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Pandora

Some friends headed to Disney this week and needed a rat sitter for their sweeties. My daughter was more than happy to help out. Pandora and Link are so cute and we couldn't wait to play with them much to my husband's dismay. He threatened glue traps a few times and while I warned him they were in the room did go in a few times to say goodnight to Goddess which I didn't think he would. I was proud of him. He sees rats as sewer dwellers, not pets.

I love that she loves all animals. They may not be a great pet for everyone but we think they are adorable. 

Aren't they cute?!

Meet The Bobs and Tweets by Pepper Springfield

The 411:

Over the summer I reviewed this book and now I have been given the honor of hosting a giveaway.

The entire time I was reading it I felt like I was reading a satire Dr. Seuss book so the description of Dr. Seuss meets Captain Underpants is perfect.

The Bobs are all messy except for one (Bob 7 named Dean) and The Tweets are all clean except for one (Tweet 7 named Lou). When they are tossed together there will surely be mayhem especially when the Bob's dog Chopper and The Tweets cat Pretty Kitty get in the mix.

The book kept my attention in the beginning but every once in a while it didn't read out loud well because the rhyme would drop off but it is a decent read and with a Lexile of 550, it isn't a bad summer book for kids within the range. 

Whitefern by V.C. Andrews

The 411 by Maria:

Ghostwriter for V.C. Andrews book 2 of the My Sweet Audrina Series finishes up the story of Audrina and her beautiful sister Sylvia in true VC Andrews fashion with Death, Deception and Devotion. Although TRUE Diehard VC Andrews fans do not love the book I think it is fine if you don't read too much into it. Yes, there are many inconsistencies from the first especially with Sylvia and forget Arden. How could a man change so much? UGH..and although I was able to figure out the ending less than midway through the book, it definitely kept my attention.  Audrina's love for her father and sister, her trust in the people around her at times made me want to scream open your eyes Audrina but alas the horrors of Whitefern would eventually free her of her current prison. I would love to read a new book with Audrina running her father's company with a new awareness of the many deceptions and the webs people will weave for their own gain but I know it will only be in my head as this was the last one of the series. 

Lessons For The Future Have To Happen Now

Monday morning I dropped my 11 year old Goddess off at the bus for a two night/three day school trip. I did not want to send her but she begged. All her friends were going, all her friends told me they would take care of her and I found out which teachers were going on the trip and felt comfortable so I sent her. I know these things are great for her and also know she will create memories to last her a lifetime but in my head I want my baby with me.  So, like any good mom I let her go, I can't hold her too tight or she will flee the nest the moment she can. Allowing our children to grow up isn't easy for some of us.

At the bus there were people like me, there were also people who were like BYE...can't believe it is only two nights and then there are a bunch of the middle ground. I found Goddess' friends, we put her bag on the bus. I took some photos and with these three it is difficult. None of them want to pose for a camera. I basically stand there shouting out all three names and shoot hoping for at least one. My now 11 year old is very much the tween and has no time for this.

I adore their awkwardness. They are adorable. She was loving the fact she is going with her friends. She is a very independent girl. HOWEVER....

When she returns she will be grounded. Not because she went on a school trip but because she didn't follow the instructions her parents set forth before she left.

The kids were told they could call home using their cells between the hours of 4:30 - 5:15. It was the first day and while she doesn't have a phone I am friends with the teachers who were on the trip. She was asked if she wanted to call home and said, "my mom is working."  Hmm...the kid has zero concept of time. She doesn't know 4:30 means we would all be home. I get out at 2 and pick her up from school at 2:30 but at 11 she still has no idea how time works.  The teacher was sweet enough to send me a photo of the girls after they had showered waiting to go to dinner

and I mentioned how upset I was that I hadn't heard from her which is when I got that story. She told me that she would have her call about 8:15ish when they were done with some activity. Sounded great. Her dad was annoyed she hadn't called and said this shows lack of responsibility and she would not be going on another trip.

SO.....8:15 comes, 8:30 I get a sweet text from the teacher who said, "Sorry, she doesn't want to call, she is having fun with her friends and I will have her call tomorrow." I thanked the teacher but in my head I thought, What!? Goddess was too busy to call home? Her father was annoyed, I was  pissed!!! We paid $279 for her to go to this trip but there were rules and she has no time for a few moments to tell us she is OK?! Well...I never!

She did call last night. She doesn't do go phone. It was a horrible call. I couldn't get through to her. She was ignoring everything saying she couldn't hear me but the teacher told me she could hear me fine. Most of the time it was me screaming her name and saying HELLO! UGH!

Anyway...when she gets home, after she tells me how much fun she had, I will inform her that she is grounded until Monday and that she will not be going on another overnight never mind two nights anytime soon. This lesson is not for my 11 year old Goddess, it is for my 18+ Goddess who will eventually be borrowing the car and needs to learn when Mom and Dad say you are to call home we mean it.  These lessons need to happen now NOT when she is 18!

