Homeschool or Regular School? THAT is the Question.

For a while now I've been debating back and forth about whether or not to continue homeschooling for my padawan's first grade year. This has been a topic of conversation in past posts, but this time it's grown to a dire state of emergency. 

Ok maybe not EMERGENCY, but a decision must be made tomorrow. 

I had initially intended on keeping my son in his homeschooling program for a few years, to integrate him into schooling more and more. With the amount of activities and on-sight classes, I felt it was a great alternative to sitting in a classroom all day. But the social interaction is something I worried about. Granted - like I said - he does have friends and quite a few options to get socialization. 

Being a mom is tiresome. 

We just got accepted into a choice-school (where I went to elementary school, out of our district) and they want us to fill out the acceptance enrollment forms tomorrow. My biggest fear is this: with his education being so advanced, he may not be challenged as much as he would be in regular school. Also, it's an all day thing (yes I know majority of kids do regular school), but with someone as hands-on as my son, I'm not sure it would benefit him entirely. 

I do think that some sort of detachment would be good for him, so that he doesn't get too de-socialized with other kids. 

This entire thing stems from trying to be a good mom. I want to make the best decision possible, but I'm constantly struggling with what to do. I had made the decision - or so I thought - last week during my son's school picnic, but now with this newest acceptance I'm rethinking everything. 

Typing this I'm leaning more towards homeschool, because of all the benefits it provides, but I'm always wondering "what if". What if public would better my little padawan? What if it would supply him with all that he needs? What if it can help him be a better kid than homeschool? But at the same time, I know what homeschool gives him. I know I can make a schedule to where he gets the interaction, without public school. 

What do you guys think? Any of you have an opinion? Let me know in the comments below, on social media, or by email. 

Another Day, Another Story.

Ugh, today has been a day for the books. 

First I woke up to hearing loud construction take place outside of my window - apparently the maintenance guy decided to saw metal chairs at 7 am, then I couldn't fall back to sleep. So I decided to get up, start the day, and make some coffee. 

I screwed up my coffee [again] twice. I almost screamed at my self I was so frustrated. 

Then I was getting ready to take some photos for my step-dad when I had to basically play marco polo with Yoda to put him back in his tank. After finding him hiding behind his food basket, we were able to set off on the road.

Once I finished up with the photos, I rushed over to a local hospital to pick up a close family friend of mine. She had an unfortunate circumstance happen yesterday, but thankfully she's doing much better now. 

With everything said and done, we headed home so I could finish up some last minute crafting for my new business. Luckily everything came to a nice steady calm afterwards, allowing us to relax for the rest of the day. 

I'm finally able to sit down and truly relax though, because I was still handling mommy duties. So since my padawan is passed out, I can eat, watch tv, and sleep the night away. 

I know, I'm such a party animal.

Tomorrow is an other full day for us though. Karate, errands, house chores, schooling, and editing the pictures.

I've also been working on having "me" time, which basically means crafting on the side. This gives me the ability to calm my anxious nerves and take care of my mental state. 

Something I've learned from over the years is this: Always take care of yourself first or else you can't take care of your padawans. Until tomorrow Jedi's!

Adventure in Los Angeles!

A small additional tid-bit about me, I'm a sports fan. Played soccer for over 15 years, grew up with football blaring throughout the whole house every season, watched every high school sports game, and even dabbled in softball during baseball season. Needless to say, my favorite thing to do besides playing sports is watching them.

There's something so majestical about watching a team "dance" with one another on a field aiming for one goal. Poetic even. Alright so maybe not so artsy, but it's down right freaking awesome. Something I plan on trying to instill in my padawan is sports. Of course I won't force him into anything, but keeping him active is a huge goal of mine. Seeing as how my dad is a sports fan as well, we all decided to go for a mini day-cation up to good ol' Los Angeles to catch the infamous Dodger's game. 

I was super eager to have this adventure for a few reasons. I wanted to use my new bag from my recent haul (see HERE) and I knew this meant the beginning of a summer long

On Saturday the Dodger's were playing last year's World Series champions, the Chicago Cubs. My dad has been a HUGE Dodger's fan for years and years, but had yet to see the Dodger's play in their stadium. So we all - we being my dad, his girlfriend, my offspring, and myself - took the 2 hour+ drive to LA for a day of baseball fun!

First we woke up super early for my little guy's karate class - working closer to his yellow belt (he just started). Then we rushed home, finished packing our day bags, and got picked up to hit the road. 

I will say that my motion sickness decided to be such a pain in the arse. I ended up taking a Dramamine - note to self: take BEFORE a long drive when I'm a passenger - but only felt better until we arrived. 

On our way there, we passed through "Chinatown", which I had never had the pleasure of seeing. Something I don't necessarily think I'll specifically set out to see, but it was pretty cool to see the region and it's "themed" train station. I can only imagine what that part of town must look like during Chinese New Year's. 

