Diabetes Expo: L.A. Convention Center, Saturday, 5/4

American Diabetes Association

EXPO

Saturday, May 4, 2013

10:00 - 4:00PM

Los Angeles Convention Center

 

I attended this event three years ago and there is wealth of information available at this Expo. This expo offers free health screenings, lectures, food demonstrations/samples, dietary & medical counseling, and the part my kids love the best was the Family Fun Zone! The Fun Zone is a section just for kids with a rock climbing wall, jumper, and craft activities.

 

The Diabetes Expo is free, register online and avoid waiting in line to enter.

Parking at the Convention Center is $15.

 

www.diabetes.org/laexpo

Free Swim Lesson at the Montebello YMCA: Friday, 3/1

Basketball & Cheerleading at the Montebello YMCA

Kids can learn the fundamentals of basketball and cheerleading at the Montebello-Commerce YMCA.

Many parents like the YMCA programs because there are no extra fees or fund raising and the uniform is included for sports teams. It's also one of the only organizations in the area that allow 3 year olds to play on the sports teams. Practices are once a week in the evenings and games are on Saturday mornings at the Montebello High School gymnasium.

Early Registration before March 1 is $75 members/$125 non-members, add $25 for registration after 3/1. Cheerleading requires an additional $45 for the uniform and pom-poms.

For questions regarding basketball the YMCA at 323-887-9622, for cheerleading questions you can email Cheer Coach Pineda at: pinedars @ yahoo.com.

Museums with Free Admission

The Rose Garden at Exposition Park.

Visiting a museum is a great way to spend time with the family, especially if it's free! Make sure you check into days the museum is open, look into parking fees, and bring money for meters in case you find street parking which may be cheaper.




 

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FREE EVERY DAY: 

At the Los Angeles County Museum of Art kids can sign up for NexGen membership and get free admission for themselves and one adult every day. Otherwise, free admission on the second Tuesday of the month and on select Monday holidays. LACMA also has a great Sunday program where kids can make their own art with real artist art supplies from 12:30-3:30.

At Exposition Park just outside downtown L.A. the California Science Center (space shuttle!) and the California African-American Museum are free everyday.

Griffith Observatory is a mainstay of Los Angeles and features astronomy exhibits, a huge telescope, and a great view. Free everyday. Free parking!

The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in downtown L.A. is free everyday. This fashion history museum is a must for teens that love fashion!

On the westside the Getty Center and Getty Villa features art, architecture, and gardens. Free everyday. Reservations required.

Also downtown is the Wells Fargo History Museum featuring a stagecoach and a mural of Los Angeles in 1859.

Hollywood Bowl Museum, free parking until 4pm. Visitors can also take the "Bowl Walk" and see the sights of the Hollywood Bowl.

U.C.L.A.'s Fowler Museum. Take advantage of the location and take your teens on a campus tour!

E.L.A.C.'s Vincent Price Art Museum, offers free admission and free events. The museum is located on the southeast corner of campus.

San Pedro's Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, offers free admission, but accepts donations. Parking is $1 an hour and a nice calm beach across the parking lot is great for families with young children.
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FREE EVERY WEEKEND:

Whittier's hidden gem, Pio Pico State Historic Park, offers expansive lawns, a native plant garden, and tour a 160 year old adobe.

Montebello's gem, Juan Sanchez Adobe, is open every Saturday, from 1-4pm.

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FREE ONE DAY A MONTH:

On the same block as the LACMA, the Page Museum/La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles' Miracle Mile is free the first Tuesday of every month with the exception of July & August. Parking $10.

Also in Exposition Park is the Natural History Museum which offers free admission the first Tuesday of January, February, March, April, May, June, October, November, December, and every Tuesday in September. Parking $10.

La Habra Children's Museum offers free admission the first Saturday of the month. Free parking! My daughter loved this place!

Kidspace Museum in Pasadena offers free admission the first Tuesday of the month from 4-8pm. Free parking!

The Autry Museum offers free admission on the second Tuesday of the month. Located across the street from the L.A. Zoo. Free parking.

The L.A. County Arboretum and Botanic Garden in Arcadia offers free admission on the third Tuesday of the month. Free parking!

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MuseumsLA.org has an fantastic calendar that organizes free admission days in a weekly calendar for museums in the Los Angeles area. Click here for a better view.

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Bank of America cardholders can get free admission with "Museums on Us"

The first full weekend of every month, Bank of America offers free admission to museums nationwide including the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana and the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. Each B of A cardholder gets free admission.

