Mel, A Dramatic Mommy

8 Questions About Toy Story 4 | Spoiler Free Review and Activity Sheets

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie Sheridan) — Fri, 21 Jun 2019 21:00:00 +0000

This post contains an Amazon affiliate link. My affiliate disclosure policies are on my About Me page.

I have a confession to make: I was one of the people who wasn’t really sure Disney needed to make another Toy Story movie. Since the trilogy seemed to wrap up so well, I wasn’t sure where else Pixar could go with the story.

But, having attended several Disney Social Media Mom (DSMM) conferences and hearing directly from the creators themselves, I know that one thing Pixar values above all else is storytelling. I had to trust they would not create a movie unless they felt they had something to say. I am glad to report that my skepticism was unfounded. I really enjoyed this movie and feel it is a good addition to the Toy Story line up.

In typical Pixar fashion, the movie is really pretty. The colors are just gorgeous. I noticed little things like Gabby Gabby's hair. During one of the DSMM sessions, one of the animators spoke on just how difficult hair is to do. They had a whole team devoted to Merida's wonderfully wild red hair.

Some of the questions I've seen floating around about the movie are easy to answer without spoilers and others aren't. I’ll do my best keep this review as spoiler free as possible.

Here are eight things you might want to know before seeing Toy Story 4 this weekend

What is Toy Story 4 about?

It's about an hour and a half. Just kidding. Like the others before it, it's about the relationship kids develop with their toys. It's about friendship and belonging. I also think it's about growing up and moving on. There's a romantic element to Toy Story, a bit of female empowerment and pushing limits. As in, how far will you go to help a friend?

Who stars in Toy Story 4?

The original cast has remained, and we have the return of some favorites: Tom Hanks as Woody, Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear, Annie Potts as Bo Peep, Tony Hale as Forky, Keegan Michael Key and Jordan Peele as Ducky and Bunny, Madeleine McGraw as Bonnie, Christina Hendricks as Gabby Gabby, Keanu Reeves as Duke Caboom, Ally Maki as Giggle McDimples and Joan Cusack as Jessie.

The voice cast also includes Jay Hernandez as Bonnie's dad, Lori Alan as Bonnie's mom, Bonnie Hunt as Dolly, Kristen Schaal as Trixie, Emily Davis as the Billy Goats.

Wallace Shawn returns as Rex, John Ratzenberger as Hamm, Blake Clark as Slinky Dog, and Estelle Harris and the late Don Rickles as Mrs. and Mr. Potato Head. Rickles passed away in 2017. The LA Times did an interesting story about including him posthumously.

Is Andy in Toy Story 4?

Yes and no. I feel like if I get into it, I'll go more into the plot than I want to.

Well I cry during the movie?

Maybe. I think that will depend on what stage of life you’re in. Parents with young kids will identify with starting kindergarten and the changes that brings to a family.

Parents with older kids will relate to what it’s like to move from one phase of childhood to another. Are you a hopeless romantic? Have you ever had to say goodbye your best friend? If so, bring tissues.

Are there Easter Eggs in Toy Story 4?

Yes. I only found two but I know there are many, many more. Supposedly, Toy Story 4 has the most Easter Eggs of any other Pixar film. During the antique store scenes, keep your eyes out for a character from every Pixar movie to date. If you can't wait, Meghan from JaMonkey has compiled a partial Easter Egg list.

Is Toy Story 4 scary for little children?

Possibly. If you know your kids don’t like clowns, there are parts of the movie they may not enjoy.

Will my tweens and teens like it?

Mine did. The whole ride home he talked about Bo Peep and her character and how it was nice that she had so much screen time. We had a really thoughtful discussion about it and re-laughed at some of the jokes.

Should we stay after the credits?

Yes, there is an end credit scene. Several, actually.

#ToyStory4 opens in US theaters on July 21st

Are you planning a visit to the parks? I've created a shoppable packing list on Amazon with products we've taken to Disney, or ones we wish we'd had. Click here to visit my Disney Vacation Packing List.

Connect with Toy Story on social media:
Facebook: Pixar Toy Story
Twitter: @ToyStory
Instagram: @ToyStory
YouTube: Disney Pixar

Click here to download Toy Story 4 recipes, crafts, activities, and coloring sheet PDF's.

Disclosure: I was gifted with tickets to see the movie prior to its public release. All opinions are my own. Photo credit to Disney. This post contains affiliate links.

Avengers: Endgame Reaction and Review

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie Sheridan) — Wed, 24 Apr 2019 07:29:00 +0000

How do you end something that is more than 10 years in the making? Avengers: Endgame is how. This world, the MCU, is the epitome of storytelling. We've been so invested in these people it's hard not to have high expectations for this, the final installment.

I tip my hat to Directors the Russo's for creating such an eloquent farewell. They, along with screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeeley and Producer Kevin Feige have done what Disney does best: put the customer experience first. This movie is for the the fans.

Even though we've been exposed to the idea that good guys always win (Game of Thrones, anyone?), it's still disconcerting when things go as horribly wrong as they did in Infinity War. When we last saw earth's defenders, some had been, literally, beaten. Some were presumed lost in space and many others floated away as a result of Thanos' creation of the Infinity Gauntlet and making good on his promise to wipe out half of Earth's population. They hadn't yet met Captain Marvel.

Endgame picks up in the past, but doesn't stay there for long, at least initially. The movies' use of time and time jumps is masterful. This is where having a refresher on the history of the Infinity Stones* and where (and when) we last saw them prior to The Snap will be helpful.

Despite being three hours long, there were no silly gimmicks. The movie didn't feel stuffed. Every scene felt like it belonged. Avengers: Endgame feels very familiar, but still manages to be something I've never seen before. I was expecting to be surprised, I was not expecting to be shocked.

Even though every major cast member makes an appearance, there's nothing gratuitous about their scenes (there are actually characters I would have liked to see more of). Each time someone new appears on screen, there's a distinct shift. For instance, we get the snappy dialogue and one-liners from Iron Man and the playfulness and fun music of Guardians of the Galaxy.

We know there are other movies in the works, so some of the moments in the film feel like nods towards things to come. Others feel like acknowledgements of the journey and just how much these people have been through. This movie a three-hour emotional roller coaster. I got goosebumps about 30 seconds in. The audience gasped more than once, lost its collective sh*t more than once and cheered more times than I can count.

It hit so many notes: redemption, reconciliation, forgiveness, love, what it means to be a family and #GirlPower. It's a cliche, but Avengers: Endgame will make you laugh and cry. Doctor Strange saw 14 million variations on how the Endgame would play out, and he told Iron Man only one would work. He was right. For me, this movie played out the only way it could and still satisfy the franchise, fans and the arc of storytelling.

Things to know before seeing Avengers: Endgame

Should I re-watch any of the movies beforehand?

I certainly don't think you need to watch all of them, but if you're fuzzy on some of the chronology, this guide breaks down which MCU movies to see in their entirety and which you can fast forward through before Endgame. If you only need a refresher on who survived The Snap and who didn't, re-watch Infinity War (or just go to Entertainment Weekly).

Is there a good time to go to the restroom?

No. Snack with caution.
(But CNET has some ideas. When we see the film again this weekend I might rescind my 'no'.)

Will I want to bring my kids?

Definitely. If your kids are the same age as mine, they've grown up with the Avengers. They need to see how it all wraps up. Younger kids may not like how long the movie is and you may not want to take any bathroom/snack breaks. See above.

Will I want to see Avengers: Endgame more than once?

I think so. I'm glad we're going again because I missed a little bit of dialogue. There are also times where there is so much happening it's overwhelming (in a good way).

*This is a super detailed chronology. There are so many awesome links there including an interactive map of MCU locations!

Connect with Marvel on social media:
Website and Mobile site: https://www.marvel.com/movies/avengers-endgame
Facebook: @MarvelStudios
Twitter: @MarvelStudios
Instagram: @MarvelStudios

Disclosure: See Avengers: Endgame in theaters starting April 29th. Photos and videos courtesy of Walt Disney Studios and Marvel Studios. I was gifted tickets to see the media preview. This post may contain affiliate links.

6 Things to Know Before Seeing Avengers: Infinity War

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie Sheridan) — Fri, 27 Apr 2018 15:49:00 +0000

I will admit one of the reasons I've been hesitant to write about movies, especially blockbusters, is because of spoilers. How can we really talk about something if we can’t really talk about it?

If I have to avoid every major and minor plot and subplot, can I still call this a review? Also, in this day and age, what defines a spoiler? When we are discussing something that has already been a book or a comic book, are we actually spoiling anything? The comics have been out for decades (the first Captain America is from 1941!) so many people have had an idea where the Marvel movies have been heading.

L-R: Peter Parker, Tony Stark, Drax, Peter Quill, Mantis

Is there a statute of limitations on how long we should wait to talk about something as high profile as the Avengers? What's an appropriate wait time? Opening weekend? The following Tuesday? A full week? Social media makes it hard to avoid discussion, but should the early birds be forced to contain their excitement or move to secret rooms and private messages so as not to inconvenience everyone else?

For instance, there’s a moment in the film that’s really personal for me. It has nothing to do with the plot. It’s more about the relationship between two of the characters. But, if I mention it, will I be giving what amounts to an unexpectedly tender moment away? Or, because it’s personal to me, will anybody else even notice it? Aren't the post-credit scenes kind of spoilers, in a way? I'm not a die-hard fan, but we've been waiting 10 years for this to come together. Secrets are going to be hard to keep.

Thanos

With that in mind, I’ll give the standard read this at your own risk disclaimer. Thanos demands silence so I have no intention of giving anything away, but your definition of a spoiler might be different than mine.