With mild traffic adding 10 minutes to our arrival time - baseball fans heading to the same place we were - we finally made it to our destination. 

Of course it took us another 20 minutes to get parking, walk to the gate, get checked in, and find our seats, but once we did the view was awesome. Not in a zone preferable for foul balls unfortunately, but no complaints here. 

First thing we did after finding our seats was of course get food. But of course, my little guy and I were starving and ate the entire "hat" of Carne Asada nachos before I could snap a pic. 

The food wasn't anything to brag about - really I have yet to find a sporting event with impeccable eats, so I wasn't shocked - but we got a really cool souvenir baseball helmet, which our nachos came in. 

After the top of the 8th the game came to the end with the Cubs not scoring a single point, it all came to an end. Dodger's won, our stomachs were full, and we all had a blast! 

Like I said, there's something so peaceful and nostalgic about going to a sports game for me. Perhaps it's the reminiscing on my childhood, but being able to have these moments with my son is greater than words could begin to describe. 

With everything said and done, we anticipated stopping for a Philippe French Dipped Sandwich on the way home, but there was no time (it was already getting late), we were all exhausted, there were WAY to many people, and our tummys were still full from the goodness we scarfed down while enjoying the game.

Saying goodbye to LA was bittersweet. I wanted to eat more good food and see some more things, but I was anxious to get home into my comfy bed. I will say that I do plan on making a return trip to venture on good eats at the least! 

 

Overall it was a great day, with loads of memories, but it's good to be back!

Food Feature Friday #31: Ding Dong's With a Twist!

Happy Friday all you gorgeous Jedi's! 

Today I bring to you all another Food Feature Friday for all the sweet lovers out there. In a past post, I showcased a pretty awesome find similar to today's feature (see that post HERE). Today I'll be showcasing a similarly awesome find called Ding Dongs, but in ice cream from!

That's right, the infamous Ding Dongs are now available in a similar fashion, but frozen and semi-altered to resemble an ice cream sandwich. 

While browsing through the frozen food aisle, the well-known logo caught my eye. Confused as to why it was in the frozen section, I glanced over expecting to see a misplaced box of Ding Dongs, when to my surprise I saw that they were actually ice cream! Well of course I had to grab a box to test it out and see just how similar it was to the real thing. 

After dinner that night, I dove into my new box of goodies in full anticipation of what was to come. Expecting to bite into a fully crunchy chocolate with ice cream, I was surprised. Granted if it was just a hard shelled ice cream, it would resemble Klondike bars too much. 

You know those ice cream sandwiches that are soft on the outside? The ones that stick to your fingers if you hold onto it too long. Now imagine that coated in a thin layer of hard-shelled chocolate. That's what this was.

Ding Dong wise, it didn't really remind me of my beloved secret "fake cakes" as I call them. Was it good? Yes, but the "soft" layer inside wasn't really my cup of tea. I mean, I get the concept: trying to mimic the Ding Dong style and perhaps this was the actual inside, but it did not serve the ice cream well. Also, the outside reminded my more of a Klondike bar than anything else. 

Sadly I don't feel the company sufficed with recreating the Ding Dongs in frozen dessert form. With some mild altering though, it could be just as delicious. For now though, I won't be repurchasing these. They only set me back $3.29, but I can say without a doubt I'd rather purchase a coffee and a muffin. 

Another interesting dessert find I found next to the Ding Dongs, were Twinkies Ice Cream cones! These are distinctly different than the actual Twinkies, while still having golden sponge cake as part of the recipe. 

I opted out for the Twinkies ice cream, but I don't necessarily think I'll be jumping to try it. Since this was a sad flop for me [and I'm not a fan of cones], I don't have any desire to try it. 

Well Jedi's even though my newest find turned out to be a dud for me, that doesn't mean our weekend has to be! Have an awesome and amazing Memorial Day weekend my loves. Stay safe, smile wide, and remember to keep on rockin'!

Crimped Hair Review: Stylish Momma or Mufasa Look-a-like?

I'm really into the big crimped hair - what you'd see from overnight, medium sized braids, but I'm not always a huge fan of having to braid my hair the night before. I don't like the separation lines either, which more often than not expose my scalp. Not cute.

So I've been looking for a solution to my problem. While heat isn't always the answer - and it's slightly more damaging to my hair than just braiding it - I wanted to be able to sport the poofy look even when I haven't braided my hair. Well during my Goodwill trip on Tuesday (see that haul HERE) I found a relatively cheap hair crimper. Eagerly excited, but constantly busy, I finally got to test it out today! 

It's been known as the 90's hair style, but I was really hopeful that it would mimic my braided look. With a little bit of patience and about 30 minutes of my time, I took the effort to crimp my entire head. Even after my realization that it may not have been the greatest idea ever. 

First off I separated my hair into sections after spraying on a heat protector, I plugged in the iron and got to work. With the heat on level 5 (out of 10), my first press gave me a good idea that this was a highly potential fail. With a shine still semi-present, I just kept on going. Similar to the infamous Dory scene.

