Tic Stac Toe Is Way More Challenging Then Tic Tac Toe

TIC STAC TOE is the refreshing reinvention of tic-tac-toe that takes the concept and revolutionizes it by expanding the board to four in a row and adding a third dimension to the game play.  The result is a game that is familiar and simple, but quickly escalates into an intense match of wits demanding focus and careful planning as the pieces stack up.

Just when you thought you had Tic Tac Toe all figured out Tic Stac Toe changes everything. My daughter and I have played at least 3 games a day for the past week and love it!!!!! My 25 year old niece visited from California and loved it. She was playing my 10 year old daughter and kept telling me, "this is harder then it looks" because my daughter was kicking her butt. I think it's because it is no longer three in a row it is four and you can go up, across, diagonal, vertical, horizontal and because you are going up you sometimes don't realize how many ways the other person can win until it is too late. You seriously need to be on your game. 

Who knew Tic Tac Toe could be such a challenge? 

TIC STAC TOE has won The Creative Child Award, The Tillywig Toy Award, The Parents' Choice Award and the hearts and minds of millions!  It is available at Toys-R-Us, Walmart and other fine retailers.

She always wants to build a tower after our last game.

With over 75 ways to win there will no longer be any tie games!

My Babies Were Santa's Little Helpers This Christmas And Most Days

My kids and my second daughter (Goddess' best friend) are such good kids.They participate in so many ways that they don't even realize.

We send all their stuffed animals they no longer want to a children's home every year. They bag up their clothes that they have grown out of and give it to friends who could use it. I personally love this because sometimes I get to see their clothes on the kids in photos and it makes me so happy.

Around Christmas time we do a little more. They always say Merry Christmas to strangers at the supermarket, diner, or on the sidewalk around the holidays. This was started by my son about four years ago. I loved that he did it when we were leaving the supermarket one day. I thought...wow that is something I used to do now with the kids I am distracted and busy so I forget. Ever since that day we do it. It think it is so special that my son thought enough to do this. Now we talk about the fact that not everyone has family or special people to be with during the holidays so we try to be extra nice to others especially around this time of year. This year I asked my daughter to make a list of some things she wanted to do.

The kids also love picking angels off the tree at the post office. My kids have been angels in the past (we all have hard times) and it is something I did before the kids and something I love doing with them. They enjoy picking things out for the kids they choose off the tree.

We always deliver at least three bags to the food pantry during this time of year. We have used the food pantry in the past and I love that I can give back.

This year my son and I headed into town with a few boxes of gifts for a children's party that was happening at a church. It was all new things and it is one of the ways I can give back as a blogger. If I receive things they kids will not use, or win a blogger giveaway I keep the items in a box and hold them until Christmas time. We never had as much as we did this year. The three big boxes were of course happily accepted at the Children's Party. It is a great cause. The children from a special program in the surrounding towns get to attend a party where they will have breakfast with Santa, get gifts, do crafts, bake a cookie, and shop and wrap for their family members. I was able to donate a lot of toys, phone cases, books, DVDs and headphones this year. It makes me feel good knowing that while I can't support these causes monetarily I can donate the things I receive thanks to my blog.  I think my children are seeing what my parents showed me and my sisters. We didn't always have everything we wanted but we had everything we needed. My parents were big donators and volunteers. My sisters and I do the same. Hopefully my kids carry it on and pass this onto their kids too. We all  have to help each other because you never know when you may need help too.

We hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas. We will talk to you soon!

Time For Some Wine!!!!

Moscato is my favorite wine so that is the one I will be opening on Christmas Eve saving the red for dinner with family on Christmas Day. 

So far, 3 homes have been award and if you head over to the Heroicred website you can see how many bottles have sold and how many more need to be sold for another home. 

