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Ninjago Legoland! Open Now!

May 5, 2016 by Laura Lohr Leave a Comment

 

Ninjago Cermony 3Last Thursday, we attended a preview day of Ninjago Legoland and got to be some of the first park-goers to ride this cool ride. Ninjago is opening at Legoland today (May 5) and it’s pretty exciting! This ride is sure to be a favorite for Legoland guests young and old! This was Legoland’s most expensive rides yet and they pulled out all the stops!

Bahn Mi Ninjago

Ninjago can be found in Ninjago World, where you can enjoy some Asian-inspired Bahn Mi sandwiches.  Enjoy a Bahn Mi on a freshly baked baguette (YUM!) or a steamed Bao Bun (Yummy!) and your choice of lemongrass chicken, crispy pork belly, or baked sweet chili tofu; which is sure to please everyone’s palate! I know I sure did enjoy them! I kept going back for more! In fact, Mr. Bear accidentally chose a sweet chili tofu Bahn Mi sandwich. He’d never purposely choose tofu, as he’s never enjoyed it. OH! But not this time! He actually enjoyed it very much! I love that there’s something for everyone to eat at the Ninja Kitchen! This is going to be a really great addition to the Legoland park attractions. Mmmmm. Bahn Mi!

Bahn Mi Tofu

We got to ride Ninjago a few times the other day and it was a blast! It’s a 4D experience that uses some of the latest technology—this is the first time this technology has been used in the United States! Basically, rather than a gun or blaster you’d use on any of the traditional rides, you use hand movements to destroy obstacles or enemies. The ride is based on the cartoon Ninjago and you’ll recognize many familiar characters from the cartoon.

Ninjago Cermony 4

 

What if you’re terrible with these shooting type games? Never fear, because Master Wu will show you how to become a martial arts expert in no time! There is a training session that will teach you all the karate moves you need to know to become a Ninjago expert!

https://www.lauralohr.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ninjago-opening-confetti.mp4

The ride is centered around four ninjas of Ninjago: Kai, Jay, Cole and Zane. The ride utilizes each of the character’s special talents or elements that are unique to them: fire, lightning, earth and ice. While riding Ninjago, you’ll be able to use your hands to throw fireballs at enemies, such as the snake tribes, or shoot lightning at Lord Garmaddon (king of the Skulkuns), or throw iceballs at The Great Devourer, a “giant serpent who can only be defeated by all of the ninja riders working together and using all the elements.”

Allie_Jay_Ninjago

https://www.lauralohr.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Ninjago-Open-1.mp4

This ride was so well-done! We were so impressed by the details that were not missed in the construction of this new attraction! This is a ride that could be enjoyed by kids and adults of all ages. In fact, my friend Joanne’s son is only 5 and took on 3 family members and beat them all. The more practice, the better the performance on the game. Mr. Bear beat Allie, and I (Or, did we let him win? Wink, wink!) both times we rode, but the second time we had narrowed the margin of his win!

NINJAGO World opens May 5, 2016 and is included in admission to LEGOLAND California Resort. For more information, log onto www.LEGOLAND.com or call (760) 918-LEGO (5346).

Disclaimer: I was invited to preview the Legoland Ninjago ride with my family. All opinions are my own. I only share information with my readers when I believe it will be helpful to them. We love Legoland and think the Ninjago ride is AWESOME!

Filed Under: Entertainment, Family, Legoland, Reviews

Legoland Ninjago Hard Hat Tour

April 6, 2016 by Laura Lohr Leave a Comment

Ninjago, opening May 2016!
Ninjago, opening May 2016!

I was recently invited to a “hard hat tour” at Legoland California before the grand opening of their newest ride, Ninjago. There are some really cool and exciting new things headed to Legoland this spring! The most exciting news? They’ve released the date for the grand opening of Ninjago!

Me Legoland

 

Ninjago Worksite

The official opening day of Ninjago is May 5, 2016! Woohoo!