Drink At Your Own Peril

At 2 hours and 29 minutes, this is a long movie. You might want to think carefully about your beverage consumption. I’ve been trying to think of a point in the movie where it might be appropriate to take a potty break, but I can’t really think of one. I asked my husband and he couldn’t think of anything either. Geek Dad has an idea that seems pretty safe. If you choose to go with this recommended moment, I think you should still handle your business quickly (same spoiler warning applies). Drink responsibly or be prepared to hold it.

Binge Watch to Get Current

If you’re one of the people who has not caught up on the Marvel Universe, or has only seen select films, this movie isn’t for you. Infinity War brings many plot lines together and if you don’t know the cast of characters you will be lost. CNet put out a thorough guide to watching all the Marvel properties (including TV shows), and in what order, to be current before seeing Infinity War. WaPo also had a really good Marvel movie timeline, broken down by character.

You Won't Get Lost

L-R: Dr. Strange, Iron Man, Incredible Hulk, Wong

There are so. many. people. in this movie. I thought it would be confusing, or feel like the actors were jockeying for screen time, but it's fine. One of the screenwriters, Christopher Markus, said Infinity War is "not one long scene with thirty-five people in it." I agree. Maybe precisely because it's a long movie, I didn't feel any of the dialogue was forced.

Wakanda Forever

Shuri

While it’s really cool to see the different worlds collide and characters meet for the first time, I think I was most excited about being back in Wakanda. Leticia Wright's Shuri has, in my opinion, one of the best lines in the movie. Black Panther was so deep, I'm still totally in my feelings about it. The film bounces around to lots of locations, but I like Wakanda the best.

Buy Your Second Showing Now

As with a few of the other 18 movies in this franchise, Infinity War is a bit of a roller coaster. We missed some of the dialogue in the film due to crowd reaction. We’ve already decided we need to see it again. Mostly because it's a good movie but hopefully to catch what we missed.

Take Your Kids, Or Don't

One thing I read in a lot of comment sections and Facebook threads is parents asking, "can I take my kids?" Honestly? I have no idea. Now that I have a teenager, I'm no longer a good judge as to what is kid appropriate. I see children of all ages at these movies, despite the PG-13 rating. If your kids have seen all the others in the Marvel franchise, have seen Star Wars films (the new ones), read and watched everything Harry Potter; I'd say this is fine. But, you know your kid best.

Overall, Infinity War is a good movie. It lives up to the hype and it's a good addition to the franchise. Come back here after you've seen it. I really want to to talk about it!

Disclosure: I was gifted with tickets to see the movie prior to its public release. All opinions are my own. Photo credit to Marvel Studios. Avengers: Infinity War opens Friday, April 27th. This post may contain affiliate links.

What's New to LEGOLAND California in 2018 + Kids Go Free Ticket Offer

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie Sheridan) — Wed, 24 Jan 2018 22:28:00 +0000

Disclosure: LEGOLAND California provided me with free tickets in exchange for sharing this information about the Resort and the Honest Kids special ticket offer.

We are very fortunate to live close to LEGOLAND California. When Tyler was young, we took advantage of the Model Mom Club membership level. It was perfect for our nanny. She and Tyler were able to go to LEGOLAND once a week. They got fresh air and exercise. As an only child, he loved being with other little kids in MiniLand and the play area.

It was this early exposure to the park that sparked his interest in building with LEGO at home. For years, we bought increasingly elaborate sets that he would display in his room once he’d did put them together. We bought books on LEGO and played the LEGO games on the Wii. It was great!

Sadly, now that he’s older, he’s outgrown playing with Lego. I must admit that I miss it. For the past few years, when I'd walk through stores like Target, I looked longingly at the sets.

I thought I might never get my hands on those pieces again. I know. Adults can build, too. But it's more fun with people who share the love. My little brother must have sensed my pain because he’s given me two delicious nieces! He can be so thoughtful, sometimes.

The little ladies got their first Duplo sets this past Christmas, and Aunt Mimi was only too happy to sit down with them and build.

Since both girls are now old enough for a full day trip, my brother is ready to take them to their first theme park and he’s chosen LEGOLAND!

Even though it’s been a while since we've been to the park, his family has never been, so he’s asked me to put together a little bit of an itinerary for them. So, it was pretty much divine intervention that I received an email from LEGOLAND California Resort with information about what’s new at the parks.

There’s also a really good offer from Honest Kids that involves free tickets that I’ll tell you about in just a bit.

With three parks and one hotel (soon to be two), LEGOLAND California has more than 60 different rides, shows and attractions. There are 16 restaurants and 14 places to shop around the resort. The resort is designed for kids ages 2 - 12. There's a really handy guide for What To Do If You're Two that lists all the LEGOLAND attractions without height requirements, which is perfect for my youngest niece.

What's New to LEGOLAND California Resort

LEGO ® NINJAGO ® : Master of the 4th Dimension 4D film inside NINJAGO World
Surfer's Cove at LEGOLAND and CHIMA waterpark
LEGOLAND Castle Hotel
Sea at Night bioluminescence display at the SEA LIFE Aquarium

The waterpark season begins March 5th, and Surfer's Cove opens this summer. The Castle hotel will be available for bookings starting April 27th. The Sea at Night display opens this spring.

Photo credit: LEGOLAND

If you'll be onsite for a few days, planning your visit is key. Though there are several hotels nearby, staying on the property is the most convenient and fun. The LEGOLAND Hotel has themed rooms, scavenger hunts and early access to the park.

Did you know kids can trade Minifigures with park staff? If you have duplicates, this is the perfect opportunity to get a different one. Fans of the LEGO Movie will want to make sure to look for the character meet and greet for a photo opp with Emmet and Wyldstyle.

Photo credit: LEGOLAND

Do yourself a favor and download the app. It has ride wait times, the park map and discount offers. The app will help you figure out what areas of the park to visit first. When you're creating your vacation budget, leave room to add on the Reserve N Ride. This is a pretty cool hand-held electronic gadget that you can use to hold your place in line for you!

If you live in Southern California and want to consider converting your park tickets into a membership, there are several price points available. While the Model Mom Club isn't offered anymore, the yearly member price is affordable, especially when you break out the payments. As a military family, we appreciate that LEGOLAND offers discounted military tickets.

Kids Go Free to LEGOLAND California

Right now, if you buy Honest Kids 8-count juice pouches, you can get one free One-Day Child Ticket with purchase of a full-price One-Day Adult Ticket. Look for the special boxes; the voucher will be on the side.

If you have problems finding the boxes, go to the Honest Kids page on the LEGOLAND site and redeem the offer with code 189900. Note: the voucher on the box expired this past December, but it has the online code details.

To help with your planning, connect with LEGOLAND California on social media:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Feeling lucky? These blogs have giveaways for Family Four Packs of LEGOLAND tickets! Plus, search Twitter for the #LEGOLANDKidsGoFree tag for other sites offering giveaways. [Giveaways closed as of 1/31/18]

Megan and Wendy
Moms LA
Fancy Shanty
Keep It Simple Mama

LEGOLAND California provided some of the assets needed to craft this post. Click for details on my disclosure policies.

San Diego Staycation at the Rancho Bernardo Inn

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie Sheridan) — Fri, 18 Nov 2016 22:32:00 +0000

I have a confession to make: my husband and I haven't gone away on vacation together since the early 2000's.

I know. I know.

It's entirely our fault. We didn't make getting away a priority. When Tyler was little, he would spend a week with his grandmothers, which, let's be honest, felt like a vacation even though Phil and I stayed at home.

Now, our travel is 95% related to Tyler's sports. For tournaments and games we've been up and down California, to Arizona and Lake Tahoe; and this year we add Las Vegas. But these trips can hardly be counted as getaways. The presence of smelly hockey gear is not remotely romantic.

You'd think, living in a city like San Diego, staycations would be a no brainer. There are so many things to do here! We have many distinct neighborhoods, miles of some of the best beaches in the US, mountains and deserts. It's ridiculously easy to find something to do no matter what your vacation style. For us to not take advantage of the awesome things our city offers is kinda ridiculous.

Photo credit Tonya Staab

So, it was a nice surprise when I found out I'd been chosen as Innfluencer for the Rancho Bernardo Inn. I applied on the fly and promptly forgot about it. When the email came with the available dates for our stay; I knew exactly what to do: surprise anniversary staycation!

Even though I do little things for Phil like buying his favorite ice creams, making sure he always has gum in his car and buying salt water taffy when I'm at a specific store; it's rare that I get to make a grandiose gesture like this one and treat him to something like this.

Hopefully, our stay at The Inn has exposed Phil to how nice mini getaways can be and he'll be more open to them in the future.

If you've never been to San Diego, the Rancho Bernardo Inn is a resort in the northern inland corridor between Escondido and Poway. It's tucked away in the community so that, if you didn't live there, you'd pass right by. The grounds are beautiful and the resort has plenty of things to keep you occupied like the 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, spa facilities and four dining options.

Photo credit Tonya Staab

If you've known me for awhile you know I love to read. I also think it's important to get kids to read. The fact that The Inn has a Little Free Library was really touching. I brought three books, left them when we checked in and two were gone the next day!

Photo credit Tonya Staab

We got to the hotel and had just enough time to check out the amenities in our room and wander the grounds before our dinner reservation at Veranda. Since we were early for dinner, we decided to catch the last of Happy Hour at Avant, the bar upstairs. They have live music several nights a week.

Photo credit Tonya Staab

We had a lovely dinner and it was nice to take our time and "catch up" with each other. We decided to hit the jacuzzi before bed and when we got back to the room, the hotel had left us a bottle of wine and a charcuterie tray.

Like most people who have been married as long as we have, we watched the news, continued our conversation from dinner and went to sleep.

