For more Wordless Wednesday fun, go check out 5 Minutes for Mom.

Congratulations to the following ladies who each won a copy of Letters To God on dvd:

Mary

Katie

Jennifer

Winners, you should have an email waiting in your inbox from me about claiming your prize.  Please be sure to respond to that email within 72 hours.

Don’t forget to check out my current giveaway….Date Night starring Steve Carell and Tina Fey!  I’m giving away two copies of Date Night on dvd!

Date Night

Hilarious!  Absolutely Hilarious!!!  But really, did you expect anything different from Steve Carell and Tina Fey? But I think my husband was actually most excited when he found out that Mark Walhberg also had a role in Date Night.  He’s kind of Tim’s role model (I like to call Mark his man-crush).

Date Night is about a married couple, Phil and Claire Foster, who realize that they have settled into the hum-drum monotonous routine of their marriage and lives.  In an effort to jazz things up a little, they head into the city on their date night to one of the hottest restaurants.  When they take someone else’s dinner reservation they not only get a great meal, but they also get a night they are sure to remember!

This movie is definitely a great date-night rental! Funny.  Great action.  A shirtless Mark Walhberg.  All of that was to be expected and did not disappoint.  What I wasn’t expecting was how Date Night resonated with me.  With my husband.  So many times we found ourselves looking at each other and laughing because we had, at some time, said (or thought) those exact same things.  Why can’t he just stop *insert annoying habit here*?  Why can’t she just let me help without watching over me with a critical eye?

Overall, the film itself (comedy, action, and story-line) was not over the top, as it is in many comedies like this.  It was a good balance and definitely worth watching.  The bonus features are also really great.  The Gag Reel and Public Service Announcements are hilarious and we really enjoyed watching the behind the scenes featurettes on directing with Director Shawn Levy.

Date Night is rated PG-13  and is available on Blu-ray and DVD, with both theatrical and extended versions of the film.

Sorority Wars

Have I ever mentioned that I was in a sorority in college?  Yup, Kappa Beta Phi!  I have a lot of really great memories from those years but that experience has made watching any movies on Greek Life really disappointing to me.  I get really tired of how most movies portray sorority girls as complete air-heads and Greek Life as one big drunk-fest.  Ok, yes, there are some pretty ditzy sorority girls out there and yes, there is drinking going on, but that’s not what it’s all about.

So, I was a bit skeptical going into watching Sorority Wars.  But I was pleasantly surprised. Sorority Wars is about a girl, Katie Parker, who, as she heads off to her first year of college, has every intention of joining the sorority that her mother was once a part of.  But, when she begins to see the members of that sorority for who they really are, she decides sorority life might not be exactly what she wants.  In the process of discovering who she is Katie causes a little trouble for her would-be sorority sisters and ends up pledging to their sorority rivals.

Sorority Wars is a fun movie with a great cast (Lucy Hale, Courtney Thorne-Smith, and Faith Ford).  Besides a fun story and and actors, there were also some great themes or thoughts throughout the film.  As a mom of two girls, it was interesting to see the connection between mother and daughter and how sometimes you just need to let them go and let them make their own choices, even if it’s not the choice you would have made.

Sorority Wars is unrated and is available on dvd from Vivendi Entertainment.  I would definitely recommend the film and think that anyone (teens, moms, college girls), whether they were in a sorority or not, would enjoy watching it!

Win it!

I am giving away TWO copies of Date Night starring Steve Carrell and Tina Fey! To enter, simply leave me a comment below telling me about the worst date you ever had!

You can earn one extra entry by doing any or all of the following:

Subscribe to Stacey says…

Follow me on Twitter

Tweet about this contest and/or Post about it on Facebook (you can do this once daily, each)
“You can win one of TWO copies of “Date Night” on dvd from @Stacey_Says: http://bit.ly/DateNightdvd”

Leave me a new comment each time you do one of the “extra entries”!

Giveaway Details:

The TWO (2) winners will be randomly selected from the comments posted by Friday, September 10.  All entries will be verified and must include an email address where I can contact you if you should win.  This giveaway is open to US residents only. You can read more about Giveaway Policies here.

*Disclaimer: I did receive a complimentary copies of Date Night and Sorority Wars on dvd from Bender/Impact so I could give you an accurate and personal review.  However, receiving complimentary product in no way affects my opinions stated here.

Zoe: Two towels.  Two towels, dad!

Tim: Yup, towels.

Zoe: Two towels! One. TWO!

Tim: Yes, two towels.  Good Job.

Zoe: Yeah! Dats your towel. Two towels!

Tim: Thank you Mr. Obvious.  Two towels.

Zoe: I Zoe, dad! I Zoe!

Tim:  Yes, you’re Zoe.

Zoe: Yes!  You Mr. Obvious!

The two year old had turned the conversation around on him.  And the adult was left speechless.