Ninjago Press Conference

Ninjago is based on the very popular kids’ cartoon with the same namesake. The ride uses technology not ever used in the United States. It uses the latest technology and is sure to be a ride like anyone has seen before! Riders will train to become Ninjas, using some of the most advanced cutting edge technology by Triotech, called Maestro. Maestro is operated using hand gestures, rather than using a handheld gun to train and then battle like a ninja, while wracking up points throughout the quest.  This 4D experience will give riders the opportunity to throw fireballs, shockwaves, ice, and lightning.

Ninjago Press Conference

In addition to the exciting addition of Ninjago, Legoland has created an entire Ninjago World, complete with its very own Ninja kitchen. I was able to sample some of the tasty choices available in Ninjago World and I can vouch for its deliciousness! The Asian street inspired choices are some very healthy options, even featuring a tofu Bahn Mi for the vegetarian visitor. I tried both the chicken and pork Bahn Mi sandwiches and I have to say, it was true love!

Chicken_Pork_BahnMi

The chicken Bahn Mi sandwich was a spicy sandwich, with just the right amount of ginger and veggies to balance the spice. The pork Bahn Mi sandwich was tender and juicy, and while very flavorful, it was not as spicy as the chicken sandwich. The pork sandwich could be prepared on a Vietnamese baguette roll or a soft pita-sort-of-bread.  It’s definitely a repeat! Although, I’ll be hard pressed to figure out which to choose from!

There are several other additions to Ninjago World, including 22 NEW Lego models, built with over a million Lego bricks. What Legoland creation would be complete without thousands of Legos? There’s so much coming to Ninjago World and I’m so excited to bring my family to the grand opening!

Ninjago Press Conference

NINJAGO World is included in admission to LEGOLAND California Resort. For more information, log onto www.LEGOLAND.com or call (760) 918-LEGO (5346).

Keep up to date with all things Legoland:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/legolandcalifornia

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/legoland_ca

Instagram: https://instagram.com/legolandcalifornia

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/legoland_ca/

Disclosure: I have the pleasure and honor of being a Legoland Insider this year, which means I get all the inside scoop about the happenings at Legoland. I was invited to Legoland for a hard hat tour and in exchange, I am posting my observations, opinions, and experiences. All opinions are mine.

Filed Under: Entertainment, Family, Reviews Tagged With: Entertainment, family, Grand Opening, Legoland, LegolandCA, Ninjago, Travel

Reaching Goals in 2015

January 15, 2015 by Laura Lohr 6 Comments

Obi, after our trail run.
Obi, after our trail run.

Wow! I can’t believe it’s 2015! Mostly, I can’t believe that we’re halfway through January! How did this happen? There’s so many exciting things going on this year. We’ve been busy, busy, busy!

Allie is going into another year on swim team. She moved into the next level in November, which has brought some awesome challenges her way. She is growing in her sport and loves every minute of it! We’ve been so proud of her!

Since the beginning of the year, I’ve been working very diligently to get back in shape and trying to accomplish some healthy goals I’ve been working on for some time. Obi (our dog) and I started running a beautiful trail near the house. It’s on the way back home from dropping Allie off at school and it gives me the opportunity to get a few miles in, before the day gets too far ahead. He really enjoys getting out and running. I really enjoy having a running partner! Even if he’s dragging me down the trail most days.

Additionally, I started boot camp again. This boot camp is a different one from before. This one is indoors, which I thought I wouldn’t like, but hasn’t been too terrible. I’m finishing the first week and I have to say—I am so sore, I can hardly move! There is no progress, without some discomfort though. Right?

I’ve made some major changes to my diet and lifestyle that I’m pretty excited about. First, I’ve cut way back on coffee. I was having digestive issues, including acid reflux, when I was drinking more than a cup a day. I’ve switched to herbal tea—a really nice alternative! So far, it has been an easy transition. I still enjoy a cup or two of coffee, yet I’m learning when I’ve had enough.