Photo credit Tonya Staab

Early the next morning, we left the cozy hotel bed because Tyler had a game. Yes, yes, I know. What can I say? We love watching him play. Even though the room had a Keurig, we grabbed coffees and pastry from the cafe (which has a cute little gift shop filled with locally made products). After the game, one of Tyler's teammates was nice enough to take him back to their house so we could go back to the hotel for the breakfast that was included with our package. Sundays call for mimosas, right?

As part of our hotel package, the Eat, Drink and Be Merry, we had tasting room tickets to local wineries and breweries. After we checked out, we planned the rest of our afternoon around the football schedule. Since I don't drink wine or beer, guess whose husband got to bring a buddy? Just keeping my Wife of the Year title secure!

We visited three breweries: Iron Fist, Lost Abbey and Mother Earth. If you're visiting San Diego and book this package, you'll definitely need access to a car or service like Uber as the breweries are not close to the hotel.

If you or someone you know is planning a trip to America's Finest City, consider the Rancho Bernardo Inn resort!

If you'd like to read about another package option, my blogging friend Maryann and her family stayed at The Inn earlier this summer and took advantage of the Family Fun Package. If you want to see what our overnight looked like in 'real time' I posted a few other photos on Instagram.

Thank you to The Inn for hosting us as part of their #Innfluencer campaign and to Tonya for her photography!

Three Tips for New Sports Parents

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie Sheridan) — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 07:55:00 +0000

Our son's sports journey started when he was six. He "played" T-ball for a season and then moved on to martial arts. We thought he was on his way to becoming a black belt, but he stopped after earning his yellow. I didn't play sports (I did cheer and dance for awhile) but my husband did and I'd watched my younger brother play so I know the value of participating in an organized sport. It was something we hoped Tyler would embrace but we didn't push it too hard.

Then, when he was eight, he told us he wanted to play hockey like his friend from school. Since he'd never been on ice skates, we didn't think he was serious. But he kept asking so we looked into in. The hockey community in Southern California, is MUCH bigger than we realized. To see if Tyler was really committed, we made him go through two rounds of skating lessons. We thought he'd get tired of being out there with the figure skaters and give up. We were wrong. After skating lessons he'd ask, "how much longer until I can be a hockey player?" We enrolled him in the rec league thinking that he'd get bored at practice, just like he did for T-ball. But he didn't. He played his first season and didn't complain about practice being too hard or boring.

In the middle of his second rec season, he started to notice the travel players. He saw their nice uniforms, matching track suits, coordinated hockey bags with their names and jersey numbers and heard stories about traveling to different cities to play.

"When can I try out for one those teams?"

We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into jumping from the rec league to Club, but Tyler was still really into the sport and, more importantly, he was working hard to earn his spot on the team. Tyler was so proud to put on his travel team uniform for the first time! He was 10 when we let him try out and has been playing travel ever since.

Fast forward to present day and within the next few weeks Tyler and his team will be playing in both the So Cal finals and the state finals! We are incredibly proud of what he and his team accomplished this year. Though we've had our ups and downs over the years, we're impressed with Tyler's passion for the game and how he's grown and matured both as a person and a player.

Deciding to let your son or daughter play sports can be a big commitment. If you've been on the fence about joining a team (because make no mistake, your player may be the one on the field but you're all in this together) hopefully my advice will help you. Here are three things I've learned in my time as a sports parent:

Be your athlete's biggest cheerleader, but don't be a sycophant

We're pretty fortunate to have several rinks close to our home. That means we have been able to attend at least 80% of practices and 95% of Tyler's games. Even when I have to bring work with me to practice, Tyler can see that I'm there. We videotape some games to upload privately to YouTube so family and friends can watch. We've Skyped people in for games and used FaceTime too. I have a team sweatshirt with his name and first jersey number and a matching hat. I've worn his jersey to games, and he tells me my voice carries in the rink and he hears me cheering for the team. We do everything we can to be supportive, but we're not "everyone gets a trophy" parents. Tyler has been really good about coming to us for advice and critique. He'll ask us, "what did I do well today and what can I do better?"

We do our best to offer constructive advice and stick the the 'scold in private, praise in public' rule. Yes, it's the coach's job to bring out the best performance in their players, but coaches don't always have the time to really get to know each of the players and their personalities. We know our son best. That's why we have no problem telling him something like we could see the moment when he let the other team get into his head, or that he had a bad shift in a particular period. Building your athlete's confidence is important, especially in high contact sports.

But telling your young athlete how awesome they are with no balanced feedback doesn't do them any good. We've seen players who were fawned over at lower levels of play become totally disillusioned with the sport when they got to higher levels and are no longer the top scorer, batter, etc. etc. There will always be another player who is better than yours, but there's a role for everyone on a team. How your athlete responds to not being the "best" is something parents can reinforce: they can either let it defeat them, or motivate them to work harder.

Give your athlete the tools they need, and then take a step back

Tyler is so fortunate to have extremely generous grandparents. They have been a huge help in allowing us to make sure Tyler's equipment is always properly fitting and high in safety ratings. When the budget allows we've done private lessons and clinics. We've done summer camps. Over the years we've accumulated piles of street sticks, street pucks, rollerblades, nets to shoot on, water bottles and miles of stick tape. I keep grab and go snacks on hand, his favorite Powerade flavors, and we bought a mini cooler and Thermos to pack food when we know he'll be practicing or playing for hours.

We've put as many tools in his toolbox as we can, it's up to him how he uses them. He needs to go out into the street to practice his shot and work on stick handling. He needs to treat practice seriously. He needs to give his best effort at each game. He needs to keep his grades up and be a good citizen of our home (chores, etc.) to earn the privilege of being on the team.

Tie athletics in with life lessons

Over the years we've probably used every perseverance cliche in the book: work smarter not harder, anything worth doing is worth doing well, we make time for the things that are important to us, set SMART goals, respect and positivity open doors, sometimes it's okay to not be the leader; but you still have to give it your best, it's called 'work' for a reason, and on and on. We've made a conscious effort to make a connection between sports and a larger life lesson whenever we can.

He's not always going to enjoy practice but it's part of the larger picture

There will be days when he doesn't feel well and doesn't want to go to practice (or his future job), but occasionally he'll have to at least try to power though

He's not always going to like his coach (or his future boss) but has to be respectful

He's not always going to get along with his teammates (or future coworkers), but he has to put that aside when he steps on the ice

He needs to remember that someone else didn't make the team because he did

In the past few years we've watched Tyler outgrow a bit of his shyness. He's been in situations where he's had to stick up for himself or a teammate, he's learned to advocate for himself by going to his coach to ask what he needs to do to earn more ice time.

Whenever I talk with my brother about his time in youth sports, he says it's life lessons that were his biggest takeaway. We really hope it's the same for Tyler.

Being a sports family can be a great experience. We really treasure the time we've had together and the memories we've created. Because of hockey we've been on mini vacations to San Jose, Arizona and Lake Tahoe. Our extended family and friends come out to watch him play. We've received discounted tickets for NHL games. We've been a billet family for two amazing young men from Sweden. Tyler has made some really strong friendships with his teammates and we have other families we can now claim as part of our "village."

Do you have young athletes in the family? What tactics have worked best for you in keeping them motivated and inspired?

******

About the POWERADE #JustAKidFrom campaign:

POWERADE believes that with the right motivation these everyday athletes can realize their potential and one day be just like the athletes they look up to. Sports have a major impact on our communities. Whether it is t-ball or the pros, every athlete in every league has a story waiting to be told.

Your young athlete can represent their somewhere with custom "Just a Kid" apparel that features where they're from purchased here. All net proceeds from the sale of "Just a Kid" apparel goes to the Boys & Girls Club of America.

Special Just a Kid sports bottle offer from Walmart:
1. Purchase two, 8-packs of 20 oz POWERADE at Walmart

2. Go online, submit your receipt, and order a free custom “Just a Kid” reusable sports bottle.

3. Visit http://www.us.powerade.com/walmart/#pov2 to learn more. The offer is good until April 4, 2016 or while supplies last.

Special thanks to the post sponsors @SheSpeaksUp, @POWERADE and @Walmart.

Photo by Chris Liverani on Unsplash

2016 Organization: 14 Free Printable Planners for Bloggers

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie Sheridan) — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 01:38:00 +0000

I'm pretty sure I've confessed my type-a personality traits here before. I wish I could say they've lessened as I've gotten older. But no. They're alive and flourishing. I like order. I like organization. I'm not that good at winging it. Having a plan is good.

For this blog and another I write for, I found I was needing a way to keep better track of some specific data. I have the info spread out over too many locations and it's getting difficult to keep things updated in a timely manner. Other content creators and bloggers I know say they need to keep records of things like:

What they post and when it's posted
Future topic ideas
Relevant hashtags
Expenses
Invoices
Social media campaigns

Of course there is more, but those are the most common. I started researching content calendars, tracking sheets and budgeting sheets and realized there was probably an all-in-one system I should be looking for instead. I was right. And the results are glorious. I found printable planners specifically designed for bloggers. My school supply loving, list making heart can't be happier.

If you've been in need of a system to help get your blog on track this year, these 10 printable blog organizers are a great place to start. The problem now is deciding which one I want to use.

Happy organizing!

A Virtuous Woman

A Well Crafted Party

Celebrating Everyday Life

Confessions of a Homeschooler

Cort In Session

Cosmopolitan Cornbread

Designer Blogs

Design Decor

Essential Take on Life

Lime Tree Fruits

Mama Jenn

Tea Party Beauty

Yellow Bliss Road

7 On A Shoestring

Note: If you decide to use one of these planners, please be sure to read the descriptions and download rules for each. Some have guidelines and recommendations about how they need to be printed and many require subscription to a newsletter. Each of the planners here are free (!!) so please be respectful of the creators' rules for use.

