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

Monday, March 31, 2014

Rain

Me - Rain, wow! I hate rain. I am afraid of lightening because it can kill me. Thunder scares my sister. Even when it is not a thunderstorm the rain ruins my hair. I don't like big storms, but I don't mind light rain. I know rain is necessary so that plants and flowers and trees can grow. Sometimes, it's a pain though. At my parents wedding, they had the ceremony outside.It was supposed to rain but luckily didn't. As soon as the last person came inside for the reception, it started to rain. Now, lots of times when we go places it rains. We have been at lots of baseball stadiums in the pouring rain especially the Newark Bears. Every time, we go there it rains except once and that time it was really hot. The first time we went there, it rained before the game. We were in the general admission section where we didn't have assigned seats. We went to get out of the rain.When we came back, there were no seats so we went home. When my mother complained, we got 8 free tickets to a future game, but they let us split into two games so my Mom, Dad, sister and I could each go to two games. So I guess some times the rain serves a purpose.

Mom -In general, I am not fond of the rain.  I especially hate thunderstorms. Even though I know it is only the lightening that can hurt you and not the thunder, the thunder is always startling. Kids are always afraid of the thunder too. My younger daughter is also afraid of fireworks. To a young child, it can sound a lot like thunder. I know we need rain, but I hate the rain. I like when it rains when I am at home, and I don't have anywhere to go. One summer when I was working, every day when I was at work we had a thunderstorm. I didn't mind that because it never rained while I was on my way to work, and it never rained when I was on my way home. The nice thing about the rain is nice rainboots (boots are a kind of shoe, of, course, and I love shoes!) and cute umbrellas. They really have a lot of cute umbrellas for kids. My daughter had a duck umbrella when she was little. She loved ducks, and she loved that umbrella. Unfortunately, she ended up losing it by leaving it somewhere. I always used to like light little umbrellas that you can carry in a pocketbook or something. However, when my younger daughter was in kindergarten and we walked all the way to school every day a bunch of times in the rain we got soaked because our umbrellas kept getting blown inside out. Finally, we got a couple of heavy duty umbrellas. They are great in the rain even when it's really windy because they don't blow inside out as much. The problem is they are a pain in the neck to carry around especially when you don't have any babies or little kids with strollers you can store them in. So it's clear that no matter which way you look at it, the rain it's plain is mainly a pain.

And that's our view. What is your least favorite kind of weather?

Tune in tomorrow for  Tips for Tuesday.

Saturday, March 29, 2014

Saturday Special - Franklin Square Opens April 9















What: Franklin Square

Where: 6th and Race Streets
             Philadelphia, PA

When :April 9 - December 31

Franklin Square, the only one of Philadelphia's five original squares loaded with entertainment for all ages opens for its eighth season on April 9. 
Franklin Square includes:
   Philly Mini Golf
   Playgrounds
   Parx Liberty Carousel



 Highlights of the season will include:
   Great Egg Hunt                                                                  April 20
   Memorial Day Activities                                                   May 24-26
   Independence Day Celebration                                          July 4
   Franklin Square's 8th Birthday                                          July 31
   Pumpkin Patch and Trick or Treat                                     October
   Kids Santa and Franklin Square Electrical Spectacle       December
   Kids New Years Eve Countdown                                      December 31

For further informaion go to http://historicphiladelphia.org/franklin-square or https://www.dropbox.com/sh/rewn6muzi9dsqx6/Pe-btBcv08. We will also be featuring more about Franklin Square in future posts.

Tune in Monday for another Talking Topic..
      



Friday, March 28, 2014

Funny Friday - Bye Bye

Me -

When I was little I went through a phase were I would just go around saying ""Bye bye gotta go." all the time.

Mom-

At night, before Aurella went to bed, she would watch Diego. When it was over, she would say "Goodbye, Diego; Goodbye,  Alicia; (Goodbye to whoever else was in the show that day). See you tomorrow.


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

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Monthly Mash-up for March, 2014 - Stray Kittens and Choices

 Today we are starting a new monthly feature on Says Me Says Mom. Once a month, instead of choosing a topic and giving our view of it, we will each be discussing a different topic.

Me -  My monthly mash-up topic today is stray kittens, well a specific stray kitten. When I was on my school bus on my way home from school, my bus driver said there was a kitten. I turned my head everywhere until it caught my eye. It was so cute and looked to be no more than eight months. It was really small. It didn't have a collar. I really wanted to take it home with me. When I got home, I came in and told my Dad all about it. He told me we couldn't take it home because if it was sick it might infect our cats. I begged him to take it to the vet. I started crying because I was so upset. So my Dad said that if it was okay with my Mom then in two weeks, we go to the neighborhood it was in and look for it. If it was there, we would take it to the vet. If it was healthy, I could keep it as my very own.I can't wait for the two weeks to pass, I am really excited.

