Mother's Day Gifts - Support Local

Hi friends!  Mother's Day is coming up really fast and this year is going to be a bit different than others.  As always, it's so important to support our local businesses.  I have put together a list of local mom and pop businesses that are offering some Mother's Day specials.  Get your orders in soon since not only is Mother's Day coming up fast, but people are going to sell out!

Photo by Capture Create Studios

Bloom Sacramento is a flower farmer and florist who makes bouquets with flowers sourced from Northern California.  They are teaming up with Burly Beverages to deliver a fun Mother's Day gift where your mom can make a cocktail or mocktail or you can get flowers by themselves.

Kitchen Table (East Sac) is a great shop full of wonderful kitchen items!  They have everything from treats, to kitchen tools, linens, pantry items, and more!  They are offering delivery in their immediate area, porch pickup from their location, or shipping.

A Gift Inside is a Lodi based company that makes gift baskets with fresh fruits and snacks.  They also have treats and dried fruits.  They have organic baskets as well.

Jillian B Designs is a jewelry designer based out of Elk Grove.  She hand makes beautiful and sentimental jewelry pieces.  She is taking orders until May 3 for Mother's Day and also has gift certificates available.

Salt and Shea is a small batch handmade apothecary.  Jayme is a licensed esthetician who has allergies so she created a natural line of skin care items that are good for your skin and soul.

Sola Bee Farms is a wonderful honey farm that has partnered with lots of local partners to put together adorable gift items.

Imagine Play Elk Grove is offering Mother's Day bags full of fun finds for the trendy mom like color changing lip sticks and scrunchie.  They have shipping, local delivery in Elk Grove, or pickup options.

Sheldon Wine Shop is putting together wine and champagne gift baskets wrapped in cellophane and perfect for gifting.

Be the Light Collective is a jewelry store with a 3 year old CEO who hand makes gemstone and diffuser jewelry.

Andy's Candy is a local Sacramento basked candy shop that sells fun and unique candies.  They have boxes of chocolates available or gift sets of different kinds of candies.  They offer free local delivery to the Sacramento area for orders $30+, curbside pick up, and limited delivery.

Bailarin Cellars is delivering their wine within an 20 mile radius and they are shipping wine as well.  For local people, kits of cheese and charcuterie can be added on as well.

Strapping Store Oak Park is a gift shop that offers a variety of different gift items from elegant to funny.  They have Mother's Day gift sets and a variety gift items that can be shipped.

The Pomegranate Boutique in Midtown has clothes, accessories, and gift items.  They have free delivery in Sacramento and free shipping on orders of $45 or more.


These are just some of the options for buying a great gift for your mom or the special mom in your life while supporting local businesses.   It is so important to support our local businesses in this time as many were not able to get any loans from the government.  Not only that but they are bending over backwards to help us by offering delivery, inexpensive shipping, and great deals!



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Support Sacramento Area Businesses from Home

ETA: With the new recommendations, it is more important than ever to help our local businesses!  Thank you for taking the time to visit this page and to support local businesses!

Hi friends!  We are in an uncertain time and I know that most people want to hole up in their house.  However, our local businesses are suffering due to the fact that people are too afraid to visit.  While looking on Facebook, I saw a GREAT idea that is a simple way to help your local businesses without even leaving your home.  All you have to do is go online to their website and buy a gift card.  Then, as soon as you feel comfortable, you can go get your meal, salon service, gift items, etc...  To take it a step further, I am compiling a list of local Sacramento area small businesses that offer online gift cards and I'm linking them here.

Please keep in mind that these businesses are owned by FAMILIES in our community who have to feed their children too.  The brick and mortar places still have to pay the rent and utilities for their spaces as well as the bills at home.  If you are able to contribute to them a little bit in this time, they will be so thankful.

Don't forget that this is also a WONDERFUL way to shop for gifts.  Easter is coming, maybe get your kids a gift card to their favorite ice cream or boba place.  Mother's Day is in a couple months, get your mom or wife or whoever a massage or meal at their favorite restaurant.  If you have a kid who is going to have a birthday, you can get them a gift card to a play place or a store to pick out their own gift.  There are also local store who have put their inventory online which I will list as well.  We have to ban together to help our local businesses!

Here are the businesses that have reached out to me or been sent by friends:

Imagine Play Elk Grove is offering 20% off gift cards.  They are an indoor play space for children.