Favorite Book Of The Year For Me Was Once Upon A Zombie

The 411:

From the first few pages I was completely engrossed in this story. It is Alice in Wonderland meets Edward Scissor Hands, Meets, The Walking Dead! I LOVED every moment of it and wish I could give a book to everyone I know.

This mashup story has all your favorites from Sleepy Beauty, Snow White,  Peter Pan, Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk, The Big Bad Wolf, Rapunzel, The Frog Prince, literally everyone is showing up in this page turner.

There have been zombie sightings all over the world as Caitlin and her little sister Natalie move to their new home in London with their Dad. Things suddenly change for Caitlin when she receives a note from her new school friend Jack to meet at a cemetery. However it was NOT Jack who sent it to her.  Caitlin ends up on the cemetery where Lewis Carroll is buried. A book lover she is of course in awe until her little sister shows up followed by a hand rising up from the ground. A bone white, pretty, long nailed, girl hand that belongs to a girl with very, very long hair who quickly explains that certain buried "story tellers" are actually gateways into wormholes that bridge that allows for space/time continuum. 

Natalie is obviously more adventurous and starts sliding down the dead girls long locks into the gaping pit the girl had just come out of. Caitlin follows her and the world they know will never be the same.

I loved all the literary tie ins and the pop culture additions. It was a fun, fun read that I can't wait to read again only this time with my daughter.

It is a great book for ages 10+

AND...I only just noticed as I was grabbing the link to the book's website that there are dolls!!!! Hello...I  had no idea! This would have been a great Christmas gift for my daughter. There is still time!!!

The Teddybear That Empowers Our Children

Keeping my kids unplugged means a lot to me. I think there is so much that kids are missing out on due to their being plugged into every gadget. Remember a time when it was discussed that TV rots the brain because it kept kids glued to it.  My family called it the "idiot box". The "idiot box is the least of our worries these days as more and more kids are glued to their phones, iPads, iPods, computers and game systems.  My kids don't have a phone or iPad type things yet but they do have computers and like many kids You Tube has become their personal TV. They can find something on anything that comes to their mind. It is a scary world and forget patience. They get instant satisfaction with the internet. Dream it up and you will find it. It is amazing what you can find on the internet if you know how to Google. BUT...this comes with it's draw backs too.  

Kids also feel less powerful. They make everyone else the rock star but cease to do amazing things for themselves. On this little screen your child holds in your hands, the "Stars" of You Tube are making millions while you child watches and re-watches their videos. Whatever they are doing. Drawing, unboxing, singing, dancing, gaming...whatever it is..your child is watching and thinks that person is amazing but your child doesn't see how amazing they are. When I say your I mean mine! I mean everyone. 

My kids along with so many other kids in this country think the people they watch on You Tube are incredible and I am sure they are however...our kids sit around waiting for these people to post their next video...well...I think it is time we show our kids they are the amazing person. They are the rock star. They are the one to be like which is why I support BuppaLaPaloo

The 411 by Maria:

BuppaLaPaloo came in all her white glory and hearts (one each on her front paws, two on her checks and the big red one on her heart. My first thought was to  present it to my daughter because it looked so feminine and soft. BUT the day BuppaLaPaloo arrive my son came home from school suspended. My son is a spectrum kid and this suspension was going to be a big deal (I will eventually write about it). It was going to require a manifestation meeting (more on that later) and more! My son was devastated, felt terrible, worried about me, (I work in the school) and worried about the unknown (what would this mean when his father heard, when his classmates heard, when everyone heard?)  He was completely drained and I felt terrible for him and me!

I pressed BappaLaPaloo's right hand and rerecorded a message to him.  I gave him the bear and pressed the paw so he could hear the message. I also pressed the left paw which has other self motivating, positive messages recorded. He loved it and has slept with it every night. In fact, it is sitting on his bed right now which is where I snapped this photo.

