Second Annual Parenting Party

The second annual Happy Healthy Hip Parenting Party is taking place on Thursday, May 21st at The Airport Lounge! Save the date, book your babysitter and get ready for an amazing time. If you weren't at last year's party, read about it here and check out the photos!

Join parents and parent educators for the 2nd Annual Happy Healthy Hip Parenting Happy Hour! Sponsors will once again provide amazing prizes that will be given away throughout the night!

Parents will be able to unwind and meet other like-minded individuals while being pampered by local parent educators who will ensure that everyone feels supported as they go home and continue their greatest role ever, as Mom or Dad!

Come out and enjoy the special Happy Healthy Hip Parenting Happy Hour drink menu and half-price appetizers, not to mention some pretty amazing music!

Tickets are ON SALE now!

If you would like information about sponsorship and advertising opportunities, please contact me for details.

Baby Loves Disco

I've always wanted to go to Aubergine but have been avoiding the long lines outside the popular nightclub since it first opened. I thought I'd wait until it was no longer "new" before finally checking it out, but I just never made that happen. Can you believe I'm finally going - for the first time - with my 4-year-old for a Baby Loves Disco event? I can't wait.

Sponsored by San Diego Bargain Mama, Rattle N Roll, and several others, this is one dance party that San Diego parents - and their little ones - will not hesitate to stand in line for!

Find out where Baby Loves Disco events are happening in your area. For more events, check out the Happy Healthy Hip Parents meetup group.

Happy Healthy Hip Happy Hour

Here's the agenda for the Party tonight:

Doors open at The Airport Lounge at 8pm. If you've paid in advance or have been provided with a ticket by a sponsoring company, your name will be on the First Class boarding list. You will need to fill out the information on the boarding pass to receive your drink and food tickets and to be entered into the drawing to win some of the great prizes being given away during the raffle.

With your drink tickets, you will be entitled to choose FREE drinks* from the Happy Healthy Hip Happy Hour menu and you'll be entitled to half price appetizers with your food ticket.

The drawing will begin at 9pm and we will start by giving away the smaller items before getting into the bigger items so be sure to stick around for that! Additional raffle tickets may be purchased for just $10 each. Each raffle ticket purchase will also provide you with 2 additional drink tickets...not bad, right? Everyone will walk away with a Goodie Bag so be sure to pick yours up on the way out.

TICKETS ARE LIMITED so purchase yours BEFORE 6pm!

*Please drink responsibly and designate a driver.

Parenting Party Sponsor - SAN DIEGO BARGAIN MAMA

I was lucky enough to be invited to a women's networking event a few months back and was introduced to many great business owners from San Diego. Stacey, behind San Diego Bargain Mama, was one of the nicest, most resourceful people I had a chance to meet.

Actually, I didn't meet her there. I heard about her and read about her company while at this event and sent her a quick email afterwards (if I remember correctly). We threw a few more emails back and forth before finally talking on the phone and meeting in person to discuss how we could work together. Stacey is a working mom (aren't we all?) who truly believes in the strength of commUNITY. She created the San Diego Bargain Mama newsletter to help San Diego moms find bargains and has managed to not only make a name for herself, but to also reach an on line commUNITY of local moms who are also dedicated to their children and families.

As a sponsor of the upcoming Parenting Party, San Diego Bargain Mama has generously provided the following prizes to be given away during the event:

• Chelsea Premium Outlets tote bag, coupon booklet vouchers, and $25 gift certificate ($40 total value)
• Three children’s books ($20 value)
• Goodie Bag ($35 plus value) that includes: Two bottles of AVO Juice Body Splash, valuable coupons, Gift certificate for 50 digital camera prints from Snapfish, Gift Certificates to Baskin-Robbins, and other goodies!

There are more great prizes to be given away Thursday. Don't miss out on the opportunity to enjoy a night out, meet new friends and walk away with some fabulous prizes.

Investing in your family makes everyone a winner!

Parenting Party Sponsor - KANE/MILLER BOOK PUBLISHERS

Kane/Miller Book Publishers publishes award-winning children's books from around the world. They represent over twenty different countries and have translated their books into English from over a dozen languages.

They have some exciting series' for readers of all ages, including the Toddler Tales, On My Way, Little Princess, My Body Science, Jack Russell: Dog Detective and The Team. Their Spanish-language line, Libros del mundo, contains picture books that will appeal to many.

They are based in La Jolla and have kindly offered some books to be given away Thursday, May 22nd at the 1st Annual Happy Healthy Hip Parenting Party. We hope to see you there!

