Family Kids Activity L.A. Travel Show This Weekend February 23 - 24 Are Plentiful.

Travel

If you're looking for something fun to do with the kids this weekend consider bringing them down to the 15th Annual Los Angeles Times Travel Show. You wouldn't normally think that a travel show is the place to let your children loose to have some fun. But this particular travel show is different and very family-friendly and there's going to be a lot of fun activities the youngsters will enjoy.

My son rock climbing when he was in grade school

At a special media preview of the show that I attended at the iconic L.A. Times headquarters several weeks ago I got a sneak peek at what's in store for the show's attendees this year.

Kids and adults alike will enjoy special presentations from Wildlife Experience, a non-profit dedicated to wildlife conservation through community education. On both days of the show from 11-11:45 a.m. Wildlife Experience will be on stage with their WILD World Exotic Animal Show. They also invite the public to their booth during show hours to get to know them better.

This chameleon from Wildlife Experience has a leaf shape head

Also entertaining will be Christopher Reynolds, LA Times Travel Journalist, talking about appreciate all there is right here in our Southern California backyard. In his engaging fashion, he'll present SoCal Close-Ups: Photography in Southern California from 11-11:45 a.m. and then SoCal Close-Ups: To Your Backyard and Beyond from 2-2:45 p.m. Both presentations will be given both days.

Christopher Reynolds gives journalists a mash-up of his LA Travel Show performance

Among the family-friendly things to do during the show

• A Rock Climbing Wall
• A Zipline
• Land Zorbs
• Live Animal Shows
• Souvenir Photo Booths
• Live Cooking Demos
• Entertainment throughout the show floor
• Individual booths with fun activities 

Image courtesy of L.A. Times Travel Show

Image courtesy of L.A. Times Travel Show

It's affordable for families, too, because admission is just $10 per person. Children 16 and under are free, one per paid adult admission.

Image courtesy of L.A. Times Travel Show

WHEN:
Saturday & Sunday February 23-24
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

WHERE:
Los Angeles Convention Center
1201 S. Figueroa Street
Los Angeles 90015

More information on the L.A. Times Travel Show is available HERE

FTC Disclosure: I attended a press preview event hosted at the Los Angeles Times offices. However, I did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Hotel Transylvania Bluray DVD Movie Review

Movies

Just last week I posted about some free printable Hotel Transylvania Valentines that Sony Pictures Home Entertainment was offering. Well, I've got some more good news Hotel Transylvania, the animated comedy that appeared on the big screen in 2012, was recently released on DVD and Blu-ray + DVD for home viewing. 

Hotel Transylvania Blu-ray DVD Combo

MBE partnered with Sony Pictures, post contains affiliate links

Kids Movie Review

To celebrate I've partnered with Sony for another movie review and to offer a fun, kid-friendly multi-prize Hotel Transylvania gift basket giveaway for MommyBlogExpert readers.

Hotel Transylvania is rated PG because this animated comedy from Sony Pictures Animation is an eensy bitsy bit scary for little kids. It's the story of comical doting dad Dracula that runs an underground sort of luxury castle resort in his hometown for monsters only, no humans allowed. Oh, and did I mention? He has a Daddy's girl daughter that he is immensely protective of, too. 

Everything is going along wonderfully until a boy monster hunter named Simon -- who's fuzzy spiked hairstyle reminds me of Mr. Potato Head -- discovers the big Ds secret castle hideaway destination place. Before you know it the hyper active kid is in love with Count Dracula's teenage daughter and all manner of hilarity breaks loose. Among the well-known stars voicing the characters in the cast are some really funny performances by Adam Sandler (Dracula), Selena Gomez (Mavis), David Spade (Griffin) and Fran Drescher (Eunice).

Watch the official Hotel Transylvania movie trailer now...

Hotel Transylvania is available on Amazon on Digital to Rent and to buy on DVD and 2-disc Blu-ray + DVD and 3D Blu-ray + DVD combo set.

With another entertaining and well executed family film now available, I couldn't be more pleased to be sharing another fun Sony Pictures giveaway for my readers. Read on for details on how you can enter the Hotel Transylvania giveaway which includes not only the movie's Blu-ray + DVD 2-disc combination set but also lots of other fun swag stuff.