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CalWORKS or Food Stamp Families receive free admission to 29 museums & gardens every day!

Visit any of the participating museums & gardens, show your EBT card with a photo ID, and you & your family are admitted free!
Click here for a list of participating museums & gardens.



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How to get Free Shipping online!

Online shopping is very convenient, what's not to love about shopping at 11pm after a hot shower and in comfy pajamas, but shipping costs can easily add $5 or more to a total, and that's money I'm not willing to part with. Here are the strategies I use to get free shipping at online retailers.



1. Check retailmenot.com or do a quick Google search using the words free shipping code and the name of the online retailer.

2. Fill the online shopping cart with enough merchandise to meet the minimum purchase requirements to qualify for free shipping. I sometimes will purchase a range of sizes to make sure my kids get the best fit and return the item that doesn't fit well to the brick & mortar store for a refund.

3. Visit the brick & mortar store and ask for a free shipping code. Often if an item is not in stock the store will offer free shipping at it's online store. I've done this at the Children's Place when I wanted to boys slim sizes and at the Disney Store when a dress size I needed was out of stock. In both instances I asked for a free online shipping code and I was given one.

4. Have a store associate place the order! If an item is not in stock at the store or if it is only available online you can ask an associate at the brick & mortar store to order it online for you. I've done this at Gymboree for swimsuits and at the Disney Store for princess attire. In both instances the shipping fee was waived. Kohl's has a kiosk where customers can order items online, when ordered through the kiosk in store the shipping is free!

5. When ordering online chose the pick-up in store or ship-to-store option. Usually you’ll have to go to customer service to pick up the item, or some stores have a special pick-up counter for online orders. At Best Buy I’ve used this option several times to guarantee that I get a copy of a video game or DVD at special limited time only pricing and not have to pay for shipping. I've also used it at Payless Shoes when I found a great online coupon, with free ship-to-store, I paid only $4 for a pair of kid dress shoes!

For more ways to save money online and elsewhere visit my Ways to $ave page!

Valentine's Day GIVEAWAY!

Hey everyone! It's GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

I was just thinking about the most memorable Valentine's gift I ever received. Here's my story:

One Valentine's Day my husband picked me up at work to take me out to lunch. We walked to the parking lot and he opened the car door for me. I happily sighed and said something about how nice he was being. He came around to the driver's side and when he got in he said, "You think that was nice; I even farted outside of the car! Happy Valentine's Day Honey!" By far, the most memorable gift ever.

Now it's your turn! I'd like to hear your story of the best or most memorable Valentine gift you have ever received.  Write your story on Montebello Mom's Facebook Page under the Giveaway post and you have a chance to win of of two sets of 12 McDonald's free food coupons for kids.

Deadline to enter is 2/14/13 at 11:59:59PM. Two winners will be chosen by MontebelloMom.com staff. Winners will be notified by Facebook message and will be asked to respond with a mailing address. Prize will be mailed via USPS. Good luck!

Chinese New Year Celebration: IKEA Covina, Sunday, 2/10

 

 

Celebrate Chinese New Year at IKEA Covina!

Sunday, February 10

10am-5pm

 

The first 50 customers will receive a free bamboo plant.

 Free family friendly activities from 11-Noon, 1-2pm, & 3-4pm.

Free slice of cake between 2-5pm.

Spend $150 or more between 2-4pm and spin the wheel for a prize.

 

I love IKEA, it's so much more than a furniture store, it's a destination. My kids love it too! Click here to see why.

Sunday Bowling Special: AMF Beverly Lanes

 

Get your kids into bowling early on Sunday mornings from 9am - Noon at AMF Beverly Lanes.

 

$1 per game and $1 shoe rental.

Each game is 10 frames, which includes 20-21 chances to launch the bowling ball down the lane.

 

If you have young children, upon request, the attendants will raise the gutter guards and bring out a green dragon bowling ramp so the kids can push the ball off the dragon's head and watch it roll down the lane. Beverly Lanes provides bowling balls to use free of charge. The lightest ball weigh 6 pounds and is light green in color.

Chinese New Year Contest: Shops at Montebello

 

Celebrate Chinese New Year at the Shops at Montebello Mall!

 

Visit the mall every day now through February 10 and complete an entry form. Drop the form in the contest entry bin found at the mall's Center Court. Three winners will get tickets to see the Golden Dragon Parade in Chinatown and a $100 gift card! One lucky winner will receive a trip to San Francisco! Enter once a day now, through February 10. Winners will be chosen and notified on February 11.