Here's to Mom MasterCard Post Holiday Shopping

Now that you have finished your holiday shopping, and spent all your money you will have to figure out a way to buy the necessitates that you need to survive. I know sometimes you can find better deals for some grocery items online. Really, you can buy pretty much anything online.  Remember that you can use your MasterCard to earn a reward for buying those purchases online.  to sign up all you have to do is enroll your MasterCard card, do some of your holiday shopping online and after spending just $200 you receive a $20 MasterCard gift card! Remember that this deal expires on 12/31/2011, so if you haven't already sign up HERE. I look forward to seeing you all in 2012. Have a wonderful and save New Year.

I am participating in this MasterCard Promotion and I received a complimentary special Here’s to Mom kit for my participation. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip Review

I am lucky because Noah likes to eat healthy. I know many other parents that struggle with their children are eating habits. Noah loves fruits; we are still working on some vegetables. He seems to like carrot sticks and celery sticks. We are still working on peas and corn, but he loves raw green beans. I like to get some of the precut carrot sticks and slice my own celery, because it is cheaper. We had the opportunity to try out some Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip.  I really like the Marzetti product line. They make delicious salad dressings and my personal favorite caramel cups. I thought that Noah would like it, because he loves yogurt and dips anything he can think of in it. He creates his own wraps and recipes all the time so I knew it would be a hit.  I am sure he has dipped his carrot sticks and celery in yogurt before we tried the Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip.

We went to get our test sample of the yogurt dip and were excited to try it. Me being a picky eater I wasn’t really interested in trying it. I am very persnickety about what foods I will eat so I had my review team try this out. My review team consists of my five year old, and since we are in Florida my mom. I had my mom pick out the flavor to appease her taste buds, as I thought she would be the one eating the most of it. We went with Spinach and Artichoke. It is also gluten free, which is great for those who can’t or choose not the eat foods with gluten.   Noah was a little hesitant to try it, as he is with most foods. I was able to have him try it and he really liked it. Just as I suspected, he likes it with carrots and celery and I think I saw a grape or two dipped in. 

My mom really liked it too; she thought the texture was really good, and very flavorful. She said it is hard to find a good spinach and artichoke dip that is ready made when you want a snack and don’t have time to make it yourself.  She is really pleased and will buy it again and wants to try different flavors like the Chipotle Cheese and the Garden Herb and Ranch. I think this would be great for a holiday get together with a veggie platter, or as a snack for game night, or even just as an afternoon snack.  They have some good recipes on their website too, I know my mom’s mouth will water when I share them with her.  I can’t wait to tell her about the Spinach and Artichoke pizza and the other recipes.  I am sure you could even make up your own recipes to try or substitute any recipe that calls for veggie dip for Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip.

Have you ever tried Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip? What is your favorite flavor? Do you have any recipes that you have used with it? I look forward to your thoughts.

I was one of the bloggers selected by T. Marzetti Company and Clever Girls Collective to host a Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip review. They provided me with product to test myself and compensation for my time. However, my opinions are entirely my own.

MasterCard Here's to Mom Holiday Promotion

It is definitely time to start your holiday shopping. There are so many different presents you are going to buy for your children, loved ones and friends. When I was young, I used to always give my teachers and bus driver holiday gifts. They were sometimes homemade, but other times we would buy them a little something.  I know that teachers really appreciate those little thoughtful gifts, as a daughter of a teacher. Unfortunately, the economy isn’t at its best, so we rely on sales and promotions to help us stretch out our holiday bucks.  You all know how much I like to shop online. I won’t be fighting the crowds this holiday season.  I will be shopping online for gifts, that way Santa’s special gifts will remain a secret, until Christmas morning.

I am so excited to share with you a promotion from MasterCard. The promotion is called Here’s to Mom. Being a mom is hard work, so MasterCard thought they would celebrate us.  Signing up is really easy. All you have to do to receive your $20 MasterCard gift card is go HERE  and enroll with your MasterCard card (credit or debit) and e-mail address, shop online with that card between November 15 and December 31, 2011. After spending $200 online you’ll receive and e-mail where you can redeem your gift card reward.