Hotel Transylvania
Blu-ray Movie Gift Basket
GIVEAWAY

Ends 3/31/13

The Hotel Transylvania Prize Package includes

• 1 Hotel Transylvania on Blu-ray + DVD
• 1 Kids Coloring & Activity Book
• 1 Four-piece Hotel T Toy Game Pack
• 1 Hotel T Official Movie Poster

Hotel Transylvanica Blu-Ray + DVD

Hotel T Coloring & Activity Book

Hotel T 4-piece Toy & Game Set

Official Hotel Transylvania Movie Poster

HOW TO ENTER

Just leave a comment(s) below this post and you're entered. Contest ends March 31, 2013 at 12 midnite PST and is open to legal residents of the U.S. only. One winner will receive 1 Hotel Transylvania on Blu-ray, 1 Activity Book, 1 Official Movie Poster and 1 Four-piece Hotel T Game Pack.  Winner will be selected at random from all entries and will be notified via email and must respond within 48 hours to claim their prize. 

Required (Mandatory) Entry

Simply leave a comment below this blogpost saying why you'd like to win this prize. Don't forget to include your email address, Facebook and/or Twitter contact info in the comment section so the winner can be contacted.

Optional Extra Entries 
Earn extra entries to win for doing one or more of the easy options listed below. Just be sure to return to MommyBlogExpert (MBE) to leave an additional comment after each individual extra action you do to confirm so we can record all your additional chances to win.

1. Follow @mommyblogexpert on Twitter 

2. Like @mommyblogexpert on Facebook
3. Follow @mommyblogexpert on Pinterest

4. Follow @SonyPictures on Twitter

5. Like @SonyPictures on Facebook

***Bonus Entries***

You can earn even MORE chances to win each time you TWEET the message below, up to 3 times each day. Don't forget to return to leave a comment on this post with the direct link right after every Tweet you do so you'll receive an entry for each of your RTs.

Tweet to copy and paste:

I just entered to win @SonyPictures Hotel Transylvania Blu-ray Movie Gift Basket Giveaway You should too http://tinyurl.com/adugohd

More Family-Friendly
Mommy Blog Expert Giveaways

ENTER Them All HERE

FTC Disclosure: This is a compensated post and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is providing the prizes and shipping for this giveaway. However, thoughts in this blogpost are my own. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

10 Best Purim Kids Crafts Activities - Free Holiday projects Jewish Families Will Love

Celebrations

Image from Spoonful.com

10 Kids Crafts & Activities that Celebrate Purim

Recycled Purim Basket
This newsprint woven basket is not only pretty and functional, it's eco friendly too and would make the perfect Purim Basket don't you think? From Spoonful, How To

Printable Games
There's a huge 13-page Purim Activity Pack that is just waiting for you to access. From Jewish Homeschool.Blogspot.com, Download 

Image from Kveller.com

Miniature Puppets
Aren't these handmade Miniature Purim Dolls clever? All you need to make the holiday's characters Esther, Mordechai, King Ahashverosh and Wicked Haman are close pins, some fabric scraps, clothes pins and a bit of creativity.  From Kveller, How To

Masks
Templates for some really nice masks representing all the characters of Purim are printable and ready to color and decorate. From Hadassah, Download

Image from MakingFriends.com

Esther's Crown
Here's an easy but glitsy queen tiara to make for that wanna be Queen Esther that uses pipe cleaners and beads to create. From Making Friends, How To 

Image from Crayola

Hat for a Fashionist
This Bonnet that you craft with Crayola Model Magic air drying clay can be as simple or as elaborate as you want. The perfect accessory for the well-dressed kid costume. From Crayola, How To

Image from Crayola

Table Centerpiece
A basket of flowers like this that your child can go to town coloring would be a beautiful centerpiece on the Purim Seudah table. From Crayola, How To

Coloring Book
If your child likes to color with crayons, definitely print out this wonderfully illustrated coloring book. From Chabad, Download

Gragger
This adorable Bubble Guppie Tambourine craft will definitely be fun for your child to shake when they read the Megillah at the synagogue. From Nick Jr., How To

Image from Bible Belt Balabusta

3 Corner Haman's Hat
And what would Purim be without big, bad Haman and his equally bad black hat. Here's one that's so easy to make even those of you that are crafting challenge will be able to say with pride, "I made it myself." From Bible Belt Balabusta, How To

FTC Disclosure: I did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Anti Aging Beauty Skincare Dead Sea Products Review & Giveaway, Ends 3/6/13

Beauty
Giveaway details below

No one really can bottle the intrinsic beauty of the Dead Sea -- the lowest point on Earth -- along with the fictitious Fountain of Youth into a single bottle. Mineralium, an established Israeli brand now launching in the U.S., comes pretty darn close though. That's because they are one of an elite group of Dead Sea brands worldwide to be certified by Israel's Manufacture Association as an Israel Original Dead Sea Product maker.

What that means to consumers is that Mineralium's entire premium luxury skincare collection meets the highest standards for Dead Sea products, containing the required levels of genuine naturally occurring Dead Sea minerals that have provided a multitude of health and beauty benefits for centuries.

