Shut Down

Sorry to say that my computer has decided to go all rebel on me and not work.  It won't let me upload any pics, and continues to shut down on it's own every few minutes.

Soooo, no posting for at least a few days while I try to get it fixed :(

Have a great week, and I hope to blog at you soon!

{HUGS}

The Official Summer Weekly Plan

So my friend, Amy, had blogged about getting a plan together for her kids for the summer, and it inspired me to do one of my own. 

As I said in an earlier post, my kids do best when there is some sort of routine schedule involved, so I approached my plan with that in mind.

And I must say, I am QUITE happy with the outcome!

Each day of the week, we will have a different theme, (except weekends...those are always just go with the flow).

And I am pretty sure this summer is going to fly by!

So here is the new plan:

Sun day Mondays:  All day at the pool!

Trippin' Tuesdays:  It's field trip day!  Movies, bowling, museum, zoo....lots of trips to do!

Wander the Park Wednesdays:  Picnic at the Park day!

Thrifty Thursdays:  Garage Sales and Thrift Stores

Friendly Fridays:  The girls get to invite friends over to play

Of course we will be incorporating the pool into more than just Mondays, (everyone who knows me knows that I cannot go more than a few days without being in the sun!), but these are basically what will be the highlight of each day, and after these are done, THEN we can head over to the pool if we want. 

Plus, as I said before, this gives the girls an idea of what to expect and they won't be asking me everyday, "what are we going to do tomorrow?", (which is the question they begin to ask EVERY.  SINGLE.  DAY. at dinner time).

So do you have a summer plan?  I would love to hear what you'll be up to!  Go ahead and comment and share...maybe you will inspire us!

Winner of The Etsy Giveaway

And the winner is......

CARRIE! 

Congratulations Carrie!  Please email me your information to thefamilyfunmom@yahoo.com and I will get you set up with Christine for your personalized towel!

And if you didn't win, but still want your own towel, be sure to check out Purse-O-Nals Etsy store and order yours today!

So I'm taking a break from Mix it Up Monday today to enjoy the day with my family, but I *will* be posting in the What I Wore Wednesday post and linking up with The Pleated Poppy, so be sure to look for that!

Happy Memorial Day everyone!  Have fun and be safe!

Love a Loooong Weekend!

This has been pretty close to a perfect weekend so far, (knock on wood, don't want to mess it up now!)

Friday started off finding out that our pool opening was being pushed back to Saturday due to storm damage, and I was pretty bummed because even if we couldn't swim, was (high only 68 that day!), I was looking forward to getting together to see all our friends.

BUT- the night was saved when my in-laws, (who happen to be the world's greatest!), said they would have the girls spend the night and my husband and I got an unexpected date night!  WOO-HOO!

Dinner at one of my favorite places, shopping, milkshakes, and a movie at home in our jammies...AKA, my perfect night!

On Saturday, we slept in and then picked up the girls from my in-laws and hung around the house for the first part of the afternoon.  THEN, we headed to Kings Island, a local Amusement Park, and spent a great evening with friends. 

The kids have so much fun there, especially when they have buddies that they get to ride the rides with.  AND, Addy even rode her first grown-up roller coaster, (The Racers)!  I was soooo proud of her, even if she did say that she never wanted to do that again :)  We even stayed late and let the kids watch the fireworks at the end of the night and they were exhausted by the time we got home and went right to sleep.

We skipped church this morning because the girls were sleeping in, (and Yes- sleeping until 8:30am IS sleeping in for my girls!), and the husband was able to mow the lawn.  (Okay, not exactly fun times, but with all the rain we've had, it was beginning to look like you could get your hunting gear out and trek through our yard for an adventure!)

This afternoon we are going to do some of the Memorial Day activities I blogged about, and then we are headed to The Heritage Festival. Tomorrow we will finally make it to the pool to hang with friends and I can't wait!