Image from picjumbo.com

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute at the 2016 Coronado Island Film Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie Sheridan) — Wed, 13 Jan 2016 01:59:00 +0000

I received Press access from the Board to the Coronado Island Film Festival staff and venues to facilitate writing this sponsored post.

The Coronado Island Film Festival: 85 Movies. 6 Spectacular Parties. 5 Live Performances. 4 Panels of Industry Pros.

I've lived in San Diego for a long time and one of my favorite places to go when I want to be a tourist in my own city is Coronado. The island is beautiful and filled with history. I didn't realize how much of a connection to old Hollywood and the film industry the island has.

Dozens of movies have been filmed on the grounds of the world famous Hotel Del Coronado, Wizard of Oz author L. Frank Baum lived in a home on Star Park Circle, and there is an IMDb page filled with movies and TV shows filmed on location around the island.

It makes sense that Coronado would be prime location for a film fest. And now it's here! The first annual Coronado Island Film Festival starts this week on Friday, January 15th and runs through Monday the 18th.

The festival is packed with appearances by industry leaders:

Leonard Maltin - film critic and author
Lisa Bruce - Producer of The Theory of Everything
Emmanuel Lubeski - Cinematographer for recent Golden Globe winning film The Revenant
Chris Lemmon - Writer and son of actor Jack Lemmon who will be receiving the inaugural Hollywood Legacy Award during the festival
Jonas Rivera - Producer for the recent Golden Globe winning film Inside Out

To honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Coronado Film Festival is hosting a free tribute event on Monday the 18th from 3:00 - 4:30pm. The reception happens following a special Noon screening of Laurens Grant's documentary Freedom Riders. Grant won a Peabody award and three primetime Emmy's for her 2010 Civil Rights film.

Grant's other documentaries, The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution and Jessie Owens are also screening at the Festival. Freedom Riders will screen at Noon at the Village Theatre and the reception, with Grant as the special guest, is at the Glorietta Bay Inn. Light hors d'oeuvres and wine will be served.

To plan your weekend of Festival activities, read the full Coronado Island Film Festival program online.

Other film festival reads:

For a listing of other free events during the Festival, read this post by Danielle Simmons of Simm Works Family.

Suzzette Valle, Coronado resident and author of 101 Movies to See Before You Grow Up, has a full Festival rundown on her site. You can buy a signed copy of her book at the Hospitality Tent.

Kate Hammernik of Highlights Along the Way shares details on the animation panel and opening night screening of the new Disney movie The Finest Hours.

Rob, AKA Downtown Rob has a list of the parties and special events.

To stay up-to-date with the Festival news and schedule, Like the CIFF Facebook page, follow the CIFF on Twitter and through the #CIFF and #CoronadoFilmFest hashtags.

Veterans Day 2015 Deals, Discounts and Free Offers

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie Sheridan) — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 17:38:00 +0000

Sometimes I feel guilty calling myself a military wife because our experience hasn't really been typical. It's different being the spouse of a Reservist rather than Active Duty. There are so many things I've never had to worry about: deployments, packing up a home every few years, enrolling in new schools, finding new doctors and dentists, finding a new job with every move and surviving on military pay.

Military life can be challenging. There are often sacrifices made by the spouses and children as well as the enlisted. It's a lifestyle that most people can't really understand unless they know someone living it.

Most service members feel they're just like everyone else; they're only doing their jobs. But their jobs are unlike the average persons' for so many reasons. The military has high rates of depression, PTSD, divorce and we're starting to see the longterm impact repeated deployments can have on their physical health.

There are so many organizations that support active duty, retired, spouses and children. As we approach the holidays, charitable giving becomes top of mind for many people. Please consider putting your resources, be it time or money, toward groups, non-profits and businesses that support our military.

"On the battlefield, the military pledges to leave no soldier behind. As a nation, let it be our pledge that when they return home, we leave no veteran behind." ~ Dan Lipinski

Free or Discounted Food Offers:
Denny's - Free Build Your Own Grand Slam 5am - Noon

Applebee's - Choose one meal from seven available entrees on a select menu

California Pizza Kitchen - Choose either an entree, pizza or salad from select menu

ClaimJumper - Free entree from select menu on Monday, November 9th only

Olive Garden - Free entree from select menu

On the Border - Free Choose 2 or Choose 3 Create Your Own Combo (up to $10.79)

Red Lobster - Free appetizer or dessert from select menu

IHOP - Free Red, White and Blue pancakes

Menchie's - Free 6 ounce frozen yogurt (seen on the Menchies Facebook page)

White Castle - Free Breakfast Slider and coffee

Little Caesars - Free Hot N Ready lunch combo

UNO Chicago Grill - Free B1G1 entree of personal pizza (through November 12th)

Wienerschnitzel - Free Chili Dog and Pepsi

Hooters - Free entree

Other offers:

Great Clips - Free haircut

Knott's Berry Farm - Military Tribute Days; one free admission and up to 6 discounted tickets from 11/1 - 12/20/2015

National Parks Service - Free entrance to parks

Sports Clips - Free haircut

Meineke - Free basic oil change

Offers.com is a great site to check year-round for military specific deals and offers.

Vettix - This company often has free tickets to concerts, sporting events, zoos, museums and a lot more. You have to be in the military to register and some of the high profile items (Disneyland tickets) are done via a lottery. We've scored some great tickets to Anaheim Ducks hockey games.

When I put together this list of free and discounted offers for Veterans Day, I try to choose restaurants and businesses that have locations nationwide. For each business, I've linked to the most direct source of information I could find (usually the press release). If you see any errors here please let me know.

**Always check with each location to ensure they are participating and to get any conditions of the offer (specific hours, need to be in uniform, need to show ID, dine-in only, beverage not included, gratuity not included, etc). For more offers (especially for restaurants not in California), visit these sites: Military.com, MilitaryBenefits.info, The Military Wallet and the Veterans Day offers page at Freebies.About.com. Referral link used for Vettix.

Photo credit: U.S. Embassy Montevideo in Uruguay on Flickr

30 Books to Add To Your TBR Pile in 2015 | My Reading Goal for the Year

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie Sheridan) — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 16:30:00 +0000

*This post contains affiliate links

Last week I went to book club for the first time in months and realized how much I miss talking about books. It's not uncommon for most of us to have a notebook or the Notes app open on our phones all evening long, writing down titles other members recommend. I love finding new authors and my club members rarely disappoint.

I drove home thinking, "there's so many good books out there just waiting for me to find them!" Please tell me you feel the same so I don't feel like a complete fool.

Between book club, book podcasts, magazines, Facebook pages, Goodreads, Oyster, and my mom; my TBR list is so long it's bordering on ridiculous. But, since I don't think I'll be giving up reading anytime soon, I remain optimistic that I'll make my way through it eventually.

In 2013 I set a goal to read 40 books to take some of the sting out of turning 40. When I started this post it dawned on me I never published the update as to if I reached the goal or not (I did, barely). I'm cutting myself some slack and limiting this year's goal to 30. Before, I didn't allow any padding for books over 400 pages. Plus, because of the new Outlander series on Starz (which I LOVE!), I think I may be jumping back into those books.

Since putting it out in public will keep me accountable, here, in no particular order, are 30 books I'm hoping to get through this year.

1. The Language of Flowers, Vanessa Diffenbaugh
2. Mermaids in Paradise, Lydia Millet
3. Ocean at the End of the Lane, Neil Gaiman
4. The Miniaturist, Jessie Burton
5. We Are Not Ourselves, Matthew Thomas
6. Station 11, Emily St. John Mandel
7. The Girl on the Train, Paula Hawkins
8. Men Explain Things to Me, Rebecca Solnit
9. The 5th Wave, Rick Yancey
10. The Life We Bury, Allen Eskins
11. A Land More Kind Than Home, Wiley Cash
12. This Is Where I Leave You, Jonathan Tropper
13. Friendswood, Rene Steinke
14. I'll Have What She's Having, My Adventures in Celebrity Dieting, Rebecca Harrington
15. Look At Me, Jennifer Eagan
16. Everything I Never Told You, Celeste Ng
17. Landline, Rainbow Rowell
18. The Martian, Andy Weir
19. Yes, Please, Amy Poehler
20. As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride, Cary Elwes
21. I Regret Nothing, Jen Lancaster
22. Zero to One, Notes on Startups, Peter Theil
23. The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace, Jeff Hobbs
24. The Paying Guests, Sarah Waters
25. Long Man, Amy Greene
26. Best to Laugh, Lorna Landvik,
27. Brown Girl Dreaming, Jacqueline Woodson
28. The Hypnotists Love Story, Liane Moriarty
29. A Spool of Blue Thread, Anne Tyler
30. The Woman Upstairs, Claire Messud

Bonus book: I confess, while I was putting this post together, I read both The 5th Wave and the second book in the trilogy, The Infinite Sea. They were both really quick reads. If you enjoy YA dystopian/sci fi you'll enjoy these. But, be forewarned: the third in the series will not be out until spring of 2016.

Should I decide to up my goal to 40, which of your recent

reads should I add to the list? Follow my progress on Goodreads!

Veterans Day 2014 Free Offers and Discounts {Starbucks, Applebee's, Knott's Berry Farm and more}

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie Sheridan) — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 00:13:00 +0000

Next week we celebrate Veterans Day. If you see a soldier, please thank them for their service. If you see a soldiers' family, please thank them, too. If you're looking for a way to give back beyond this one day per year, consider searching for volunteer opportunities on sites like VolunteerMatch, The Wounded Warrior Project, your local USO, or Feeding America (which often host a military food pantry).

