Saturday, December 21, 2013

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday is all about me discovering something that is different to post. I don't want to post things that you and I have more than likely heard before. I want to find something different. It could be from another country, someone singing from the streets of NY, and more.

This week I'm posting a 16 year old from Quebec, Canada. His name is David Thibault. Elvis may be dead, but his voice lives inside this guy.

Source
He won  the People's Choice Award at the 2013 "In the Shoes of Elvis" competition in Montreal. Other than the fact that his cover of Blue Christmas went viral, I couldn't find much more on him. 

Are you an Elvis fan?

Every time I listen to In he Ghetto I want to cry. It's just filled with emotion.

I have two Elvis stories. One I've already shared, but I have newish readers that probably haven't read it.
  1. The first is about my friend Debbie. I've been friends with her since preschool. She was a huge Elvis fan growing up. One day in school I asked to borrow her crayons. She was hesitant. She handed over the box. Inside the lid was written, "I love Elvis Presley." I giggled, and made fun of her. What can I say? We were both young.
  2. Our boys loved Kung Fu Panda. Mica and Cousin Evan used to watch it often. In the movie he gets kicked in his private parts. He says, "Oh my tenders!" Daddy was playing our one and only Elvis CD, and the song Love Me Tender came on. Mica and Evan looked at each other and started laughing and said, "Why would we want to love our tenders?" Forever that song has been changed in my mind.
Here is David Thibault:
16 year old David Thibault of Quebec, Canada
16 year old David Thibault of Quebec, Canada
16 year old David Thibault of Quebec, Canada
16 year old David Thibault of Quebec, Canada.
16 year old David Thibault of Quebec, Canada.
16 year old David Thibault of Quebec, Canada.






Connect with him on Facebook.
Like him on Twitter.
Follow him on YouTube.
Add him to your circles on Google +.

Friday, December 20, 2013

Holiday Train

Last weekend on Saturday we went to Lowes for their Build and Grow Clinic. I'm so glad we opted to do this one.

It was a holiday train. Both of our boys love trains. 

Isaak likes the train, but he didn't want to take a picture. He wanted to hide his face with the train. Then got mad because we told him not to.


The boys needed less help with their set. They are getting better at putting things together on their own.

The kits had a great surprise! All the stickers were scratch and sniff. The chocolate smelled like chocolate, and the peppermint smelled like peppermint, and so on. It was super fun.

Random Tid Bits

  1. This sounds really odd. I had a skin tag, old age, mole spot by my eye. I really don't know what it is/was. I just knew that it's normal to get them when you get older. I was planning on having it checked out when I went to the doctor next. Isaak and Mica called it a zit. It wasn't a zit. Isaak picked at it once. I snapped at him. I woke up one morning and poof it was gone. There's not even a mark showing that it was there. 
  2. Isaak rarely walks anymore. He bounces everywhere. The boy is always jumping here, and there. I'd love to say that it's not annoying. He's happily, harmlessly pouncing around. I should be happy that he's happy. I just have to say that having someone jump around to do anything you've asked is pretty nerve racking. 

  3. I made cookies all last weekend. It went fairly smoothly. I did have one mishap. I dropped an egg shell in the peanut butter cookies. I think I got it all out. The mixer was going and it was crunching up everything before my eyes. There may be some extra Calcium in our cookies this year. *Note to self: Crack the eggs first thing next time like the recipe says!!!!

  4. I'm writing this Thursday. Both Tuesday and Wednesday finals went just fine. Everything got graded. I did make a mishap on the numbering of the second test. Somehow I forgot how to count. Of course it had to be in a crucial part of the test. It was a matching section. I went from 18 to 19 and again 18 to 19. How I did not catch that is beyond me. I redid all my handouts and tests this year. I'm losing a program, and am happy to switch over to a program I like more, but it's a pain. I'm assuming something happened in the copy, paste, and renumbering. I wrote 2 major tests on Monday. My brain was about to explode. Both exams had 100, or more questions. Anyhow it wasn't too big of a deal. I just told the students to mark off the bottom two 18 and 19s. My assistant was freaking out; thinking the students would get so mixed up. The students in general did just fine. I'm human, I make mistakes. It is fixed for next year.