Mom - Today I want to talk about choices. Sometimes, I think there are too many choices in life. I mean even things there used too be only one of like way to watch TV or there used to be one kind of like Oreo cookies, there are a now many of. Now, don't get me wrong I am all for choices. I would not want to always do or wear or eat or whatever  just because that is what someone told me I had to do or wear or eat or whatever. Nor would I want to have no choice of want to do or wear or eat or whatever just because there simply weren't any other choices. However, sometimes I feel absolutely overwhelmed and paralyzed by all the choices there are in life.  I mean from the minute we wake up in the morning to the minute we go to sleep at night, we are always make choices of what to wear, what to say, what to do etc. Of course, some of those choices we don't really think about at all and some we do. Some people hardly think that much about any of their choices. I am not one of those people. I often agonize over decisions over the most seemingly inconsequential things. I am particularly paralyzed by the choice of what to do. I always have a million things to do in any given day, and I am acutely aware that every time I choose to do something I need to do or want to do I am choosing not to a ton of other things. Obviously, some things are clearly more important than other things. However, there are plenty of times when there isn't anything that is especially important that must get done at that particular moment. It is these times that I am overwhelmed by choice. Yet, despite that I still somehow manage to make choices and get things done although, of course, never as much as I'd like to get done.

And that's our view. What's on your mind?

Tune in tomorrow for Funny Friday.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Where-To-Go Wednesday - Baseball 2014

What: Baseball 2014

Where: Various Locations

When: Starting March 30

Who: All ages

Our view: This Friday March 30 marks the official start of the 2014 baseball season. What follows is a list of the major, minor  and independent league teams in our area that we have been to. For more about any or all of these teams see past and/or future  Where-To-Go Wednesday and/or Talking Topics posts.

New York Mets
Stadium: Citifield
Address: 126th St. and Roosevelt Ave, Flushing, New York
For further information and tickets: http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/nym/ballpark/citifield_overview.jsp

New York Yankees
Stadium: Yankee Stadium
Address: 161 St. and River Ave., Bronx, New York
For further information and tickets: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=nyy

Trenton Thunder (Double A Affiliate of the New York Yankees)
Stadium:Arm and Hammer Park, One Thunder Road (AKA Cass Street), Trenton, New Jersey
For further information and tickets:http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t567

Lakewood Blueclaws (Single A Affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies)
Stadium: First Energy Park, 2 Stadium Way, Lakewood, NJ
For further information and tickets: http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t427

Staten Island Yankees (Class A Short Season Affiliate of the New York Yankees)
Stadium: Richmond County Bank Ballpark, 75 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, New York
For further information and tickets: http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t586

Brooklyn Cyclones (Class Short Season Affiliate of the New York Mets)
Stadium: MCU Park, 1904 Surf Avenue, Brooklyn, New York
For further information and tickets: http://www.brooklyncyclones.com/home/

Somerset Patriots (Atlantic League of Professional Baseball)
Stadium: TD Bank Ballpark, 1 Patriots Park, Bridgewater, New Jersey
For further information and tickets: http://somersetpatriots.com/#navPanes

Camden Riversharks (Atlantic League of Professional Baseball)
Stadium: Campbell's Field, 401 N. Delaware Avenue, Camden, New Jersey
For further information and tickets: http://www.riversharks.com/index.cfm

New Jersey Jackals (Can-Am League)
Stadium: Yogi Berra Stadium, One Hall Drive, Little Falls, New Jersey
For further information and tickets: http://www.jackals.com/home.asp

Tune in tomorrow for another Talking Topic.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Tips for Tuesdays - Movies: Frozen

Me - Today I am recommending Frozen. Frozen was awesomely amazing and wonderful. I love the story.  I love the characters. My favorite was Elsa. She was voiced by my favorite actress and singer, Idina Menzel. That is not the only reason she is my favorite character though. I like the message she sends out. I like the songs she sings. I like the love she has for her sister. I love the music. It has amazing music. I think I like all the songs. My favorite is Let It Go. It is also one of my two favorite songs ever.  You should definitely see this movie if you haven't already.

Mom - Today I am also recommending Frozen. Frozen is loosely based on the Hans Christian Anderson story The Snow Queen. It is the story of two sisters Anna and Elsa.They are torn apart by Elsa's icy powers that she can't control. It is the best animated movie that has come around in a long time. It has a good story, well drawn relatable characters, and catchy singable songs. It is really just  an all-around good movie and definitely worth seeing.

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

Monday, March 24, 2014

What would I do if I won the lottery?

Me- Winning the lottery, wow! I would go to California and meet my cousin Katie and go to Disneyland. I would buy out Target, and Toys R Us and Five Below. I would eat out every day for lunch and dinner. I would buy a whole bunch of movies that I wanted to see. I would buy an i-pad and x-box. I would buy a bunch of CDs. I would buy a bunny. I would buy a mansion. I would hire a maid. I would hire a chauffeur. I would buy a limo. I would buy a whole bunch of beauty products. I would buy all different kinds of hair stuff. I would buy a whole bunch of desserts. I would buy a flat screen TV for my room. I would go to a bunch of amusement parks. I would get a new wardrobe. I would get a bodyguard. I would buy a bunch of reading material and fill up my bookshelves with books and magazines. I would stock up on Gatorade, ice tea and lemonade. I would get a private tutor so I don't have to go to school. I would start taking hip hop, ballet and gymnastics. I would buy a guinea pig. I would buy a new blanket and new sheets for my bed and I would buy a new bed.  Even though I will probably never win the lottery and even if I did, I wouldn't be able to get all this stuff, it is still fun to think about.