"True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost." ~ Arthur Ashe

Free Veterans Day meal or discount available from these restaurants and businesses:

Meals
Applebee's (specific menu items)
California Pizza Kitchen (specific menu items)
Build your own Grand Slam from 5am - Noon at Denny's
Olive Garden (specific menu items, link goes to their Facebook page)
Create your own combo at On the Border (link goes to their Facebook page)
Free doughnut and coffee from Krispy Kreme (link goes to their Facebook page)
Free select appetizer from Red Lobster (through 11/13/14)
Red Robin is offering a Tavern burger and fries
Famous Dave's is offering a One Meat Salute from 11am - 4:30
Free meal with beverage purchase from Hooters
Free appetizer from Ruby Tuesday
Starbucks is offering a "free tall (12 fl. oz.) brewed coffee to veterans, active duty service members AND military spouses"
Claimjumper is offering their free meal on Monday, 11/10
Free entree or pizza from Uno's Chicago Grill
Military Appreciation Monday at Golden Corral is Monday, 11/17

Discounts
Military Tribute Days at Knott's Berry Farm from 11/2 - 11/21/14
Free haircut at Great Clips
Free admission to all US National Parks
Extra 20% off at JC Penney
"Receive 15 percent off eligible store items and 20 percent off Walgreens, Nice! and W brand products at any Walgreens or Duane Reade drugstore nationwide"

**Always check with each location to ensure they are participating and to get any conditions of the offer (specific hours, need to be in uniform, need to show ID, dine-in only, beverage not included, etc). For more offers (especially for restaurants not in California ), visit Kiplinger's Veterans Day 2014, Military.com, MilitaryBenefits.info, The Military Wallet and the Veterans Day offers page at Freebies.About.com.

Photo credit: Kathy Zinn on Flickr using Creative Commons (text and overlay by me)

10 Easy Ways to Live a More Sustainable Lifestyle and Not Break the Bank {Sponsored}

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie Sheridan) — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 19:00:00 +0000

This is a sponsored post on behalf of the Nestle company's Coca Plan initiative.

When I was a kid, we lived in a suburb about an hour south of Chicago. In the summers before we moved to California, my parents used to drag me to a “you pick it” farm all the way in Indiana. After hours in the car, we’d spent the rest of the day filling trash bags with different vegetables. My mom would wash and freeze them so that we’d have fresh vegetables all through the winter (it wasn’t uncommon for us to get completely snowed in for days at a time). My parents, along with three of their best friends, would also buy a side of beef, have it butchered and divided among the four families. It seems my parents were locavores well before the term existed.

I will raise my hand right now and admit I am not the most conscientious consumer. When I’m shopping, be it for clothes, shoes or groceries, my focus is on finding the best value for my dollar. If I have to drive around town or spend time doing research to get the best deal, so be it. I happily donate items to Goodwill and sell Tyler’s gently used clothes on Craigslist. I’ve purchased from a thrift store only twice in my life because the deals were too amazeballs to pass up. I am a creature of shopping habit.

But, for the past few months I’ve been re-evaluating my habits. I’ve been paying more attention to the articles appearing in my Facebook feed with subjects about sustainability, ethics, and responsibility. I’ve read up on slow food, fair trade, farm to table, CSA’s and even composting for city dwellers. It’s a lot of information, and frankly a little overwhelming. So much of the information I’m finding seems to be about living a certain lifestyle and making very deliberate choices.

I’ll be honest; a lifestyle overhaul is not going to happen. I won’t say I’m too lazy to make big changes, but I have to acknowledge that some of the stores we shop in, like the Commissary and Exchange, aren’t going to have a large selection of socially conscious items. At the end of the day, my bottom line is still a top priority. I do know it’s time to start reducing our footprint and paying more attention to what we buy and who we buy it from. Change doesn’t happen overnight. Small shifts can add up.

I’ve made a list of 10 easy, manageable steps we can start taking toward a more sustainable household. Some cost a bit more, some require a bit of effort and some are only a matter of creating new habits.

1. Join a CSA. This one won’t be easy for my family to implement. We’re not very adventurous when it comes to our vegetables. We tend to eat the same things over and over again. I’ve seen a few of my friends’ boxes and have had to do an Internet search to find out what some of the items are. If I could find a fruit only CSA, that would be a big hit at home.

2. Follow the Rule of Three when clothes shopping. Last year I went to an event for My Sister’s Closet (an upscale retail shop, where I found one of the amazeballs deals), and a personal shopper/stylist spoke to us about creating a user-friendly closet and how to put outfits together. One thing she said stuck with me: when you're out shopping, if you want to buy an item, you have to be able to picture it working with at least three other items you own. I’ve taken that to heart and become less of an impulse shopper.

3. Make friends with your grocery store staff. We’re really lucky we live in an area with easy access to stores like Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, Fresh & Easy and Whole Foods. It’s usually really easy to spot locally made products and most of the staff are more than happy to make a recommendation.

4. Consider buying into a local, grass-fed farm program. This is the one that can get pricey depending on what farm you choose. We’re not going to go vegetarian, but I feel it’s irresponsible for me to not at least look into buying meats that have been raised locally and ethically. If we decide to try this, we’re going to split the order with another family to keep the monthly payments reasonable.

5. Switch a few of your pantry staples to Fair Trade and/or Certified Organic. I’m embarrassed I never though of this before: I typed “fair trade certified pantry” into my search engine and wouldn’t you know? Amazon has an entire section for this! Seasonings, coffee, coconut oil, baking spices, sugar; the list was pretty impressive. My husband’s favorite salsa, from Costco, is Certified Organic under the Kirkland brand. I have a feeling if I paid more attention to labels I would find that many of my pantry items can be easily swapped.

6. Do the same for your beauty cabinet. This is another that won’t be easy for us. My skin is pretty sensitive and my husband has eczema so we have to be really careful about bar soap, face wash and laundry soap. Once, I switched his deodorant because there was a great sale to match my coupons (same brand, but a gel not solid). It was a disaster. Fortunately, our son has been able to use them with no problems, but it was a lesson learned the hard way. Still, I’ve added coconut oil as a moisturizer, Vitamin E oil as a leave in conditioner and I’m experimenting with brands of cruelty free deodorant (so far the crystal is pulling ahead). I read a statistic that the average woman puts 500 different chemicals on her body each day. That was sobering. All those chemicals are being absorbed through our skin and washed down our drains. Limiting them is good for our health and the planet.

7. Give gifts that give back. A few weeks ago, a friend was wearing a really pretty necklace. I asked where she bought it and she told me about a store that sells goods handmade by the Maasai. She’d just come from a warehouse sale. I hightailed it over there and bought two packs of greeting cards, five necklaces, two bracelets a cutting board and salad tongs for $52 total. Wedding gift and stocking stuffers? Check.

8. Make the Farmer’s Market a habit. Here’s another one I waffle over. I live in between several weekly markets, but not close enough to walk. It seems counter intuitive to drive 5-8 miles for breads, fruit, flowers and tamales (so good!), but at the same time, we’re supporting local businesses and eating fresh, preservative-free foods that are roughly the same cost as what I’d buy at the store. Every time we do make it to the market, we enjoy the foods we buy and new vendors keep the market interesting. Plus, it's good family time and a chance to be outdoors near the beach (don't hate).

9. Be selective with your charitable giving. Our contributions are almost always to organizations that support military families. I’m sure I could also find an organization that supports sustainability where our dollars are much needed, will go far and will really have an impact.

10. Give in to the power of suggestion. Seriously. I’ve added so many new Facebook pages, followed new people on Twitter, liked Pins and added magazines on Flipboard that are related to sustainability that it’s changed my feeds. I’m consuming more information on these subjects and the companies, brands and products are slowly starting to seep into my consciousness. Repeated exposure has made me so much more aware of issues that used to get very little of my attention. I’m even considering downloading two ethical shopping apps. Will any of this influence my purchasing? Who knows. But now when I shop I ‘spot’ things I might not have paid attention to before. Baby steps.

As the saying goes change doesn't always happen overnight. I believe everyone needs to start somewhere and it's usually the smaller, simpler changes that lead us to make even larger ones.

********

October is Fair Trade Month and Halloween is one of the largest candy consumption days of the year. Consider buying sustainably sourced treats for Halloween and holiday parties, and sustainably sourced cocoa, sugar and spices for baking. Some facts and statistics about chocolate and Halloween:

75 percent of households plan to hand out candy to trick-or-treaters this year. Candy sales are expected to reach $2.5 billion this Halloween.
About 4% of all candy consumption in the USA occurs on Halloween
Nearly 3/4 of Americans (72 percent) say that chocolate is their favorite Halloween treat. Chocolate scored top points among all age groups, but was most popular among those ages 45 to 60 who preferred it over other candies by 78 percent.
Theobroma Cacao is the tree that produces cocoa beans, and it means “food of the gods.” The most common tree is Forastero, which accounts for nearly 90% of the world's production of cacao beans.
It takes 400 cocoa beans to make one pound of chocolate. Each cacao tree produces approximately 2,500 beans.
There are an estimated 1.5 million cocoa farms in West Africa. The average size of a cocoa farm in West Africa is 7 to 10 acres.

This post was sponsored by Nestle on behalf of their Cocoa Plan. Nestle uses 100 percent UTZ Certified cocoa in its Nestle Crunch bar as part of its $120 million sustainable Cocoa Plan launched in 2009. Read more about fair trade and sustainable cocoa initiatives on sites like FairTradeUSA, the Fair Trade Federation and BeFair.org.

