Mother 2 Mother Blog

New Winner - Oral B Electric Toothbrush

noreply@blogger.com (rmgales) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 11:57:00 +0000

We have a new winner for the Oral B Professional electric toothbrush. The new winner is entry 85. You have 3 days to respond to the email from Mother 2 Mother requesting your mailing address. If you don't respond within 3 days, you will be disqualified.

Thanks for participating in our give aways and congratulations to our new winner.

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Timestamp: 2013-04-08 11:37:35 UTC

Bird Seed Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (rmgales) — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 18:18:00 +0000

Spring is here, finally! Feathered friends will be hunting for food, so my grandchildren and I spent this week-end making cookies for the birds. Don't they look adorable hanging from the trees.

I thought you would love the recipe to make these treats for your backyard friends too. Here's what you will need:

3/4 Cup flour

1/2 Cup water
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
3 TBS Karo corn syrup
4 cups of wild birdseed
Mixing bowl
Wax paper or non-stick spray
Cookie Sheet
cookie cutters

Put all of the ingredients in a bowl except bird seed and mix until well combined. Mix in birdseed. Spray your cookie sheet with the non-stick spray or line with the wax paper. Spread the bird feed evenly on the cookie sheet. Use the cutters to cut out shapes. You may find it easier to fill the cookie cutters by the spoonful. You want to fill the cutters to the top and pack the mix so it will be nice and thick.

My grandson mixing the ingredients

My 1 year old granddaughter wanted to mix too

We used a birdhouse, bird and the sun cookie cutters to create the treats. Use whatever you have on hand that the kids will enjoy using. Once the cookies are created, use a straw to make a hole at the top of each cookie. Allow the treats to harden over night. Once the cookies become hard, place twine through the hole of each cookie. Place them on tree branches and bushes, and go bird watching. My grandson thinks the cookies are cool, and enjoys watching the birds eat the treats through the windows.

This is a fun craft to make throughout the year and especially on rainy days. Get the kids involved in gardening and nature. Be sure to make extra, you can keep them in the freezer and use them to feed our feathered friends throughout the year. Does anyone know the species of the bird in the top photos?

We Have A Winner - Oral B Electric Toothbrush

noreply@blogger.com (rmgales) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 07:51:00 +0000

We have a winner! Entry 43 is the winner of our Oral B Toothbrush Give Away. Please contact me within 3 days! Congratulations!

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SnapBox Review and Give Away

noreply@blogger.com (rmgales) — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 21:16:00 +0000

I was asked to do a review for SnapBox. I had never heard of the company, and decided to check them out before I committed. Once I visited the site, I agreed to the review and so glad that I did. If you're looking for a unique gift, you should check them out too. They specialize in canvass prints. The process is simple, you email your photo to the email address provided. You will receive a return email with instructions, choose the size of your print, provide a mailing address and they deliver your print within 5 days. It's as simple as that.

You can choose from 5x5, 5x7, 8x10, 9x9 and 10x13. Prices range from $13.00 to 37.00, and worth it. The finished product is on a canvass like material that comes ready to hang. I decided to order a print of one of my favorite sunsets for my office. I was thrilled with the end result. It arrived as promised and packaged well. You just need to find a spot to hang it!

SnapBox allows you to email photos from your smartphone, Instagram or your home computer. How technically savvy is that? When I emailed my photo, the return email was almost instant. You're not waiting around or checking your emails all day or night to complete your order. They've taken into consideration that we have other things to do.  The craftsmanship is of quality. As you can see, the frame is nice and thick and the print flawless.

I'll be ordering from this site again. I've decided to give each of my girlfriends a photo for their birthdays this year from SnapBox.  A photo of us at a birthday celebration, a baby shower or a trip that we've taken together. Something that will bring back memories from years ago.  The possibilities are endless, and will make a great gift.

SnapBox wants you to experience the beauty of their products too. They will allow one lucky reader to purchase up to $75.00 in free prints on their site.  Here's how you can win:

Visit SnapBox and than come back and leave a comment on what photo you would use and who you would give the print to. If it's for you, that's okay too. (Mandatory)

Extra Entries:

Leave a comment on another post - 5 entries

Follow me on Twitter - 5 entries

Tweet this give away. Give away can be tweeted daily - 5 entries

Follow/Followers Mother 2 Mother Blog - 5 entries (Left side of blog)

Follow my garden blog: A Diva's Garden

This give away will end April 20 at mid-night. Entries are open to US residents 18 or older only. The sponsor will provide the winner directly with a code to access the site and order your prints. Please ensure your email address is available and valid. If your email is not valid, I select another winner for the give away.

Note: This review is my opinion of the services and product provided by SnapBox for review. I have not been compensated in any other manner.