In the beginning my hair was straight/wavy with no volume. After crimping I can say one good thing, I got volume. That's about all the good I can give though.

My hair had very little shine left and it seemed as if this had literally sucked the life out of my hair. I sincerely felt as if I had stuck my finger in a light socket, but I'm getting ahead of myself. 

Each little wave was too tight and the smell was incredibly nauseating. Even my padawan said it smelt like cat. I cleaned it and cleaned it and cleaned it prior to using it, but it wreaked of regret. If regret smelled.

After the 30 minute wasted time, I ended up with a full head of crimped, nasty smelling, overly volumized hair. Not to mention a dry mess. 

There was absolutely no styling this insane Mufasa mane, no matter how much I tried. Plus the smell was starting to make me physically ill. 

To relieve my hair of his torment and my stomach, I jumped into the shower and moisturized the crap out of it. I did two treatments after a long shampoo, then sprayed it with a leave in conditioner. Thankfully my hair started to revive itself and didn't hold to much resentment towards me. 

While it truly does suck that this crimper didn't alleviate any braiding pains, you live and learn. $3 down the drain, but knowledge is invaluable. As they always say, look on the bright side. Personally I feel like this isn't a look that they can bring back, but you never know. Perhaps someone can make this work, but it's definitely not me. 

Carpel Tunnel at it's Worst.

Found HERE

My left hand is having a severe spazz attack and is literally hindering my ability to type. So I'll be taking a break tonight. Talk to you all tomorrow!

Goodwill and Disney Haul!

Today I was lucky enough to sell a few items to take a spontaneous trip to good ol' Goodwill and you know me, if I have time I'm going! 

I had been trying to sell a comforter set and luckily I got a hit, selling the set for a decent profit. With some extra spending cash, I decided to go to lunch with my little guy and browsed through Disney store. I really went to double check some Star Wars tsum tsums that are set to be released on the 25th in the UK, but with no announcement on when they'd be released in the US I decided to go straight to the source. Unfortunately they weren't exactly sure on the status of the Star Wars 40th anniversary set, but they did point me in the right direction to find out some answers. 

While I was heading out, a gorgeous little shiny bag caught my eye with Sully gleaming at me from afar. Immediately I rushed over to pick up the adorable backpack, squealing with glee hoping the price wasn't over price - which it normally is at Disney. 

Luckily to my surprise, the bag was on sale from $16 (still a reasonable price n my eyes) down to only $8! Half off?! Heck yes!

This cute bag is tsum tsum themed with a clear plastic shiny "rainbow" exterior and a drawstring fabric bag inside, keeping your items safe with tsum tsums plastered all over it. It's meant to be "swim bag", which to me just means "drink proof" seeing as how I'm more often than not lugging around a water bottle or two. The "lock" is a magnetic Sully, closing and opening with ease. 

I'll be heading out on a trip this weekend, so this will be the perfect bag to tote around my belongings while keeping my hands free to explore. 

Avoiding anymore sporadic expenses, we headed out to the local Goodwill, checking out what new finds were awaiting my love. 

The moment I stepped in it was like nostalgia for my soul. The smell, the sight, everything made me so incredibly happy. I don't have a shopping problem, I simply have a Goodwill problem. I keep my budget under control, but man do they pull at my heart strings with their amazing stock. 

First up I found a hair crimper that I've been DYING to find. I love having poofy crimped hair, but braiding my hair every single night after a shower has grown tedious. Granted this will still take time, not to mention add extra head to my hair, but to me it's worth it to not have the strange lines that come with braids being separated. 

Of course I cleaned it and disinfected it - just in case - but it works like a true charm. You can bet I'm utterly excited and will be testing this out tomorrow after my shower. I tested it out on the ends of my ponytail only to be pleased with the results. So far so good.  

The heat temperature has 10 levels, making heat control easier. I'm not completely sure what brand it is, but for $3 I scooped it up with ease confidently anticipating on the goodness to come. 

Afterwards I found three clothing items that I couldn't pass up on. 

I've been wanting a long sweater coat (no I'm not exactly sure what it's specifically called, but go with it) for quite a while and even though it's almost Summer with high temps, I knew when Winter comes around I'll be extremely proud of this find. 

Instead of paying the hefty price that I've often seen with these types of sweater coats - anywhere between $20 to $60 - I only paid a measly $6! Can you believe it? Such a small price for comfort and warmth. This is why I buy off season, because the best deals are for those you won't be using at that moment. But when the appropriate weather makes headway, you'll be glad you paid way less than others around. 

The other two were shirts: a powder blue exercise shirt and an extra large TMNT shirt. 

The exercise shirt is perfect for exercise days and errands. Even going to the zoo will be slightly more comfortable. My old shirt was starting to fade with all the usage, so this made for a perfect replacement only costing me $3. 

