I started this blog with one daughter, kept it up with the other, to spend time together doing something we enjoyed.
However, things change and people evolve. My daughters are older, busier, and not as interested in writing.
From now on this blog will be mostly mom with occasional contributions from my daughters and maybe even my husband.
Nothing else will change. We'll still focus on sharing fun places to go, fun things to do, and more, and we would  still love to hear your views too

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Where-To-Go Wednesday

Due to Hurricane Sandy Where-To-Go Wednesday is closed this week.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Tips for Tuesday - Movies: Hotel Transylvania

Me - Today I am recommending Hotel Transylvania. It is hilarious and touching. It is so good I can hardly describe how good it is. My favorite character in the movie is Mavis.  I love the beginning of the movie when Mavis is a baby and her Dad is singing to her. It is just like any other father and daughter except that her Dad is Dracula. You should definitely go see this movie.

Mom - Today I am also recommending Hotel Transylvania. Despite the fact that there have been many many monster movies over the years, Hotel Transylvania puts a new spin on things. At its heart it is a movie about a father trying to keep his daughter safe in the best way he knows how. Eventually, he learns that sometimes father doesn't necessarily know best. Along the way to this discovery, it is a really funny ride.  I  particularly love the way this movie shows the monsters as just regular folk with families like us. I also love the way the monsters are afraid of people instead of the other way around.  All in all, this is definitely a fun and entertaining movie.

And that's our view.

Monday, October 29, 2012

Halloween Costumes

Me - Halloween, costumes, wow! When I was 1, my costume was Blue's Clues. When I was 2, I was a duck because I loved ducks. Another year I was Stephanie from the show Lazy Town. I am not sure why. The show was okay, but I never really loved it. I guess I liked the pink costume. However, the dress was itchy, and the wig bothered me. I ended up taking it off in the middle of Halloween. That year, Aurella was punk Dora. Really, it was just Dora the Explorer, but  because of the way the wig looked on her, we all called her punk Dora. Once I was the Wicked Witch of the West from the Wizard of Oz. Another time, I was Glinda from the Wizard of Oz. Two years ago, I was supposed to be Supergirl. I got embarassed, crawled under a table, and took it off. I wore my regular clothes for the school Halloween parade. For trick-or-treating, I was something else. This year if they don't cancel Halloween because of Hurricane Sandy, I am being Dorothy.

Mom - Most of my childhood Halloween costumes were not that exciting.  My favorite costume I ever had that I can remember is when I was five years old, and I was a bride. My daughters have had some really cute Halloween costumes over the years. One year they were both Snow White when Aurella was 2. Melia's costumes have included  Hannah Montana, the Wicked Witch from the Wizard of Oz, and Glinda from the Wizard of Oz. This year she is going to be Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. Aurella's costumes have included Dora the Explorer, Madeline, and Fancy Nancy. This year she is also going to be Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. This is actually the first year that both my girls decided what they are going to be pretty much right away and are sticking to it. Normally, they decide what they are going to be and for some reason or other by the time they actually end up getting their costume they end up being something else. Either the costume they want is too expensive (I mean how much can you pay for something they are only going to wear once), the costume they want is unavailable (or at least unavailable in their size), or they just decide they want to be something else. That's why no matter what my girls say they want to be it's always a surprise what they actually end up being on Halloween.

And that's our view. What was you favorite Halloween costume?

Tune in tomorrow for Tips for Tuesday.

Friday, October 26, 2012

Funny Friday - Little Kids Big Words

Me - When my sister was little she would go around saying "It's so obvious."

Mom - When Melia was little she also liked big words. She also would go around saying "It's so obvious." Also, for a while she became rather fond of the word "nuisance." She made up a song about her best doll, Boo and called it "Boo is a Nuisance." Another time, she said "I have a secret Boo is a nuisance."

