Timeshare Trip CANCELLED!!!

Earlier this month I discussed our timeshare experience and how we scored a free trip to any of Wyndam's locations provided to us on our vouchers. Initially we intended on taking the car up to Lake Tahoe for a few days, in hopes of making a great mini vacation before school started up again. However, things have changed.

Besides the fact that we have to pay the tax for the entire trip - which is significantly less than what the trip would normally cost I might add, we also would have to pay for our own food to an extent. Which ISN'T what we were told.

Upon being gifted our dining coupon card worth $100 we were told that the card would give us access to easily accessible vouchers online, giving us plenty of funds to feed our vacation in Lake Tahoe. Well today we decided we weren't going to go to Lake Tahoe anymore, due to our car's transmission not being in the greatest conditions. So instead we decided to use our dining card for a dinner here in San Diego, which was accepted by the terms and conditions. Something NOT stated however (nor expressed prior), is that the coupon does NOT actually cover your food expenses.

We went online to try and redeem our card using the code provided. I had to first search for a restaurant, create an account, redeem my card, checkout with my chosen gift certificates, THEN use my credits to pay for the voucher I wished to redeem. Only after purchasing was I shown the terms and conditions, meaning that when they say "restaurant requires $30 minimum", they mean you personally have to spend a minimum of $30 out of pocket to even use your $10 gift certificate. Best part? Even if you purchase $30 worth of vouchers, thinking it would cover your $30 minimum purchase requirements, you can only use ONE voucher. Per restaurant. Per party. Per MONTH.

That's right. Month.

I was livid. I couldn't believe that after I had used $40 worth of credits, I couldn't even use them, basically rendering my entire "purchase" useless. It ruined our night by not allowing us to go out like we had intended AND it made me completely regret wasting my time at the timeshare meeting. Granted I could go to another timeshare presentation during a better financial time in my life, to be able to comfortably afford the vacation expenses, but quite frankly this experience has only made me give up on the idea altogether.

Perhaps ask me in a few months when the sting has cooled off a bit.

Regardless I'm happy I learned, because sometimes the unknown is frustrating and now I know that it's not worth it.

Have you guys experienced timeshare meetings? How was it for you? Leave your experiences in the comment section below.

Food Feature Friday #40: Recipe Hacks For Every Fridge!

These days it can be hard to make a decent meal for anyone with a seemingly limited amount of items in the fridge. While it might seem like you don't have anything to fulfill a hearty meal, you'd be surprised with what a few clicks on the interweb could provide for you.

While I was browsing the infamously addicting Pinterest website, I came across this "meme ad" informing people about a website that [supposedly] gives you a list of recipes that you can easily recreate with the items that are already in your fridge. Most of the time I'm skeptical of the websites advertised in meme form, but I decided to put this particular one to the test.

After putting in a couple of different ingredients that I currently had in my pantry and fridge, I was given numerous recipes. I will say that a good handful of the recipes provided were a tad similar, but I didn't exactly provide everything I had. Which made the list rather small.

The website I'm talking about it called myfridgefood.com and it's a game changer.

Sometimes I have random items in my fridge with no sense on what to make with said items. This website not only helps me figure out what to cook up, but it adds recipes to my personal collection for future meals. My Fridge Food also helps me minimize waste, by allowing me to simply use what I have instead of purchasing extra food to create a one time dish. Additionally, this will help save money.

You don't just have the opportunity to find new recipes, but you can also add recipes to the site as well. Perhaps you know of a quick dish that takes minimal ingredients? Submit your own recipes to help others who may not be as clever as you.

But what if there are too many choices or perhaps a limited amount of time to complete your meal? Don't want to bother browsing through a ton of ideas? Need help deciding? Well on myfridgefood.com they have a "decider" button, that helps with all the above! The fifth button from the left on the navigator bar, will be a button called "decider". Simply click on it, answer a few key questions, and you'll find yourself with a selective few choices that will be optimal for you.

Another great point about myfridgefood.com is that you won't be stuck with making mediocre meals. The recipes are actually subpar dishes that would impress anyone. They may not be 5 star dishes from your local fine dining restaurant, but they won't taste or look like last resorts either.

So when you're stuck on what to make with very limited items around to work with, head to this website for a fresh list of delicious options.

4 Obvious Hacks Every Parent Can Use!

Every parent has their moments of trying to solve space issues concerning the kiddos. Whether it be bunk beds or downsizing the amount of stuff they have, we're constantly in a battle with trying to keep things organized and put together. I know for myself Pinterest has been a gigantic help with keeping things put together, but sometimes I come up with a few solutions that are relatively simple. They are more like "ah ha" moments rather than "hey look I made up a new organizing tip". Some of them you may already know, while others may be new but obvious. I for one wish I would've thought about these simple hacks a lot sooner, so without further ado here are 4 tips every parent can use!