Type-A Mom is a conference that I was really hoping to attend.  I’ve heard great things about it and it seems like the perfect conference for me! The size of the conference is moderate (which means it’s big enough to have a great mix of people but small enough to not feel completely overwhelmed), it has a great mixture of learning and fun, and they offer an optional day of learning focusing on the business of blogging.  You can check out the conference details for yourself at www.TypeAMomConference.com.

The conference also falls at a pretty ideal time for me to go (end of September).  Being pregnant, I have to be much more aware of when I schedule things.  How far along will I be? Can I travel? Will I want to travel? Am I going to want to sleep the entire time? Thankfully I will be well into my second trimester which means that I will be totally able and comfortable enough to travel and I will be at the “energetic” part of my pregnancy.  Seriously, the 2nd trimester rocks!

I need a sponsor

As I mentioned above, I do have the opportunity to attend the Type-A Mom Conference but now I need to figure out how to get there.  I was able to get a ticket to the conference, which is awesome, but now I need to cover the cost of my travel and lodging. In order for me to make attending Type-A Mom a reality I need to find a way to cover those costs — a total of $1250.

Why sponsor me at Type-A Mom

As a blogger I have quite a bit to offer.  I write about a variety of subjects so the possibilities are virtually endless. Here’s a little bit about me, hopefully you’ll see something that jives with your company!

• I’m a 30 year old woman
• I live in the MidWest
• I have two daughters — 4.5 year old Abbi and 2 year old Zoe
• I’m pregnant with my third child (due at the end of February 2011)
• We have a dog — a 1 year old Boxer
• I love Gadgets & Tech, especially for kids
• I currently own an Apple MacBook Pro laptop
• I use and love my iPhone 4

What I can offer you and your company

Just as I like to be creative in what I write about, I also want to be creative in how I represent my sponsors. Sponsorships could include any of the following but are not limited to this list.  Basically, I want us to find the best way possible that I can represent you and your company and I’m open to brainstorming with you as to what that might look like….

• Ad placement on my site before, during, and for 90 days after the conference
• Dedicated blog post about your company, may include video if applicable
• Mention of sponsorship in all posts about the conference before, during, and after the conference.  This could include a banner ad featuring your company placed at the bottom of those posts.
• Hosted giveaways of your company’s product(s) on my site before, during, or after the conference.
• Twitter shout-outs mentioning your company before and during the conference
• Placement of your company’s logo on my business cards that I will hand out during the conference
• Wearing and using branded items during the conference
  For example:
  • Wearing clothing with your company logo (t-shirt, zip-up hoodie, etc.)
  • Using a branded laptop bag (I will be carrying my laptop with me throughout the conference)
  • Using a branded iPhone4 case
  • Using branded water bottles
• Basically I am your personal spokeswoman to the hundreds of other influential women at the conference at to the thousands who read my blog, Twitter, and Facebook streams.

For more information on sponsoring me to attend the Type-A Mom Conference this September, please send me an email at staceysays [at] me [dot] com.  I think I would do a fabulous job representing your company to the leading bloggers in the industry and would love the chance to work with you!

It doesn’t matter what meal it is (breakfast, lunch, or dinner) and it doesn’t matter if it’s something she picked out or not.  She usually gets to a point, one or two bites in (if that), and doesn’t want to eat any more.  ”I don’t like it” “I not hungry” blah, blah, blah!  I’d gladly let her just get down when she says she’s not hungry any more but then all I hear for the next few hours is that she’s hungry. And when I tell her she can go back and finish eating the food she left on her plate, then I get to hear the “I don’t like it! I not hungry” again and again and again!  But don’t you worry, she’d be happy to eat a snack!

Example:  This morning I let her choose what she wanted for breakfast and she wanted pancakes.  Ok, pancakes it is.  However, three bites in, she no longer wanted it.  Are you freaking kidding me?  It’s pancakes and you stinkin’ asked for them!!!

So the rest of the meal ends up me sitting there, telling her to take another bite, to chew it up, to swallow it.  Every single bite.  So frustrating! And the really frustrating part is when she takes a bite or shoves her mouth full and then just leaves the food in her mouth.  She won’t swallow it.  It’s so disgusting!!!

I’m getting to the point where I’m just going to let her skip a few meals (and no snacks!) so she can truly feel what it’s like to be hungry.  Maybe then she’ll appreciate the food set in front of her.  Maybe then she won’t make each meal a battle.  Is that too harsh?  The problem is that I swear this kid just doesn’t care!  I can make her sit at the table for hours or in time out or even spank her butt and she just doesn’t care.  So maybe a good dose of going hungry is the answer???

What are your thoughts?  Do you have a problem eater in your house? How did you or do you handle it?

Letters To God

I’ll warn you now, I’ll probably give quite a few spoilers here so I apologize now.  However, despite how much you know about the film ahead of time, I guarantee you’ll leave watching this dvd inspired, hopeful, heartbroken, and sad.  I cried, a lot, watching Letters To God but every tear was worth it.  (And I’m pregnant so I cry pretty much about everything.)