We welcome you to share your funny stories with us. Tune in Monday for another Talking Topic.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Halloween

Me -Halloween, wow! Orginally, I wanted to be Katy Perry this year for Halloween although I am not sure I would feel comfortable in some of the weird outfits she wears.I kind of wanted to wear one of those just to prove that I could  and that I could step out of my comfort zone and be daring. I usually, don't end up being what I first think I want to be anyway. This year, however, I really thought I wanted to be Katy Perry. Last year, I was Glinda the Good Witch. My favorite costume I ever had was Blue Clues when I was one because it fit perfectly, it was comfortable,  and I looked really really cute in it. I have liked most of my Halloween costumes though. However, in third grade, I didn't even wear my costume in the school Halloween parade because I was embarrased by it. I was supposed to be Supergirl. I love Halloween candy. I especially like chocolate candy. The only peanut butter that I like is in Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.The only candy that I like that is not chocolate is Starburst.  My Mom makes my sister and I sell our candy. We are only allowed to keep three different kinds. The candy that we sell is donated to the troops though so at least it is going to go a good cause. My Mom and Dad give us an amount equal to the amount we earn. Then, I get to buy something with the money. I usually buy a book. I can't wait for Halloween!

Mom - When I was a kid, they had the stupidest Halloween costumes. They were plastic and the only way you could tell what a person was supposed to be was because the character's name was written across the chest. The costume also had   a plastic mask that attached to the face by a rubber band which went around the head. The masks were always hot and uncomfortable, and we usually ended up taking them off. Also, it was usually cold so we zipped up our coats, and you couldn't see the name of the character we were supposed to be. Then, it looked like we didn't have a costume on at all. One year, my Grandmother made me a costume instead. It was a pioneer girl costume. The bottom of the skirt was so straight I could barely walk in it so I kept tripping and falling. My favorite costume I ever had was when I was 5 and I was a bride for Halloween. Unlike most girls, I never really thought about or wanted to be a bride again until I actually was one. Like my daughter, I also love chocolate candy and starburst. We cannot keep those in the house or I will keep eating them. When my stepson was little and lived with us, he didn't really like the chocolate that much. He liked the other candy better. That was both good and bad. It was good because my husband and I enjoyed eating all his chocolate candy. It was not good for my waistline, however. Halloween was fun as a kid. However, in some ways it is better now seeing my kids in their costumes and taking them out trick treating. I will be sad when they both get to old for that.

And that's our view. What is your favorite thing about Halloween?

Tune in Monday for another Talking Topic.



Where-To-Go Wednesday - Popcorn Park Zoo

What : Popcorn Park Zoo

Where: 1 Humane Way
             Forked River, NJ

Our view: The Popcorn Park Zoo is a nice little zoo.  The zoo is home to wild life, exotic and farm animals. It is part of the Associated Humane Societies, and it is actually an animal sanctuary where they take in animals that are abused and/or abandoned or just generally don't have any place else to go. It is also a pet shelter where cats and/or dogs can be adopted. The zoo is pretty small, and only takes about an hour or so to go through the whole thing. The cost is minimal $5.00 for adults and children over 12, $4.00 for  seniors and children 3-12, free for children under 3. The cost for school's and other groups is $2.50 a person, but at least 4 weeks notice is needed for reservations for a group. It is nice that this zoo is all about the animals and there are no playgrounds or restaurants or gift shops. There is a small picnic area and limited snacks are available. For a $50.00 or more donation, you can get a stuffed bear. If you go, I would recommend wearing old clothes and sneakers because you will not be walking around on paved sidewalks and roads like at some zoos. The zoo is all made up of dirt paths and the dirt tends to kick up a lot. Over all, it is a really nice zoo, and it is especially nice because it is all about the animals. Unlike at other zoos, the animals are not just captured and put into the zoo for the amusement of people. They are there because they needed to be there. They are there because they don't have any place else to go.

And that's our view. For more information about the Popcorn Park Zoo and/or to make a donation go to http://http://www.ahscares.org/default.asp.

Tune in tomorrow for another Talking Topic.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Tips for Tuesday - Books: The WItchy Worries of Abbe Adams & Mrs. Perfect

Me -Today I am recommending The Witchy Worries of Abbie Adams. It's about a girl and her cat, Benjamin, but there's something weird about Benjamin. Abbie is going to find out what it is. Abbie and her family are witches. Join Abbie, her little brother, Munch, her Aunt Sophie and her Mom and Dad on an adventure you'll never forget.