This sounds like such a great deal and I hope you all will sign up and earn the rewards. I mean you are going to use those cards anyways, right? May as well, be rewarded for it. I love that it includes debit cards so, it shows that MasterCard really wants to reward us.  Let me know if you sign up. It takes only a few minutes and then you can kick back with a cup of hot chocolate and shop in your jammies.

Happy Holidays!

I am participating in this MasterCard Promotion and I received a complimentary special Here’s to Mom kit for my participation. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Les Gold Stars in Hardcore Pawn

Image from Wikipedia

 In April or May I was introduced to a show called Hardcore Pawn by a friend of mine. It’s about Les Gold and his family who own a pawn shop in Detroit.  The first time I watched it, I was hooked.  I know there are shows like Pawn Stars but I like Hardcore Pawn because they focus on the family dynamics versus what is actually being pawned and what it is worth. Of course people go and pawn things and they show that, but most of the show is about Seth and Ashley who are Les Gold’s children and how they are kind of in a turf war over American Jewelry and Loan. They also show a lot of the people that come in to pawn stuff, most of them are eccentric and outrageous. I sometimes wonder if they are for real. I have never been to Detroit, I have heard some scary stuff about it, but I am convinced that not everyone from there is crazy.  With all shows they always show the craziest stuff because it is good for ratings, and frankly it would be boring. It wouldn’t be Hardcore Pawn, it would be BORING.  There is also this really hot guy named Bobby J and I could just stare at him for hours. They just finished up the third season, and I hope there is a season 4.  There was only a month break between season 2 and 3, hopefully they won’t make me wait too long.  You can see it on TruTv at 9pm, you can see older episodes before and after. 

Do you watch Hardcore Pawn? What do you think of it?

What a Friend is to Me

What is a friend?  This is a question parents are asked by their children at some point. I want to share with you what I think a friend is.  If you would have asked me this before I would have said someone you care about that you hang out with and do things with. In theory that is somewhat true but there is so much more to it. A friend is someone you care about who cares about you back just as much.  A friend is someone you share a bond with. A friend is someone who lifts you up when you are down. A friend is someone who even though they might not completely understand what you are going through or why you feel a certain way about something or someone but they try and understand.  They are the ones that you can run to be it in person, on the phone or even through text and they always know what to say or do to try and make you smile.  Sometimes it just goofy pictures of them sticking out their tongue or a funny joke only you two understand, but it helps.   A friend is someone who does not tear you down.  A friend is someone who you can get in to an argument with and know at the end of the day, you will still be friends.  A friend, a true one, is a lifetime commitment.  People mess up, I do it all the time, but I know that my friends will love me for me and understand that I mess up. Just as I understand that they mess up.

I have shared with you guys before that I have had some toxic friends. These people were not good friends. I thought that they were. I always look for the good in people. That is how I was raised. I can’t stop doing it, but I need to be cautious. I am so lucky to have such wonderful true friends now. It really makes me look back and think wow, those so called friends were not friends at all. Thank you to all my true friends. Without you, I am not sure where I would be. I would name you all but, I would probably forget someone so you know who you are.

Tune in 11/11/11 for a Special Extreme Home Maker Over for Veterans Day

Veteran’s Day is very important to not only our country, but to me personally. One of my friends was killed in action in Iraq in March 2004. It is very important to remember and thank our Veterans, every day for the sacrifices they make and their families make, everyday.  I wanted to share something that is really cool with you.

ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is teaming up with the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) to present a one-hour special: Extreme Makeover: Home Edition “Rise and Honor” A Veterans Day Special.  Airing on Veterans Day (11/11/11), host Ty Pennington will take us back to some of the most heartwarming military stories featured over the years. The Veterans’ Day program will include appearances by Whoopi Goldberg, Jewel, George Lopez, J.R. Martinez, Rachael Ray, Sherri Shepherd, Robin Williams as well as Major League Baseball (MLB) players Daniel Murphy of the Mets, Shane Victorino of the Phillies and Clay Buchholz of the Red Sox – all encouraging the public to donate via phone and web at www.riseandhonor.org. 