Mom - If I won the lottery, I would pay off my house and any outstanding bills. I would move into a big house with a big porch and a big driveway and lot of closets. My house wouldn't be too close to other houses but it wouldn't be in the middle of nowhere either. I would have a cleaning lady to clean my house, a gardener to take care of the lawn, and a driver to take us places. When I had to go some place special, I would hire somebody to do my hair and makeup. I would hire a personal trainer to help me get in better shape. I wouldn't get a whole new wardrobe, but I would get some new clothes and shoes. I would travel around the country and visit every state and while I was at it, I would visit every major league baseball stadium. I would introduce my kids to friends and relatives of ours that live far away, and whom they have never met. I would  go to see every Broadway and Off Broadway show. I wouldn't help every person that suddenly came out of the woodwork but I would help the friends and family that I am closest to that weren't as fortunate as I. I would donate some money to causes that help children and animals. Actually, I might or might not do all of these things. I just know one thing for sure. I would be careful with my money and not overspend it so I would never have to worry about money again.

And that's our view. What would you do if you won the lottery?

Tune in tomorrow for Tips for Tuesday.

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Sunday Special - Madame Tussauds New York Special Offer

    

 

Become a star at MADAME TUSSAUDS with over 85,000 square feet of interactive entertainment in the heart of Times Square. There are millions of things to see and do in New York City, but there is only one place where you can get up close with over 200 incredible wax figures of celebrities, historical icons, sports legends and more. From Marilyn Monroe to Barack Obama to Lady Gaga to Carmelo Anthony, there is a star for everyone! Don't miss the thrilling Marvel Super Heroes 4D theater featuring Marvel's legendary Super Heroes. Visit nycwax.com for more information. Order on-line for 20% off!

Tune in tomorrow for another Talking Topic.

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Saturday Special - The Bardy Bunch

What: The Bardy Bunch

Where: Theatre at St. Clements
             423 West 46th Street

When: Now through April 13

If you are a fan of The Brady Bunch, you won't want to miss this show. If you are a fan of the Partridge family, you won't want to miss this show. If you are a fan of Shakespeare, you won't want to miss this show. If you are a fan of musical comedy, you won't want to miss this show. If you are a fan of situation comedy, you won't want to miss this show. If you are a fan of comedy of errors, you won't want to miss this show. You may wonder how they can get all these things into one show. Well, you'll just have to see it to find out! For more information or to find out how to order tickets go to http://www.thebardybunch.com/. We will also be posting more about The Bardy Bunch in future Where-To-Go Wednesday and Talking Topics posts.

Friday, March 21, 2014

Funny Friday - Best Buddies

Me -

Aurella and my dad were best buddies and one day she got jealous because dad was paying too much attention to me so she said "Daddy, have you been faking it all this time?"

Mom -

Aurella would always say that daddy was her buddy so one day Melia said "Daddy's my buddy."

So Aurella said "No. I daddy's buddy. You mommy's buddy."


We welcome you to share your funny stories with us. Tune in tomorrow for a Saturday Special.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Luck

Me- Luck, wow! I am very lucky because I actually won an I-Pod Touch from a claw machine at Six Flags Great Adventure. I am really good at claw machines. I can always get the toy I want and sometimes even two toys. My sister and I once won tickets to a Lakewood Blueclaws game and we got to meet the mascot, Buster and throw out first pitches. We won that by submitting a question for the mascot to the kids clubs newsletter. We have had a lot of luck at baseball games. Once at the Trenton Thunder, I was the fan of the day. I got to on the field. I got to play catch with the mascots. I got to pet the bat retrieving dogs. I got to throw out a first pitch. I got a hat. I got my picture in the paper. At least two other times, I got to play on the field games at the Trenton Thunder. Once at the Somerset Patriots, we won a seat upgrade. At the Newark Bears, a player gave me a bat that he hit a three run homer with. I have had a lot of luck, but not as much as my Mom. She wins things all the time. However, she never won anything as great as an I-Pod Touch. Most of the time I love the way that luck works.

Mom- I never used to be lucky. I never won anything except once I won a t-shirt from a radio station. The grand prize was a trip to the pro bowl in Hawaii. I had no idea what the pro bowl was at the time, but a trip to Hawaii sounded nice because at the time I had never been there. I also once won a bag of New York Mets stuff when I was mad at the Mets because they had traded my favorite player. At the time, I didn't want anything to do with the Mets or their stuff. Since, I have started blogging I have become much luckier. I have won lots of things on blogs: a coat for my daughter, videos, lots and lots of books, Amazon gift codes and $50.00 in Paypal money to name just a few. I have also become lucky in other ways. I have actually won things from sweepstakes, such as, one from Skinny Cow and one from Subway and one from Blue Bunny ice cream. I have never won the grand prize though usually just a coupon for free food or something. I did win an I-Pod shuffle from Blue Bunny though. I have won Yankee tickets and theater tickets. I win things at baseball stadiums too. I won tickets to the Aquarium and I won lottery tickets and once we won a seat upgrade. I have never won anything major like a trip or the lottery or anything though. My Mom won two trips. She won a trip to the Atlanta Olympics and she won a trip to Florida. When she won the trip to Florida, my brother and sister and I were all grown up but none of us was married or had kids yet. My Mom and Dad paid for two extra airfares and one extra hotel room, and we all got to go to as did my cousin who lived with us at the time. The hotel was supposed to be a resort, but it was more like a dive. I would love to win a trip to Disney in Florida or California. My kids really want to go there, but it's just not in the budget. I have been lucky, and I have been unlucky. On the whole. it's better to be lucky.

