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I have enjoyed reading Scholastic books since I was a child. Now that I have my own school-age children, I am excited to pass down the joy of reading. A Drop of Hope, by Keith Calabrese, is a new Scholastic release that will show kids how small acts of kindness can spark hope in the community around them.
My kids and I are currently enjoying this book as a read aloud. It is not always easy to find time to read together before bedtime anymore, but it was nice to bring this book along during our spring break road trip. The wide array of characters and perspectives keep the reader’s mind engaged. As a mom of both a girl and a boy, I appreciate that the storyline appeals to both genders. Although the book is recommended for ages 8-12, I would personally recommend it for ages 10 and up as the main characters are in sixth grade and dealing with the issues that come with that age. The storyline is intriguing, and I would not be surprised if this book is eventually made into a movie. In a world where it seems that hope in humanity is increasingly difficult to come by, A Drop of Hope shows that hope can appear even in the most unlikely circumstances.
We spent the first night of our spring break road trip in Tuscon, Arizona. After resting in our hotel room for a bit, we headed out to grab some dinner.
It is difficult to compare a dish to a memory of another dish, but I feel like I preferred the Sonoran Hot Dog at El Guero Canelo (even though BK Tacos came out on top on The Food Network’s Food Wars show). However, k and I both enjoyed the chicken caramelo (quesadilla) and D liked his carne asada torta. Also, BK definitely wins in the ambience department.
I knew that we wanted to try the raspados, but we debated whether to split two mediums or two larges between the four of us. The raspados are made of layers of fruity syrup with chunks of fruit, shaved ice and optional vanilla ice cream and condensed milk.
Better than a birthday cake!
We ended up ordering a large strawberry raspado and a large mango raspado. Good thing too, since we were fighting over the last bites–ha! I would also highly recommend going for the ice cream and condensed milk for just a little over a dollar extra. Totally worth it! Now we need to find a local place that serves raspados like these.
Free breakfast at the hotel was okay…We continued our drive to Las Cruces, New Mexico. There we stopped at Bosa Donuts.
I had read good things about their brisket burritos and apple fritters (kind of an odd combination, right?). Alas, they were out of apple fritters by lunchtime, but we did order a couple of brisket burritos.
This may not be the most appetizing picture, but I wanted to show you the inside. It was chock-full of tasty brisket. The kids loved it!
To top it all off, we made a stop at Whataburger. We saw this regional chain everywhere during our trip, so D had to try it.
We ordered a green chile hamburger, since we were in New Mexico, after all. It was a tad too salty for my taste, but D liked the chopped green chile. We also shared a chocolate shake (that’s allowed when you’re on vacation!). Tummies full, we continued our drive to White Sands National Monument.
It has been a while since I have done a vacation post. Well, last week we went on a road trip with stops in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas during spring break. That means I have a lot to share!
We left early in the morning on what was coincidentally n’s 10th birthday! Our first stop was Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve because I had heard you could see some Superbloom action there.
We arrived before 8:00 a.m., and the parking lot was pretty empty. Nothing like the crowds in Lake Elsinore!
There is a small visitor’s center, but we did not go inside. There was a friendly volunteer/docent who directed us on the main path to McCallum Pond. He told us that if we went just past the pond, we would see a lot of flowers (toward Moon Country).
At the beginning of the trail there was a boardwalk. k noted there was a small placard showing that it was an Eagle Scout project–nice!
I have never seen such massive palm trees!
During our hike, we came across this small patch of flowers. I could not believe how they look like a bouquet that was put together by a florist!
McCallum Pond is where the palm trees are, off in the distance.
McCallum Pond
We continued on the path as directed and found the Superbloom!
Happy birthday, n!
Not sure why D is doing the tough guy pose.
I was not planning on hiking as much as we did, but it was good for us since we were about to spend another six or so hours in the car.
On our way back to the 10 freeway, we drove by this amazing field of flowers and I had to ask D to stop so I could take a picture. Superbloom 2019 is for real!