Craftopolis Crafting Club - water marbling classes and events.

Flatland Brewing Company - 21 years and up, craft beer.  Gift cards and merch online or order beer online and pick up with ID.

Safe Space Bodywork - massage therapy.

LashesxGiselle - eyelash extensions.

Bloom Sacramento - beautiful farm to table floral arrangements.

Maycup by Yenisei - Elk Grove based makeup and beauty services.

The Kitchen Table - kitchen boutique, also offering curbside pickup.

A Seat at the Table Books - progressive, inclusive book store.

The Pomegranate Boutique - clothes and accessories for women, men, and children in a variety of sizes.

River City Sass - handmade wooden and leather jewelry

Kalani Kakes - island inspired desserts

Comic Crate - Comics for kids delivered to your home.

Tomato Alley Collective - Kitchen goodies and tools.

Baby Face Makeup - non toxic pretend makeup for kids.

Tough Little Piggies - soft sole shoes for babies and children.

Snug Bub - stain resistant expandable baby clothes.

New Glory Craft Brewery - 21+ craft beer gift cards and merch.

Ruby Dot Designs - Personalized gift items.

Beautigirl Esthetics - Rocklin, CA based salon.

Tanya Martin Skincare - Folsom, CA based skincare studio.

Harlow's Music Venue - 10% off gift cards to redeem at later.

Gather Studio and Market - Granite Bay, CA studio for arts and crafts with local makers market.

Sugar Coated Cupcakes - Elk Grove, CA home bakery

Bogle Vineyards - 21+ Clarksville, CA winery 20% off wine until April 1, free shipping for Bandwagon Members.

Little Chances - Woodland, CA children's boutique with gift cards and their inventory available online.

Green Gifts Elk Grove - delivers package free or refillable household and personal care products right to your front step

WaxBare Elk Grove - gift cards for body hair removal.  Use code STAFF for a discount AND to have your proceeds help supplement staff member income during slow downs.

Crystal Rising - Healing crystals, gifts, and accessories.

The Good Rub - Plant powered body care, use code LOCAL10 for 10% off.

Lodi Wine Tours - Limo tours through Lodi wineries.

Hoshall's Salon and Spa - Folsom, CA gift cards and products available to ship to your home.

Another resource is DapIt App where you can find local gift cards and purchase from the app.

I will be adding more to this list.  If you'd like to be added please leave or send me a link directly to your gift cards or online products.




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Our Braces Journey with Surfside Kids Dental

Ever since my kids were toddlers I've been told by dentists that they would need braces even though their tiny baby teeth grew in perfectly straight and evenly spaced. As they grew older, the doctors were right and their adult teeth did in fact come in with little room and out of whack. To ensure proper jaw growth and development we decided to invest in our eldest son, 12, first set of braces at Surfside Kids Dental. With this commitment, it was super important for my family to choose an orthodontist that we trusted and whom was financially accommodating.

This post is in collaboration with Surfside Kids Dental.  All opinions are 100% honest and my own, as always. 

Having been to a few Sacramento dentists over the course of the years it has been a real challenge finding a practice that my whole family has loved. Personally, we've gone through many trial and error experiences to lead us to the right place. I am happy to say though we have finally found a dental home perfect for us! 

Here are some tips I suggest when looking for the best dental office for your family: 

1. The vibe. I know it may sound silly but when you are going to be spending a lot of time in a place it is necessary that you feel comfortable, your kids enjoy the environment and everyone feels at ease from start to finish. That includes not only the visual atmosphere but also the energy that the people in the office create. 

2. The doctor and assistants.  Being that these are the people in direct contact and treating your child, it is so important that you educated throughout all steps of an appointment and comfortable talking to them. Additionally, observe how the team interacts with your child, it's imperative that your child feels good and trusts them in their care.

3. The front office staff.  No matter how much you may like the doctor or assistants, if you don't vibe with the front office staff that is a red flag! These are the people whom assist with patient scheduling and whom deal with your personal information. As the front office staff are who initially set the tone for your visit, I encourage you to pay attention to how you feel when communicating with them. Personally, I look for professional etiquette with friendly, warm and relatable conversation. As organization is really important as well, I am always grateful when the office handles my insurance and billing matters with care and in a timely manner.  