Letters to God is about an eight-year-old boy, Tyler, who has cancer and, in spite of his cancer, has an extraordinary amount of faith and courage.  Concerned about how his cancer has and will affect his friends, mom, and brother, Tyler begins sending prayers to God in the form of daily letters; letters that he actually addresses to God, stamps, and places in the mailbox for delivery.  The letters wind up in the hands of Tyler’s new postman, Brady, who has a few “issues” that seem to be haunting him.  Confused at first over what to do with the letters, Brady ends up using the letters to bring together a community, heal a family, and lift himself out of the pit he had been spiraling down.

I’ll be honest, I often have a hard time with faith based movies.  Not because of the overall message or because of the subject matter, but because they tend to lack in the acting and storyline department.  I often find myself bored with the actors and the storyline in these types of movies.  But I was pleasantly surprised by Letters To God.  First, it is inspired by a true story and, although some of the situations and characters were changed, I always appreciate a story about actual people.  It is also from the producers who brought us Fireproof and Facing the Giants.

Second, the acting in this film was pretty good.  The cast includes Robyn Lively (“Saving Grace,” “30 Rock”), Jeffrey S.S. Johnson (“Criminal Minds,” “Burn Notice”), Tanner Maguire (“Lost,” “Brothers & Sisters”), and Ralph Waite (“Days of Our Lives,” “CSI,” and “The Waltons”).

Third, the storyline kept me interested.  I truly wanted to find out how it ended.  And, as a mom, the story of a family was of interest to me.  Now, I do wish certain parts had been a little different.  There is one scene where the mom breaks down and says how sick she is of hearing the same ol’ religious “make you feel better” cliches.  I wish she would have gotten a little angrier in that breakdown.  Because I would have.  I felt like she was handling it a little too well.

Overall, the film is worth seeing.  Letters To God is rated PG but I would caution you about watching it with kids.  Depending on the age of your kids, I would consider watching it first without the kids and then you can be the judge.  The reason for my caution:  the film has an obvious theme of death and loss and, although your child may have dealt with the death of a grandparent already, it seems to be a little different when the death is of a child.  That brings up a lot of different feelings, questions, and concerns in kids.  Just be ready.  Oh, and have some Kleenex handy!

Letters To God is currently available on DVD, which includes a ton of bonus features:  On-Set Devotionals, Behind the Scenes, The Music Behind the Movie, Character Stories with Cast, Short Stories, Outtakes and Bloopers, and more!

Win it!

I am giving away THREE copies of Letters To God! To enter, simply leave me a comment below. The comment can be anything, I’m easy like that today!

You can earn one extra entry by doing any or all of the following:

Subscribe to Stacey says…

Follow me on Twitter

Tweet about this contest and/or Post about it on Facebook (you can do this once daily, each)
“You can win one of three copies of Letters To God on dvd from @Stacey_Says: http://bit.ly/cQw6Gj”

“Like” Letters To God on Facebook (leave them a wall message to tell them you heard about the film here!).

Leave me a new comment each time you do one of the “extra entries”!

Giveaway Details:

The THREE (3) winners will be randomly selected from the comments posted by Friday, August 27.  All entries will be verified and must include an email address where I can contact you if you should win.  This giveaway is open to US residents only. You can read more about Giveaway Policies here.

*Disclaimer: I did receive a complimentary copy of Letters To God on dvd from Bender/Impact so I could give you an accurate and personal review.  However, receiving complimentary product in no way affects my opinions stated here.

]]> http://www.staceysays.com/2010/08/friday-films-letters-to-god/feed/ 20 http://www.staceysays.com/2010/08/friday-films-letters-to-god/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/StaceySays/~3/L_0v6joIKEs/ http://www.staceysays.com/2010/08/outnumbered/#comments Thu, 12 Aug 2010 19:01:38 +0000 Stacey http://www.staceysays.com/?p=2451 This was originally going to be a video post but it’s 86 degrees in my house (no air conditioning) and the sweat dripping off my face is less than flattering!  So, I’ll do my best without the video.

We’re pregnant.  Again.  How’s that for subtle? Wow! It feels good to finally get that out there in the open! It’s funny how hard it is to keep that a secret when you’re surrounded by such intuitive people, both online and off.  It’s amazing how many questions I’ve had to dodge!  Speaking of questions, let’s just address the basic ones:

How far along are you? When are you due?

I am 12 weeks. I actually didn’t mean to wait this long to tell everyone but it just ended up that way.  I am due toward the end of February.  I hate to throw out specific due dates because (as my previous two pregnancies proved) my due date tends to randomly change, plus or minus a week.

How are you feeling?