I hope you all are having a GREAT Memorial Day Weekend too, and I would LOVE to hear about some of your Loooong weekend plans!

And DON"T FORGET that today is The LAST DAY to enter for the GIVEAWAY!  Check out the post and comment for a a chance to win!!!  Winner will be announced tomorrow!  GOOD LUCK!

{GIVEAWAY}

HURRY!  You only have today and tomorrow to enter for the GIVEAWAY from the Purse-O-Nals Etsy store! 

You DON"T want to miss out on the opportunity to get one of these Awesome, personalized towels for you or your kids. 

So ENTER TODAY!  Here's How: (Don't forget to leave your comments on the ORIGINAL post!)


-Sign Up to follow my blog, (leave a comment letting me know you did!)

-Visit Christine's Purse-o-nals Etsy Shop, take a look around and come back here and leave a comment about your favorite item.

-Make a purchase from Christine's Purse-o-nals shop and leave a comment here telling me what you got!

-Link this Giveaway to Your Facebook Page, (leave a comment here letting me know!)

-Link this Giveaway on Your Twitter Page, (leave a comment letting me know you did!)

-Link this Giveaway on your blog, (leave a comment letting me know you did!)

And don't forget, the more times you enter, the better your chances to win!  But hurry, the winner will be drawn on Sunday, May 29th and announced on the blog on Monday May 30th!

Good Luck!

Time for Transparency

So for the last two weeks, I have been doing the Mix it Up Monday posts, in which I post a picture of myself in a new(ish) outfit I am trying out.  I have gotten a lot of good feedback, (and I'm thankful for it!), so I will keep doing it.  But let me tell you, it has been sort of terrifying.

First let me say, I am not at all comfortable with my body.  You see, I have struggled with my weight for my entire life.  There isn't a time I can look back to and say, "oh, that's when I gained all my weight".  No, for me, I have always been overweight.

And while I have always strived to never let that hold me back, it kind of always has.

Because I can't help but think of the things I would do if I weren't so insecure about it.  And because the weight itself limits you in so much of life.

But I try to never let people see that.

I am outgoing.  I am fun.  I am confident.  I am strong.  I am a leader.  I am wise.  I am brave.  These are the things I want people to see.  This is what I want people to think of me. 

But in truth, I am scared.  I am frustrated.  I am overwhelmed.  I am constantly wondering what people think of me.  I am a people pleaser.  I am tired.  And I feel like a failure.

And I want to change.  Really, I do.  But every time I start to do well, I quit.  I don't know why, I just do.  And that makes me feel even worse.

So you can see that putting pictures of myself on the internet every week is kind of like my worst nightmare.  Because when I look at those pictures, I don't like what I see.  I want to look like all the other beautiful women I see.  But the deep, scared, insecure part of me feels like that will never happen.

And if that isn't going to happen, then I want to just like the me I see in the mirror.  But I don't know how to do that when I have never liked what I have seen in the mirror.  That body I see doesn't match with the person I want to be. 

Which is part of why I am actually doing these posts.  I want to learn to be able to look at myself, and like the girl in the mirror.  I want to try and love my body just as it is, all while trying to change it into the body I want it to be.  I want to put on pretty clothes, and take a picture and say, "I like the way I look.". 

I want to be honest with myself and happy with myself all at the same time.  I'm not there yet, but I'm on my way. 

Thanks for taking the ride with me.

My Eventful Night

Lat night I went out to celebrate a friend's birthday and it turned out to be quite a memorable evening.

There were Severe Thunderstorm Warnings for our entire area, which we were okay with because we were inside.  But just as dinner was being served at the restaurant, (which was AWESOME BTW!), we found out that there was also a Tornado Warning. 

Normally I wouldn't be freaked out, but with all the Tornado activity in the country this past week, I was more than a little concerned.  Especially since I wasn't able to be home with my husband and girls while this was all going on.

Thank The Good Lord for Cell Phones!!! (And I-Pad's, Tablets etc.!)

