If you're an avid book reader, I've got a great giveaway coming up at http://www.truecrimebookreviews.com/ and I'll announce details here too!
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With four kids (okay, just three since one is a licensed driver), it seems that I spend my life in the car.
And, as it seems to go with children these days, they need entertainment.
Rand McNally's Boredom Breakers is a lifesaver!
The first game we tried was Car Karoake.
My 4-year-old loved it!
I really wanted to share a video of him trying to sing along, but he would freeze up every time I turned it on. :)
But he had a blast trying to sing along to songs like Twist and Shout, She'll Be Coming Around the Mountain, The Ants Coming March In, and 9 other fun songs; holding on to the inflatable microphone included.
For those of us who could read - the lyrics were included.
The worst part: I was always getting the "Please Stop" rating card while everyone else received either So-So, Pretty Good or Superstar ratings. :(
The second game we tried was Car Game Countdown.
A crazy combination of I-Spy and Madlibs, the 18 laminated cards give players ideas for things to spot along the roadway, things to say, or test their memory skills.
A clip-on, battery operated timer adds heightened excitement to each play.
My four-year-old had a little more difficulty with this game - as is to be expected. However, my 13-year-old enjoyed showing off his "spying" skills; not so much on the other games.
After trying out these games, the boys have decided they'd like to try Travel Card Games for a trip over Labor Day weekend.
I'll be sure to let you know how it goes!
My husband is driving me CRAZY!
I can be a procrastinator, but when it comes to projects I like to get them over and done!
Usually, Brian is this way too. But he hates (and that's putting it nicely) this fence project he started.
And now here it sits, almost finished and he keeps piddling with his other projects.
And I'm slowly, but surely, losing my mind.
My Question: Is there a project that you're putting off starting or finishing?
I hate this time of year.
As I celebrate the last days of summer with Labor Day, I start preparing for the holiday: Christmas.
For my kids, my mom, my sister-in-law - no big deal.
My father, my husband, my brother - that's a different story.
I hate shopping for men's gifts, so I'm always on the lookout for some great ideas.
Now here's the funny part:
I found Citizen Eco drive Mens watches at BlueDial. As I'm browsing through them, one of my teenage sons points to a watch and says, "Oh, I like that one."
And then it dawned on me: this is the teen who is always running late and has absolutely no concept of time.
Who needs a watch more than anybody?
He does.
So, although I didn't say anything Ive written his choice down (and thank goodness he never reads my blog) and he will be receiving a special gift this year for Christmas.
A gift I'm sure will save us many arguments and headaches!
And while that's the best part - by far - the free shipping is an awesome too! :)
I've been reviewing true crime much longer than anything else.
Years longer, actually.
Just that I never thought about putting them into blog format.
Until a few months ago.
Then it seemed too monsterous of a project.
And it was, but I finally did it!
Well - almost did it, I guess I should say. After all, I still have 100 more reviews I need to transfer into it but http://www.truecrimebookreviews.com/ is well underway!
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Although they may not be so obvious, there are hundreds of faces here.
The Warren County A & L Fair in McMinnville, Tennessee makes its appearance only once a year; arriving in wee morning hours on the Sunday before the second Monday of the month of September.
As a child, I waited in anticipation as August came to an end and Labor day came to officially whisk summer away - even if it didn't immediately take the humid Southern summers.
The week of the fair was - still is - like our town's own personal holiday.
It is a week where old friends reconnect, old flames are revived (sometimes much to the despair of spouses and significant others), babies are put on display in the name of pageantry, a beauty queen is crowned; and the smell of grilled hamburgers, homemade apple pie, and cotton candy lures the most antisocial of society.
While the thrill of the county fair may have lost its flair for me over the years, I now see the anticipation in my own children's eyes.
A look that keeps me returning year after year after year...
This week over here at The Mom Trap has been a slow one.
Unfortunately, it wasn't because I was playing hooky or just being lame.
Nope, I've been busting my bum this past week getting my new blog - http://www.truecrimebookreviews.com/ - ready to go live. Be sure to stop by and check it out!
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We've all got something that we couldn't live without.
Or think so anyway.
I'm not talking about food, clothing, shelter - needs.
I'm talking about a want that we've turned into a need.
For me, it's a book.
I always have to have something to read. And if I find myself without a book, it's like I'm a lost puppy. I just don't know what to do.
Most everyone else I know would say: internet, television, cell phone, computer, dishwasher.
Not me. I'm a nerd. I can live without those things as long as I have a book.
My Question:
What's the One Thing You Couldn't Live Without?
I'm always on the lookout for new Mom blogs, and that's how I happened across Mile High Mom.
While that's a cute blog with some funny content, I noticed an entry titled Doug Kaplan, who was noted to be a leader in advertising.
I found it to be funny, full of facts, and overall interesting. Check it out when you have the time!
This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.
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Anyone who knows me, knows that I have a penchant for pinching my pennies until Lincoln screams - or so I've been told repeatedly by close family and friends.
Irregardless of what they believe, I do not have being cheap down to a science...yet!