Mom - Today I am recommending Mrs. Perfect by Jane Porter. It is the story of  Taylor Young, a woman, whose seemingly perfect life starts falling apart when her husband loses his job. She finds herself completely out of her comfort zone and having to deal with things she never had to deal with before. The strength Taylor finds within herself and the way she is able to keep herself and her family together despite whatever is thrown in their way is very encouraging. It makes me feel like if Taylor can handle anything that comes her way in life so can I. Therefore, I am highly recommending this book as fun and inspiring read.

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Where-To-Go Wednesdays.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Sleep

Me - Sleep. wow! I love to sleep. I usually have trouble falling asleep, but once I fall asleep I sleep like a log. I am only able to sleep with my special pillow pet lamb whom I have slept with for the past three years. So when I go to  a sleepover at my Grandmas, or if I go camping, or when I am sleeping in the living room by the fireplace, I take my pillow. It seems like my family takes turns with who is sleeping well and who isn't. At least it is that way with us kids. My Dad always sleeps well, and my Mom hardly ever sleeps. My Dad takes naps a lot. When he tells us to wake him up, he asks for more time. One time, he said to wake him up at 5ish. I said that means he wants to wake up at 7, and he actually did wake up at 7. My brother gave up naps when he was 5. I gave up naps when I was 4. My sister, Aurella gave up naps when she was 2. When my sister was little, she refused to go to sleep. She would follow my Mom around at night until she finally got tired and took herself to bed in my Mom and Dad's bed. At that time, I slept really well  as soon as my head hit the pillow I fell asleep. When Aurella started going to sleep when she was supposed to and falling asleep easier, I started not being able to sleep well and not being able to fall asleep easily. I wish I could go back to when I could fall asleep easier.


Mom - I have never been a good sleeper. However, even when I was a kid my parents never had to worry about me wandering the halls at night or anything. The worst I would do was try to read a little at night when I was supposed to be sleeping. Mostly, I would just lie in bed at night and think about things or make up stories in my head. Now, that I am older it's not always so much that I can't sleep, but that I always have so much to do, and I can function on about six of hours of sleep a night. My husband is generally a good sleeper except for a period of time when he was having trouble swallowing, and he could hardly sleep at all. Our kids are sometimes good sleepers and sometimes not. My stepson slept well when he was little. When he was older, he would wander around the halls at night and he would start playing on the computer or something when he was supposed to be sleeping. When Melia was first born, she would only sleep when someone was holding her. When she was a few months old, she went through a brief period of time when she slept very well. Then, for a long time she was not a good sleeper again. She kept conning my husband into bringing her into our room by promising she would sleep there. She didn't,  and we always ended up having to bring her back to her own room. When her sister was a baby, Melia started sleeping well  which was surprising because they shared a room and her sister was not a good sleeper. The last few years, Melia has not been sleeping well again. Maybe, it is that typical teen thing kicking in because she does not sleep well at night, but she sleeps fine during the day when we have no place to go. She can easily sleep until 12  or 1 in the afternoon if you let her. Aurella slept really well when she was a tiny baby sleeping in a bassinet in our room. As soon as she moved out of the bassinet, she became a terrible sleeper. Around the time that she started, school she started sleeping well again. At least, she would go to sleep quickly and easily as long as we got her to bed before she got overtired. However, if she woke up in the night she would get scared and crawl in with my husband and I. Now, she still comes in sometimes but not as much. She always comes in the morning when we are sleeping to play or watch TV because she does not like to be alone when she is awake, Anyway, my experience with my children and their sleeping habits has taught me one thing, children and sleeping is just like horses and water. You can lead a child to bed, but you can't make them sleep.

And that's our view. What kind of sleeper are you?

Tune in tomorrow for Tips for Tuesday.

Friday, October 19, 2012

Funny Friday - All About David Cone

Me - My Mom's favorite baseball player of all time is David Cone. Before he retired as a player, he was hurt and was on the disabled list. My brother was little at the time. He told my Mom he wanted to send David Cone money. My mother told him that was nice of him but even though David was hurt he was still getting paid. My brother didn't care. He still insisted "I think we should send David Cone money."

Mom - Mommy : David Cone is retired. He doesn't play baseball anymore.
            Melia (Age 2) - David Cone is tired of playing baseball?

