Time Island Online Is Safe & Fun For Kids !

In My Honest Opinon:


We started playing Time Island 3 weeks ago through a Mom Select campaign. We wanted to know the game before we shared it with our friends. Last Friday I took my laptop and we headed to our weekly Cub Scout meeting. With 12 Wolfs and their parents and Den Leaders in attendance (boy were age 7-9) my son and I handed out some wrist bands, stickers and tattoos courtesy of Time Island and Mommy Parties. We told them about this survival game online and let each on create a profile

While the parents played a a game of Monkey Says, Monkey Do and Safari Tag (a game they are quite familiar with) and Jungle Animal Freeze each kid took a turn creating their online profile. 

Once our profiles were created, we gathered around the computer as I explained the best way to play Time Island. For the best experience you need to have a membership but so far we are playing without and my kids like it.
There are three separate places to log into when you first enter. We always go into the first one.  

Kids can create a home base for their character, furnish it, play games, interact with each other, go to each other's hut and work together to survive on the island.

The boys so far love the sounds
The parents like that it is about survival

While we don't know a lot about the game yet and are all working on it and getting back and forth to each other through Facebook we like that the boys seem to enjoy the games and exploring the island.

If you have a child who loves learning new computer games, here is one you can feel safe knowing will keep them busy and is safe

Goddess on her way to Cub Scout meeting. She wanted to attend this one with her brother.

Ugh...School Is Going To Be The Death of Me!

Yesterday I got a call from the school 10 minutes after dismissal.
"Ms. Fernandez, your son is here in the office waiting for you to pick him up."
"Uhhh what..no..he takes the bus. I told him he MIGHT be a walker today but I am not near the school."
"Ok, he thought he was a walker today."
"No! Did the buses leave already?"
"Yes, we could try to call them back though!"
"No! I will be right there."

All I kept thinking was, Goddess is on the bus and Handsome is at the school. UGH! Thankfully, Teach was home and I raced downstairs to let him know he would have to go to the bus stop as I was flying out the door. He raced out the door with me because of my frantic mode but I told him he had another 10 minutes.

The whole ride all I kept thinking was, what is she thinking on the bus without her brother. Is she nervous? Does she think she made a mistake? Does she think something happened to him? Then, I thought about Handsome. What he scared? Did he feel bad when everyone was signed out in the gym and he was left there to be led to the office? Did he think something happened? AND thank God Teach was there and I didn't have to scramble to find someone to get him or her!

When I got to the school he said, "mommy" and came running to me. I asked "What happened?" They said, "he said he was a walker."

"Fine but why was he listened too! He takes the bus unless I call or send a note. That is your rule! There was no call and I didn't send a note!" They said they would talk to the teacher!

While my blood pressure was up and I was frantic, I know it could have been so much worse. The kids seemed fine and Goddess was so excited to have daddy surprise her at the bus stop!

Damn school!

Moral of this story! Don't say anything to the kids about possibly picking them up and don't put much faith in their teachers. They are just people and MAKE mistakes.

Water For Elephants - On DVD on My Anniversary November 1st

In My Personal Opinion:
WELL where should I start. First, I would put Robert Pattinson's name before Reese but if you are a reader of my blog, you know I love my Pattinson!

As someone who has never read Water for Elephants (and I know there are many who did), I loved it!

We start with an older man standing in a parking lot. He is asked if he is with the nursing home and taken in until someone can find out where he comes from. He explains he was looking for the circus and starts telling his story....I loved the voice narration of the older Jacob actor and the younger Jacob blending until we are in flashback...

Rob's character, Jacob has a loving mother and father who never let their son see how bad the depression was. When they are killed in a car accident, he learns that the bank owns his house. His loving parents mortgaged their home to finance Jacob's education at Cornell. He is so close to graduating and getting his veterinary license but never finishes. He has nothing, his parents are gone and so is his home! He heads out unsure where he is going. A train goes by and he jumps on. Close to being beaten and roughed up he is taken under the wing of a circus worker who promises him work if he can hack it.

