This weekend millions of Americans will travel, and thousands of parents will hate lugging around the extras!  I’ve been one of those frustrated parents in the airport holding a child, car seat, and luggage while my husband is doing the same but he has a bit more luggage than me– it’s horrible!  Grainne Kelly, a mother who was fed up with the lack of reliable and portable booster seats created the most perfect booster for your travel troubles.  BubbleBum is the perfect answer to travel woes the booster is lightweight and wait for it……… INFLATABLE!  The BubbleBum comes in a convenient drawstring sack perfect for carrying along, once you need it unroll it and inflate.

 Is an inflatable booster seat safe?  I know that is what you are asking, and I thought the same myself.   Nevertheless I decided to do some research; and BubbleBum is just as safe or even safer than other traditional booster seats.  Many booster seats have the big name behind them that we’ve trusted for years even so, many of them do not ensure that children’s vital organs are protected.  Your child’s booster should keep the seatbelt safely across the lap of your child.  If your child’s lap belt rests across his or her tummy this can lead to danger in the event of an accident.  I was surprised to learn that many booster seats do not take the extra measure to ensure that the seat belt rests safely on children.  BubbleBum has received the Parent Tested Parent Approved Media Awards and the JPMA Awards. BubbleBum was also recently announced as the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety “Best Bet” in their booster seat evaluation report, where they’ve branded BubbleBum as one of the best for safety. 
 So, yeah an inflatable booster seat is safe.

The BubbleBum’s price is just as nice-> $39.99.  At $39.99 you can have an extra for Grandma and Grandpa or the second car.

I cannot believe my baby will be graduating 8th grade tomorrow.  I look back and I just keep seeing her as this chubby little “Eskimo baby” (as I called her) that I gave birth to on June 17, 1998.  It can’t be true…she cannot be ready to graduate and enter high school.  As I sat going through pictures for this post, I must admit…I started to cry.  Hormones?  I doubt it.  I received her graduation memo yesterday explaining the do’s and don’ts of the ceremony and I got teary eyed.  Really?  It was just a simple piece of paper, but that piece of paper confirmed that this graduation ceremony is really happening.  With all my efforts to keep her little…she grew up anyway…ugh, kids…always doing what we don’t want them to do!!!

I was given a task to write a letter to my daughter (that I admittedly waited to the very last moment to write it) and I must say, in my rush, I didn’t get to say all I really wanted to say, which is prompting this post.  It’s funny though because we’ve talked so much at length that I know she is fully aware of all I am about to say but just in case she ever doubts how I feel about her, this will be something that can always be there to reaffirm my love and feelings for her.

I honestly do not know where my life would be if I didn’t have her.  After I got married we decided pretty quick that we wanted to start a family.  I remember the day I found out I was pregnant, I was so excited and there were so many feelings that I couldn’t possibly explain.  They say the first trimester is the scariest and it definitely was.  I found out at 12 weeks that my first baby didn’t make it.  It was the hardest thing I ever heard in my life.  It was the hardest thing I have ever experienced in my life.  I was in the process of a miscarriage…I had to deliver a fetus.  The doctor didn’t do a D&C, no I had to sit there and experience the worst pain in my life.  I wouldn’t have wished that upon anyone.  It was all explained to me that it just wasn’t “meant to be”.  I took it for what it was worth.  I survived and attempted to get pregnant again.  I got pregnant right away…and lost it…again, right away.  The second time I wasn’t as far along but it still didn’t survive.   The third attempt…was just that…another failed attempt…and another miscarriage.  At this point I was beside myself.  I felt like a total failure.  How can I not have a baby…that is what women do…they have babies!  After many tests, it was discovered that my progesterone levels dropped dramatically when I became pregnant and that is why I kept miscarrying.  My doctor immediately started me on progesterone suppositories and I was at it again…attempting it for the forth time.  At that time I just needed a break.  Steve and I took a much needed vacation *with all my baby making tools* in tow and we headed to Disney World.   Well surprisingly, Disney World is definitely a MAGICAL place!  We came back from vacation and was tested two weeks later…POSITIVE!!!  However, I was not out of the woods… I had a lot of meds to take, a lot of documentation to do and a LOT of praying.  I was so anxious that I think I was in the doctors office every other week for an ultrasound just to make sure the heart was still beating.   It was.  Every time … it was beating.  I watched my baby grow and I always said she was my miracle baby.  She was sent to me at a time that I needed her most.  I know you are probably thinking, geeze this is the longest story ever, but there is a method to my madness.

I always thought that having a child would be this amazing experience.  I thought I would teach my child so many things about life and living and as it turns out, she has taught me so much more about life and living than I would have ever guessed possible.  She was always an easy baby, slept through the night at 4 weeks, ate well, was always happy and smiling, had a full head of hair that somehow always looked like it was perfectly styled, always had a passion for fashion, loved to play dress up and do all things girly, nail polish galore, loved her books and her “Softy” bear, her little pink blanket, and she had a love for animals that reminded me of the interaction between Snow White and all the forest creatures.  She was instantly the light of my life.  She instantly became my best friend.  I always vowed to be open and honest with anything that she came to me with.  She knew from the start that she could always come to me with anything.  I would never judge or push any of my own personal opinions on her.  She has without a doubt grown up to become this amazing young woman that I could never be more proud of.  Yes, we are in the teen years and yes, the mood swings are great… however, putting that aside, she is the most responsible, most giving, nurturing, supportive, and most positive young lady, daughter and big sister that you will ever want to meet.