And that's our view. How is your luck?

Tune in tomorrow for Funny Friday.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Where-To-Go Wednesday - Hershey's Chocolate World Times Square

What: Hershey's Chocolate World Times Square

Where: 48th and Broadway
             New York, New York

Who: All ages

Our view: Although it is not an entertainment attraction like Hershey's Chocolate World in Hershey, Pennsylvania, Hershey's Chocolate World Times Square is still a fun place to go especially if you like chocolate.  It is not quite as big as M&M World located nearby, but here you can find any just about any kind of Hershey's product you could want. The store even features The Original Automatic and Gravitational Chocolate Machine which allows you to create your own mix of candy. You can also make personalized Hershey's kisses. Even the outside of the store is fun to look at with its different kinds of lights, signs and props including giant replicas of many of Hershey's famous products including Mounds, York Peppermint Patty and Hershey's Cocoa. It even includes 4 steam engines. There is also a scrolling marquee where guests can have their names or special messages put up in lights. Hershey's is the only place in Times Square which offers this. Of course, there is a cost associated with seeing your name or message in lights although at least at one time it was minimal approximately $5.00 or so. We are not sure if the cost has gone up. The down side of Hershey's Chocolate World Times Square is that it is kind of small and at times it can get really crowded and claustrophobic even. However, it you like Hershey's Chocolate it is definitely worth stopping by for the free samples they give out even if for no other reason. For more information go to http://www.thehersheycompany.com/about-hershey/visit-hershey/retail-stores/times-square.aspx.

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for another Talking Topic.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Tips for Tuesday - Apps. and Web-Sites: Episodes - Choose Your Own Story an Poll Buzzer

Me- Today I am recommending Episodes- Choose Your Own Story. It is a very fun game. You play a game where they give you a story and you choose your own path. It is fun and suspenseful. I like that you get to make up the game as you go along. You should get this game.

Mom - Today I am recommending Poll Buzzer. Poll Buzzer is literally the easiest survey site in the world. You answer short usually one question surveys, and you get $1.00 in your paypal account for every question answered. It is that simple. Not only that, but  they do not waste your time sending you surveys you do not qualify for. For more information or to sign up go to http://pollbuzzer.com/?r=b2htSGVueUYzY0s4RUcvbmVJMnFPdz090 .

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

Monday, March 17, 2014

Kernel Seasons

Me - Kernel Seasons, wow! Kernel Seasons makes flavoring that's mostly used for popcorn. We got to try a bunch of different Kernel Seasons flavors. Bacon Cheddar was one of my favorites. It tastes a lot like bacon and cheddar which is good because that it what it is supposed to taste like. Butter wasn't as good. It takes a lot of flavoring to get a taste out of it, and even then it is pretty plain. Caramel is good. It is sweet, but it also takes a lot to really taste the flavor. Garlic Parmesan is very good. It has a strong taste. It tastes a lot like Garlic Cheddar. Kettle corn is good and sweet. It is also needs a lot of flavoring to get the taste. Nacho Cheddar is one of my favorites, and one of the first ones I ever tried. It is very very cheesy. Ranch is also strong, and even though you wouldn't expect it to be very good it is. White Cheddar is another one of the first ones I ever had. It is very good and cheesy. If you mix all the flavors together, you get one strong sweet tasting flavor. You should definitely try Kernel Seasons flavorings, they're delicious.

Mom- If you're like me and you love popcorn, it is hard to believe that anything that tastes that good can be made even better, but it truly can. Recently, we have had the opportunity to try Kernel Seasons popcorn flavorings and they were delicious. Whether you like sweet, savory, cheesy, bacony or whatever there is a flavoring for you. The Bacon Cheddar  flavor has a strong bacony tasty. The Caramel flavor has just a hint of sweetness but not too much. The Garlic Parmesan is really strong and garlicky. The Kettle Corn is slightly sweet too. The Nacho Cheese and White Cheddar each have a really strong cheesy flavor. However, each of them has a really different flavor than the other. The Ranch has a strong creamy herb flavor. The only flavor I didn't really like is, surprisingly, the butter flavor. It didn't really have a strong flavor and didn't really taste buttery at all. The flavors are good in combination too. When we mixed all the flavors together the garlic taste stood out the most. However, the flavorings can be combined in any number of combinations. The seasonings are also good on other foods besides popcorn as well. So far, we have tried the Nacho Cheese on potatos. the Ranch on pizza, and the white cheddar on vegetables. All were good. All were suggestions on the Kernel Seasons packages. However, you can really try any of the seasonings on anything. They are really versatile and a good thing to have around the house whenever you want to add a little flavor to any food.

And that's our view. What is your favorite flavor to add to food?

