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So this is Winter

Posted on March 2, 2012 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Earlier in the week, I had almost forgotten about that white stuff that falls from the sky.

Of course, I know where we live and it is hard to forget the snow from last year. This could have been the least snowy on record for February, but it was not meant to be. No, that funny 29th day killed that plan thanks to Mother Nature sending us a dose of reality. As of Tuesday, we had only received .6” of snow during the month. With a storm coming on Leap Day, we were going to easily go over the 1.2” record.

The photo above was taken right before I went to get JSL from preschool on Wednesday. The snow had started quickly and was making an impact. By about 4:00, it looked like this outside the house:

Thank goodness we all made it home safely, although skidding on the road was an issue. This morning, schools throughout the area were closed for the first time this season. The boys stayed home with me as more snow fell. After lunch, I went out to take some photos and get rid of the giant boulders of snow at the bottom of the driveway from the plows.

So my question to you this week:

How has the winter been by you? Mild, typical, snowy, tropical, or something in between. Share below and let me know what you think.

It's Me

___________________________________________________________________________

Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the linky there if you are participating.

Aloha #193

Categories:
Aloha Friday me moments messy photos weather winter

Tuesday Tales – Hunger Games Mania

Posted on February 28, 2012 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

In September 2008, author Suzanne Collins wrote a book that would quickly become a fan favorite. Now, almost three and a half years later, The Hunger Games has sold over 23.5 million copies in the United States. The book has spent more than 160 consecutive weeks on The New York Times bestseller list.

Hunger Games Trilogy on Kimberly Kindle

I have to admit, I have heard people raving about the book for a long time, but never stopped long enough to read it. Then more and more came out about the book being made into a major motion picture from Lionsgate. I was definitely more intrigued as friend after friend mentioned reading it. In addition to this, many teacher friends have used the book within their classrooms as a unit of study. Scholastic has even made pages on their website to help fans of all ages to connect to the trilogy and learn more.

When we got our Kindle, we selected The Hunger Games Trilogy as part of our prize. Last week, I finished reading some other books and sat down to start The Hunger Games. After the initial chapter, the pages were turning faster than I could imagine. Suddenly, I was swept away in the world of Katniss Everdeen. My mind was racing as the book reminded me of some novels that I read in High School, only I adored this SO much more. I quickly finished book and am now almost finished with Catching Fire. I have put my knitting down and can’t stop reading every chance that I have.

On March 23, The Hunger Game will blast onto the screen in theaters across the country. We will be able to watch Katniss, Peeta, Gale, Haymitch, Effie, Cinna, and all of the other characters that captivate their audience. Here is the trailer for the movie:

Are you a fan of The Hunger Games Trilogy? Are you looking forward to seeing the movie coming out in less than a month? Let me know your thoughts on another book to movie event.

What have you read recently? Please be sure to link up to your book posts in the comments below. Include something you read on your own, with a child, or someone else. Tuesday Tales are all about spreading the love for books.

Disclosure: Three Amazon Affiliate links are included in this post for the items mentioned. I will receive a percentage of money for the sale should you opt to buy the book through that link. We bought this book on our own from Scholastic and know it is on our gift list for other children.

Categories:
books Educational interesting me moments Movies Tuesday Tales

Family Views on Walt Disney World Attractions

Posted on February 27, 2012 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

My children have been lucky enough to go to Walt Disney World several times now. Thanks to this, they have developed some opinions about rides.

An 8 year old’s view:

When asked what ride is his favorite, NHL did not even pause to think about it. He quickly screamed one and only one ride that you will see below.

Yes, Big Thunder Mountain was the ride that immediately came to his mind. I don’t have the heart to tell him that the ride will likely be closed for continued refurbishments when we head there this spring. Of course, he has other rides that are also favorites. Those mentioned include Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin. Of course, I think this has something to do with the fact that last time he was on it he scored 999,999 within a few minutes of starting the ride. He also loves Soarin’, Test Track, and many others!

One ride that NHL is not a big fan of is:

NHL went on Tower of Terror during his first trip to Walt Disney World in May 2009. I don’t think it was the actual ride that scared him, but more of the special effects since he was just in kindergarten.

A 4 year old’s view:

JSL had a more difficult time coming up with his favorite. He took a bit of time, then mentioned a few favorites.

Yes, the little fan of Buzz Lightyear and Tigger mentioned these two rides along with Journey into Imagination with Figment. His favorites may change up after the next trip. Since he is over 40 inches tall, there will be a lot of new rides that he can go on. These include Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Test Track, Soarin’, Tower of Terror, Star Tours, and several other big rides.

Over the years, we have figured out that JSL is not a fan of 3D. Each time he tries to watch something in 3D he will scream to leave. Thanks to this, his least favorite attractions at Disney World would be Muppets 3D and Mickey’s PhilharMagic.

The Mom View:

I could easily pick a ride at each park that I love and for very different reasons. Still there are two that happen to be in the same spot that are so unique that I do think they are close to the top of my list.

Yes, the Aerosmith Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster is the best coaster that I have ever experienced. In the dark, amazing light effects, and smooth as butter. Going on with my father for the first time in 2009 was like the old days of riding with my father and brother. Toy Story Midway Mania is a fan favorite for me because it is an interactive game/ride for the entire family. Some amazing memories there with Nana, Papa, the boys, and also at an event.