Wretched! Aren’t you glad you asked? I am beyond exhausted (I’m sure the heat and keeping up with a 2 and a 4 year old isn’t helping) and I’m nauseous pretty much all day every day.  Both seems to be getting a little better with every passing day.  Thankfully!  This is one of the big reasons for the blogging Hiatus this summer. Mind you, I really was sick with the flu, cold, and ear infections but I just happened to find out I was pregnant right after the ear infection.  So I’ve spent the past ten weeks feeling like crap.  Partner that with being home with two very energetic little girls….well, naptime trumped blogging every day.

What do the girls think?

Zoe could really care less right now.  She’s not even 2.5 years old yet so she’s more concerned about what her next snack is going to be.  Abbi (4.5 yrs) talks about it quite a bit.  She comes up with questions, which I’m sure I’ll share throughout the upcoming months, every day.  She likes to refer to the baby as the “Born Baby” and I love it!  She actually asked me today if Born Baby was big enough to be “popped out yet”.  Yeah, she comes up with some good ones!

Will you find out the gender of the baby?

Yes.

Will you tell people if you’re having a boy or girl?

Yes.

Have you come up with any names yet and are you telling?

We’ve come up with a handful of names but aren’t set on any one (or two I guess) in particular.  I’m sure we’ll have a more definite feeling on a name once we now the sex of the baby.  The funny thing is that we are having a harder time coming up with a girl’s name this time around.  Hmm….

Are you hoping for a boy?

Right now we have two girls and, while a boy would be fun, we are really fine with having another girl.  We will be happy with either a boy or a girl.  That being said, if this baby does end up being a boy, he’s going to be sporting some pretty girly clothes the first few months of his life because I have tubs and tubs of girl’s clothes in my basement!

Did I miss anything?  Those are pretty much the questions I’ve been getting as of right now.  I’m sure there will be more as time goes on.  The frustrating part (besides feeling like crap) right now is that I’m in that awkward stage where I just look like I’ve gained weight but not in the cute little baby bump way.  I still fit in all my pre-pregnancy clothes but I’m starting to be more diligent about wearing baggier shirts.  I’m just way too sensitive about the whole thing, I know.

There you have it.  We’re embarking on the whole world of pregnancy hormones, peeing every other hour, and wanting to eat everything in sight.  Fun times!  And now I’m going to take a nap….

I am actually really disappointed that, of all summers, that this was the summer that I apparently needed some non-blogging time.  I had an entire summer series planned out (the 14 Weeks of Summer) and I only made it to week 4.  I actually did a bunch of research for that series so I’ll probably do one large make-up post to catch up and, hopefully, finish out the summer.

So, now that I’m “back”, here are some things that I am working on: catching up and finishing out the 14 Weeks of Summer series, tweaking the new blog design, working in a few more video posts, and somehow getting to a blog conference this fall/early winter.

And thanks to all of you who kept checking back to see if I was writing again. I appreciate your support and am really hoping that I can bring you some good and fun content to read soon!

Hopefully I’ll be on the upswing soon and back to writing again.

Theater

My husband and I both love the theater.  Since having kids we just haven’t gotten to see as many live productions as we would like.  We are really hoping that our kids will love it as much as we do!  Live theater is also a great to expose your kids to the arts.

Your local civic theater is a great place to start! The Holland Civic Theater will be doing productions of both The People vs. B.B. Wolf (for ages 8-13) and Romeo & Juliet (for ages 13-19).

Check with your local schools and colleges/universities to see if their theater department  does any summer productions.  Our local college hosts an amazing theater group called Hope Summer Repertory Theater.  Not only do they do some productions for adults, but they have some productions specifically for kids!  This summer they will be performing Busytown The Musical (June 23 – August 13), Katie Couric’s The Brand New Kid (July 14 – August 13), and Frog and Toad (August 2 – August 13).  I’m really hoping to take the girls to one of these shows!

You can also check with your local ballet companies and dance troupes to see if they might be doing any summer concerts that are kid oriented.

Live Stage Shows

This past year we were able to take our girls to both Disney Live and Disney On Ice: Finding Nemo.  And they loved them both! A great way to battle the “I’m Boreds” is to check for live stage shows that might be coming to your area.  Summer is a great time to see these fabulous shows, especially if you are able to catch a matinee at a discounted price!  Also keep an eye out for the circus coming to your area!!!

Go To The Movies

This summer has some really great family films hitting the theaters.  Again, check on those matinees for discounted ticket prices and think about hitting lunch or dinner before you head to the theater so you don’t have to spend a fortune on hotdogs and sodas! Oh, go ahead and stop at the grocery store, buy some candy and stuff it in your purse!

Here are some of the films hitting theaters this summer:

Shrek Forever After – May 21
Marmaduke – June 4
The Karate Kid – June 11
Toy Story 3 – June 18
The Last Airbender – July 1
Dispicable Me – July 9
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice – July 14
Ramona & Beezus – July 23
Cats & Dogs: the Revenge of Kitty Galore – July 30
Nanny McPhee Returns – August 20

Home Theater

If your kids are a little too young to head to the theater (live or movie) or it’s just not feasible to pack up the whole family and spend a small fortune at the local movie theater, consider making your own theater at home.  The greatest part about this idea is that the possibilities are endless!  Middle of the day or evening.  Use a movie you already own, borrow one from a friend, rent one, or pick up one of the many films that are making their way to dvd this spring and summer.