No Dyed Eggs For Me!

noreply@blogger.com (rmgales) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 23:44:00 +0000

This year I decided to not dye eggs. As a matter of fact, I won't be dying them ever again. I will be exposing my grandchildren to a variety of naturally colored eggs. I have been blessed with light brown, dark brown, white, green, pink and light blue eggs for my edification. Who needs dye! The photos don't do the color of the eggs justice. I'm able to purchase these eggs fresh, and the only date stamped on the egg carton is the date that I write on an Avery label. I even provide the egg cartons.

I want my grandchildren to learn about nature and all its beauty. I want them to be able to share unique experiences with classmates and have special memories when they're visiting me. I want them to remember grandma cracking colored eggs for their omelets and brownies. I can't wait to hear the giggles.

Jersey Chicken

Black Cochin Chicken

Speckled Sussex Chicken

                                                                    Easter Egg Chickens

I've started purchasing fresh eggs a year ago. Here are some of the chickens that work to produce my order. I place my order and the next day the eggs are retrieved from the hen house and brought to me. I've never been into chickens, but I think the black Cochin chicken is beautiful. My grandparents had chickens on their farmette, but they where just your regular chickens that laid white eggs.

If I could withstand the smell and cleanup, I might invest in a few of these beauties. Okay, that thought didn't last long. I'll just continue to purchase them when I need them. What do you think about my colorful eggs? Do you have chickens? If so, what kind.

Happy Easter!

Aimee's Babies - First Year Milestone DVD Review

noreply@blogger.com (rmgales) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 01:22:00 +0000

I was approached by Aimee's Babies, a child development company, to review their First Year Milestones DVD. I was excited and accepted their offer.   The first thing that I noticed when I opened the package was that the cover didn't have any children of color on it.  My initial thought, this company has limited potential buyers.  There is absolutely nothing on this DVD cover that would make a women of color stop and take notice. My next thought, would it have ethnic babies in the video.  People are drawn to products that they can relate to.

I decided to keep an open mind and see what the video was about. The DVD is broken down by chapters.  It focuses on various stages of development from the ages of newborn, 3 months, 6 - 9 months, and 12 months. Each stage focuses on the 5 senses, touch, smell, taste, sight and sound. The various stages teach you to understand reflexes, color, stimulation, balance, and social development. It was quite informative throughout all 4 stages.

Lets start with newborns - It teaches the importance of music. It was nice to know that it could be any type of music and not necessarily Mozart. It also stated that babies see things in black and white up to 3 months. At that stage red becomes a great stimulus for baby. It stressed the importance of touching and massaging your baby, swaddling him or her, and allowing them to become familiar with your scent. The DVD encouraged mothers to alternate sides during feeding so the baby could be stimulated from different directions.

The DVD moved on to 3 months - The focus was the same, the senses, tummy time, stimulation, and balance. At this stage the importance of talking to your baby, using wrist and ankle rattles, and implementing at least 20 minutes of tummy time per day was stressed.  Using mirrors was also emphasized.  The DVD demonstrated an exercise that I would never try. It required the mom to place their sitting baby in a large blanket while she swings it from side to side.  The exercise was for helping the with baby's balance. I personally wouldn't try it and neither would I suggest it.  I was quite surprised that someone would be encouraged to try it.

At 6 - 9 months, the baby's weight should practically double. They should be able to see more colors, notice themselves more, crawl or move around while holding on to things.  It still focused on the senses and stimulation.

The DVD moved on to the 12 month stage. Here babies were pulling themselves up, crawling, climbing stairs, walking and in jump ups.  The DVD encouraged moms to allow their babies to walk bare foot, use soft sole shoes or grip socks. It stated that babies could start walking between 12 and 18 months.

My opinion after reviewing the DVD, it contained detailed, educational material with everyday moms and their babies at various stages. No Hollywood glamor or glitter.  It wasn't overly long and it keep my attention. I think it would be a great baby shower gift for a new mother. Would I buy the DVD for $16.00 plus $4.00 shipping.  No, I think there are better products on the market for $20.00.  Would I buy it for less, possibly, and I'm not talking about $19.99.

For ethnic mothers or mothers to be, there are no mothers or babies of color featured in the DVD.  There is an African American father at the newborn stage with his baby. It seems than an entire segment of consumers were missed when this video was made and marketed. If you have no issue with this fact, I recommend that you check it out. If you don't believe that you can relate to the DVD, I recommend that you check out Aimee's Babies site. They have other DVDs, an adorable onesie and other products that may be of interest.

Note: This review is my opinion and my opinion only. I received a copy of the DVD for review; however, no additional compensation was received.

