I Am Making Home Movies All Wrong! Watch the puddles at the garden centers this Spring!

Love this idea.

Watch Dad turn his toddler into an incredible super hero
 

Coolest Dad ever. Check out his 12 other videos. 

Children's Books We Are Loving Right Now

The 411 by Maria And Goddess:

We loved this sweet book with the adorable faced kitty!  Poor kitty can't do anything right in Lily's eyes. Her tiny kitty gets in quite a bit of trouble.  It seems that every time Kitty turns around Lily is scolding it for something. However, it isn't Lily's kitty who is making the mischief but a huge tiger that has escaped from the zoo.

We love the illustrations of Lily and her kitty. AND...my reluctant 8 year old read this book without any help which makes it even better for this reading momma! 

With word bubbles, full page illustrations, a sweet, funny story and kitty's innocent face, kids and parents will love this book.

The 411 by Maria and Goddess:

Five Hungry Pandas is an adorable book about sweet, cuddly pandas, who are all very hungry. Each page opens with a Panda cut out.  The book has a number on each page where each of the panda gets to eventually eat leaving the reminder on the next page. It's basically a count up and a count down book. We thought it was really cute and Goddess thinks kids will love the panda faces and searching for the number on each page. She said that she would have loved pointing to the numbers if she was a toddler and I agree.

The 411 by Maria:

I love YA books. This book was written by Kody Keplinger while in middle school. Pretty impressive for a young woman.

The Swift Boys and Me find Nola a tom boy who hangs out with three brothers coming of age. She watched her best friend Canaan's father leave one night and never come back. Now she is a on a mission to find out why he left and if he is ever coming back all while dealing with her mom's upcoming wedding and her best friends reeling from the disappearance of their dad.

The story and characters are well written. I loved the story and can't wait to pass it to my niece. My only complaint is that the ending left me wondering if everyone will be OK.

 

The Book Thief Was Amazing!

The 411 by Maria:

I have not read The Book Thief and I honestly had no idea what the movie was about when I started out but I cannot wait to read it. 

There is so much to love about this movie. Besides it being an amazing storyline, the acting was incredible and the sets made me feel like I wasn't just watching a period piece. 

Narrated by Death we see Liesel on a train to her adoptive parents. Her mom is no longer able to care for her and her brother so she is being sent to Germany to live with a childless couple Hans and Rosa. Liesel, played by Sophie Nelisse is a beautiful, quiet, scared young girl. I was floored by her portrayal. She is quiet, sweet, innocent and timid I loved her from the moment she comes on the screen.   

Liesel's brother dies on his way to Germany. The grave diggers bury him quickly track side. Liesel spots a book called The Grave Diggers and takes it. The movie begins.

My heart ached for the moment this beautiful, blonde girl walks into the home of Hans and Rosa so confused, hurt, lost and shy. Rosa seemingly tough and gritty, Hans the opposite, sweet, soft and empathetic. 

Set in Germany in the years 1939-1943, a war, death, fear, resistance and secrecy made up the times but at the heart of this movie Liesel and Hans have a beautiful relationship that showcases love in its purest form.  A man doing the best he can. Standing by his promises and finding the beauty in the meager, hard life that he has been dealt. 

This is a book everyone she read. It is a movie everyone should see. Definitely a classic. I will watch this movie again and try not to cry this time.

Whatever You Grow Up To Be by Karen Kingsbury & Illustrated By Valeria Docampo

 The 411 by Maria and Goddess: 

We have an hour to kill every school morning and do try to get some reading done. This book definitely was adorable and my problem reader had no problem reading it on her own.

It was difficult for her to get to the next page due to the wonderfully, colored pages. We both that the illustrations were great!

Honestly the story is very, very sweet and I found myself tearing up as she read the book to me. As parents we watch our little ones grow right before our eyes. I am amazed everyday and this book puts all that into words and shows just how fast time flies.

Like us, the mom in this story watches her little guy grow right before her eyes from baby to adult and a daddy.

LOVED THIS. Very sweet book.

What I Have Learned As A Lunch Aid

It is almost a year that I have been working in a local school district and I am a much better parent for it. I have definitely learned how to raise my voice. You have to in a room and hall full of middle schoolers.

Currently I have been in the Middle School after working a temp position in the Elementary School. Leaving the Elementary School after a few months was hard because I felt that those kids, the K-3 really needed me and they made me day so bright.

I was tying shoes, opening milks, holding a crying child, and hearing about their days. 5-9 year olds  love sharing and I love listening.

Heading to the Middle School meant, bigger kids, with chips on their shoulders, full of posturing and anger, full of angst and hormones but still young kids.  At first you don't realize this. They are big, most are over 5'2" and some are over 6' which means they are all bigger than me. At 4'11" that is not hard to be.  On my first days there, I was quiet as there is a lot going on in my personal life but I wanted to be professional and talk to my co-workers while smiling at the students so I would be approachable.  However, when you take the time to really talk to them alone. They are just little kids.