Here are a few ideas –

Spread out blankets and pillows in the living room, pop some popcorn, and have a theater indoors!

Invite some friends over to make it an even more fun event.

Eat dinner while watching a movie together for a little Dinner Theater.

And here is my favorite…

If you can get your hands on a projector, have a little “drive-in theater” in your driveway or backyard! First you need to find a projector (check with your friends or maybe work or church) and either attach a dvd player or laptop to the projector.  You can borrow a screen or just hang a white sheet on the garage door or back of the house.  Pop some popcorn, grab a lawn chair, and enjoy a little backyard movie night!  Invite friends or the neighbors over for even more fun! Of course you have to wait until it gets a little dark so this might not work for the little ones.  But this is a great idea if you have older kids. If my kids were older I would let them have a sleep over, watch the movie outside, and then shove them in tents and let them sleep outside!  So much fun!

Ok, now go out and enjoy some theater!

Don’t forget to leave me a comment or link up your posts about what you’re doing during these 14 Weeks of Summer.  I’d love to hear what you did this week or if you are going to check out any live productions or movies this summer with your family!  Everyone who comments or links up during the 14 Weeks of Summer series will be entered to win a super fun prize at the end!

It’s no secret (if you follow me on Twitter or Facebook) that the girls have been sick for about a week now and that all that sickness has since invaded my body.  Abbi is on the upswing, although she’s now complaining about her ear hurting, but Zoe and I both have this horrible cough that leaves us gasping and choking at times.  It is heart breaking to listen as your 2 year old is hacking and gagging. So, Tim and I took turns going into Zoe’s bedroom last night rocking her to help her sleep, until she could finally rest peacefully.

Of course, then the storms came rolling in.  I had no sooner fallen asleep when Abbi cried out because she had heard the thunder starting.  The obvious solution was to bring her into our bed for the night, knowing that none of us would really get any sleep.  Abbi tends to be a ‘tosser’ when she’s in our bed.  She starts out sleeping right next to you, no personal space allowed; then she uses me as her pillow and Tim as her kicking board and switches about half way through the night, leaving her overtired and Tim and I both bruised and really tired.  But, it’s what we do when the storms roll in.

Last night ended up being the exception.  Instead of bringing Abbi into our bed, Tim packed up his pillows, grabbed some sheets out of the linen closet and headed to Abbi’s room.  I told him that he could just bring her into bed with us but he knew I wouldn’t get any sleep and she would get even less sleep with me coughing and gagging all night.  So, he made himself a make-shirt bed out of pillows and blankets on her bedroom floor and slept next to Abbi’s bed to help comfort her as the storm roared.

He sacrificed a good night’s sleep to make his baby girl feel safe and to allow his wife to get some much needed sleep.  As I cleaned up the pile of pillows this morning I realized how lucky I am because I know that he would do the same thing again tonight if need be.

The instructions, or at least the signs at the store, said it should take 2-4 people 4-6 hours to assemble.  Apparently they mean 2-4 people who knew what they were doing and who didn’t have kids to take care of.  Not a husband who knew what he was doing and a wife who was acting merely as an assistant, handing him boards and screws.  Oh, and did I mention that we had two children who wanted to “help”, too?  It ended up taking us 2 people (plus 2 half size “helpers) working a total of 14 hours.  Yes, 14 hours!

But every one of those 14 hours was worth it.  Well, maybe not the last 45 minutes where we were literally getting eaten alive by mosquitos.  They were absolutely vicious! There were times that Tim had six mosquitos all biting in one area! And the poor dog ended up with a ton of big bumps all over his body from where the mosquitos were eating him, too!  So, 13 hours and 15 minutes were worth it!

This morning Abbi came running into our bedroom asking if she could PLEASE go play on her new swing set.  She had been waiting so patiently for us to finish it.  When I looked up from my oh-so-comfy pillow, there stood this super excited four year old, already dressed, just waiting for me to say “yes”.  And off she went! With little sister soon to follow.

I have a feeling that we will be spending countless hours on this thing! The girls absolutely love it!

And don’t worry, mom, the sand box you built for the girls last summer is still in full use!

If your child is like mine and actually wants to go to school during the summer, a great option is to check out some different summer classes and camps throughout the summer. I’ve convinced my daughter that she can actually still go to school during the summer but that it will be some fun and different “schools”.