Alyssa, you have this big bright future ahead of you and I want you to know that no matter what stands in your way, you are so much stronger than you give yourself credit for.  You can tackle anything if you really want it, you just has to believe enough in yourself to make those things your reality.  High school is going to be tough.  There isn’t any person on Earth that high school was easy for.  There are social issues to contend with, different clique’s…more so in high school than in middle school.  Kids can be cruel and you will see the cruelest of the cruel, but I want you to always be true to yourself, and if something doesn’t feel right, it isn’t.  You know that no matter what, you can always count on me to have your back.  We have experienced so much together just dealing with middle school and I know that you are at an age where you will start to gravitate towards your friends for advice and some will be good…others not so good, but if you are ever in doubt, you know that I am here for you and that much of what you are, or will be going through, I have lived through too.  While times have changed a lot since I was in high school, you may think, it’s much harder, but I assure you…the feelings are all the same at the end of the day.

Being a parent to a teen-ager is hard for us too.  We have to watch as this little tiny bundle grows up and ultimately leaves us to live their own lives.  It’s hard to know that at some point, we have to pull away and let you go off on your own and experience your own experiences.  You will have ups and downs, you will meet people that will remain in your life forever, you will learn how to drive, go to parties, go off to college, and you will love someone enough to want to spend the rest of your life with.  Look, I am already sending you off to get married… the point being, life goes by so quickly and as your mom, I just want to hold you and keep you safe from all the bad things the world has out there, but I know I can’t.  I know that I have to let you put yourself out there…let you do things that I may not necessarily agree with…watch you make mistakes…and ultimately watch you grow into an adult with the hopes that what I have taught you will be carried with you…forever.  I am so proud of the young woman you have become so far and I can’t wait to see you walk across that stage tomorrow because I will see this as another chapter in our relationship coming to an end while another chapter begins.  You have made me the proudest mom and I love you with all my heart.  You are my sunshine, you are my miracle, you are the little soul that chose me to be your mom and I thank you! <3

Your self-image is your mind’s conception of the kind of person you are and what you are capable of achieving. You have created this picture from all your past experiences, including your failures and successes, as well as the way others react to you, especially in early childhood. Your conscious mind is not aware of the picture you have produced, but it is there, down to the last detail, and it controls your life.

Your self-image is the determining factor that dictates your behavior and lifestyle. It determines the type of career you choose, how you handle money, the amount of success you have, how you treat your body, and the quality of your relationships. If a person wants a healthy body, for example, but sees themselves as overweight, they will continue to struggle with their weight. If they desire a fulfilling and successful career but can’t imagine anything other than frustration and poverty, they will never achieve the results they want.

A great deal of the original programming for one’s self-image occurs by the age of five, and much of it is complete by the time a child reaches twelve. This original programming will always be with us; it’s not like a bad computer program that can be thrown away and replaced with a better one.  In spite of this we have the ability, through our thoughts and choices, to create a new self-image that is capable of overriding the original one. In other words, we have the power to reprogram our self-image.

The following are five tips for reprogramming your self-image:

1.   Change your habits by making a list of 12 habits you want to change; and then work on only one new habit each month — As much as 90 percent of your everyday behavior is based on habit.  When you change your habits, your self-image automatically changes.  Be aware that as humans, we are not designed to change more than one habit at a time so work on only one at a time.  They say it takes about 21 days to change a habit but my experience has taught me that it can take more or less time depending on how willing we are to accept it as part of our self-image; so work on each habit until it no longer requires effort.

2.    Write a description of your desired self-image and read it daily– You need a blueprint of the person you want to be.  You can write it as a detailed paragraph or make a list —it doesn’t matter what the format is, as long as it helps you to imagine the person you want to be.

3.   Always say things to yourself about yourself that you want to be true—Every time you say something to yourself about yourself, you are programming your self-image.  It’s what you say to yourself and not what others say to you that programs your mind.  Always ask yourself if what you are saying is really what you want as part of your programming.

4.   Attach a positive meaning to each event that happens to you.  The formula is E + R = O (event + the response = the outcome) It’s not the events that happen to us, it’s our response to those events that determines the quality of our lives.  This is why challenging times can either propel a person to greater heights, or it can destroy their self confidence.

5.   Choose books, movies, TV and friends that have a positive impact on your self-image– What you continually expose yourself to, you will eventually incorporate into your life.  It’s also been said that we become like the five people we spend the most time with.

Success in any endeavor, whether it’s health, financial, sports, career or relationships has the same formula, and it all begins with developing the right habits.  Once you decide to program your self-image for success, the positive results come almost effortlessly.

Carol Holm is a financial advisor for the firm of “Carol Holm Financial” and author of “Take the Lid Off” Unleashing Your Unlimited Potential.  Her book teaches step by step how to use your mind to reach your goals.