The TMNT shirt was a comfy find priced at $3 as well, giving me another oversized shirt to cover my behind when wearing leggings (i.e. like my cat, taco, pizza shirt - see that post HERE). 

Next up I found a super cool cookie cookbook, making me the future queen of cookietown. For $2, I now have my hands on a really neat book that literally gives me a recipe per page, on how to make some intricate and tasty looking cookies. Wafers and biscottis are just two other recipes mixed into this book of deliciousness. 

I truly became inspired to do a bunch of pastries and goodies, seeing as how I'm a baker at heart. With such a sweet tooth, I'm constantly looking to make goodies and now whenever I play host - if family comes over, on holidays, or just because - I will have an excuse to hit the oven. I've always been a fan of tea parties, so now I can make the "crumpet" part. 

Another super simple $1 find was a three drawer mini organizer, perfect for my artistic clay creations (stay tuned for that reveal!). 

I love these because not only do they provide organization, but they take up hardly any space. With such tiny sculptures laying around, I was worried they'd get destroyed or broken so this was a simple solution. 

Granted I could've purchased this anywhere, but to have only paid $1 I found it to be a beneficial and smart purchase to keep my precious beauties out of harms way.

Last but certainly not least, I found this gorgeous BRAND NEW Betsy Johnson laptop bag for only $12! 

I've seen this brand - and bags - go for far more than $12 and because I've been carrying around my laptop in my purse, creating added wait (and a little fear that my purse was going to break), I now have something to easily transport my work stuff. Making my life a breeze is exactly the purpose of this gorgeous briefcase.  

I will say that I was a little sad there was no messenger bag strap, but because my purse (see that post HERE) has a detachable strap AND it closely resembles the color scheme, I can simply use it if necessary. Although I think I'd rather use the short handles to keep it close.

Overall I spent around $40 and found some amazing finds. Some brand new and some used, but all of them are loved just the same. 

Mini Diffuser: Blissful Scents or Disastrous Smells?!

I have been known to go on episodic OCD fits where I clean and spray things to make my house smell good. While I'm not necessarily a big fan of Febreze, I tend to use incense in the bathroom and cleaning supplies to "scent" the living room. Well recently I came across a neat little item at Bed Bath and Beyond, that I think renders a review.

For $9.99 (minus to 20% off coupon), I picked up a "Mini Scentifier", in hopes that it would spread soothing essentials oils throughout the house without becoming too overbearing. Now I will say that initially I intended to purchase a diffuser that emitted mist and actually thought that's what I had purchased. It wasn't until I unwrapped it, that I noticed it was only being spread through the air with a fan. 

A little defeated, I still decided to give the diffuser a chance and got to setting it up.

The package came with the diffuser itself, a USB power cord, 1 oil pad, 2 oil pad refills, and 1 5ml "Signature" brand essentials oil in Lavender. I myself picked up another essentials oil in the scent "Spa Room" for a peaceful daytime scent, since I see Lavender as more of a sleepy scent.

I realized it didn't have the mist once I started to read the directions, but I moved forward and put some oil on the oil pad, located on the bottom of the diffuser. Once it was clicked back into place, I plugged it into my iPad wall adapter and let it get to work. 

Within a few minutes a small radius surrounding the diffuser smelled of a calming aromatic scent. While it certainly did not make the entire living room/kitchen/dining room smell good, it did do a nice job of providing a calming affect in the living room at least. 

I also liked that the top of the diffuser was a

light that changed colors and how there was a button located in the front of the diffuser, to easily turn it off and on. Some you have to unplug just to stop it, so this power button was awesome - even though I'm sure most are like this now. 

I was still a bit bummed about no mist, but I will say that because it doesn't give off such a strong scent, it was a perfect night light and smell for my son's bedtime. He loves the smell of lavender so with this added colorful nightlight giving off that scent during sleep hours, he fell asleep within minutes, making me a very happy momma. 

Overall I'm pleased with this purchase and it's very low price. I still wish I had a misting diffuser, but no water does mean no clean up, so I'm not complaining too much. 

We have to look on the bright side of things!

Food Feature Friday #30: Brazen BBQ Smokehouse

When you have a sick padawan, you do all you can to avoid leaving the house. Obviously there

are times when it's necessary, but thanks to the latest delivery services you can get almost anything brought to your door within the hour. Now I don't go and utilize these services for household essentials - medicine, toilet paper, etc. - but I do have food delivered. Including today.

Seeing as how I really didn't feel like going out in snot-ridden clothing from wiping a runny nose all day, I went ahead and ordered from the infamous "Uber Eats" app (which I've had a like/hate relationship with, including a semi-bad experience today). While I definitely could've gone an alternative route when it comes to ordering, I bit the bullet and just used the easily accessible app to order some lunch. 

After finally making a decision on what and where to eat - including a few issues that arose, but we won't get into that - I ordered from a local eatery called "Brazen BBQ Smokehouse". 