I was able to talk to my husband and know that they were all fine, and thanks to my good friend, we were able to stay on top of where the storm was headed, and knew when we were suppose to take shelter.

Which we did.

In the Restaurant Bathroom.

Good Times.

Us waiting in the bathroom...

But it all passed over, and we were fine.  The worst of it seemed to be a bunch of hail damage from the baseball size hail, but no one was hurt, so that was a relief!

Baseball size hail that totally screwed up my friend's house and car...

So AFTER our eventful dinner, another friend and I stopped into this store that I have been hearing about, but hadn't had the chance to get to yet...Charming Charlie.

Okay, to quote Rachel Zoe,  "I.  DIE."

This place is beyond anything I could have imagined!  I walked in and thought to myself, "I have reached the Mother Ship!".  Seriously, I think that this might just be God's Grace lavished upon me.

I mean, accessories GALORE!  And it's all organized by color, and Super Affordable!  They have jewelry, shoes, scarves, clothes...everything a girl could ever need!  You just have to see it to believe it, (I CANNOT believe I didn't take a picture while I was there...then again, I was in shock).

Anyhow, I started to look around, and then a beautiful glow from the back of the store caught my eye.  It was as if The Angels were beckoning, and then I saw it.

75% OFF the ALREADY discounted price.

I will give you a moment of silence before I continue....




Okay, ready?

So my friend and I took a deep breath and began to dive in.  This is serious business, so we knew we had to divide and conquer.  There were two girls there already who had started to survey the territory, so we had to be careful to let them know that we were all on the same team here.  Because we all know that when you are in a situation like this, it can go two ways. 

First, the other ladies can get defensive and just start to grab things so that they stake the claim.  But you want to avoid that at all cost!  So the best way is to befriend the opposition, so that they want to share what they find with you.  And that is what we did.

Before you knew it, they were on the lookout for what I wanted and finding it for me.  Best. Possible. Outcome.

And in the end, I ended up getting 12 items for $20!!!!!!!!!!!  I know.  Ba.  Na.  Nas!  (What can I say...I love Rachel Zoe!)

So, from now on, if you want to know what to get me, (ahem...hope my dear husband is reading this!),  it's a Charming Charlie gift card!  Seriously my new favorite place!

And here are the pics of all my new items...can't wait to wear them!

Etsy GIVEAWAY!

One of my favorite things about having two girls is getting to dress them up in precious little outfits, and all the cute accessories etc. that we get to have fun with.  Since I am such a girly momma, it makes me swoon with happiness that my girls love this stuff too!

And what could be better than finding a place that has gorgeous bows, cute-as-can-be dresses, personalized towels and bags, and more? 

Finding a place that has all that stuff AND it's all very affordable, that's what!

My friend Christine has this Amazingly Awesome Etsy Shop, Purse-o-nals, where she sells all of her handmade goodness and I.  Want.  Everything.

The little girls dresses have a boutique look and quality without the boutique prices, (can you hear the hallelujah chorus too?), and she has SO MANY other fabulous products, (even grown-up handbags and cases!), that I could seriously be here all day blogging about it.

But shouldn't I just let you see for yourself?

I thought so.

Here are a few of her items that I love, (and ohhhh, there are so many more!)

And you should FO SHO check out her Etsy Shop to see ALL of her wonderful items.

And here is the best part...THERE IS A GIVEAWAY! 

(I know, I know!  I told you it was the best part!)


You will be Stylin' at the pool this summer, because the winner will be getting one of those cool monogrammed towels you see in the last picture!

There are a few ways you can win, and you can enter more than once!

-Sign Up to follow my blog, (leave a comment letting me know you did!)

-Visit Christine's Purse-o-nals Etsy Shop, take a look around and come back here and leave a comment about your favorite item.

-Make a purchase from Christine's Purse-o-nals shop and leave a comment here telling me what you got!