10 Reasons Why I Garden

noreply@blogger.com (rmgales) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 00:19:00 +0000

I started gardening several years ago. Planting a vegetable garden was something that I always wanted to do, but never made the time. I love making things grow, and I love fresh vegetables. The taste and price of tomatoes sent me into high gear. They were expensive, hard and tasted like cardboard. My grandfather had a garden when I was growing up. Picking weeds out of his garden was an expectation when I was visiting. I also remember all of his children being supplied with fresh vegetables during the summer and the week-ends spent canning the harvest.

I decided to give it a go and I'm so glad I did. Here's 10 reasons why:

I'm at a different place in my life. I wanted to experience a gentler time. It's so relaxing, and I've learned to appreciate the open country and the quiet that it brings.
I purchased an acre of open ground years ago, and it wasn't being using to its full potential.
I was tired of the price and taste of store brought vegetables.
I love working with my hands, and making things grow.
I love being able to save money on my grocery bill.
I love connecting with others who grow fresh vegetables and learning different techniques.
I love walking by the produce in the grocery store smiling because I know mine is better.
I wanted to experience growing vegetables from seed and taking it to the jar.
I wanted to bring out fresh, homemade salsa during the winter and add fresh veggies to my recipes year round.
I love sharing my havest with family and friends.

Not only does it taste better, but it's less expensive to grow your own especially if you grow your plants from seed. Yes, it's time consuming but rewarding. When you involve your children, they get a sense of how food grows and will make better choices in food selection. They will also learn how to sustain themselves, and save on the grocery bill.

You don't need land to garden, put a few planters on your deck and which your food grow. You can grow tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, radishes and the list goes on in containers. Do you currently garden? If so, container or row garden? What got you started?

Blue Ivy Carter

noreply@blogger.com (rmgales) — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 02:52:00 +0000

Wow, does Blue Ivy look like her dad or what? I see little resemblance to her mom. She has Jay-Z's eyes, mouth and the shape of his face. The most famous celebrity baby turned 1 in January. Rumor has it that mom and dad celebrated her birthday with family and friends. The theme was Princess. Mother 2 Mother searched for pictures, but we were unable to locate any. I admire Beyonce & Jay-Z for wanting to keep family moments private. They're demonstrating how they raise their daughter is their business and they're doing a great job. They're also proving that it's important to keep your circle small and keep only trusted people in your circle. That will eliminate photo leaks from those seeking to make a few dollars off their daughter.

Unfortunately, being a celebrity brings difficult times for those wishing to live a private life when they're off the stage or screen. I've seen negative comments on how much they spent on the birthday party and how ridiculous it is that they gave their daughter an $80,000 diamond encrusted barbie. Mother 2 Mother doesn't know if that is a rumor or fact, but it must be difficult to have the public determine what should be spent or not spent on your child. Hopefully Mrs. Carter has tough skin, and she will be able to endure such judgement.

Veggie Tales Give Away

noreply@blogger.com (rmgales) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 20:31:00 +0000

As Easter approaches, VeggieTales: The Little House That Stood is the perfect title to celebrate the holiday with! The Wise and Foolish Builders meet The Three Little Pigs In a hilarious veggie parable, featuring Bob, Larry, Junior Asparagus, The French Peas, Madame Blueberry and others. When the Three Little Pigs roll into Cabbageville looking to build some new houses, they meet one builder with a plan and two without a clue! Larry builds with hay, Mr. Lunt with bricks, but only Bob builds his houses on a firm foundation – following the wise plans from the “Master Builder’s Handbook!” Will the Little Piggies make the right choices when it comes to building their houses – and their lives – on solid ground? Find out in this parable the shows kids when they follow God’s blueprints, they can stand strong when the storms come!

PLUS! Ever wonder what happened before Humpty cracked? Find out in this very Veggie retelling of the classic Humpty Dumpty story “The Good Egg of Gooseville” where we learn that a good neighbor always “lends a little hand” to those in need!

The DVD is available at all major retail outlets starting for SRP $14.99.

You can win a copy of the Veggie Tales: The Little House That Stood. Just leave a comment on this post and tell us your favorite Veggie Tale character (required). Want extra entries:

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Give away ends March 30, 2013. Give away is open to US residents 18+ only. Give away will be mailed directly from the sponsor. Enter daily to increase your chances.

Raising A Preemie

noreply@blogger.com (rmgales) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 18:19:00 +0000

As you know, my Zarriah was born weighing 2lbs. 10 ozs. She spent the first 3 years of her life in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Virginia Beach, VA. This is my preemie a year and half later. She's walking, talking, eating everything in site and has proven herself to be one of my greatest blessings. I look back at the day she was born, Hurricane Irene was coming through. I nick named her "Storm".

Her doctors say she's doing fine.  They see no problem with her eyesight. Her motor skills are fine, she sleeps through the night, she's walking, and throws the normal tantrums for a toddler.  She has a totally different personality from her brother. He's loving and likes to cuddle, Zarriah prefers her independence. She likes to be held, but she doesn't hang around long.  She prefers to discover and climb over or under whatever is in sight, and is always up for a fight. Yep, she will fight.  She fought for her life, and she continues to fight. Hopefully, she will grow out of this habit.