We first went to check out Surfside Kids Dental after many of our friends sung their praises.  Upon entering, my kids loved the decorative beach themed office! There were many things for the family to indulge in the lobby like toys, TVs showing cartoons, computers, and video games.  They also have an area for complimentary water, coffee or tea. Oh, and we can’t forget about the massage chairs for the parents. The staff were incredibly friendly and knowledgeable while being warm so that the kids are at ease. A small detail I loved is that the office has your child fill out a fun facts form to get to know them better. 

At our Elk Grove location orthodontic consultation, we had Dr Plewe as the orthodontist. He is a very calm and reassuring man. My older children do not like a bunch of fake friendly or hyped up energy.  Dr Plewe was friendly and made sure to get to know both my sons and never was abrasive or over the top. Another thing that really impressed me was that even though we had both of our sons checked out, Dr Plewe told me assured me that we were fine to wait on my younger son’s treatment and that believed in his case, everything may correct itself over time. I appreciated that we were not immediately pushed into a treatment case.  I felt like Dr Plewe wanted what was best for us, and not just to put braces anyone who may be interested. 

Surprisingly, putting braces on only took about 1 hour after the consultation and paperwork.  It was not a huge ordeal and they do it right in the office with all the other kiddos getting their teeth cleaned and check ups.  My son was able to watch the movie that was playing on the ceiling TV and wear headphones during the application.

Here is a video of our process:

Afterwards, they set us up with an electric toothbrush, flossers, toothpaste and aftercare papers.  My son was sore for the first few days after as he adjusted to having the braces in his mouth.  He should wear the first set of braces for 18-24 months depending on how well he takes care of them and how his teeth respond. 

I'm so happy that we got them done at this tween age before he had to consider possibly what his peers may think, or care too much about his appearance. From a mother's perspective, I felt so much ease that I was doing the best thing by getting him in easy for an orthodontic evaluation and moving forward a treatment that was best for him and his oral health. I can't wait to see what his smile looks like when we are done! 

If you'd like to keep up with our journey, I will be sharing a bit on my Instagram Stories. Follow me there to see our check-ups and any other dental related stories we might have for you!

An orthodontic consultation is always free of charge at Surfside, be sure to tell them “Ashley Newell said Hi” if you make it in! 

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My First Speaking Engagement

Last month I was invited to speak at an event called Love Yourself Boho Brunch put on by Her Elk Grove.  It was my very first time speaking in front of an audience without the support of a panel.  I was really nervous but I figure through discomfort comes growth so I accepted the opportunity.  Here is my experience including my one major regret.

(Photos are courtesy of Cynthia Rodriquez Photography.)  

I practiced my speech time after time to myself and to the mirror.  I practiced in the car and at night before I went to bed.  I lived and breathed this speech and how I could convey such a huge concept such as loving yourself in a 5-10 minute speech.  I wanted to give the attendees value and a takeaway that they could go implement in their life.  I wanted them to be glad that they heard the talk and most of all I wanted to not waste their time because time is the most precious thing we have.

I spoke on how switching from a negative mindset to a positive mindset can literally change your entire life.  Now, I'm not crazy and I don't think that positivity alone can cure disease or anything like that.  But I do believe that when you believe in yourself and when you decide that you are enough, that gives you the strength to fight for what you deserve, to leave toxic situations, and to better your life.  I also believe that pushing away from saying negative things about yourself and shifting to be more realistic is the simplest and most effective way to love yourself.  For example, instead of saying "I look so fat in this shirt" you could say "this shirt is not right for me."  It's generally the same idea but shifts your mindset from being horrible to yourself to simply being realistic.

My hugest mistake for this event was not asking anyone to record my talk.  I have no video of the full thing.  I'm really sad because people asked me to see the whole video and I didn't have one.  If I had thought about it, I could have set up my own tripod and recorded it myself.  That's my biggest regret so if you are speaking or performing at an event, don't forget to ask someone to record it for you!

Overall, it was a great experience and I would speak at this type of event again.  It felt really amazing to hear that my words and story were helpful to other people.  When I entered the lifestyle blogger and influencer realm, I always hoped I would be able to make a difference in the lives of others.  This event gave me immediate feedback that I did just that.

Thank you to Haku and Wine for making me a custom flower haku (crown) for this event!  I love it and still have it in my house as a reminder of this day!




