"The Man in the High Castle" from Amazon Prime video

This is my new favorite series to watch, unfortunately my husband and I have been binge watching and we are almost done with season 2 (there are only 2 seasons so far).  The Man in the High Castle is a fantastic series set back to the years following World War II....only in this story the United States did not win the war.  

It's 1962, America has lost WWII; the east is the Greater Nazi Reich and the west, the Japanese Pacific States. Amidst this oppression there is new hope - films that seem to show a different world. When her sister gives her a film and is then murdered, a woman comes to believe the films hold the key to freedom and becomes obsessed with finding their mysterious guardian, The Man in the High Castle.

The mix of history with a fantastic tale of the U.S. being split into two with the east  ruled by the Nazis and the west ruled by Japan along with some fabulous characters and plot twists makes for a wonderful binge watching series.

For those of you that have Amazon Prime, I highly recommend you take advantage of your membership and check it out. For those of you that don't have Amazon Prime...what are you waiting for?  This tv show alone is worth the annual membership fee and you get so much more with prime products with free 2 day shipping, free music and free tv shows and movies. 

Check out the links below for a free Amazon Prime trial and to see the official trailer for "The Man in the High Castle" :

Try Amazon Prime 30-day Free Trial

The Man in the High Castle - Official Trailer

The Man in the High Castle Season 2 - Official Trailer 

Super Mom!

I just read a blog about Christmas being a mother's holiday because typically it is the mom that goes rushing around making sure the family has a nice Christmas. The mom does the gift shopping after listening and researching what the kids and family would like, sending out Christmas cards, decorating, planning the family get together, meal planning and cooking, gift wrapping etc etc. I am grateful to have a husband that at least helps me gift wrap and this post is in no way to bash all the dad's out there, but just stop and think how much a mom does for the holiday. 

Now, stop and think how much a mom does throughout the entire year....every year! It's not just Christmas. I, among many other mommies out there, work full-time job as well as being a mother.

Being a mom is a full-time job in itself and here is a brief list of my job description:

• Prepare all meals throughout the day....every day
• Make sure kid wakes up, eats, gets dressed, goes pee, brushes teeth then style kid's hair (repeat every step to kid about 5 times before it actually gets done)
• Pack lunches for the day
• Bring kid to school
• Go to full-time job that actually pays me to work all day
• Be prepared to leave work when school calls about your sick kid
• Rush to get out of work, deal with traffic and pick kid up from school
• Make sure kid has homework done
• Prepare dinner and make sure kid eats
• Chauffeur - Bring kid to extracurricular activity (about 3 days per week for my kid) and then pick up from extracurricular activity
• Make sure all bills are paid on time
• In charge of any play dates and sleep overs
• Party planning (includes kids birthdays, husband birthdays and my own birthdays as well as ALL holidays throughout the year)
• Family photographer
• Home decor throughout the year
• Clean house 
• Laundry
• Pull out weeds in flower beds outside
• Attend any school functions throughout the year
• Family scheduler: in charge of husband's schedule, kid's schedule and my own schedule and have it memorized in order to plan all events throughout the day and throughout the year including doctor visits such as dentist and pediatrician
• Family vacation planner
• Plan for child care when both parents have to work or want a night out together

This is just a brief list of all things mom. Now think about everything involved in doing each task listed above along with dealing with some minor mental breakdowns throughout the day.

I do appreciate my husband helping me out when I have to work later. He helps pick up our daughter from school or bring her to her dance class on his day off. He also does help with grocery shopping, cleaning up around the house and every once in while makes dinner, which I appreciate so much. But when you stop and think how much a typical mom does throughout the day, every day of the year, it is jaw dropping. Being a mom is a super power. So the next time someone asks, why mother's day is such a big deal....go ahead and make a list! 

This holiday season, I would like to acknowledge all the mom's that make the holidays possible. We not only make holidays possible... we make every day possible!

Let's hear it for the Super Moms!

Here's to another year of doing everything all over again!