We continued our drive along 10-E. It was much more picturesque than usual thanks to the flowers that were blooming along the highway. We also found ourselves in the midst of the Painted Lady butterfly migration. Several smashed right against our car as we were driving, leaving bright yellow stains on our windshield and wings in our grill–yuck. Soon we would arrive in Tuscon for the first night of our road trip…
Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.
In my continuing quest to find healthier snacks, I want to share my newest find: Mozaics Chips. I first saw them at the Nourished Festival and then again at Expo West. Mozaics Chips are organic popped veggie chips with green & yellow peas as the #1 ingredient. In fact the entire ingredient list is very simple and wholesome. For example, the Original Sea Salt flavor contains: organic peas, organic potato flour, organic rice flour, organic black beans, organic extra virgin olive oil, and sea salt. A 1 oz. serving (23 chips) contains 110 calories, 3 grams of fat, 4 grams of dietary fiber and 0 grams of sugar. They are also produced in a peanut & tree nut-free facility. **Please remember that it is important to review the product packaging and labels for yourself before consuming.** They also come in Sour Cream & Onion, BBQ, Cheddar, and Salsa flavors–yum!
Healthy Snackin’ On The Road!
We took a bag of Mozaics on our seven day spring break road trip last week and they were a big hit with my family. We all liked the light and crispy texture with just the right amount of olive oil and salt. They were a great alternative to snacking on potato chips.
Use code: delicious20 for 20% off Mozaics Chips at deliciousness.com
I am also excited to have the opportunity to give away three bags of Mozaics Chips to THREE of my readers!
Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing the product/product information. Opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did/will receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.
Apollo 11 is a recently released documentary featuring newly discovered 65 mm footage of the days surrounding the United States’ momentous mission to the moon. I was not alive in 1969, so I cannot imagine how exciting this event must have been for our country. Thanks to this movie, later generations can now re-live Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s journey to the moon and the work NASA did to send them.
I have yet to see this movie, but the quality of the footage looks amazing from the preview. Apollo 11 has a limited engagement, so go see it in theaters while you can!
Disclosure: I received compensation in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own.
My daughter is now twelve years old, so that means we are fully immersed in the tween stage and everything that entails. I must admit, the teen years are a stage that I have not particularly been looking forward to experiencing with either of my kids. The changes, problems, stress, and negative influences all seem to carry more weight during these years. However, I know that this is also an exciting time when our children are discovering who they are and figuring out what they want to become. A healthy parent-child relationship is critical during these years.
The Center for Parent and Teen Communication (“CPTC”), which is based out of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, is a valuable resource for parents of teenagers looking for guidance on improving and strengthening their relationship with their teenager. The CPTC website contains a multitude of articles that address a wide range of parenting topics. The website also has a series called “Parenting in 100 Words” that offers “snack-size” pieces of advice for parents of teenagers. Here are some of the advice snacks that I put on my personal “parenting playlist”:
You have probably heard about “Tiger Moms” and “Helicopter Parents”. However, according to the CPTC, the best parenting style is being a “Lighthouse Parent”.
Lighthouse parents do their job by balancing care with protection. They’re like lighthouses: guiding their children so they don’t hit the rocks and sink, steadfast, keeping watch. They provide warmth and rules.
I really like the analogy of being a lighthouse for my kids. While we cannot prevent the storms of life from hitting our kids, I want to be able to guide my children through them. I want them to know that my husband and I are a “safe place” and that we are always looking out for their well-being.
“Keeping Your Cool” is pretty self-explanatory, but it is a good reminder nonetheless. Just this past week, my daughter injured her little toe. I ended up taking her to urgent care for x-rays to see if it was broken. It had been a busy day for me, and spending the evening at urgent care was the last thing I wanted to do. During the drive there, I found myself being upset and blaming her even though I knew it was not her fault. I eventually was able to calm down and “keep my cool”. As a result, we ended up having two hours of quality mother-daughter time that would have been otherwise wasted.
As parents, we need to remember that we should “cherish every stage” of our children’s life. I remember looking forward to and celebrating every milestone during the baby and toddler stages. As parents, we need to continue to do this and not let the teenage milestones go by unnoticed. I would like to start a scrapbook where my daughter and I can both record some of these milestones.