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Snow Day for Non-Snow People in Apple Hill

I love the idea of snow but if I'm honest, it scares me.  Growing up in the Sacramento area, we never got snow.  I don't know how to drive in snow.  I'm actually not all that great at even walking in snow.  But of course, my kids love snow even though my daughter had never seen snow in person before.  Last Monday, we had a short and sweet snow day that I wanted to share with anyone like me who is slightly anxious about snow.

This post is NOT sponsored.  I have no affiliations with any of the places or companies mentioned.  This an affiliate link, if you purchase from the link I earn a very small commission.  I wrote this post just in case you were someone like me who wanted in their heart to take your kids to the snow but got very anxious driving in and being in lots of snow.  I hope this can be helpful to you!

I talked to my husband's cousin after she posted that it snowed in the town where she lives.  Unfortunately, she told me that the snow was melting but recommended I go to Apple Hill to see snow.  Why have I never thought of this?!?

Wanna know if there's snow in Apple Hill right the second you want to go?  My tip?  Check Instagram!  You can go to either Apple Hill's page, a page of one of the orchards like Boa Vista, or you can check out posts from random people under the Apple Hill geotag.  The day I looked, I found photos posted within the hour with snow on the ground.  I tried checking the weather app and it only told me the current weather which was about 42 and did not tell me if there was snow on the ground.  The weather app will most likely only tell you if it's currently snowing, raining, etc...  That was not helpful to me.  I wanted to know if there was viable snow to be played with.

The beauty of going to Apple Hill in February is that it is not nearly as crowded as October.  LOL!  We went on President's Day which is always a Monday.  We did not hit any traffic.  There was NO snow or ice on the roads.  We went up HWY 50 and took the directions that our phone gave us.  There was snow on the sides of the road but NONE of the actual highway or streets.  This was really important to me since I didn't want to buy chains for the car.  (I did see online that people experienced traffic on the weekends.)

We decided to stop at Boa Vista Orchards since I knew from being there in the fall that they have a large open lot across the street that they normally put their pumpkin patch in.  They are open all year so I was also excited to buy some baked goods while I was up there!  It was really easy to park in their parking lot and cross the street to the snow.

There were a few inches of snow on the ground it was was perfect for playing while not having to worry about my tiny daughter sinking into a large area of snow.  Since it was just a couple inches, we were mostly fine in our sneakers and regular winter boats without needing snow boots.  In fact, it wasn't all that cold so some gloves, a jacket, and a hat was all that was needed.  The boys didn't even wear hats.

When we got too cold and needed a break from the snow, we headed across the street to Boa Vista's bakery and got hot chocolate and hot apple cider to warm up.  We also got some still warm donuts and it was basically bliss.  They have a small fire place where you can warm up a bit too.  They also have hard cider and wine for the 21 and up.  I suggest bringing a little spending money and taking some apples, baked goods, and drinks home with you too!

Things I Wish We Had:
1. Plastic Sled (this is an affiliate link, if you purchase from it, I earn a small commission.) for going down the hill they have.
2. Things to decorate a snowman ie carrot nose, charcoal eyes, etc...
3. Waterproof gloves.  We brought the cheap knit kind.
4. Waterproof shoes.  We wore regular shoes and mostly did ok but we did get our feet a little damp.

We spent a couple hours and the kids got their fill of snow.  It took about an hour to get there and an hour to get back.  I'm glad my daughter finally got to see the snow.  It wasn't anything ground breaking but it was a nice, fun time and inexpensive!



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March 2018 New Finds

Hi friends!  So sorry for the late post!  This month has just blown by for me.  The whole beginning of the year has just gone by in a flash.  Does everyone else feel like that too?

I was so ready for the sun to come out in March.  How about you guys?  I'm just over wearing layers and pants all the time.  I feel like spring has great weather even though my allergies go nuts!  There just something about having more light during the day that makes me happy.  I'm starting this post with one of my favorite photos from last month which was taken by Jeff Bravo Photography.  This was taken for a collaboration with my friend Amanda for her company Bloom Sacramento.  She offers weekly and monthly flower subscriptions using flowers she grows herself and flowers from local flower farms.

1. Allie Studio Elk Grove Map Coordinates Pillow.  If you checked out my Feb New Finds post, you probably saw me holding a super cute Sacramento pillow from Allie Studio.  I knew I HAD to get my hands on an Elk Grove pillow since if you know me, you know I'm ALL about Elk Grove!  I love the jute fabric and the type writer font.  It's just the perfect pillow for me and my kids aren't allowed to touch it.