As parents we always want to inspire our children to follow their dreams, but what if their dream isn’t what we want for them?  Should we curate our children’s life or should we allow them to follow what is in their heart… right now?  As parents we think we know best. We want to protect our children from everything so, naturally if the child’s dream isn’t what we think is safe or not the lifestyle we want….what do we do?

Many years ago I was picked in a model search, I didn’t think I would get picked I was truly there to support a friend.  When my name was called I was in shock…. me?  I was wearing baggy pants a t-shirt with a boring ponytail.  The agency thought I would be good for print ads and commercials {let’s be honest I’d never make runaway I’m a whole 5ft maybe an inch or two}.  I was picked… they choose me from a sea of hopefuls and nothing came of it.  I would have to travel back and fourth from my home to the agency (that was 2 hours away), my dad was stationed in Korea (U.S.Army) and my mom didn’t want to do it alone every weekend.  It didn’t bother me immensely I was just there for support anyway, but somewhere deep down inside I guess it did.

When I was 18 years old a co-worker said, “Why are you here in Texas?  You need to be New York or Hollywood.” it hit me I may have been there already if I had modeled.  Now I’m not saying she thought I was model material— I was a comedian at work I loved to make people laugh.  I would make survey calls using my arsenal of voices to make the time pass, people wanted to set next to me so they could laugh.

Now, I have my own little girl who has shared great interest in acting.  She has done little modeling gigs nothing too big, but she wants to go big.  I’m not sure if Mama is ready for all that.  I want to let my baby follow her dreams, but I want her to enjoy childhood and still do wonderful in school.  I’m starting to look into agencies for her—I don’t want her to reflect and say we held her back.

I realized there could be more dangerous dreams she could have, like driving monster trucks. Kaid Jaret Olson-Weston {K.J.} is an 8 year-old member of pro mini-monster team.  He drives real life monster trucks and his parents are in full support of him.  When K.J’s mom was interviewed she said, “I do not want to stand in between K.J and his dreams.”  I thought to myself I just don’t know if I could stomach my baby in a heavy duty Monster Truck.  I’m all about chasing dreams and wishing on a star but I’m full of worry already.  What are your thoughts?  Is there a difference in the pursuit of dream catching or should we allow our children to chase every dream?

They are sold in a package of two for $6.99, which IMO will be one of the best summer product investments you could make!  Check them out at icehuggy.com

S’more Popcorn

Here is what you will need:

* Graham Cracker cereal

* Marshmallows

* Popcorn

* Chocolate Chips or Almond Bark  for melting {I prefer the almond bark}

* Packaging we used Chinese Take-out boxes available at World Market and goodie       bags

* Sticker labels

Mix everything except the chocolate in a large bowl or in our case a pot.

Once mixed well spread the mix on a baking sheet and drizzle melted chocolate on top

Let the chocolate harden, and then pack in cute containers or leftover goodie bags from your last party.

We found these cute containers at World Market

Add a message…

Thank you to all the Teachers out there making a difference!

If you are in the market or know someone in the market for a new diaper bag that makes sense and is cute—Here ya go!

The BFF bag keeps you organized and isn’t pastel green or pepto pink.  There are so many beautiful patterns to choose from.

I remember once upon a time I was a 2 bagger—yes I carried two bags to carry everything, I then began carrying a hobo bag and just put everything in there… thing about that is there was no rhyme to my reason.  The organization of the BFF is what totally did it for me.  I love that everything has its own spot—no bottles rolling around in your hobo bag.

I checked and yes this diaper bag can double as a computer bag SCORE! Officially my BFF you can hold snacks, my computer, and keep me organized #WIN.  Besides organization and durability I appreciate that Ju Ju Be gives you options the BFF can be worn as a backpack or a messenger bag.

If you’re not looking for a diaper bag, but need a good pool, or beach bag, or everything bag the Mighty Be is perfect!

The Mighty Be is not just a tote it’s a carry all! You can get all the kiddos’ beach towels and their extra set of clothes in this trendy bag.  The Mighty Be has pockets to keep you organized there is a spot for your phone, keys, drink, sunscreen, and of course the much needed snacks.  The Mighty Be would be great to take to the farmers market too… trust that you’ll see me with my Mighty Be at my local farmers market.

Ju Ju Be offers an array of bags, wallets, and gifts.  Dad isn’t left out at Ju Ju Be’s they have something for him too.

Do you have a Ju Ju Be bag?  What makes a bag great for you?

In the video called “It Could Happen To You,” 26-year-old Shane Bitney Crone shares his story of finding love, only to lose it when his partner Tom died in a senseless accident last year shortly after his 29th birthday.

As horrible as his loss was, Shane says he wasn’t prepared for what would happen next. In only one day after posting the video, it’s spreading like wildfire on the web, and has already racked up tens of thousands of views, and if you have 10 minutes to watch it, you’ll see why.

Shane has also set up a Facebook page called EqualLoveEqualRights and invites you to join him in his quest for marriage equality.

Source: RadarOnline.com

I find it strange that people can marry their pets, or other strange things, but when two individuals of the same sex wish to marry…they can’t. Please share your thoughts.