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

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Oh, The Places You'll Go! Gift Ideas

Now that we will be entering the second half of the school year, I would like to share a very special gift idea for parents and for a special teacher. I am very fond of Dr Seuss books and all the fun rhyming that goes with them. I came across these ideas a few years ago on Pinterest. The first is the Oh, the Places You'll Go! book by Dr. Seuss.

A gift for parents to pass on to their high school graduates: Purchase the Oh, the Places You'll Go! book by Dr. Seuss and every year (without your child knowing) bring it to your child's teacher to sign and write a little note to them. When your child graduates high school it becomes the perfect gift with the greatest of memories and sentimental value.

Click on my Amazon affiliate link: OH, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss 

Here is a little note to go along with the book when bringing it to your child's teacher:

 A gift for your child's teacher at the end of the year or during Teacher Appreciation Week:

 Just  write your family signature on the bottom with a date and put it into a nice frame. It's a perfect gift for those extra special teachers that make a difference.

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#18 MBTV Fun with Musical.ly

Attention Parents! Stop Doing Your Kids School Projects!

 

To The Parents

As the mom of a 4th grade student, throughout the years I have seen parents helping far too much with their kid's school projects. I know we all want our kids to do well in school, but sometimes it takes getting a D or a C to learn how to develop the skills to produce A+ work. 

In the past I probably have been guilty of over stepping in some of my daughter's school projects as well, but this year I am taking a stand. With project after project and my busy work schedule, my daughter is on her own. I don't have time to work on school projects and have limited time to even offer any guidance.

I understand that my daughter will probably be producing C work this year, but hopefully as she learns and gains more independence I will be raising a self-reliant individual who will grow to be a strong, responsible adult. After all, our role as parents is to raise our children to not need us as adults.

To the parents that just can't help themselves in overstepping and taking over school projects....YOU ARE NOT HELPING and I can't stand it when my daughter who turns in average 4th grader work is compared to a student that is turning in work produced by a 30-40 year old adult! STOP IT! Do you really want to raise your kids to still be living with you when they are 30?

The Maddie and Mom Puberty Talk

This subject is never easy to talk about. It is uncomfortable and awkward and I think is the dreaded conversation of every parent. I started this conversation with Madison when she was about 9 years old. I didn't want her to end up feeling the way I felt when this subject came up for me in about the 5th grade...at school. Everybody knows the puberty talk at school... usually in 5th grade. The teachers separate the girls from the boys and the puberty class begins. Before this day in school I don't remember ever learning anything about puberty before. I don't remember my mom ever having this talk with me. Needless to say, I was horrified!

Oh the horror! I was going to grow hair where??? I was going to bleed from where??? Every month! My life is over! I was sick to my stomach in class. I broke out into a cold sweat. Oh no, I am getting light headed now. I could hear my heart POUNDING!  I had to raise my hand to let my teacher know I wasn't feeling well. I seriously thought I might vomit right there in class! She put me at a desk in the back of the room where I could put my head down and rest. Taking deep breaths with a cold wash cloth on my head...I had to try to calm myself down.

This is not how I wanted Madison to feel. I wanted her to hear the information from me. I wanted her to feel comfortable and let her know that this is something you just get used to and it is really not a big deal. A friend of mine recommended an American Girl Doll book called The Care and Keeping of You. I had never heard of it, but I knew Madison loves American Girl Doll so I gave it a try.

We read this book every night before bed. Madison loved having me read this book to her and it led to a lot of bonding conversations. It also led to a lot of questions she had that I could answer right there and then. Madison enjoyed this book so much, I went ahead and ordered and read The Care and Keeping of You Part 2.

So, for all the moms out there with girls that will be approaching puberty within the next couple of years....it is not as bad as you think. Have the conversation now. Get it over with and just be ready to answer any questions they may have honestly.

The first book is perfect for girls ages 8-10 and the second book is more detailed for girls ages 10-12. Enjoy this reading time with your girls. These books cover everything about puberty except for the topic of sex. I am not ready for that one. Sex is the next dreaded conversation!

Parents of boys...never fear. There are books for you too!