-Link this Giveaway to Your Facebook Page, (leave a comment here letting me know!)

-Link this Giveaway on Your Twitter Page, (leave a comment letting me know you did!)

-Link this Giveaway on your blog, (leave a comment letting me know you did!)

And don't forget, the more times you enter, the better your chances to win!  But hurry, the winner will be drawn on Sunday, May 29th and announced on the blog on Monday May 30th!

Good Luck!

**This Post will be linked at We are THAT Family, Works for Me Wednesday

Take a Moment

Yesterday, I was shocked and saddened by the news of the deadly Tornado that hit Joplin, MO Sunday evening.

It has devastated the city, and many families have lost everything.  There have been lives lost, and many are injured.  I cannot imagine what they are going through right now.

As I read the news stories and saw the videos and images, it made me take a moment and really be thankful that my family and friends are all safe right now.  Sometimes we forget how blessed we are until we hear about something like this.  I don't know anyone who is effected by this storm, but my prayers are with those who do, and those who are in the thick of trying to put their lives back together right now.

This was once a neighborhood...

If you have not heard about the storm, or want to read about it, go to ABC News here

And I urge you to find a way to help the victims of this tornado.  There are many way to help...here are a few:

-If you want to donate to The American Red Cross, You can call 1-800-RED-CROSS or text "REDCROSS" to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to your local Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013.

You can also visit their Disaster Relief Donation Page here

-To donate to the Salvation Army, you can call 1-800-SAL-ARMY and donors can text "JOPLIN" to 80888 to make a $10 donation. And you can mail a donation to Joplin Tornado Relief, The Salvation Army, 3637 Broadway, Kansas City, Mo. 64111

You can also visit http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/ and click on the donation button.

-You can also donate to World Vision 
To donate $10, text the word "TORNADO" to 20222 or call 888-56-CHILD.

-If you want to volunteer to help, you can click here to sign up.

-You can pray for the victims and their families.

Local Deals and Free Stuff to Do

I have been finding some great local deals/free stuff to do lately, so I just wanted to pass along a few that you might be interested in:

-Living Social has started giving new deals that are geared towards family...right up my alley, don't ya think?  Today's deal is for $20 of food and treats for $10.  This deal is over at the end of today!  To get the deal, go here


-DealSwarm is offering 5 open bounce sessions at BounceU for $22.  This deal is good for 4 more days.  To check this out, click here 


-Kettering Parks has opened a bunch of new/revamped parks.  The new Splashpad at Kennedy Park is NOW OPEN and the Water is ON, and it's FREE! Kennedy Park is located at 5073 Bigger Rd.


-Kings Island is FREE for all military personnel past and present  May 27 through May 30 and July 1 through July 4. Plus, military personnel can purchase additional tickets for family for just $29.99 at the park.  For more info. click here


-Dayton Heritage Festival is on Sunday, May 29th at Carillon Historical Park. There will be lots of live music, children's activities and much more at this annual FREE event.  Carillon Historical Park is located at 1000 Carillon Blvd., Dayton, Ohio 45409

-Kettering Touch-A-Truck is on Saturday, June 4th from 9-11am at The Kettering Recreation Complex. This is a FREE event where kids can get up close and personal with some of their favorite “big rigs.” Truck lovers young and old will have fun interacting with a wide variety of trucks, construction vehicles, public safety vehicles and more! Special water park discounts will be offered for those attending.  For more info., click here


-FREE Summer Recreation Program through the Centerville Parks district June 20-August 11th.  This is Monday through Friday from 9am-noon, and for children ages 3-12.  Each day is held at a different park, and offers a wide variety of recreation activities, sports, games, arts and crafts, guest speakers, and more.  For more info., click here

Advice for Teenagers

I saw this article on our local newspapers website and it was about advice you might give a graduate.  It was good advice, but it got me to thinking...

Isn't it kind of too late once the kid is graduating High School?

