February 2016

Happy Leap Day Everyone!

This great February day comes around only once every four years.  The extra day has given me 24 more hours to get February’s newsletter done.  And, I’m making every last leap second count (haha).

The month of February began with our Chinese New Year celebration.  It was a perfect start to the month and to the year of the Monkey.  The Parents Club also held its second baby sign workshop “Baby Sign - Love and Family Signs” at the library. The class was full of eager families looking to sign with their little ones. And, lastly, our littlest members came together on February 13 to create Valentine’s Cards for the residents of the Glennwood House. It made me proud of this great organization when delivering our cards and gifts on Valentine’s Day.

Today you have 24 extra hours to make memorable.  Quickly finish reading and go make the most of it!

Best,

Ali Del Rosso

Upcoming Events

March Book Club

When: Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Where: Wine Gallery, 1833 South Coast Highway

Time: 7:30pm-9:30pm

Contact: Kim Mattie, kim.mattie@gmail.com

Join us for the March 2016 Book Club meeting! We'll meet at the Wine Gallery where we will enjoy some refreshments and discuss this month's book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing.

Annual Easter Egg Hunt

When: Friday, March 25, 2016

Where: Alta Laguna Park

Time: 4:00pm-7:00pm

Contact: Ali Del Rosso, alexandria_sue@hotmail.com

One of the LBPC's finest spring events is nearly here.  Won't you please join us for the annual Easter Egg Hunt.  In addition to the Hunt, there will be music, face painting, food and more!  This year we will be collecting donations for the Laguna Beach Food Pantry. Read more>>

Happenings in February...

Chinese New Year

Happy Chinese New Year!  The year of the Monkey is officially upon us.  Babies born during the year of the monkey are said to be intelligent, sociable, curious and gregarious.

On a beautiful morning at Alta, we celebrated Chinese New Year.  Gorgeous lanterns adorned the picnic area.  Corinne Thavirat provided the stunning decor from her own collection and even built an amazing arch from a neighbor's fallen tree to hang the dragons.  Crafts, story time, delicious food, and lucky red envelopes were provided by Kelly Obrien and Sarah Dvorak.  Thank you ladies for your efforts in organizing this event.

If you couldn’t make it this year, be sure not to miss the next Chinese New Year. It was a perfect February morning in Laguna!

Valentine’s Day Craft

Many of our littlest ones turned out to craft holiday cards for residents of the Glennwood House.  For those unfamiliar with the organization, Glennwood provides a safe and independent living environment for over 40 adults with special needs. My daughter and I went on Valentine’s morning to deliver our package of cards and treats. We were greeted warmly by many of the residents.  And, I have to say, it was certainly the highlight of my morning…perhaps even my day!

We also made beautiful tapestries to adorn the walls of our own homes.  Kristin Lewis so generously opened her home for this special Saturday morning party.  And, thank you to all those who participated and shared the love with those with extra needs.

Introducing LBPC's Newest Member...

Ewan William Foubister

Birth Announcements

Lifelong resident and new LBPC member Jill (Wedmore) Foubister and husband Rory Foubister are proud to announce the birth of their first child Ewan William.  Born January 23, 2016 at 3:12am weighing 7 lbs 10 oz.  Welcome to the world, sweet child!  

Have a new baby and want to share your excitement with the club? Email alexandria_sue@hotmail.com to have the announcement appear in our next newsletter.

Meals for New Parents

We offer a free meal to the parents of any LBPC family bringing home a new baby. Parents can choose from several restaurant and menu options. The Club takes care of ordering the food and delivering it to your doorstep.  Contact Nancy Fischer at nshehadey@yahoo.com for details.

January 2016

Today is Groundhog Day.  In fact, it’s the 130th Anniversary of Groundhog Day.  In a small Pennsylvania town, Punxsutawney Phil will be trying to determine the remaining length of winter. Pretty please don't see your shadow today, Phil.  I’m ready for spring in Laguna.

This is January’s newsletter, in case you were wondering.  But, please don’t hold its tardiness against me.  January’s last day caught me a bit off guard.  Alas, here is the recap for the first month of 2016:  

We had a great turn out for our Clothes for the Cause fundraiser and Pick-up Party.  Thank you to all of those who so generously donated bags, bags, and more bags!   I am humbled and most appreciative.  Kristin Miracle-Lewis and I also held our first official monthly meeting and Mom’s Night Out at the Spice Merchants.  For those who attended, I certainly hope it was worth all the hype.  Last Saturday, Kristal Minetzke, the club’s Health and Fitness coordinator, held our first bootcamp of the year.  Talk about getting your heart rate up!  