Statistics from The Chocolate Council, USA Today, Exploratorium, The National Confectioners Association. Image courtesy of Sujin Jetkasettakorn at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Educating Ourselves About Drugs and Drug Use: Parenting Through the Tween and Teen Years

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie Sheridan) — Thu, 01 May 2014 03:58:00 +0000

This is a sponsored post on behalf of the Touch & Know home drug testing kit.

I have a confession to make. Well, not really a confession since it’s not anything I’m ashamed of. Maybe more of an admittance with questions attached. I have virtually no experience with illegal drugs. Or, for that matter, legal ones used in an abusive way.

I didn’t have an experimental phase in high school. I wasn’t a huge partyer in college. I didn’t really hang around with people who were into recreational or hard drugs. I heard a great phrase lately that is very apropos to this situation: I didn’t need drugs or alcohol because the circus of humanity was entertaining enough that I’ve never felt the need to be altered to enjoy myself. My dad's career in law enforcement had a little bit to do with it, but mostly I just never got the urge.

As an adult, I’m glad my curiosity never got the better of me. There is addiction in our family tree. Who knows how I would have fared had I decided to do something ‘just this one time.’ On the flip side, as a parent, I kind of feel like my non-drug use has me at a bit of a disadvantage. Unless I saw them take it, I’d be hard pressed to tell if someone was ‘on’ something. I couldn’t identify a coke high versus an acid trip versus… whatever it is mushrooms do. See what I mean? I can’t even use the proper jargon!

I don’t know what the current trends are with over the counter and prescription drugs. Is the drug du jour still Oxycontin? Are adults still taking their kids’ ADHD pills? I remember that was a story line from Desperate Housewives, but are people still doing it? I have no idea what the street names for drugs are nowadays. There’s virtually no way I’d recognize a drug by sight and don’t even get me started on social media. Did you know teens and tweens are buying and selling drugs using apps and social media? That they’re using certain hashtags on Instagram to let others know what kind of drugs will be at the party that night? Go to your Instagram and search s-i-z-z-u-r-p (without the hyphens). My search turned up a little over 33,000 results. The only reason I know about this party drug is because I was researching something else about teens and social media.

Part of growing up can mean learning certain things the hard way. Right now Tyler is pretty adamant that drugs are "stupid." Will he always feel that way? Only time will tell. We're not naive. We haven't fooled ourselves into thinking Tyler will be the exception or that he won't experiment simply because we've told him not to. We know the time is coming where he'll find himself in a situation where he'll have to make a decision. We hope, when the time comes, he makes the right one.

What has been gnawing at me lately is, what if he doesn't know he's in that type of situation? Last week I read a Time magazine article about synthetic marijuana that has me completely freaked out. These cannabinoids are becoming increasingly available at convenience stores and gas stations. They are packaged like baseball cards and sold under the name potpourri, glass cleaner or incense. Hopefully, Tyler will never have the type of friend who would trick him into taking drugs, or tell him that something isn't harmful when it is.

Phil and I haven't talked about setting up parameters for Tyler. So far it's been: don't do drugs. But we need to be realistic and we need to create an atmosphere where, if he does get into some sort of trouble, he feels comfortable talking to us. I'd like for him to call us from a party and ask for a ride home because he feels uncomfortable or has had too much to drink, and believe us when we say we won't get mad.

On the flip side, we've already told Tyler that while he lives in our house, privacy is a privilege and not a right. The cell phone, computer and iPod he uses are monitored. When it comes to his room, so far we haven't had a reason to go through it. We trust him until he gives us a reason not to. If we were suspicious, I'd like to think we'd have no problem turning his room upside down. How do we balance allowing him a little bit privacy, keeping the lines of communication open and trying to stay on top of what may be happening under our roof?

I'm feeling as though there's an enemy out there I can't fight because I don't know what it looks like. I can talk with Tyler about bullying, racism, peer pressure, trying to fit in and lots of other subjects because I've been there, done that. But drugs are uncharted territory. It's all so confusing, overwhelming and a little bit scary. So, finally, here are my questions: how are you parents and caregivers keeping up with the news? Where do you go to educate yourself about what tweens and teens are into?

Last month I went to an event with fellow moms where we talked about our kids and our fears surrounding drugs and alcohol. I know that junior high has become the starting point for when kids are hearing about their friends using or their friends' older siblings. It was helpful to hear how the moms with kids Tyler's age started having these important conversations and how the moms with older kids survived!

We also learned about a new home drug testing kit. It's specifically designed to test unknown substances. If I were to find something in Tyler's room, the Touch&Know® kit would be able to identify it as harmful or not with only five steps. I know myself and the few extra moments to reign in my emotions and wrap my head around the results, benign or not, would be much needed.

As I said, there is addiction in our family. I know now that is the reason my parents and grandparents were so vigilant with me and my brother. They saw addiction first hand and lived with it for years. From their stories, it's not anything I want our family to go through. I have two of the kits in our medicine cabinets. I'm fully prepared to use them, but pray I never have to.

********

Touch&Know® Facts and Resources:

The Touch&Know® test will enable you to positively identify the presence of Crack/Cocaine and the general presence of Brown Heroin and/or 18 other illegal or controlled drugs, including: White Heroin, Methamphetamine, Amphetamine (powder), Ecstacy/MDMA, Methadone, Ketamine, PCP, PMA, DMT, MDPV, Mephedrone, PMMA, mCCP, MPA, Buphedron, MDPBP, Cathinone, MethCathinone, Methylone, and Marijuana/Hashish. It can also test for designer drugs like bath salts.

Only a VERY small amount of substance is needed to perform the test. The results are immediate. You do not need urine or hair samples with the Touch&Know®. You are testing the substance, not the person. Sold exclusively at Walgreens.

Connect with Touch&Know® on social media:

Touch&Know® blog
twitter.com/touchnknow
Facebook.com/TouchandKnow
YouTube.com/touchandknow
Google+/touchknowhomedrugtestkit
Pinterest.com/touchandknow/

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Touch&Know®. Opinions and experiences are my own. Photos and video courtesy of Black Falcon.

Budget Friendly Snacks for Your Young Athlete | Save Money Shopping at Grocery Outlet {Giveaway}

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie Sheridan) — Fri, 04 Apr 2014 23:27:00 +0000

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Grocery Outlet. **This giveaway has ended**

If you have school-aged kids, you already know keeping the pantry stocked with healthier snacks is a challenge. Call me biased, but I think sports parents have it even tougher. If your kid plays, be it on a rec league or travel, you know where I'm coming from. Take, for instance, the following scenario:

6:30am Wake up in time to eat breakfast before getting on the road for the hour-long drive to the tournament.

8:00am Arrive in time for team warm ups, hear "Mom, I'm still hungry," and throw a snack at your child.

9:30am Game is over. Hear "Mom, I'm starving! I will DIE if I don't eat something right this second! DIE I tell you!" Throw a snack at your child while standing with other team parents, using your phones to Google nearby breakfast restaurants.

11:00am Google local parks to kill two hours before you have to be back in time for the afternoon game.

11:30am Hear, "Mom, do we have anything to eat in the car? I'm thirsty."

12:30pm Pile into the car to head back for the afternoon game. Ask, "are you hungry? you should eat now if you are."

1:00pm Spot your child from across the arena. He is standing in the doorway to the locker room frantically waving at you with one hand, and pointing to his mouth, pantomiming eating with the other. Throw a snack at your child.

2:30pm Second game is over. Start loading the car. Hear, "Mom, I'm hungry." Throw a snack at your child.

3:00pm Use your phone to check traffic. It sucks. Steel yourself for two-and-a-half hour drive home.

4:30pm Traffic worse than what was on Google Maps. Curse silently because you know what is coming.

4:45pm Hear, "Mom, are we stopping anywhere for dinner?" Throw last of the snacks at your child. Hope to Heaven traffic breaks up and you make it home soon.

Am I right?

Between packing lunches and sports weekends, snack foods have started taking up a bigger portion of my budget. There haven't been too many breakthroughs in terms of the variety of portable, healthier, non-perishables. My choices seem to be cheap and bad for you, or healthy and expensive. Organics? Hardly ever an option.

I wasn't sure about taking my local Grocery Outlet up on their snack food challenge. I'm not used to shopping without coupons and couldn't see how I'd be able to save money without them. Plus, I thought the store would be filled with brands I'd never heard of. I was wrong on both counts.

Since I've been paying attention to prices for so long, I have a good sense of when an item is priced well and when (even on 'sale') it is not. This knowledge came in handy while I was shopping. I picked up 26 items* and paid $29.34.

When I took my receipt to Vons to compare, the savings were very clear. I found six items that were identical to the ones I purchased at Grocery Outlet. If I had purchased the same things in the same quantities from Vons, I would have spent $26.85 for only 10 items.

That's a significant difference. Again, since snacks go so quickly in our house, they're something I keep an eye on because they can quickly take over my grocery budget. Now, will I see these same items the next time I go to Grocery Outlet? Maybe. Maybe not. But I'm fine with that. I'd rather a slightly rotating inventory with low prices than the same things over and over. Overall, I'm happy with my first experience and can say with certainty I will go back again.

Luckily, Grocery Outlet would like to extend the challenge to you, too. If you live near one of their stores, enter below to win a $25 gift card. You may not be able to see the Rafflecopter widget on mobile devices.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
*There should be two more items in the photo: one more Yopa (I got hungry) and a 59oz bottle of Tropicana Orange Tangerine.

This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter. Mel, A Dramatic Mommy is not responsible for prizes lost in the mail or incorrect physical or email addresses. Giveaway is open to residents of the United States, age 18+. Giveaway will close at 11:59PM ET on 4/14/14. Two (2) winners will be selected. Winner(s) will be contacted by email within 48 hours. Winner(s) must respond to me via email within 24 hours or an alternate will be chosen. If you have any additional questions, contact Melanie at ADramaticMommy{@}gmail.com.