But here are some ways that I am a real cheapskate (even though, personally, I don't see it that way):
Find more interesting lists at Thursday 13!
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In less than a year, my oldest (17) will leave for college.
I am really, really afraid of what will happen when he doesn't have mom to help squash the stupidity everyday.
The other day, I got our cell phone bill in the mail. It usually averages $110 per month.
Brian, who initially would have only sent a text kicking and screaming, has suddenly found that it's a handy dandy little way to talk with someone without all the useless conversation in between.
So, a month here and there, the bill will reach $120. (No unlimited text plan for Brian....yet!)
This month: $140.
Doesn't sound bad, right? Maybe to some, but I keep a tight reign on our expenses.
Amazing that my first thought wasn't the guy who has just learned texting as the culprit.
No, I immediately thought of the 17-year-old.
And, of course, I was right.
He didn't suddenly start texting out of network.
He didn't go over his allotted minutes.
He did decide he was going to text that silly KGB group. You've see the advertisements, right?
Text any question to 542542 and they'll answer it.
So when I confronted him with it, know what he said?
"I thought that counted in my unlimited texting."
Um, no. [insert an eye roll] Did you not see (or hear) that it's 99 cents per text?
He replies, "Sorry. No."
Brain dead.
Nothing going on up there.
Selective reading/hearing.
Obviously.
So I made him give me $20.
He wasn't happy.
I didn't care.
Bet he doesn't do that again.
I'm going to lame out on this week's Tackle It Tuesday since I'm so sore that I can't move.
Too much Wii Fit.
But I'm seeing improvement already, so it's worth it.
For this week's tackle, I'm going to clip my coupons.
Usually my coupon inserts sit stacked up until I'm ready to go grocery shopping; then in a flurry, I cut them out and dart out the door.
I've already done my grocery shopping for this month, but I'll go ahead and tackle this batch so that I don't have so many to do later.
Now I just need to file 'em - which could be a whole other Tackle It Tuesday project!
Join in Small Talk Six hosted by MomDot each Saturday where respond with 6 sentences, 6 paragraphs, 6 pictures - you get the hint - on an assigned topic.
This week's subject: 6 things you do, use to do, or would like to do to relax
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It's back to school time!
And what does that mean in my home? It means label it, or lose it.
Big Brother is in his 3rd (and final) year of preschool. And, as is typical but necessary, with any of the younger ages, they want parents to label everything.
I couldn't have been contacted at a better time to try and review Lovable Labels of Ontario, Canada.
When I first agreed to review Lovable Labels' products, I was told to expect their arrival within 2 weeks; considering that it involved international shipping from Canada to the U.S.
How long did it actually take? A very impressive 9 days! And that included order processing and printing time! (I shop online a lot - worldwide - and this is one of the fastest companies from whom I have ever received a purchase.)
As soon as it arrived, my little guy was running circles waiting to see his "stickers."
It was well worth his wait. The first words out of his mouth when he say his black "stickers" with his name and dinosaur icon were "Oh cool! Can I put these on right now?"
So we snatched up his new backpack and attached his personalized mini-metal tag.
The tag was super easy to attach, fitting perfectly in existing zipper; and so much neater than the old stand-by of a permanent pen.
Don't let the name fool you, though.
Lovable Labels isn't just about "stickers." In addition to iron-on or press 'n stick labels, this company offers plastic bag tags, Vital ID/Medical wristbands, and plenty of other fun personalized products.
My 13 year old son came home a little later and was browsing through the brochure. He brought to my attention an item that we'll definitely be ordering: Allergy Alert labels!
As someone who suffers numerous food allergies and constantly having to remind others of them, he latched onto the idea right away - as I'm sure moms and kids who suffer this ordeal too will surely understand!
My middle-schooling allergy sufferer also wants his own set of identify labels because he too thinks they're "Cool!"
Kids of all ages will love (pun intended ☺ ) Lovable Labels. With over 20 icons and a wide variety of colors from which to choose, these work-reducing, handy tools are sure to put on a smile on your child's face!
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P.S. Are you a coach, PTA member, program coordinator, or anyone who is always looking for fun, easy, and unique fundraising ideas? Lovable Labels offers a great fundraising program too!
~ Thank you to limelite PR for this awesome opportunity! ~
I love kidisms! You know, those funny - usually one liners - that kids are prone to pop off with at the least opportune time.
My four-year-old - who we call Big Brother - either refuses or just can't seem to get the "T" in the word "Hunting." So, he goes around saying, "Hunking."
While it's hilarious to us - so much so that, at one time or another, all of us have jokingly said "hunking" instead of "hunting" - it can be embarrassing when you run into someone, usually a someone that you haven't talked to in a while, and your preschooler spouts out "I'm going deer hunking with my Dad!"
This innocent little phrase typically evokes a tried-to-be-discreet-but-failed look of shock along with a "You're what?"
I, of course, always "translate," much to the relief of said individual.
Right now, at times, it can make me want to crawl under a table. But I know one day, when he's all grown up and got the "t" in "hunting" down to a tee (hopefully), this is one of his adorable little sayings that I will look back fondly on.
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