Fun Beach Read - Summer with a Star by Merry Farmer

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I adored Summer With A Star by Merry Farmer. It's the perfect summer, beachy read! Warm, romantic, and full of that irresistible beach-town charm that I love in my summer reads.

Tasha has spent twenty years dreaming of one perfect summer at Sand Dollar Point, a beautiful Victorian house on the Maine coast that has lived in her imagination since she was a child and passed it with her family as they stayed in other places close by. When she finally arrives she to finds out that a Hollywood actor Spencer Ellis (Spenc) is settled in and her dream seems ruined until he invites her to share the house with him.

Merry Farmer does such a wonderful job with the setting. You can practically feel the ocean breeze, hear the waves, and smell the salty air. The house itself becomes almost another character with it's coziness, like the open windows, the billowy curtains It's the ideal backdrop for two people who are both trying to figure out what they really want from life. The chemistry between Tasha and Spencer is electric, and their banter, slow burn connection, and eventual heat had me hooked. I loved how the story balances sweetness with real emotion and just the right amount of steam.

What made this book special for me was how genuine it felt. It’s not just a celebrity-meets-ordinary-girl story but two people who see each other clearly when the rest of the world only sees the surface. I found myself rooting for them although Tasha at times annoyed me. Why don't people just communicate?

If you’re looking for a warm, romantic, feel good read with a gorgeous coastal setting, charming characters, and a satisfying dreamy happily-ever-after, Summer with a Star was perfect. I finished it in 2 days and immediately wanted more of this series.

Getting Close to 50? This Book Is A Must ReI ad! Re-Imagine The Second Half Of YOUR Life

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"When you believe that your best years are still ahead of you, you begin to treat yourself like someone worth caring for - because you are. Self care becomes less of a chore and more of a privilege, a daily act of self respect that fuels everything else in your life. It's a mind set that says, I'm not done yet, in fact, my best is yet to come."

(one of my favorite quotes from this book)

How to Reimagine the Second Half of Life: From Midlife Slump to Purposeful Reinvention 

As founder and CEO of Aegis Living, one of America’s most admired senior-living companies, Dwayne J. Clark has spent more than 35 years reimagining what it means to grow older with purpose and wellness. Now, as co-author of The Miracle Morning After 50: A Proven Path to Joy, Vitality and Purpose for Aging Adults (BenBella Books, Dec 16, 2025), with wellness expert Hal Elrod, he turns his deep understanding of longevity and lifestyle into a personal, science-backed blueprint for living vibrantly at every stage. 

You can find out more information on Dwayne Clark at:  https://www.dwaynejclark.com/ 

I am almost done with an Advance Reader Copy of this incredible and yes I mean incredible book by Hal Elrod and Dwayne J. Clark. It is in digital form but I truly need a physical copy as this is something I will be marking up and tabbing pages to go back to daily. 

Never has a book hit so hard for me than this right now. I am in the last year of my 50s or should I say my 60th year of life and I have been making conscious efforts to get the best of the last quarter of my years. The Miracle Morning After 50 has been the perfect companion for where I am right now.

As someone who lost her mother at age 12 I know it is a true privilege to grow older. My mother never got the opportunity and I want to do it with grace and live my best life. 

The Miracle Morning is a life changing practice that has you start the day off on the right foot. You are making yourself a priority and focusing on you!

There are 6 practices that you should do every day and Miracle Morning breaks it into small manageable increments called SAVERS.

Silence  - 5 minutes upon waking

Affirmations - 5 minutes

Visualization - 5 minutes

Exercise - 10 minutes

Reading - 20 minutes

Scribing (journaling) 10 minutes

There is a lot of room for you to decide what this means for you but if needed there are many suggestions depending on where you are in your life. 

There is even an app to help you check things off all 6 parts of the practices. I LOVE it. For the past two days I have been doing the free portion of the app but might ask my husband for the paid version for Christmas. 