Just check out my affiliate links on my home page.

Preventing Lice!

Preventing Lice!

According to  www.licesquad.com/resources/articles/head-lice-prevention/


How to Prevent Head Lice:


1. Keep long hair tied up in ponytails or even better, braids or a bun.


2. Use a little hairspray to keep stray hairs contained.


3. Use tea tree oil either by adding a few drops to your regular shampoo, or by making a spritz by adding a few drops to water in a spray bottle.


With school in full swing, I use the Fairy Tales Repel Conditioning Spray for Madison's hair every morning. This product has tea tree oil and other natural oils and ingredients in it to prevent lice and it is made in the USA! We have been very lucky that she has never gotten lice. I have heard nightmare stories about lice and with all of my daughter's hair, I truly believe I would just have to shave her head. As an extra precaution and as a great hair detangler spray I try to use this in her hair as much as possible. Fairy Tales also has a ton of different hair products including shampoo, conditioner, and even styling products such as hairspray and hair gel. Check out the affiliate link on my home page for more information or click on the Amazon link below:


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Best Gift This Year!

Virtual Reality Goggles!

OK, so other than getting my 10 year old a smart phone for her birthday, we also got these really cool VIGICA VR goggles. Experiencing the VR videos through your smart phone is a lot of fun. You just have to get the goggles and then download the video apps on google play that you want to watch and let the fun begin. 

Madison loves these goggles and it is a hit at sleepovers. This would make a great inexpensive Christmas or birthday gift for someone that already has a smart phone. I believe the cost is about $20.

Check out the affiliate link on my blogger home page or click on the link in the article.

Kids that make you LOL!

Kids are funny, especially toddlers. I know my own daughter has been cracking me up ever since she started talking. I know they can be very difficult. There are the terrible two's and the even worse three's, but in all the chaos that is toddlerhood you have to love the funny moments and just enjoy them. Here are some funny moments, many of which come from my own daughter, Madison:

1. When Joey was little I was going through the car wash with him on a mild winter day and he asked me why we were getting the car washed in winter. So I told him what all the salt on the roads does to cars and how it's got to be washed off every time you can. So he sat back and said out loud to no one in particular, "hmmm I wonder what the pepper does". 

(Joey, age 5 - CT)

2. A couple months ago, I gave Mateo the lint from the lint trap in the dryer. He said..."mom, it's so soft, it feels like a chicken!" I burst out laughing and thought to myself...cuz u know what a chicken feels like??? LOL (Mateo, age 4 - FL)

3. My dad was visiting from out of state so my daughter was just getting to know him at the time. We all just got back from an outing at the beach and after walking back into the house, my daughter points at her grandfather and then points at the door and says "You....Out!"  (Madison, age 2 - FL)

4. My husband came in the house after mowing the lawn with his discolored shoes on. Madison said "Oh no, daddy, you peed on your shoes!"....LOL (Madison, age 2.5 - FL)

5. For those of you that don't know...Publix is one of the biggest grocery food store chains in the state of Florida. So my daughter knew exactly what Publix was and at the time she was learning to say the pledge of allegiance in preschool and she was doing so good, but this is what she said: "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the PUBLIX for which it stands...." (Madison, age 3 - FL)

6. When my girls were toddlers...and honestly until I corrected it because it was SOOOOOO CUTE.... they used to say, " TAG CARROT!!!" instead of " tag, you're it!"

(Sarah and Rachel, age 3 - FL)

7.  We were having a typical family dinner of trout, rice and veggies. My daughter has eaten all she's wanted and all that remained was a sliver of fish on here plate. She looked at us and proclaimed "I don't want anymore lizard." We all looked at her plate and it sure did look like a lizard. We still laugh about this even though it's been 17 years.