Now, I'll be completely frank and just say that I do believe I've eaten here before years ago, but I can't be 100% sure. Nor do I even remember what the food would've tasted like, so this still counts.

Within 40 minutes the food was delivered and man was it a feast indeed.

The entire order consisted of the "Bolt's Platter for Two" and an order of their "Brazen's Best in the West Chili". "The Bolt's Platter for Two" was 3 proteins, 3 sides, and a bread of your choice. We went with tri-tip, brisket, baby back ribs, brazen fries, collard greens, crusty macaroni and cheese, and texas toast. This alone was $34.98. The "Brazen's Best in the West Chili" came with a side of cornbread for $10.99 for the of a bowl (their largest). Total price was $45.97, surpassing my initial want. Regardless I found that it sufficed beyond lunch, because the quantity was grand. 

As for quality, let's break everything down:

The meat was extremely tender, falling off the bone with every bit of a rib and melting in your mouth for the other meats. Everything came dry - with roughly the same seasoning for each meat type - but all the sauce (including ketchup) came on the side to reduce "sogginess". I truly appreciate this. 

The sauce was a sweetish BBQ, sticking closely with the traditional style sauce, but with a mild kick that resembles the taste of paprika, but not exactly. 

The brazen fries weren't exactly crisp, but the cajun style was appetizing. The collard greens were very good, not as good as I've had from authentic soul food eateries, but delicious nonetheless. The crusty macaroni was slightly disappointing, as it didn't have the crunch I really hoped it would on top, but I'm not complaining. It was a extra creamy, rich with cheese, and reminded me of a "gooey" mac and cheese, without so much "string". The texas toast and cornbread weren't up to exact par of what I'd really desire, but again nothing to extraordinary to complain about. After all, it is bread that was delivered so freshness isn't exactly expected. 

As for the chili, it was a chunky texas style with all the "fixens". It truly had that authentic hearty flavor with boldness and crisp beans. A beautiful combination of smooth and chunky. 

Everything was tasty, but not exactly the prime deal of BBQ. While I'm not this crazy fanatic, nor do I have a broad experience when it comes to authentic southern food, but I do have some experience in tasting meaty eats slathered in brisk sauce. I have this to say: I've eaten better. I don't feel this was particularly worth the price for the taste, but it's not something I'd pass up. The quantity and quality did suffice beyond hopes, just not the exquisite flavor I was looking for. My meat cravings were completely hindered by the dishes due to the amount and flavor, but again, it's not something I'd rave about. Will I return or order again? Probably not. Will I avoid it at all costs? Not necessarily.  

Sick Padawan = No Sleep.

Found HERE

Well unfortunately my little padawan caught some kind of cold, which means I'll be having a very sleepless night. While I surely didn't want to spend my night like this - who does, really - I'll be playing nurse and taking care of my little guy. So if you need me, I'll be watching Netflix in-between administering medicine, covered in Vix, stuck to a pile of tissues, all while patting my little guys back. 

Oh the things we do for our little loved ones. 

DIY Drawstring Laundry Bag For FREE!

Laundry is something that I don't necessarily dread, but you won't catch me jumping for joy on

laundry day either. In fact, it's down right frustrating when I am one load away from being done, when my padawan decides to waltz into my room with arms filled with clothes he's hoarded in his bed for days. To [hopefully] combat this, I decided to get him his very own laundry basket. But instead of paying money for one, I opted for a simple DIY! The best part is that it came out perfectly and I absolutely had to share it with you guys! In fact, this DIY could be recreated if you simply need storage bags! 

Sewing has always been a fun outlet for me, but with a new set of skills that my son and I recently learned (using our sewing subscription box, which you can see HERE), I decided to put them to the test. 

First off, this DIY "tutorial" isn't as professional as majority sewists would write, but I'm trying. Secondly, I'm not EXACTLY recreating the "lesson" we learned from our subscription box (I goofed and forgot a step), but it IS closely resembling it. The entire DIY isn't perfect, but to be completely honest I'm quite happy with the end result. 

The way how this all kicked off - besides doing laundry - was after I had to replace our shower curtain. I looked at the soon-to-be-trash white curtain and thought, "what a waste of fabric". It was being thrown away because it was colored on, but not the entire curtain. So when the wheels began turning, I got to work. 

You're going to need: 

- a shower curtain (or any fabric really)

- ribbon or strong string

- a sewing machine (including the thread and needle of course)

- scissors

- a safety pin

1. Fold your sheet of fabric in half, from top to bottom. This will give you the bottom to your laundry bag without actually having to sew anything, saving you time as well. 

2. Cut your fabric to the width of your desire, using the edge of your shower curtain as one of your sides. Since the shower curtain already has a seam on the outside, this will make sewing easier down the line when using this as a side.

3. Flip your curtain to where the "inside" of your bag is now on the "outside". You don't want the seams to be seen, therefore you'll be sewing on the "inside" of your bag. 