Over the first few weeks, I felt like I took a lot of cellphones (there are no electronic devices allowed), I asked many to sit down, take their hats off, let go of each other, stop throwing, pick that up, leave him alone, leave her alone, get to class, stop running, etc. Over the last few days I feel that many have started talking to me, sharing with me and looking for me. The ones who are, are the ones who are the most trouble. They are always in the office, being spoken to, being sent to the principal, etc. These are the kids I gravitate toward, they are the ones that gravitate toward me.

These kids are looking for attention. They don't care how they get it. They just want someone to see them. I visit the office daily to see if any of my little buddies are in there. They are. I ask why, they tell me. Before leaving I tell them that I hope to see them back at lunch the next day and I mean it.

I have heard, "You are the coolest aid I know", "How are you doing today Ms. Maria", and "wait, you are writing something nice about me?" over the past two days.

The first one was from a boy who was sent to the office on my third week there. I had called him out on a pencil he threw. There was a group performing for the kid during lunch one day and he threw it at a performer who had jumped on the table to sing. When I asked him why he though it was OK he said he wanted to. When I said it was disrespectful, he told me it was disrespectful for the performer to stand on his table.   He had an answer for everything in our 3 minute conversation. He was sent to the office by another aid. When I stopped him in the hall and asked why he thought he was being sent to the office he said that he didn't know, he is always sent to the office. I told him to stop and talk to me. I told him that I wanted him to know why he was sent. He leaned against the wall. I leaned too and said, "you were sent because you were disrespectful to me, an adult in the room. He said, "I am sorry." I told him that I accepted his apology and was giving him a get out of jail free card but he would not get another one from me. I expected him to treat everyone the way he wanted to be treated. We now speak daily.

The last one was from a boy who is a problem everyday as well. I spotted him picking up an orange peel during my hall monitoring hour.  I watched people step around it, kick it and walk over it including me and teachers. He picked it up, walked it over to a trash can and threw it in. When I asked him for his name because I had started writing up a report on his "good deed" he was surprised. I explained why I needed it and he said"Wait, you are writing about something good I did? That never happens" was his reply. I told him that I thought it showed respect for his school and respect for his fellow students and that the school should know he made the effort.

Over the past few days I have spoken to some teachers who are happy to see me monitoring the hall.  They didn't know about the report we can write for good conduct. I have told them that at the elementary school, we do a principal award and give it to children who are spotted doing good things and that these kids are young enough to benefit from it. That they need an incentive to want to do the right thing. So many have asked where they can get the forms and I hope more kids get good conduct awards. So far I have written 3.

My hope over the next few months is to see less kids in the office. More kids being accepting of those who are not like them, and overall respect to everyone the students deal with. It's a big mission but I hope that in some way, students are changed before the end of school.  I know I have been!

My 9 Wishes For My Children

Sometimes I wonder how my life will be after my kids are older and have moved onto their own lives. It makes me sad to think that one day I won't be the first voice they hear in the morning or the last voice they hear before bed. That I won't be the person they call when they need to discuss something, tell me something amazing that happened to them or simply have something to share.

Goddess tells me that she is never leaving me and while I know this is often the statement of a soon to be 9 year old child, and it makes me happy to hear, I wouldn't want that for her or Handsome.  They need to soar and experience life and find their own path.

I have always said I don't own them. They aren't mine to keep. I will love them forever and always but my job is to make them good people the rest of the world doesn't mind being around.

My wish for my children:

• Be strong minded and know what they want out of life and do what they need to do to achieve it
• Have a sense of sense worth and know that you are very special and that not everyone needs to agree with you or even like you but that is OK because you are exactly who you are supposed to be and you are good!
• The ability to pick themselves up and brush themselves off when they need to
• The understanding to appreciate life and all that comes with it
• Have common sense 
• Have enough humility to know when you are wrong and seek help when necessary
• Know the importance of friendships. Be a good friend.
• Have compassion for others. Not everyone starts out with a strong foundation and you don't know what battle another is fighting.
• Have empathy for others. 

May they always shine as bright as they do today! Their love is all I need and I thank God everyday for bringing them to me.

The Yeah Meme

The Yeah Meme

Let's go!!!

Do you have another window or tab open? If so, what are they for? It is for Sunday Stealing at the moment.

Do you like to cook/bake? I do but with my kitchen was more user friendly. There is zero counter space and no table. Makes cooking quite difficult.

What are you currently listening to? My daughter playing a mystery game on her Kindle and my husband snoring.

How long have you lived in the house you live in? 17 years.

Are you tired? Always!

Do you pick your words carefully, or just tend to blurt everything out? I have spent too many years biting my tongue. I am currently trying to be less careful.

Are you nice to everyone? I am nice to absolutely everyone.

Have you ever tripped in public? I am sure I have and felt like a total ass to boot

Are you a morning person or a night person? I am a morning person. Exhausted by 10 and if I am on the couch exhausted by 9

Is it easier to forgive or forget? It is easier for me to forgive.

