when I first saw it - and then I saw the video monitors! It was really, well for lack of a better word, cool! No joke! Click here to see some professional photos of the event, including the amazing elephant puppet.

At the end of the show, my boyfriend and I did get a chance to have our picture taken while still wearing our funky show ponchos! They made us a part of the show when special lights made the ponchos glow in different colors. We still haven't taken them off. OK, just kidding. We took them off, but we will never forget this great experience.

Amy & Lee Jump for Kinect Joy

If you're a gamer, the new XBox 360 with Kinect should definitely be on your must have list! Kudos to XBox 360 and Kinect for an amazing launch and a thank you for letting me be a part of it!

I was not paid for this post and the opinions expressed here are my own. I was granted entrance to this event to facilitate this review and tickets were not available to the general public. Furthermore, parking cost me $10 and I waited in line for almost an hour. So there.

Awesome Screamin Coupons Deals!!

Hello Lovely People Of Blog Land!!

I recently became a brand ambassador for a super cool, newer company called, Screamin Coupons. Why are they so super cool? They give you giant discounts, like 50%-90%, on all kinds of great local products and services - like restaurants, spa treatments, golfing, wine tasting, family outings, and on and on and on - and 5%-10% goes back to LOCAL schools and non-profits. Helping build your community with a massage and a bottle of wine?! Yes, please. Duh. Read to the end and find out about a special deal just for MY readers...

Here's how it works:

1) You check my blog (See the banner to the left? You can click there!) or sign up for a daily alert and find out what the current fabulous deal is

2) You buy your coupon on the Screamin Coupons' secure site

3) Share the deal with your friends and YOU could get an additional $10!

4) 5%-10% goes back to local school and non-profits

It's just that easy and awesome! Different deals come up all the time, so it's a good idea to sign up for the daily alerts

Registering with Screamin Coupons is free and anyone who registers HERE on my blog, will receive a $5 credit in their account!

Happy savings and let me know how Screamin Coupons works for you!

Seattle And Auburn, WA This Weekend!

Wow! Just when I thought summer was my slow time, I'm busier than ever. Mind you, busy doesn't always mean making money, but busy in good ways! First off, shows...

This weekend I'm returning to Seattle to headline two awesome venues in three days. Sean Ottey is featuring and good times will be had by all! Please tell everyone in Washington! I mean it... everyone!

Thurs, June 17 @ 8:30p

and

Friday, June 18 @ 8:30 & 10:30p

The Comedy Underground

109 S Washington St, Seattle, WA 98104

Buy Tickets Online

June 19 @ 7:30pm

The Auburn Avenue Theater

10 Auburn Ave, Auburn, WA

Call: 253-931-3043

or Buy Tickets Online

Last time I was in Seattle the Korean Adoptee community showed up, college friends, high school friends, extended family relatives I had never met. No joke, it was a blast! I hope for more surprises and new encounters this time around too.

July holds some local, SoCal performances and a trip to visit my jr high and high school besties in Colorado! I can't wait. So stay tuned for more show dates and hopefully some cool announcements soon for the Mom Squad! xo

I'm On Oprah.com! Please Spread The Word!

The Anderson Kids - Circa 1975

I shot this video for Oprah.com's Dove campaign many months ago and I'm so excited to see it is finally up on the big O's site. Please watch if you have a minute and pass it on! Here is the link. Oprah don't allow no one embedding her videos, fool:

http://www.oprah.com/style/The-Lighter-Side-of-Beauty-Video

Nadine Rajabi (super awesome, sisterly friend of mine, VH1, The Zaz Report, Hot Tamales Live!) and Shondrella Avery (acquaintance friend - one of the stars of Girls Behaving Badly and you'll remember her as "Lafawnduh" on Napoleon Dynomite) and myself talk about comedy and beauty. Woohoo!

The California ScienCenter is TREE-Mendous!