4. Begin sewing the cut edge by lining up the edges and folding over a small flap to one side using both edges. Sew along the outside to give a super clean seam and stopping any edges to fray. This also adds strength to the entire bag. 

5. Now line up the edges on the other side (the side with seams on the outside) and simply sew them together. Since they already have a strong seam, you won't have to worry about fraying or weakness.

6. Once you have everything sewn together, simply flip down a good portion of your top edge (the opening of your bag) to give you a compartment for your string/ribbon to go. Make sure you have enough room to easily slide a ribbon through. 

7. Once you've finished sewing, flip your bag and now you should have the "outside" of your bag on the outside and the "inside" of your bag on the inside. Everything is as it should be. Simply slit a small hole in the compartment you just sewed for your ribbon (preferably on the inside near one of the seams, but not too close you'll rip the stitches). This should be hand sewn around the hole, to keep anything from fraying (this is where I goofed from our lesson, but all well).

8. Attach a safety pin to one end of your ribbon and carefully slide the ribbon (or string) through the bags compartment on top. Once it's through, attach the ends to one another, fold them over, and sew down to create a strong end. Don't sew too much or you won't be able to open up your laundry bag. 

Ta-da!!! You've just finished creating your very own drawstring laundry bag! Now you can hang it up, use the ribbon as a handle, close your bag, and re-open it. Perfect for laundry day or storage if you went that route. 

Because I used a shower curtain AND I made sure to keep the loops in the sewing plans (they are located on the inside, towards the top of the bag), I can now loop a hanger through the hole and hang it in the closet for my little guy to easily access the opening for his dirty clothes. Making me one happy momma. 

I have to say, this is freaking awesome. My little guy loves it and has been good about using it, but it's only been one day. Hopefully this will keep things clean though, because every parent knows anything that makes our cleaning lives easier is a huge success. Therefore this is a huge success and I hope it will continue to be.

See the Unseen: Hunting Ghosts.

I've talked about the spooky happenings that lurk around every corner in our house during

the night time hours (see HERE). While things haven't necessarily progressed in any fashion whatsoever, things haven't necessarily slowed down either. I truly don't think we have any negative energies here, but I'm definitely convinced that something unknown is here.

Let me start out by saying that I have ZERO intention of trying to "contact" any spirits or antagonize them in ANY way. I fully respect that they are [possibly] here, but I refuse to communicate with it. Call me silly, but I don't feel like upsetting anyone or anything.

What I am interested in, is possibly seeing remnants or perhaps some sort of figure. I can't exactly explain why, but I felt like getting a thermal camera of some sort would give us a better opportunity to see something. After careful consideration and a little research, I found a portable camera that can simply attach to my iPhone or iPad (they even have one for Android devices). With a little driving, I finally got my hands on the Seek Thermal Compact Camera.

This small device instantly transforms your mobile device and tablet into a thermal seeking camera with a multitude of settings, including: capturing videos/pictures, temperatures shown on the screen, different thermal modes, and the capability to work day or night. All of this is done through it's app.

One thing I didn't really anticipate with this Otterbox product, is the simplicity yet confusing nature of it's set up. Granted this could be because the box may or may not have been previously purchased - I'm unsure, because it wasn't marked as such, but the packaging stickers were already ripped. Inside I found a neat "cover" for the camera, to help it withstand falling and a small sheet of paper that looked as if it had been printed and sloppily cut out.

Needless to say I was a bit thrown off, but I went forward with using it because I know what's going to happen with it tomorrow.

The cap is on here

Without any directions whatsoever, I plugged the camera into my phone and an immediate "download request" popped up on my screen, asking me to download the free app that comes with the device. Seconds later everything was up and working, with a quick tutorial video available for watching. A little late, but semi-useful nonetheless.

I waited for nightfall, made sure my little guy was fast asleep, turned off all the lights, and proceeded to walk around the house with the thermal camera operating.

I didn't expect to see such a vivid quality of any heat at all, but you could literally see the footsteps on the carpet from where I had previously walked. As for any ghost proof, I don't really have any solid pics or video. 

Quick story: the reason I attempted this was because of sounds being heard throughout the night, things being moved, items being thrown, and curtains being messed with. Along with that, I've literally had moments where I'd be walking down the hallway swearing left and right that I had heard someone talk to me. While I'm not sure what I heard, I know I heard something.

The device itself is marketed at $250, but I was able to get it for $120 (it was on sale at Best

My padawan

Buy). The overall app is pretty accurate with heat sources and cold sources, even showing the exact amount of a cold drink in a cup by using the temperature range. I do like that you can take photos and videos quite easily as well, but I was really confused with why it all seemed so sketchy with no directions and a weird paper insert.

Personally I don't think the price matches the usage you'd get from it, but perhaps you'd have better reasoning for it. If so and it's something you could continuously use (hunting maybe?), then the price would indeed be worth it. The quality is amazing and it's easy to navigate, but I have no real need to use it on a daily basis. I've been trying this for about 5 days now and nothing.