Disclosure: We were given Kernel Seasons free to try. The opinions expressed here are our own based on our experiences using the samples.

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Saturday Special - Upcoming - The Laurie Berkner Band at I-Play America

What: Laurie Berkner Band Concert


Where: iplayamerica.com
             110 Schanck Road
             Freehold, NJ

When: June 1 at 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm

For more information about Laurie Berkner, her band and/or Laurie Berkner concerts see our previous posts Laurie Berkner, Laurie Berkner Concert, and/or our Where-To-Go Wednesday - Laurie Berkner Concert post. For even more information about Laurie Berkner, these upcoming concerts and/or other upcoming concerts  or to find out how to order tickets go to http://laurieberkner.com/.  For more information about iPlay America go to http://www.iplayamerica.com/.

Tune in Monday for another Talking Topic.

Friday, March 14, 2014

Funny Friday - Talking on the Phone

Me -

At 16 months. I would pick up the phone and say hello but only when nobody else was on the other end.

Mom -

Aurella had her toy phone in her hand when she was supposed to be cleaning her room. "Start cleaning." I told her.

"Shh! I'm conversating." she replied.


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

Thursday, March 13, 2014

The Oscars 2014

Me - The Oscars 2014, wow! The Oscars were not that funny. It was much funnier last year. Ellen DeGeneres was not that funny. No offense to her. I think she was trying too hard. I am so glad Frozen won best animated picture. Let It Go is my favorite song. I'm glad it won best song. At first, when John Travolta said Adele Dazeem was going to sing the song I thought that there was something wrong because I knew Idina Menzel was supposed to sing it. I think that John Travolta will be teased for a long time after that and so far he has already been teased a lot. I'm glad Idina really did sing it. She sang it better in the movie though. I felt like she was rushing it too much during the Oscars. I only saw about one other movies that was even nominated for an Oscar. There are a bunch I would like to see, however, like American Hustle,  Philomena, and Her. The fashion just keeps getting worse. Every award show it gets worse. I rarely ever see a beautiful dress and say "Wow, I wish I had that." I think the dresses are fancy but they are just not beautiful. Over all, I think that the Oscars could have been much better even though I did enjoy them.

Mom - The Oscars 2014 was kind of boring. Ellen DeGeneres had her funny moments, but over all, I didn't think she was that funny. Her ordering of pizzas in the middle of the show seemed like a blatant imitation of Kate Dennings and Beth Behrs feeding people burgers and fries during the Golden Globes ,and it made more sense for them since their characters on TV are waitresses. It seemed like most of Ellen's jokes didn't relate that much to the movies that were up for awards. It is funnier when they do.  The fashions were mostly kind of boring. There was nothing outrageously bad, but there was nothing I loved either. My favorite outfit of the night was on the companion of John Ridley, winner of best adapted screenplay for 12 Years a Slave. I am not sure if she was his wife, his girlfriend, just a friend, a relative or whatever, but she had  on this really pretty purple dress. Of course, since purple is my favorite color I am probably biased. Most of the other dresses that I remember were not very colorful or at least they weren't very memorable except for Lupita Nyong'o's dress which was  a beautiful blue. Although I was successfully able to predict the winners of most of the awards, I did not actually see most of the movies that were up for awards. I did see Captain Phillips, a good movie, which did not win any awards and  I saw The Great Gatsby, a bad movie, which won two awards. The Great Gatsby was deserving of the awards it won, however, since they were for costumes and production design. I also saw Frozen, which won best animated film and best song for Let It Go. While, it was deserving of those awards I also enjoyed Despicable Me 2 which I also saw and Happy, the song from that as well. I don't think I saw any of the other movies yet, but I now have a long list of movies that I would like to see. Among the movies, I would now like to see are 12 Years a Slave, Philomena, Her, American Hustle, Dallas Buyers Club and Twenty Feet from Stardom. Some of these movies won awards including Twenty Feet from Stardom, winner of best documentary for a movie about backup singers, and some did not, but nevertheless I would like to see them all.

And that's our view. What is your favorite movie which was nominated for or won a 2014 Oscar?

Tune in tomorrow for Funny Friday.

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Where-To-Go Wednesday - Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus

What: Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus

Where: Check your local listings or the circus web-site

Who: All ages

Our view: There are many circuses all over the world. However, all circuses are not equal. Some of them are quite good and entertaining, and some are not so good and/or entertaining. However, the most well know circus of all is The Ringling Brothers and Barnum Bailey Circus. These days, most circuses or at least most of the ones I have seen seem to be somewhat commercialized as are many other forms of entertainment. They are saturated with a ton of overpriced food, drinks, and souvenirs for you to buy everywhere you look, and this is more true of Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey than any other circus. In addition to this the tickets alone will also cost you at least $25.00 plus service charges per person and probably even a whole lot more. So if you are looking for an inexpensive entertainment alternative, this is definitely not it. Even as far as circuses, go you can probably find a less expensive alternative. However, if you can manage it, Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus is definitely worth seeing at least once.  It is bigger, more well known, and arguably better than other circus. Historically, Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus has always been known for its three rings. In any case, there are always so many things going on at once that your eyes won't know where to look. This is actually  both a good and a bad thing as it will keep you and your children entertained, but it can be a bit overwhelming at times. While in some circuses, the alleged feats they performer are not even that impressive, this is definitely not true of Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey. If you go, definitely get there early because the show before the show when you can go down to the floor and mingle with the performers, take pictures and get autographs among other things may even be more fun for your children than the actual show. Also, if you seen this circus before that doesn't mean you should figure you've been there and seen that because the show grows and changes all the time. However, it does not completely change from year to year so if you go quite often there may be some degree of been there and seen that. Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus is not actual one large troop that travels around together  it is actually split into several troops that all travel around at the same time in different places. To find out when one of the troops is going to be visiting a town near you and/or to order tickets go to http://www.ringling.com/.