Summer is a great time to let your child focus on or test out different things that they might not get a chance to do during the school year.  It is also a great way to keep them active (mentally and physically) and busy during those summer days!  The really great part is that a lot of these schools or classes offer a variety of shorter, more concise, classes that allows your child to get a taste of something they might love or rule out things they just don’t like without taking up their whole summer!  It also allows your kid to try out a few different things during the summer and, if your kid doesn’t like it, you aren’t wasting a ton of money on months of classes that your child doesn’t want to go to anymore.

From sports to music to art to animals, it is so easy to find something for just about anyone and in any age group!  Here are a few different options in our area:

Animals & Nature

Zoo classes — John Ball Zoo offers different classes and opportunities where kids from 3 years to 17 years can learn about the zoo animals and how the zoo operates.  Binder Park Zoo runs a variety of day camps for kids as well.  Each camp is broken up by age group to provide age appropriate activities and each camp/week has a different theme.  Toddlers get to learn about the different textures of animals and how different animals move and talk, while preschoolers get to talk about things like animal families and dinosaurs! Camps for 5-6 year olds sound even more cool with each running for a week at a time!  Check out your local zoo for classes they might offer! If they don’t offer any classes or camps, suggest that they start!

Nature Centers – For the nature lovers, Summer is a great time to get out and explore the world around them.  DeGraaf Nature Center offers Saturday family events throughout the Summer.  Times, locations, and fees change each week so you can pick out which activities might work best for your family.  DeGraaf Nature Center also offers some classes through the Holland Rec League.  One of my favorite local nature centers is the Outdoor Discovery Center!  They offer a number of different classes for kids and families throughout the summer (and all year long).  Last week we enjoyed one of their free Outdoor Adventure Days where they visit different community parks, teaching the children about the wildlife that exists at each of those parks. They also offer Nature School for 3-6 yr olds and a three day long Wildlife Discovery Camp for 6-10 yr olds.

Farms — Another great way to get your child involved with animals is to check out classes at your local farms.  Abbi, my 4 year old, will be attending the Little Farmers camp this July at the Critter Barn where she will learn hands-on about chickens, rabbits, goats, and sheep.  While this class is for 3-5 year olds, Critter Barn offers their Animal Adventures camp for ages 5-8 and Critter Camp for ages 7-16.  Each camp gets the kids working hands-on with the animals and what it means to care for these animals.  Another great option  is to contact a local farm to see if they might offer classes.  If they don’t, see if they might let you bring your kids by for a little hands-on learning of their own!

Art

My girls love doing art projects but, with as many different ‘types’ of art out there, trying them all at home can become quite expensive.  And, let’s face it, I don’t see us buying a pottery wheel and kiln any time soon.  So, art classes are a great idea for the summer.  It gives your child a chance to try out a variety of different kinds of art without you having to buy a ton of supplies!

Cynthia Hagedorn of Square Peg Events offers Art Camps for Kids (Tuesday), Drop in Studio for all ages (Wednesdays), and Food and Art Tours (Thursdays).  The Holland Arts Council also offers a Summer Art Camp series that exposes kids to the art of percussion, community, and nature.  I’m really excited to head over to the Express Yourself Art Barn to get our hands a little dirty with some pottery work this summer, too!

If your child is, well, not really considered a child anymore but would rather be called a teen or young adult, then they should check out the Summer Art & Design Camps at Ambrose!  These are amazing learning opportunities focusing on drawing, graphic design, printmaking, and photography!

Music & Theater

Have a little drama queen/king or the next American Idol on your hands? Then sign them up for some music or theater classes!

The Avalon School of Arts offers an array of Summer classes and camps, including Theater Camps, Musical Theater Camps, and Kindermusik.

Tunes 4 Tykes also offers Kindermusik classes for all ages.

Lil’ Learners, with locations across West Michigan, not only offers classes and camps in music, musical instruments, and theater, but they also offer private lessons.  And they offer some dance, art, fencing, and language classes.  Oh, how I want to sign Abbi up for Irish Step dancing!

Sports, Martial Arts & Dance

Local recreation centers are a great resource for sports and dance classes and camps.  They offer season classes and tend to be cheaper than if you were to go through a private companies, especially when looking at martial arts, gymnastics, and dance classes.  Not only do they offer the traditional kids sports (swim lessons, soccer, t-ball) but the offer some not-so traditional kids sports, like golf and table tennis). Both Holland Rec and Zeeland Rec offer a good number of classes and sports for the summer!

If you’re interested in checking out private companies, many of them offer summer sessions and camps and some even offer a free trial class.  Of course there are too many to list here but, remember, Google is your friend!  You can also ask around and check with your friends for recommendations on which studios to check out.  Abbi will be continuing on with Gymnastics again this summer at Flipside Gymnastics, if anyone wants to join us!

VBS

Vacation Bible School‘s seem to be in full swing right now but it’s not too late to get your child signed up!  Don’t go to a church that offers VBS this summer? No worries!  Most local churches are happy to have your child attend their VBS.  Just give the church office a call or check them out online first to view their age limits or registration details, as they might run things a little differently than other VBS programs.