I'm not blaming the camera AT ALL, but with so little action I will be returning this product. Like I said, I don't necessarily think it's not worth it, it's simply not something I need to own. As for my ghost hunting days, I still plan on trying to capture something. A photo, a sound, a video, something. I don't want to ask it for anything and perhaps that's why it won't make itself known - or I'm going senile already - but I'm not pushing it. For now, I'll endure the sounds and weird noises for what they are to me. Ghost sounds.

Scientifically Speaking.

Found HERE

Hello and happy Monday Jedi's! I hope you've had a fabulous weekend and to all those mother's out there, happy belated Mother's Day!

Today I'd like to talk about a potential read that I'm seriously considering adding to my collection. The reason behind it is both intriguing and funny, because the way I came across this [most likely] future read was through a television show that's known for speaking on relevant topics - current events to be exact - while still remaining entertaining to the "younger" crowds. It's called "Desus and Mero" and is shown on the Viceland channel. 

One of their episodes that I watched this past weekend, featured a world renowned astrophysicist - along with a few other titles - Neil deGrasse Tyson.

You may know him as the number two known scientist in the world - right below Bill Nye - but something you may not know is that he actually writes books that could exponentially expand your mind and take your thinking process to a whole new level of amazement. 

While watching the episode, Neil was asked [more or less] to briefly explain his newest book "Astrophysics for People in a Hurry". His explanation was more of a ponder for all those interested as well: "Might we not be smart enough to even know what question to ask, on the frontier of cosmic discovery. Not only that, could there be a question we don't even know yet, that will arise only after we've moved the frontier forward that much further, enable you to stand at a new place to see new questions. Those are the question I wanna know about." 

This in itself left me replaying the scene over and over, resulting in me writing down the quote to further inspect. It consistently puzzled me until I stopped thinking of it as a riddle that needed to be solved and more so as advice with an opportunity of self-discovery mixed in.

As I sat, finally coming to a possible understanding of this quote, I realized that the time I spent thinking of this led me to so many more questions than answers. It made me dwell on life itself and critical thinking of how the present should truly be seen. 

This. This is why I want to purchase this book. If just that quote alone, a small [possible] summary of what could come with reading the actual book, led me to use my mind in that way, then why WOULDN'T I want to continue reading?

To me, anything that could exercise your thinking skills and thought process, is worth looking into, because the most powerful tool we have as human beings, is our mind. 

So riddle me this Jedi's, what did you think when you read that quote? Have you come to any ideas on what it means? Everyone's thinking is different, therefore everyone's answers could differ. Share what you think and let's chat about that!

Food Feature Friday #29: Food Goals

Having lived in southern California all my life, has left me feeling a little spoiled regarding the accessibility I have to good food. Granted there are delicious eateries all over the world, and I'm not saying that our food is the best, but I do like how you can find authentic (or as close as possible) dishes from around the globe within a short driving distance. 

One thing I will blatantly admit however, is that while I may have tried a few good cooking joints I still have numerous restaurants close by that I haven't had the opportunity to try. Some of these - for those of you who live in southern California - could possibly lead you to say "seriously?!". Yes I'm probably one of the few people who lives next to popular eateries and doesn't eat at them. 

I tend to avoid "fads" and "crazes" for a multitude of reasons including the one where I'm an anxious introvert, so when a bunch of people are doing something, more often than not I'm not partaking in it. 

Now that most of these aren't constantly talked about - since people are doing the newest thing - I decided to make a list of my [hopefully] soon, new eating adventures. So without further ado, here is my list:

- Phil's BBQ
- Lucha Libre Taco Shop
- The Godfather 
- Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles
- Donut Panic
- Tacos El Gordo
- The Broken Yolk
- The Marine Room for High Tide Breakfast

These are just a few places that I can think of at this moment, but for now I think this list is long enough. My goal is to finally eat at each of these places this year AND provide reviews for each one to you guys. 

I will admit to you all, this wasn't my intended post. I had an entire meal planned out, but unfortunately I didn't get to it. The best part is though, I'll have [probably] two food posts for you all next week!

Happy Friday Jedi's! Stay safe and have fun.

Working Like A Rihanna Song.

Today I've been doing so much planning and crafting that my little hands are so incredibly exhausted. I simply can't type the content planned. My excuse? Being human. 

I love you all so much and while I truly adore writing to you all, but my hands just aren't having it. 

I hope you all had a great day Jedi's! See you tomorrow for another Food Feature Friday. 

My Stance On Marijuana.

Found HERE

Marijuana has long been known as a drug too easily accessible to a wide variety of demographics and a harmful gateway that will inevitably lead users into a life of substance abuse. While many protestors have made headway in the fight against the negative "persona" marijuana has, there is still a strong rebel against the usage. There's also a stigma that stems from misinformation and the ignorance from people who don't understand the difference between CBD and THC. One of many misconceptions.