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for another Talking Topic.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Tips for Tuesday - Misc. : Apples to Apples and Flapdoodle

Me - Today I am recommending Apples to Apples. It is fun. It is a good party game. You have to pick a person to judge. Each person chooses from the cards in their hand the best card to fit the category chosen. The judge picks the best of all of those cards. That person wins the round. Everyone takes turns judging. It is loads of fun.

Mom - Today I am recommending Flapdoodle. Flapdoodle is a game by Imagination games. It is a silly game where you have to do all sorts of crazy things.  You never know what the card you pick is going to tell you to do. You might have to pretend to be a dog or you might have to make your toes talk. You never know what kind of crazy thing you are going to have to do and that's what makes it so fun. Anyone who can read can play this fun game and with a little help maybe even a person who can't read can play

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

Monday, March 10, 2014

Couches

Me- Couches,wow! I like sitting on couches. In my house, we have a couch in the living room and we also have a love seat. It is comfortable. On the love seat, I always seat in the cushion on the right. That is my spot. Both my cats like to sit there too. I don't like when they or anyone else takes my spot. I don't know why I like that spot. I just do. I think that the back of our love seat is much more comfortable than the back of our couch. Our old couch was uncomfortable. There were only two comfortable spots. The corner was comfortable. Also, there was a recliner that pulled out and that was comfortable too. The old couch was really ugly. My grandmother has a really nice leather couch. It is really comfortable. She used to have a different couch. It is got a rip in it so now we have it in our basement. It is completely uncomfortable. In fact, it is the most uncomfortable couch ever.  I hate uncomfortable couches.

Mom- It is so hard to find a really comfortable  couch. Before I was married and before I had kids for the longest time, I had this one couch. My parents got it for me on barter when I got my first apartment. I still had even long after I was married and had kids. It was moderately comfortable. Eventually,we had to get rid of it because it smelled too much from our cat. After that we had this ugly blue couch.We got it because the price was right. Someone gave it to us. It was very uncomfortable.When you sat on it, it felt like you were sinking down to the floor. There was only one comfortable place in the corner of the couch. When I finally got used to sitting in that spot and started to like that spot, we got a new couch. That couch is pretty comfortable but even though we have had for over a year, I haven't been able to find a spot I really love on it. Melia  has a spot she loves in the corner of the matching love seat. Our cat, Gigi used to love to sit in the corner of couch . She was like Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory. She did not like when anyone else sat in her spot. If someone sat there, she would stand there and glare at them until they moved. Our cats that we have now, don't really care where they sit, they just love to lie on the couch or the love seat and curl up and go to sleep.  Our  couch and love seat, both have a  lot of pillows that go on them. The pillows are pretty comfortable but  the kids and cats are always knocking them all on to the floor so they are always having to be put back and straightened up.That is kind of annoying. My Mom has the most comfortable couch in the world, it is really soft leather. Oh well, maybe some day, I'll  have a really super comfortable couch too.

And that's our view. What kind of couch do you like?

Tune in tomorrow for Tips for Tuesday.

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Saturday Special - Coming Soon Discover A.C.T. (Arts and Culture for Teens) Day

What: A.C.T.  (Arts and Culture for Teens) Day

Where: University of the Arts
             Hamilton Building
             320 South Broad Street
             Philadelphia, PA

Who: Teenagers

Discover A.C.T. Day is a FREE resource fair of arts & culture opportunities just for teens. Representatives from after-school programs, classes, summer camps, and more can help teenagers and their families discover opportunities to stir passion and leave a creative mark.  Each organization will have information about their teen programming, plus fun projects to participate in during the event.  Some organizations will even offer exclusive discounts for teens who visit their table on Discover A.C.T. Day. Some participants include:  1812 Productions, The Arden Theatre, ArtWell, Asian Arts Initiative, Girls Rock Philly, The Handwork Studio, Mighty Writers, Philadelphia Photo Arts Center, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Philadelphia Young Playwrights, Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, Rock to the Future, and the Walnut Street Theatre.  

In addition to learning about arts and culture throughout Philadelphia, Discover A.C.T. Day is also an opportunity for Philadelphia teens to sign up for a STAMP Pass (if they don’t have one already) and enter to win FREE tuition for a class during the next semester of UArts Saturday School.  STAMP (Students at Museums in Philly) is a program of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, in partnership with 12 museums and attractions and a group of generous sponsors and community organizations.  The STAMP pass is FREE and available to any Philadelphia teen between the ages of 14 and 19 and is valid for one year of FREE admission to a selection of the city’s top museums and attractions: African American Museum in Philadelphia, Barnes Foundation, Eastern State Penitentiary, Fabric Workshop and Museum, Institute of Contemporary Art, Mutter Museum, National Constitution Center, National Museum of American Jewish History, Penn Museum, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Zoological Society of Philadelphia.
  