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I was not compensated for this post. I was provided with a gift card to facilitate my shopping. Opinions are my own. Grocery cart image courtesy of Grant Cochrane and FreeDigitalPhotos.net

12 Free Meal Offers for Veterans Day 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie Sheridan) — Sun, 10 Nov 2013 19:30:00 +0000

On Monday, November 11 we celebrate Veterans Day. It's a chance for us to recognize and thank our nation's men and women in uniform and their families for their service, commitment and dedication to our country. As a military spouse, I appreciate when a business or company provides a 'no strings* attached' offer that Phil can take advantage of. One of his co-workers is Army and they have a good time planning their lunch breaks each year. Below are just a few of the offers available tomorrow.

"To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…" ~ Woodrow Wilson

2013 Veterans Day Freebies

Applebees
California Pizza Kitchen
Chili's Bar and Grill
Denny's
Einstein Brothers Bagels
Famous Dave's
Krispy Kreme
Olive Garden
On the Border
Outback Steakhouse
Red Robin
TGI Fridays

Bonus: free haircuts at SportsClips

*Always check with your local chain to ensure they are participating and to ask about possible restrictions and exclusions like alcohol and gratuities. For more Veterans Day freebie offers visit Veterans Advantage and Restaurant News and Military Spouse Magazine.

Image from freedigitalphotos.net and Flexico, Inc.

What's Your Excuse? My Thoughts on the Word Bully

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie Sheridan) — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 18:21:00 +0000

I don't usually write reactionary posts, but I felt this needed to be said. It's not my intention to make anyone mad. But it is my intention to (hopefully) make people think. If you have no idea who Maria Kang is or what the drama is about, read up first or this might not make sense.

I opened my Facebook this morning and apparently I'm supposed to be upset over the photo fitness enthusiast Maria Kang posted of herself, her abs and her children on her Facebook page (more than a year ago). Well, I'm not upset but I am disappointed. People are outraged. How dare she put up a picture like that! Kang has been labeled a bully and frankly I don't think that's fair.

Folks, it seems some of us, myself included, need to put the Internet on pause, go make a good cup of coffee and take some deep breaths. Maria Kang is not stretch mark shaming. She's not trying to make you feel bad about yourself. She's certainly not a bully. I feel what's happening here is her photo has poked the bear. Or, more specifically, the 'What's Your Excuse?' tagline used on the photo has.

Am I carrying around extra weight? Definitely. Do I have body image issues? Yep. Do I wish I were living a more active lifestyle? For sure. Are any of those Maria's fault? Not in the least. When I look at Maria's photo and read the tagline, it doesn't make me mad. Good for her for working so hard at something that is obviously important to her. Whatever jealousy, insecurity or anything else that makes me feel even slightly 'less than' when I look at her picture is all on me. They're part of my issues. In fact, she's right. My personal answer to her tagline question is, "I don't have any excuses." I have several reasons, but no excuses.

I feel that people (okay, women) are letting their insecurity, maybe a little guilt at not being more fit, maybe even a little anger at how often we feel we're not able to put ourselves first determine what filters they're looking at Maria's photo through. I would bet money that everyone who has a problem with the caption reads it as 'what's YOUR excuse?' and, through the little voice in their head, the word 'your' has been assigned a judgey, snarky tone. I read it as a straight question, with no emphasis on any of the words. It's all about perspective.

I also wonder how many people who are upset over the photo also have Words of Wisdom Pinterest Boards filled with quotes like, 'no one is in charge of your happiness but you;' 'the control center of your life is your attitude' or the biggie 'no one can make you feel inferior without your consent.'

If you're one who has had a visceral reaction to this situation, ask yourself: has Maria harmed you in any way? Threatened you? Do you feel there is an imbalance of power? Are you intimidated by her? Physically harmed? I could go on but I think you get my point. Please stop referring to Maria as bully. It dilutes the word and diminishes the experiences people, particularly children, are having with actual bullying.

"It is estimated that 160,000 children miss school everyday due to the fear of attack or intimidation by other students - 2 out of 3 teens are verbally or physically harassed every year. - 58% of teens have had hurtful things said to them online and over 40% say it’s happened more than once."

Our children are in crisis. They're experiencing depression, missing school and attempting and committing suicide because they're being bullied. This is not okay! I think the word bully is being used more and more as a catchall phrase and it's doing more harm than good. I think there's a fine line between someone being mean and being a bully.

It seems that, as a society, we've gotten so sensitive that negative statements, any type of confrontation, thought or idea that makes us uncomfortable or forces us to confront our own demons (like Maria's photo), puts us on the defensive and are automatically getting labeled as bullying behavior. I think that's wrong. There's a difference between bullying and being a jerk. It may be slight, but in my mind there's a difference nonetheless.

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. Take a moment to reflect on the word bully and what it means to you. Think about how you're using the word and in what situations. What terminology and phrasing have you used when talking with your children about bullying? Bullying is serious. We need to treat it seriously. Please don't use the word so casually. Our children are counting on us and we can't afford to have the word lose its true meaning.

For information on bullying visit Pacer.org, Stomp Out Bullying.org, National Education Association.org and StopBullying.gov. Quoted statistics from Do Something.org. Image via freedigitalphotos.net and David Castillo Dominici.

10 Steps to Setting Parental Controls for the iPod Touch

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie Sheridan) — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 16:00:00 +0000

My son doesn't have an iPhone, a fact he reminds me of all the time. Last year he got an iPod Touch for Christmas and that will have to do for now. We were hesitant to give him such easy access to the internet. My personal opinion is that children under the age of 14 shouldn't have unrestricted and unmonitored access to web. Even after age 14, I believe families should have guidelines in place and an understanding that the internet isn't always a safe place for kids to be.

We've tried to have an open dialogue with Tyler about why we're (or rather, I) am so strict on what kinds of things he's allowed to do with his iPod. I've told him it's not so much that I don't trust him, it's that I don't trust everyone else on the internet. I've explained and shown him examples of the ways people are using apps like Instagram and Snapchat in way that the app creators didn't intend and in ways children don't need to see.

We're alright with being thought of as the uncool parents if it means we're limiting his exposure to inappropriate (and sometimes flat out indecent) material. We decided the best we can do it set as many parental controls as we could, explain our rules and the consequences for not following them and monitor how he uses his iPod.

The Settings and Restrictions tabs are your best friends. Get to know these areas. Most of the steps we've taken started here.

1. Set a passcode lock
We keep it simple so we'll remember it. If he loses the iPod, at least we have a small measure of security in that hopefully no one else will be able to use it.

2. Link the iPod to your iTunes account
Having the iPod on my account means I can see everything on it. It also helps me keep it backed up and the software up to date.

3. Provide contact info
The lock screen reads "If found please call" with my Google Voice phone number.

4. Install Find My iPhone
I have this app on my iPad and my iPhone. If he does lose it the location based service, combined with the contact info hopefully would get it returned to us quickly.

5. Turn off in app purchases
My son uses his iPod almost exclusively for gaming. Many of the games he likes are free to play, but ask for real money to buy boosts and extras. He once spent $25 on gas cans for Battle Bears! Since his iPod is linked to my iTunes account, this is a way to ensure I don't get any surprises on my bank account. In app purchases can add up fast. I can monitor how much of his iTunes gift cards he's used and let him know when he runs out of funds.

6. Change settings for explicit content
Go to Settings --> General --> Restrictions and look for the content ratings. I believe the default settings are set to 'all,' which means if your child is searching iTunes or You Tube they may stumble across something with strong language or worse.

7. Set a Restrictions passcode
In addition to a main passcode, I set one specifically for the Restrictions are. This way, the settings for explicit content aren't changed. The passcode is one that only I know.

8. Turn off the ability to delete apps
I chose this option so he can't install and then delete an app before I can see it. I also want to make sure he didn't accidentally delete the Find My iPhone app.

9. Delete some apps and settings altogether
I deleted YouTube, the ability to play multi-player games, the ability to add friends, Ping and iTunes. This was something I struggled with. I wanted him to have some freedom, but I also don't want him to have unlimited access to YouTube, and some of the games in the iTunes store seem like they are for kids but aren't. My hope is to prevent him from things like accidentally downloading the explicit version of a song rather than the radio version.

10. Install a safer browser option
This is a new one for us. Since he was 9 when he got the iPod, I really didn't want Tyler to have any access to the web. Now, he needs to go online for both homework and sports so I'm going to install a new browser after doing more research on the options below.

Mobicip Safe Browser
AVG Browser
McGruff SafeGuard Browser
K9 Web Protection Browser

Since iPads, iPhones and the iPod Touch are very similar in function, I think many of these settings will work across the devices as you'll find them in the same areas.

I know I seem mean and paranoid, but I'm not. We're really trying to balance Tyler's growing independence and desire for freedom and privacy with responsible use of the internet. Tyler and I have had many conversations about what a digital footprint is and how the things he posts online will live forever. He already knows what college he wants to go to and we looked up their social media guidelines.

Phil and I are doing our best to impress upon him the importance of using the web the 'right' way. Plus, I think being a kid today is hard enough without the added distractions and pressures of the web and social media. I feel like giving our younger kids unlimited and unmonitored access to the web is forcing them to participate in conversations they're not yet mature enough to have.

What about you? What precautions have you taken with your child's digital device? Are there any steps I missed?

*Child photo from freedigitalphotos.net

Merida's Royal Coronation at Disney World | Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie Sheridan) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 19:00:00 +0000

Photo by Melanie Sheridan

Father's Day Gift Idea for Sports Fans | The Sportula

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie Sheridan) — Fri, 24 May 2013 21:35:00 +0000

My husband is hard to shop for because he says he doesn't need or want anything. I generally end up buying him the same things, shirts and his favorite candies, for gift giving occasions.This past Christmas I found a gift that has been very popular with the men in my family: The Sportula.