2. The Latest Scoop Passion Fruit Guava Sorbet.  It's no secret that I've been obsessed with the flavor of passion fruit for the last year.  It's tart and tropical and I just can't get enough.  I was craving some passion fruit one night and I found this sorbet at The Nugget.  It's just so fruity and delicious!  The sorbet has a very nice texture too!  (Sorry it's half gone in the photo!  But not THAT sorry!)

3. Floral print.  Please give me ALL the flora print clothes, accessories, notebooks, pens, etc...  This is a trend that I'm into 100%!  I guess this shouldn't be shocking since I've always used flowers in my Instagram photos (when I can) and when I do crafts.  I'm really loving florals on dark backgrounds right now especially on clothing.

Causally hanging out at the Home Depot

Tapas on patios!

4. Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick.  In the winter, my lips dry out a lot and I haven't felt like putting much on them.  I decided to try out these Neutrogena chubby lip pencils because one of my favorite YouTubers EmilyNoel83 really loves them.  I love that they are super light and moisturizing!  They feel nice on my lips and the color is subtle enough that I can apply without a mirror.  They have a fruity smell.  Overall, just an easy product that I've been reaching for.  (In all these photos I'm wearing this lip product.)

5. Dessert Table.  I got the chance to make a dessert table for a charity function with my Sacramento Tuesdays Together chapter.  We had an event called Gram and Give where we made Instagram ready stations all over my friend Jeannie's new studio Bloom Collective Roseville.  It was a really beautiful event!  I'm in love with the dessert table I created with the help of my friends Katelynd who donated cake pops and Stacey who donated cookies.  I tried to keep it light, fun, and springy.

What were your favorites for March?  Let me know in the comments!



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Walmart Grocery Pick-Up Service

Hi friends!  Today, I've decided to write a post about the Walmart Grocery Pick-Up Service.  I wrote a post about Amazon Prime Now/Sprouts delivery that went really well but I've noticed that every time I go into the app, the minimum order amount seems to be going up.  I think it's now a minimum of $50 to get Sprouts delivered.  It's $100 for Raley's to deliver or do pick up without a fee.  I wanted to showcase a lower cost option.  The minimum for Walmart is $30.  (This is NOT a sponsored post.)

You first start out by picking out your groceries online.  You can select a 1 hour window to pick up your groceries.  You can also get things beyond groceries such as personal care, health, pet items, etc... but the whole store is not available for this specific service.  The store I was ordering from has a full grocery section.  The ones that offer this service probably all do.  There were a lot of things that I'd never purchased at Walmart before so that was exciting!

When your order is ready to be picked up, they send you an email.  You can also opt to get text messages too.  They also provided a diagram telling you where you should pick up.  At my location, there were plenty of spots and they were out of the way from the rest of the parking lot which was really nice.  When you get to the parking lot, you can either call or check in on their Walmart Grocery App.  I got the app since I think I will be using this service a lot.  A person comes out with your groceries in crates and will bag them in your own reusable if you want.  You also have the option to buy buys if you don't have any.

For my order, there was also a list of substitutions that were emailed to me.  I was pleasantly surprised with Walmart in this sense.  For the items that needed substitutes, they gave me the same amount if not more.  For example, I ordered a Rice Krispie Treats 8 pack for $1.98.  They were out of stock so they replaced it with a 40 piece and gave me the $1.98 price!  I have had issues with other services trying to give me less product like ONE half gallon of milk instead of a full gallon.  I appreciate that Walmart is willing to give me the same if not more!  This is important to me!  Also, when I go there, the lady loading my groceries asked me if I was ok with all the substitutions so I could have turned them down at that point.

Now, onto produce.  This is where I'm always weary.  I know that a box of cereal will be fine no matter where I order it from but produce, who knows?  I ordered some loose produce and some packaged.  We have no complaints about any of the items.  Everything showed up in tact.  Everything tastes great.  You cannot make any requests though.  You buy the produce by the pound, each, or package.  There's no place to make a comment like "we like green bananas."

I also ordered other items like some candy for Valentine's Day.  I liked the option of buying holiday stuff since the kids would see it if I took them to the store.  This way, it's a surprise.  I also bought things like dried pasta, pasta sauce, bread, yogurt, etc... I didn't photograph all of it because it was a HUGE haul and would have taken me forever to stage.  Everything was good and showed up in tact.