That is just a sample of the different Summer Classes and Camps you can check out with your kids!  Of course these are specific to the Greater Holland area, but you can check out more camps and classes in the Great Grand Rapids area by visiting Grand Rapids Kids or Big Binder.

I hope this week’s 14 Weeks of Summer gave you some ideas to check out in your area!  Be creative!  Call around. Ask around.  There is a ton of stuff out there to do with your kids, sometimes you just need to look for it!

Also, if you want to participate in the 14 Weeks of Summer series, leave me a comment below or link up your post about what you did this week! All comments and links throughout the 14 Weeks will be entered to win a super fun grand prize at the end….

At first we thought that our sewer holding tank thingy (we live in the country and I’m pretty sure that is the technical name) needed to be pumped out.  But our wonderful plumber-cousin assured us that that was not the case.

Our wonderful plumber-cousin suggested that the jets in our whirlpool tub might need to be flushed out.  That water might have gotten into the tubes of the jets and is rotting.  Oooh, good thought!

Sadly we don’t use the whirlpool tub for anything more than a regular bathtub for the girls.  Yes, the sounds of a nice whirlpool soak sounds great but (1) I just don’t have make time to soak in the tub and (2) the jets are a little too loud to be used when the girls are trying to go to bed.  So, yesterday I filled the tub, dumped in a ton of bleach and ran the jets.  And it was gross.  I mean really gross!  Then, a few hours later, I did it again.  And once more because, crazy enough, the smell was still lingering in the bathroom.  Unfortunately, three rounds and two bottles of bleach later, the smell is still there.

Next up, flushing out the drains with some Drano. Another thought was that maybe there was some hair (excuse me while I gag) or something caught in one of the drains.  Again, rotting and stinking up the place.  I dumbed a bottle of drano down each drain, the tub and the sink, and let it sit.  An hour later, I rinsed the drains and the smell still lingered.

Baffled, I decided to open the bathroom window and close the door, hoping it would just air itself out.  Hoping.

This morning Tim came to a revelation…something is dead! Now that he said that it totally makes sense!  A while back we had a mouse who made it’s grave under our refrigerator and I remember that mystery smell.  The funk.  This is that same smell.  Only it’s coming from above.

Oh my freaking….something has died above my bathroom!  And I have a sneaking suspicion that it is one of the little mice that I would hear scurrying around in the ceiling above my bed.  I was a little curious as to why I hadn’t been hearing those noises lately.

Wait!  I have a dead mouse above my bathroom.  And it reeks!  And there is nothing we can do about it.  Funny enough the access to our attic has been blocked off by our lovely closet organizer we had installed a year ago.  So now we wait it out.  Hoping the smell goes quickly.  Hoping the mouse rots quickly.  Wow, doesn’t that make me wound heartless!

In the meantime, I’m stocking up on more air fresheners!

Photo credits: mouse and cow nose

For more Wordless Wednesday action and to link up your photo, visit 5 Minutes for Mom.

After a much needed break, Sarah McLachlan is in the music spotlight once again with her much anticipated album release — Laws of Illusion.

Teaming up with longtime collaborator/producer Pierre Marchland, Laws of Illusion features 12 amazing tracks.  True to Sarah’s style, the lyrics are intimate and beautiful, each resonating with you.  And Sarah definitely had quite a bit of personal emotions to drive the songs on this album!  Marriage, childbirth, and separating from her husband…Sarah had a lot to pull from while creating this album.  You can sense the raw personal emotion in each of her songs.  And that is what I love about Sarah McLachlan!

Laws of Illusion

1. Awakenings
2. Illusion of Bliss
3. Loving You Is Easy (the first single released from this album)
4. Changes
5. Forgiveness (my absolute favorite song on the album)
6. Rivers Of Love
7. Love Come
8. Out of Tune
9. Heartbreak
10. Don’t Give Up On Us
11. U Want Me 2
12. Bring On The Wonder

Laws of Illusion releases today and it is definitely a Summer must-have!  I’m looking forward to enjoying it while hanging out on the deck this Summer!  Of course you can pick up the cd at most retail stores, on Amazon, and on iTunes (the deluxe version offers videos, in addition to the album).

Not only has McLachlan returned to the music spotlight, but the release of Laws of Illusion also marks her return to Lilith Fair! The all women touring festival has been a fan favorite for years and I can only imagine that fans will very excited to see the fair founder return to the main stage this year!  Other Lilith Fair 2010 artists include Sheryl Crow, Sugarland, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Knapp, Norah Jones, Mary J. Blige, Martina McBride, and The Bangles.  You can check out more artists and the tour schedule at LilithFair.com.

So go check out Laws of Illusion, you’re going to love it!  And then check out the line-up for the Lilith Fair concert near you.  And I’m totally available if you need a concert-going partner!  Really!  Call me!