Second, I’m trying to keep track of the food I put into my mouth—every morsel! It’s a tough habit to get into, nonetheless I am trying! I have a goal of losing one pound a week this year. Last week, I lost 3 pounds, which puts me three weeks ahead! Ha! We’ll see how long I can sustain that. I joined a Facebook group that my college sorority sister encouraged me to join. It’s a group that’s focused on getting healthy. We support each other and weigh in each week. We share recipes and tips. We vent and confess when things aren’t going quite right. We all need support and this group has been so awesome!

Third, I’m trying to eliminate all unnecessary calories. As a result, I’ve completely abstained from alcohol for several months. No extra calories for me. No, sir! I’ve enjoyed it more than I ever thought I would. It is actually very nice!

Lastly, I’m just trying to focus on staying healthy in mind, body, and spirit. I’ve been working very hard on making me the best me I can. I know it sounds cheesy and cliché, but it’s true. There’s so much negativity in this world, nonetheless I don’t need to be a part of that. I can bring positivity into situations that need a little brightness. I have been working on finding the good in situations. I am, by nature, a glass half-full type of gal. I’ve believed through most of my adult life that with expecting the worst, I’m usually pleasantly surprised when things go my way.  That way of thinking hasn’t served me well, however. It’s much more pleasant to not be constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. I’m enjoying the moments, when things are good. I’m looking for the lesson, when things go sideways.

My word for 2015 is Fearless—or, FEAR LESS.

While it isn’t the most original word of the year, it definitely suits me well. Over the course of the past few years, I have feared so much. I suffered from anxiety for a few years. I was afraid of everything. I was afraid of what might happen. I was afraid of what people might say, or what they might think. It has taken time and working with a brutally honest mentor, that has opened my eyes to so many things. I don’t have to fear the things I don’t have control over. I can sit quietly and let go of things I can’t control.  When I started letting go, that is when I started noticing the anxiety begin to lift. It was like coming out of a fog and into the sunlight. Life is not perfect and neither am I. I can accept that now. This year, I’m going to fear less—even though I know that sometimes, there will be things out of my control.

What is your word for 2015?

Filed Under: Boot Camp, Family, Health, Mental Health Tagged With: 2015, Fitness, Goals, Health, Healthy Living

Our Love for Brad Lives On

November 17, 2014 by Laura Lohr 8 Comments

Denise and Brad on their wedding day in Kona, Hawaii.
Denise and Brad on their wedding day in Kona, Hawaii.

November 1, 2014 should have been the celebration of the 3 month anniversary of my sister’s marriage to her husband and soul mate, Bradley Hayes. Instead, November 10, was the one month anniversary of his brutal murder. When I type that out, my mouth still goes agape, in disbelief. Not only did he die, far too young, he was senselessly murdered. A full month later, the reality of what happened to our family—what happened to Brad’s family—still hasn’t sunken in. Not an hour goes by, without the pain in my heart of what three sick, demented people have done, for reasons we still aren’t completely apprised of, but can only be described as SENSELESS, SELFISH and motivated by robbery.

Honeymoon in Hawaii, August 2014.
Honeymoon in Hawaii, August 2014.

We met Brad nearly six years ago, when my sister was 32. From the moment Mr. Bear and I met him, he was fun to be around, easy to talk to and profoundly likeable. He was spontaneous and made even the most mundane of tasks an adventure. It didn’t take long for Brad to fit right in with our family. We spent summers and holidays together, with Brad’s two children: Halloween trick-or-treating, fishing at the nearby lake, Oktoberfest in Anaheim, Disneyland, visits from Easter Bunny, Christmas, and Thanksgiving.

Easter 2010. Brad, Denise and Brad's Girls
Easter 2010. Brad, Denise and Brad’s Girls
BradAndGirls
Brad and the girls at the airport in Kona, Hawaii, before the wedding. August 2014.