To register for Discover A.C.T. Day go to discoveractday.eventbrite.com. Registration in advance is not required. However, Teens who  do register online by March 13 will be entered to win a bonus prize.

For more information on Discover  A.C.T. Day and the STAMP Program go to http://phillystamppass.org/.

Tune in Monday for another Talking Topic.

Friday, March 7, 2014

Funny Friday - Pacifier Lies

Me -

When I was little my Mom was always tearing up the newspaper ads when she was done with them. I wanted to do it too, but I was always putting them in my mouth. I was only allowed to help tear up the ads, if I  had a pacifier in my mouth. So one day, I had a pacifier in my mouth and we were tearing up the newspaper ads so I spit out the pacifier and put the ads in my mouth.

Mom-

I told Aurella she could only have a pacifier if she was in the car or going to sleep so she said "Aurella sleep!"

"Is Aurella really going to sleep?" I asked.

Aurella nodded.

"No, you're not." I said. "Do you think Mommy is stupid?"

"Stupid, mommy." said Aurella.


We welcome you to share your funny stories with us. Tune in tomorrow for a Saturday Special.

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Cats vs. Kittens

Me - Cats vs. Kittens, wow! I know you're thinking that a cat is the same thing as a kitten, and it is. Even though they get bigger they have the same face and features. A cat is just grow-up kitten. Even though that is the case, they definitely think differently. For most of my life, I had my cat, Gigi. By the time, I was born she was already a grown cat. Last spring, we got baby kittens that were less than a year old. They have just recently turned 1. Gigi was calm. She was always settled down, sitting next to us and wanting us to pet her. She had already figured out who she did and didn't like. She didn't get into everything except the garbage bag on garbage day. Also, once she got out onto the porch. However, the kittens were the complete opposite. Even now that they are 1, they are always getting into stuff. We have to keep our eye on them every minute. We have to keep doors shut so they can't get into the basement or  the garage or out of the house. The always want to play. They never settle down except when they are completely exhausted. However, I loved our kittens, and I still  love them now that they are 1, and I loved Gigi too.

Mom - When our beloved cat, Gigi died, she was 17 years old. After Gigi died, the house seemed so empty so we adopted two kittens. Some things about the kittens helped me to deal with the lose of Gigi. The kittens were so cute and tiny. They also were and still are really playful even now they have turned 1. Some things about our kittens made me miss Gigi more. Sometimes, it seemed like the kittens never wanted to settle down. Gigi was more relaxed since she was older. She would sit or lay down with us for longer periods of time and not mostly when she was tired. Sometimes, it feels like the kittens favorite time to be with us was when they were exhausted and wanted to lie down. Now, that our cats are 1, their behavior hasn't changed all that much, but they haven't been cats for very long their birthday was just the other day on February 25.  I love having kittens in the house, but kittens are so much trouble. They get into everything. Older cats can be trouble too. There were some things that Gigi did almost her whole life like trying to eat rubber bands and then getting sick and throw them up. However, older cats get into a lot less trouble than younger cats. Gigi had long since stopped  chewing on every little thing she saw and unraveling the toilet paper. Older cats also can not hide as many places as kittens since they cannot fit as many places. However, cats and kittens are alike in the most important way, they may not always be as overtly friendly as most dogs, but in their way they can give you a lot of love.

Do you prefer baby animals or older animals?

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Tips for Tuesday.

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Where-To-Go Wednesday - Kidzsignments Children's Consignment Sale

What: Kidzsignments Children's Consignment Sale

Where: New Jersey Expo Center
             97 Sunfield Avenue
             Edison, NJ

When: March 6-8

Our view: A good place to get a good price on gently used clothing, toys etc. for your children is a kids consignment sale. One of the biggest in the tri-state area is happening this weekend. Kidzsignments was started by Laurie Owens, a stay-at-home Mom of   three young children in 2005. Kidzsignments holds consignment sales four times a year,  two each in Flemington, NJ and two each in Edison, NJ. They currently have well over 300 consignors. At one of their sales you can find everything kid related toys, clothes, books, CDs, DVDs, bedding, and just about anything else you can think of.  If you are interested in selling your own children's gently used clothing, toys, etc.  and you live in the tri-state area, sign-up at Kidzsignments web-site to become a consignor yourself at one of Kidzsignment's sales. Once you become a consignor, you price and tag your items and transport them to the sale yourself and that's it. You do not even have to do that if you don't want to there are companies like Tags 4 U that will price, tag and transport your items for you but they do charge a per item price for their services and you still have to wash and fold the clothing you are donating yourself and put the shoes and toys in bins. However, either way whether you do the pricing, tagging and transportation yourself or not, you do not have to do any selling yourself. You do not even have to show up to get paid, they will send your check within 15 days of the close of the sale. You do have to show up to pick up your unsold items but only if you want them back. Otherwise, they will be donated to charity. So basically it is a win-win-win all around. You get rid of stuff you no longer want or need, you make money, and you do a good deed all at once. The current sale runs from this Wednesday March 6 through Saturday March 8 at  New Jersey Expo Center in Edison, NJ. The next sale will be March 20- 22 in Flemington, NJ. For further information about either of these sales or Kidzsignments in general go to http://www.kidzsignments.com/index.html. For further information about Tags 4 U go to http://www.tags4u.net/.