Thanks to One2One Network for providing me with Laws of Illusion so I could do this review! While complimentary product was received, all opinions stated in this article are mine alone.  Seriously, how can you not love Sarah McLachlan?

Eight years ago I was slipping into a beautiful white dress.  I was walking down the aisle.  I was dancing with friends.  I was married.

Today

Today I slipped into a tank top and shorts, put on my grubby sneakers and mowed the grass.  I am eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with my two most favorite girls.  Now I am patiently waiting for those two girls to actually take their naps and am finishing up laundry.  And tonight Tim and I will go out to dinner, with our girls, to celebrate our 8 years together.

It’s so funny how things change.  How people change.  How our lives change.  If you had told me eight years ago, as I was getting ready to walk down the aisle or eating wedding cake, that this is how I would be celebrating, well….I don’t know what I would think.  But I’m glad to be here, eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, playing with my girls, and going out to dinner as a whole family.

Happy Anniversary Tim! Can you believe that eight years from now we’ll be on the verge of the teenage years with our girls? Scares the hell out of me, too!

Case-Mate

I actually spent a few weeks (a year or so ago) looking around for a good case for my iPhone 3G.  I wanted something fun and something that didn’t seem flimsy or would fall apart a month later.  Finally I found Case-Mate!

Case-Mate offers a variety of cases for smart phones, iPods, laptops, readers, and even the iPad. The case that I specifically fell in love with is the iPhone 3G/3GS Credit Card Case! A spin off from their award winning Barely There case, this case simply clicks on to your iPhone and provides a space, on the back of the phone, where you can store two credit-card sized cards!

Why do I love this case so much? Well, I store my license and debit card on mine and hardly ever have to take my purse in with me anywhere!  Which is super hand when you’re carrying one kid and trying to hold the hand of another through a busy parking lot.  It’s also handy when you have to take a diaper bag with you most places.  I simply throw my iPhone (with license and credit card) into my pocket or diaper bag and can leave the rest of my purse behind!  I LOVE IT!!!

I have the green matte finish and it’s beautiful.  My husband has the Barely There case and I actually don’t find my case to be cumbersome compared to his.  I actually like having a little more phone to hold on to!  The case itself is a great quality and doesn’t feel flimsy or cheap in the least bit.

To answer the questions balancing on the tip of your tongue right now…Yes, the case stays firmly on the phone but can still be easily pulled off if you want to switch cases.  And, No, I’m not afraid that my cards will fall out!  The cards are snuggly in there.  I’ve never had to worry about them falling out.

The funny thing about this case is the attention it draws!  The reason I went with this case was because it looked like it would be a good quality case, I liked the green color, and it could eliminate the need for me to carry my purse all the time.  Super!  And it was pretty reasonably priced ($29.99 now).  But since I’ve snapped this little case on my iPhone, I couldn’t even begin to tell you how many times someone has asked me about my phone.  They are so curious as I slide my debit card from the back of my phone and immediately want to know where I found that case!  It’s to the point where I think Case-Mate should be giving me some affiliate kick back  Hi, Case-Mate!

So, there you have it.  This is my absolute favorite accessory for my iPhone.  I love it so much that I was actually sad when I saw that the new iPhone 4 would be thinner than the current iPhone.  What in the world would I do without my Case-Mate case? No, it wasn’t going to stop me from pre-ordering my iPhone 4, but I was sad to be losing my lovely case.  Thankfully, it looks as though Case-Mate is coming to my rescue and creating a Credit Card Case for iPhone 4!  And yes, I will be ordering that as soon as it is available!

Just a note, Case-Mate has not hired me, nor have they even asked me nicely to write this post.  I’m writing it because I really do love this case.  Now, if Case-Mate wants to talk to me about future possibilities, I’m available! {just sayin}

Tooth Fairy

Starring the adorable Dwayne Johnson (aka The Rock), Tooth Fairy is a great family film that you are going to love!  Set in Michigan (yay Michigan!) and rated PG, this film has everything from comedy to adventure to an amazing story about parenting and believing in oneself. {read my full review here}

Winners: Jennifer and Amanda

Winners, you should have an email waiting in your inbox from me about claiming your prize.  Please be sure to respond to that email within 72 hours.

Oh, I also thought I would share with you the consensus on how much the “tooth fairy” is paying these days.  The majority are receiving $1 per tooth, with a little more money or a special gift for the first tooth!  I must say, you guys have made me feel so much better because I had heard of people tooth fairies paying out $5 per tooth!  I started adding up the number of teeth to be lost in this house and…well, I’m glad $1 seems to be the going rate!

I love the idea of doing a special present for the first tooth (thanks Amanda) and giving gold coins (thanks Connie)!  Such great ideas.

However, I think my absolute favorite comment was from Jennifer who said:

Well thanks to mom hanging on to teeth and one of the kids finding them… they stopped believing in the tooth fairy long ago. Why did I hang on to the teeth anyway? No idea. LOL!