Fun Finds

Today I am excited to share with you a fabulous Orange County magician for kid’s parties, Magic Matt Young. I for one am always on the lookout for fun new birthday party ideas and wouldn’t a magic themed kid’s birthday party be SO cute for both boys and girls? I’m thinking bunnies, hats, wands, cards…and then a special appearance by a live magician?!  Too fun!

Magic Matt Young is an experienced magician, performer, and all around fun guy who loves to make kids happy through magic. And who doesn’t love a cool magic trick?

I know my little ones eat up anything to do with rabbits in hats, coins pulled out of their ears and multi-colored hankies (okay, maybe I’ve watched Goofy’s Magic Trick show on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse one too many times…).

Meet Magic Matt Young

Lucky for us, Magic Matt has a little more up his sleeve (cue quick giggle – I couldn’t help it).

Magic has been a part of Matt’s life since he was seven, when his dad bought him his first magic kit, and the rest is history.

Now he performs regularly at the famous Sawdust Festival in Laguna Beach, has made appearances at Zoomars in San Juan Capistrano, and of course, he loves performing at kid’s birthday parties!

How does he capture kids’ attention? By starting out his show with, “You guys are really going to make the magic happen!”

Because as all you mamas know, our kids want to be right in the middle of everything. I already know my five-and-a-half-year-old would be in the front row vigorously jumping up and down, raising her hand to be his first assistant.

Orange County Magician for Kid’s Parties!  

The details…

•   He performs all around Orange County and San Diego County.

•   The best ages for his shows are 4 and up (ages 7 and up will have more age appropriate, complicated tricks).

•   His birthday party shows are about a half hour.

•   You can count on fun tricks and illusions, lots of interaction, and chances for your kiddos to help make the magic happen.

•   In addition to birthday parties, Magic Matt also can perform at holiday parties, wedding receptions, company picnics and family reunions (he’s even putting on a show for a First Communion party!).

So consider magic as part of your next kiddo’s next birthday party (or whatever family-friendly event you may be planning this summer) and give Matt a call to talk about his show. And, voila! An easy peasey, fun way to entertain your munchkins and see their little eyes light up.

Disclosure: Magic Matt Young has been a Tiny Oranges Sponsor in our OC Biz Guide.  After chatting with him about his magic performances, I can’t wait to take my kids to see him live!

Today I’m rounding up fun and unique Father’s Day gift ideas because there’s no question that finding the perfect gift for our favorite guys can be quite challenging. Whether your special guy is a sports addict, an adventurer, a techie, or the family grill master, our Father’s Day Gift Guide has you covered.

5 Unique Father’s Day Gift Ideas

Personalized Iphone Case, $59
Find your favorite family photo and turn it into the best iphone case a dad could ask for. This super cute idea from Erin Condren keeps dad’s favorite people close to him all day long. Order now and get 25% off gifts for dads with coupon code DADISRAD25 through June 3rd at midnight.

Craft Beer of the Month Club, $37.75/mnth
Give the gift that keeps on giving with a subscription to the craft beer of the month club. It’s no secret that craft beer is having its moment to shine lately, so why not join in on the fun and get dad 12 new craft beers to try every month. If you’re local, and want to sweeten the deal, add in a trip to Stone World Brewery in Escondido - I heard they have an amazing variety of affordable craft beers on tap that you can enjoy in their beautiful gardens.

Blue Prints of his Favorite Stadium, $185
My hubby is a huge Boston Red Sox fan and has done everything in his power to make sure our son follows in his footsteps – very successfully I might add. These blue prints of sports stadiums make the ultimate son to father gift.

Monogramed Steak Board and Carving Set, $69.95
If your guy takes his grilling duties seriously, this monogrammed steak board and carving set is the ideal gift. And, I promise your friends and family will be wildly impressed at your next backyard BBQ.

GoPro HD Hero Camera, $204.95
This is for the dad who loves capturing his adventures. GoPro’s wearable cameras are a huge hit with everyone from professional athletes to TV producers.  What’s more fun than getting dad a gift that allows him to document his favorite activities and share them with his kids. He’ll truly love this one!

 I hope these ideas help make shopping for Dad a little easier this year. Do you have any special plans for Father’s Day? I’d love to hear how you plan to celebrate Dad in your family!

Oh Fancy Nancy, how I adore thee. Your fancy words, your spunky personality, your fun way of teaching my kiddos new vocabulary….and now your songs on our favorite new Fancy Nancy the Musical CD we were recently sent for review. The CD features the original Off-Broadway cast recording and I was pleasantly surprised to find that even I sang along and enjoyed it.

So yes, I am singing praises for Fancy Nancy the Musical songs and anyone with their own little Fancy Nancy will say, “Oh la la!” to this collection too.

My daughter is just beginning to read this adorable series, created and written by Jane O’Connor, about a girl named Nancy who makes it her mission to make everything fancy. And, my little girl LOVES being fancy (see above picture for proof).

Boas, sparkles, tutus, tea parties, and of course, practicing the use of “fancy” words are her cup of tea.