Overall, I will order from Walmart again.  When my kids are on break, it is almost impossible for me to go to the store and remember everything on my list.  This is a great option!  I also like that the minimum is $30.  If you are sick and just need some medicine and soup, you can do this without having to pay an extra fee for the service.  If you'd like to receive $10 off your first order, please email me and I will send you a referral.  Or leave a comment with your email address and I will not post it publicly.  (If you do this, I also get $10 off an order.  Thank you for any support you show my blog!)

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CaliGlo Mini Golf and Laser Tag Plus Local Burger

Last week, our family had the pleasure of visiting CaliGlo to play some black light mini golf and laser tag.  CaliGlo opened in Elk Grove on August 5 in the same center as Strikes and California Family Fitness in Elk Grove.  CaliGlo is owned by the same Elk Grove family who owns Strikes.  They also opened up Local Burger this summer.  We have never done mini gold or laser tag as a family before so we were super excited!

*** This post is a collaboration with CaliGlo only.  As always, all opinions are my own. *** 

CaliGlo building

We arrived at CaliGlo on Tuesday around 3:45pm and there were handful of other people there.  If you are looking for a time that's not too crowded, I would go during the week.  I hear it gets packed on the weekends.  Weekdays are so much better for us since I don't like crowds and it gives my kids time to go as slowly as they want during the games.  Also, it's not as much pressure in the laser tag when there's more room to run around without bumping into anyone.  They also have arcade machines in the lobby to play if you are waiting for the next laser tag game to start.

Entrance to blacklight mini gold

We started with black light mini golf.  HEY GUYS!  Guess what?  I found a sport that I don't suck at!   The course is 18 holes and they are all California themed which I LOVE of course.  Each of my sons brought a friend and my daughter went on a playdate so we had 6 people playing mini golf.  It took us about 45 mins to finish since the kids needed a lot of turns to play the holes.  Luckily, there weren't too many other people and they came in a few mixtures after us so we never felt like we had to rush.

The boys had a great time!

While we played, we enjoyed the music, the graffiti art on the walls, and the fun California themed holes including Hollywood, Napa, Capitol Building, and more.  The blacklight and glow is super fun!  None of the holes are super hard but I was told that the course is best for ages 7 and up.  I agree with that.  We didn't keep score and even then, we told my younger son to skip a few holes because he was getting a little frustrated at how many turns it was taking him to get the ball in.  Even then, it was so much fun!  This is a perfect winter activity since it's indoors!  (Also, summer too because it's SO hot here.)  This would also be a great date night!  We let the kids go ahead of us one hole and then played each hole on our own.  I had a GREAT time with my husband playing mini golf!  Maybe next time we can keep score and see who wins!

Next, we moved onto laser tag.  Laser tag consists of 3 sessions that are 7 minutes each.  The total time for the briefing, arming, and game play is 30 mins.  I only stayed for one session and didn't play very much.  I was running around trying to take video and photos.  Umm, no.  It's way too dark in their for videos and photos on my iPhone.  I didn't want to intrude in their game play.  Also, my meanie kid didn't want me on his team and wanted the kid working there to play on his team instead.  Even though I GAVE HIM LIFE.

Laser tag gun

Nice and dark in the laser tag

Monitor to watch laser tag from the waiting area.

When the boys and my hubby out of the laser tag, they were all sweaty and out of breath.  They were tired and had a great time!  I think that one session is plenty.  If your kids (or adults) are super into it, you can book a double session at a discounted rate.  I think this would be a great team building event for work too.

Tuesday is kids eat free night so we dropped off the friends, picked up my daughter, and headed to Local Burger to eat.  When we got there, we were seated right away by a friendly hostess.  Upon sitting down, we were greeted by our waiter and an assistant (or maybe someone being trained.)  They brought out warm potato chips with onion dip as a complimentary appetizer.  We also ordered the 24" Bavarian Pretzel with beer cheese as an additional appetizer.  OMGosh, it was AMAZING!  It came on warm and on hook!  It was only $5.99!  It was delicious and we couldn't even finish it all.

Complimentary chips and dip

Pretzel with beer cheese

The boys ordered pizzas and a side of fries.  My daughter ordered the mac and cheese with a side of celery and carrots.  I'm sorry I didn't get any pictures of the kids meals.  The boys pizzas were a personal size and the basket of fries was a generous helping.  They are both big eaters and were not able to finish all their food.  My daughter got a bowl of mac and cheese that looked kinda like Kraft with some melted cheese on top.  My daughter LOVES Kraft so that's perfect for us.  And the side of carrots and celery was REALLY plentiful!  I was impressed as she kept pulling more and more fresh veggies out of her basket.  She must have had 4-5 pieces of each!