The funds raised during #RiseandHonor will benefit the following veteran-serving organizations:

 ·        Fisher House Foundation

·         Hire Heroes USA
·         Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund
·         USO (United Service Organizations)
·         Volunteers of America
·         and Welcome Back Veterans.

 These organizations provide vital services and support to our nations veterans and their families including housing, job placement, career readiness, health care, rehabilitation and mental health treatment. 

I will be tuning in and I hope you all will too. It is really important to celebrate and remember our Veterans.  There are so many Veterans that end up with nothing, and on the streets. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to be in a war. We should give back, what they gave for us. I am sure I will end up crying my eyes out, because stories about the Military always make me cry. They make me think about Chris and how he and so many others gave all for the land of the free.

Noah's Accent

I am first generation American on my Dad’s side. I am both Irish and English. I find it hilarious that sometimes when Noah talks he either talks with a slight British accent or in British slang.  Now, he watches Kipper, Peppa Pig, and Thomas and they are all British shows.  There is a character on Kipper named Arnold. If I ask Noah if the little pig’s name is Arnold (Ar-nold) he will say no its ahh-nold.  Peppa Pig is a weird show where the pigs look like they have pink hairdryers for heads and they walk around snorting all the time, which seeing as they are pigs that would make sense.  All the other characters along with Peppa Pig’s family will talk in their British accents and then randomly make their animal noises. Most other shows with talking animals do not do this.  Noah loves popsicles so now he calls them “ice lollies”. He will say can I have an ice lolly mommy? I am always thinking popsicle Noah popsicle.

He has become very fond of legos and when he wants help taking them apart, he asks me to break it in to bits. I am not sure where he learned that from but I think it’s funny and cute.  One last British thing Noah says is when he wants to do something he will say “Can I have a go?”  I bet my dad would think it is funny that Noah sometimes talks with a British accent.  When we go to England someday, Noah will fit in as long as there are lots of ice lollies and everyone is named Ahh-nold.

Should We Drug Test People on Government Assistance?

I briefly touched on the topic of food stamps, and welfare on my bully post, but I have been meaning to write this post for a long time. I figured while I have my soap box out I would go ahead and write it.  There has been a lot of talk about people on assistance and how they should be drug tested to receive assistance. Which is stereotyping people that need the help, and it is wrong. I am sorry but if someone needs  the help I would rather them get it, then have them go hungry or have medical problems.  Just because they need help doesn’t make them a crackhead.  I would be naïve to say that no one does drugs that are on assistance, because I am sure some do.  You really don’t know why the person needs it. 

They could have a sick child who has medical bills that use up the money they do have, they might have a reason they can’t work. Maybe they are a single parent and they can’t afford to work and pay for daycare and food. Maybe they are supposed to get child support and the other parent doesn’t pay it.  There are many reasons that people need help.  I am sure there are people who abuse the system, its not perfect but it is not a reason to look down upon or make fun of someone who is trying to provide for their family. As someone who is against drugs, if someone acts like they are all strung out, by all means make them take a drug test.  It should be a case by case instance.  Not everyone on assistance does drugs, not everyone on drugs gets assistance. 

Another thing that really makes me angry is when people say things like, oh my gosh, look at the junk food those people are getting with their assistance! They shouldn’t be allowed to get chips and candy and cupcakes and cookies. They shouldn’t be able to get the “extras” if they are on assistance.  Really? Did you really just say that? It really makes me want to knock someone off their high horse. Why does anyone think they can determine what someone else puts in their shopping cart?  I think children deserve a treat. I think that a child deserves a bedtime snack, if the parent wants them to have it. Why take that away from a child? They should have the chance to have cookies or candy every so often.  I don’t see anything wrong with that. 

I hate it when people say; things like I pay for your kids or you sit at home and do nothing while I “support” your kids. I am pretty sure at some point they did have a job. Taxes are taxes; you will pay them if there are 10 people on assistance or 10,000. The government would find a way to come up with something to use it for.  That is one thing that I don’t like about Judge Judy when she says things like that. Really we don’t know the full situation; we shouldn’t judge people for seeking the help that they really do need.

