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

Friday, March 20, 2020

PJ Library Resources for Quarantined Families and Other Ideas for the Housebound

This is a sponsored post.

If being stuck inside for so many hours with the kids already has you running out of ideas for what to do, the PJ Library can help. Here are some things they are offering to help fill the time and keep kids happy and occupied:



  • Every school day,  PJ Library will post two “Read Aloud” session featuring a picture book. Watch for these at 11 am and 1 pm Eastern Time on Facebook and Instagram.  Facebook activities also include 2-minute “craft along” projects, virtual dance parties and more.  Visit: https://www.facebook.com/PJLibrary/

  • PJ Library’s “Have I Got a Story for You!” podcast is publishing all-new episodes.   The podcast, which brings classic Jewish folk tales from the page and gives them a modern, fun-filled audio twist, delivers some great new offerings, with a new episode published each Tuesday throughout the month at https://pjlibrary.org/podcast.  Currently, families can tune in to “The Passover Story for Kids” and “Sweet Town Rivals” about the rivalry between fairies and trolls!  Stories coming up include “The Passover Pirate” (Available 3/24) and “Al Learns the Four Questions” (Available 3/31)


For parents seeking to share the very best-in Jewish storybooks with their children, PJ Library isan award-winning program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation which sends more than 220,000 books per month to families raising Jewish children across North America. PJ Library is a fun,easy way to introduce kids to Jewish traditions, culture, and values through expertly curated,age-specific monthly selections, for children ages 6 months to 8 years old. The experiences changes for kids at age 9 when they graduate to PJ Our Way and get to choose their own book each month.To sign up for the free monthly program or partake in a wealth of activities, recipes and parenting articles, as well as a new podcast for kids: “Have I Got a Story for You,” visit  pjlibrary.org

Thursday, March 19, 2020

Theater Thursday - Monotony the Musical

Although currently it is not possible to go to a theater and attend a show since all the theaters have been temporarily closed due to the Coronavirus, it is still possible to experience theater in alternative ways. Accordingly, starting today and for the duration of the crisis, Theater Thursday will focus on alternative forms of theater.




What: Monotony the Musical
           A Seven (7) Episode Podcast

Where: Anywhere you listen to your favorite podcasts

Who: Teens and Up

When: Available starting on April 15, 2020

Mom - Monotony is a completely original musical and not only because it is a podcast musical. It mostly revolves around a group of people working in an accounting office. It is about getting out of the rut you may be in and pursuing your dream. The story and characters are both engaging  and it keeps your interest throughout although at times knowing which characters is speaking is confusing because some of the voices sound similar, and there is no visual reference to help ease the confusion. The songs are nice, but not especially memorable.  

And that's Mom's view. For more about Monotony including a complete song list see below:

Monotony the Musical
Book and Lyrics by Sarah Luery
Music by Jared Chance Taylor

Story Synopsis:

Miserable at the office, Herbert Handler III is a timid accountant who longs to be free of his day job but is terrified to quit for fear of disappointing his deceased father. Accounting was his dad's dream and he owes it to his dad to keep the dream alive -- even if it means being a little bit (ok, a lot) miserable for the rest of his life. Still, he can't help but admire the bravery of his boss’s cute son, Theo, who lives life on his own terms. Could Herbert ever just -- stop caring what his dead dad thinks!?

Featuring the voices of:

Alden Bettencourt as Herbert Handler III
Jon Gibson as Theodore McGiver
Kelsey Ann Sutton as Marnee McDougal
Tod Macofsky as Mr. McGiver and The Bear
Alixandree Antoine as Ms. McDougal
Kyle, Ahamed Weinberg as Herbert Handler Sr. and Bode
David Castillo as Frank Collins and Trey
Pat Regan as Deacon
Evan Allgood as Thomas
Karen Trachtenberg as Lucinda.

