Tiny Oranges – Fresh, fun blog for OC moms

Darlynn Morgan is a fellow OC mommy and family trust attorney with a passion for helping families protect those they love if the unthinkable should happen to them. Not a fun topic, I know. But trust me, getting everything in order the right way will bring you tremendous peace of mind. 

She wrote a great post today on three easy steps to get started and is hosting several free seminars coming up in February and March where you can learn more. Details and dates below!

The Busy Mom’s Guide for Getting Your Legal and Financial House in Order in 2012

by Darlynn Morgan of Morgan Law Group

You want the best for your kids, and as a mama you already know that you need to have some type of financial strategy to make this happen over the long-term.

After all, there’s college to plan for, family wealth to think about and choosing legal guardians who could raise your minor kids if something happens to you…..just in case.

For most parents, taking steps to get your legal and financial house in order can feel daunting.  I hear from parents all the time who don’t know where to start, confused about who they should talk to and flat-out overwhelmed by all the decisions that need to be made.

I get it, and that’s why my goal this year is to help parents simplify the process of getting their “ducks in a row,” while also helping them make the very best decisions for their loved ones.

If you’re ready to start playing your financial A-game in 2012, here are my top three recommendations of where to start:

1. Utilize tax time -   Tax season is a great time to get a handle on your estate.  Your financial documents are handy, semi-organized and hopefully up-to-date.  You’ll find that getting your affairs in order is much easier, both mentally and logistically, when everything is right in front of you already. Some specific information to keep in mind would be an estimate of your net-worth, assets you own, liabilities, and the amount of insurance policies or retirement accounts you may have.

2. Start with the facts - I’m a big believer in being an “educated consumer,” and I think it’s important to do your own homework before meeting with an advisor of any kind. To help you with this, I’ve created a Kids Protection Planning Kit that you can download here absolutely FREE.  It walks you through the next steps, how to avoid common mistakes parents make and more.  It’s a great resource for any parent with minor kids at home.

3. Don’t Go At It Alone -  When it comes to the protection and long-term security of your children, never go at it alone with DIY will kits or estate planning forms or software. I’ve worked with many parents who unknowingly disinherited future children or left all of their money outright to their kids at the ripe age of 18, thanks to the hard-to-read fine print. Remember, your family is unique, and any type of document that tries to cover your kids with “one size, fits all” language will probably backfire in some way.  At the very least, talk to an attorney before you sign.  There’s a certificate for you to do it absolutely free in my Kids Protection Planning Kit.

The most important thing is that you take action this year. Start somewhere.  If you’re not sure of the next best step to take, download the Kids Protection Kit so you can get empowered and be informed. Remember, the greatest gift you can give your family is the peace of mind knowing everything is taken care of, and these 3 steps will definitely help you get started in the right direction!

How many of you don’t feel completely effective as a parent at times? ME!

How many of you have ever wished you had someone tell you what to do when faced with a challenging situation with your kids? ME!

How many of you have had behavioral issues with your kids and feel like you have tried everything but nothing has worked? ME!

How many of you have read parenting books or taken seminars only to find that while great in concept, when transferred into real life, were completely unrealistic? ME!

For all those reasons above, I am thrilled to share with you a local parenting seminar offered through Parenting Classes OC. This 8 or 10 week program in Orange County teaches parents, grandparents or caregivers Parent Effectiveness Training.

In the class you will learn how to:

1) Talk to children so they will listen and change unacceptable behavior.
2) Reduce stress, power struggles, and resentment.
3) Actively listen to your child so they feel understood and able to solve their own problems.
4) Resolve conflicts successfully so children will continue open communication into their teens and adulthood.

SIGN ME UP. Seriously!  Plus, Tiny Oranges readers will receive $25 off tuition!  Yay! 

The next OC classes offered will be:

Tuesdays, starting February 7th through April 10th (10 sessions) from 11:30am – 1:30pm at Move it Momma Fitness in Huntington Beach. Childcare is available for $10 per session if needed.

Thursdays, February 9th through March 29th (8 sessions) from 6:30pm – 9:30pm in Irvine.

And, for my South Bay mamas:

Wednesdays, February 8th through March 28th (8 sessions) from 6:30 – 9:30pm in Redondo Beach.

The class is taught in a small group setting by Meike Lemmens, a certified Parent Effectiveness Training Instructor with a B.A. in Psychology and M.A. in Communications from the University of Amsterdam, Netherlands. Meike is also a parenting expert featured on KDOC-TV.  You can click here to watch her recent feature on “Problem Solving Skills for Kids.”

I had the opportunity to chat with Meike on the phone and she told me the classes are taught in a safe and nurturing environment, where parents learn new communication skills  including when and how to use these skills.

Most parents that participate in the course are those with little ones six and younger, but the skills can apply to any age, up through teenagers.

The best part about the program is that you can take the skills learned each week, try them at home, and then come back the next week to share your successes and challenges. You then also have the opportunity to ask specific questions using real life examples.

I think the program sounds incredible and she had me so interested when I hung up I told her I thought I needed to register to take her class myself!

Visit www.ParentingClassesOC.com for more information and to register for the upcoming session.

Specials to note:

* Tiny Oranges readers will receive $25 off tuition for the course. “Like” the ParentingClassesOC.com Facebook page and simply post your biggest parenting challenge so you can join the conversation and stay up to date on their courses and tips! Tell them Tiny Oranges sent ‘ya! Then, when you register, select the first option listed.