She has a huge appetite! I must say, she eats more than any child that I have ever seen. There's times when I think she's going to be sick, but it never happens.  When she doesn't want anymore, she will turn her head, spit it out or just stop eating if she's feeding herself.  Her grandfather and I took her to Golden Corral for dinner. She ate the biggest plate of mashed potatoes and gravy that I've ever seen. The people sitting next to us looked and looked. Finally, I spoke up and said she will eat until the bottom falls out. We engaged in further conversation, and found out that they too had a preemie who was at that time 10. She had caught up and grown into a beautiful young lady.

It is such a blessing to be able to write this post.  I want to thank the nurses in the NICU at Sentara Princess Anne Hospital in Virginia Beach for their professional care. They were all excellent, and will be forever in our hearts and prayers. I remember the first time that I saw Zarriah. I truly believed that I would pass out. She was so tiny, in an incubator and wires everywhere. I broke out in a sweat. The nurses comforted me, and assured me that they were skilled and she would be fine.  Zarriah has been back to visit the NICU on several occasions.  We thought it was important for her to keep the connection with those who fought as hard as she did to save her life.

Are you raising a preemie or know someone who is? Have they caught up or did they remain small? Leave me a comment, I would love to connect with other raising preemies.

Spicy Corn Chowder

noreply@blogger.com (rmgales) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 18:36:00 +0000

Ingredients:

• 1 lb hot sausage or mild if you don't like spicy
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 potatoes, diced (I use Yukon Gold)
• 1 clove garlic, diced
• A few dashes of Chipotle Tabasco Sauce (I didn't use this ingredient)
• 4 cups fresh corn (About 1 1/2 quarts frozen fresh)
• 1 can diced green chilies (optional)
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• salt and pepper, to taste

*Substitutes - I used red chili peppers for the green and used fresh corn off the cob from my freezer.

Directions:
1. Slice corn kernels off cob.
2. Brown sausage over medium heat and drain off grease.
3. In a large pot, over medium heat, drizzle a few tablespoons of EVOO. Throw in diced onion, garlic and potatoes.
4. Add butter and melt. Add chilies and corn. Pour in chicken broth and cream. Add salt, pepper and sausage. Bring to a boil and reduce heat.
5. Simmer for 30 minutes and serve.

This is a hearty dish, as you can see I can only eat half a bowl. I serve with a side salad & homemade rolls.

Lets Get Crafty

noreply@blogger.com (rmgales) — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 04:52:00 +0000

March is National Craft Month. We would like to recognize all of our artisans, crafters and those who indulge as a hobby. I fall into the later category, I love scrapbooking and creating things for my home. I was exposed to embroidery at an earlier age. My grandmother embroidered pillow cases, and I was tasked with wrapping the thread about those little pieces of cardboard. You know the little pieces of cardboard that identified the thread color. She also did cross-stitching, which I started years ago.

I'm also an avid scrapbooker. The above picture is my grandson, who fell asleep after a Thunderbird's air show. My scrapbooking has become an investment. I should buy stock in stickers, paper, embellishments and the Cricut. I love to scrapbook my travels and my grandchildren. I'm currently finishing a scrapbook of my trip to the Martin Luther King Center in Atlanta. There's nothing better than creating great memories and being able to flip through a beautiful book as I reminisce. My family enjoys going through them as well. I'm hoping to add a sunroom off my kitchen this spring, which I will also use as my craft room. Stay tuned.

What are your favorite crafts? Is it a hobby or do you sell for profit? Leave me a comment, I would love to connect with fellow crafters.

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss

noreply@blogger.com (rmgales) — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 23:47:00 +0000

Mother 2 Mother would like to pay tribute to 109 years of Dr. Suess. Yep, 109 years. I remember my first Dr. Suess book, Green Eggs and Ham. It still remains one of my favorite Dr. Seuss books. I read it to my daughter and now I'm reading to my grandchildren.

We hope Dr. Suess' legacy will live on and on. What's your and your children's favorite Dr. Suess book?

Oral B Toothbrush Give Away

noreply@blogger.com (rmgales) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 22:00:00 +0000

I was contacted to review the Oral B Professional Deep Sweep electric toothbrush. I've been an electric toothbrush user for years, so I was curious to see what the Deep Sweep had to offer versus my current brand which was recommended by my dentist. First, the brush was easy to assemble and charged quickly. It has a slim feature, and fits nicely on my counter without taking up much space.