My hubby and I each ordered a burger.  I was surprised they came with fries since on the menu it said nothing of fries so that was a pleasant surprise!  I got the Garlic Mushroom burger.  I asked for grilled onions instead of raw onions.  At the restaurant, I wasn't sure about having Texas Toast as the bun but the waiter said a lot of people liked it that way so I went with it.  Next time, I'd ask for a bun.  I just like burgers on buns.  I would also order it with no lettuce and tomato because I think onion and mushroom in plenty of produce for a burger.  Just saying...  The burger patty, cheese, and mushroom was delicious.  My hubby got the Jalapeño Burger and he really enjoyed it!  The jalapeños come fried which is really yummy.  Neither one of us could finish our food after eating the chips and pretzel.  We probably could have split one burger with fries.  So, if you have a really hearty appetite, Local Burger would be great for you!

Jalapeno Burger

Garlic Mushroom Burger

Overall, we had a great experience at Caliglo and Local Burger!  The mini golf is something I could see us doing a lot more since it's a lower price point and you can take your time.  The laser tag would be something we only do for special occasions because the price point is a bit higher.  Local Burger is a great choice for us on kids eat free night and will go into our rotation.  I also feel good knowing that we are supporting a local family just like us to succeed and have a legacy for their children.

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Imagine Play in Elk Grove - Play Place for Children

On October 22, Imagine Play open it's doors in Elk Grove.  A local family wanted to create an indoor play place for imaginative play so they opened up Imagine Play.  I've been excited for this place to open since Elk Grove doesn't have many indoor play places and I don't think any that cater to imaginative play.  My littlest (almost 5 years old) is the queen of imaginative play so I was super excited to bring her to Imagine Play!

***This post is a collaboration with Imagine Play, as always all opinions are my own.***

We arrived at 10:30am last Thursday.  It was a little hard to find since they don't have a big sign on the building yet.  They have a large poster in the window with "Imagine Play" on it with a photo of kids playing.  It is a few doors down from NewSongs School of Music which is right on the corner.  You enter into a lobby area where you sign in by the door.  There is a waiver you have to fill out before your children can play.  You also leave your shoes in the front area which is great so you know people aren't tracking in dirt into the area where little ones crawl.  You do need socks!  If you don't have socks, you can purchase a pair for $2.

I was a little weary when I walked in because the play area didn't seem that big to me.  The whole space is about the size of your average boutique type store.  Boy, was I wrong!  I had to beg Avery to leave at 1:10pm because I didn't pack a lunch.  We were there for almost 3 hours and she never got bored!  She did ask me to play with her a couple times since there weren't other kids her age there all the time.  I would suggest going with a friend so that your kid has someone to play with and you have someone to chat with while they play.

Other than the baby area, we spent a little time playing in each area.  This place is very thoughtfully designed!  Here are the areas, sorry if I'm not good at describing them:
~ Small grocery area with shopping carts, play food, register with conveyor belt
~ Teepee for kids who like confined spaces.  (I have a son who does better in small spaces when he gets overwhelmed so this is amazing!)
~ A bin for fishing.
~ Ice cream cart and bakery table all Melissa and Doug Toys
~ A play "house" area with a table and chairs, kitchen, cleaning supplies (mop, broom, etc...), and there's even a painting on the wall that resembles a window looking out onto nature.
~ Dollhouse and train table.
~ A BIG castle with a slide and areas to go inside.  They also have princess dresses hanging up that can be borrowed for dress up.
~ Pirate ship with dress up items and accessories.
~ Lemonade stand with a cute lemon tree on the wall where you can "pick" lemons.
~ A table with puzzles.
~ A board with learning magnets.  One side has gears and the other side has shape magnets that can be used for building.
~ White board with PVC pipes to build courses to roll a ball.
~ Sensory table with rice.
~ Baby area with soft blocks to crawl on, toys, and ride ons.
~ Table with Little People toys.
~ Chalk cylinder for drawing.