He is introduced to August the Ring Leader and owner of Benzini Brothers Circus. Christoph Waltz does a fantastic job as the damaged, egotistical, violent ring leader.Jacob passes himself off as a vet and tells August that Ringling Brothers has their own. August hates Ringling Brothers as a struggling circus. Jacob is told he will have a job if he can save the prized, top horse who is ridden by August's wife, Marlena (Reese).  When the horse is put down, Rosie the elephant is purchased.  This gentle giant and Rob steal the show for me.

Jacob and Marlena fall in love, it would be hard for her not to, she is constantly thrown at him by her husband. Jacob is the opposite of August. August uses force and Jacob uses gentleness.

The scenes are brilliantly lit to create a depressive sideshow feel. You are praying for August to suffer and for Marlena to get away from him. The scenes of two victims thrown from the train were hard not because of the graphic nature but because of the characters. There were also moments of violence toward Rosie that were hard to watch too! The movie made me want to read the book. It is something I will be picking up if I don't have it on my preloaded Kindle (thanks Susan, you are the bestest).

You will love this movie even if you are not a Pattinson fan but if you are, you will savor every moment. I can't wait to watch it again!

LeapPad Educates More Than Just The Kids House Party

What you are looking at, are two happy kids and a load of Leap Frog products from Leap Frog courtesy of a campaign through Mom Select. 

The Products received were:

LEARNING TABLET

TAG READING SYSTEM

TAG

World Map

Our party was this past week and here are the results!

The LeapPad Learning Tablet is the kids favorite for sure. They love it!

Goddess -  loves that it has a camera for photos and videos. "I like the video camera and that I can take pictures like you. The coloring programs are fun too!"

Handsome - loves the writing apps "I made a book about me with pictures and everything. It was cool."

Maria/Mom -  I love that you can download apps right onto the tablet and keep track of what the kids are doing through a LeapFrog Connect program I have on my computer. Really cool. Once the kids play with something, I can connect it to the computer and see what they played with, how they did and what their favorites are.

Tag Reading System is super amazing. We love how easy and versatile it is. Depending on the child and their skill level, they can have the page read to them, sounded out to them, or if they get stuck on a word they can hit the word. Each page is interactive. There are many sound effects for all pages.

Handsome - "Each page makes a sound. It is something my classroom would like. Can I take it to school?"

Maria/Mom - I love the versatility and how the Tag System can be used with each child differently.

Goddess - "I just like it. I feel like I can read a whole book"

Tag World Map is just WOW! This was the product the moms were really impressed with. They liked how large it was. Were surprised it two sides and the price of $19.99 really made them happy. We spent a lot of time playing against each other at my house party. As an adult, I'll admit I don't know a lot about Geography. I can honestly tell you, I no longer have to say that. This a great product and I personally think this is something every household should have.

We used this map for Handsome's class work the other day. As we were going over some geography vocabulary words, I pulled out the map and have used it three times since for his homework. Got to love a product that teaches. To use this product, you need the Tag Learning System.

Shanghai Mystery - Vengeance Wears Red and Dark Black Shades!

In My Honest Opinion:

15 minutes in and I am loving the camera angles. The Director really plays with angles to elicit a feeling and I love that! Her dead husband appearing in his glasses, the flashbacks in the elevator, the many mirrors to show the many faces of Meili, etc.

When we meet Meili or Shanghai Red as she tells her client, she appears to be an uptight, first time prostitute. We suddenly find out that her discomfort is based on revenge. Her husband was murdered and although not a killer, wants to avenge his death. She feels her greed was the cause and she suffers between guilt and tradition. What's a woman to do? She puts on a red suit, black glasses and lipstick and begins living two separate lives.

The movie toggles between Meili talking to interrogators in prison, her mother and her son and her life.  It also moves between English and subtitles which I really liked.

Things really start to move when she meets Michael, a corporate "facilitator" played by Richard Burgi (from Desperate Housewives).  Vivian Wu does a wonderful job of playing the hurt confused, and desperate wife and mother and the sensual unsure woman on the verge of falling in love against her will.  The only negative thought I have about this movie is that I knew who had her husband killed 13 minutes in and who had done it a bit after but it was a good movie nonetheless.

My heart broke for Meili when she realized her role in her husband's death. I was left to wonder if she ever gets out of prison. Part of me hopes she did!