I think before we are quick to make comments like those or even judge or look down on someone, we should stop and think about it.  We don’t know their reasons, we are not the ones that should decide who does or doesn’t deserve the right to have help.  If there is someone you know that is abusing the system or doing things they shouldn’t be, you should anonymously report them and at least let your concerns be known if there is a legitimate concern.   Someday you might find yourself if their shoes and I am sure you wouldn’t like to be labeled because you are trying to help your family.  I think if you need the help   you shouldn’t be too proud to ask for help. It doesn’t make you a bad person.  What is wrong is needing the help and not getting it and letting your children go hungry.

This is an extremely controversial topic so I have chosen to do something I have never done and close the comments on this post. I just wanted to share how I feel on this topic and I do respect everyone’s opinions, I don’t want to start an argument. I am sure you can understand my reasoning behind this decision.

I Took One Look at Her and I had to Pull Her Toonie

I wanted to share with you some misheard song lyrics. I actually had a desk calendar one year full of misheard song lyrics. Of course there are tons of them out there. I thought it would be fun to tell you ones that I thought were something else.

From One of These Days by Tim McGraw I thought he was singing I took one look at her and I had to pull her toonie. I wasn’t sure what a toonie was. I looked it up on the internet and didn’t figure it out.  I was just looking up what is a toonie. I thought it was some country slang for something sexual or something. I tried to use context clues like all the English teachers in the past told me to do. The next lyric was and at 17 you only want one thing. So, I thought that it had to be that.  The correct line is I took one look at her and had to pull her to me. Sorry Tim McGraw.

Damnit Janet from Rocky Horror Picture Show I thought the lyric was it’s better than bedding on a rohand. I remember asking my mom what a rohand was. I figured she would know. She hadn’t any idea. I remember watching The Rocky Horror Picture Show with the captions on one night and after singing it like that for a long time, I learned the lyrics are its better than Betty Monroe had, which was the bride at the wedding they were at in the beginning of the movie.

Nights in White Satin by the Moody Blues, it was one of mine and my ex’s songs. He would always play it on guitar. I really thought it was called Whites in Knight Satin. So, yeah I was wrong on that one. I wasn’t too sure what that song was about with a name like that.

What are some misheard lyrics you have been completely wrong about?

I Will Never Have My Own Cooking Show

I used to want to have my own cooking show.  Imagine me an eight or nine year old little girl in my kitchen talking to the imaginary camera, while I was cooking. It was really cute and I wish it was really videotaped because I am sure it was hilarious.  It was long before Food Network and most cooking shows. Those were mostly shown on Sunday mornings on channels like PBS.  I knew a woman who had her own cooking show on a local station in North Carolina. I wanted to have my own show someday.  When Food Network started I was in love and dreamed someday I would be on there too.  Eventually, I realized it wasn’t going to happen. It wasn’t because I was not going to be discovered.  It is not I am not an awesome cook, because anyone who has tasted my cooking knows otherwise.  The real reason is because I am not an exotic chef. I don’t want to make half the food those chefs make. I would never touch lamb anything. I don’t like baby arugula or curry or anything like that. I would be a very simple chef that makes food that real people like.  There isn’t really a market for that.

I would love to be on a cupcake show or a challenge show but, really I wouldn’t use any of those weird fancy ingredients that make me gag at the thought of not only putting them in a cupcake let alone in my mouth period.  I wouldn’t win because they judge on eccentric ingredients. I can hear Kerry Vincent saying in her British accent, your cupcakes are a bit plain and unordinary, I expected a bit more of you. My philosophy is that food doesn’t have to be full of weird and expensive ingredients to taste good.   Have you ever tried to make some of those recipes? Most of the ones I would eat have really expensive ingredients.  Especially spices, who wants to spend sixteen dollars to buy a jar of organic Bolivian green sweet pepper flakes for one teaspoon? I don’t really. 

