Oooh It’s Planet Spooky at Kings Dominion

Disclosure:  TMC was not paid for this post. Products and tickets received are for review purposes only.  Opinions are TMC's only. The only roller coaster I will ride. I will fully admit that I'm not an amusement park person.  Actually, it is more that I'm not a ride person.  My kids and husband on the other hand possess a gene for thrill rides, coasters and all things theme park that I just can't handle.  However, I do love spending the day in the park, eating all the food I can cram into my mouth (Kings Dominion has gluten free options too) and riding the kiddie rides that make-up Planet Snoopy.  Yes, really. That's how lame I am when it comes to these things.  My kids are little and for now a day spent at Kings Dominion in Doswell, VA doesn't go much beyond Snoopy's world and … [Read more...]

2014 KIA Sorento SX AWD

Disclosure: TMC was not paid for this post. Products received are for review purposes only. Opinions are TMC's only The 2014 KIA Sorento SX arrived at my door and no one noticed.  From the outside the Sorento looked so similar in size, color and shape to the previously reviewed SUV from the week before that no one could tell the difference. After two days of driving the Sorento the differences could not be ignored. Redesigned for 2014 the Kia Sorento SX with AWD is drastically different in look and feel.  Not much of the old model was left behind, which was I think is a step in the right direction.  The old ways of Kia still plague its reputation despite the fact that each year with some model or other the company continues to win over the car industry.  Trust me, I still … [Read more...]

The Sensory Child Gets Organized Review

Disclosure: TMC was not paid for this post. Products received are for review purposes only. Opinions are TMC's only. One of the first things we learned as parents when The Fifth Element was diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) was the importance of planning ahead and staying organized. We were lucky enough to receive services through our county's infant and toddler program which included speech and occupational therapy a few times a month. These sessions did not just help our daughter, they helped us as parents and as a family understand that the sensory child has a harder time than other kids navigating the world. It feels chaotic to them and they either seek or avoid stimulation to deal with their daily lives. … [Read more...]

Coin-Shaped Lithium Batteries- Protect Your Child From Swallowing Them Today

Disclosure: TMC was paid for this post in sponsorship with Energizer and The Motherhood, Battery Controlled and Safe Kids Worldwide.  Opinions and thoughts are TMC's only.  Three kids can bring a lot of emergency room visits.  I should know, I was there just last week when during bedtime the smallest one escaped tooth brushing duties and instead went exploring in my bathroom.  Not more than five minutes could have passed when I heard my middle child yell, "MOM!  The Fifth Element got into your cough syrup!!"  My heart stopped. My cough syrup isn't OTC, which is bad enough. It was just prescribed for pneumonia and contained codeine.  I rushed to her, sniffed her breath, saw a ton of cough syrup on the counter and asked her if she drank it. She burst into tears and I knew she had ingested … [Read more...]

$100 Language Stars Giveaway

*TMC was paid for this post. Products received are for review purposes only. Opinions are TMC's only.     Not long ago I took my two smallest girls to Language Stars, a full-immersion foreign language school for kids ages 1-10.  There are locations all over this Chicago-based program and is more like fun-immersion learning.  From Mandarin to French there are quite a few languages to choose from and the kids go for games, music time and more all in the language they are studying.  My girls spent an hour in a 2-3 year-old class (classes run about 1-3 hours long) and totally got involved and loved every  minute of it. I would have signed them up it was just too much to add to our already filled schedule each week.  Classes run all year with multiple times and … [Read more...]

Entertaining & Educational Reads for Kids

Disclosure:  TMC was not paid for this post.  Products received are for review purposes only.  Opinions are TMC's only.   Back when I was a kid (yaaawn) we didn't workbooks over the summer. At least I didn't.  There was no Summer Bridge series going on in my house.  It was a lot of Love Boat watching, Jetson eyeballing and daily intake of Little House on the Prairie. Most of that with a book in my hand while I multi-tasked my two favorite things.  I spent a ton of time outside on my bike or at the beach too. Now?  I'm full of good intentions each summer scooping up beginners French, cursive tutorials and bridge books for math, reading and science experiments.  Those books end up lasting all year.  However, before school started we did find some really great, fun to read and … [Read more...]

Green Your Way Back to School

I don't know about you all but I have been craving more of a routine the last few weeks.  I'm ready to jump into the new school year!  But not without a little prepping of course.  I mean I can't just open the front door and say, "Ok kids, figure it out from here.  See you at 3!"  It's more of a few weeks of careful planning, budgeting and figuring out the best way to go about getting back to school and then opening that front door... Guest blogger, Ken Myers has a few ideas to help ease us all into the new semester in a simple but green way. What ways do you save or go green for back to school?  … [Read more...]

DIY Three

Dear Fifth Element, I woke up the morning of your third birthday and saw that it was raining.  Despite wanting to make it a fun day at the pool with you and your sisters it seemed fitting that the weather was the same as the day you were born. You my girl are a gift to this family.  You take life on with the attitude and the constant refrain of, "I DO IT!"  followed by a growl.  This has been a year of massive change, of progress and intense patience and learning on all our behalf.  Like any change it took us a while to figure out your secrets.  To find the key that unlocks your true personality that we now have the privilege to know and enjoy every day.  … [Read more...]

Gluten-Free Snacks with Van’s Crackers & Usana Bars

Disclaimer: TMC was not paid for this post.  Products received are for review purposes only. Opinions are TMC's only.    After going gluten-free over a year ago it has been challenging to find snacks that are not only healthy but also taste good too.  Price is also a factor, especially after buying one too many boxes of bad tasting, funny texture snacks that just left me feeling disappointed, frustrated and hungry.  This summer I was sent two brands that provide healthy snack alternatives that are also gluten-free.  … [Read more...]

Go Back to School with MinuteClinic

*Disclosure: TMC was paid to go to Blogher 2013 by MinuteClinic.  Opinions and thoughts are TMC's only.    The crayons, pencils, notebooks and book bags are all stowed away for the next two weeks but soon they will see the light of day. That goes double for the new  clothes that hang neatly in the closet or lay folded in a drawer. The summer sun may still be heating up our days but there is no doubt about it, school is just around the corner. … [Read more...]