I mean, it's never too late to change, (I am a good example of that...if you had known me in High School, you would know I am KIND OF a different person!), but a lot of the character building takes place before that.  Plus, so much of what happens in your High School days determines the path your life will take.  For example, if you don't study and get good grades, you probably won't be attending college.  And not going to college could have a big impact on the rest of your life.

Anyway, it made me wonder about the advice I would give my girls before they head into High School, maybe even Middle School.  Things I have learned first hand, and things I have observed. 

Here are a few of my thoughts...

-Don't bully other kids and don't let anyone else bully you.

-Get involved in lots of extracurricular activities, but remember that they are extracurricular!

-They are going to teach you lots of math that they promise you will need to know later.  And honestly, you probably won't (unless you become a math teacher or engineer).  But learn it anyway!

-Make lots of friends, but don't get so wrapped up in them that you lose who you are.

-Remember that you will probably make all new friends once you go to college.

-Work hard to get good grades.  Those will get you into college, your friends and activities won't!

-That hairstyle you think looks so good now won't be so hot 20 years from now.  (And if anyone suggests a perm, run away!)

-Don't be afraid to try new things, (unless those things are drugs and alcohol!).

-The chances that you will marry your high school sweetheart are slim, so don't invest too much of yourself in that relationship.

-Speaking of boys...it's better if you just stay away from them altogether, (okay, I know this one is unlikely, but a momma can wish can't she?!).

-Do lots of babysitting.  This will help to show you that it's probably best to wait for a LONG TIME to have babies!

-Take care of your body.  Eat healthy and exercise, and then remember that God loves you just the way you are!  You are beautiful!!!!

-Being Homecoming, (or Prom), Queen are great, but nobody will care about that after high school.  Concentrate your efforts on things that are important.

-Learn the importance of volunteering your time for things that make a difference in peoples lives.

-Don't even ask to go away on spring break...I watch reality TV and I know what happens!

-Start to be a money saver (not spender!) now.  That lesson will serve you well for the rest of your life.

-Don't be afraid to be goofy and embarrass yourself.  Don't take yourself too seriously!

-Stand up for the kids who need it!  You know what the right thing to do is, so do it!

-Don't be afraid to tell your momma anything.  I will always listen without judging.

-Be an honest and loyal person. 

-When you hear older people talk about the mistakes they have made, listen!  Then see how you can apply that to your life.

-Wearing too much make-up just makes you look trampy...don't do it!

-Also about trampy, don't wear clothes that show too much skin.  No matter what you think, it doesn't look good.

-Be a leader, not a follower.

-Don't spend these years being over dramatic.  Just choose to be happy!

-God has an amazing plan for your life...remember that and try not to mess it up! :)

Anyhow, these were just a few of the things I thought of.  What would you say?  What would be your advice to your soon-to-be highschooler?

Fighting...Anyone Else Having This Issue??

Better Times... 

I remember one day when Addy was about 3 1/2 and Faith was just about 1.  We were driving in the van and I could hear Addy chatting in the back seat, talking to her little sister.  She was so sweet and gentle with her, and then she said the most precious thing ever, "Faith, you will always be my best friend!".  I almost had to pull over because I could barely see to drive for the tears in my eyes.  Beautiful Memories...

And here is a picture from this week.

Addy- "Faith, STOP HITTING ME!"

Faith-"Addy kicked me!"

Addy-"I don't want Faith to play in my room.  She always messes everything up!"

Faith- "I don't like Addy!  She is mean!"

Can I just say that I am about to lose my mind?!  These girls fight ALL. THE. TIME.  It's like the never ending battle.  I spend most of my day trying to get them to get along, and when that fails, just trying to keep them from harming each other.  It's like they just can't help picking on each other and doing things to annoy the other.  Just for fun!

And let me just say that I have 3 sisters, so I know that girls fight, but I honestly don't remember fighting this much with my sisters when I was so young, (now cut to our teenage years and you have a different story!).  If this is what they are like now, I cannot imagine what the preteen years are going to bring...for any of us!!!