This little baby packs a lot of power too. It has a larger head than my current brush and the bristles are stiffer.  During the initial use, I did have difficulty maneuvering the brush around my mouth because of the larger head.  I've gotten used to it now, so it's quite easy for me to use.  There's little spatter with this brush. A lot of electric brushes sent the toothpaste everywhere when your brushing, not the Oral B.  This model has a few cool features. The bristles fade when it's time to change the head. I love this, you don't have to guess.  It also pulsates if you're putting too much pressure on the brush. This is a great feature, you won't up end with sore or bleeding gums if you have sensitive teeth.  My current model lacks both of these features. The brush also prompts you to switch from the front to the back and from the upper to the lower teeth every 30 seconds. Dentists recommend that you brush for 2 minutes for a thorough cleaning.   My current brush has this feature.

The best feature on this brush, the bristles move in a side to side motion. This action gives you a better cleaning than regular electric brushes. It is also the most important feature for me because I have deep pockets around my lower, front teeth. Flossing is a must for me even after using my electric brush. With this model, you get a deep clean. It goes deep into the crevices. One of it's selling points is that it removes 100% more plague. I don't know about 100% more, but it does give a great cleaning.

The only negative that I found, was the head lacks a cover.  It's small and would be great for travel.   Because the charger on my current electric brush is rather large, I take a manual brush when I travel.  Unfortunately, a manual brush doesn't come close to giving the cleaning that an electric brush gives.  To remedy the lack of a head cover, I'll just stick it in a plastic bag before placing it in my cosmetic bag. I really want to take this baby with me.

I highly recommend the Oral B Professional. I'm not a dentist, but I switched from a manual brush years ago and will never go back.  Let me also add that my dental cleanings take less time since I switched to an electric brush.  I have both brushes setting next to each other. I find myself reaching for the Oral B now. Mother 2 Mother wants you to try one for yourself. We're giving away one Oral B Professional to one of our readers. Here's how you can win:

Leave a comment and let me know if you currently use an electric brush or manual brush. (Required)
Leave a comment on another post - 5 entries
Follow me on Twitter - 5 entries
Tweet this give away - 3 entries
Follow Mother 2 Mother Blog - 5 entries

Give away ends March 25, 2013 at mid-night. Give away is open to US residents 18+ only. Give away will be mailed directly from the sponsor.

This review is my opinion after using this product and my opinion only. Other than testing the product, I have not been compensated for this post.

Winter Sowing Vegetable Seeds

noreply@blogger.com (rmgales) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 21:00:00 +0000

I have the winter blues! I decided to start my vegetable seeds over the week-end. Planning my garden takes the blues away and gives me a head start with strong, healthy veggie plants. Last year I used heating mats and grow lights. I had a 90% germination rate, but it takes lots of time and space to nuture the seedlings.

This year, I decided to try winter sowing. I've been saving plastic liter, juice and milk bottles. Anything that I can cut and punch holes in the bottom for drainage. I started about 20 bottles over the week-end. Tomatoes, dill, zuchinni, squash, sunflowers and petunias. Tomatoes, dill and petunias reseed and grow. Research showed that the squash and zuchinni will also do well. l will continue winter sowing through-out February. I'll do a few tomatoes, cukes and greenbeans inside. Just in case I don't have a successful germination rate from the winter sowing; however, gardeners swear by this method. I'm sold!

If you're wondering how I created these minature greenhouses, here it goes. Wash your bottles in hot soapy water and rinse well. I used a box cutter to cut around the bottles. Leave an inch on the bottle for a hinge. Add drainage holes in the bottom of your bottle. I used a glue gun on the milk bottles, but this proved unsuccessful on the liter and juice bottles. The gun wouldn't penetrate. I used the box cutter and make slits in the bottom.

Add 2 - 3 inches of seed starting mix to the bottom of the bottles as directed on the package. I use Miracle Gro Seed Starting Mix. It's a little expensive, but I had a great germination rate last year with the mix. I also use warm water when mixing the soil. Place your seed on top of the soil and cover lightly. Wrap the bottle with duct tape. I purchased mine from the dollar store. Mark the bottles with a permanent marker, which I purchased from the dollar store too.

Some gardeners say disgard the bottle top and some say leave the top on. I decided to leave mine on for now. I moved the bottles to the deck, but will eventually move them to the picnic table. If you leave the top off, place them in an area that wont' receive a lot of rain. Let them go until to spring. At that time you should have sprouts that will need water. As they grow, you will have to remove the top. These little babies will already be hardened off, which is a step you will have to take if you start seedling inside.

Stay tuned for additional posts on winter sowing. If you are a gardener and use the winter sowing method, please share your experience.

Superbowl Commericals

noreply@blogger.com (rmgales) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 02:47:00 +0000

Superbowl, what a game. It had everything that you expect, thrilling game, the unexpected lights out saga, Alicia Keys singing the longest rendition of the National Anthem in history, Beyonce bringing the house down, great commericals and Jennifer Hudson with the Sandy Hook children.