This morning, Aubrey and I were treated to a special tour of the California ScienCenter's Exploring Trees Inside and Out exhibit and we had so much fun, we almost couldn't handle it. OK, Aubrey had a small breakdown of 3 year old proportions on the way home because it really was an exciting outing for her! Parents, take note - she has been post-morning activity napping for almost 3 hours! WOOHOO!

The California ScienCenter is one of those super fun, family/kid oriented science museums that is hands on, interactive and educational! There is so much to see, touch, climb, ride, sniff, listen to, watch and eat there, that you can't actually cover it all in one day, but we went specifically to check out the Exploring Trees exhibit. Exploring Trees Inside and Out is a collaborative project of the Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Educational Research Foundation and is sponsored by Doubletree Hotels as part of their Think Trees initiative... you know the hotel with those AMAZING chocolate chip cookies? Yeah - them. Am I eating one of those amazing cookies right now? Hell yes.

Aubrey sets up house as a mama bird!

"Hey Mommy! Come in with me!"

Exploring Trees Inside and Out is located in the center's Ecosystems wing and is geared towards little ones aged 2 through 10. This exhibit aims to help them understand the significance of trees within our ecosystem and allows the kids to see different perspectives of life forms who live in harmony with trees - like birds, squirrels, bugs and humans!

Kids are beckoned by a climbing tree with tall canopies and a slide that lands in a pile of leaves, a crawl through log, a giant hollow acorn, an oversized bird nest, coloring stations, scented tree smells stations, bird house building stations and - what I thought was the coolest - a green screen/video monitor station where they can dress up in woodland creature costumes and star in their own wilderness show!

My little Duck-Footed Green Croc Cardinal! (It's a VERY RARE species)

I can't recommend this adventure enough for families with the appropriate aged kids. It can get a little rambunctious in the climbing tree for wee ones under two, so supervision is important.

Ron, the Head of Education for the ScienCenter tells us all about the exhibit

Best part: it's FREE. They accept donations and parking is $8 per car (cash only) so overall, it's a super affordable outing of an amazing caliber, especially if you have more than one child. Take advantage and treat your kids to a special, fun filled day that you'll feel good about too!

Where: California ScienCenter

In Exposition Park near downtown - Click HERE for their general information

When: Open daily from 10am-5pm

Exploring Trees Inside and Out is there from May 28-September 26, 2010

Interracial Marriages: They're Not Just For Breakfast Anymore

I'm pretty excited about this article from CNN.com! According to a Pew Research Center report, interracial marriages are at an all time high! So I think this means I might be able to FINALLY marry one of these white dudes I keep dating.

Here's the article: http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/06/04/pew.interracial.marriage/index.html

Sometimes, brown people get crap from other similar brown people for not dating/marrying within their brownness. I'm going to be completely honest here and let it be known that I have never, ever dated (or married) a non-white guy. Or a woman. Or an animal. It's not that I wouldn't - the guy part, that is - but, I'm not kidding, a brown person has never asked me out. Except once an Asian American guy asked me out and he was shorter than me, bald and had a weird body. I would have said no to this guy in any shade of skin. It wasn't because he was of Asian decent.

I have a nice white fella now and I'm hoping to hang on to this one. Hey he's tall and can reach stuff on the top cabinet shelf without having to get out a step stool. Also good for lifting heavy objects (reason 1003 I could never be a lesbian - someone's got to lift stuff). But at the end of the day, all I know is: People are people, so why should it be... we can't just date and marry whomever the hell we want and everyone else can just mind their own business? Right?

Paul and Stevie pretty much summed it all up waaaay back in 1982. Easy listen on...

SootheTime & Coverplay! Life Is Getting Easier & Safer For Babies & Their Parents

sootheTIME/zzzTIME:

Richard White, VP of Marketing for sootheTIME

I recently attended two really cool events to learn more about some new products for babies and their parents. The products were are all about safety and convenience. Even though my little one is too big for these products now, I wanted to share them with you here because they are really awesome!