Denise and Brad would often stay at our home in San Diego, where we would have picnics on the beach, or take the kids to the San Diego Zoo, Sea World, Belmont Park or some other exciting adventure. From nearly the first moment they met, Allison considered Brad’s two girls to be her cousins, even though it was years later that Brad and Denise tied the knot, making it official. These girls were my nieces from the start and always will be.

Eric, Me, Denise and Brad, wine tasting in Temecula.
Eric, Me, Denise and Brad, wine tasting in Temecula. Circa June 2009.
Schroeder Lohr Hayes at Jagerhaus
All our family together before my nephew went to lineman school, like Brad had done. Brad had given my nephew a lot of good advice and my nephew went to school to follow Brad’s path as a lineman. This was our “going away” breakfast for my nephew.

Brad and his children happily adopted our family tradition of going to Knott’s Berry Farm every fall during the holidays—a tradition that is 30 years strong for our family. Many happy memories were created there, where we rode rides, carefully chose personalized holiday ornaments to hang on the Christmas tree, and where the guys (my dad, Brad, my husband, my brother and occasionally our family friend, Steve) would peel off and head for the fast rides and the girls (my mom, my sister, my sister-in-law, Brad’s mom Rhonda and I) would head to Camp Snoopy for the kiddie rides for the younger girls. It was a place where memories were created and where family connections were reinforced. As we approach the holiday season, a feeling of emptiness overwhelms my heart. Our family will never be the same again, after this tragic act of cowardice that stole a beautiful soul from our family.

Disneyland with the family.
Disneyland with the family. Spring 2011

November 19 will be another court date and another hearing for the murderers—just one more court appearance that will, hopefully, result in justice for Brad. Losing a loved one is difficult, however, it is compounded exponentially when the loved one is brutally murdered. People ask me all the time lately, “How is your sister?” It has been a challenging question to answer. I pause to answer because I don’t know how she is. How is a person that loses the love of her life to a brutal murder? I know she’s a strong person. I know she is very strong. Nevertheless, the course of her life has been forever altered by this event. She wasn’t supposed to spend holidays without Brad. She wasn’t supposed to be contacting the District Attorney to find out details of the murder case of her husband. She wasn’t supposed to be using her vacation time from work to attend the murder trial. They were supposed to be honeymooners. They were supposed to grow old together. She wasn’t supposed to have to be strong by herself. Brad was supposed to be by her side. I don’t know. How is my sister? Time will tell. All we can do, is be here for her when she needs us, but we can’t unbreak her broken heart.

 

Denise and Brad at my brother's wedding reception.
Denise and Brad at my brother’s wedding reception.

Brad was a hard worker and always helping others. He was a veteran of the National Guard and worked as a lineman on power lines. He would offer to help whenever there was work to be done. He would often tell my dad, “I can help you with that!” whenever there was a project that needed to be completed. He would often give money to the homeless and was always thinking of others. Brad was staying at an RV park, while he was working 2 hours from home the week before he was murdered. It was this RV park, where the news media reported he was “camping”. He often stayed at RV parks when he was called to work far away from home.  It was his spirit of giving that ultimately cost him his life. The people that murdered him didn’t have a place to stay and Brad had offered to let them stay in Denise and Brad’s RV.

He had cashed his payroll check the evening prior to the murder and now, that money has disappeared. It is unconscionable that he may have been murdered for a few thousand dollars. You can read some of the details here. The murderers claimed Brad kidnapped them. In actuality, he had opened his RV to them, out of kindness.

Brad is survived by his wife (my sister) Denise, three children and a granddaughter. Last Tuesday, Brad’s newest niece, Scotlyn Bradley was born. We have set up a fund on GoFundMe.com to assist the family that Brad leaves behind. There are many unexpected expenses that have resulted from this unforeseen tragedy.  The trial will likely go on for years. Denise is going to need a lot of support—financially and emotionally. If you find it in your heart to help, it is greatly appreciated. You can donate to the Bradley Hayes Memorial fund at GoFundMe.com.

