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The BFG

July 4, 2016 by Laura Lohr Leave a Comment

The BFG movie just came out and we got a chance to see it. As a kid, I loved to read! Some of my favorite authors were Judy Blume, C.S. Lewis, Roald Dahl, and growing up in the 80’s, I LOVED the Nancy Drew series. I loved fantastical stories, such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, and books about being a kid, such as Tales of the Fourth Grade Nothing, by Judy Blume. When I heard that Steven Spielberg was going to be involved in the creation of the movie, The BFG, I was really excited! Who else would be better at directing a fantastical story than the man who brought us E.T.? My 80’s inner child has been squealing with delight in anticipation of watching the movie!

On Monday, Mr. Bear, Allie Kat, and I went to see the movie and didn’t know quite what to expect. While I’ve read nearly all of Dahl’s classic kids’ books, The BFG wasn’t one of them. The story is about a little girl named Sophie, who lives at an orphanage. She is a little girl who likes to read and sneak through the halls of the orphanage late at night. Little Sophie has insomnia.

The story follows Sophie through the halls of the computer animated orphanage the first few minutes of the movie. We learn a lot about Sophie in those first few minutes—her fear of the boogeyman, that she’s full of spunk and spirit, and that she doesn’t quite enjoy being at the orphanage. Now, enters BFG. When Sophie sees BFG, he snatches her up and carries her off to Giantland—a horrible place!

The story is about an unlikely friendship, about bravery, standing up for yourself, and reminds us that things aren’t always what they appear. We learn that BFG is bullied by the giants he lives with. We learn he is kind and loving. It reminds us that we’re more similar than we are different.

I may be a big sap, but I thought the movie was sweet and it made me cry. I love BFG because he’s so charming, in spite of all his flaws. The BFG reminds us to hold on to our dreams and believe. Sophia teaches us to be brave.

The computer graphics of the movie were amazing! Allie thought that BFG was an actual actor. She hadn’t realized that he was altered with CG. It was a beautifully done movie and loved it! I learned that The BFG started as a bedtime story for Dahl’s own granddaughter Sophie and later became a book. I love the very personal aspects of this bedtime story turned book, turned movie.

The BFG is a likable character. He says things, “squiggly” when he tries to talk and makes up his own words when he can’t think of the right word. He calls farts, “whizzpoppers” and likes to drink “frobscottle,” which fizzes down, instead of up, and can bring on a healthy case of whizzpoppers.

The movie is so cute! It’s great when childhood classic stories from my youth turn into movies and then can be shared with my own daughter. This is a simple movie, with very simple themes, and I think it’s great for the whole family.

Check out the trailer for The BFG:

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Are you planning on seeing this movie? Who are you going to see it with? Who was YOUR favorite childhood author? What dreams would you like to follow?

Check out these coloring sheets to download!

Legoland Unveils Tallest Lego Building in the U.S.—Check out the Freedom Tower!

July 3, 2016 by Laura Lohr Leave a Comment

Legoland California's new One World Trade Center in the Mini Land New York exhibit area on Wednesday, June 29, 2016 in Carlsbad, California.(Photo by Sandy Huffaker/Legoland) — Legoland California’s new One World Trade Center in the Mini Land New York exhibit area on Wednesday, June 29, 2016 in Carlsbad, California.(Photo by Sandy Huffaker/Legoland)

My family and I have been enjoying being a part of the Legoland Ambassador program over the past several months. This Thursday, before 4th of July, we were invited to come check out the unveiling of their newly reconstructed New York replicas in Miniland New York. They have added the Freedom Tower to the collection of fabulous recreations in Miniland. The impressive Freedom tower took over 1200 hours to build and the freshening up of Miniland New York took six months to complete! It was well-worth the wait, too! They did an amazing job!

Me, in front of the new Freedom Tower at Legoland.

The Freedom Tower consists of more than 250,000 Lego bricks, it took 8 master builders to build it, and it weighs over 1,000 pounds! The Freedom Tower, at One World Trade Center, stands at 26 feet tall, making it the tallest of all the Lego buildings in the United States!

Legoland people that made this all happen!

We were able to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony, when the Freedom Tower was officially unveiled. There was a four piece brass band, the Statue of Liberty and Uncle Sam on stilts, and a blast of confetti. Before the ribbon cutting, they played the National Anthem, which always brings me to tears! The fine people at Legoland invited the Carlsbad Police and Fire departments and their families to come to the celebration, which was really a touching gesture, considering the significance of the Freedom Tower to police and fire.

Carlsbad police and fire were an important part of the ribbon cutting ceremony.

If you haven’t visited Legoland’s Miniland before, it’s quite impressive! We really like to wander through Miniland and see all the miniatures of places we’ve been and we’d like to go. The cool thing is, when they recreate a city or area, sometimes they record the ambient noise of that location and play it in front of the miniatures. One of my favorite displays is the pool at the Tropicana pool in Las Vegas. They brought the noise from the poolside and it really is cool! We always like the Star Wars Miniland displays and can spend hours walking around the different builds. One of my favorites is the mini display of Grand Central Station in New York. They have a working subway that runs the length of the display. It’s so fantastic!