Every hour on the half, they have an activity hosted by the staff.  The first one we just missed because we were filling out paper work was a fan with a tube on it that blew scarves around.  We've seen similar activities at other discovery museums and it's always a hit.  The second activity was a parachute.  I'm bummed Avery didn't want to do it because I think it's SO fun!  The third activity was making necklaces with candy, pretzels, and cereal.  This was not only fun and edible, it helps with hand eye coordination and Avery even made a pattern!  Lots of sneaky learning happening!

Imagine Play also has a snack bar where you can purchase snacks, juice, and water.  Everything is $1 plus tax.  They have healthy options and treat options.  They have a COMPLIMENTARY coffee and tea selection for parents with a Keurig.  There is a large sitting area with tables and chairs for parents to sit and chat or work.  There is also an area where you can purchase Melissa and Doug toys.  They have multiple restrooms.  There are also party rooms for hosting birthday parties.

Avery is almost 5 and I could see her loving this place for at least another year if not two years.  I would not bring my boys (ages 8 and 10) here because they would not be interested in these play stations and they would be SO big in the space since there's lots of darling toddlers walking around.  Imagine Play is perfect for toddlers and pre-school aged children!  It's safe, clean, and everything is sized to fit a small child.  

While the price point might seem a little high, we did play for 2 hours and 40 minutes.  She would have played longer if I had packed a lunch.  For me, that amount of playing is well worth the $14 for the experiences she had!  You can also buy membership deals and I've even seen Imagine Play on Groupon so look into those if you want to save some money.

We can't wait to go back to Imagine Play!  We had a great time!  Next time I'll definitely bring a friend along for Avery and maybe I'll bring my computer to see if I could get work done while she plays for hours.  And I'll pack a lunch.  (Note: they are a nut free facility.)  I will be hosting a giveaway for 2 free 1 day passes to Imagine Play on my AshleyNewell.me Instagram account very soon.  Please follow me there if you're interested!

***Giveaway is live HERE: https://www.instagram.com/p/BbK3DEzhadB/ ***

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SuperWy Ice Cream: A Special Flavor for a Spectacular Boy

I had the pleasure of meeting Michelle Young last week.  Our kids go to Light Saber Class together and I ran into her at a filming for a commercial (more on that later.)  She is a super warm person and I really enjoyed talking to her.  After a while, she told me about her sweet son Wyatt who is terminally ill.

Wyatt is a super sweet little boy who was born with down syndrome and Autism.  He spent his first years in an orphanage in Bulgaria dealing with his illnesses and having surgeries all on his own.  Michelle Young saw a picture of Wyatt on Facebook posted by someone advocating for him to be adopted.  It was love at first sight.  The Young Family adopted darling Wyatt and made him part of their family.  Wyatt continued to have health issues and spends a lot of time in Sutter Hospital.

This year, the amazing staff at Sutter made it possible for Wyatt to spend his birthday (Jan 2) at home.  Michelle wanted to do something special for Wyatt so she called our local Leatherby's Family Creamery and asked if they had space where Wyatt could have a little bit of space away from other people to keep him away from germs.  When the family came to Leatherby's, they met the owner Matt and he gave Michelle his card telling her that he would be happy to deliver ice cream to Wyatt any time he was in the hospital.

Michelle formed a relationship with Leatherby's and last week they were able to host a special ice cream social for the patients for the first time ever!  They also surprised The Young Family by releasing a SuperWy ice cream flavor early.  Michelle had been working with Leatherby's to release an ice cream in honor of Wyatt but didn't expect it to come out yet.

SuperWy Banana Cream Pie is the name of the flavor Leatherby's created for Wyatt.  It is a banana ice cream with vanilla wafers and marshmallow cream.  It is absolutely delicious!  It is only available at the Elk Grove location for a limited time.  You can order it by the scoop at the counter or in one of the awesome sundaes that Leatherby's has on the menu.

How can you help Wyatt and The Young Family?  Go to Leatherby's and order the ice cream!  Post it to social media so more people know about the SuperWy ice cream.  Request that they make more of the ice cream and sell it in all the stores.  Michelle just wants people to know about her son.  She wants families to know that even if your situation is dire, if you keep a positive spirit you can make the very best of your days.  She truly believes that staying positive and creating a positive environment for all of her children has helped Wyatt to hold on longer.

Please send SuperWy your thoughts or prayers.  If you get the ice cream, please tag Leatherby's and tag me and I will share them on Facebook.  Let's show this Elk Grove family our love and support!

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