Each year I list my favorite commericals, and I will. First, I have to ask what is up with GoDaddy? Personally, I think they continue to miss the mark. I didn't see 1 positive tweet or post on Facebook regarding that commerical. Frankly, I haven't seen a Superbowl commerical from GoDaddy that I have liked yet.

Now on to my favorites:

Dodge - Farmers
Got Milk?
Budweiser Clydesdales - Reunion
VW - Get In Get Happy (I loved the man who said Don't be no cloud on a sunny day.)
Doritos - Goat 4 Sale
Oreo - Creme or Cookie Fight (I sided with the Creme)
Taco Bell - Young At Heart

I have to also bring up Alicia Keys. Did she go on and on or what? That had to be the longest version of the National Anthem that I've ever heard. I was starting to become irritated. Jennifer Hudson sang beautifully, and the Sandy Hook children touched my heart with American the Beautiful. Lets not leave out Beyonce! She brought the house down and literally blew out the lights, lol. All in all it was a good game, and we had a good time eating good food and sending hundreds of tweets. What was your favorite commerical?

On-line Dating

noreply@blogger.com (rmgales) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 01:09:00 +0000

Would you join an on-line dating site? Dating sites are everywhere. There's e-Harmony, Black People Meet, Christian Singles, Match.com, Single Parent Love and the list goes on. Lets face it, so many things have changed. Social media has changed the way we live our life. We meet friends on Facebook, Twitter and blogs. Why not a dating site.  Balancing life as a single parent, maintaining a full time job, maintaining a home, getting the kids to soccer, football, or ballet leaves little time for a social life.  It can actually leave you exhausted.

Single parents or non-parents are turning to on-line dating. Singles who aren't interested in going to bars or clubs or are finding it difficult to meet someone on their level are curling up with a glass of wine and their laptop and experimenting on-line.  There are many who are shy or have been out of the dating scene for some time and they are unsure of how to connect to another person who feel comfortable in the confines of their home. There are many reasons singles are heading to on-line dating sites. There have been many successful connections. One of my co-workers met her now husband on line.

I decided to experiment with on-line dating.  When joining, you're required to set-up a profile. Of course it helps to add a picture, an up to date picture. I followed the instructions and waited for the fun to begin. You're billed monthly for your membership and can access the site whenever you choose. You can IM with other members and receive emails. If or when comfortable, you can exchange phone numbers or agree to meet for a date. I met several men, I'll take you through my experience with each.

The first man who expressed interest lived in my town. We spent time getting to know each other on line, but I gave up on him after a week.   Getting to know him was like pulling teeth.    He revealed little about himself, and most of his conversation revolved around sex or sexual positions. Now I'm all for good sex, but not while I'm getting to know you the first week. Good-bye pervert!

Next, I met someone who seem promising. He lived about an hour away and we had great conversations via the phone for about a month. We agreed to meet.  When I arrived it was clear that he had been drinking, I could smell the alcohol when we shook hands. This wasn't someone who had a few at the bar waiting for my arrival. I think he soaked in it the night before.  Did I mention he showed up at our meeting with 2 golf buddies. Two immediate turn offs for me. At this point in my life, I'm not interested in a grown man who still sucks the bottle. Secondly, if you're not man enough to go out on a date without a chaperon, you're not man enough to be with me.  I left and stopped accepting his calls.

The third and last man that I met on-line I actually thought there was potential. The first date went well, and there was a physical attraction. He actually excited me, and got the juices flowing. I thought I had dried up, lol. He seemed to have himself together financially, he had helped to raise his 3 daughters, had a beautiful home, and attended church regularly. We had many things in common. We both loved wine tastings, antiques, dining out and traveling. As time went on, he began to show his true colors. None of which I liked. He couldn't make a commitment if his life depended on it. He lied, asked me for thousands of dollars and became angry when I said no. I couldn't believe this fool thought he was that good or I was so stupid or desperate that I would give him my hard earned money.  His love was conditional, if you let me get into your pant's pockets, I'll love you. He was pathetic. He even lied about his age. Now when you lie about your age, you will lie about anything.   I asked him if he saw stupid tatooed across my forehead or if there was a sign in my yard that said Bank of Rhonda.

My first red flag was the lying. He couldn't keep his stories straight. The second red flag was the fact that his children rarely visited.  Their flights would have taken 2 hours and he lived 20 minutes from the airport. They didn't show up for his birthday, Thanksgiving or Christmas. Not even a visit during the summer. When a man who you're not married to or living with asks you for thousands of dollars. Run as fast as you can.  Needless to say this went nowhere fast.

After 3 strikes, I cancelled my membership. For you ladies who are interested in on-line dating, don't let my negative experience discourage you.  There are many ladies who have been successful. I just didn't have the endurance to continue meeting losers on-line.