First up was sootheTime's new line of sleep products, zzzTIME. When Aubrey was an infant - over two years ago - I remember being told and then, thinking, that the SwaddleMe and the Miracle Blanket were the best products out there for wrapping up my baby for a night of successful sleep. Then, around four months, I switched her to a sleep sack/wearable blanket, but she outgrew it really quickly. I didn't know a company would come along and improve upon these products, but sure enough, that's exactly what zzzTIME has done. They have a great line of four infant sleep products:

• Snooze Wrap Plus - a swaddling blanket for 0-3 months. Big improvements are the easier and more secure wrapping capabilities and options for allowing free movement of arms and legs. A built in Cradle Support Pad that minimizes that crazy bald spot and flat head! Works with the Snooze Sheets.
• Snooze Sack (in two stages) - wearable blanket. Big improvements are a bottom up zipper that allows for easy diaper changes and Comfort Vents that provide airflow so baby doesn't sweat or overheat. Stage 1 works with the Snooze Sheets.
• Snooze Sheets - Crib sheets that work with the Snooze Wrap Plus and Sage 1 Snooze Sack. Special Sleep Stabilizers open up to secure to the Snooze Sheets and keep baby in a safe, back sleeping position in the center of the crib, reducing the risk of SIDS.
• Sleepzies - One piece, long sleeve body suits to use with Snooze Wrap Plus or Snooze Sack. Tailored to fit easily over baby's head and bottom snaps for easy diaper changes.

This dolly models a Snooze Wrap Plus and Aubrey decided she needed a plastic lemon

These awesome zzzTIME products are available exclusively at Babies 'R' Us nationwide and will be expanding into other stores soon!

COVERPLAY & TOTS TRAVEL TOO:

The next super cool product and program I learned about is the Coverplay! The event was an official Ladies Who Launch gathering and was held at the Marriott Residence Inn in lovely downtown Burbank.

These smart, business minded mamas, Allison Costa and Amy Feldman, have an awesome product called Coverplay. It's basically a machine washable, easy on the eyes, play yard slip cover. Sounds simple, because it is. It's one of those products that makes you go, "Now why didn't I think of that?!" Your kid yerps in the play yard - you end up hosing it off in the yard or scrubbing it in a really awkward, not very effective way. They can get really dirty and unsanitary and are very difficult to clean.

With a Coverplay, you just take it off the two pieces and throw them in the wash, put them back on... VOILA! Clean play yard. And they are actually really easy to take on and off - it's not like taking apart and reassembling your front-facing car seat that you need an engineering degree for (such a pain).

And, for the really cool part, Amy and Allison signed a deal with five Marriott brands to offer COVERPLAY for the new Tots Travel Too program and Coverplays are now available at more than 2,500 Courtyard, Fairfield Inn & Suites, SpringHill Suites, Residence Inn and TownePlace Suites hotels. The Tots Travel Too program offers a great baby/toddler travel package to make hotel stays with your little ones SO much easier. The packages include a travel crib with a nice clean Coverplay on it, take home bathtub toys, nightlights, baby toiletries, electrical outlet covers for your room and disposable bibs for the breakfast area of the hotel. This is such a great idea and the only downside is I wish they had had this program when Aubrey was a baby. It can be really difficult staying in a hotel with a baby and these small, simple items can make all the difference in the world.

So baby mamas, there you go! Some new and wonderful stuff to make life just a little easier for you! Ahhhhhhh...

A Girl And Her Poor Dog

Aubrey and the very patient, Bob Barker

Aubrey is an only child (well, she has a half sister who is 20 years old and lives in the midwest, so for all intents and purposes, she's an only child) so I'm glad she has Bob Barker - our 5 pound chihuahua. They keep each other company and they bicker like siblings, but it has gotten to the point where I'm not sure who love/hates the other one more. Read my latest post for LAMomsBlog.com:

A Girl And Her Poor Dog