One thing I fell in love with when I was visiting my aunt and uncle was that the grocery store they shop at sells spices in bulk so, in that instance you could get just as much as you need, but not many places do that.  That is how I ended up flying home with 2 pounds of Cumin.  I made sure I labeled it a bunch because my uncle told me that it looked like gun powder.  This is the same uncle who told me they were going to think I was the Unabomber because I had his old Montana license plates in my suitcase from another trip out there.  He likes to pick on me as I am the baby of the family. Anyways, I would have things like fried potatoes, meatloaf, taco bake things that are easy to make and not something you have to spend a week in Morocco to eat. It would be all classic things that wouldn’t make you poor by  making them. When I watch cooking shows I think well you didn’t have to actually pay for your ingredients and you got them from a giant warehouse where you can have access to the finest everything.  I just once want to see one of the products not be perfect, like a bruised fruit or something a little moldy.  Not that they would have to cook with it, they could get a new one, but make it like real life.  I am sure we have all had a bruised fruit or something that went a little bad at least once.

I have also noticed those thirty minute meals never take thirty minutes.  Most people are not really fast choppers or have little distractions otherwise known as our children who constantly need something or throw paper airplanes in the kitchen doing something to distract us.  Normal people do not have Rachael Ray’s super power of being able to carry twelve things at once.  She must practice because she never drops anything. I think she is part octopus, really I do. If they really took thirty minutes, you spend at least twice as long cleaning up and doing the dishes.  I don’t really get the idea of a garbage bowl, its just one more thing that has to be washed. Pull up the trashcan next to you. Everyone owns a trash can right? It’s cheaper and it eliminates the two extra steps.  So, don’t expect to see my bright and shiny face on a cooking show anytime soon.  I don’t have a broad enough palate for it.

No Bake Cookies Recipe

One of my favorite types of cookies is called No Bake Cookies. I have been eating them for as long as I can remember and probably even before I can I remember. They are so delicious. There are two ways of making them, one with peanut butter and one without, I have always had the kind with peanut butter, because I personally love peanut butter.  If you have never had a no bake cookie, you are seriously missing out on something amazing.  I used to say they should sell them in the store. It took them many years but sometimes you can find them in the bakery section.  I refuse to eat a prepackaged no bake cookie because they are really easy to make and I am sure mine tastes better. I have probably made thousands of no bake cookies so far in my life, so I have it perfected and could probably do it in my sleep. I don’t think I should use the stove in my sleep though.   One of my ex boyfriend’s favorite cookie was no bake cookies so I would make them for him every other week or so.  My no bake cookies are always really liked.

There have been a few mishaps in my no bake cookie career. I remember when I was babysitting, we made no bake cookies and they looked pretty gross and kind of slimy. I am not sure if was the milk being non skim milk, but they still tasted pretty good. A few times I get a little oatmeal happy or I get distracted, so the cookies are really crumbly.

no bake cookies
 Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup peanut butter
3   cups oats

Melt Butter in a big sauce pan. Put in Sugar, Milk and Cocoa. Then Bring to a Boil, continue to boil for one minute, stirring constantly.   Remove from head and add the peanut butter. Stir and then add in oatmeal, blending well. Quickly drop mixture by the spoonful on wax paper. Place in the refrigerator to cool.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do.

Do you enjoy No Bake cookies? I can’t wait to see what you think of my recipe. 

I was a Stuckup Snot in Jr. High

I don’t know if you can believe it or not, but I was once stuck up. OK I am still quasi-stuck up, I will admit but in Jr. High it was bad. See I grew up in a really nice town that had a reputation of being full of snobby and stuck up people.  It was and probably still is very well known. I didn’t like telling people I was from Carmel because you were called a Carmelite, and were immediately labeled, rich and stuck up.  I remember I went on a cruise when I was in 7^th grade and there happened to be some kids that were from Indianapolis and when we found out we were all from Indiana you automatically say well I am from such and such as anyone from a common area would do.  I remember them calling me a Carmelite. I wasn’t too thrilled with that, because I wasn’t too sure what it meant. 

When I was in 7^th grade, my math teacher was named Mrs. Cooke and her room was completely pink, I was surprised her hair wasn’t pink as much as she loved it. She would always wear pink.  There was this kid named Mike, who was in my class who said that he shopped at Goodwill. Being the punk I was I said, that’s were poor people shop. I referred to him as poor.  How rude was I? I mean I was a stuck up girl that shopped at Limited Too and Express and I was calling this kid poor.  Now I love Goodwill. I don’t shop there often anymore but I have in the past.  I have nothing against Goodwill, I think they do wonderful things and I even shop there. It’s just funny how you remember certain things from your past and regret what a huge snot you were.