Have you tried on-line dating? Let us know your experience or how you feel about the subject. We would love to hear from.

Obama Style

noreply@blogger.com (rmgales) — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 20:03:00 +0000

Obama style. Yep, Michelle Obama has it. She's an educated woman who cares about world events, a loyal wife and mother and does it all with class. In my opinion, she's the most stylist First Lady since Jackie Kennedy. The new hair cut is banging and her selection for the Inauguration Swearing in Ceremony was on point. I loved, loved, loved the coat and boots. The belt gave it the extra pop. I would never have thought to use a belt for the accessory. I would have gone for a huge, chunky necklace. The color was fabulicious and the wine color gloves with the blue was classic. I'm sure Jackie O is smiling down on her.

Now, I'm a boot person so I was immediately drawn to them. I've learned they were by Reed Krakoff the same designer as her coat. The gloves and belt J. Crew.

I thought Sasha and Malia's coats were adorable too. Malia was in J. Crew and Sasha in Kate Spade. J. Crew will retire Malia's coat, so it will be unavailable for purchase. Don't know if Kate Spade will retire Sasha's at this point. I'm looking forward to seeing Sasha and Malia evolve as teens in the White House.

Kids Funny Face Breakfast - Part IV

noreply@blogger.com (rmgales) — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 18:00:00 +0000

Welcome to another fun post of Kids Funny Face Breakfast. We will be adding posts for lunch and dinner ideas as well, so watch for upcoming posts. This is Muffin Dog. He's just waiting for your little one to devour him. You will need the following ingredients:

Omelet (body)
English Muffin, sliced as shown (body, ears, legs, tail)
Olive, sliced as shown (eyes)
String cheese slices (eyes)
Strawberry slice or pimento from olive (tongue)

This recipe is from the book Funny Food: 365 Fun, Healthy, Silly, Creative Breakfasts by Bill & Claire Wurtzel and can be purchased from Amazon.

Touch Down Brownies

noreply@blogger.com (rmgales) — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 17:49:00 +0000

I found these adorable sports themed cookie cutters by Fox Run on Amazon and had to share them with you. My grandchildren love brownies, so I decided to try them on the brownies versus sugar cookie dough. The cutters are thin, so I was worried about them being able to make the impression in the brownies and how difficult it would be get them out. They worked perfectly. Great idea for sleep overs, parties or anytime treats.

The package contained a football, baseball, soccer ball, hockey stick, baseball bat, baseball glove, and football helmet. My grandson said the brownies, "Were the coolest". That means they were a hit.

Here's my grandchildren enjoying their treat. I packaged the brownies so they could take them home, but a few didn't make it out the kitchen. I would recommend the cutters, they're worth the money. Fox Run also has cutters in other themes, Noak's Ark, farm animals, dinosaurs, zoo animals you name it. Limitless cookies and brownies are on the horizon. Oh, I would recommend hand washing and drying immediately to preserve them. They're made of a tin, and will probably rust if not dried quickly. Did I mention they're eligible for free shipping? Yep, they are!

How Do You Choose Grandparent Names

noreply@blogger.com (rmgales) — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 17:16:00 +0000

Did your children decide on their grandparent's name or did your parents make the decision on what they wanted to be called?  My grandson ultimately made the decision for me. I had initially selected the name Gran, but it didn't stick.

I was visiting my grandson one week-end, and when I walked into the house he said Mawmaw. Where's Gaga (referring to his grandfather)?  At that moment, Gran went out the window.   I must admit, I was surprised he called me Mawmaw. I've often wondered how he came up with those names for us. Especially, since I had been calling myself Gran for almost 2 years.  His grandfather had been calling himself granddaddy. Isn't it amazing how things can change in a split second.

Now, I must admit that I wasn't exactly thrilled with the name Mawmaw.  I didn't think it was a fit for me and it sounded so old fashion.  I felt somewhat disappointed. Afterall, I'm not your typical grandma. I'm a high heel wearing diva who's into blogging, texting, social media, and a need for wine.  I just wasn't feeling Mawmaw. I chose the name Gran because I didn't want to end up with an old fashion out of date name.  Gran was traditional, but still had a sophisticated ring to it. My daughter stated, "Mom you have to be whatever he calls you". I wasn't sure if I was disappointed because I had spent 9 months selecting a name and it was suddenly gone or because the name sounded so country and out of date.  The only other person that I knew as Mawmaw was my 60 year old Aunt.   My grandson had thrown a wrench into the plans. My siblings had chosen their names, and I wanted that opportunity too.

Our grandchildren use a variety of names for us.  In my family there's Poppy, Nana, Granny, and Granddaddy. As I was discussing the name change with co-workers, I was surprised to find out that many of their grandchildren called them MawMaw. It was actually a popular name.  Who knew!