We welcome you to share your funny stories with us.  Tune in Monday for another Talking Topics.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Roald Dahl

Me - Roald Dahl, wow! Roald Dahl is my favorite author. I read a lot of books, but I'm sure there's others I haven't heard of. One of my all-time favorite Roald Dahl books is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I have also seen the original movie Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. It was good. I like the oompa loompas. Also, I like the song Pure Imagination. I have also read the book Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator. I liked it even better than Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I like the vicious knids. They're funny. If I had been alive when Charlie and the Chocolate Factory came out, I would have made a good Veruca Salt. I am really good at doing the voice. I have seen the movie Mathilda, but I didn't like it because I was scared. I would like to read the book because books are usually better well at least according to me. I also read The Fantastic Mr. Fox, The BFG, The Magic Finger, James and the Giant Peach, Esio Trot, and George's Marvelous Medicine. I probably read more that I don't remember, and there is more that I want to read. I would especially like to read Mathilda and The Witches. As I said, Roald Dahl is my favorite author, and I hope to read all of his books someday.

Mom - I love the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but I never read Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator. I also love the movie Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I remember going to see it with my Dad when I was little, and I have enjoyed it with my kids at home now that I am grown. I love the music. I love the Oompa Loompa song and the song Pure Imagination. I loved when they sang Pure Imagination on Glee during season 2. I have also seen the newer movie that is actually called Charlie and Chocolate Factory and stars Johnny Depp. I enjoyed that one too, but I like the original better. My daughter reads a lot of Roald Dahl books. I only read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I did see the movies Mathilda and The Fantastic Mr. Fox though. I really liked Mathilda, but the Fantastic Mr. Fox was just okay. There is now a stage musical version of Mathilda. I can't imagine how they do that but I would love to see it. Allegedly, there is a stage version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory too. I have never seen it, but a local theater group did it once. I would have liked to see it though because I really love Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

And that's our view. What is your favorite Roald Dahl book or movie based on one of his books?

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Where-To-Go Wednesday - Madame Tussauds Wax Museum

What: Madame Tussauds Wax Museum

Where: Various Locations Around the World and in the U.S. including:
             London, Amsterdam, Vienna, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Sydney
             New York, Hollywood, Washington DC,  Las Vegas

Age: Everyone (All ages are admitted but I would not recommend it for small children especially those that are easily frightened.)

Our view: If you like to see life-size replicas of famous people this is the place for you. Madame Tussauds is the gold standard of wax museums. Of course, the most famous one is the one in London. However, speaking from personal experience the one in New York, which is located at 243 West 42st between 7 and 8th Avenues, New York, New York is nice too. It is in a really great location too in the heart of the theater district right in Times Square not far from the Port Authority Bus Terminal and easily accessible by subway as well. Older children will get a kick out of seeing famous people close up even if only in wax. It will also be fun for them to try to determine which figures actually look like the person they are supposed to be and which do not. Younger children may be frightened by the realistic looking figures. I would not take my seven year old who scares easily there. The museum in New York is open from 10:00 to 8:00 Monday through Thursday and 10:00 to 10:00 on Friday and Saturday. Occasionally the hours change for special events so check before you go. Tickets cost $36.00 for ages 13 and up, $29.00 for 4 - 12, under 4 is free. If you buy your tickets on-line and/or come with 15 or more people, you get a discount.

And that's our view. For more information go to http:http://www.madametussauds.com/

Tune in tomorrow for another Talking Topic.


Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Tips for Tuesday - Web-Sites: Nickeldeon.com & AMC Theater Insiders

Me - Today I am recommending, nickelodeon.com. Nickelodeon.com has lots of games and TV shows. Take Victorious, for example, you can play games from Victorious, you can watch full epsiodes of Victorious, you can watch clips of different thing, such as, interviews with the cast, you can watch clips of episodes, and you can do meet the cast where you press the characters and it describes them. There more things you can do if you go to Nickelodeon.com.

Mom - Today I am recommending, AMC Theater insiders at https://www.amcinsiders.com/PORTAL/members/default.aspx. As of yet, they do not provide any points or rewards, but if you want to give your opinion about movies and the movie going experience this is the place to do it.