  5. My Paypal account was hacked. That took awhile to sort out. It's ok now.

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Monster Jam @Mid-America Center, Jan. 2-5

I'm looking forward to the new year. My resolution is to do more with my kids. I'd like to go more places, do more crafts, and fix more things in the kitchen with them.
One thing that is coming up is a Monster Jam! 

It's an incredible family-friendly experience starring the biggest performers on four wheels: Monster Jam monster trucks.


These twelve-feet-tall, ten-thousand-pound machines will bring you to your feet, racing and ripping up a custom-designed track full of obstacles to soar over and smash through. Monster Jam provides massive entertainment tailored perfectly for your family's budget, and these colorful, larger-than-life beasts are sure to capture the hearts of both young and old.


Is this something your kids would want to go to?

What is your New Years Resolution going to be?

Disclaimer: The opinions on the post are my personal take on the product. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review. I did get tickets  to help with the review.

Tease, Tease, Poke, Poke

Do you see this little tike?


That's me when I was little. I was much more shy than our boys. I only smiled for my parents, close family and friends. Otherwise I gave them the stare down. One family friend looked at me and said, "Wow you can really tell her mind is working." It was. I was a creative little tike.

I also liked to pick on people to get attention. I liked to tickle others, and be tickled. I was sneaky. Scaring others was fun, and still is.

I'm often times saying odd things. When I went to Isaak's school to help with the gingerbread houses, I asked a little girl what her name was? She said it. I said, "Did you say your name is Bob?" She said her name again. I said, "Oh I'm sorry you said your name is Bill." Isaak and her were both giggling and Isaak said, "My mom does that to me all the time."

Aunt Terra just posted her soon to be baby's ultrasound on Facebook. I said, "Oh he's cute! I can see he has red hair just like Evan." Of course it's in black and white.

I just find humor in odd things.

Isaak's a lot like me...

except a little more social and add more whine to the mixture. I swore I'd never have a kid that whined. The sound of a whiny kid just drives me nuts. I tell Isaak, "I won't talk to you if you don't talk to me in a regular voice." He'll talk to me regularly, but another day goes by, and he's back to whining.

Isaak likes attention and he does everything in his power to get it. I was similar, but unlike him I could play on my own much more than he does. When people do not give Isaak the time of day he acts out. He tries to be extra quirky, and he is a lot more feisty than normal. Again anything to get attention.

Last weekend I was at Grandma's house decorating cookies, Daddy and Mica were sick, and Isaak was at home with the sick boys. Well when I'm sick I still do stuff. When Daddy is sick the world stops for him to sleep. He covers his head with a pillow, and blocks out everyone. I left the house that day, and Isaak cried thinking that I left him home alone. Daddy was there, but not there.

This week because Isaak hasn't gotten attention he's been a pill at home and at school. I'm not trying to justify his behavior, I'm just trying to understand it.

He went from having a series of green dots at school, to having yellow ones.  
All the things that have happened have been blown way out of proportion!
  • What we heard happen: Isaak made fun of a kid at lunch. I'm thinking he really picked on a kid. Bully like behavior. What actually happened? He put another boy's milk under the table at school. Why? To be funny. The kid laughed. The teacher in charge didn't think it was so funny. It wouldn't be funny to me either. Kid humor is different than adults.
  • What we heard happen: Isaak tried to cut a kid with scissors at school. What actually happened? One of his friends dropped their scissors, and Isaak stood on them, so they couldn't get them back. Yes it's bad, but not as bad at what we heard.
  • What we heard happen: Isaak put a pencil in a kids face. We pictured him trying to stab a kid. What actually happened? A kid was being rude and talking when the teacher was talking. Isaak waved his pencil for non verbal communication to say, "Stop talking!" 
We were thinking with all the [What we heard things] that Isaak may need therapy. Maybe he still does. Don't we all?