Is there something that’s recently shocked you? YES! Very much so although it is so personal I don't want to share it. Still coming to terms with it.

Which is harder: walking away from somebody you love or coming back?  Walking away for sure.

What were you doing at midnight last night? Looking at the back of my eye lids

What color are your eyes? Hazel

I Am Done

With Winter that is!

Seriously folks as beautiful as it is. I am in need of the healing sun on my face.

The kids had a great time but we are so tired of the white stuff they don't even ask to go sledding anymore.

Chips Only 100 Calories? YUP! And They Are Actually Good!

I love chips but don't eat them often because once I start I can't stop. A few weeks ago I received Eatrageous a new spin on chips.

There are currently four flavors:

Crunchy Mac and Cheese
Original Sea Salt
Sweet and Smokey BBQ
Wasabi Ranch

My daughter and I ripped Original Sea Salt open first.

What we liked: They are extremely crunchy. I would say roughly about the size and shape of a ziti macaroni.  There is the right amount of salt and crunch to curb that salt snack attack you may be craving.

Next we had a bag of Crunchy Mac and Cheese with us and shared with friends. My girlfriend loved them. She thought they were cheesy and crunchy. Her 12 year old daughter did not like them. She said they had a weird after taste. Neither of us thought so.

The Sweet and Smokey BBQ aren't my favorite and as a BBQ chip fan I thought for sure they would be.

The Wasabi Ranch turned out to be the favorite. I like that little bit of spice bite. It is only a moment but it is there.

100 calorie bags means no guilt. I doubt they would completely remove my occasional craving for greasy chips but than again I don't give into that craving but this I will.

Mr. Clean Is Definitely Our Man For Spring Cleaning #shespeaksup #MrCleanMorePower

We received an awesome package the other day in the mail. It was a beautiful blue box featuring one of our favorite bald guys.

Mr. Clean is definitely a product I have always kept under my sink. What is it about a cabinet full of cleaning products that we love so much?! Spring Cleaning has come early to my home thanks to Mr. Clean Liquid Muscle.

 

What we loved most about this product is....well....hold up; Goddess loved the box and it is still in her room. She has used it as a bed, a play area for her toys, a table for her tea party, a desk and more. 

What I love is the product is that the product not only smells amazing but you use a lot less than usual. This new gel formula has 2.5X more power than past products and the the cool Auto Stop cap gives you just the right amount of product. Less product, means less waste which we will feel in our pocketbooks.

So far I have used Mr. Clean Liquid Muscle diluted in water to wash the floors but I have also used it directly on a sponge to give my wall paper a nice clean rinse while making the room smell fabulous thanks to the smell of Gain!

I plan on getting more of this product, it will be a cabinet staple.  Our next project is getting to all our summer clothes in storage. A once over with a sponge and Mr. Clean Liquid Muscle will ensure that the dust doesn't hit our clothes.

When are you planning your Spring Cleaning.

Goddess and A Horse

Last month Goddess' class graduated from horse camp. This is done through her school which and I am so glad she was able to partake in this wonderful therapy program.

Watching my kids on horses makes me so happy. There is no fear. They look so small up on those animals yet, they have complete confidence.

Oh and who else wears a Baby Phat coat to the horse barn?

In November a horse was spooked while she was on it and it took off with her. A trainer had to catch up and grab the horse but she still gets up in the saddle and enjoys the ride and shows her skills on the obstacle course.

Spring Is Coming And Nat Geo Kids Is Helping Getting Us Bug Ready With A Nat Geo Prize Pack

My daughter Goddess loves all things nature. If you have been reading our posts over time, you would have seen many, many bug photos. Her interest is something we support and make sure that if we see a bug, we safely capture it so that she can study it.

Here she is with a dragon fly from last Summer. She doesn't like spiders but every other insect is fair game.

Goddess couldn't wait to open the Nat Geo Wild Anteater Bug Vac. Look at that face!

Here is our quick video of the book and the fun bug vac with the removable belly bug viewer.

Quick-and-Easy, Toxin-Free Recipes to Replace Your Household Cleaners

Toxic chemicals are found in almost all commercial cleaners—the very products you buy to make your home hygienic and healthy! I am sure you have seen some tutorials on how to easily make some cleaning products that we pay a lot of money for. Why search the internet when you can have them all in a household cleaner cookbook per se?!

Introducing “Homemade Cleaners,” a new book featuring recipes, tips and tricks that will make your home sparkle and remain germ-free—without the dangerous toxins.

“Homemade Cleaners” features over 150 recipes that are all toxin-free, easy, affordable, highly-effective, and kid-friendly. Replace your current all-purpose cleaner with a 1:1 vinegar-and-water solution; for a heavy-duty glass cleaner, mix castile soap with 1 quart water; or for a granite counter cleaner, combine vodka, water, a drop of dish soap and essential oils. Then, just spray and clean!

We have made our list of ingredients that we need to pick up and will get started soon.  I cannot wait to try out these oh so easy recipes! Time to hit the $1.00 store and get some spray bottles. See you there.