This wasn't hard for me to jump into as I do many of these things already. I believe in making conscious efforts to be silent during my day without stimulation. Just me and my thoughts or I pray. While I don't do affirmations per se I am not opposed and enjoy using the app for this adding my own today.  I have never done a vision board but love this idea of visualizing myself being where I want to be in mind and body because I am a firm believer in the mind over body. I do minimal exercise at the moment but do stretch, walk and do breathing exercises but as I get stronger I cannot wait to add light weights. I read over scrolling or TV daily so this is easy and I journal every day. I am all in and can't wait to see how these 6 savers change my life over the course of the month.

There is so much to love about this book and have already suggested it to three people in my life and now I am letting you all know about it. 

Pre-Order Your Christmas Read - The Doc’s Christmas Miracle Plus Advanced Copy Review

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Hallmark Magic Meets Medical Drama in Psychologist’s New Book, The Doc’s Christmas Miracle

 

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 23, 2025 — Bestselling author and forensic psychologist S. A. Stolin delivers a warm and cozy blend of heart, hope and holiday magic in her new release, The Doc’s Christmas Miracle.

 

“Christmas has always struck me as the perfect backdrop for transformation — it’s a season of hope, miracles and rediscovery,” said Stolin, whose background in psychology brings a unique authority to her characters and their relationships.

 

Set in the small town of Crescent Hill, The Doc’s Christmas Miracle combines the charm of a Hallmark holiday romance with the high stakes of a medical drama. When a Christmas Eve snowstorm traps patients and staff inside the local clinic, two dedicated doctors must join forces to save lives — and perhaps open their hearts to second chances. Secrets surface, forgiveness is tested, and the line between science and miracle begins to blur.

 

More than a holiday love story, The Doc’s Christmas Miracle explores resilience, forgiveness and the surprising ways healing can arrive — even in the middle of life’s hardest seasons. Perfect for fans of Hallmark holiday movies, uplifting romances or small-town dramas with heart, Stolin’s latest book is a cozy escape brimming with snow, sparkle and a touch of Christmas magic.

 

“At its core, this story is about healing — not just the patients at the clinic, but the doctors themselves, who are searching for love, forgiveness and second chances,” Stolin added.

 

The Doc’s Christmas Miracle

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Release Date: December 1, 2025

ISBN-13: ‎978-1509262823

Available for pre-order at https://www.amazon.com/Docs-Christmas-Miracle-S-Stolin-ebook/dp/B0FQPH7CSJ  

My Amateur Review

If you are a fan of Christmas romance, second chances, medical drama and a murder mystery this is for you. 

Doctor Moore is a researcher with a controversial memory machine that he is trying to prove can help Alzheimer patients remember the missing pieces of their memory.  Doctor Pace is a Psychiatrist who works at the facility that Dr. Moore was enlisted to try his machine at. 

The two who start off as rivals soon find themselves falling and uncovering long buried secrets that were never meant to be uncovered. 

I loved most of the characters especially the patients. They made the book even more enjoyable.  Their spunkiness had me chuckling. As for Dr. Moore and Dr. Pace. There were times I felt for each of them although as a fan of a slow burn romance I had a difficult time appreciating their journey to each other.  

The mystery was very enjoyable and something I was not expecting when I started reading. I highly recommend! 

About the Author

S. A. Stolin is the bestselling author of Act It Out: 25 Expressive Ways to Heal from Child Abuse and six works of fiction published by respected independent presses. A former actress with credits in television, film and stage, she brings a vivid sense of drama and humanity to her stories. Her upcoming release, The Doc’s Christmas Miracle, launches a new series set at the Sam Heard Clinic, where romance, resilience and healing intertwine.

 

As a licensed psychologist and expert on trauma recovery, Stolin is known for weaving emotional authenticity into her fiction, creating layered characters. Her work has been featured in national magazines, and she has been a guest speaker on overcoming adversity and finding empowerment through creativity. Whether writing about second chances in love, the courage to face the past, or the power of family and friendship, S. A. Stolin believes stories can illuminate the best of who we are — and who we can become.

 

For more information, please visit www.sastolinsky.com.

 

Crispy Fruit Are The Perfect Creepy Treat For My Preschool Class' Goody Bag This Year #crispyfruit #halloweentreats #snacks

Every year I struggle with what kind of sweet treat I can add to my preschool class goody bag but NOT this year.  I am giving them Halloween themed Squishes because they LOVE them, bubbles, pencils and Crispy Fruit in a really cute jack-o-lantern goody bag that I stocked up on two years ago from a discount store after Halloween. 