The four piece brass band was a great touch!

The stilts walking Statue of Liberty and Uncle Sam were so much fun!

If you’d like to join Legoland this Fourth of July, they’re having some really fun activities for families that come to visit!

Miniland New York and the One World Trade Center LEGO model open in time for the Resort’s Red White and Boom! 4th of the July celebration. The family fun event features activities such as water-balloon tosses, burlap sack races, patriotic stroller parade, building activities and a fireworks display at 8:30 p.m. The new LEGO models and Independence Day event are included with the price of admission to LEGOLAND California Resort. For more information, log onto www.LEGOLAND.com or call (760) 918-LEGO (5346).

ALDI Stores Come to Southern California

May 25, 2016 by Laura Lohr 8 Comments

This post was sponsored by ALDI as part of Influencer Activation for Influence Central.

This is some of my ALDI haul of fresh fruit. So fresh and tasty!

If you live in California, you may have noticed there’s a new grocery store in town! ALDI grocery stores have come to Southern California and they’re shaking up the way we do grocery shopping! These modern and convenient stores are fresh, new, clean, and have the most affordable prices around! We visited the new store in Vista. It was one of 7 new ALDI markets that opened over the weekend. The energy was great and it was a fantastic experience for the whole family!

I was SHOCKED at all the food I got for only $77! Pictured: Fuji apples, 2 plus pounds of salmon, pork chops, sunflower seeds, trail mix, smoked salmon, 2 packages of turkey lunch meat, tea, strawberries, California sushi rolls, pine nut hummus, freezer pops, 3 packages of bratwurst, bacon, graham crackers, olive oil, juice, fruit leather, water flavor enhancer, chocolate butter cookies, and mangoes. — I was SHOCKED at all the food I got for only $77! Pictured: Fuji apples, 2 plus pounds of Sea Queen Salmon, USDA Choice pork chops, Southern Grove Sunflower Seeds, Southern Grove trail mix, Specially Selected Smoked Salmon, 2 packages of Lunch Mat Turkey lunch meat, tea, strawberries, Fusia Fresh Sushi California Rolls, Little Salad Bar Pine Nut Hummus, Pop Ice Freezer Bars, 3 packages of Parkview Stadium Bratwurst, Appleton Farms Never Any! Hickory Bacon, Benton’s Graham Crackers, California Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Tejava Premium Iced Tea, SimplyNature® Strawberry Fruit Strips , Fit & Active® Liquid Water Enhancer, Specially Selected Milk Chocolate Coated Butter Cookies, and mangoes.

Don’t Forget to Get Your Quarter Back!

ALDI is a unique place to shop! One of the first things you’ll notice when you arrive at your local ALDI grocery store is that the parking lots are clear of shopping carts. There’s a good reason for that! At ALDI, you deposit a quarter to get a cart. When you finish your shopping, you return the cart and get your quarter back. This helps to incentivise shoppers to return carts, prevents carts from dinging car doors, and it saves ALDI on the cost labor (which also saves the shopper!). Don’t worry if you forget a quarter. The ALDI staff will be glad to loan one to you!

Fresh, Clean, and Efficient!

When we walked into the store, I was taken by how bright and clean the store was. The scent of fresh flowers greeted us, as we walked through the door. The vibrant colors, natural lighting, high ceilings, and the use of environmentally friendly materials (like in LED lighting and refrigeration) is inviting and one of the ways ALDI saves money. The store is smaller than a traditional grocery store, with only 4-5 aisles. The shelves are stocked with ALDI’s own premium and exclusive brand. You’ll only find about 10% of the groceries sold at the ALDI store aren’t ALDI’s own exclusive brand. Shelves are stocked with foods free of certified synthetic colors, added MSG, and do not contain partially hydrogenated oils. You’ll notice that the orange soda is clear, not orange because there’s no color added. ALDI regularly tests its food in blind taste tests to maintain its high quality and standards. The ALDI food is high quality and likely much better than what we traditionally see in most grocery stores from the familiar, major brands.

This salmon was pre-seasoned to perfection! All we had to do was throw it on our grill. YUMMY!

The Prices! Bananas!

What really knocked my socks off was the prices! ALDI has a terrific selection of organic produce, gluten-free products, and without many artificial ingredients and preservatives. Typically, this costs a fortune! They source many fresh produce items locally and there were so many options! The prices?! The prices were super inexpensive! I am accustomed to spending about $9.99 a pound for fresh salmon, but the ALDI price? $7.49 a pound! CHA-CHING! Organic bananas were $.39 a piece! Bananas!

These juicy strawberries didn't last long! There's nothing like strawberries in California! I love that ALDI locally sources their producewhen they can! — These juicy strawberries didn’t last long! There’s nothing like strawberries in California! I love that ALDI locally sources their producewhen they can!