Brad, doing the job he loved to do.

I am closing this post with a picture of Brad being active and doing the job he loved to do. He was kind, fun, adventurous. He was a good husband and father. He was a good friend and a good soul. He was all those things. This tragedy doesn’t take any of that away. Brad, you are loved and you are missed.

Filed Under: Family, Justice for Brad Tagged With: Brad Hayes, Bradley Hayes, family, Gardena, Murder

Summer Fun at Knott’s Berry Farm

July 3, 2014 by Laura Lohr 1 Comment

 

KBF Logo

For the past 25 or so years, my family has been going to Knott’s Berry Farm. It has become a beloved tradition. With each Christmas holiday, we look forward to spending a day at Knott’s and leaving our cares behind. We have many cherished memories at Knott’s Berry Farm.

We were invited to go to Knott’s Berry Farm this past weekend for the grand re-opening of the Calico Mine Train and Camp Snoopy. We were all so excited to go and reserved a hotel room at the Knott’s Hotel, just steps away from the entrance of the park. By night, we took a dip in the pool and by day, we enjoyed all the rides and fun that Knott’s has to offer.

AllieAndCowboy

The first ride Allie rode on was a brand spanking new ride in Camp Snoopy. The brand new Linus Launcher was a hoot for Allie! You lay on your belly and fly around in circles up to 10 feet in the air, with views of Camp Snoopy. She had a blast! Then, the three of us were on our way to a family favorite—SIDEWINDER! We were a little dizzy, but it is one of our favorite rides of the whole park!

AllieSnoopyWoodstock

Another family favorite? The Silver Bullet! Allie is now tall enough to ride all the rides that Knott’s has to offer in the park. We took our turn in the front of the ride—which we had never done before. The Silver Bullet is a ride, where your feet dangle and you do spirals, corkscrews, drops and turns. It’s definitely a thrill-seeker’s paradise!

AllieFacePainting

One of the fun things that has become a tradition, is to watch the Snoopy on Ice show. Because we usually come around the holidays, we hadn’t seen any of the other shows in the Charles Schultz theater at Knott’s. This time, we were definitely in for a treat! There was acrobatics, aerial acrobatics and an ice show that was fun for the whole family! I have to say that we were really impressed with the show!

SnoopyUnleashed

 

We had breakfast and dinner at the Grizzly Creek Lodge, which had something for everyone. But our favorite treats of the day were the stuffed churros from the Churro Factory! Mr. Bear had a boysenberry filled churro. Allie had a strawberry filled churro and I had a Bavarian crème filled churro. Oh so good! We cannot forget the decadent Cowboy fries we had at the Calico Fry Co. Yummy!

CalicoMineTrain

The Calico Mine Train is a ride we’ve been enjoying for years and years. Knott’s has recently renovated the ride and updated some of the special effects. It was a little more realistic and definitely a lot of fun! They’ve made some of the animatronics more realistic and it is a lot of fun for the whole family.

AllieAndEricWM

If you’re looking for something for the whole family to do this summer, definitely make plans to go to Knott’s and see all the changes they’ve made. Finish your day up at the Knott’s Hotel to rest your weary heads. It’s one tradition that’s sure to please the thrill-seekers in your family!

Disclaimer: Knott’s invited our family to the park, in hopes that we would share our experience with my readers.  We have been going to Knott’s Berry Farm for years, at our own cost.  We love Knott’s and wanted to share our amazing day with you, Dear Readers!

The opinions in this article are my own. I do not work for, or with, any brand mentioned in this article, nor do I have any official relationship with them.  I have a relationship with GigaSavvy, for whom I create original editorial content.

Filed Under: Family, Knott's Berry Farm, Reviews

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About Laura:

Wife, mom, runner, geek, lifestyle blogger, fitness badass, world traveler, social media lover. San Diego transplant, living in Temecula's wine country.

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