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Where-To-Go Wednesday.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Fall

Me - I like the fall. I like when the leaves change colors. They are pretty and colorful. I like Halloween. I like to dress up in a costume. I am going to be Dorothy this year. My favorite costume I ever had was a butterfly. I wore that when I was a baby. I was almost two months old.  I like to get candy. My favorite candy is almost any kind of chocolate. My Mom doesn't let us keep that much candy though. We trade it  in and get money and then I can get a toy or a book or a DVD or a CD or something. We don't really make that much money selling the candy, but my Mom and Dad double it so I can get something with my money. I don't like that summer ends though, and I don't like going back to school. *

*The above is a guest post by little sister, Aurella as dictated to Mom.

Mom -  I like when it gets cooler in the fall, but not too cool. I don't like when we have Indian summer and it stays really hot. I also don't like when it get really cold too fast. I like when the leaves change colors. However, I don't like when the leaves are all over the lawn and the streets and keep getting tracked into the house. I like Halloween because I love seeing all the kids in their costumes especially my own kids. I don't like taking them trick or treating that much though because it is usually too hot or too cold. I also don't like having all that candy in the house especially the chocolate because I am a chocoholic. The last few years my kids have only been able to keep a little bit of their candy. The rest they trade in. The candy gets sent to U.S. soldiers, and my kids get a few dollars and get to go out and buy something. It's a win/win for everyone.

And that's our view. What do you like about the fall?

Tune in tomorrow for Tips for Tuesday.

Friday, October 12, 2012

Funny Fridays - Also Know As ...

Me - When Aurella was little she thought the show Hannah Montana was called Hannah Tana. She also called Kristi Yamaguchi "Kristi Guchi"

Mom - When Melia  was little she called Baby Bop from Barney "Bop Bop." She also called Clifford "Coochie" and Emily Elizabeth "Emily Ebisaleth".  When Aurella was little she called Baby Bop from Barney "Bop".

We welcome you to share your funny stories with us. Tune in Monday for another Talking Topic.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Magic

Me - Magic, wow! My new favorite show in the whole world is Sabrina The Teenage Witch. It is the best show ever. I like it even better than I like Full House. I bet you never thought you'd see me type that. Sabrina has magic because she is a witch. So do Aunt Hilda and Aunt Zelda. Salem, the cat, used to have magic until he was turned into a cat because he tried to take over the world. I know like 4 different songs called Magic including one from the show and the movie Xanadu. I used to watch the Wizards of Waverly Place until it ended. Now, I sometimes watch the reruns. It ended a week or two before my birthday. I also like reading books about magic. I read some Sabrina The Teenage Witch Books and some Wizards of Waverly Place books. I read The Grimm Legacy. That is my favorite book other than the Sabrina's. I read Half Magic. I read Witch Baby and Me and Witch Baby and Me After Dark. In those books, the baby is always turning herself into things. Her dog is called waywoof because she can't say werewolf. The dog is invisible. Only the baby, her sister, and her sister's friend can see the things that witch baby does. I also saw the show Wicked. It was okay. I would have liked it better if I saw it when Idina Menzel was still in it because I am a big fan of hers. I love magic!

Mom - Over all, I am not into science fiction, but I sometimes do enjoy movie, books, TV shows or even Broadway shows involving magic. I loved the Harry Potter books and movies. My husband originally got the first few books to see if they were good for my stepson to read. My husband got hooked and he got me hooked. My stepson didn't actually care about the books himself until years later. The Harry Potter movies are actually very meaningful to our lives because we went to the first one shortly before our oldest daughter was born, and by the time we saw the last one one she was almost ten, and we had another daughter who was almost 6. Also, we went to see every one of the movies with my college roommate.I also enjoyed the movies Ella Enchanted, Hocus Pocus and Practical Magic among others as well as the book and the movie Bedknobs and Broomsticks. My husband and I also enjoyed the Half Magic books by Edward Eager when we were young. As for TV, lately my daughter has been very into reruns of the show Sabrina The Teenage Witch. She also loves the Disney show The Wizards of Waverly Place which ended its run on the Disney Channel last year, but also still appears in reruns. When I was younger, I liked watching the TV shows; Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, and Nanny and the Professor. One of the earliest Broadway shows I ever saw was The Magic Show which although it starred magician Doug Henning was more than just magic. It actually  had a storyline and songs although most of the songs were not very memorable. I also enjoyed Wicked and Merlin. The latter also starred Doug Henning as well as a young Christian Slater. It didn't last very long on Broadway, but I enjoyed it. Of course, one of the best loved stories involving magic is Mary Poppins. Mary Poppins has been a book series, a movie and a Broadway show, and my family and I have enjoyed all of them.

