Yeah...So...Some Stuff's Happened...

Hello all, How have you been?  Oh that's good...good to hear it.  Oh how are we?  We're good...let me fill you in a bit on what's been going on in my life and I'll let Heather share hers at a later date.

Obviously I haven't been around for awhile.  Things have been NUTS in my life.  First, my life's been rocky.  I won't go into exact details about it, but let me just say that marriage takes WORK.  A lot of WORK.  And it's easy to give up....but in my family there are no quitters.  So that's been going on.

Another is my husband's work went through a major management restructure and they decided that his position wasn't needed anymore.  Um, Ouch.  So in the midst of it all, Craig was let go from his job.  This was hard...IS hard...but we are also getting through it.  We just have to buckle down and make it work.  Isn't that the D&D motto all along...work what you got?  Well, we are working it to the bone, baby.

Also, I was looking into another job...within my current company...but it would definitely be a promotion.  Which is GREAT, but with every promotion comes more responsibility, more time, YES more money....but right now money was the only appealing aspect.  It would take away time with my family, time to do my Etsy shop (which I love), time to read/garden/play/run/eat/drink and I could go on.  It's most definitely an opportunity that will eventually present itself again in the future and that I would love to take...but after much decision making and self reflecting...it's not something that's good for me now.  With all the change that is going on in the rest of my life, this wasn't the move for me.  So there was that too.

So, all that being said, these changes have provided me with a little bit of new insight into life, one that I personally want to bring to this blog as we bring BACK the blog.  My husband and I have realized that our house has not been a home for awhile, it's just been a place to rest our heads.  And we definitely want to make it a HOME.  We realized that we need to buckle down because of our current job situations and start really being frugal, making meals at home, and cutting back on alot of things (yes my shopping addiction must cease).  Also, we realize that family is more important than ever...and we want to do more as a family and create wonderful new memories for us and our kids.  These topics aren't foreign to the world of Diapers & Divas, but right now I have a whole new light on them and I want to bring them back with a passion.  I hope you all enjoy the little mini re-birth of our blog, and I can't wait to share all the good things that I see happening in my life!

Disney On Ice: Treasure Trove - Mom Deal!

Time is running out! If you want to catch the newest Disney On Ice show, Treasure Trove, you need to get on the ball and get your tickets! The show runs from May 1-12 in Long Beach and Ontario. Lucky for you, I have a little promo code for you to get discount tickets!

Here you go, friends (and procrastinators)!

3 Easy Ways to Redeem Your Savings:
1. Go to appropriate Arena Box Office
2. Call ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000 (Long Beach Arena) or AXS at 1-888-9AXS TIX (Citizens Business Bank Arena)
3. Log onto Ticketmaster.com (Long Beach Arena) or AXS.com (Citizens Business Bank Arena)

Use code: MOM
Excludes Front Row and VIP seats. No double discounts. Additional fees may apply.


Hope to see you there!

Disney On Ice: Treasure Trove

If you know anything about us over here at Diapers & Divas, it's that we are Disney lovin' gals. I'm super excited that Disney On Ice is still going strong. I remember going to a few of these performances as a kid and they were a blast! I'm excited to take Will to this Treasure Trove performance.

Here's an excerpt from the press release to tell you about the show. Seriously, you couldn't have more of your Disney animated movie bases covered with this performance. They've got every one from Mickey and the gang to Rapunzel to Snow White to Peter Pan!

Hit the ice with Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald and Goofy as they embark on a fun-filled treasure hunt for some of the most popular Disney films ever.  Families can expect to get tangled up in the Walt Disney Studio’s 50^th animated feature with Tangled stars Rapunzel and Flynn, and enter the worlds of other favorite Disney princesses – Tiana, Cinderella, Jasmine, Ariel, Sleeping Beauty, Belle, Mulan, and of course, the one who started it all, Snow White. Youngsters of all ages will enjoy setting sail with Peter Pan, the always sassy Tinker Bell, and the cantankerous Captain Hook & his pirate pals on an adventure beyond Never Land and trekking the wilds of Africa with Simba, Nala, Pumbaa and Timon as they discover the true meaning of the ‘Circle of Life.’ And no one wants to be late to a very important date with Alice & the Mad Hatter as they march with the Queen of Hearts’ Army of Cards.  Highlighting eight Disney movies and more than 50 Disney characters featured, Feld Entertainment’s Disney On Ice presents Treasure Trove has a magical story for every generation to relive! 



Here are the deets:

WHEN:          Long Beach Arena:   Wednesday, May 1  – Sunday, May 5

300 E. Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90802

o   Wednesday, May 1^st    7:30PM

o   Thursday, May 2^nd         7:30PM

o   Friday, May 3^rd                               12:00PM & 7:30PM

o   Saturday, May 4^th          11:30AM, 3:30PM & 7:30PM

o   Sunday, May 5^th             11:30AM, 3:30PM & 7:30PM

Citizens Business Bank Arena:  Wednesday, May 8 – Sunday, May 12

4000 Ontario Center Parkway, Ontario, CA 91764

o   Wednesday, May 8^th    7:30PM

o   Thursday, May 9^th         7:30PM

o   Friday, May 10^th             12:00PM & 7:30PM

o   Saturday, May 11^th        11:30AM, 3:30PM & 7:30PM

o   Sunday, May 12^th           1:30PM & 5:30PM

TICKETS:          Ticket prices range from $20, $25, $45 (VIP) and $65 (Front Row)*

                                Opening Night tickets available for only $12 each (not valid for premium seating) 

Ø  Long Beach tickets available for purchase online at Ticketmaster.com or LongBeachCC.com, charge by phone at 800-745-3000 or in-person at the Long Beach Arena Box Office

Ø  Ontario tickets available for purchase online at AXS.com or CBBankArena.com, charge by phone at 888-9AXS-TIX or in-person at the Citizens Business Bank Arena Box Office

 *tickets may be subject to service charges, facility and handling fees. 

Get your tickets early and maybe we'll see you there!

Recipe: Tomato Soup

It’s not as fast as opening up a can of Campbell’s condensed, but it’s not too terribly time consuming either. It is definitely worth the upgrade in taste! After cruising some basic tomato soup recipes, I came up with my own…
I know, you’re in shock.


Tomato Soup
Ingredients:
1 Onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. EVOO
4 Cups Chicken Stock (or veggie stock)
3 14.5 oz. cans tomatoes (stewed, whole, crushed, what ever)
1 Tbsp. dried thyme
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 tsp. cayenne for a little kick

Directions:
Heat EVOO in stock pot. Add onion and garlic. Cook down until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add chicken stock, canned tomatoes, thyme, oregano, pepper, and cayenne. Simmer for 10 minutes. Puree ingredients (if you have a stick blender, then this is a breeze!). Taste for seasoning. Adjust if needed. Simmer for a few minutes to let the puree meld and you’re done!

This made 3.5 pints along with the 3 servings we ate for dinner that evening. If you’re a canner like me, you can process the leftovers and store in the pantry for later. Which makes it a lot easier than opening a can of condensed since you’re just opening a can of your own premade fabulousness!

Enjoy!