Marijuana, also known as cannabis (among other names), is a naturally grown plant that you can find in the wild like flowers or trees. It's mainly used for one of two reasons: the psychoactive response (getting high) and the medicinal properties.

One quick insert I'd like to include now, is a short video I found from a well-known online "brand" and now TV show, "Adam Ruins Everything". It's an informational - yet not boring - clip about the past historical remnants of marijuana and it's play throughout United States history. I personally liked how it wasn't just seen as a completely biased, pro-mary jane propaganda, but more so as an "educational" video. You can check that video out HERE

No worries, I'll wait... All done? Great, let's move on.

To make things clear, I'm not an avid marijuana user. I don't smoke "bowls" or partake in "wake and bake" sessions. I'm simply an advocate for the pursuit of happiness.

You see, our declaration of independence (USA) has clearly outlined that liberty and the pursuit of happiness are our fundamental rights. So how each person chooses to indulge in a "drug" that doesn't affect people like alcohol does, within the privacy of their home, shouldn't necessarily be up to the discussion of the government. Classifying this drug in the same category as heroin is a bit farfetched in my eyes, but as I've always said, "to each their own".

The medicinal benefits of cannabis ranges between a multiple of symptomatic relief, including the stoppage of seizures, nausea, anxiety, depression, sleeplessness, pain (arthritis, back pain, tooth ache, etc.), along with many others. In fact, there is even a movie about a man who's become a medical marijuana advocate due to his own progression with CBD oils.

Ride with Larry is a film (found on Netflix or his website: see HERE) that documents how poorly Larry's life has been with his Parkinson's and the struggles he goes through while exhausting every medical "remedy" out there, except for marijuana. When he ventures into the world of cannabis and CBD oils, he notices something amazing and takes on a challenge he never thought possible. It's a film worth watching for a personal story on how weed isn't just "weed".

As a plant that grows in the wild we often say things like "Poison ivy is a plant, but we don't smoke that". While we may not smoke poison ivy, we do in fact use it for medical purposes. Scientists have been using poison ivy to help treat osteoarthritis and to desensitize patients with urushiol allergies. While not all plants are "magical" and can truly help patients with medical ailments, but there are numerous reports of CBD helping patients in need. THC isn't far behind either.

THC is the component mostly known for giving that "high" effect for people. What most don't know is that there is actually a pharmaceutical formulation of THC called dronabinol that is readily available via prescription throughout the USA and Canada.

Let that sink in for a second. Marijuana is known as a hard drug, yet is prescribed in a less natural way for numerous medical needs., including but not limited to: Nausea, vomiting (including for patients who are undergoing chemo), and anorexia in HIV/AIDS patients. Codeine is a readily available drug, yet the side effects are far more harmful than natural THC.

THC is more often than not the reason government officials use to rule this drug a harsh product that negatively effects society. While I do not recommend driving, operating machinery, or doing anything that requires your full attention, I don't think it should be classified as harshly as other illegal - yet accessible - drugs.

There have been numerous cases of people's health improving drastically with CBD oils and THC. Cancer patients are constantly popping up out of the woodworks attesting to the glorious relief cannabis has provided them. With so few options out there to truly help us without gaining some side effects, I don't think the thousands of people who have fully functioned with this drug and only gained - maybe - a couple pounds from the food they eat, along with the peaceful sleep they've been able to have, would all randomly ban together to advocate for something the FDA has even tried to manipulate themselves.

Perhaps looking further into the real life behind a "stoner" is something every anti-marijuana person needs to investigate. PTSD, anxiety, depression, anorexia, pain, migraines, insomnia, have all been relieved by cannabis. Side effects? Possible temporary grogginess (which can be relieved by sleeping and mimics [less severely] like most allergy medicines), hunger, dry mouth (again, resembling some common antihistamines), slowed coordination (alcohol much), and a relaxed sleepiness (Nyquil anyone???).

So if a drug can be classified as harshly as some of the hardest drugs sold on the streets, yet provide remedies similar to over the counter medicines (just naturally), what is that to say about the drugs we are constantly prescribed and purchase?

Are there statements about more severe effects supposedly caused by marijuana? Absolutely. Is there any hard evidence provided by the FDA or any reputable scientific foundation? Not exactly.

Regarding the recreational use of marijuana, I feel like this does need some standards regarding safety precautions - as we've done with alcohol and cigarettes - but there is some concern of the FDA's true purpose of getting their hands fully on the cannabis industry. Knowing their ability to alter a natural drug into something more chemically compound (like they've done with THC as I discussed above) often makes people weary, but I think with the right demographical weed farmers - along with the strong stance and backing to keep it pure and natural - the medical marijuana industry could flourish. I'm not anti-recreational, I'm simply anti-government altering. Purely natural with no greed is the only way to succeed.

What do you think Jedi's? Are you pro- or anti- marijuana? I'm open to comments, suggestions, opinions, and criticism. You rock no matter what voice you have, so let's hear them!