Good Times At The Castle

My daughter had a blast at a birthday party for a friend. I wish I had my camera with me instead of the iPhone so I could have gotten better photos.

Goddess is holding the flag for Jester's at the Castle

Oh my baby in the stocks!

She is my knight in shining armor.

 My little princess!

Pet Rescue

My sister in law's pooch is truly a family pet and at times needs to be left inside while the kids are playing outside. Look at the stress on that face. She really wants to run into the pool and save the kids from drowning but she doesn't realize they are just running and playing. Such a good pup but replacing one pool lining was enough for my sister in law who now just puts her inside when she seems over anxious.

OMG! My Baby Heads To The Middle School #nomorebabies #wherehasthetimegone

How is it even possible? I am so excited for her but so sad for me. What happened to my little baby girl who only yesterday put on her blue Tinkerbell backpack and spent her first day away from her mama?

Looking For New Music? Check Out My Friend Jami McGraw's Latest

Remember back when you were a kid and felt you had the whole world at your fingertips? I am still trying to learn how to be headstrong and leave my heart out of it.

While on his You Tube Channel be sure to check out Quietly

How I Get Through My Day

This may look like a product review but it is not!

My job at the Middle School requires me to spend 3 hours outside and with the weather being hot and humid these days I need a few items to get me through my day.

First - SUN BLOCK! I am never without it. This happens after working for a dermatologist for years. I saw way too much skin cancer and sun damage to ever think of going without block.

Second - WATER!! I hydrate often. It's not hard for me as water is my favorite drink. Drink, Drink, Pee Pee you don't want a damn IV is what I always think in my head as I stand under that sun.

Third - The biggest hat I could find. I know it looks black and I wish it was but it is navy blue.

Fourth - An ice pack! I wear this thing every day on the small of my back. It doesn't keep me as cool as I would like but it is better then nothing.

Fifth - Coffee! At the end of my day if I don't get coffee I am exhausted. It is only a 3 hour a day job but I am out of the house for 8 hours and three of them are standing in the sun.

I would love to know what you need to get through your day. Let me know below!

Add These To Your Need To Read List!

There will never be enough days in my life to read all the books on my Need To Read List.

I love reading and constantly find books I want to read. Here are the books I finished this weekend.

The 411 by Maria:

Two ex best friends find themselves needing to count on each other in this quick paced murder, mystery drama.

The lights go out at a lavish birthday party for Ariel. When they are turned back on Ariel is missing, bodies lie bleeding on the floor and all party goers find themselves hostage to a terrorist group.

While chaos is going on around them, Ariel watches from her hiding place and Sera is the only one who knows where she could possibly be. I loved how each chapter was in the voice of either Ariel or Sera.

This is a great book and while I am unsure of the genre classification (YA), it is about teenagers and there is a rock star romance brewing but there is also a whole lot of death and blood. While I thought the book was excellent it is not something I would want my kids to read until they are in college only due to the violence to teens. However, if your kid likes this kind of thing, go for it just know that it is violent. I however, thought it was very well written, quick paced and intriguing and at times I was nervous.  LOVED IT!

Great Summer Read!  

The 411 by Maria

Intense and heartbreaking story of a little girl dying with leukemia and the different ways her parents are coping or not!

I had to remind myself that this author is writing fiction even though there are so many non-fiction stories that are probably, unfortunately very close to this.

What happens when a doctor cannot save his own daughter? Well, he gives her whatever she could possibly ask for even telling her that he will be with her in Heaven.

This is not a story about a dying girl. We fortunately don't cry our eyes out because the author chooses to give us sad, intense details about a child about to die. This is a story from the parents position. It is gut wrenching and very real! The characters either drinking too much, crying, yelling, and fighting through their grief was wonderfully written.

This is truly a wonderful book. I loved Simon and my heart hurt for him and how much he loved his little girl.

Who wouldn't wish to be there for their child even after the end!?

The ending was beautiful and unexpected. Wonderful way to give the reader peace.

The Forgotten Pharaoh by Laura DeLuca - REVIEW

The 411 by Maria:

Imagine you find out that the 4,500 year old mystery surrounding a pharaoh named of Djedefre has something to do with you. This is exactly what happens to Julie Gerber as she reluctantly joins her archaeologist parents on a dig.  Lucky for this teen she finds herself between two handsome boys. Flynn the Brit and son of her parents colleague and sexy Omar, the wealthy young man who is funding this dig. 

Julie is a likeable character that teens and adults will enjoy reading about AND the sexual tension, history, romance, murder, mystery and even Vampires doesn't hurt either! 

This was a fantastic journey that had me in the dark until the last few chapters. 

Wonderful YA Paranormal book for this Summer. 

Laser Tag Is Vividly Fun

Goddess had the best time at a friend's birthday party. A few kids stayed until the end and were rewarded with some extra fun when mom and dad decided to add Laser tag to their daughter's already fun party.
I asked them all to stop after the game was over for a group shot. Because of the lightening and the setting I needed them to all stand perfectly still. Not easy after you just raced through shooting each other but it turned out good anyway.

Would love to have a whole room done like this.

Enjoy a Moment with Special K Today #3BiteMoment #GotItFree

Come on we all need a little treat now and then. Special K Moments have become my house's go to treat!

Special K Moments™ Indulgent Snack Bites are 3 bites big but 70 calories small, making them the perfect way to indulge without overdoing it. 

Have you guys tried Special K Special Moments? Oh my gosh folks, these are GOOD!

See Goddess try them at 4:54

Currently there are two flavors but I am hopeful that Special K will be coming out with more.

You can get these little yummy, delicious snacks at supermarkets everywhere.