And it's not as if we haven't tried to stay on top of it.  We do time outs, take away toys, (and YES, I have packed up their entire rooms before as taken it all to the garage...I'm not playin' here people!), have missed out on fun things they wanted to do, and have even resorted to spanking on occasion when behavior has been severe.  We are Trying, but nothing seems to work!

Is anyone else having this problem?  Has anyone gotten through it and come out the other side, (still sane?)?  I need help here folks!  If you have good ideas that have worked for you, PLEASE SHARE!  Otherwise, the Family Fun Mom, might soon be called, 'Reports from The Psych Ward'... 

Free Friday's at The Cincinnati Museum Center

As I have said before, I am always on the lookout for FREE activities for my family.  One activity that we have taken advantage of in the past are the FREE Friday's at The Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal. 

These are usually in the summer and offer free admission for everyone from 4-8pm.  This year, the dates for FREE Friday's are:  June 3rd, July 8th, August 5th and September 9th. 

This year Free Fridays include the Museum of Natural History & Science, Cincinnati History Museum and Duke Energy Children’s Museum. Cleopatra, OMNIMAX, and parking are extra. 

Parking is $6 per vehicle ($4 per vehicle after 4:30pm), and OMNIMAX Theater is $7.50 adults, $6.50 seniors and $5.50 children (ages 3-12).  Cleopatra is Adult: $23, Child: $15, Senior: $19 Member Adult: $14, Member Child: $10

The Cincy Museum Center if a REALLY FUN place to go, and my girls especially love the Children's Museum.  It is made up of four areas, which are:  Kid's Town, Little Sprouts Farm, Energy Zone, and The Woods.  Plus, there is a Water Play area that all children love, (parents-not so much!). 

And if you need snacks while you're there, no worries. They've got you covered!  The food court offers two options: Track One Pizza that serves pizza slices and bread sticks; and the Gateway Cafe, which offers sandwiches, hamburgers and hotdogs, soup, salads and more. Food is generally available during museum hours. Drink machines and snack machines are available in the concourse area of the Rotunda.

Enjoy the Rookwood Ice Cream Parlor for something sweet. It's open until 5pm on Friday's. 

So mark your calendars now and plan to visit the Museum Center this summer...and I'm sure you'll see us there, too!

This just in...Cheap Pizza from Papa Johns!

I just read that Papa Johns is celebrating what it calls a “a renewed sense of national pride and patriotism” with a “Made in America” customer appreciation offer today and tomorrow, May 17-18, discounting its large one-topping pizzas to $5.99.  Check with your local store to make sure they are participating, but this sounds like a GREAT deal for families!

EnterTRAINment Junction Review

This past weekend, an awesome family that we are lucky enough to be friends with invited us to Entertrainment Junction, which is a Huge Model Train Display and Family Entertainment Center, in West Chester, Ohio.

Our Awesome Friends...The James'

They have Season Passes, and this month, they could bring a friend for FREE.  And since we are so happenin' and fun, they invited us! 

We were excited to go, but I was kind of wondering how much fun my girls would have since, well, they are girls. 

Girls who aren't really into trains.

But no need to worry.  My girls thought it was WAY COOL!

The first thing you see when you come in is this really cool old train station looking area.  It is actually a snack bar/eating area, and a gift shop, but it looks so neat..very nostalgic! 

After you pay, (which is normally $12.95 for adults and $9.95 for kids 3-12.  3 and under are free),  you go into the Train Journey, which is the World's Largest Indoor Train Display!  I was extremely impressed, as were the girls. This exhibit runs throughout the entire building, so it is expansive, and the amount of detail is extraordinary...truly something you should see in person!

There is also an area called Imagination Junction, which is a Children's Interactive Play area.  Think McDonald's Play land with a train theme.  They had a tunnel/slide thing, a small train ride, (that is $1 per ride), and a few other play things. 