First up, hats.

My little guy has started his own mini hat collection and while it's not as extensive as it might be at some point, I've mildly struggled with how to store his hats. I initially had them in his dresser drawer, but quickly found that it was a hassle trying to keep their shape after they've been stored in a small area (his dresser is tiny).

I have seen a few other - more expensive - solutions to storing hats, but seeing as how we are on a budget, I didn't think any of those were viable options. So I decided to use good ol' push pins. Simply put a few push pins in a line with enough space for the hats to hang and now your little one has a mini display and wall art. This has definitely helped my son keep his hats in good condition and remember to wear one when we go out for walks, making this obvious hack an awesome solution to this problem.

Next up, clothes that don't fit.

Kids grow. It's a normal thing and sometimes it drives us insane. Clothes aren't exactly cheap these days and it can be hard to find form fitting outerwear for kids during their growth spurts. Currently my Padawan is in between sizes, making the struggle difficult this summer with shorts and pants.

Recently he tried on a pair of pants that fit his waist (he's on the slender side due to genetics), but were a bit short in length, making them ankle high. I didn't really want his to wear pants that looked ill fitting, but it upset me that they fit his waist so well while being unwearable. That is, until I decided to simply "trim" the pants into shorts. I left enough room in case I decided to hem them, but not too much to wear it was awkward. Just enough to make these old army pants into stylish cut off shorts, perfect for a growing boy on hot days!

Now let's talk about books.

We as parents always strive to get our kids to read more. We buy loads of books in hopes to motivate them into extending their imaginations vocabularies through literacy, but more often than not it doesn't work out like we'd hoped. Perhaps they read a book or two, but soon enough their back to the video games and television. It's hard to get kids to read, but something that I've noticed has helped my son is making them highly visible.

Every morning my son wakes up and the first thing at the end of his bed is a tv stand filled with books. His video game characters sit on the upper shelf, but all along the bottom open shelf is books. Books, books, and books. Every kind he likes, things he can easily understand, and loads of diversity.

We used to have all the books in the living room, but I realized they were being dismissed for the other treasures that lurked in his toy box, because they were in sight. In sight, in mind. So I changed things up. The toys are still ever present and played with, but with the books put into a line of sight that is almost immediate upon waking up and can be grabbed with ease, he's taken his own initiative to read. At night is story time, but during the day he will take a moment to pick a book and read on his bed. Giving my Padawan the opportunity to choose his own reading material and when to do it, has given him the independence to learn what reading material he truly enjoys, allowing him to further enjoy reading. Ultimately all these positives keep him interested in reading, pushing his interest further without me having to push him. Remember, out of sight, out of mind.

Lastly, laundry.

I used to put my little guys clothes in my hamper and never think twice about it again. I also used to have to tell my Padawan to pick up his dirty clothes off the floor constantly. It was a mild pet peeve of mine, but you can only be so irked by your 6 year old. After some time wondering how to snap him out of his bad habit before he left me with piles of clothes to climb over, I realized it pertained to the same concept previously mentioned: out of sight out of mind.

I've talked a little about this hack in a past DIY post (see HERE), but I thought it would be wise to go into a little more detail.

In an effort to solve this growing problem, I placed a laundry bag into my son's room where he could easily put his own dirty clothes. To help bring the excitement, I also allowed him to help sew his own laundry bag. This way he felt like his creation was being to good use and he himself could constantly use it. He's the type of person who really likes to make his own useful items, so this was a game changer for him.

A dramatic improvement has occurred and now he puts his dirty clothes in his own hamper. Hopefully he will continue to pick up after himself, but as for now his room has been clean as can be.

Like I said, these are all obvious hacks, but sometimes they can slip our mind. After all, we're busy with being parents. We can't be expected to remember EVERYTHING!

Binge Watching Obsession: July 2017

In the past I've talked about a few of my Netflix interests (see HERE), so today I decided to share with you guys my current binge watching obsession. Something I've tried to enjoy whenever possible. The only thing I recommend is being sure to not watch it around children, seeing as how it's rated M for mature and it's REALLY mature.

Shameless is the show and real is the game.

This show made it's showcase in 2011 and is still currently running on Showtime. While the newest season is coming, it's most likely going to make it's appearance around June 2018. All the seasons are on Netflix as well, allowing you optimal binging experience.