CrispyFruit by Crispy Green are all-natural go-to snacks made from just one ingredient: 100% pure fruit. They’re crunchy, delicious, portable, and available in handy 4-packs (each with four single servings in one pouch). It’s the guilt-free Halloween hero. They come in 7 delicious varieties like my personal favorite mango, plus apple, pear, tangerine, pineapple, banana and strawberry.

This treat is a favorite for my family and I love that it is allergy free, has no added sugar and no preservatives.  

It is perfect for grab and go, I always have one in my purse or  tote because working two jobs sometimes I only have travel time between to snack on something and this is super easy. 

You can find them in most supermarkets in the produce section and amazon

I cannot wait for Halloween and I know my class are going to love their good bags. 

 

 

Amateur Book Review - Please Tell Me by Mike Omer

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After a year in captivity, a kidnapped child escapes—only to reveal horrific truths that lead her psychologist on a race against time in this thriller from New York Times bestselling author Mike Omer.

When eight-year-old Kathy Stone turns up on the side of the road a year after her abduction, the world awaits her harrowing story. But Kathy doesn’t say a word. Traumatized by her ordeal, she doesn’t speak at all, not even to her own parents.

Child therapist Robin Hart is the only one who’s had success connecting with the girl. Robin has been using play therapy to help Kathy process her memories. But as their work continues, Kathy’s playtime takes a grim turn: a doll stabs another doll, a tiny figurine is chained to a plastic toy couch. All of these horrifying moments, enacted within a Victorian doll house. Every session, another toy dies.

But the most disturbing detail? Kathy seems to be playacting real unsolved murders.

Soon Robin wonders if Kathy not only holds the key to the murders of the past but if she knows something about the murders of the future. Can Robin unlock the secrets in Kathy’s brain and stop a serial killer before he strikes again? Or is Robin’s work with Kathy putting her in the killer’s sights?

Book Review: 

WOAH! I just finished Please Tell Me by Mike Omer, and I’m still reeling! This book had me hooked and I couldn’t put it down. It’s a rollercoaster of a thriller.

We jump right in with 8 year old Kathy a little girl without shoes trying to find her way home and thankfully meeting a stranger who helps. Kathy was kidnapped a year ago from her families home and somehow escaped. So is so traumatized that she can't speak so no one knows what happened to her or what she went through while gone. My heart just broke for her! 

Robin Hart is a child therapist who is hired to help Kathy process everything through play therapy. Not to try to find out what happened to her but to make her feel safe and get back to some sort of normalcy. Things get intense when Kathy starts acting out these creepy, violent scenes with her dolls that seem to connect to real murders. I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out how this little girl knows so much. Was it supernatural? I was excited to find out!

Omar does a great job of writing really relatable characters. Robin is such a heroin, not perfect, she’s got her own baggage (like a messy divorce and a tough relationship with her mom), but she’s so dedicated to helping Kathy, by not pushing and allowing the child to feel safe. The therapy scenes were so fascinating. I learned a lot about how therapists work with kids, and it felt authentic.   It made me root for her even more. Kathy’s mom, Claire, oh man!  Her flashbacks to the abduction had me tearing up. This is a parent's nightmare. 

The suspense in this book was incredible. I kept thinking I had the bad guy figured out, but then there’d be another twist, and I’d be like, “Nope! Wrong again!” The way Omer ties everything together at the end? Total shocker. I didn’t see it coming. I love when a book can surprise me like that. 

The COVID references were a bit heavy-handed but I agree that COVID changed everything and kids during COVID really suffered. 

This is definitely not a light read, so if you’re sensitive to child trauma, psychological trauma, blood and gore maybe check the trigger warnings first.

If you love thrillers that make your heart race pick this one up. 

Amateur Book Review: The Fall Up by Aly Martinez

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I wanted to jump.
He made me fall.

As a celebrity, I lived in the public eye, but somewhere along the way, I’d lost myself in the spotlight.

Until he found me.

Sam Rivers was a gorgeous, tattooed stranger who saved my life with nothing more than a simple conversation.