I also hope to get a chance to ride Primeval Whirl. Almost every time we have gone to Animal Kingdom it was too long a wait, closed for multiple reasons, or nobody would/could ride it with me. That will hopefully change this trip.

As for least favorite, I am NOT a fan of:

While Mission Space is a beautiful building, the ride itself makes me want to turn green – and that’s on the easy setting. I do not think it’s the motion, more of the confined space in the simulator that bothers me. So I now officially skip that one when possible.

What is your favorite and/or least favorite attraction at Walt Disney World? I would love to know in the comments below.

P.S. A huge thank you to Mariana from The Domestic Buzz for creating this magical Blog Hop! The link will be within this post the day after it is published.

Categories:
Blog Hop decisions Disney fun jsl looking back me moments nhl photos travel vacation

Neosporin’s New Eczema Essentials and Coupon

Posted on February 26, 2012 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

The winter weather may have been nice to us this year, but the dryness has been harsh at best. With the heat pulling the moisture out of the house, our sensitive skin suffers a lot. My kids and I often are the lucky recipients of eczema during these long, cold months of the year.

Over break, my oldest has been complaining a lot about his back being itchy. Sure enough, I pulled his shirt up and saw what I feared. Red, scaly, itchy, dry patches = eczema back. He seems to get it on his back, my youngest on his legs, and my poor hands are a mess – which makes typing/knitting/crafting hard to do at times. We have a large collection of Eczema creams, moisturizer lotions, and more.

A few weeks ago, I saw an ad for a new eczema product that caught my eye. Then, I had the opportunity to participate in a campaign for the product and share a high value coupon. Yes, the makers of Neosporin – who I have trusted to help stop infections from cuts and scraps now have a line of products to help with eczema.

Thanks to this coupon, I am heading out this weekend to get some of the cream to try on my kids. I trust the Neosporin name, like that it says it will help quickly, is a good daily moisturizer, and is unscented. More information about the new line of Neosporin Eczema Essentials Products:

When children have eczema, its negative effects are not felt by the child but by the entire family. Parents want to be the hero and bring relief to this popular skin problem so Neosporin has come out with a line of products to bring relief to the skin and the entire family overall.

#1 Daily Body Wash
• Proven gentle and non-irritating, even on eczema-prone skin
• Fragrance-free, soap-free
• Gentle enough for everyday use

#2 Daily Moisturizing Cream
• Deeply moisturizes
• Relieves itch on contact and irritation due to eczema
• Helps strengthen and restore the skin’s natural barrier function
• Fragrance and steroid-free

#3 Anti-Itch Cream
• Clinically shown to improve dryness, flaking and appearance of redness
• Maximum strength of itch relief
• For occasional use

I will keep you posted once we try the cream. I have my high value coupon (link above) and will be heading to Walmart or another retailer’s first-aid aisle to find this to test out on our dry winter skin and see how it calms our eczema symptoms.

It's Me

Disclosure: I wrote this post as part of a compensated Global Influence campaign. As someone who has eczema and two young boys with it, it was my pleasure to share information and a coupon about this new product that we hope to try. As mentioned, we have not used this yet, but Neosporin is a brand that we know and trust.

Disclaimer: This post is not meant to be taken as medical advice. If you are worried about eczema, please consult your doctor to ask question and get additional information from them.

Global Influence Network

Categories:
health awareness me moments sponsored post vent

Picnik Replacement Possibility

Posted on February 24, 2012 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Photos are a huge part of my blog. I include them in almost every post that I write. Thanks to Picnik, I often made collages, added in text, or placed a fun sticker for a holiday within my pictures. Imagine my reaction when I heard that Google was going to cease operating Picnik in their current location this April. To say I was devastated would be an understatement. Sure they said it would be integrated on Google+, but it was far from the same. The new space for Picnik was not as easy to use, hardly as flexible, did not have the features I needed, and would not allow me to download my creations to put onto my blog.

I asked TechyDad to see if he could find me another solution. Sure, I could use a great photo publishing program like PaintShop Pro, but the reality is I wanted something that did not take a lot of time to learn and would be quick and easy. The other day he told me about PhotoScape. That night, I put it on my computer and had some fun.

First I made a collage of photos from Disney parks.

Then, TechyDad told me that one of the great benefits of PhotoScape is you can put any font into it to use. So I downloaded a Disney one to use, along with another one. After that, I saw the stickers/stamps that you can add to photos. Check out the boys to see what I was able to do, along with the sign near Figment.

I am still exploring all of the possibilities with this new tool, but I really love it. Even TechyDad has joined in on the fun. Check out the Wordless Wednesday that he had this week using PhotoScape. Is it as easy as Picnik was right away? Not initially. Still, I think it may be more powerful and once you understand a few little quirks – it is fun and has so much to offer.

So my questions to you this week:

Are you a fan of Picnik and what will you be using once it closes in April? If you don’t use Picknik, what do you use to touch up or create items for your blog?

It's Me

___________________________________________________________________________

Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the linky there if you are participating.

Aloha #192