The kids loved this area because they could run and get a bunch of energy out.  There were also benches for parents, so it was a nice break for us too! 

Another nice feature is that there was a separate place for Toddlers or younger kids within the play area, so that they didn't get trampled on, and that has toys etc. geared more for their age group.  There were also nice bathrooms located here so that parents don't have to go far, which definitely came in handy. 

***One note I would make is to make sure you bring socks, (if your kids aren't already wearing them!), if you plan to play in Imagination Junction.  They are required.

There was also the American Railroading Museum located within the exhibit, which I honestly didn't get to see much of.  My girls aren't really patient enough to stop and let me read about things of actual importance, (but if it were a Barbie or Princess museum, they would have been all over that business!).

The kids also enjoyed some outside rides that they had available.  The rides package is an additional $3 per person and it includes unlimited rides during posted times.

An interesting and new addition to Entertrainment Junction this year, is the Fun House!  This is a carnival like experience that includes a Mirror Maze, Clown College, (which had a tilt room and Ames room), Outer Limits, (which has the Claustrophobic Hall, The Vortex Tunnel, and a Black Light Room), and Curtain Chaos.  This is an additional $9.95 per person for this experience, but totally worth it! 

The Fun House was a hit for sure with our crew!  Even the grownups got in on the fun.

I would say that no matter if you have boys or girls, this place should for sure be on your to-do list!  I know it sounds pricey after you add on all the stuff, (although the Season Pass is only $175 for a family of 4, which is a great deal for how much we would go!), but it really is so much fun!

Our girls got to experience something they didn't even know they were interested in, and we got to watch them having a blast with their friends.

Getting Glasses

Last week my oldest daughter,  Addy, had an eye doctor appointment and they told us she was near sighted and needed glasses.

Right there in the doctor's office, I started to panic a little.

I had flashbacks of my younger self being told I needed glasses, and the torment that soon followed.

Lots of kids asking questions, poking fun, and making me feel "different".  I didn't want that for Addy. 

But I also didn't want her to not be able to see clearly.

I knew I didn't really have a choice in the matter.  We would be getting her glasses.

And wouldn't you know it, Addy was THRILLED!

She was SOOO excited to pick out her new glasses, (I told her she could have any pair she wanted), and she was even more excited to show them to her friends.  She had no fear, no reservations, and no worry about what anyone else would think.

It's funny how, as a parent, we can sometimes worry too much for our kids, and start to throw our own junk in there when it really is just fine.

I'm glad Addy could teach me that.

And here is our little star with her Super Cute new pair of glasses that she LOVES to show off!

And here is the case she picked out to keep them in:

Ahhhh, it just melts my heart that she loves all things sparkly and fabulous just like her momma :)

Because Momma's Want To Look Good Too

So yesterday I clicked on the tv in the middle of the day, (don't judge...you've done it too!), and found a talk show doing a segment on what to wear for different occasions.

Now, you may not know it by looking at me, but I LOVE fashion! 

I read gobs of magazines, I scour the Internet, and I will watch ANY makeover show.  I just love getting new ideas and seeing what you can do to change up your look.

The only problem is, I can never figure out how to apply it to myself.  For a long time my idea of a nice mommy outfit was anything that didn't have a hole, a stain, and that fit.  If you came to my house and didn't find me in my jammies, then that was a good day.  I just struggled to find clothes that were cute, inexpensive, fit well and were durable enough to last through play dates at the park and arts and crafts at home.

And sure enough, this show proved my point that it seems like everyone who comes up with this stuff is out of touch with what a momma who is actually INVOLVED with her kids can/should wear.

For the 'Kid's Event Look', they had the model in a super long skirt, a nice shirt, a pair of high shoes, a Kate Spade bag and designer sunglasses.  Ummm, are you kidding me?!