This is How Rumors Get Started

I discovered BABBLE a while ago and still find myself laughing out loud while reading Rebecca Woolf's blog, Straight from the Bottle.

Just recently, I heard about her appearance for a signing of her book, Rockabye: From Wild to Child, here in San Diego, but was unable to attend. Then, after two seconds of Google research, I found her personal blog, Girl's Gone Child (love the name).

I got in touch with Rebecca through her website and (and her publisher through theirs) and asked if she might be interested in attending the upcoming Parenting Party ... or offer signed copies of her book to be given away.

Not only did she respond directly (OK so it was an automatic response), but her publishing company representatives also sent me an email, asking if I would like Rebecca to come to the upcoming Event. Rumor has it she may just be there. Either way, we're going to be giving away copies of her book that night. Will they be signed copies? Will Rebecca be making an appearance? Stay tuned...

There are more surprises up my sleeve for the Event...don't miss out!

Parenting Party Sponsor - KABOOST

I can't recall how I discovered KABOOST, but it couldn't have been introduced to me at a more convenient time. I recently threw away my son's booster chair and very quickly realized that there was no alternative for him. He's now sitting on a phone book...until the new Kaboost (in green, my son's favorite color) arrives.

If this video doesn't sell you, think about this - the only reason that phone books are still being printed is because not enough parents know about these chair boosters. Green your home by purchasing a KABOOST portable chair booster today.

Join us at the upcoming Parenting Party for a chance to win your very own Kaboost portable chair booster and carrying bag. You can bring it with you to Grandma's house, on vacation or when you head out to your neighborhood family-friendly restaurant.

Parenting Party Sponsor - NABI BABY

Who said safety can't be hip and fun?

The iddie biddie one-piece is a miniature cotton baby one-piece that hangs by suction cup on the inside of your car window to let everyone know your little one is on board.

Check out all the different iddie biddie designs and other cool stuff at Nabi Baby.

My favorite:

The creative text on the front adds an amusing element, but the shape of the garment allows motorists to immediately recognize that a baby or toddler is on board and reminds them to drive safely.

The variety of colors and designs will be raffled off at the upcoming Parenting Party. Don't miss it!

Parenting Party Sponsor - SUMMERSKY

SUMMERSKY “dares to be different”; you can see that not only from the designs but also through their models.

Together with the Down Syndrome Foundation, they have photographed models with Down Syndrome to model their collections; a group which is sadly seldom or never shown in fashion photography.

Why not? We couldn’t tell you, because look at their beauties. These children represent all children with a disability, handicap or anyone who feels, or has ever felt, "different".

Donations and Support

Of every sold item Summersky donates: in the USA, $1.50 to the "Oprah Winfrey's Angel Network" and in the Netherlands, 1 Euro to "stichting down syndrome".

Parenting Party Sponsor - HAY HOUSE

Based out of Carlsbad, California, Hay House was founded in 1984 by Louise L. Hay as a way to self-publish her first two books, Heal Your Body and You Can Heal Your Life, both of which became international bestsellers. Today, Hay House is committed to publishing products that have a positive self-help slant and are conducive to healing planet Earth. In 1987, Hay House was incorporated, expanding into a full-scale publishing company. They now publish books, CDs, DVDs, and the well-known card decks that are part of their beautifully illustrated and conceived Lifestyles line.

The subjects that have been covered by Hay House products reflect an eclectic assortment of interests: astrology, alternative health, angels, pet care, finance, nutrition, parenting, psychology, sociology, meditation, spirituality, numerology, color therapy, feng shui, business, autobiographies, social commentary, memoirs, and much more. Hay House is one of the fastest-growing self-help and transformational publishers in the world, selling products to more than 35 countries around the world. They currently publish approximately 300 books and 350 audio programs by more than 130 authors, and employ a full-time staff of 100-plus. Hay House is a medium-sized publishing house bringing in big-name authors (including Diane Ladd, Ben Stein, Suze Orman, Carnie Wilson, Sylvia Browne, Montel Williams, Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra, Iyanla Vanzant, John Edward, Marianne Williamson, Barbara De Angelis, Tavis Smiley, Jim Brickman, Stedman Graham, and Phil McGraw who are attracted to their innovative approach to 21st century publishing. New Beginnings Press, Princess Books, and Smiley Books are imprints of Hay House. Hay House has international divisions in Australia, the United Kingdom, India, and South Africa. Hay House launched its own radio station in early 2005. HayHouseRadio.com^®—Radio for your Soul™—is broadcast worldwide via the Internet.

The following items will be given away at the upcoming Parenting Party, held May 22nd at The Airport Lounge:

Every guest will receive: