Archives for May 2014

Thanks For the Free Car Wash Douchebag!

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road rage

My family and I were on the highway yesterday on our way to meet with my in laws for Mother’s Day.  Hubby didn’t see the car in the far left lane and accidentally cut him off a little.  He waved to apologize and then moved back over to get out of the other driver’s way. Apparently that wasn’t good enough because the other driver cut back into our lane, slowed down in front of us, and proceeded to spray our car with his windshield wipers.  Why oh why do some drivers have to be such passive aggressive douchebags?  It’s no wonder there are so many accidents caused by road rage.  I was proud of my husband for just staying where he was and not engaging the other driver.  Instead we enjoyed the free car wash until the other driver either ran out of windshield wiper fluid or perhaps he got tired of being a douchebag and drove off.  So either way, thanks for the free car wash douchebag!

photo credit: reynolds.james.e via photopincc

 

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Tips and Tricks For Traveling and Cruising With Children

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cruisingWe recently took a family cruise on the Carnival Glory for my 40th birthday and along the way I came up with some tips to help you keep your sanity, especially while cruising with your children.

1. Pack a roll or two of paper towel.  They will come in handy to clean little messes, wrap fragile items when you pack to go home, and a million other uses that you’ll find while you’re in your cabin.

2. Pack a small bottle of laundry detergent.  I saved a few samples I’ve collected recently.  The ships usually have a laundry room where you can purchase detergent but it was nice having my small travel size so I could spot clean items that I needed to or hand wash a few small things and hang them to dry in the shower on the clothesline.

3. Pack a few garbage bags for your dirty clothes.  Then when you repack to go home you won’t have to put dirty clothes against your clean suitcase.

4. Pack disposable coffee cups with lids.  I love iced coffee and it was nice to be able to put my iced coffee in a disposable cup that I could take off the ship with me or even walking around the ship and not worry about it spilling.  They came in handy for my husband’s coffee and iced tea for my girls, too.  Seems silly but being able to take a drink around with a lid was great and unlike bringing our own sports bottles, etc. we didn’t have to worry about saving them.  Not very eco-friendly but we were on vacation. 😉

5. Bring a case of water with you.  I wish we had done that.  Water getting off the ship was a few dollars and we really needed cold water on each island.  I wish we had brought a case of water on the ship with us and kept some cold in our refrigerator like we had seen others do.  If you aren’t local, stop off at a CVS, Walgreens, or grocery store on your way to the pier.

Ideas for cruising or even just traveling with kids:
I bought both of my girls their own purses that were VERY roomy and had lots of compartments.  Here’s what was in each of their bags to keep them comfortable and busy on our trip.

~mini note pads
~pens
~pack of colored pencils
~crayons
~a chapter book or two
~sunglasses
~sweatshirt/sweater (yes it was hot on the islands but sometimes my girls were cold indoors)
~Mad Libs and other gaming pages
~battery operated fans
~hand sanitizer
~tissues
~small digital camera (I bought them each an inexpensive digital camera.  They cost almost the same as disposable cameras and developing and I didn’t have to worry about developing any bad pictures.)
~deck of cards
~Uno or other card games
~hair ties (I have girls!)
~hidden picture pages (I bought a Highlights Magazine hidden picture book and tore out pages for each of my girls to keep in their bags to keep them busy.  They both LOVED these.)
~mints and/or gum
~package of nuts/trail mix
~water botle
~baseball hat
~sunscreen
~a wallet (my girls liked having a few dollars of their own so they could haggle and shop in the straw markets)

YES, all of the above fit into EACH of their bags believe it or not.  Notice what wasn’t in their bags?  Electronics!  We all went ELECTRONICS FREE for the entire week and loved every minute of it.  We didn’t have to worry about charging our girls’ Kindles, Nintendo DSs, etc.  When they were “bored’, had to wait for their meals, etc. they had books to read, puzzle pages, etc. and honestly I don’t think any of us missed our electronics at all!

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Gardening Mama 2: Forest Friends on Nintendo 3DS

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Disclosure- We received a copy of Gardening Mama 2: Forest Friends to facilitate our review.  We received no other compensation and all opinions are 100% our own.

gardening mama 2It’s finally here!  The sequel to the best-selling Gardening Mama DS game that’s sold more than 13 million copies, Gardening Mama 2: Forest Friends is now available now for Nintendo 3DS.   If your children like the original Gardening Mama, they’ll love this new game.  In the game, players can plant and tend to their gardens with the help of furry critters while learning the importance of food.  Mama and her woodland friends need your help growing flowers, fruits and veggies for Bear’s Restaurant, Cat’s Beauty Shop, Rabbit’s Flower Shop, Squirrel’s Cake Shop and several other fun stores.
gardening mama screen shot3Your stylus is used as your gardening tool as you plant, grow, and harvest your crops.  You can decorate your garden with over 100 items that you earn while playing.  What will you grow in your gardens?  Juicy watermelons?  Plump eggplant?  Spicy hot peppers?  Your animal friends will mail you asking for help and you’ll need to plant, nurture, harvest, and deliver the garden items to their various stores.  If you do a good job you’ll be rewarded with items such as seeds, flower bulbs, trees, and more so your garden critters can expand your garden, make their shops bigger, and attract even more customers.  There are also fun mini games as well like ironing and mowing the lawn.
gardening mama screen shot4Gardening Mama 2: Forest Friends is a great game for children to learn all that goes into growing a garden.  My girls really enjoy playing it.  The animals are adorable and the game is lots of fun.  Fruits, veggies, flowers, and woodland animals…..what’s not to love!

gardening mama screen shot

Check out the Gardening Mama 2: Forest Friends Gameplay Trailer:

gardening mama screen shot2

Game Overview:

Mama is back in her gardening gloves planting the seeds of friendship! Make your animal friends happy by growing flowers, fruits and vegetables they can sell in their forest shops. With intuitive, stylus based-activities, customization and tons of fun rewards, Garden Mama 2: Forest Friends will get you growing in no time!

Key Features:

  • The latest addition to the successful Mama franchise: 13 million+ games sold worldwide!
  • Sequel to the best-selling Gardening Mama DS game that defined the gardening genre.
  • Use your stylus as your master gardening tool to plant seeds, bulbs and saplings, then care for them with water and fertilizer. Grow 50+ different plants, from gorgeous hydrangeas to delicious watermelons to sizzling hot peppers!
  • New play mechanic! Your animal friends send you mail asking for help. Nurture, harvest and deliver garden items to 6 different animal stores including: Bear’s Restaurant, Rabbit’s Flower Shop, Cat’s Beauty Shop and Squirrel’s Cake Shop.
  • Earn rewards like new varieties of seeds, flower bulbs and trees from your critter friends so you can expand your garden and they can grow their shops into bigger, more extravagant businesses that attract additional customers.
  • New activities with multiple variations star Mama’s friends and family featured throughout franchise games. Sort, pick, clean, organize, mow, arrange, water, harvest and much more!
  • Protect your plants from lack of nutrients, viruses and bugs to maintain a healthy garden.
  • Customize and decorate your garden with 100+ items: fences, fountains, playground equipment, topiary, pergolas, sculptures, benches, pets and more. You can even dress up Mama in fun new outfits!
  • Interact with your animal pals and earn garden points by fulfilling their requests. Trade points for items and decorations that let you create a one-of-a-kind garden. Use shop tickets to purchase more flowers, fruits and vegetables to enlarge your garden and make it more productive.
  • Use Spot Pass to receive new backgrounds for your garden.

 

 

 

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SPONGEBOB, YOU’RE FIRED! Now Available on DVD

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GRAB A SIGN AND JOIN THE PICKET LINE WITH THE
OCEAN’S HARDEST-WORKING FRY COOK
 SB_YoureFired_DVD_3D-lo
SPONGEBOB, YOU’RE FIRED!
 
Now Available on DVD!
New York, NY – February 10, 2014 – SpongeBob loves nothing more than being a fry cook at the beloved Krusty Krab (except his pet snail Gary, of course!), but in this new DVD collection – SpongeBob, You’re Fired! – SpongeBob must learn to find a life outside of Mr. Krabs’ watchful eyes. Tune in for 14 hilarious work adventures as SpongeBob tries new jobs such as working at The Chum Bucket with Plankton (gasp!), picketing with Squidward and even modeling in a commercial! This one-of-a-kind collection, which is packed with over THREE HOURS of content, is a must-have for any SpongeBob SquarePants fan and is sure to be a blast for the whole family. Created by Nickelodeon Home Entertainment and distributed by Paramount Home Media Distribution, SpongeBob, You’re Fired! was released on DVD on April 29, 2014 for the suggested retail price of $14.99.
SpongeBob, You’re Fired! Episode Synopses:
SpongeBob, You’re Fired
In order to save money, Mr. Krabs fires SpongeBob. Unable to just “do nothing,” SpongeBob decides to go back to work doing anything, anywhere.
Neptune’s Spatula   
On a visit to the Fry Cook Hall of Fame, SpongeBob inadvertently pulls a mythical spatula from a vat of ancient grease, thus giving him claim to the title of “World’s Greatest Fry Cook”. When the act summons the great King of the Sea, Neptune, however, SpongeBob must face the disbelieving god in the Ultimate Cook-Off Challenge.
Welcome To The Chum Bucket    
Mr. Krabs loses SpongeBob’s fry cook contract in a bet with Plankton and SpongeBob is forced to go work at the Chum Bucket. While there, SpongeBob is so homesick that he can’t even fry up a single patty. At a loss, Plankton tries to comfort SpongeBob by showering him with gifts and attention, so much so that SpongeBob soon acts like a spoiled teenager. Plankton can’t take it and ends up begging Mr. Krabs to take SpongeBob back. Mr. Krabs agrees to take him back, but he warns Plankton that it will cost him.
The Original Fry Cook
Mr. Krabs’ old fry cook pays a special visit to the Krusty Krab. SpongeBob is in awe of his predecessor, who has since become a world-renowned chef following his departure from Krabs’ restaurant. When SpongeBob tries to impress the impressive chef, he instead finds his fry cook skills are in question. Taking the chefs critique to heart, SpongeBob decides to quit – his beloved Krusty Krab deserves someone better. Without his employee of the month, Krabs is stuck with an overpriced chef that will charge him an arm and a leg to flip one burger. He must find SpongeBob and convince him to return to work – or lose a fortune on his original cook.
Le Big Switch
After being enrolled in a chef exchange program, SpongeBob switches places with a snooty French chef from a high-end restaurant.
Model Sponge
SpongeBob tries a career at being a model in a kitchen sponge commercial.
Employee of the Month
Mr. Krabs uses the award to drive SpongeBob, but he dupes SpongeBob into believing he might break his ongoing winning streak and lose this month to Squidward. Squidward could care less but goes along with the ruse for fun. But when a fearful SpongeBob works so hard he humiliates Squidward at work, the battle for the award begins.
Bossy Boots
When Mr. Krabs gives his daughter, Pearl, a job at the Krusty Krab, she starts to make some big changes in the menu and atmosphere. SpongeBob is threatened and doesn’t like the new “management” but after a bit he gets used to it. It turns out that Mr. Krabs who hates all the changes, but he doesn’t have the heart to fire his own daughter. Mr. Krabs commands SpongeBob to fire Pearl for him, but SpongeBob really doesn’t want to. Mr. Krabs gives him an ultimatum, fire Pearl or he’s fired from the greatest job he’s ever had.
Krusty Dogs
Mr. Krabs decides to start selling hot dogs instead of Krabby Patties.
License to Milkshake
SpongeBob learns his milkshake license has expired, and is forced to go back to the milkshake academy.
Help Wanted
Encouraged by his best friend, Patrick Starfish, SpongeBob overcomes his fears and finally applies for that dream job as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab. Challenged by the owner, Mr. Krabs, and his assistant, Squidward, to prove himself worthy of the job, SpongeBob rises to the occasion, with the help of one very special spatula, by feeding a sea of ravenous anchovies.
Wet Painters
SpongeBob and Patrick are wreaking havoc on the Krusty Krab, so Mr. Krabs decides to give them a little busy work. He tells them to paint his living room and gives them permanent paint. Very permanent. So permanent that he threatens to hang their butts over his mantle if they get it on anything. They manage to paint the entire room, covered in knick-knacks, without a drop anywhere…until they see a tiny, microscopic speck on Mr. Krabs’ framed and prized first dollar! Their efforts to remove the paint only wreck precious dollar all the more. When Mr. Krabs comes home and finds it, he laughs; telling them the paint comes off with saliva. He licks the dollar and it’s good as new. He laughs so hard at their fear of his wrath that he spits all over the room, and the paint drips off of all the walls.
Krusty Krab Training Video
The excitement! You are now a member of the official Krusty Krab crew! In this informative episode, you will learn all of the attributes necessary to become an excellent employee in the fast-paced world of fast food restaurants. Everything from personal hygiene to Krabby Patty construction is covered in this mandatory Krusty crew video.
Pizza Delivery     
Mr. Krabs has SpongeBob and Squidward go above and beyond the call of duty to make the first successful Krabby Patty pizza delivery. When the two become stranded in the desert, SpongeBob has to prevent the starving Squidward from eating the pizza before they deliver it.
Running Time: Approximately 186 Minutes
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FREE Walgreens 4.5×6 Photo Brag Book

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walgreens brag book

Now through May 14, 2014 get a FREE 4.5×6 Photo Brag Book, a $6.99 value, from Walgreens Photo!  It’s so easy to create and customize.  Just upload your pictures, customize your brag book, and enter the code FREETOBRAG at checkout!

Your Brag Photo Book can hold up to 150 pages.  Great for all those Mother’s Day pictures you just took!
NOTE- there is no FREE store pick up option so you will have to pay for shipping.

Coupon code FREETOBRAG limited to one free brag book per Walgreens.com account thru May 14, 2014. Limited to one code per order. Limited to one free brag book per household. Code must be entered at time of checkout to apply discount. Photo cart must include your 4.5×6 brag book at time of checkout to qualify. Free offer applies up to 10 double-sided pages; extra charges will apply for additional pages. Discount does not apply to additional pages, previous purchases, taxes or shipping charges. Order must be placed by logged-in customer by May 14, 2014 at 11:59 p.m. Central Time to qualify. Timing will be determined by Walgreens server clock. Cannot be combined with any other book offer. Multiple coupon codes may or may not be used based on cart contents. Offer valid on Walgreens.com only. Shipping and handling will apply.

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State Farm Neighborhood Assist- Please Vote to Help 40 Causes Earn $25,000 Each to Help Their Communities

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Disclosure- I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for State Farm. I received a promotional item to thank me for participating.

header-image-fittedThere are so many causes, large and small, around the United States and Canada that make a huge impact in the communities that they help.  Many of them need not only volunteers to help them but also financial support to help them do more.  State Farm Neighborhood Assist program put out the call to communities across the United States and Canada to help create a positive impact in their communities.  4,000 causes were submitted as part of this year’s State Farm Neighborhood Assist.  The top 200 causes have been selected by the State Farm Youth Advisory Board and they need your “assist” to help vote them into the top 40.  These top 40 causes will each earn a $25,000 grant to help their communities!
So how do you vote? Simply get the FREE State Farm Neighborhood Assist Facebook application and you can vote daily for your favorite cause, or causes, and help bring $25,000 to the top 40 vote getters.
VOTING ENDS MAY 16th SO VOTE NOW AND VOTE DAILY!!!!
state farm
Giving back to the community is so important to my family.  There are so many ways to help and I really try to instill this in my girls.  I volunteer at their school a lot both in their classrooms and all around the school with the PTO.  It is important to me for my girls to see that their school and the local community are important to me.  We also participate in fundraisers to donate food and toys for those in the community that need help.  I have taught my daughters that it is better to give than to receive.  That is a hard concept for small children but when I see my girls pick things out in the store to buy with their own money to give to children who have nothing I know they are on the right track.  Last year I had the privilege of being able to donate 40 pairs of brand new pajamas to a local women’s shelter.  What made the experience even better was overhearing my daughter tell her friend about how she was so proud of her mother.  


If your community was eligible in the State Farm Neighborhood Assist voting, what would you like to see the donations fund?  I would love more money to help feed the hungry families in my community.  So many children only get to eat the school provided breakfasts and lunches because their families don’t have enough money for nutritious dinners.  No child, or person for that matter, should go hungry so that is where I’d love to see donations go to in my community.

Please make sure to vote daily from now until May 16th!
Here are a few of the winners from last year.  Check out what amazing things these causes are doing in their communities:



 

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Getting a Little “Me Time” Without The Guilt

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The May edition of the South Florida Parenting Magazine is live.  There are lots of great articles in it including several about being a mom in honor of Mother’s Day.  One article that really caught my eye was titled “Are You at the Top of Your Priority List” by Gladys Diaz.  Gladys talks about how it is so important that as mothers we make the time for self-care every day.  “Practicing self-care is the only way that we mothers can ensure that we have the patience, energy, and ability to care for the people we love.  She compares it to running your car when the “low fuel” light comes on.  You can run the car for a while with the low fuel light on but eventually the car will run out of gas and it will lead to a whole lot of new problems.  To make sure that our “love tank” is always full, Ms. Diaz suggests several things:
1. Make a list of the things you enjoy doing
2. Plan to do 2-3 things for yourself everyday
3. Lose the guilt

You can read more about what Gladys suggests in her article in the May edition of the South Florida Parenting Magazine .