In this super cute collection of tunes, it tells the story of Nancy and her best friend Bree, who want to be fancy mermaids in their upcoming dance recital…and Nancy ends up being cast as a…wait for it…a TREE.

Nancy bemoans…what is fancy about a TREE?  And thus, the musical comes alive and takes you on a sweet little storyline of how Nancy and Bree cope with being cast as “ordinary” parts (that’s a fancy word for simple!), versus fancy, glamorous stars.

The songs are upbeat, catchy, and pretty darn cute. Even my three-year-old son doesn’t seem to mind listening. (You can check out a preview of the songs on YouTube, and see for yourself how entertaining they are).

Each morning, my little princess asks me to put on Fancy Nancy in the car.  When I asked her why she likes it, this is what she said, “I like the under the sea music.  It makes me happy.  Oh, and I like her [Nancy's] crown and fancy stuff.”  Well, folks…enough said!

And if Fancy Nancy the Musical ever visits Southern California, my little girl and I are going to have a girl date…starting with a fancy tea party, of course.

www.sh-k-boom.com/fancynancy.com

Disclosure:  I was given this CD to listen to by Danny Abosch (Composer, Arranger, Music Educator), which features his music…and I am SO excited that my little girl and I can finally sing along to Fancy Nancy songs, as well as read her books! Merci Danny!

The calendar still says May, but we’ve had some beautiful, beach-worthy days here in Southern California. It’s got me thinking of restocking my beach day essentials and heading to the ocean with my kids. So, today I’m highlighting just a few of my favorite things to pack for a (stress free!) beach day with kids.

Beach Day Essentials for Moms

Brush on Block
I love this sunscreen for both my kids and myself. It’s easy to apply and not greasy and doesn’t get in anyone’s eyes. I usually do apply SPF before we leave the house and then take the brush on sunscreen for an easy, no hassle reapply when we’re out.

Melissa and Doug Sand Toys
We received this cupcake sand toy set a few years ago and it is such a hit with kids of all ages. The hardest thing is remembering to pick up all the pieces when I leave.

Baggu
Are you guys familiar with this great line of bags? They’re perfect to have in the car for running errands, and I always take some to the beach to wrap up our wet, sandy items. The bags are machine washable too so they’re easy to clean!

Turkish Towels
My dear friend was born and raised in Turkey and introduced me to these amazing, lightweight Turkish towels. They absorb water surprising fast and dry quickly, while taking up MUCH less space than traditional beach towels. I found these on Etsy, but Bed Bath and Beyond carry a similar style.

Cozy Kids’ Cover-up
J.Crew carries great beach cover-ups for kids and this one happens to be on sale right now. No matter how hot it seems when we leave the house I’m always disappointed if I forget to bring something cozy to wrap around my kids at the end of the day.

Folding Utility Wagon
My husband purchased this wagon two summers ago and we always get asked where we got it when we’re out on the beach. It’s very sturdy and we can put both kids and supplies in it for easy transportation on and off the beach. PS. Pulling it with two kids and supplies is also a great workout!

What are your favorite items for a day at the beach with your kids? Do you have any tips on how to make a beach outing stress free? I’d also love to hear your favorite local beach for kids, I’m always on the hunt for new places.

I have been a huge ErinCondren.com fan for years now and had to share my new favorite find I recently received as a sweet gift, Erin Condren’s darling acrylic photo blocks, which would also make a perfect Mother’s Day gift idea!

They have a special Erin Condren coupon code good for 40% off all acrylic products through April 30th, so if you think you might want to take advantage and order one for a Mother’s Day gift, get your order in today or tomorrow.

Now let me tell you my story on how I came to find out about these!

Las month I was supposed to go to a SMARTY OC event to hear Erin Condren speak in person. Excited wasn’t even the word.  I am a little obsessed with Erin Condren products, so It was going to be my own “like meeting Oprah” moment. Seriously.

Then Morgan goes and breaks her arm that same afternoon so I had to miss the event. BOO. My partner Susanne went and told Erin how sad I was to have to miss it.

That very next weekend my family went down to the beach and stayed at Crystal Cove. Erin Condren follows me on Instagram, and happened to see some of my family photos from our trip. In case you don’t follow me on IG, please do! This is me –> instagram.com/tinyorangesoc!

While we were at the beach, I snapped two of my favorite photos of all time of my girls and posted them on Instagram. Those images that capture your kids in a moment of pure joy. Loved those photos.

A couple weeks later, an ErinCondren.com box shows up on my doorstep out of the blue. In it were my two favorite Instagram photos displayed in these GORGEOUS acrylic photo blocks with “Crystal Cove 2013″ in her signature colorful letters on the back.

I loved them so much I actually teared up! It is a very special family memory on display for me every day.

These would make a personal, thoughtful gift or would be so cute in a nursery or child’s room, or really, just anywhere. They are beautiful.

Thank you Erin for your thoughtfulness and for making my day a happy one!

[Disclosure: I received the photo blocks as a gift, but wanted to blog about them because I love them so much, and I know you will too. Erin Condren has been a long time friend and partner of Tiny Oranges.]