Royal Wedding of A LifeTime - DVD Review

In My Honest Opinion:

I must begin with, I am thrilled to be able to review this. As a mega Princess Diana fan, watching her boys grow up and now having Prince William get married makes me feel happy and sad at the same time. First, I feel so sad that she is not here to see this. Also, I feel very old knowing watching these boys grow up and now be mature enough for marriage.

The DVD starts out with a brief history of the boys growing up and how Diana exposed them to the "real world" and not behind castle walls. We than get to hear how Kate grew up and footage of Kate acting in a school play, being proposed to by someone called William. Very sweet.

We then hear about Prince Williams teenage years and the craze of fans he had to deal with. When he decided to go to Saint Andrews University so he could take charge of his own life, he met Kate! Fate perhaps.

There seems to be many paths that lead them to each other. They were taking the same courses, were bedding in the same ward and had a lot of the same friends. William and Kate became friends very quickly and had a lot in common but they were both involved with other people.

When Kate eventually did a stint as a cat walk model, strutting her stuff on stage with William watching he saw her in a whole new light according to the video.  They eventually became roommates with others and their relationship blossomed.

When Kate and William became engaged, the press swarmed Kate. This was terribly hard for the couple, this was hard for William because he always felt that the press killed his mother.  Eventually Kate and William broke up!

Kate being the modern woman she is, decided to go out on the town and showed him what he was missing! He eventually decided that she was the one. He loved and trusted her and the engagement was back on.

We get to see many interviews and people who knew them well along with the couple as they discuss their life. They are modern royalty and work and live like everyone else other than his background, Wils is pretty much a normal guy.

Kate and Wiliam's wedding coverage is simply amazing. This is what many girls dream of. Kate got her prince and we pray they will have an never ending love story!

I loved the coverage of the wedding. The food, the footman, the flowers, the ring, the meal, the cake, the dress, the horse and carriage. WOW! I watched Diana marry Charles and truly loved watching this young couple wed. It felt strange and I am sure many thought I was but I wanted to watch the whole wedding.

This is a wonderful compilation of the relationship of Kate and William and I can't wait to see their first born. Crazy I know but I can't help it. Part of me will always feel like they are my boys. I loved their mother so much. I am sure many feel the same.

Beautiful Night Time Or Anytime Story - "I Believe In You" by Mariannne Richmond

In My Honest Opinion:

This is my third book by Marianne Richmond, my first being If I Could Keep You Little (my review here) and the second being The Night Night Book (review here)

We are big fans of Ms. Richmond and read her books often. The kids book shelves are over stocked but they often pull these at night. 

In I Believe In You a child is told that no matter what, you will have the power to:

Find new friends if a friend is unkind.

Believe in true beauty and never question your looks

Believe in your courage when you are scared at night

Tell the truth even when it may be hard

and more....

All great messages from a parent to their child. Messages of love that children NEED to hear from the people who love them.

I highly recommend Marianne Richmond's books. They are full of colorful pictures and quick messages that hold your child's attention.

When I asked 6 years old Goddess what she liked, she said: I like how you hold me when you read and your voice. Awww...

When I asked 8 years old Handsome what he liked, he said: The pictures!

There you have it, out of the mouths of my babies. These are books that will be on our book shelves long after the "baby books" are gone!

Borrowing Abby Grace Book 1: The Shadow by Kelly Green

I just finished reading an ARC of Borrowing Abby Grace by Kelly Green, the 1st in a series of 3 books.

Yesterday, I was sent the first few pages and couldn't wait to get the rest!

When we meet Abby she is waking up in a van, with her hands duct taped and two hooded people in the front. She doesn't know how she got there and can't remember anything past this moment. She escapes by the skin of her teeth and eventually is returned home, or to a place she is told is her home. Her father is happy to see her and she finds out she has a brother who was also kidnapped and the police are still looking for him. She tells the police what she remembers and eventually heads upstairs searching for her room. The things in the bedroom aren't familiar to hers and the girl in the photos has blonde hair while hers is dark.  She is confused until she meets Wilhelm or Will as he tells her to call him in her room.

Will tells her that she USED to be Abby Grace, and that she is a shadow and has been sent to help Brooke, the girl with the blonde hair in the pictures.