And that's our view. Do you like magic?

Tune in tomorrow for Funny Friday.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Where-To-Go Wednesday - The Monmouth Museum

What : Monmouth Museum

Where: Brookdale Community College
             765 Newman Springs Road
             Lincroft, New Jersey

Who: Everyone

Our view: The Monmouth Museum has a number of different sections for different ages. For adults, there is the Main Gallery where they have different exhibits at different times, and they also have lectures. We have never really been to an exhibit here. For older children, they have the Becker Children's Wing which also has different exihibits at different times. The ones we have seen have not been particularly impressive although we have not been there in a while. It is not very big either and the exhibits are not very time consuming and can probably be seen and/or explored completely in an hour or so if that much.  However, the highlight of the museum is the Wonder Wing. The Wonder Wing is a permanent hands on exhibit specificially for children 6 and under. It is all about the sea and sea creatures. There are boats and a pirate house to play in. A tree house to climb. A lighthouse slide to play on. Those are just some of the things to do at the Wonder Wing. It is a great place to play and kids love it. We spent many rainy afternoons and sometimes not so rainy afternoons playing here. The museum is open Tuesday to Saturday 10:00 to 5:00 and Sunday 12:00 to 5:00 and also from 5:00 to 9:00 on Fridays. However, the downside is that the Becker Children's Wing and the Wonder Wing are often closed to the public for private school groups and/or birthday parties so call before you go. Prices are reasonable at $7.00 a person and free for children 2 and under and for Brookdale staff and students with valid I.D. Basic museum memberships are available for $75.00 a year for two adults and two children in the same household and include two guest passes.

And that's our view for more information go to http://www.monmouthmuseum.org/home.html. Tune in tomorrow for another Talking Topic.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Tips for Tuesday - Misc.: Teen Nick & International Figure Skating Magazine

Me - Today I am recommending Teen Nick one of my favorite channels. It has a bunch of different Nickolodeon shows plus more. Two of my favorite shows on Teen Nick are The Amanda Show and Zoey 101.

Mom - Today I am recommending International Figure Skating Magazine. If you like Figure Skating, this is the magazine for you. It includes pictures, interviews with past and current skaters, a preview of upcoming competitions and a review of competitions that have already taken place, as well as listings of upcoming competitions and exhibitions to be televised including time, date and channel and those are only some of the features of the magazine.

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Where-To-Go-Wednesday

Monday, October 8, 2012

Pitch Perfect

Me - Pitch Perfect, wow! Pitch Perfect is a baseball movie, right? Wrong! Pitch Perfect is about the Barden Belles. They are an acapella singing  group at a college called Barden. Anna Kendrick stars in it as Becca. It was not my favorite, but it was dramatic and heartfelt. The music was perfect. It was awesome. It was so amazing I can hardly describe it. Normally, when we see a movie even if we really like the music, we don't get the soundtrack. However, with this movie, Mom and I both agreed we need to get the soundtrack. That's how cool the music was. The music wads definitely my favorite part of the movie. There also was a romance between Becca and a boy from their enemy acapella group. I also like how they added aca to a lot of words in the movie, such, as aca awesome. Pitch Perfect was a really good movie, and you should see it before it closes.