But we were both standing on that bridge for a reason the night we met. The secrets of our pasts brought us together—and then tore us apart.

Could we find a reason to hold on as life constantly pulled us down?

Or maybe there’s only one direction to go when two people fall in love at rock bottom—up.

My Review:

The Fall Up by Aly Martinez was a rollercoaster from the beginning. A love story with humor and heat. 

Levee, a pop star who’s lost herself in the spotlight, and Sam meet under intense circumstances on a bridge one night. 

Martinez deals with heavy topics like mental health and past trauma with care. There were moments where I was holding my breath during some of their raw, conversations that hit close to home. The tension of each of their demons and the fear of whether they’d make it through kept me reading as much as possible.

Despite the heavy moments the book is uplifting. The chemistry and witty banter between Levee and Sam is what I look for in my romance reads. Levee is relatable and real, a celebrity who’s struggling but so lovable. Their romance is a mix of steamy, sweet, and soulful and I was rooting for them the whole time. Even the secondary characters are great!

The Fall Up had some slow moments but I was invested and love a good story about healing, love, and finding someone who sees the real you, even when you are at rock bottom. 

Amateur Book Review - Rebecca by Adam Nicolai

PURCHASE

A voice is telling Sarah to kill her baby.

It comes to her in fevered snatches of sleep, between her daughter’s cries. It lingers in her mind when she wakes, alone and sad and scared.

She wants to love her baby, but she doesn’t know how. Suffering from her a deadly disconnect with her sexual identity, Sarah doesn’t even know how to love herself.

So the voice torments her. She will suffer. She will weep.

But she will also endure.

Unforgettable and truly unique, Rebecca takes hold of you on the first page and drags you headlong into the hellscape of a tortured young mother’s mind — a journey that will end with unspeakable horror, or the triumph of a mother’s love over darkness.

You’ll love Rebecca because it’s unlike anything you’ve read before.

Review of Rebecca by Adam J. Nicolai

This debut, self published novel by Adam J. Nicolai is a raw, emotionally charged ride that hooked me from the first few pages until the end that completely stressed me out with the  jaw dropping final scene. 

NOTE: There are some heavy themes (teen pregnancy, emerging sexuality, and the pressure of religious expectations). 

Sarah grew up in a strictly religious household who is struggling with her identity as a lesbian.  She believed that the pregnancy would “fix” her. 

The religious elements capture the judgment and guilt imposed by Sarah’s church and family. Every sermon feels and is directed at her "sin." Sarah feels alone and scared which is written perfectly. You feel all of it.

Sarah appears to be dealing with postpartum depression and has unsettling suspicions about her newborn daughter. Rebecca. Nicolai's writing kept me questioning everything. 

The standout, though, is the final fight scene that without giving spoilers was  heart-pounding and left me breathless. I stopped reading three times to catch my breath. It’s the kind of scene that sticks with you.

If you’re up for a read that’ll stress you out (in a good way!) and leave you thinking, this is it. 

Book Review: The Truth About Butterflies by Nancy Stephan

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Nancy Stephan’s The Truth About Butterflies is a heartfelt memoir chronicling the life and loss of her dear daughter Nicole. As a mother of a daughter I love to the moon and back I found myself ugly crying more than once. Stephan blends medical insight with raw emotion, sharing her journey of resilience, faith, and hope. The butterfly metaphor beautifully captures her transformation through struggle and something her daughter had profoundly mentioned at the age of 6. “This flesh in which we live is nothing more than a cocoon, and only when we step out of it do we truly begin to live.” 

I loved this book for its authenticity and warmth as well as the candid reflections of Nancy’s childhood and learning all about Nicole. 

My heart aches for this mother and daughter and all they endured. 

The Truth About Butterflies is an uplifting read for anyone facing adversity or seeking hope. It’s a testament to the human spirit and the love of a mother. 

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summer Journaling Bliss with Pen Heaven ✍️ #SummerJournaling #PenHeaven

Capture the warmth of summer in every word! Whether you’re sketching sunsets, jotting down travel adventures, or reflecting under starry skies, our premium pens and journals at Pen Heaven elevate your journaling experience.

✨ Why Journal This Summer?

•  Preserve memories from beach days to mountain hikes.