I'm not saying that the stuff he did was good. He did get in trouble at school and at home!

I do feel better knowing what actually happened to my understanding.

New Zeepo Strapless Sleep Mask Giveaway

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial. I've been so behind with finals and Christmas around the corner. I've been using the New Zeepo Strapless Sleep Mask and Dream Essence Sleep Serum for awhile now, and love it. I just haven't written about it.



The Zeepo Mask is $19.95 on their website. It is really comfortable because it is soft and strapless. It comes with double-sided tape that is FDA- approved, which are medical grade hypo-allergenic and latex free.


I was a little worried about applying tape to my face just because my skin is so sensitive. It worked out just fine. The tape doesn't bother me at all. Included with the Zeepo Mask is 2 sheets of disposable adhesive (36 strips). That's enough for 18 nights of sleep. They help the mask to not slide around, and block out 100% of the light. I've even used the mask without the tape, and it alone blocks out a lot of light.

Sometimes Daddy is up later than I am, or I'm up later than he is. When that happens this mask can be used. To clean it you just hand wash it. It's so small it takes no time at all.

The Dream Essence Sleep Serum was such a great bonus. It's only $2.95! You just dab a small amount behind your ears, or temples. It helps Daddy go to sleep. I on the other hand fall asleep so easily with, or without the serum. I've just always have been an easy sleeper. The serum does feel good to put on, and it smells so good! The aroma and your bodies absorption of the essential oil mix is designed to relax and help you drift off to slumberland.


It's Giveaway Time!
A US reader is going to win a Zeepo Strapless Sleep Mask and Dream Essence Sleep Serum by Dream Essentials. 
 
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclaimer: The opinions on the post are my personal take on the product. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review. I did get products to help with the review.  
 
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I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

WW: Winter Wonderland {Linky}

I posted my cards once when is wasn't done. Since I posted it I changed the snow, added snowflakes, and wrote the text. I used the cake I made from the Oreo Challenge last February on A Nut in a Nutshell, which was really fun. Here it is, finished:


Here's what is on the back. It goes sort of to the song Winter Wonderland. We just left a verse out because there wasn't enough room. In an ideal world I would have come up with a verse for all the verses.

Apel Land

Hey there kids are you listening?
Oh so loud, wish they’re whispering.
A hair raising sight,
Yet we’re joyful tonight.
Walking in a happy Apel Land.

Gone away is the preschool,
Adams Elementary is so cool.
Isaak sings rhyming songs,
As we all hum along.
Jammin’ in a happy Apel Land.

The boys play and fight over Legos,
Left behind are the old Duplos.
Toys are scattered across the floor,
Mom and Dad say, “No More!”
Stumbling in a crazy Apel Land.

Later on, we’ll conspire,
As we play UNO by the fire.
Isaak shows his cards,
Mica is appalled.
Playing in a happy Apel Land.

Each week ends with Movie Night,
And the boys cuddle us tight.
We’ll frolic and play the Eskimo way,
Lounging in a cozy Apel Land.

I also went to help our Kindergartener with making a Gingerbread House. He looked all sad when I got there because he didn't see me walk in the door. He thought I forgot. For the record, I don't forget things like that. He's always been my worrier.

If you have a moment enter my Glee Gum Candy Kit Giveaway.



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Make Your Own Gummies Review and Giveaway

The boys were so excited when we got our Make Your Own Gummies Kit to review by Glee Gum! It's an all natural kit made with seaweed.

The packaging is fun!


They give you pretty easy step by step instructions to follow.


What I love is that they have a whole story about why gummy candies are made out of seaweed.

The story is about a family from the Philippines. They started a seaweed farm. Some people eat seaweed in their salads or in sushi. Seaweed has carrageenan and agar in it to make your own gummies. Other things that have seaweed in them are: Toothpaste, cottage cheese, deodorant, dog food, pudding, and more. Gummy candies are made from gelatin. A lot of other foods like marshmallows and jello have gelatin in them to. Gelatin helps build strong bones.