And tha;t our view. Tune in tomorrow for another Talking Topic.

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Tips for Tuesday - Books: Confessions of An Almost Movie Star and Live to Tell

Me - Today I am recommending Confessions of an Almost Movie Star by Mary Kennedy. It is a book about a girl named Jessie who goes along with her friend who is auditioning for a movie that is being shot in their hometown. She ends up getting the lead role. Through her experience working on the movie, she learns who and what is really important and who and what is not. You should read this book.

Mom - Today I am recommending Live to Tell by Lisa Gardner.  Live to Tell is the story of two women just struggling to survive. Danielle is the sole survivor of a family tragedy. Victoria is a mother forced to raise her troubled son on her own. When incidents occur that echo the murder of Danielle's family each woman as well as Victoria's son will all be in the path of danger.  If you enjoy a real page turner of a mystery, this is a good book for you.

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

Monday, March 3, 2014

Winter Olympics 2014

Me -Winter Olympics 2014, wow! I didn't watch that much of the Olympics this year. I only watched Figure Skating. I watched ice dancing, and ladies and the skating gala. I liked the ice dancing. I liked American's Meryl Davis and Charlie White. I think they deserved to win. I am glad they won. I like ice dancing because it is graceful and pretty. I like ladies skater, Gracie Gold. I also like Ashley Wagner. Gracie Gold is my favorite though. My favorite part of all of the Olympics that I saw was watching Gracie Gold skating. I wish I had seen the rest of the skating too - the pairs and the men. I don't have favorites in the pairs and mens because I don't know any of the skaters. I wouldn't have watched any of the rest of the other sports anyway. I don't really like any of the other sports. I do like hockey though but only when we go to a hockey game. Over all, I prefer the summer Olympics.

Me - I didn't watch that much of the winter Olympics this year. I had it on a lot but I wasn't paying that much attention to it. I watched all of the figure skating. That is always my favorite part of the winter Olympics. My favorite part of the skating was when Meryl Davis and Charlie White won the first ever US gold medal in ice dancing. I was kind of disappointed, however, that in general the US did not seem to have as strong a figure skating team as we usually do. I usually like to watch speed skating in the winter Olympics too. This year, I didn't. I don't think I missed anything. The US speed skating team was even worse than the figure skating team. My favorite thing besides the figure skating was when Noelle Pikus Pace won a silver medal in the luge. Luge is not a sport I normally watch. I also watched some of the skiing. I don't think I really watched anything else or at least I didn't really pay attention to anything else. I normally like hockey, but I don't like to watch it in the Olympics and have to root against people who might normally play for my favorite team, but who are playing for their home countries. There just aren't that many sports in the winter Olympics that I feel like I have to watch. Actually, figure skating is the only one. The rest of it, I can pretty much take or leave and some of it, I just don't like at all.

And that's our view. What is your favorite winter Olympic sport?

Tune in tomorrow for Tips for Tuesday.

Saturday, March 1, 2014

Saturday Special - Upcoming Events for Franklin Square for Spring 2014

Franklin Square, a fun family entertainment park located in Historic Philadelphia is now open for the season.

Here is a list of upcoming special events:
  
March

Saturday, March 22, 11 am – 6 pm: SquareBurger opens for the season.

April
Sunday, April 20, 12 - 2 pm:  The 5th Annual Great Egg Hunt – he Easter Bunny has left lots of eggs in the Square! Kids can join the search. Pre-registration is required and begins at 10:30 am. FREE for children 10 and under.

 Also at Franklin Square you will find:

 Philly Mini Golf: Putt around the city on this Philadelphia-themed miniature golf course!  $9 adults/$7 children (3-12), FREE for children under 2.
   Parx Liberty Carousel: A zebra, a lion, an eagle, horses and more!  Hop on this spectacular all-American style carousel with hometown racehorse heroes Afleet Alex and Smarty Jones.  $3 per person (adult or child), FREE for children under 2.
 Playgrounds: Slides, swings, and spinners…bring the kids and enjoy two playgrounds! Open year-round and free.
   SquareBurger: STARR Restaurants presents a delicious menu featuring burgers, hot dogs, french fries, and delectable frozen treats such as The Cake Shake with Tastykake Butterscotch Krimpet© and a Shake-of-the-Month!  Hours vary by season.  For full schedule, please visit www.historicphiladelphia.org/squareburger.
  The Pavilion in Franklin Square – Rent this all-season, climate-controlled building for parties, family reunions, and corporate or special events.  On nice days, open the doors for stunning views of the fountain. 

Franklin Square is also available for birthday parties, special events, and group outings!

We will be featuring a full review of Franklin Square in a future Where-To-Go Wednesday post as well as posting more information as we receive it. In the meantime for further information go to the above-referenced web-site.