•  Unleash creativity with vibrant inks and smooth-writing fountain pens.

•  Find calm in the art of putting pen to paper.

Discover the curated collection of lightweight journals and pens perfect for on-the-go inspiration. From sleek rollerballs to colorful gel pens, we’ve got your summer vibe covered.

📝 Pro Tip: Try the leather-bound journals paired with a Kaweco Classic Sport fountain pen for that perfect summer aesthetic.

Now for their Sunshine Stationery

Pen Heaven Presents the Honey Yellow Collection

With warmer days on the horizon, luxury gift emporium Pen Heaven introduces its captivating honey yellow stationery collection.

Reminiscent of sunflower fields, golden sunshine, and the rich tones of natural honey, this delightful shade injects a dose of warmth and positivity into everyday writing experiences.

Honey yellow isn't just a pretty colour; it's a mood-enhancer that radiates optimism, creativity, and vitality. In a world where many of us spend our days in front of screens, these golden-hued items offer a welcome connection to nature's warmth and the energetic promise of summer.

"The warm yellow tone of sunflower honey combined with fine golden accents brings both warmth and sophistication to your writing experience," explains David Cole of Pen Heaven. "It's the perfect antidote to the digital fatigue many of us experience, inviting a return to the tactile pleasure of putting pen to paper."

I’m loving the Jacques Herbin D Collection Ink, £11 / $14 USD

I used it with three different pens including the Kaweco Collection Sport Honey Fountain Pen, £26 / $33 USD which I felt didn’t allow me to write as well as I usually feel I can with a fountain pen. I believe it takes a lot of practice to write with one but use the often.

The orange ink is really light so I gave it a real test using another new, never used glass fountain pen from a set my son gave me this past Mother’s Day. It was still light but I could see it better. The orange blob is because I didn’t know if I should blot before starting with the glass pen. After that I used my tried and true. The orange ink is definitely darker but that’s because I had used red in the last time I used this fountain. 

I can’t wait to use this ink and pen more in my summer journaling.  

Shop now at Pen Heaven and make every moment a masterpiece!

#SummerJournaling #PenHeaven

Book Review: Forsaken by Andrew Van Wey - This Is A Must Read! #bookreview

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Wow!!!! A piece of art! I loved it. Andrew Van Wey’s Forsaken: A Novel of Art, Evil, and Insanity is a chilling psychological horror.

One hell of a debut novel by a very talented author. This story follows Dan Rineheart, an art professor whose life is seemingly perfect. He has a loving family and a tenure-track position at a university but it all unravels when a mysterious, grotesque painting arrives at the university. 

What begins as curiosity spirals into an obsession, pulling Dan into a nightmare of sinister children, eerie phenomena, and a haunting painting that seems alive.

Author Van Wey’s strength is  in his vivid, immersive writing. I had to read out loud at times to literally hear the words. They are grotesquely poetic. The last three chapters were read out in their entirety. I was mesmerized and needed to not only see them but hear them. 

I cannot praise the detailed prose enough. It brought  life with unsettling atmospheric horror into the story like my favorite early Stephen King or Clive Barker books. 

As a huge fan of the first-person perspective which immerses you in Dan’s unraveling psyche, making his flaws and fears completely relatable, even as the story veers into the surreal and paranormal. The painting itself, is described as a “disturbing work of grotesque perfection,” is a standout element, its ever-changing nature amplifying the creeping dread. 

Fans of 80s horror will appreciate the nod to the classic horror feel of dark humor with a modern psychological edge.

I was completely aware of the storyline by chapter three but Forsaken never disappointed me. From start to finish I loved it and couldn’t put it down. Its pace was perfect dealing out the storyline in steady increments before accelerating the horror. 

Even though it’s a lengthy book I never felt it was too long because of the shifts in perspective and twisted plot.

Forsaken shines as a character-driven horror novel that lingers long after the final page, perfect for readers who crave a blend of mystery, paranormal chills, and psychological depth. 

5 out of 5 for me! 