I had the opportunity to tour the store with the district manager and she was explaining the ways that ALDI saves money, in order to pass the savings on to the customer. One of the interesting facts was that they don’t take their stock out of the boxes. Instead, they open the boxes and put them on the shelves. This saves on labor and it makes the operation much more efficient. ALDI is always looking for ways to streamline the shopping experience for their employees and their guests. VERY INNOVATIVE!

I can’t believe how much stuff I got for $75! I got some Stadium bratwurst for near pennies.

We got brats, bacon, lunch meat, and all sorts of goodness for a fraction of what we usually pay at the larger supermarkets!

The Checkout.

When we got to the checkout, the first thing I noticed was that the checkout clerks were sitting down. The manager explained that the employees are a priority to the ALDI company and they encourage their checkers to sit while doing their job. This is healthier for them and it’s more efficient. I was so impressed with the reason behind this policy!

After our friendly checker finished our order, we were directed to the counter at the front of the store, where you bag your own groceries. They encourage you bring your own shopping bag and were giving out shopping bags for the grand opening. ALDI saves money by having their guests bag their own groceries. I don’t mind bagging my own groceries to save a few dollars!

My Experience.

This was a really great experience! I was really impressed with the corporate culture of ALDI. They really seem to care about their customers and their employees. They provide quality, at affordable prices, they’re innovative, and dedicated to sustainable environmental practices. Their fresh food is delivered daily. Everything was appetizing and the store had such great energy! I applaud ALDI for their efforts to do something quite unique and I’m so glad to see them coming to Southern California. When I shared my experience with some Facebook friends from other states, they all said, “Oooohhh, LOVE our ALDI!” I am happy to learn to love our local ALDI. Welcome, ALDI! Glad to have you here!

Take a minute and connect with ALDI! They are currently in 34 different states, so it’s likely there’s a store near you!

ALDI website: https://www.aldi.us
ALDI Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ALDI.USA
ALDI Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aldiusa/
ALDI Twitter: https://twitter.com/aldiusa
ALDI Blog: https://blog.aldi.us

Earn FREE Milk & a Chance to Win a Trip Down Under with a2 Milk

May 23, 2016 by Laura Lohr 2 Comments

This post was sponsored by a2 Milk® as part of an Ambassador Program for Influence Central. I received complimentary products to facilitate my review.

I became an a2 Milk® Ambassador, a few months ago, and since then, my whole perspective about milk has changed! If you’ve ever had issues with drinking milk in the past, you won’t regret this opportunity to try a2 Milk® for FREE! through a receipt redemption offer from the a2 Milk Company™. In addition to that, you’ll also have a chance to win a trip to Australia. Oh! How I’ve dreamed of having an Aussie holiday! If you’ve shared these dreams, check out a2 Milk Company™, get some FREE milk, and ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN an Australian getaway!

It wasn’t long ago that even as much as I love all things milk products, the thought of downing 8 ounces of milk would make my stomach quiver with fear. A number of years ago, I self-diagnosed myself with “lactose intolerance.” (In actuality, only 5-7% of the population has actually been diagnosed with Lactose Intolerance. In all likelihood, in hindsight, lactose wasn’t my problem!) You see, when I was younger, my mom bought milk two gallons at a time. My brother, sister, dad, and I would go through a gallon of milk or more per day. There was nothing like a refreshing glass of ice cold milk after a long day at school.

As I got older, however, I began to develop symptoms that seemed very much like lactose intolerance. I wasn’t sure what changed in me. All I knew was that milk made my tummy rumble. What had changed? I realize now that I didn’t change, but my milk certainly did!

Until I learned about a2 Milk®, I thought there was something wrong with me. The truth is, I’m not alone with my experiences with milk. The reason is, at one time, dairy cows were A2 cows, meaning they did not contain the A1 protein. The A1 protein is the cause of tummy upset for most people that experience it. The cows changed! The A1 protein is found in all milk currently being sold in the United States—organic, non-organic. The a2 Milk Company™ is the only company that has taken measures to make sure their cows are specially selected cows that do not produce the A1 protein. This means, if I want to have a full glass of icy cold milk goodness, I can have at it, without fear of the havoc that milk once plagued my delicate digestive tract.

I am an a2 Milk® ambassador because I love finding natural alternatives to problems. I have never been a fan of taking medications for milk sensitivities. This is the way I can enjoy some of my favorite foods, without worrying about the consequences later. I love that a2 Milk® is a fantastic way to get my calcium. In fact, it has 6 times the calcium that soy does! I love that I have a natural alternative to enjoying milkshakes, baked goods, or even a glass of milk, without reaching for a prescription bottle.

If you’d like to try a2 Milk® for free and have a chance at a trip to Australia, connect with a2 Milk® on their website: a2 Milk®.

To find stores that carry a2 Milk@, go HERE: Store Locator
Connect with a2 Milk® on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/a2milkUSA/ or a2 Milk® on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a2milk

Ninjago Legoland! Open Now!

May 5, 2016 by Laura Lohr Leave a Comment

Last 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!

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 accidently 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!

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, instead 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.

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!

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.”

This ride was so well-done! We were so impressed by the details that were not missed in the construction of this new attraction, those gantry cranes frommhipros.com definitely helped them out a lot! 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!