Bibbidi Bobbidi Blu!

Last week I attended a special screening of Disney's Cinderella at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank to celebrate it's October 2nd Diamond Edition release to Blu-ray.  I brought my mom, sister and Audrey along and we all had a lot of fun enjoying and falling in love again with this classic. 

The screening was hosted by Mexican actress Ana De La Reguera (remember the nun in Nacho Libre?) and she is as beautiful, elegant and graceful in person as in her films . She was super sweet when meeting and taking pictures with us. Princesses were given shiny crowns to wear and lot's of little girls in attendance were dressed up as little Cinderella's. 

It was great to have a girls night ...first time I was away from baby Frank for more than 2 hours... and of coarse he did fantastic (kids usually act up with me : ). Kip says he chugged his bottle down and he was sound asleep in his bassinet by the time Audrey and I got home. 

Disney's Cinderella Diamond Edition will be released tomorrow October 2nd to Blu-ray, which includes a Spanish version of the film (Audrey loves that Princesses speak Spanish!).... a perfect gift for any princess. 

                                       

canciones de las princesas (a giveaway)

Miss Audrey and I have been listening (a whole lot lately) to the newly Disney released album Canciones de las Princesas which features the best songs from all our favorite princess films in Español.  Disney sent us a copy along with a copy of Canta y Cuenta: La Sirenita  (Songs and Story: The Little Mermaid) and a princess party kit (pictures soon).  

I seriously can't tell you how much I adore Disney for their huge effort in making all their films and music available in Spanish. I have to admit I get a little lazy or forget to work with her on her Spanish and having popular films and music for her is fabulous and so helpful.  Learning Spanish is whole lot funner of Audrey knowing her favorite princess sings in Spanish too! All the songs are perfectly sung by popular and well known Latin artists. 

Lyrics are included with the album, so I have been memorizing the songs to make sure we get all the words right. Singing these songs is the best isn't it?

The Canta y Cuenta (Songs and Story) cd's are great also. They include songs and the full narrated story. Listening to audiobooks on long car journeys is something I need to do more of with the kids. Riding in the car is a great time to take advantage of audiobooks and stories.

The Giveaway

I was sent one copy of Canciones de la Princesas to giveaway to one of you! Leave me a comment telling me your favorite princess or anything you'd like. I'll pick one of you (US only) by random on April 17 at midnight...and then contact you (please make sure your email is included if not in your profile) to send this awesome cd so you can sing along with your princesa too!

LéaLA book fair

This week is filled with fun for me.  

I will run a 10K. 

Join friends for a river clean up....

and take the kids to the first Spanish Book Fair in LA.

LéaLA will take part this weekend April 29, 30 and May 1st. 

A chance to get my little ones closer to the Spanish language, through books...

It will be a gathering of highly acclaimed authors, including Isabel Allende, whom I adore, I think I can call her my abuela's favorite author, and if abuela was visiting from El Salvador right now, I know we would stand in line (like right now) to make sure she got a chance to meet her!

(I will try my hardest to get a book autographed for her).

There will be books to buy. Celebrities participating in activities, including reading stories to kids in the kids' zone. Seminars and workshops for kids and adults about popular trends, current events and Latino culture will be part of the daily programs.

Admission is free.  Event hours are: 10am to 7pm at the Los Angeles Convention Center. 

You can visit the LéaLA website at www.lea-la.com for programs and details. 

Let me know if you will be there!

*I was not given monetary compensation for sharing but will be included in a random drawing to win a gift card for the event. (I really hope I win!  Our library is in need of spanish children books!). 

Sesame Street Video Games: Audrey approved (Giveaway)

As a child, Sesame Street was one of my favorite television shows.  

I think a lot of us can say this.  

Sesame Street has always been great at incorporating different cultures in their shows, and I think this is what attracted me the most. 

I got to see kids that looked very similar to my family and spoke spanish like I did.  

Now, when Audrey watches, I have no regrets.  I love having that little extra time for me and at the same time know she is benefiting from what Sesame Street has to offer. 

Recently, Audrey and I visited the Warner Brothers Studio here in LA for a blogger event.  I got to see a hang out with local friends and meet new ones and there was free babysitting... a room full of Sesame Street, kids, and goodies to eat = Audrey's in heaven.

While the kids ate... we mom's ate too ( :

And heard all about their new educational video game.  Educational?  Sound too good to be true?

