Celebrate the Haul-idays with A Chronicle Books Giveaway

As a reader of my blog you know I love books. Reading is one of my favorite things to do and always has been. I have been an avid reader since I was able to open a book and in a perfect world, I would have the photo of myself at 10 months sleeping in my crib with a book open over my face. My father, in Florida has it on a 35 mm slide. Damn, I need to get my hands on those.

Anyway...I digress...

Chronicle Books is holding a mighty fine giveaway for book lovers.

Why Do People Search for Drama in Their Lives?

Recently I was contacted by two "friends" so I could hear their side of the story. This wouldn't be a problem if we were friends like that! I know them but don't REALLY know them. Our kids are in the same school but we aren't involved in each other's life. They don't know anything about me but I know everything about them.

The recent drama is all the more dramatic because there is an innocent child involved. Why do people search for drama? Isn't life heard enough without the added pursuit of searching for drama? Why can't people just grow up? Why do people feel that they can't just breathe through the day, listen to the world around them and be OK with just being by themselves?

These two young people, who are parents of a young child, ended a very volatile relationship just this August, after 7 years of drama.  Here we are, only 2 months later, and they are both involved in additional, separate but together drama.

From the outside, everyone can see what has to be done. They both need counseling. They both need therapy and of course so will their beautiful little one. They need to both find peace with being alone and not engaging in additional toxic relationships. They need to find comfort in themselves and the quietness of life. Everything doesn't need to always be so fast, loud, moving. They need to learn that it is OK to just be!

Hopefully they will both realize their faults and their priority, who unfortunately has no say in what is going on in their life.  However, my fear is that they will never see it and their poor child will turn out just like them or worse.

As I listen to them and want to help, I am wise enough to know that if I allow their drama into my life, I am inviting chaos into mine. That is not OK and I need to constantly check myself  and remind myself that we become the company we keep something I have been telling both of them.

So while I will listen and advise, I know that people will do what they do and it is not my problem.

Peace out!

ABC Wednesday - Q

Q = Quirky.

My daughter is the quirkiest kid I know. She cracks me up daily. Her expressions and quick wit make her bearable when she makes me crazy by refusing to do what she is told.  

Girl Gamers Holiday Gift Idea - DS Game

My daughter loves her Littlest Pet Shops and so do I. You may recall some of the photos I have taken of them.

This year Goddess has taken to the electronic games like her brother and while she has been having fun playing some of the "boy" games and hasn't complained, I am thrilled to present her with her very first DS Game courtesy of Hasbro and EA Games.

The one we received to review was Purple Team which is totally awesome because while she has spent the last 4 years saying blue and brown are her favorite colors, purple has become the new fave.

What I Can Tell You:
This is the perfect game for fans of The Littlest Pet Shop. The animations are really sweet and girly.  You can customize your pet which in my opinion is a big plus with the little ones. Goddess spend more time customizing her animals than she does playing sometimes. The games are easy and very child friendly.  I enjoyed the sounds of the pets and believe that Goddess, who will receive this at Christmas minus the shrink wrap, (she's 5, I can get away with wrapping an open game) will freak when she plays it.

Easy enough for 4 year olds but for best game features, it would be great if the child could read.

Look for this in my 2010 Holiday Gift Guide!

Tuesday Takes - Barney???

It truly was the saddest Barney impostor ever but Handsome didn't care. He was thrilled to hug Barney. They stood together for an uncomfortable 5 minutes at least. Goddess on the other hand, had her arms wrapped around my legs and her head buried into my stomach so she didn't have to see him. She was very nervous to meet the big, ugly, purple, cockeyed dinosaur.

Holiday Gift Ideas from Aurora

I have been talking about Aurora for almost a year.  Aurora's YooHoo and Friends are some of the cutest stuffed toys I have ever seen and the collection gets bigger all the time.


What I Can Tell You: This year I gave 3 stuffed friends from the Aurora collection out as gifts. The children and mother's loved them. One friend even told me that she was stopped while out with her baby because someone wanted to know if the stuffed pet her daughter was holding was a Lemur. It was!

Aurora is a company I personally stand behind as their products are extremely high quality, unique and they are constantly creating something new.


You can check out one of my reviews for Aurora here. Complete with Goddess photos. Because, really is there ever enough Goddess? I don't think so.

Impossible to give one of these guys away but Aurora has generously offered to give one of my readers a chance to have one for themselves.

Blue Monday and Mellow Yellow Monday - The Indians

This week Blue Monday and Mellow Yellow Monday brings a photo from Halloween. While trick or treating, I ran into these two handing out candy and I couldn't resist.

Aren't they the cutest???

Self Portrait Sunday - November 7, 2010

Self Portrait Sunday is for you to post your photos of well....you. Come on, smile for the camera. You know you want to.

After a much needed haircut! Ahhh, at least 5 pounds lighter.

Photo Friday - Dark

Teach carved out this pumpkin for the kids and they loved it! It made for some fun pictures too.

