As we say welcome a brand new year, let’s take a look back at the top posts on this site.  The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

4,329 films were submitted to the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. This blog had 17,000 views in 2012. If each view were a film, this blog would power 4 Film Festivals

Click here to see the complete report.

A new Halloween-themed episode of “Jake and the Never Land Pirates” is premiering next Friday, OCTOBER 5 at 8:30 a.m., ET/PT. The episode features Jake and his crew inviting Captain Hook to join them as they “Trick and Treasure” throughout Never Land and Izzy dresses up as the Pirate Princess to fool the Sea Witch, who has returned to Never Land to turn the real Pirate Princess into gold. Emmy Award-winning actress Carol Kane (“Taxi”), and “Beverly Hills 90210” alums  Tiffani Thiessen (“White Collar”) and Tori Spelling (“Craft Wars”) guest star.

From JAKE AND THE NEVER LAND PIRATES episode- “Tricks, Treats and Treasure!” – JAKE, IZZY, CUBBY, SKULLY

From DOC MCSTUFFINS episode “Boo-Hoo to You” – CHILLY, LAMBIE, HATTIE, DOC, STUFFY

Also featured: encounters with Baja animals, and bilingual programs from diver shows to talks by animal experts from World Wildlife Fund Mexico. Get a chance to win free tickets to the Museum of Latin American Art. Plus, you get to explore the new June Keyes Penguin Habitat and touch sharks, rays, and sea jellies all in the same day!

Here’s the fun part – we are giving away a pair of tickets to the Festival! Simply comment on this post by midnight September 25th, to be entered to win. What about the kids you ask? You can download and print this coupon for FREE child’s admission.

This article originally appeared in the NAEYC website (National Association of Education for Young Children). Here’s an excerpt.

“Is your child entering a preschool program for the first time? Use these tips to help both you and your child make a smooth transition.

1.Visit your local library during a read-aloud time so your child gets used to hearing someone other than mom, dad, or grandpa read a book aloud in a group setting.

2. Establish a routine of “early to bed” and “school wake-up time” several weeks before school begins so your child has time to adjust to the new schedule.

3. Find out about the toileting procedures at the new school or center so you can review the situation with your child and make sure she is comfortable.”

Continue reading the article here -

13 Tips for Starting Preschool.

On August 31st to September 2nd, 2012, The 18th Annual E Hula Mau® returns to the Terrace Theater at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center, an SMG-Managed facility. The celebration of Hawaiian culture, which also hosts Southern California’s only Hula and Chant Competition, is presented by Na Mamo®. The Polynesian festivities will feature dynamic live performances, unique arts and crafts, interactive workshops, and a delectable Island-style cuisine.

E HULA MAU® SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31
12PM – 9PM – Hawaiian Arts & Crafts Fair and Food Court Hawaiian Cultural Village & Workshops (workshop fees apply)
9PM – 12AM – Hawaiian Entertainment at The Westin Long Beach Hotel Lobby

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
8AM – 10AM – Lei Making Workshop (workshop fees apply)
8AM – 7:00PM – Island Food Court
9AM – 7:00PM – Hawaiian Arts & Crafts Fair Hawaiian Cultural Village & Workshops (workshop fees apply)
10AM – 12PM – Cyril Pahinui Slack Key Workshop – Westin Long Beach Hotel Marina Room ($45.00 at the door)
10AM – 5:30PM – Outdoor Plaza Stage Entertainment
9PM – 12AM – Hawaiian Entertainment at The Westin Long Beach Hotel Lobby – Kanikapila Jam

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 2
8AM and at 12PM – Hawaiian Lecture – TBA
8AM – 7PM – Island Food Court
9AM – Hawaiian Arts & Crafts Fair Hawaiian Cultural Village & Workshops (some fees may apply)
9AM – 10AM – Lei Contest
10AM – 5:30PM – Outdoor Plaza Stage Entertainment
12:30PM – 1PM – Lei Contest Award Presentation Plaza Outdoor Stage
9PM -12AM – Hawaiian Entertainment at The Westin Long Beach Hotel Lobby

Tickets can be purchased at http://www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets will then go up to $21 for the Friday – Sunday competition, and to $35 for the Mahalo Bash on Saturday Night. The Long Beach Performing Arts Center Main Box Office is located at 300 E. Ocean Boulevard and is open from 10:00AM to 6:00PM Monday through Friday and 12:00PM to 4:00PM on Saturday.

The cultural village is free to attend. Workshops may have an additional fee. For more information visit http://ehulamau.org/

The giant panda team at the San Diego Zoo got their first close look at the new cub last night. At approximately 9 p.m. on July 30, video taken from the den shows panda mother Bai Yun leaving the cub in the den for the first time as she goes to get a drink of water. While female pandas generally fast for several days after the birth of a cub, it is not unusual for them to need water a day or two postpartum.

The giant panda team, composed of zookeepers, veterinarians, nutritionists, scientists and others, is pleased to see that Bai Yun is looking after her own needs, as it is critical to her success in rearing this cub past the first few crucial days of life.

Staff monitoring the camera was able to zoom in on the hairless cub for a closer look before Bai Yun returned to the den and scooped up and cradled her newborn.”

The mother and the cub will remain off exhibit for four to five months before appearing in a public exhibit. During the denning period, the only way to see the panda cub and mother will be through the San Diego Zoo’s live Panda Cam, available at http://www.sandiegozoo.org/pandacam.

It will be a couple weeks before the cub develops its iconic black-and-white markings. The sex of the cub will not be known until animal care staff have a chance to examine the cub, which is expected to happen in approximately two months.

Giant pandas are on loan to the San Diego Zoo from the People’s Republic of China to study this endangered species. As part of this long-term program, the San Diego Zoo is collaborating with the Chinese Academy of Science in studies of behavior, ecology, genetics and conservation of wild pandas living in the Foping Nature Reserve.

Only 1,600 giant pandas are believed to exist. The species has been challenged by low reproduction rates, bamboo shortages, habitat destruction, and hunting. The San Diego Zoo, in conjunction with Chinese panda experts, is working to conquer these challenges.

And here’s more reason for the San Diego Zoo to celebrate. Giant Panda Yun Zi is celebrating its third Birthday. To celebrate, animal care staff has a long weekend of festivities planned for the birthday boy.

Photo courtesy of the San Diego Zoo. Yun Zi received a two-tiered ice cake topped with “panda cupcakes” made from yams and ground herbivore biscuits, which are part of his usual diet. The cake’s designer included a “3″ made out of ice on the first tier and “Yun Zi” spelled out in bamboo leaves on the second tier.

This weekend, guests at the San Diego Zoo can also help support panda conservation by stopping by the “adopt-a-animal” booth set up near Panda Trek. Panda adoptions start at $15 and include a panda certificate of adoption, fact sheet, photo, and a panda plush! It’s a great deal and all the proceeds will go towards our conservation projects as well as provide toys and treats for all our critters.