I Call Him Red

For as long as I can remember, I have always been attracted to guys with red hair. Not orange hair but dark red. Not famous men with red hair.  I like my famous men with gray hair (Mark Harmon and George Clooney).  It has to be natural red hair too. I don’t really think that fake red hair is attractive. I guess it must be the Irish in me.  I have dated a few guys with red hair. I am not sure what it is so alluring about it. My ex doesn’t have red hair. I guess I am a hair girl. I am mostly an eye girl. I like those eyes that you can get lost in and see the depths of the person’s soul. 

Of course appearance is not everything and personality wins over every time.  A good personality is the most important thing because that is what truly makes up a person. As the brilliant Judge Judy says…. Beauty fades…Stupid is forever.  You never know what the future will bring. I know that a lot of people focus what is on the outside but your outer beauty could be taken from you in an instant. Your inner beauty is forever. Nothing can take that from you as long as your heart is good and you remain true to yourself.  I am sure my dream guy is out there somewhere with red hair and a heart of gold.

So, as a lame attempt to meet a guy… If you have red hair or know of a guy who is single and nice let me know!

Sorry, Your Email has been Compromised

Have you guys been getting a lot of e-mails about your e-mail address being compromised? I have.  It seems like a lot of the big-name companies that I have signed up for their e-mail newsletters lately have been compromised. I assume that's because they all used the same service called epsilon. I have probably have received at least five e-mails from different companies saying that they are sorry but your e-mail has been compromised. But it's only your e-mail not your information or credit card numbers and it also reminds you not to open e-mails and click on links from people you don't know. Which of course is a great reminder but at the same time it kind of bothers me because if my e-mail address is compromise what else could be compromised. It makes me leery to participate and their websites anymore. I personally already get enough spam e-mail as is I don't need more.

Some of the companies that I received e-mails from so far our target Walgreen's Hilton Marriott and HSN. I know it's just our e-mail and all that's going to happen is  that we might get more spam but NL hadn't felt like they should have done a better job about it. I really think that they should've been up-to-date where the best software where something like this would not happen.  Sure it could be worse it could be all of our credit card numbers and our addresses and then we would have people pretending to be us from Nigeria scamming other people and end up on shows like Judge Judy or the people's court. I know the chances of that happening are pretty small but you never know. I know I've talked about e-mail scams before and I'm not saying that the breaches in the is a scam but it opens us up to being scammed even more and you better know what the scammed are like obviously you're not going to a win 10 million trillion dollars from some bank and Japan or something. You know that is not going to happen like my mom always says that if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. And even though  it's been going on for 10 years, people still fall for that kind of scam.

AAHHH! Real Monsters and Casper DVD Review

I know I have mentioned this before but I hate scary movies.  I used to get really bad nightmares.  I really liked watching Casper when I was little because it wasn’t scary; he after all was the friendliest ghost.   I like the fact that he is not scary because it shows that not all ghosts are mean or scary. I think it teaches kids not to stereotype which right now is really big in my house, when Noah is scared of someone just because they have green hair.  I try to explain to him that everyone is different and it’s not nice to think something bad about someone because they are different.  So, to celebrate Halloween this year, I received the Casper animated series. Shout Factory released  Casper this year for Halloween.  I think it is awesome.  This is the old version of Casper. I personally think that the older cartoons are better. I think that they  have a special magic about them, they are not trying to look like they are real and you really know that it is just a cartoon and make believe. 