I'm not sure what "Kid's Event" they are attending, but I hope it's not one with my kids because I can tell you right now that within minutes that skirt would be torn, (or have a 4-year-old hiding under it), the shirt would have a huge strawberry stain all over it, the shoes would be ruined from chasing my girls through the mud, and that beautiful purse would not fair well holding snotty tissues, goldfish crackers and juice boxes.

I mean, really, have they ever even SEEN a child?

Fortunately, I have some fabulously fashionable friends who have inspired me.  They have kids, (who they actually play with), AND they know how to put an outfit together.  If you haven't checked out my friend Maria's blog, be sure to head over.  I am in awe of the stuff she puts together.  It seems so effortless, and yet it looks so good.  (I guess it helps when your gorgeous, though).

I have also been inspired by some of the other numerous blogs I read.  These mommas know how to look amazing and the best part is, they share their style secrets with the rest of the world!  Some of these other blogs you may want to check out are:  Little Miss Momma, Momma Go Round, and The Pleated Poppy. 

Below, I am listing some of my favorite things for this summer that a momma can handle.  Take a look and tell me what you like, and what you don't!  And be sure to share some of your favorite momma trends for summer, too!

This whole look is from Old Navy...LOVE the cardigan with the tunic and capris!

 This look is from Gap.  You can never go wrong with a skirt and jacket...

...See what I mean!  (this look is from Old Navy).  Love that the bright skirt gives it that fun pop of color

This look is Gap.  Super Classic, Very Chic! 

This shirt is from WalMart and only $8!  It looks so comfy and I think it would be great with a pair of capri's or bermudas and a cardigan over it! 

 If you haven't been to Forever 21 for accessories, then you NEED. TO. GO.   Always cute, and always inexpensive! 

 Forever 21

 Piperlime. 

Piperlime

Free Summer Activities

If you are like me, you are already planning your summer adventures.

For some of you, this may include a vacation to the beach, or a trip to Disney (I am SOOOO jealous!),  a visit to the Lake, or some other kind of fabulous trip.

For others, it may be that you will be spending your summer working on major house projects, or visiting relatives, or living the lavish lifestyle and partying it up with friends.

My summer will go something like this:

"Quit hitting your sister!"

"Stop complaining!"

"No you cannot watch more TV.  3 Hours is enough!"

"I'm bored too!"

"Come get your sunscreen on!"

"We just had McDonald's for lunch yesterday..."

"...Okay, we can go to Chick-fil-a today."

"Seriously?  I just bought that swimsuit!"

You get the idea. 

Basically, I will be spending my summer trying to fill time for my two girls.  And yes, we have pool passes, (which we will be using A LOT!), and yes, we are splurging for Kings Island season passes this year, too.  But I will need more in my arsenal of 'keep-em'-entertained' tricks.  So I have been searching out other options, (that are FREE or Cheap!), for our summer as well, and wouldn't ya know, I found a couple!

One thing that I signed us up for is FREE bowling!  Now, I am not such a huge bowling fan, but my girls really seem to enjoy it.  So this works out perfectly for me, because they get to entertain themselves for an hour or so, and I get to sit in an air-conditioned building and drink heavily read, (or have a grown-up conversation if I can bully a friend into tagging along!).  They get 2 FREE games per day, per kid!

If you are interested in signing up for this program, (you must sign-up ahead of time!), visit http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/

Another FREE activity we will be checking into are the FREE movies at Rave Motion Pictures.  They will be offering these FREE movies on Tuesday's and Wednesday's at 10am for eight weeks during the summer at participating theaters.  A nice dark theater...Can someone say Nap Time for momma?!  If you want to check into it, you can visit http://www.ravemotionpictures.com/family_festival.aspx

And of course, we will be doing plenty of other local things that are listed to the right of this post in the 'Upcoming Events" section. 

If you know of other FREE or cheap activities available to families this summer, PLEASE share!  This info. is like GOLD to stay-at-home moms on a budget :)