Song List:

EPISODE 1
1. Death Of Me [Herbert Handler III, Marnee McDougal, Ensemble Vocals
2. The Son You Need [Theo McGiver]
3. The Accountants’ Dance [Mr. McGiver, Frank Collins, Herbert Handler III, Ensemble Vocals]

EPISODE 2
4. I’m Late! [Herbert Handler III]
5. Woe Is Me [Herbert Handler III]
6. Honey Song [Herbert Handler III]
7. Everything Is Different Now [Herbert Handler III, Theo McGiver]

EPISODE 3
8. Strong Girl [Marnee McDougal, Ms. McDougal]
9. Tennis Song [Herbert Handler III, Theo McGiver]
10. I’m Late! (Reprise 1) [Marnee McDougal]
11. I’m Late! (Reprise 2) [Herbert Handler III, Theo McGiver]
12. I’m Late! (Reprise 3) [Mr. McGiver]
13. I’m Late! (Reprise 4) [Herbert Handler III]

EPISODE 4
14. Death Of Me (Part II) [Herbert Handler III]
15. Born To Be Free! [Herbert Handler III, Frank Collins, Marnee McDougal, Mr. McGiver, Ensemble Vocals]
16. Like Peanut Butter and Jelly [Herbert Handler III, Theo McGiver]

EPISODE 5
17. 5 To 9 [Deacon, Trey, Bode, Marnee McDougal, Herbert Handler III]
18. Stick To The Brain [Herbert Handler III, Herbert Handler Sr., The Bear]
19. It’s A Sign [Herbert Handler III, Theo McGiver]

EPISODE 6 
20. It’s A Great Day To Be A Hero [Theo McGiver, Ensemble Vocals]

EPISODE 7
21. How Do I Find The Words? [Mr. McGiver, Theo McGiver]
22. Stick To The Brain (Part II) [The Bear]
23. I Miss You So Much, Dad [Herbert Handler III, The Bear]
24. Goodbye, Mr. McGiver [Marnee McDougal, Mr. McGiver, Frank Collins, Ensemble Vocals]
25. Why Not Me? [Herbert Handler III, Theo McGiver, Marnee McDougal, Ensemble Vocals]

For more information, visit https://www.monotonythemusical.com. Tune in Sunday for this week's Sunday Scoop.

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

What-To-Do Wednesday - Discover New Shows to Watch

Being stuck at home for an extended period of time is a good time to flip through the TV channels and find new shows to watch. Shows that we have been loving lately include:


1) Manifest (Monday at 10:00 PM EST NBC) - This addictive show about a group of airplane passengers who go missing for five years, and then reappear without having aged a day will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout every episode.

2) Almost anything on the game show channel - We admit it we are game show addicts. We love to play along at home and see the crazy antics of the contestants.

3) Ellen's Game of Games (Tuesday 8:00 PM EST  NBC) This game show is even crazier than anything on the game show channel and the ultimate prize is even bigger.

4) The Masked Singer (Wednesday 9:00 PM EST FOX) - Even the nonprofessional singers are surprisingly good, and it is so much fun to try and guess who is who even though we hardly ever get it right.

4) Lego Masters (Wednesday 9:00  PM EST FOX) - The creations the contestants come up with on this show are so incredible that you hate to see anyone go home.

5) Young Sheldon (Thursday 8:00 PM EST CBS) - Although not as good as Big Bang Theory the show which it spun off from, it is still an entertaining show and Iain Armitage who we had the privilege of speaking with on several occasions is an amazing young actor.

6) Little Big Shots (Sunday 7:00 PM EST NBC) - Watching these youngsters we are torn between feelings of awe and feelings of inadequacy that nothing we could ever do could ever measure up to their talent.

7) Crickey It's the Irwins - (Animal Planet) - While this show has already completed its second season, we hope it comes back for a third because we can't get enough of those adorable animals and the Irwin family seems like the nicest people in the world, and we want them to adopt us!

What are you watching these days?

Tune in tomorrow for Theater Thursday.

photo credit: Anders Adermark Zapping via photopin (license)