Abby fills Brooke's shoes, unsure of exactly what it is she has to do and how she can help but when Will tells her that if she doesn't help Brooke, she will be stuck her in THIS life forever she sets out to solve the mystery surrounding Paul's disappearance.

Kelly, creates a wonderfully fun, short story for ages 12+. This is a modern day Nancy Drew with a paranormal twist.  I enjoyed the storyline of Abby trying to work her way through Brooke's school day, friends and chorus solos even through she doesn't know the words to the songs. Very funny.
 
The story is fresh and different and I couldn't imagine who was guilty of the kidnapping plot or why and the ending was a nice surprise. Now, I can't wait to find out more about Abby and find out how she became a shadow and exactly what does that mean? Is she alive? Is she in a coma? Is she a ghost?


Looking forward to book 2.

Blue Monday - Baby Blues & A Sad Little Turnip

Odd title, I know but it got you to open the post and really, if we are being honest, having you read is what this is all about.

The Renaissance Faire in Sterling Forest NY has stared in many memes over the last two weeks but it really is a fun people watching experience.

This photo is of one of the actors, his name is Jason. I bought him dinner one night as the fair was ending. It was a spur of the moment thing and since I had a media pass I had extra cash on hand. He helped me order something to drink while I was trying to chew through the steak I had just taken off the stick. The place was about to close and I was in dire need of a drink. He saw me try to order and he told me he could order for me and started pointing saying, "she wants one of these, one of those, this, this, "one of these for me, that, that and that!"

I finally swallowed and said, I just one a glass of lemonade and whatever he wants. He looked at me shocked, Why are you being so nice?" As if things like this never happen. It was only 6.00 and wasn't going to break me, plus I had extra cash. If it was 10 or over he would have been on his own. Plus, he was dressed in character and looked like a peasant. I told him I was a nice person and wanted to buy him his meal. He said he couldn't ask for that but if an angel happened to decide she wanted to give him something that was OK. A bell rang. I asked what it was and he said, "I no longer have to be in character." He dropped his accent and introduced himself. He asked my name, I told him Maria. He sang Maria from West Side Story and we said good-bye. On my last visit there, I spotted him and went over to take some photos. He was juggling and eventually was kidnapped by a bunch of fairies. You can see that in this post!

Here is what he was doing before he was kidnapped.

The Big Year Hits Theater's October 14th + A Book Review

THE NATIONAL BESTSELLING BOOK

NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE

In My Honest Opinion:

I have really high hopes for the movie. Three awesome comedic actors taking on the roles of three bird sightseers in a quest to see the most birds. 

There were parts of the book that I found entertaining. I am interested in Audubon. He was the guy who the Audubon Society is named after. He was also on a quest and shot down birds, posing them in life like positions to paint their picture.  Weird to be called a naturalist and than shoot down birds that eventually became extinct or on now on the endangered.

The book is written by Denver Post journalist Mark Obmascik and is the story of the three top contenders in the 1998 American Big Year. Stu, Jack and Kenny are each competing for the title top birder or Big Year birding champion of North America. These guys travel around searching for the hardest to find species of birds, spending thousands of dollars and time away from their family for an odd claim to fame.

While I thought the book was OK. I am eager for the movie. It was a quick read but for me there was way too much bird detail to keep my attention.

If It Cannot Be Debunked It Is Paranormal!

Paranormal meaning, not so normal. This weekend appears to have been an interesting one for more than just me.  It seems that Kimberly over at She Scribes and I, had some weirdness in our house that we cannot debunk.

Kimberly had some strange electrical and technology issues that freaked her husband out. 

Mine were about the closet in my hallway.....

A few weeks ago little pieces of paper appeared from under a closet in my hallway. Just little brown pieces that have perforated edges like they came off a box. Last night before bed I heard some crinkle sounds as if someone was rattling paper. My husband didn't hear it but this morning, the closet door was ajar and there was another piece of that paper there. When I opened the door a roll of wrapping paper was there. Same sound. I took everything out and ran my hand along to corners. I found another piece of paper under the wood of the door jam. Ummmm...

This is not the first time I have had paranormal activity but in the past I could always debunk by saying I must have been overtired or waking from a dream.