(Keren, age 3 - FL)

8. I did all the laundry in the house and my son said "you did all this?" While looking at all the folded clothes I was putting away and I said "yes I did" and then he said "wow that's impressive!!!"(Jacob, age 6 - FL)

9. When my boys were 4 and 5, we were living in NY and it was the time of year when it gets a little cool in the afternoon, I went outside called to them to come in and put a jacket on because it was getting cold. "We're not cold" was the response. I repeated the fact that it was getting cold and I wanted them to put jackets on, again; "we're not cold". As a last resort (and standing outside myself for the past 15 minutes), I told them "it's cold, I'm cold, come in and put jackets on", to which my older son exclaimed, "we're not cold, if you're cold go back in the house, but we're not cold." (Brandon and Doug, age 5 and 4 - NY)

10. When my son was tiny, his daycare teacher was pregnant with her 1st child. She was elated and shared the news with all the kids. When I picked him up from school and I asked him how his day was, he excitedly said "Miss Ashley is going to have a baby mommy, she's permanent!" (Aidan, age 3 - FL)

11.  We took a trip to Walmart and my daughter's dad took her past the registers as I was checking out. Next thing I know, I hear my daughter running towards the exit yelling "HELP ME HELP ME HELP ME" as her dad is chasing her. To the strangers eye, it looked as if someone was trying to abduct her. The looks he got. 😂😂 I ran over there, handed him my groceries and picked her up under my arm like a football and stormed out of the store.

(Aniya age 2.5 - FL)

12. My daughter had to answer some questions about mom on a worksheet at school for Mother's Day. One of the questions was "When does mom look the prettiest?". Her answer was: "when she wears makeup, A LOT of makeup". (Madison, age 5 - FL)

I hope you all enjoyed a good chuckle reading these parenting experiences. Along with all the mood swings and tantrums we really need to stop and enjoy the funny moments that are all worth it.

 I would also like to give a great big thank you to all the parents that shared there LOL moments with me and made this post possible.

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Is Santa Real?

Is Santa Real?

Back in 2012, I came across a blog at http://www.cozi.com/blog/the-truth-about-santa/  which had a letter written to a child that wanted to know the truth about Santa. I knew that this would one day come for my daughter as well. Madison was about 6 years old at the time so I printed out the letter and tucked it away for safe keeping.

A few months ago, my soon to be 10 year old daughter, started asking me for the truth about Santa. I tried to change the subject, but she just wouldn't let it go. She was really adamant about me telling her the truth. Of course she had heard other kids at school talking about Santa not being real, but she wanted to hear it from me. "Tell me the truth, mommy, or else I will never believe you again!". She was really getting upset with me. So, I told her the truth.

Madison actually took it really well. She started laughing, "so that is why daddy is getting fat...he eats all the cookies I leave out". Madison likes to be a comedian. It was very funny at the time even though it's not true. My husband is a gorgeous manly man!

I remembered the letter I saved. Lucky for me, I remembered where I put it.  I rewrote it just a little with some of my own words. My husband and I gave it to her later that day. Here is a copy:

Hi Madison,

So now you know there is no Santa. Daddy and I fill your stocking, choose and wrap the presents under the tree, the same way our parents did for us.

 We imagine you will someday do this for your children, and I know you will love seeing them run to the tree on Christmas morning. You will love seeing them sit under the tree with their small faces lit with Christmas lights.

This won’t make you Santa though.

 

Santa is bigger than any person, and his work has gone on longer than any of us have lived. What he does is simple, but it is powerful. He teaches children how to have belief in something they can’t see or touch.

           

It’s a big job, and it’s an important one. Throughout your life, you will need this capacity to believe: in yourself, in your friends, in your talents and in your family. You’ll also need to believe in things you can’t measure or even hold in your hand. Here, I am talking about love, that great power that will light your life from the inside out, even during its darkest, coldest moments.

             

Santa is a teacher, and daddy and I have been his students, and now you know the secret of how he gets down all those chimneys and into homes on Christmas Eve: he has help from all the people whose hearts he’s filled with joy.

             

With full hearts, people like daddy and I take our turns helping Santa do a job that would otherwise be impossible.

           

Santa is love and magic and hope and happiness. Daddy and I are on his team, and now you are too.

           

We love you and always will.

Mommy and Daddy

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