I know.  I always have those same feelings when it comes to tv/video games.  Yet, I trust Sesame Street and got to experience and hear all the education aspect from their Vice President of Education and Research Dr. Rosemarie Truglio.  A Ph.D. in Developmental and Child Psychology, and a mom, like me.

Elmo's A-to-Zoo Adventure and Cookie's Counting Carnival are available for the Wii ,Nintendo DS and PC.  They are easy to play, yet adapt in difficulty to your child's level.  The games also include gameplay helpers for smaller hands which help minimize unnecessary buttons and make it easier to hold.

I love that Sesame Street has really taken the time to develop these great games for preschoolers.  As much as I encourage our kids to do something else other than media...we have evolved so much with technology.  Audrey witnesses her family online, watching tv and on our cellphones and we have found it best in our home to set limits rather than exclude them from technology completely.

Games like these are perfect for our family.  And appreciated.

Audrey has the A-to-Zoo Adventure....she wants two of you to get a copy of your choice also, either Elmo's A-to-Zoo Adventure or Cookie's Counting Carnival .

Leave any topic related comment  or tell us which game you would choose or who is your favorite character on Sesame Street. That's all you have to do to enter. Make sure to leave an email address to contact you if you win.  US only. I will pick the winners on Thanksgiving day at 12pm. 

This makes a great Holiday gift, if you would like to purchase for one of your littles you can purchase here with a special 10% discount with promo code: MOMMY

 *No monetary compensation was given for this post.  An invite to a blogger event, a sample of the product and two extras to giveaway to you were given.  I was not required to post anything.  All thoughts are my own. 

Paz

translation: Peace

pronounced: pahs

a noun  (and a feeling)


¿Será posible la paz mundial algún día?
Translation: Will world peace be possible someday?


I subscribe to Braser's spanish word a day via RSS feed.
Today's word is one of my very very favorites. 

During our recent trip to the San Diego zoo, Audrey noticed right away what this mama was doing with her babies...


"chichita"

*I was not asked to write or given compensation for this post.

cake, friends and happy days

She pushed grandmas chihuahua in her stroller. 

Played with chalk.

Enjoyed the company of friends and family.

 

 Heard the birthday song en español ... and english

and licked frosting off her fingers.

De compras

This post was written to be included in the Blogging Carnival on Bilingualism hosted by Bringing Up Baby Bilingual. Make sure to visit Bringing Up Baby Bilingual when Carnival posts on July 1st.



Sometimes, I have to try really hard to get Jeremiah the kids to speak spanish.

He gets comfy with English during his day at school.  Sometimes, for all of us it's just easier. 

I am always on the look out for new ways to make our spanish language fun. 

Recently, I turned our weekly grocery shopping trips into a spanish game, that so far has been a big success. 

We start with writing our shopping list, in spanish. 

He get's to be in charge of the list.  We start the stopwatch, and quickly find our fruit, veggies, bread and snacks.  We say the name of the items to Audrey , who is sitting very excitedly in the cart.  She states the names when we show them to her, sometimes all of them are uva ( if grape is  all she feels like saying that afternoon) but sometimes she repeats everything we say.  This get's me excited. 

I occasionally throw in a guessing game. 

"Estoy pensando en algo grande, redondo, color verde, rosado adentro, dulce, y con semillas..."

(I am thinking of something big, round, the color green, pink inside, sweet and with seeds...)

"La sandia!". 

Our trip ends with the picking of dessert (but just one), which is always a hit with my kids. 

We get home.  Ready to unpack everything, in spanish, we place each item in the fruit basket, fridge or cupboard. 

A shopping trip is such a simple way to have fun with a second language, so many different items, colors, letters and names. 

This is funner than a regular shopping trip with mom.  

And don't get me wrong...every once in a while I look forward to those shopping trips all by myself. 

Where I can sing in the car to english or spanish, and think in english or spanish. 

she makes me

Ojos, Boca, Pelo from mom2miah&audrey on Vimeo.


Spanglish is what's happening around here at the moment.  She prefers to answer me in english, that's okay for now.  We find it amazing how she understands both.

I am working on this daily.  Talking to both Audrey and Jeremiah in spanish.
Sometimes, very easily, I find myself talking in english to them.  I catch myself and think,  spanish talk to them in spanish.

I love this video because it shows how much of a toddler Audrey is.  She quickly turns from this happy little girl, to a I'm not liking this anymore.

She is finding so many feelings these days.  She moves from happy, then mad, then happy, then I want it right now, then I love you and hugs so quickly.

The I love you's and hugs make me quickly forget all the others.