My Handsome went through a difficult time with this suspension but it brought us closer. He is a different boy and so am I. I learned a lot through his suspension, it was definitely an eye opener.  Thankfully He loves this bear and holds him close. Hopefully he finds comfort with it when he needs it most. As a child on the autistic spectrum he will need all the reassurance he can get at times in his life.   BappaLaPaloo will be around as long as he needs it.

 

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Mary's Secret Ingrediants - The Winter Box

This month we received the Mary's Secret Ingredient Winter Box. It had so many amazing items in there and NO lie...I tried the best crackers and energy bar I have ever had in my life.


Mary's Secret Ingredient is a subscription box that is sent out seasonally and is the brain child of  Mary Frances of Love-The Secret Ingredient.

Here is a peek inside the Winter box:

Michel et Augustin's Cookie Squares which have a touch of sea salt. They are incredible. My daughter and I devoured them within two days. It was like a shortbread cookie with a little pool of chocolate. YUMMMMM.

The Laiki Black Rice Crackers and Red Rice Crackers are by far my absolute favorite cracker ever and they only contain three ingredients.  

The Loacker Rose of the Dolomites in White and Dark Chocolate are amazing. Nice and creamy and delicious. Perfect for when you need that chocolate fix!

The Nutraw Pistachio Energy Bar was so good I need to order a box of them immediately. It was the best bar I  have ever had. Moist and full of texture. Delicious.

Raw Spice Bar Winter Herb Blend was used to make my Sunday Roaster. It smells amazing. So many fragrant spices came together to make one super smelling blend.

 

Just Cooked Foods Herbed Coffee Rub has a lovely coffee aroma mixed with oregano, cumin and chipotle. I haven't used this yet but I am planning on using it on my pulled pork recipe in the crock pot.

Stocking Stuffer - Foot Beautification - DREAM WALK EXPRESS PEDI-FOOT SMOOTHER

The 411 by Maria:

Here is what I can tell you. I have never ever in my whole life had nice feet. I get it from my mother I guess. I remember my father rubbing moisturizer into the bottom of her feet all the time. They had a special foot towel and a special cream. While they watched TV he would put moisturizer on feet but it didn't make a difference. My feet are the same. No amount of moisturizer makes a real long term difference in my feet. They will always have rough dry areas that embarrass me.  I hate wearing sandals in the Summer. That doesn't mean I don't wear them. I am all about comfort so I wear them but the back of my heels I pray no one ever looks at. ]

When I got the DreamWalk Express Pedi Foot Smoother I was enticed to say the least. It claims to buff away dry, rough skin leaving softer, smoother skin. Sounds great but I was afraid.

The Dream Walk has no blades that removes the skin but it had like a nail file, sanding thing that rotates and removes the dry patches. I thought for sure it would hurt my foot. It took me a day to try it. I kept spinning it and looking at it. Finally I put a finger to it. Nothing! No pain what-so-ever. I put it to my toe and nothing. It is literally like using a nail file to your nails. There was a ton of white stuff coming off the smoother which I originally thought was skin. It isn't! It is the file. You know when you file your nail? It's the same thing.

I have used this four times and I can literally tell you that I enjoy it and especially when I can talk a kid into doing it for me. I just close my eyes and let them work the smoother over my foot.

You have to press a little and IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE. My feet feel so much smoother when I am done.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants nice, smooth feet.

Some Of The Best Cookie's I Ever Tasted

Just the name alone makes me happy! Love cookie! We all love cookies. Who doesn't and Love Cookie will definitely please even the pickiest cookie connoisseur!

We received the Love Cookie line and I can tell you, not a single soul was disappointed.  Everyone had  favorite. 

I reluctantly shared with my co-workers (two separate companies), a friend and family and my kids and everyone raved and asked for more. My co-workers told me they wanted to sample every flavor and they would be happy to write their thoughts down for me. 

They are so good that there was a box I ate all by myself except for two I gave to the security guard at my kids school when I walked in to pick them up. For your information that was the Almond Toffee Crunch. Oh man they are good!