It's based around a highly dysfunctional family that struggles to make ends meet while their alcoholic father works on staying drunk. Things may be tough, but every one of the 5 kids (minus the baby) try their best to pull their own weight. Between working at a convenience liquor store, to helping kids pass the SAT, the Gallagher family does everything they can to take care of their own.

Currently I'm in season 2 and I'm already 100% hooked. The entire family has their own issues within themselves and the series focuses on a lot of very real scenarios that underprivileged families go through on a daily basis. I will say that the series has full nudity (front and back) for quite a few scenes and their is a bit of sex, but if you don't mind a few seconds of naked flesh you'll see topics such as homosexuality, adultery, addiction, and even death become topics of multiple episodes.

Honestly I've grown to admire Fiona the most, seeing as how she has handled way more than someone her age should and she's managed to juggle her own life within all the chaos. It's been insane how each member's lives have played out and how everyone's kept their cool regardless of the circumstances that are seemingly never ending.

It [should be] could be called an awakening to those who live a life much less horrifying than this one. I for one definitely find myself viewing my issues as minuet compared to Fiona Gallagher.

This show is worth the watch, resembling a "Cuckoo" meets "Unfortunate-Events"-for-adults type of genre.

So if you're in the market for a show that will make you laugh, ponder, and say "WHAT?!", check on "Shameless" now on Netflix!

Turtle and Tortoise Show: An Adventure At Balboa Park

Hello Jedi's and thank you for your patience yesterday. Last night I went straight to bed and today I finally feel much better. Not 100%, but I'm functional now.

Yesterday I mentioned how my Padawan and I went to Balboa Park this past weekend to check out the Turtle and Tortoise show, which also had a coinciding plant sale going on as well. We decided to check it out in hopes we'd find a good plant for Yoda and while I was right about the plant, I was a tad disappointed.

First off I'd like to say that I had high expectations for this event so my disappointment isn't necessarily a depiction on the quality of the event itself. This was my first time checking out their annual show and while I was expecting something the size of the Reptile Show (see HERE), I do think this event was something of interest.

In front of the steps leading to the room where this all took place, there was a little table with baby tortoises relaxing in the shade and three people telling me that the tortoises are straight ahead. Gleeful, we waltzed right in.

To the left there were an abundance of plants, some tortoise edible and some not. Most were labeled with their names and whether or not they were indeed edible, but a few weren't. Unsure of which were suitable specifically for my little Redfooted Tortoise, I asked the lady her recommendations, but was quickly shut down due to her lack of knowledge pertaining to my specific breed of tortoise. Another lady however quickly stepped in and sold me a $2 plant that was not only edible for Yoda, but apparently a huge hit with hers.

Side note about the non-photographed plant: Yoda doesn't seem to be "running" to eat it, but he does seem to like the extra green inside his terrarium bedroom.

Besides the plants, they also had a few selective tortoises along the wall in their own set up. Some up for adoption, others simply for teaching. I - being the inquisitive human that I am - asked loads of questions and viewed each adorable tortoise. I would like to say that it broke my heart to pieces having to leave the adoptable shell babies at the show. I wanted to scoop them all up and shower them with lettuce and love.

Yes I'm aware they eat more than lettuce.

I do think a few looked a bit sad and more than anxious to get out, but I wasn't there to judge. I don't know their homes and I truly do hope that they are all given the best of lives.

In the inner region of the seemingly acceptable sized room, they had a group of tables making a rectangle, each placed with separate items. One with t-shirts tortoise themed, one with houses for tortoises, one with tortoise jewelry, and one with miscellaneous tortoise memorabilia (beanie babies, keychains, calendars, etc.). None of which I purchased.

I was a bit curious about purchasing a big bag of hay for Yoda's outside enclosure, but I wasn't sure if it was suitable for him. I have been told they eat hay, so I wanted to clarify whether or not it could be consumed by a redfoot. Unfortunately no one could tell me whether or not it could be chowed on by Yoda, nor did they have any real knowledge of redfoots. This is the reason for majority of my slight disappointment.

Coming to the event I had hoped to find a variety of plants that Yoda could enjoy, learn some key facts about my little shell child (you can never know enough), and perhaps see some gorgeous creatures. I did see some creatures and I did find one plant, but nothing to the expectation I had in my mind.

Regardless I enjoyed myself and my little Padawan enjoyed seeing all the tortoises at the show. I probably won't be returning anytime soon, so it will be added to my list of "I'm still glad I experienced it" adventures. I do recommend those in San Diego that have tortoises/turtles to check it out, because they may have knowledge pertaining to your little buddies. Just not redfoots. Who knows, maybe they'll even learn a thing or two for the next event.