According to this piece of advice, parents should be more concerned about what our kids are learning vs. focusing solely on academic grades. The CPTC suggests asking teens what they learned at school instead of only caring about test scores and grades. When I tried this, I found that my daughter was more open in talking about her school day.
This piece of advice caught my attention because of the catchy acronym. It is vital for kids to have quality playtime, downtime, and family time in order to be successful in school (and reduce stress levels). I have recently tried making more of a concerted effort to create family time by enjoying a nice meal together or playing a quick board game. Even though our schedules are busy, “PDF” gives us a chance to reconnect.
Be sure to check out the CPTC website for more valuable parenting advice and create your own #ParentingPlaylist that you can implement with your teen!
Disclosure: I received samples in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own.
Have you heard of the new animated movie based on the classic book, The Pilgrim’s Progress? I must confess, I have not read The Pilgrim’s Progress even though it is one of the most popular books of all time. In fact, it is second only to the Bible in the number of copies and translations! I had a chance to preview The Pilgrim’s Progress movie. It is an inspiring story with spiritual implications that the whole family can enjoy together.
Watch The Trailer:
Genre: drama/ animated Rating: NR Run time: 1:45 Studio: Revelation Media Talent: John Rhys-Davies (THE LORD OF THE RINGS), Kristyn Getty, Ben Price
THEATRICAL RELEASE
Buy your tickets now! 2 days only–April 18 & 20, Easter weekend! Thursday, April 18, 7:00p Saturday, April 20, 12:55p Get tickets
I am also hosting a giveaway for The Pilgrim’s Progress digital interactive storybook!
Disclosure: I received these games in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Spring break is fast approaching and families everywhere are looking forward to having a little “down time”. I found a couple of games from Pressman that will provide plenty of family fun.
I remember playing the original Mastermind game when I was a child. It is a good way to teach kids logic and deduction. This version has instructions for three levels of play and is designed for kids ages 6 and up.
The animal playing pieces are so cute!
Mastermind is a classic game for a reason. After initially testing this game out, the kids kept asking to play for days later.
Hydro Strike is easy to set up and to learn how to play. It operates like a two-sided pinball machine, but if your opponent scores, water sprays in your face!
This game is designed for two players and is recommended for ages 7 and up.
My kids had a lot of fun with this game as well. The amount of water that comes out is actually pretty small, so it is not as messy as I thought it would be. Just be sure to play in an area that is easy to wipe down.
Enter below for a chance to win both Mastermind For Kids and Hydro Strike!
My family and I were able to watch our first Disney On Ice show last year. The show wowed us with its level of skating, artistry and creativity. Disney On Ice is returning to Southern California with a new show called Worlds of Enchantment. This show will feature the gang from Toy Story, Cars, Frozen, and Little Mermaid!
Worlds of Enchantment will be touring in Southern California next month:
April 18-April 21 @ Long Beach Arena
April 25-April 28 @ Citizens Business Bank Arena (Ontario)
Tickets can be purchased here. Use discount code MOM20 for 20% off tickets, expires 4/29/19. (Click here for more information.)
Enter below for a chance to win a family four pack to opening night at either Long Beach Arena (April 18, 7:30 p.m.) or Ontario Citizens Citizens Bank Arena (April 25, 7:00 p.m.)!
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Character Carved in Stone is a book that provides real life historical examples of character in action. The author, Pat Williams, is senior vice president of NBA’s Orlando Magic. He is also a motivational speaker who has written more than 100 books! Williams shares stories of West Point graduates from the Civil War to present day to inspire readers in the way they live their own lives.
West Point stands for twelve leadership virtues:
Compassion
Courage
Dedication
Determination
Dignity
Discipline
Integrity
Loyalty
Perseverance
Responsibility
Service
Trust
Each of these virtues is “carved in stone” on benches that reside at West Point. Character Carved in Stone devotes a chapter to each of these virtues. I have to admit, I skimmed some of the military history parts, but I am sure they would be interesting to others. However, the stories of people like Buzz Aldrin were quite fascinating to me. Even though most of us will never have the opportunity to test our character by walking on the moon, we can still live out the virtues outlined in this book.