Mom - Pitch Perfect is a really enjoyable movie about an acapella singing group called the Barden Belles. There are a lot of things about the movie that they are cliched, such as, the Belles being the perpectual underdogs and the main character Becca's toughness and fear of letting anybody get close to her because of her parents divorce..There are certain things about the movie that do not ring true. I mean, four different acapella groups in one college? Would that really ever happen?  However, there is still a lot that is good about the movie, and it is still an enjoyable movie. I like the way the characters grow throughout the course of the movie particularly the character of Becca and the character of Aubrey, the leader of the Belles. Aubrey seems to be the stereotypical bitchy bossy character, but in the end she turns out not to be. She is able to learn and grow as a character too. I also love the character of Fat Amy played by Rebel Wilson. I have never heard of Wilson before this year, but I have now seen her two movies, and she was hysterically funny in both. I hope to see her in many more movies. Of course, the most important thing about the movie is the music. Since the music is all singing with no instruments to back them up and/or hide any false notes, the singing voices are all important. They don't disappoint. The songs in the movie are great from start to finish. I even liked the songs that they considered old and out of date in the movie because they all sounded so good. Watching Pitch Perfect makes me want to go out and sing myself or at least I can't wait to buy the soundtrack.

And that's our view. What is your favorite musical movie?

Tune in tomorrow for Tips for Tuesday.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Funny Fridays - I Share But Not With Everybody

Me -

My Mom and Dad were always telling my brother when he was little that the Devils were our hockey team. So when they took him to his first game, he asked my mother why there were so many people there. When my mother explained that they didn't own the arena and anybody who paid for a ticket could come to the game, my brother said "But they're our team!"

Mom -

When Melia was little she told me that she shared our cat with her Caillou doll when I asked her if she shared our cat with Mommy and Daddy too, she said "No, just Caillou."

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Zoo America

Me - Zoo America, wow!  I went to Zoo America when I went to Hershey Park. I took lots of pictures. We saw a bunch of different snakes. They had a lot tortoises. They had two alligators. At first, I only saw one half above the water. Then, I realized there was another one under the water. At one point, the one that was under the water starting walking toward where I was standing. Even though it was closed in away from me, it was scary because it had it's mouth open and had sharp teeth and sharp claws. Then, it went back underwater. There were also roadrunners. They looked much different than the one in the Loony Tunes cartoon. There was also an albino alligator. That one was just lying in the water. There was also a wolf. It impressed my Dad a lot. I got a really nice picture of it. There was also a brown bear and a black bear. Zoo America was really fun, and I hope to go there again sometime.


Mom - Zoo America is a Zoo that is attached to Hershey Park. A ticket to Hershey Park will get you admitted to Zoo America, but a ticket to Zoo America will not get you admitted to Hershey Park. It is a very small zoo which only has animals that are native to North America. There we saw a bunch of reptiles and birds. We saw a beautiful gray wolf. We saw two cute bobcats sleeping together. We saw a big black bear. We saw a Lynx. We saw a bunch of deer. That wasn't particularly exciting as we see deer around our town all the time, and there is a zoo we go to in the town my parents live in that has a whole bunch of deer. We saw one very angry moutain lion. I wish I had videotape of that because just talking about it or writing about it can't even get across how loud and angry this animal was. I can understand why a person wouldn't want to encounter one when hiking in the mountains. It made me not even want to go near the mountains (or anywhere else for that matter) where there is a possibility of running into a moutain lion. There were other animals too, but some of them were hiding. It was a hot day though so I don't blame them.

And that is our view. What is your favorite zoo?

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Where-to-Go Wednesday - Zoo America

What - Zoo America

Where: 201 Park Avenue
             Hershey, PA

Who: Everyone

Our view: Zoo America is a Zoo that is literally right next to Hershey Park. It is an especially good zoo for young children with short attention spans because it is not that big. One can easily see the whole zoo in an hour or so. If you are looking for a animals, such as lions and tigers and elephants this is not the zoo for you. However, if you are interested in animals which are native to North America this is the place to go. The cost is reasonable too at $10.50  for ages 9-54, $8.50 for children  3-8 and seniors, and free for children 2 and under. With an admission to Hershey Park admission to the zoo is free on the same day. Annual memberships are $95.00 for families of up to 4 people or $15.00 extra per additional person and $40.00 for individuals. Membership also includes reciprocal admission to over 100 other zoos in the U.S. and Canada as well as $8.00 off a one day admission to Hershey Park during the year of your membership. The zoo also hold special events and older children might enjoy the behind-the-scenes tours. Behind-the-scenes tours are available before the zoo opens and after the zoo closes for $40.00 per person for ages 3 and over and may include such unique opportunities as being able to feed animals, touch animals and/or hold animals. Admission to a behind-the-scenes tours also includes regular admission to the zoo for that day. Zoo America is a great mid size zoo, as it is a bigger than a small local zoo, but a smaller than a large zoo, such as, the Bronx Zoo or San Diego Zoo.