It's OK To Take A [Mental] Break.

Something you guys might not know is I suffer from anemia. It's been kept under control for the most part, but for the last few days I've had severe migraines and dizziness. I'm almost positive this is related to my iron levels being low. So while I truly wanted to be able to tell you guys about our adventure at the Tortoise and Turtle show this past weekend, I'll have to save it for tomorrow.

My head is literally pulsating just looking at the computer screen.

So I'll be turning off the electronics, trying to eat something (and keep it down, because the migraine has also made me nauseous), drinking plenty of water, and resting till morning.

I apologize for the lack of content, but I just can't handle the agonizing pain pounding through my jaw, eyeballs, and forehead. I hope you all have a great night Jedi's. Much love and keep on rockin'.

Food Feature Friday #39: Nomad's Donuts for Everyone!

Breakfast can be at anytime of day or night and can consist of any sort of food. From steak to cereal, you can have anything for breakfast. There aren't really any rules except for maybe abstaining from ice-cream, but again that's a personal choice. I for one have different cravings each morning and today I decided that donuts would make for the perfect start to the day.

While I could've just gone to the donut shop down the block, I decided to try an infamous shop not too far from our home. With raving reviews and numerous pictures showcasing the glorious goodness all over Instagram, I absolutely had to taste the pastries for myself. I'm talking about Nomad Donuts.

For those of you who aren't sure what a "nomad" is, it's someone without a permanent home who travels from place to place.

First up I'd like to say that parking can be a little hectic with no designated spots, but it only took us a few minutes to find a relatively close spot. After a few moments of walking - roughly 3 minutes or so - we arrived at a quaint building with selective seating outdoors. It definitely resembled a "hole in the wall" style restaurant, but stepping inside you can almost instantly feel the home-like resemblance of the entire establishment.

There's very limited space inside Nomad's, so you'll have to squeeze by or wait outside for your chance to catch a glimpse of their display case, but all in all you'll make it to the front. There you'll see a small-ish case of donut flavors, along with a unique display on the wall of beautiful shirt designs (available for purchase) and a list of their available donuts for the day.

Something I'd like to add is that the flavors change every day, minus a few key flavors that cease to disappear for good reason. They also have "cake donuts", which have the consistency of cake, and gluten-free donuts for the gluten sensitive.

With a handful of "bigger-than-fist-sized" donuts neatly placed in a box, we headed home to taste the decadent breakfast desserts.

Between the adversely different flavors and the simplistic ones, we chose to try:

- vanilla bean
- blackberry jam, black currant
- maple
- chocolate
- blueberry coconut

I will say I was tempted to try the honey peach and the ube taro coconut, but I was especially craving the specific ones we had chosen. Hence their absence in our box of goodies.

Describing these donuts is something I can do it a jiffy. Delicious. The flavors aren't necessarily out of this world - at least for the ones we devoured - but they did have an edge on the typical donuts you'd probably purchase from your average donut shop. Light and fluffy, glazed to perfection, infused with an excellent dose of berries (for the blackberry jam donut), and soft like a pillow worth sleeping on. Basically it's perfect in every aspect.

However.

I don't think the price is especially right for the donuts themselves. Do I regret this visit? Absolutely not. We were able to scarf down mouthwatering donuts from a local shop that deserves recognition, but if I'm in the mood for a vanilla or chocolate I'll be heading to the local shop for a sprinkle or chocolate twist. As for the intricate flavors, perhaps I'll take another trip to this nomad paradise.

San Diego Comic Con 2017: An Outside Look

Comic Con is an infamous event that takes place here in San Diego, CA. For 4 days - 5 if you go to preview night as well - and each day is jam packed with comic goodness galore. From sneak peaks into upcoming shows and movies, to limited edition content that can only be purchased at Comic Con, there are numerous reasons to try and snag a ticket to this amazing event. If you're unable to purchase a badge like we were, there is still hope in enjoying this character carnival on the outside!

For us, we decided to basically just wing it. Unfortunately we didn't get to Downtown as early as I would have liked, but we were still able to enjoy ourselves nonetheless.

First up we stepped in the artistic world of Broad City. It's an upcoming show on Comedy Central and the way they advertised it was a beautiful rendition of art.

We were all able to walk in, grab a small tin of paint, and paint our hearts out.

On the walls, canvases placed on the floor, chairs marked with lines. You name it, you can paint it.

Personally this was my favorite of all the events we got to experience. We literally left our mark on the Comedy Central world. What will be made of our paint is unknown, but I plan on keeping my eyes open.