* First 10 participants to sign up and pay for their February session will be entered to win 1 free hour of in-home parent coaching. Click here for more information on their one-on-one parent coaching programs.

* First 5 to pay online for the Huntington Beach session will get Free Childcare for the first session. 

[Disclosure: This is a Sponsored Post to help spread the word about their upcoming session, so happy to be able to tell you about it. I know there have been times when I wished I would have known about a class like this!]

For all my pregnant mamas, new mamas, someday might be pregnant mamas, or just want to get in shape mamas, I am thrilled to share with you two amazing prenatal fitness DVD’s recently released by Erica Ziel of Knocked-Up Fitness!

Prenatal Pilates-Infused Fitness

This DVD includes a new (highly effective!) method designed to keep expecting moms active and fit though all stages of pregnancy.

Erica shows moms-to-be how to strengthen and tone key muscle groups while preparing the body for labor, delivery and recovery.

The workout fuses pilates, cardio and conditioning exercises for safe and effective prenatal workouts.

You can even mix and match the 5 different workouts to form your own routine.

Prenatal Core Pilates Workouts

In this DVD, Erica shows moms-to-be how to strengthen deep core muscles safely.

Instead of crunches, she has designed a variety of exercises to specifically target deep core muscles and help support the weight of the baby as well as prepare the body for labor, delivery and recovery.

This workout is a unique mix of core cardio, pilates, yoga and other fitness exercises.

Can’t decide which one to get? Get them both! Buy them as a set, and in addition to a price break, you can will also receive a free exercise band with purchase.

I trained with Erica last year and she is fabulous. Not only is she extremely knowledgable, but her workouts are crazy good!!

Even cuter, Erica herself was pregnant with baby # 3 during the filming of her videos.  As they say, it takes one to know one, so you can be assured that Erica knows exactly how it feels to do her workouts “with child!”

Click here to buy on Amazon.com and visit her website for more info (and a video) at www.Knocked-UpFitness.com.

Stop by Xpecting Maternity Boutique in Costa Mesa this Saturday, 1/28/12 from 10am – 12pm for a special DVD Launch Party and get 15% OFF at Xpecting (excluding strollers), meet Erica, enter fun raffles and more!

Click HERE to download the flyer on this event.

1 lucky winner will receive the combo set including both prenatal DVD’s and exercise band! To enter, please leave a separate comment for each entry option. Here are the entry options:

Simply comment! – 1 ENTRY

Facebook fans of Tiny Oranges and Knocked Up Fitness automatically get an entry, so let us know if you are – Up to 2 ENTRIES (please leave separate comment for each)

Followers of @TinyOrangesOC and @KnockedUpFit also get an entry each! Tell us if you are followers! - Up to 2 ENTRIES (please leave separate comment for each)

Subscribe to Tiny Oranges via email or RSS – 1 ENTRY

Giveaway runs through Thursday, 2/2/12 at 5pm PST. Please leave your email address in the comment field (won’t be published) so I can contact the winner when selected at random.

Good Luck!

Abiding Savior Lutheran School and Preschool in Lake Forest is having a special Open House event this month on Saturday, January 28th, 2012 from 1 – 3pm and I wanted to share the details in case anyone happens to be looking for a fabulous private Christian school in South Orange County.

The school has preschool (including extended care), Junior Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and Grades 1st – 8th.

At the Open House, you will have the opportunity to meet the teachers, see the classrooms, learn about the curriculum and schedules, check out their Junior Kindergarten program, and truly get a feel for the school.

As a bonus, special discounts will be available for new families that enroll that attend the Open House! Inquire for details!

And yes, your children are welcome to attend!

When asked to describe Abiding Savior Lutheran School and Preschool, the most used words listed by the students, faculty and staff were:

Read More >>

Local families are invited to a special “Breakfast with Santa” holiday event tomorrow, Dec. 17th, at UltraLuxe Cinemas in the Anaheim GardenWalk.

Santa Claus will be in town to meet and greet star-eyed guests from 9 – 11 a.m. so bring your cameras and holiday wish lists to get in those last minute requests!

Hosted by Los Angeles radio personality Chris Martinez, “Breakfast with Santa” will feature a buffet breakfast provided by Bubba Gump and a host of fun activities including holiday-themed face painting, music, games, prizes and more.

As part of the event, UltraLuxe is also offering  free admission to a special 11:30 a.m. screening of its December Kidtoons feature, OLIVIA Wintertime Cheer, with every ticket purchase.

Tickets for “Breakfast with Santa” are now on sale at the UltraLuxe box office or online at www.ultrastarmovies.com. Admission is $15 for adults and $7 for children. Children ages 2 and under are free. A ticketing fee of $1.95 applies to online purchases.

UltraLuxe Cinemas is located at Anaheim GardenWalk on the upper level at 321 W. Katella Ave. Free parking for 4 hours is provided with validation at the movie theater. Parking structure entrances are located off both Katella Ave. and Disney Way.

My family is going tomorrow to check out this event and the girls are very excited.  We adore OLIVIA in this house! Have a jolly weekend everyone!

[Disclosure: My family will receive complimentary media tickets to this event. Lucky us!]