First I gave a set to my dad, then Dennis gave us a set and now my brother wants one too. The spatula, tongs and fork are super sturdy and two come with bottle openers on the ends.

Sportula has expanded beyond NFL and now has NHL, patriotic themed, college teams and Nascar sets. I like that they've also brought in a new product, the Boasters (stainless steel coasters) for those of us who already have the sets but want another way to show off our team pride. We're slowly making over the deck and the boasters would be perfect to have on the coffee table. You can buy Sportulas and Boasters on the Sportula store on Amazon.

*Not sponsored, affiliate link used. You can laugh at my dirty grill but not my team!

Six Young Adult Books I Can't Wait to Read

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie Sheridan) — Thu, 23 May 2013 21:04:00 +0000

I'm not ashamed to admit how much I'm enjoying reading young adult and teen fiction. I think there's a creativity and story variety that isn't present in 'grown up' books.

Do you read the online op ed section, Room For Debate, from The New York Times? About a year ago, several writers weighed in on the topic of adults who read teen fiction. The opinions were predictably varied. I 100% agree with author Patricia McCormick's statement:

"Authors who write for young adults are taking creative risks -- with narrative structure, voice and social commentary -- that you just don’t see as often in the more rarefied world of adult fiction."

You said it, sister. Also, I have only given up on a young adult book once. I started The Book Thief and couldn't get into it, but I'm much more willing to give it a second chance than I would some of the grown up books I've tossed aside (I Know This Much is True, Slammerkin, Freedom, The Year We Left Home).

Plus, it's been a good way for Tyler and I to connect. We've read some of the same titles and he trusts my book suggestions more than he used to. I've got six young adults books on my never-gets-shorter Want To Read list. Three are conclusions to trilogies.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (out now)
The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey (out now)
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (out now)
Allegiant (from the Divergent series) by Veronica Roth (expected October 2013, last in trilogy)

I will say I liked Divergent more than Insurgent but both are good. Tyler is reading this with me so I'd say this series is good for ages 10 and up. I read both books before him just to be sure.

Reached (from the Matched series) by Ally Condie (out now, last in a trilogy)

Again, I liked the first book better than the second but I really want to know how all the plot lines wrap up. This is also good for 10 and up. I think Tyler would enjoy it if he could get past the romance. There is a love triangle and relationship between two characters with kissing but not intense kissing.

Dreams of Gods and Monsters, the conclusion to Daughter of Smoke & Bone (from the series of the same name) by Laini Taylor (out now)

Here's one where I liked both the first and second equally. I was all set to let Tyler get started on these until I got to the middle of the second book, Days of Blood and Starlight. There's a relationship with the lead characters and there's more descriptive intimacy than I think he's ready for. I'd say this is better for 15 and up.

Certainly some themes are better left to an adult audience but the young adult books I've read are something grown up books rarely are: fun. There's a difference between a quick, mindless read like the Sookie Stackhouse books and one that is really fun to read. It's rare that I've been so excited to sit down and read all day as I was on the Harry Potter release days.

Another Room for Debate contributor, Lev Grossman, also summed up my feelings about YA when he said:

"Bottom line, there's one thing that young adult novels rarely are, and that's boring. They're built to grab your attention and hold it. And I'm not as young as I once was. At my age, I don't have time to be bored.

Preach. There's room on my bookshelves for all kinds of reads. As long as young adult authors are creating such captivating reads, I'll be in line to buy them.

What are your thought on YA books?

Leave your favorite title in the comments!

*Affiliate links used, tablet image from freedigitalimages.net

Do You Call It Pop or Soda? | Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie Sheridan) — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:22:00 +0000

Pinterest Stress? Not This Mom

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie Sheridan) — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:37:00 +0000

So, apparently, according to the media, Pinterest is causing stress for moms. Last week I read the story online on the Today show website and heard it again on the news this morning. The Today Show conducted a study and found that 42% of moms claimed Pinterest stressed them out. The only thing I can think of to respond to that is: priorities.

I understand the idea behind why the show did the study. Most women I know will agree they are their own harshest critics and the stress they put on themselves is worse than stress from outside sources. I am by far my own worst critic. The voice in my head can be overwhelmingly negative and hard to silence at times. But never will I say looking at Pinterest is my biggest source of stress, or any stress at all for that matter.

When I go to Pinterest the word that comes to mind is better. I'm inspired to put better food on the table, hopefully take better pictures one day, be a better businesswoman, become a better blogger, dress better, give better gifts, throw better parties, get better at organization and so on and so on. I don't go to Pinterest because I think I'm deficient in these areas. I go because it's fun! There are so many amazingly talented and creative people out there, why not use the resources they've given us (for free!) to do things we normally do, only make them better?

That's the way I approach the site and I hope you do, too. If Pinterest or other creative outlet sites are making you feel inadequate in any way, I think it's time to take a step back and examine your priorities. No social sharing sites should have the power to make you feel like less of a mom, wife or anything else. Social media is supposed to enhance our daily lives and relationships, not make us feel bad.

YOU need to be the one using the sites and not let them use you. Also? This is not a competition. You do you, I'll do me and everything will be alright. Also, also? Don't play into the media's hands. We're better than that. If you're not having fun online, perhaps it's time to step away from the computer and re-evaluate what you hope to get out of participating in social sites like Pinterest.

Disney Social Media Moms Celebration 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie Sheridan) — Fri, 10 May 2013 22:16:00 +0000

Remember when I said I was ready to get back into social media? Well I jumped in with both feet and RSVP'd for my first conference in more than a year. This week, my family and I are in Orlando where I'm attending the Disney Social Media Moms conference.

This year is the fourth time Disney World has hosted about 200 bloggers and their families at the resort. The invite-only conference put together by Disney's marketing and social media teams, is a chance for families to experience deluxe resorts, park hopper tickets, behind the scenes looks at new attractions, premier swag and giveaways and great food from the Disney chefs at incredibly reduced prices. It's a hybrid of a conference, press junket and vacation.

At the conference we have an opportunity to hear from various Disney execs and departments and hear about the new developments within the parks and other Disney departments like cruise lines, Interactive (gaming and multimedia), social good and Disney Destinations. During the day, we bloggers listen to motivational speakers and business execs to learn about marketing, writing, promotion, branding and social media while our families run around the parks. At night, we're all treated to things like fine dining, character appearances and entertainment.

At the 2010 event, Ann Foster, Director of Disney Destinations, said in her presentation that we only have 18 summers with our kids. That really stuck with me. Tyler will be 11 this year so half our summers are gone! I love that, when he looks back on his childhood, he'll have so many memories of our time here. This year will be extra special because we surprised him by inviting his best friend and family to come along with us. Disney truly knows how to put on an event and this conference never fails to disappoint. I'm incredibly blessed to be attending for the third time.

If you want to follow along with this year's discussion you can connect with Disney Social Media Moms in several ways:

Lanyrd

Eventifier (not sure how long this link will be live)

DisneySocialMediaMoms.com

Twitter Search #DisneySMMoms

5 Minutes for Mom Disney Social Media Moms attendee blog link up

Official Twitter handles:

@DisneySMMoms

@WaltDisneyWorld

Disclosure: While Disney is the official host of the conference, we are not attending as sponsored (hosted) guests. All opinions are my own.

40 Books in 12 Months - I Can Do It!

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie Sheridan) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 20:55:00 +0000

So, I did something that may end up being really awesome or really dumb. I set a goal for myself to read 40 books by the end of December. I love to read so I'm pretty sure I can pull this off. I'm a little bit ahead of the pace Goodreads says I should be on.

Hopefully I'll remember to do at least short reviews of all the books here on the site, but if I don't you can always follow me on Goodreads to at least see my star ratings. I'm always on the lookout for new titles and authors to add to my To Be Read Pile. If you've come across anything good lately let me know!

See the titles I've read so far in my 2013 reading list

2013 Reading Challenge

Melanie has read 13 books toward her goal of 40 books.

hide

13 of 40 (32%)

view books

Image from Google Images

Blog Breaks and Boredom

noreply@blogger.com (Melanie Sheridan) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 17:42:00 +0000

Holy hiatus! I've never been away from the blog this long. I can't tell you how many times over the past several months I've stared at the blinking cursor in the post editor, trying to compose something, anything, to show that I'm still alive. I've even Googled 'coming back from a blog break.' It's not that I don't have anything to say, I'm just not sure the things on my mind are interesting enough to keep the blog going. How can I find my voice again after being gone so long? Who's still around to read? Should that even matter?

So, what have I been up to? Not much really, just being with my family. There have been a lot of meals at the dinner table, movie nights at home, beach days, pool days, good books, homework, client work and hockey. So. Much. Hockey! And then there was Dennis. I didn't want to talk much about him here because I felt I should protect his privacy a little and they were his stories to tell, not mine. But, long story short, he came from Sweden last August to live with us and now we have another member in our family. He went home a few weeks ago. Tyler misses him terribly. Dennis is Tyler's best friend, big brother and hero rolled into one.

Maybe Dennis leaving is part of why I felt the need to get back online. I must admit, it was really nice to have someone to talk to every day who was on the other side of the kitchen table as opposed to the other side of the monitor. As much as I enjoyed all the family time I've started to get the same feeling that led me to start blogging in the first place. I got so caught up in 'being present' for everyone else that I forgot myself and the things that make me happy. Writing makes me happy. Social media makes me happy. When I'm happy it's hard to feel lonely or bored. And let's face it, being an at home mom can often be both lonely and boring.

So here I am attempting to get back on the horse. Come with me for the ride?