me timeIt’s not always easy to get in much needed “me time” when you are a busy mom.  One of my resolutions this year is to get myself in better shape and take better care of myself and my health.  (Don’t worry I haven’t forgotten about my children.  Another of my resolutions is to spend more quality time with them but that is a whole other post.)  Many of us are so busy taking care of our children, managing our homes, taking care of our husbands, working (inside or outside our homes), and doing so many other things for everyone else that we don’t take care of ourselves.  Often when we do, we feel guilty for leaving our children or we can’t seem to find a way to get in some “me time”.
Don’t worry, girlfriend!  You’re a great mother, wife, sister, aunt, grandmother, or whatever other title you have and you deserve to get a little “me time” every now and then.  I’ve asked my readers, other bloggers, and my friends to tell me ways they are able to get a little “me time” and I’ve added some of my own ideas, too.  How do you get me time?  Let me know and I might just add it to my list!
Take a hot bath
Put on a DVD for your kids and read a book
Go to the salon and get a new hairdo or hair color
Put on your favorite song and sing, sing, sing.  Bonus if doing so embarrasses your children.
Explore a hobby you have been interested in.
Find a local class, online class, or just learn how online.
Trade babysitting with a friend.  One week take your kids and hers for an hour or two and the next time have her take all the kids. Sara M.- I often get my mani or pedi during my lunch break! It’s right across the street from my office, and it’s actually quite relaxing knowing that’s MY hour to take care of me!
Stefany T.- Me time for me is at night when everyone goes to bed. It isn’t always the best time but it works. I like to read a book, watch a movie on my tablet, or play around on the computer. It seems that is the only time I can truly get time alone. 🙂  Besides that, a simple shower where I don’t have people beating down the door can be a good time for me to relax. I know it doesn’t seem like a big deal but with 3 kids and one bathroom, this is a major accomplishment! (http://tobethode.com)
Shower with a radio on and sing, sing, sing!
Lisa K.- When the older kids are in school and A is home fron morning kindergarten,  he rests in my room after lunch. That’s also my rest time to relax and watch tv or play on Facebook.  I don’t take calls or do any housework during that time,  and I make sure to watch nonsense shows where I don’t have to think.
Lisa K.-  I have trouble sleeping so getting up early is never an option for me. I do set my alarm for 15-20 minutes before I need to wake the kids and bring my phone into the bathroom each morning.  They’re usually up before me anyway, but if they don’t know I’m up, I can sit in peace & check my emails and Facebook before starting the craziness of each day. Schedule me time!  Add it to your calendar, set a reminder, etc.  Even if it is just a simple 10 minute break with some quiet time.
Shelly M.- I wake up about an hour before everyone else to get in a little exercise, coffee and a shower. Sometimes I can even read a bit! http://www.lynchburgtnmama.com
Amanda D.-  I set my alarm for 5:20am weekday. I go to the gym with my neighbor (our workout is only half an hour). When I get back, I shower, walk the dog, and still have about 30 minutes to myself before everyone else has to get up. Not only do I get my workout in, I’m up without the craziness, keeps me sane! http://www.brandonspuppy.com
Jenn P.- To echo what so many said, a shower and even though I don’t like it: grocery shopping. However, lately it’s been going upstairs to fold and put away laundry while the kids stay downstairs with my husband. It’s quiet time for me and the task goes so much faster! http://jennunplugged.com
Emily S.- Grocery shopping. I leave the kids at home with my husband and I go grocery shopping. It’s practically a vacation. http://www.lesswhinemorewine.com
Jim M.- A bathroom door that locks. And a book.
Jennifer E.-  Thursday night is my adult tap class night.  It’s so much fun to have picked back up something I left behind so many years ago. It’s really therapeutic,too, because you really don’t have a second during that hour to think about anything else! http://puzzlesandpopcorn1.wordpress.com/.
Marie D.-  Facials, reading in bed when the kids are asleep, naps on weekends. I learned a long time ago that it can’t just be time alone, it has to be time that gives something back.
Mica F.-  Bubble baths! Even if its not till the kiddos go to sleep at night. Shut the door, turn the lights on low or off and use candles. A half hour to an hour bubble bath soothes my nerves at end if a long day!

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New Clip From Million Dollar Arm #MillionDollarArm

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Million Dollar Arm – Clip “Your Porche Looks Like a Mini Van”

 

Like MILLION DOLLAR ARM on Facebook
Follow MILLION DOLLAR ARM on Twitter
Visit the Official Million Dollar Arm Site

MILLION DOLLAR ARM opens in theaters everywhere on May 16th!

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Disney Movie Clips of Disney Character Moms and Their Kids #DisneyMoviesAnywhere

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Enjoy this magical montage of special moments from Disney movies! From BAMBI to BRAVE and many in between, enjoy some of the most touching moments between Disney moms and their brood.
Get a tissue ready!

Also, in honor of Mother’s Day, save $5 per film on Brave, Tangled and Mary Poppins!
http://www.disneymoviesanywhere.com/movies/limited-discount

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Free Blogging eBook Bundle for Mother’s Day

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Everything You Need To Build A Successful Blog
Are you a new blogger, a seasoned blogger, or even someone who wants to start a blog?
Grab this FREE Everything You Need To Build a Successful Blog eBook Bundle.

Turn Your Blog Into Cash4-Week Profitable Blogging For Beginners Class - For A Limited Time Only $5!

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