 

CASPER THE FRIENDLY GHOST COLLECTION 3-DVD Set
Casper The Friendly Ghost is undoubtedly, the most famous ghost on earth. Sweet, caring, funny and amiable, Casper doesn't like to haunt or scare people but instead spends his time looking to make friends. Joining him on his escapades are The Ghostly Trio, who endlessly tease Casper but love him and Casper ’s good friend Wendy the Good Little Witch. All of their adventures and more will come to life on October 11, 2011, when Shout! Factory releases the Casper The Friendly Ghost Collection just in time for Halloween. The 3-disc DVD set will include all 81 cartoons created between 1945-1963 as well as extensive bonus features giving fans and collectors the opportunity to own the most complete Casper DVD set for the first time. ($29.93 SRP)

Three monsters I will never forget are Ickis, Krumbb and Oblina, they are from the show AAAHH, Real Monsters. The show used to be on Nickelodeon in the 90’s.  I loved that show.   I was so excited when I found out it was released  by Shout Factory on DVD. Now I can share AAAHH Real Monsters with Noah.  I can relive all of those goofy situations that Ickis, Krumbb and Oblina got themselves in to.  Each of the characters have a distinct feature. Ikus has really big ears,  Oblina has a huge mouth. Krumm is my favorite character because he is stinky and he carries his eyes in his hands. I just really like him.

AAAHH!!! REAL MONSTERS! 2-DVD Set

Scary doesn't get any sillier than Season 1 of the classic ‘90’s nostalgia, Nickelodeon show Aaahh!!! Real Monsters! Ickis, Oblina, and Krumm are monsters-in-training who make fright a hoot as they try to learn the tricks of the scary monster trade. Determined to be terrifying, they try with a great herculean effort, to master The Gromble's class on proper scare techniques at the Monster Academy . Die laughing as the monsters focus on perfecting fright lessons so bizarre, they're both ahhh-some and hilarious! The DVD will be in stores October 4, 2011. ($19.93 SRP)

So, this Halloween celebrate with me by watching some good wholesome cartoons like Casper and AAAHH Real Monsters.

Thank you to Shout Factory for providing me with Casper and AAAHH Real Monsters on DVD for my family to check out. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Importance of having a Good Bed

I think it is important to have a good bed. I have a wooden bed that I love. It has a really nice head board too. I think that wooden beds last a long time.  I have had a wooden bed for as long as I can remember.  I had a wooden sleigh bed in high school.  It was a twin bed though.  I have had my current bed for five years, and it was my mom’s before that. My mom still has her old wooden bedroom furniture including her wooden bed. This bed is at least twenty five years old, because I remember it from when I was five. It has been passed around to my sister and now my mom has it again.  The great things about wooden beds are that you can pass them down and last forever.  I think it would be cool to have one of those bedstar leather beds. I have never slept on a leather bed, but we have had a couple leather couches that are the most comfortable couches.  I remember when I would have friends sleep over in high school we would take turns sleeping in my wooden bed and on the leather couch in my room, so I can imagine a leather bed would be extremely comfortable.

I was lucky enough that my sister and I never had to share a room.  I think that was a good thing as we both really liked our space. We would share a room sometimes at my dad’s house, though. I wish we would have had bunk beds.  That inevitably would have meant arguing who slept on which bunk.  I am not sure which one I would have wanted to sleep on. The top bunk is where all little kids want to sleep.  I remember sleeping on the top bunk when I was little when I was at friend’s houses. It was fun to be up high and having to climb up a ladder.   Now that I am an adult, I would be afraid that I would fall off the full over full bunk.  I tend to sometimes wake up suddenly. I also would constantly feel like I am falling. So, if I was visiting someone who had bunk beds I would definitely choose the bottom bunk if I could.

 Noah had a loft bunk bed experience and he wanted to sleep on the bottom bunk. He went up to the top bunk with some help but then he got stuck and didn’t know how to come back down.  I am sure it was because he was unfamiliar with bunk beds and my mom had to climb up there and encourage him to get down while I had to reassure that I would “catch” him. I am sure he would get the hang of it. I think it would be a must if you share a room with a sibling especially if you don’t have a lot of space. 

If I would have had bunk beds, I wouldn’t have the fond memories of doing fun bed with my sister, which is where we took the mattress off my bed, jumped on it, used it as a slide and sometimes jumped off a chair or the dresser.  Noah has started taking his mattress off his bed but, he is using it as a ramp and a slide for his stuffed animals. I hope he never finds out the crazy things his mommy and his aunt Julie did that were dangerous.

Do your kids share a room? Do they have bunk beds? Now, for the most important question: Top bunk or Bottom bunk?