As I continued to think about it, it suddenly didn't matter what he called me as long as he called my name.  My grandson had changed my life forever. I looked at the change totally different. What's in a name? I realized that my grandson had a mind of his own, and he was demonstrating his personality, his individuality, and how he felt about me. I was a Mawmaw, and he believed it was a fit for me. He didn't see me as a diva, texter, blogger or wine taster.  I was simply his Mawmaw. He has made it clear over the course of the years with his cousins, that's my Mawmaw. I have happily accepted the nomination.  I've held that title for 5 years, and I'm proud to wear it.  I now have a grandson and granddaughter. I will continue to strive to be the #1 Mawmaw, because that is what is truly important.

What do your grandchildren call you or your parents? Leave us a comment, we would love to know.

We Have A Winner

noreply@blogger.com (rmgales) — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 04:27:00 +0000

Congratulation to entry #23, Terri. You're the winner of the Mother 2 Mother book give away, A Flower in the Snow.

True Random Number GeneratorMin:Max:Result:23

Happy New Year

noreply@blogger.com (rmgales) — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 02:20:00 +0000

Hard to believe another year has come and gone. When I look back over the year, I can truly say it was a good year for me. Through the rough times, I remained employed. I've had a roof over my head, plenty of food, watched both of my babies celebrate their birthdays, gained new followers on Mother 2 Mother, and most importantly I strengthened my faith.

I'm not one to make New Year Resolutions, but I will continue to strive for the best me. I'm always a work in progress. I look forward to the New Year and all it has to offer. I want to thank each of you for helping to make my blog a success by remaining a loyal follower. I will continue to post content in 2013 and hope that you will continue to follow me on my journey.

I wish each of you a Happy New Year. May each of you be blessed.

My Bucket List

noreply@blogger.com (rmgales) — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Another year has come and gone. I started my Bucket List 3 years ago. Each year I pull it out to see what I've accomplished during the year.

I've given birth to a beautiful daughter, survived a divorce, given the United Stated government 35 34 32 years of service, raised a daughter as a single mother, sent her through college, watched her get married and give birth to a beautiful ~~son~~ son and daughter. I've traveled, made new friends and kept old ones, purchased a home, a luxury car and I've been able to bank a few dollars. I've survived my father's death and become closer to my siblings. I've strengthen my faith in God, I'm giving back to the community, and I can truly say that I'm working to be an example.

Even at this stage of my life, I still have work to do. I've been thinking about retirement in the next 2 3 5 years and what I want to accomplish before and after I reach that milestone. I decided to make a Bucket List. Here are a few items that I've added or achieved to date:

Drive Across Country
Travel Abroad - Africa, Italy, Hong Kong, London, Thailand
~~Cruise To Alaska~~ (Decided to mark this off my list. I don't cruise well).
~~Open a Brick and Mortar for Sugar Kisses Boutique~~ (Decided to mark this off my list. Not willing to work this hard anymore).
~~Plant A Vegetable Garden~~
Learn A Second Language - Spanish
~~Skydive~~ (Decided to mark this off my list. I'm not willing to take this risk)
Attend the Kentucky Derby
Eat Lobsters In Maine
Visit Martha's Vineyard
See the fall foliage in the New Hampshire area
~~Spend a week in New York shopping and seeing a Broadway show~~
Go horseback riding on the beach
Add a sunroom to my hone
Travel to Hawaii, Barbados, Dominican Republic, Jamacia, ~~Virgin Islands~~
Plant flower beds along my new fence line
Build a greenhouse

I'll be adding to my list as I contemplate the next phase of my list. Have you created a Bucket List? Let us know what's on yours. If you haven't created a list, name a few things that you would add to yours.

Christmas Tree Brownies

noreply@blogger.com (rmgales) — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 01:17:00 +0000

Christmas tree brownies. What a great idea. You’ll need one box of brownie mix, candy cane sticks, green gel icing, and peppermint M & M’s.

1. Bake the brownies according to the box.

2. After brownies have cooled, cut into triangle, tree shape with a steak knife.

3. Break off the curve of the candy cane, and stick the candy cane stick at bottom of brownies for the tree stem.

4. Apply icing and place M & M’s on brownie.

Here are the Christmas tree brownies made by my 5 year old grandson and his 4 year old cousin. Sorry about the glare, the picture was taken with my cell phone. They had a great time spreading the icing and trimming the trees. I used the colorful milk chocolate M & Ms instead of the peppermint. Making these treats is a great way to occupy children who are anxiously waiting for Santa. My grandson was leary of leaving brownies for Santa, but I can assure you Santa will enjoy them.

What treats did you make for Santa? Please leave us a comment, we may want to adopt your idea for Santa next year.