Nonnas Movie Review: A Heartwarming Ode to Family, Food, and Healing

Nonnas, is a heartfelt movie starring Vince Vaughn and Joe Manganiello that serves up Nonna like portions of nostalgia, love, and Italian comfort food.  Inspired by the true story of Joe Scaravella’s Enoteca Maria restaurant in Staten Island it is a love letter to family traditions and the power of shared meals. I loved it and teared up four times in the first 20 minutes as I reminisced about family dinners at my your grandma’s table. This movie perfectly captures the family essence of many families but especially Italian family life.

Nonnas follows Joe Scaravella (Vince Vaughn), a man dealing with grief after losing his mother and grandmother, who were the heart of his Italian-American family’s kitchen. Wanting to honor their memory, Joe starts making their recipes from memory and giving his food to his friends and coworkers as he tries to capture the love cooks give when people enjoy their food as well as the love they put into it. He sees a restaurant for sale and uses his mother’s inheritance to open Enoteca Maria, a restaurant staffed by Italian grandmothersor “nonnas” as the Italian’s call them each bringing their regional recipes and personalities to the table. The film weaves Joe’s journey of healing, the nonnas’ rediscovery of purpose, and the rekindling of old connections, coupled with a bowl of steaming pasta and warm, familial chaos.

The opening scene really resonated with me and paint a vivid picture of Joe’s childhood, filled with bustling family gatherings and his nonna’s “Sunday gravy.” These montages, featuring close ups in delicious sensory detail like fresh zeppole and hand-cut tagliatelle, just speak of the longing for the comfort of home like the dinners we all miss at our grandma’s table. The movie transitions from adorable memories of Joe’s childhood to Joe’s lonely present at his mother’s funeral, setting the stage for a story about “feeding your grief” through food and community.

The movie’s greatest strength is tapping  into the ache for lost loved ones and simpler times. The nonnas—played by Susan Sarandon (Gia), Lorraine Bracco (Roberta), Talia Shire (Teresa), and Brenda Vaccaro (Antonella)—are the soul of the film. I loved their scenes. Their chemistry is electric, from the bickering over Bologna versus Sicily recipes or sharing a tipsy limoncello.  I was really moved by the scene, where they toast to “living our lives very well,”. Tears streaming down my face it felt like a hug that nourished my soul and celebrated the wisdom and vitality of older women often overlooked in cinema.

Vince Vaughn’s Joe was a quiet, authentic portrayal of grief and hope. His sincerity grounds the film, making Joe’s mission to recreate his family’s table relatable to anyone who’s ever longed for connection. The cast also included my favorite Joe Manganiello as Joe’s supportive friend Bruno. 

The food itself is almost a character, with yummy visuals of gnocchi, capuzzelle, and cannoli that left me hungry and nostalgic. table”).

While Nonnas was wonderful to me in its quiet beauty others it predictable and lacked depth. There was also a romance between Joe and an old flame Olivia that while sweet, lacked the spark to fully captivate. But I don’t agree with the critics who wanted more backstory or more of Joe and Olivia. For me it was about Joe wanting, starting the restaurant, the setbacks and ultimately the success.

Nonnas captures how food ties us to our roots, much like your memories of gathering around the table. The film’s message, “Food is love,” resonates deeply, as Joe and the nonnas transform grief into a celebration of heritage. 

Nonnas is a feel-good film that delivered a warm, nostalgic tribute to family, food, and resilience and I can’t wait to watch it again. 

Family Fun Game - Flickin' Chicken

Flickin' Chicken is fun and easy to bring with you anywhere. My son and I loved playing it today despite the freezing temps.

How to play: Players take turns flicking their rubber chicken at a target disc that's been thrown into the open. The target disc has a bonus spot on one side and a penalty spot on the other. Players try to land any part of their chicken on the target in as few flicks as possible. The player with the lowest score after nine rounds wins. We LOVED IT!

BTW I kicked his butt! Purchase

Black Friday Deal - Fun Family Game - Cornhole Shootout

 To Purchase

The 411:

Spent a cold Saturday playing Cornhole Shootout with my son and had the best time.

Thankfully the rules made it easy for us to score as two who honestly had terrible aim or maybe it was our coats getting in the way.

Look at all these pieces

You get points many different ways. Staying on the board, getting the beanbag in the hoop, the hole or both. 21 points and the winner was HIM! Damn it.