Tune in to tomorrow's Talking Topic for more information about Zoo America or go to http://www.zooamerica.com/http://www.zooamerica.com/

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Tips for Tuesday - TV Shows: Victorious & The Big Bang Theory

Me - Today I am recommending Victorious. It is a show about going to Hollywood Arts High School, a  performing arts high school. There is Tori, the main character a singer and actress played by Victoria Justice. There's Tori's sister, Trina who is the weird untalented girl who people don't know why she got into Hollywood Arts. There is Robbie, the weird kid with the puppet who acts. The puppet, Rex, who makes fun of Robbie constantly about everything.

Mom - Today I am recommending The Big Bang Theory. I started watching it because of friend of ours, Melissa Rauch, got a one-time role as Bernadette, that later ended up turning into a regular role on the show. I continued watching it not only because Melissa was on it, but because it is really funny. Also, I like that the intelligence of the show. I like that for once its gives us the opportunity to laugh at people not because of how dumb they are but how smart they are. 

Monday, October 1, 2012

Newspapers

Me -Newspapers, wow! My Mom gets the newspaper every day. I like to read the comics especially on Sunday when they are in color. My sister likes them too, but she can only read a little so we have to read them to her. I also like some of the puzzles. I like boggle where you make as many words as you can out of letters that are connected to each other. I also like the word search. I like sudoku. My Grandma likes suoduku too, but that is the only puzzle my Mom doesn't do. My Mom sometimes gives me some of the other puzzles too. She always has a big stack of puzzles because she does not have time to do them every day, but she cannot get herself to throw them out. My Grandma is the one who taught me sudoku. She is really good at math. She also likes to do boggle. My Grandfather likes to do crossword puzzles, jumbles, word searches, and cryptoquotes. He and my Aunt even do the crossword puzzle from the Sunday New York Times which is really hard. It would be really hard to do the puzzles on the computer because you can't write on it so I am glad we still get the paper. Also, without the newspaper, I wouldn't know which comics to look up on-line, and I really love the comics.

Mom - I know most people get their news on-line these days. I get news that way too, but I still like to get my newspaper ever day. My favorite parts of the paper are the entertainment, the sports and the comics. Some other things interest me too, but I never know what those will be until I see them. I like those interesting quirky things. Some of the types of articles I like I would not  know to look for if I did not see them. When I am on-line I see some of these types of articles on my screen, but not all of them. I do not really have time to search for news on-line so I just go through things that come up on my home screen that interest me. It is easier for me to just read the newspaper and have it all there in front of me to skim through rather than having to search. Also, newspapers are getting smart and requiring you to have a subscription to have full access to their web-sites. I also like to do the puzzles in the paper. I do not know if there is way to do that on-line, but even if there is I prefer the old-fashioned way writing out the answers by hand on the paper. We also get the newspaper because my husband likes to look at the ads. While you can look up ads for various stores on-line, it is much more time consuming to go from web-site to web-site of the various stores than to just look at a stack of ads for all different stores one after the other. I like the coupons in the newspaper too. I can and do get coupons on-line as well, but I like that I do not have to search for the ones that come in my paper, they are just there for me. My girls love reading the color comics in the Sunday paper. I am not sure if there is a place on-line where you can get all the Sunday comics all in one place, but even if there is even my girls know, it is not the same as holding that color section in your hands and being able to spread it out on the floor in front of you to read it. I don't always have a chance to read the paper every day, but unless I have actually been away,  I am neurotic about it and can't throw it out. Every day, I go through the paper and put aside what I want to read, and put the rest out  in the recycling bin. At least once every other week before the recycling gets put out at the curb to be collected , if not more often,  I read through those parts of the newspaper that I set aside. So even though I  don't have  a chance to read my paper every day, I like to have it there to read through when I have a chance without having to search for anything. Therefore, even though less and less people are subscribing to newspapers all the time, I will continue to subscribe.

And that's our view. Do you subscribe to any newspapers? Why or why not?

Tune in tomorrow for Tips for Tuesday.