The Kit Came With These Powders and a Dry Piece of Seaweed:


How to Make Your Own Gummies:
 Step 1: Soak the dried seaweed in a bowl of water.


Step 2: Choose non detailed shaped to make molds. They should be about the size of refrigerator magnets. Wash and dry them. Then pour the molding starch onto a dinner plate and smooth out the surface to make the molds. I have to admit that I was confused by this part. I was surprised that no water was needed to form my molds. We used a top as our object.


Step 3: Mix the powdered seaweed with 1/2 cup water. Stir and do not worry about the lumps. Add the dried seaweed to the mixture.

Step 4: Heat on the stove top, or microwave in an appropriate container. We made ours in the microwave. Heat for 2 minutes, or until it bubbles.

Step 5: Take out the dried seaweed with a fork. Stir in the colored sugar. Heat it for 1 minute, or until it foams up again.


Step 6: Pour the mixture into the molds.

Step 7: Take the gummies out of the mold, wipe off any mold powder, put them in a baggie, add the sour mixture and shake. After that it's eating time.


If you have left overs make new molds, heat the gummy mixture again and pour once more.

My boys liked them. We did find that they get sticky if left out. We put them in the fridge.

US readers, want to win a kit of your choice? Fill out the rafflecopter below for a chance to win by January 2!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclaimer: The opinions on the post are my personal take on the product. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. I am not compensated to provide my opinion except for receiving the products themselves to test out. Glee Gum provided me with a free sample of this product to review. I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review.

Monday, December 16, 2013

Caramel Matcha Green Tea Powder Review

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.


I've drank Matcha Green Tea before. The one from Red Leaf is so good. It's caramel flavor. It smells so good, and I love the flavor.




The packet is pretty small. A little bit goes a long way! You only need 1/2 teaspoon added to whatever you are having it in. They offer special size 10g of naturally flavored green tea powder ($10 value). Enough to make 5 drinks. 4 calories per serving.



I had it three different ways:
  1. As a smoothie- I put in 1/2 teaspoon Caramel Matcha Green Tea in the blender, a few ice cubes, and a cup of almond milk. It has a wonderful aftertaste!

  2. In hot chocolate- I put in just enough water to fill the bottom of a mug, heated it in the microwave, added 1/2 teaspoon Caramel Matcha Green Tea, and stirred it until it dissolved, added a spoon full of dark hot chocolate, filled it with almond milk and heated it to the desired temperature. It was good!

  3. In coffee- I just made a cup of coffee, and added a 1/2 teaspoon of Caramel Matcha Green Tea to it. It gave my coffee and subtle caramel flavor.


Why Drink Matcha?

It's one of the healthiest and tastiest teas out there. What I like is it's so versatile in what you can put it in. It's full of antioxidants, full of fiber, and helps fight off cancer. It also assists people in fighting off weight, and is a blood detoxification. It's an energy booster. Sometimes I need boosting. 


Flavors: 

If you do not like Caramel, Red Leaf has other flavors. 

  1. Chocolate Matcha
  2. Sugar Buster Matcha
  3. Acai Berry Matcha
  4. Strawberry Matcha
  5. Noni Matcha
  6. Aphrodisiac Matcha
  7. Cherry Matcha
  8. Madagascar Vanilla Matcha
  9. Wheatgrass Matcha
  10. Pomegranate Matcha
  11. Stevia Matcha
...and believe it, or not they have more flavors! What flavor sounds good to you?   

Check Red Leaf Tea on Twitter and Facebook.       

 
Disclaimer: The opinions on the post are my personal take on the product. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review. I did get products to help with the review.  
 
The Apel'sThe Apel'sThe Apel'sThe Apel'sThe Apel'sThe Apel'sThe Apel's 
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Disclaimer

The opinions on this blog are my personal take on products and topics relating to motherhood. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me.

I am not compensated to provide opinions on a variety of topics. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are my own. If I claim to show knowledge of certain topic or product I will only endorse products or services that I feel, based on my expertise, are worthy of such endorsement.

If you have any questions about this blog, or want to get in contact with me please email me at: anapeladay@gmail.com