Not sure that I want to go into those because I choose to believe they were just my mind and by saying them you have to face them.  They were very odd!


So did anyone else have any paranormal activity this weekend?

CKR (a novel) by Dawn Scovill - Is A Wild Ride!

Chasing Kid Rock

In My Honest Opinion:
Wow! I read this in one night and had to keep reminding myself that it was in fact, written by a woman.

When we first meet Ted, he is being interviewed by a newspaper reporter. Only one problem, he is preoccupied with life. His wife left him and his friends are excited about their yearly 500 trip. Ted was excited too after all, he and his two friends Jimmy and Alex have been doing this since High School where they get a little laid, get a little high and get a little drunk. Things are still the same except, they are all grown up with responsibilities. After Kate leaves him, Alex believes this may have something to do with the 500 since he can't think of anything he has done wrong. He says this will be his last and heads out reluctantly with his friends all the while, looking forward to the Kid Rock concert that he is hoping his wife will be at.

The guys spend a lot of time drinking and partying eventually meeting some woman. The guys hook up, including Ted! Micah is a powerful, beautiful, enticing woman. Ted tries to be the faithful husband, but what's a guy to do when she continually throws herself at him. What' a guy to do? How can he resist?

I spent a better part of the book wondering if he would get Kate back after his affair? Sounds like a chicks book which is the best part of it. This book can totally be read by couples. I loved reading from the guys perspective; the relationship of Ted and his guy friends, what they think, and how they act when their woman aren't around.

While I didn't consider this book too sexy, I feel the need to let my readers know that there is sex in it. In fact, there is lots of guy talk, mostly of of sex and threesomes. There is also use of the shhh..."f" word!

Dawn claims this to be a Redneck fiction book and I can see that, but also, it is a good, entertaining, quick read with a splash of Kid Rock references (he does make an appearance in the story). I found myself completely hoping that bad luck Ted comes out on top!

If you like to read, or if you don't this is a great book and...well...reading is fundamental so pick up CKR, you may just find out you actually like reading.

Ugh Back Talk Is Going To Be The Death Of Me!

Lately Handsome's back talk has been beyond control. I know kids like to test but he has gone too far. Today by 2:00 PM I was DONE! Done, listening, Done being patient, Done explaining, Done telling him that this is not how we talk!  I was so DONE, I literally had to call for back-up (thanks Clary) to talk me down.

Beside all the colorful, nasty words that come out of his mouth, which are all on our DO NOT SAY list.
Words like:
Stupid
Shig (that is not a typo, he doesn't know how to say it)
Damn

Hell
Hate
Die

There are also the lovely terms like: 
Damn It!
Shut Up
I don't have to tell you
Alright, I know!
You are giving me a headache
OK, OK, OK!
Then a big huff after he tells us any of these.

All of these lovely terms and nasty disposition shock me. Where the heck? Who the heck? What the heck?

Today after his sister made him a picture telling him she loved him with two people hugging, he tossed it and said, "I don't want it."

I called him over and told him that being polite and a good person means that you don't go around hurting people's feelings. "You say thank you when someone gives you something, no matter who it is from. You have no right to hurt people who are trying to do something nice for you. It is not how you would want to be treated. Would you like if someone did that to you? She was trying to be nice. Think before you talk."

With this he does the usual, puts his hands over his ears and tells me, "OK, OK, OK...sheesh. I know. You are giving me a headache.

When I told him to be careful with his mouth, that this is not how he is supposed to talk to his Mommy and Daddy he did it again. Ugh...I don't want to chase him around the house. I want to pummel him to a pulp.  While he gives me his back talk all I can think is, this has got to be my fault. The problem is, I never hit him. I need to hit him. His disrespect for everything and everyone makes me crazy. The only one he shows any respect to and it is minimal, is his soccer coach and Cub Scout den leader (the same guy). He cries when yelled at and there is no talking to him. He refuses to answer questions when we try to talk to him and is always rude.

He is oblivious to almost everything except what he wants and is very literal.

I am posting this because, I want to remember it,  want him to read it and because, hopefully, maybe someone has a suggestion as to how to handle him.

So, in your honest opinion, how would you handle a kid who refuses to do or say what you are asking of him?