• Special K Moments™ Caramel Pretzel Bliss bars
• Special K Moments™ Dreamy Coconut bars

Since trying these out, I have already purchased three bags of them because Goddess wants one every day for snack at school.

We don't have a favorite because we love the coconut in the Dreamy Coconut Bars and we love the pretzel pieces in the Caramel Pretzel Bliss Bars.

Everyone we have given samples to reports that they also have had to buy more since trying them out. WIN! WIN!

It Only Took 7 1/2 Months But She Did It!!!!!!!! #parenting

I guess we will be getting our first pet since having kids. 

The end of December Goddess asked for a pet in front of Teach. He said you are not getting a pet until you sleep in your bed for 60 days. I turned to her and said "take him up on that challenge. Prove him wrong."  

She left the room and came back with a chart that had 60 boxes on it and a fish at the bottom.  Challenge on!

She was only able to check off the chart when she woke in her own bed NOT OURS.

Well, here we are in June and I WILL be taking her to pick out a fish over the weekend. 

Yes, we could have made her wait until she was able to do the challenge consecutively for 60 days but she wouldn't have a fish until she moves out at this rate. We are just proud that she stuck to the chart, kept it on her wall, checking it off and not forgetting it EVER.

Photos of Beta Fish coming soon. 

Come See Some C's On Alphabe-Thursday

 Here is a piece of candy Goddess asked me to take a picture of because it was the most beautiful candy she had ever seen. She got it in her Easter basket and only took a small piece every time she ate it.

We are obsessed with Tart Cherry Juice. I love cherries! My husband had heard that cherries are a natural anti inflammatory and since we are both working out he decided to give it a try. We take a shot a day. Not sure if it is working yet but I do love the flavor.

Goddess wanted that black and white cat so bad! She kept asking but it was never in my budget. I eventually told her how much it cost. Only %5.99. She emptied her piggy bank and purchased it right away. It comes with us wherever we go these days. Here she is sharing her breakfast with it.

Crazy! Yes she is and that is why I adore her. She really wanted these balloons one day a few weeks back. "Please mom, can we have two. One for me and one for Handsome?" I gave in and they have followed us around the house for three weeks. One even getting caught in the fan one day which required about 10 minutes to get the string undone. They are finally on their way into the garbage since they only hover about 5 inches off the floor now. Goddess cut a big hole in the bottom of one and wanted a photo before tossing it.

The elementary school concert was so fun. This was the first one that Goddess actually sang. I could actually see her instead of looking at the top of her head while she looked at the floor trying to disappear. Not sure if it was because of her friend who stood with her or just her own maturity but whatever. I will take it.

After riding in a friends convertible last month (my fifth time) I really, really want one. It was freezing. I couldn't see but it was awesome.

Our Newest Toy! Sphero #Sphero #smarttoy - GREAT FATHER'S DAY GIFT!

Ooooohhhh we are having some fun with our newest little guy. Meet our new robot Sphero.

Here is some information from the company.

Key Messages

·         Sphero is the world’s first robotic ball that kids age 8+ can control from their smartphone or tablet. Sphero can drive in any direction, turn on a dime, flip in the air, change colors and more!

·         Sphero melds the virtual world with reality, letting kids engage with technology like never before.  Sphero provides hands-on, open-ended play for hours of fun and learning.  

·         Sphero rolls a speedy 7 feet per second and pairs to your mobile device via Bluetooth. Sphero is pet proof, waterproof, and ready for any adventure your kids can dream of.

·         With over 30 free apps, kids can play independently or with friends and family.  Steer Sphero through homemade obstacle courses, turn your living room into a video game with augmented reality, or upgrade family game night with action-packed, multiplayer entertainment.

·         Don’t forget your Nubby! Protect your Sphero against the elements with custom Nubby Covers. Not only do Nubby Covers protect against scratches and scuffs, they also give you unbeatable traction. Nubby covers are available in four unique hues. You can find Nubby Covers on GoSphero.com for $14.99

 

The 411: We are completely in love with our little Spero. The kids and I have gotten pretty good at controlling Sphero and take him everywhere. It is like having a toy, a game and a pet with you wherever you go. 

This is my favorite Goddess and Sphero video. Goddess thinks it is hysterical.


What we love most: 

• Sphero is a robot 
• Sphero is fun and easy to use
• There are so many games to play alone or with friends
• Everywhere we go, it's like we are the Pied Piper. Kids follow the ball, laughing. It is so funny to watch how they gravitate to it. 
• Cats and dogs will love playing with Sphero.  I can't wait until I can try this out with someone who has a cat. 
• You can change Sphero to whatever color you want. 
• My kids LOVE it. 
• In an electronic world kids aren't playing with toys as long as when I was a kid. This combines two of kids favorite toys. Your cell phone and a toy. All you need is a Blue Tooth connection.
• The apps are easy and fun.
• Charging doesn't take long and you get about an hour of fun time.
• Controlling Sphero is easy to learn. You can have him moving within 1 minute of setting him up.
• This is a great gift for techie fans, robot fans, gadget fans and electronic fans.

Funky Birthday Party Fun

Goddess and I were at the most fun birthday this weekend. It was four hours of child heaven. There was pizza, soda, cake, bowling, arcade, laser tag, ballocity, and go carts. She had an amazing time and I got some really fun photos.

This was the side of a Terminator video game. Loved the texture on that gun

Goddess was dying to win a multicolored slinky. So we played a lot of games. This was one of them.

While waiting for her to finish a game I noticed this really fun sign. Thankfully she didn't notice this sugar filled section.

Could the rug be any more fun? Perfect flooring for the Castle Fun Center

This car was just decoration but I loved all that RED