My hubbie and I on my very first visit to the Dead Sea in the 1980s

Our friend Shalom took this Dead Sea shot of his son floating on a recent trip

Over the years I've been privileged to visit the stunningly picturesque ancient land of Israel and the Dead Sea many times, mostly recently in Summer 2o12. So naturally I was excited when Mineralium offered me the opportunity to try and review three of their Made in Israel packaged beauty solutions leveraging the wonders of both Dead Sea Salt and Dead Sea Mud. 

The road down to the wonderous Dead Sea is as beautiful as the view from the shores of the saltiest body of water on the planet...

Now that you know a little about what makes the Dead Sea so special, let's get on with this review. In this blog post I'll be sharing my first-hand reactions and experiences stateside with some of the brand's popular Dead Sea based products including HydraSource Eye Cream, YouthSource Collagen Masque, and YouthSource Anti-Aging Cream.

The beautifully-packaged Mineralium Products that I received

I may be in my mid-50s but thanks to inheriting great skin from my mom I'm very fortunate to have a complexion with few wrinkles, making me look much younger than I actually am. As nice as my skin is, I have something to confess. I think I have the darkest chronic black circles under my eyes that you'll ever see and I absolutely hate them. So when it came to deciding where to start with this project, it was easy to pick the first product to experiment with: the Mineralium HydraSource Eye Cream, $50.

Mineralium HydraSource Eye Cream comes in a lovely blue pump bottle

To try it I gently dotted on just a little bit of the eye cream in those problem areas under both my eyes in the morning and again before bed until it was well absorbed. Though this cream was very light weight on my skin, it felt totally hydrated and more supple after I applied it. Unlike other eye creams I've used before this one didn't leave sensitive under skin skin feeling either sticky or taut. The best part of all, the black circles under my eyes appeared almost to vanish after the first application.

I had similarly positive experiences with the other two products which included the Mineralium YouthSource Collagen Masque, $43 and YouthSource Anti-Aging Cream, $37.

Mineralium YouthSource Collage Masque

The masque -- designed to be applied twice a week -- is formulated for normal to dry skin and is rich with collagen which promotes healthy skin and cell renewal. From the first time I used this my face felt revitalized, freshened and more plumped up.

Mineralium YouthSource Anti-Aging Cream

The Anti-Aging Cream also produced results I could actually see and feel from the start. Using this once per day, I experienced a noticeable reduction in the fine lines and wrinkles that I thought were mine to keep. An added side benefit is that because my skin now feels more relaxed, I feel a whole lot less stressed overall. 

This close-up of me from a family portrait we had taken just this week says it all.

Wearing Mineralium Eye Cream that conceals my black circles, I'm all smiles

With such impressive results after just a few uses I can't wait to see how well the Mineralium products I received perform over time. 

Mineralium's full range of face and body products and gift packs recently became available in the U.S. and may be purchased online at Mineralium-Deadsea.com. Read on for a special discount for you to save money when ordering -- don't forget to share it with your friends. Plus be sure to enter to win the $78 value Mineralium giveaway below. 

MommyBlogExpert Reader Special

Save 15% on Mineralium

Use Code MOMMYBLOG15 at checkout 

FTC Disclosure: I received the products featured from Mineralium to facilitate this review. In addition the brand is providing a special discount to MommyBlogExpert readers as well is hosting the giveaway mentioned. However, thoughts in this blogpost are my own. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Martha Stewart Oscar Night Party DIY Beautiful Entertaining

Celebrations

What will you be doing on 2013 Oscar Night this Sunday, February 24? Probably celebrating at home if you are like me and didn't receive an invitation this year to the live 85th Anniversary event. Those of you who follow her will likely recall the elegant black mini dress accessorized with multiple golden strings of pearls Martha Stewart (age 78) wore to the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscars After Party. 

If you need inspiration for how to literally gild your own Academy Awards party food, drinks and decorations in gold, the Martha Stewart who appeared on The Today Show this morning has some great new creative entertaining tips to share.

I especially love the idea of rimming the drink classes with edible gold glitter. Watch this short clip for the how to for that DIY idea as well as some other ideas that will make your get together this weekend memorable for you and your guests.

Which of these Martha ideas do you like best? What are some of your own creative thoughts on making Oscar Night a night to remember? Which movies and actors do you think will take home the gold in 2013? Please leave a comment and share your thoughts.

FTC Disclosure: I was named a Martha Stewart Dreamer Into Doer of the Week and have been a huge fan of Martha since the early days before she became a household name. However, I  did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.