I hope the remainder of winter, however long, is spent cozying up with your little ones.  And, cheers to your health and prosperity in 2016!

Ali Del Rosso

Upcoming Events

Chinese New Year Celebration

When: Thursday, February 4, 2016

Where: Alta Laguna Park

Time: 10:00am-12:00pm

Come celebrate the Chinese New Year with us and welcome in the year of the monkey!  There will be crafts  and stories for the children, unique decorations, and traditional foods. This is your chance to participate in one of the largest celebrations in the world!  

Baby Sign Class - Love and Family Signs with Bethany Sloan

When: Saturday, February 6, 2016

Where: Laguna Beach Public Library, 363 Glenneyre Street

Time: 11:00am-12:00pm

Contact: Jennifer Leonti, jenniferleonti@gmail.com

This early communication workshop teaches ASL to infants, toddlers and their caregivers. Come and learn some signing with books, songs, lap bounces and finger plays. Read more >>

February Book Club

When: Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Where: Wine Gallery, 1833 South Coast Highway

Time: 7:30pm-9:30pm

Contact: Kim Mattie, kim.mattie@gmail.com

Join us for the February 2016 Book Club meeting! We'll meet at the Wine Gallery where we will enjoy some refreshments and discuss this month's book, Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology by Leah Remini. 

Read more >>

Happenings in January

Clothes for the Cause FUNraiser and Pick-up Party

Poor Brian Lewis

1840 pounds!  Yes, that's nearly a ton of clothes and household goods donated for our Clothes for the Cause fundraiser.  While we lost track of the exact number of bags, I’d say there were close to 150. Just check out the mountain of bags piled in Kristin’s garage! And, an extra thank you to Brian Lewis for so patiently allowing us to store them in his perfectly organized garage.

To those who participated, I want to personally thank you.  I sincerely appreciate the time, energy, and generosity put forth by so many members.  Your donations helped raise capital to bring additional resources and events to the club. 

Trisha Dearing definitely took home the prize for most bags donated.  She pulled up with an entire SUV full of stuff. But, Matt and Ashley Balaker came in a very close second.  In third place, Lisa Roberson-Beery delivered 6 large bags to my doorstep.

We learned a lot during this fundraiser.  Mostly, that January mornings at Alta are too cold (and crowded) to tailgate.  But, we had fun anyhow!

2016 Monthly Meeting Extravaganza

MNO at the Spice Merchants

What a great turnout for our first event of 2016, the combined Monthly Meeting & Mom’s Night Out, and it was a full house.  Thank you to The Spice Merchants for providing such a great space and Maryann Minck of Maryann’s Menu for the amazing food!  We discussed upcoming events such as Chinese New Year, Mom’s Night Out, and The Easter Egg Hunt as well as open positions available within the club.  Guests sipped on wine and snacked on appetizers while chatting with friends.  We had palm readings, gift bags, and prizes galore. Our first prize winner, Tala Brinderson, commented that her favorite thing about the parents club is “Meeting and relating to other woman who are genuine and kind.”

Blind Wine Tasting

The blind wine tasting was a hit. Five different wines were covered with bags and guests were asked to rate the wines from least expensive to most expensive based solely on taste.  The majority of the group voted "the most loved and expensive wine"…...drum roll, please?  Two Buck chuck from Trader Joe’s. 

Also, a special thank you to our great sponsors Alexander Kalmanovich from Laguna Family Dentistry, Meital Taub from First Team Estates/Christie’s Realty, and Brooke Briggs from Artful Everyday for providing goodies for our gift bags.  

Hope to see you at our next upcoming Monthly Meeting on Thursday, February 25.

Kristin Miracle-Lewis

Our Newest LBPC Volunteer

A huge thank you to Trisha Dearing for offering up her services and filling the role of Website Coordinator.  Trisha has been an expert in the field of web design and now enjoys designing in her spare time.  We are happy to have her talent on our team!  

Interested in getting involved?  We know you're out there.  Take a look at what volunteer opportunities are available (here).

Lastly, don’t forget about…

Meals for New Parents

We offer a free meal to the parents of any LBPC family bringing home a new baby. Parents can choose from several restaurant and menu options. The Club takes care of ordering the food and delivering it to your doorstep.  Contact Nancy Fischer at nshehadey@yahoo.com for details.

Birth Announcements

Have a new baby and want to share your excitement with the club?  Email alexandria_sue@hotmail.com to have the announcement appear in our next newsletter.