We found it fun!

He was off his game system and feeling competitive even without being on his Xbox and I was happy to spend time with him. 

The only problem we had was the set up. It took my daughter and I about 40 minutes to put the two boards together. It could have been the instructions or the fact that there were a few poles that were tagged incorrectly. It could also be that the diagram instructions mentioned letter E poles but there were no letter Es in the bunch or in the included in descriptions. We were confused and almost gave up until we looked at the box and used critical thinking skills to put it together. 

Now that we have done it once it will be much easier the next time. It was summer or I had more space in the house I would leave them together so we could play whenever we want but there is a duffle bag to store all the pieces which means you can take them anywhere or leave it in your trunk for the next time you head to friends, the park or the beach. 

Well worth the hassle of figuring out how to put it together. 

Highest Honor in the Toy Industry     Cornhole Shootout ($79.99 for 2-4 players ages 6+), the action game that combines two of the most popular played sports into one recreational competition, has now gained one of the most prestigious nominations in the toy industry.   David Beker, president of ABetter Design Company, makers of Cornhole Shootout, said, “It’s amazing to be recognized by the Toy Association. It’s very satisfying to be acknowledged for all the hard work, painstaking details, and effort that went into the design, manufacturing and marketing that makes Cornhole Shootout such an excellent product. All of us at ABetter Design Company could not be prouder about this nomination. This is like the Academy Awards for toys.”   As a finalist in the T.O.T.Y. Outdoor Product Category, Cornhole Shootout will be highlighted and celebrated at events and exhibits as one of the top toys of the year while awaiting the T.O.T.Y. awards ceremony, held during the Toy Industry’s International Toy Fair in New York City, February 28-March 4, 2025.   The first thought for the product was the brainstorm of inventor Martin Lombardini. He pitched it to Matt Nuccio, president of Design Edge, Inc., the family owned and operated Long Island, NY-based toy invention company, who then brought the idea to ABetter Design Company. The concept was developed eagerly by Beker and his team, along with Design Edge, and the product quickly entered the manufacturing process. In less than nine months, Cornhole Shootout went from idea to widespread availability. In that brief time, Cornhole Shootout has been heralded by toy testers, parenting organizations and critics for its innovation, durability, portability and play value. The game has prominent listing and prime ranking from its surging Amazon sales. Cornhole Shootout was recently named a 2024 Toy Insider Winner and earned the Mom’s Choice Gold Award, National Parenting Publications of America (NAPPA) Seal of Approval, and 2024 Top Product Honor from Family Choice... and now T.O.T.Y. Finalist!   How to play Cornhole Shootout   To play Cornhole Shootout, the setup is like traditional cornhole, and each team has four beanbags, with two players per team taking turns tossing them. However, in Cornhole Shootout players can take aim and can choose to shoot into elevated hoops that are strategically placed on the cornhole-style board. Points are earned by landing beanbags on different targets, with 1 point for staying on the platform, 2 for the hoop, 3 for the hole, and 5 for both. The game ends when one team reaches exactly 21 points, and points cancel out if both teams score in the same round. With precision and teamwork, teams can dominate the court and the board in a cool new twist on classic games.   Beker explained, “With the backboard, we added a small margin of error for higher scoring and younger players to have success playing the game.”   Cornhole Shootout is assembled from fitting lightweight PVC pipes and stretching durable nylon canvases. The game includes two game boards, two basketball hoop structures, and eight bean bags (four red, four blue). After the game, the product is easily dismantled and can be stored for portability in the included canvas tote to be brought to the next BBQ, yard game event or beach party.   History of Success ABetter Design Company knows a little about successful takes on active play. The company also markets Bank-A-Ball, the world’s most advanced trickshot basketball set. Bank-A-Ball ($29.99 for ages 4+) is the adjustable angle basketball backboard and rim that hooks atop a standard-sized door to turn any room into a playground. Bank-A-Ball is not a regular mini hoop. Bank-A-Ball is a sturdy, 6-position segmented backboard with a 7-position spring-loaded adjustable, collapsible rim. It revolutionizes the trickshot possibilities with a whole new angle(s). Two new additions to the ABetter Design product line will be introduced in Spring 2025.