He Called Pumpkins, Pumpky

This weeks Memory Rewind is from Handsome's blog back in November 2005



Mom, loves taking pictures of me and my sister but when I saw her grab the camera to take a picture of my sister in this stupid pumpkin hat I just had to step in. No one makes a fool out of my sister, not even mom that's my job!

Dinosaur Train All Aboard Game Perfect Holiday Gift For 4+

My daughter knows more dinosaur names than I do. She can rattle off at least 15 more dinosaur names and pronounce them better than me, all because of Dinosaur Train on PBS.

Two weeks ago we received a complimentary board game from The Jim Henson Company and Pressman Toy Corporation to try out for ourselves. The game is perfect for ages 4 and up. If the child can spin the spinner and count, they can play. We have played it at least 4 times a week since getting it and last night the kids played together without me. Love it!

To play, you spin the spinner and move your dinosaur train by counting the dino prints on the track. But wait, it gets better. If you land on a pocket watch you move closer to the finish, land on a crossing space and you move back. The first player to reach the nest in the center of the board, wins.

Can you tell these guys take the game very seriously?

The Fuzzoodles House Partypaloozas

I signed up for House Partypalooza, the brand-spanking new Child’s Play Communications house party program and was accepted to host a Fuzzoodles House Party.

You must have seen the commercial for Fuzzoodles. My kids, the kids who were invited and most of the moms knew exactly who there where.

I received two kits practice with and 5 kits for the party. Each kit was jam packed with tons of stuff.

I invited 8 kids and their moms over + me and my two for a fun filled craft luncheon.  Since there was no school on Tuesday it was the perfect opportunity to get together with good friends.

The party started at 11:30 with two guests coming from over an hour away.

We let the kids play for a half hour while lunch was put on the table. It was freezing out so lunch had to be warm. I served chicken, potatoes, soup and salad.  After lunch, the kids gladly went to play so that we could clean off the table.

We tossed all the stuff on the table and the fun began.

Even the moms eventually got in there.

It was great, we had babies from 1 month to kids to 11 years old. Even the 6 month old got involved.

I really loved seeing everyone working together.

This was the first party that I have been able to do giveaways at and it was so exciting to do. I opened 4 boxes and told the kids that the best creation would win a Fuzzoodle kit of their very own. The sponsor also supplied a $10.00 Toys R Us gift card which I was able to give to a mom whose name was selected randomly.

The kids had a great time and so did the moms (one wrote a bit about her experience here at Through The Lens). Another mom is a speech therapist and was very interested in reading the product information. She felt that she could use Fuzzoodles in her therapy.

The party was a complete success and I was thrilled to host.

Here is my slide show

Wednesday Wickedness - Dolly

Today we picked Dolly Parton. Here's Wednesday Wickedness!

1. "I hated school. Even to this day, when I see a school bus it's just depressing to me. The poor little kids." What was your worst year in school? Why? 6th grade was the worst for me. It was the year my mom was dying from cancer and I lost a lot of time at school, couldn't concentrate and after she passed it was hard to go back.

2. "I still close my eyes and go home - I can always draw from that." Tell us about YOUR home. My home is wherever my husband and children are. I could be living where I am now, in a mansion or in a 1 room apartment and as long as I am with them I will be fine. We live in a bi-level and are comfortable. My favorite room is the living room. It is where we spend most of our time.

3. "I'm not going to limit myself just because people won't accept the fact that I can do something else."What have you been told that you couldn’t do, but proved them wrong? I was always told I couldn't do something which is why I grew up not wanting to try. I don't ever feel like I need to prove myself now, I refuse to change anyone's mind or worry about how they think of me.

4. "I'm old enough and cranky enough now that if someone tried to tell me what to do, I'd tell them where to put it."What was the last incident where you were told what to do and were insulted? Any of my jobs. Because I never opened my mouth (my fault) I always got the short end of the stick. The last time was probably right before I left my job. I was told I could either pump for my son or take lunch, I couldn't do both.  I told them I would never choose my job over my son and handed in my resignation. I had to or they were going to fire me. I know I had a lawsuit on my hands but just thanked them for making me quit.

5. "If you don't like the road you're walking, start paving another one." Have you ever reinvented yourself? How? I did. I now ask for what I want 80% of the time. I refuse to do things I don't want to do and tell people if I disagree.

6. "If you talk bad about country music, it's like saying bad things about my momma. Thems fightin' words."Is there a type of music that you hate? I don't love hip hop or dance music.

7. "It's a good thing I was born a girl, otherwise I'd be a drag queen."Have you ever crossed dressed for Halloween or just for the hell of it? Nope

8. "My weaknesses have always been food and men - in that order."What are your weaknesses? My kids. I will do anything in my power for them. Even when I am mad at them I adore them.

9. "The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain."Tell us about something that you did that required patience, but was worth it. Making jewelry. I love it. My jewelry has changed so much from the first few weeks.

10. "We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails." When was the last time you made a major change in your life. The biggest change was quitting my job to raise my kids. It is hard to give it all over to one person. To feel like you have to ask for money. To feel like you are not contributing. To feel unjustified in a purchase for yourself. It is hard to give 100% control over to someone.