Parenting is HARD sometimes.

Stormy Goes To School

My daughter loves her Guinea Pig and this month received a new Monster High School House which came with some great furniture. This cafeteria table must of looked like Stormy would like to sit on it because I found these little gems on my phone this week.  Finding photos Goddess takes without my knowledge always makes me smile.

 

Our Stormy Is Ready For Halloween

Yesterday we headed to Petsmart after school to pick up some hay for our guinea pig Stormy. While there we checked out the baby guinea pigs and although I think they are adorable we don't have the space for another cage and Stormy's is just too small. It would be cruel. So instead we found a Halloween Costume section for guinea pigs. Who knew they even had these? Obviously not me! There was a spider, a pumpkin, a bumble bee and a devil. Goddess and Handsome were both devils for their first Halloween so why not Stormy?

Sunday Is Grandparent's Day - Send Something From Gourmet Gift Baskets

Here are just two of the baskets my grandparents would love!

The cheesecake was truly amazing. I received a Chocolate Lover's Sample Pack with 8 slices.

I shared with some friends who stopped by and we LOVED it!!!!

We stopped by Grandma and Grandpa last month and brought them the Housewarming Gift Italian 

They don't cook a lot anymore in their late 90s but this was stuff that was simple for them and they even gave me the Basil Pesto Sauce (Oh Maria take this, Grandpa doesn't like pesto), which has become my favorite addition to everything. Whenever I am about to bread something I add it to my egg wash!

So...don't forget your grandparents this Sunday! They will love you know matter what you send even if it is a card or simply a phone call but why not send them a care package from Gourmet Gift Baskets, you may even get something out of it. 

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The Max Tumbler Radio Control Car Should Be On Your Gift List This Year

The Echo Max Rumbler is a cool looking ground vehicle that can deliver a dozen jaw-dropping stunts and tricks.

My Review:

The Max Rumbler is super cool. Definitely the best radio control car ever. It gets itself out of every nook and cranny and rights itself without you having to go over to it. This futuristic design is definitely a game changer in the world of remote control cars. 

My kids think the fact that it flips and spins and they never have to get up to fix it is MAJOR reason you will love this car.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary product for my review. I did not receive any compensation nor am I employed by this company. All opinions are my own.

 

 

 

Goddess Cracks Me Up But The Eye Doctor Not So Much

After seeing my eye doctor for 14 years he finally retired (SOB) I knew it would happen and as I get older I am sure this will happen more and more but I was hoping he would be my eye doctor until the end of time. Last night I headed in for Goddess' appointment (the poor kid has my eyes) and met the new doctor. She is really nice but it was the end of the day and she was probably tired. My Goddess' is a funny funny girl. She makes me laugh out loud at least 15 times a day. However, I am her mother and find her amazing. So....fast foward to her sitting in the eye doc chair. She is a flippant kind of kid, witty and sarcastic. The doctor has been working since maybe 9, 10, 11? I have no idea. It is 7:45 PM. My kids reluctantly takes off her glasses and shyly answers questions. She is she until you want her to perform.

The eye doc asks her to cover an eye, easy enough. She asks her to read the chart.

The first line...no problem.
The second line..."ummm I can't" Doc says "you can. Try!" She does.
Third line...she again says she can't but doc insists..she starts "R (it's a K), L (it was) something, something and something". I smile. I am use to this. At the beach when she takes off her glasses she waves at me and says, "hi, tan blur".

The doc is looking at me and I am smiling. I get it. She wants me to say something. She is looking at me like I am the lifeguard and she just swam to far. So she patiently asks Goddess, "Is this better, or this?" flipping the glass frames in her machine. Goddess has no idea. again..."this? or this?   Goddess...says "I don't know."  Doctor is looking at me. I ask, "can you see?" Goddess says, they look the same. "The doctor says, "Okay that is an answer." We do the this or this thing about 5 times. I tell Goddess this happens to me at the eye doctor too. "Blink and step away from the machine then try again." We get a lot of "I can't see, it is too bright, I don't know and they are the same."

After adjusting and the doing the eye chart again, the doctor asks Goddess to read the lines. R, L, blurry dot, squiggly dot, and something. I laugh. The doctor is looking at me. She is not laughing. She is trying to be very nice. She is tired. I am a long time patient but new to her but she really wants to end this. I can tell. My daughter is hysterical to me but to a tired doctor she is annoying. So, I clear my throat and ask some questions of Goddess. Eventually we get the verdict. Goddess' needs new glasses. We knew this already but wasn't sure how much her vision had changed. It changed a lot!!!! She went from a 3 to  4. For every line 20/20 2/30 2/40 and so on, you go up by 25 points. She is up by 100 based on the lines she couldn't read from 20/20. So...new glasses here we come. She loves her frames so we are just changing the lenses.

Moral of this story...leave the humor for the morning. Doctors who are tired make me feel silly. I still think she is funny but will hold my laughing for the car ride home.