Next up we were able to check out the Kong experience, where we walked under a giant layout of bones, snapped a pic in front of a semi-truck sized skull, strolled through the "jungle" and saw the giant sized Kong hand awaiting our arrival.

Seeing as how we had already seen the movie it wasn't anything new, but the experience was still incredibly riveting.

The tunnel made my Padawan a little jumpy, but nothing crazy. He was afraid something - or someone - would jump out at us. Luckily (as I already knew and told him) nothing did and we made it to the otherside.

This experience was mostly for the pictures, but I still recommend the 2 minute wait.

Afterwards we headed to the Walking Dead display. Something I'd like to mention now is that I haven't seen this show or any of the episodes. I've simply seen the pictures and clips displayed all over social media.

This was particularly risky, because I had to continuously explain that zombies were fiction and there was absolutely nothing to fear about makeup. Eventually he got the idea (once I described how they actually made the costumes) and ended up enjoying the entire area.

He's a bit of a zombie fan, but I've never let him watch this show (or any zombie show) due to the violence.

Inside the event you were able to take a swing at a baseball, just like Neegan from the infamous scene that's been raged on about. A few select zombies were also strolling about, giving you optimal photo opportunities, never breaking character. You can also sit down in a "junkyard style" seating area to watch some clips of The Walking Dead and it's upcoming season. There were other opportunities as well - like a mini "walkthrough" which I'm still unsure about, because I refused to take my son into it.

One of the last exhibits we saw was the set scenes from three popular shows: Orange is the New Black, Game of Thrones, and Luke Cage.

Personally I was only interested in going into the cafeteria of Orange is the New Black, merely because I haven't seen any of the other shows. Also something I wish I had snapped a picture of, but didn't because I chowed it down, was that at the end of our pic opportunity we were given "shank candies". Basically three jolly ranchers melted together and slightly "sharpened" at one end to resemble what has been featured in OITNB.

We were also able to take a picture in front of a snow speeder from Star Wars, "meet" Darth Vader, create free t-shirts from an upcoming new show called "Mr. Mercedes", win a fidget spinner, and check out the "Hey Arnold" truck.

With the night at an end, my feet are exhausted and my little guy is knocked out. We may not have spent anything - except $1 for parking - but we still had fun with the little time we had.

We aren't guaranteed to be returning tomorrow, but it is a possibility. If we do however, we will definitely be aiming to go earlier than we did today. For now we will be resting our bodies and dreaming of the fun that is to [potentially] come!

School Shopping on a Budget: First Grade Edition!

Last year my Padawan and I decided to homeschool for his Kindergarten year. While I truly cherish the time we spent together and I truly believe that it greatly benefited him educationally wise, but ultimately it was decided that we would try public school. It was a hard decision to make, but I see it like this:

- he will get the opportunity to socialize in a much more scheduled routine

- he will get the same learning opportunities at school and at home

- I can still partake in his activities along with volunteering

- It will [hopefully] help his independence

I don't necessarily mind my little guy being homeschooled - except for the fact that he doesn't like to see me as his teacher all the time - but I truly think this will help him excel in life with a multitude of new tools. That being said, we had to pick up a few new items for his school this year and being on a budget is my way of living, so of course I had to show you all what we got and how you too can get everything super cheap!

First off if you're not sure what school supplies your little one might need (perhaps the school list hasn't been released), check out a really neat website I found called "School Supply List". You can easily look up your padawan's school - hopefully it's there - and see what their list will consist of for which grades. Personally it's relatively self explanatory and easy when they're little, but things can get pricey nonetheless.

To start off our school shopping, we headed to Toys R' Us for a backpack and lunchbox. Now I'm a re-user, so I was just going to opt for my son using the orange camo backpack we got two years ago, but I know that he really wanted a special backpack for his new school year. Something most people don't know though is the cheap price Toys R' Us has along with the current deal that they do almost every year, and that is that if you purchase a backpack (roughly $12 for an expensive one), you get a lunchbox free! No you're not stuck with a mediocre lunchbox, you (or your kiddos rather) can choose which lunchbox to claim.

My Padawan had many choices - Batman, Minions, Lego's, you name it - but he decided to go with a grey camo lunchbox as the pairing to his Lego Ninjago backpack. Personally I felt both were excellent choices and choosing a backpack for the kiddos can be more tedious than originally thought. Two key features I highly recommend on any backpack, are that they have straps to hook the lunchboxes onto and a water bottle side pocket to keep the wetness out of the actual bag itself. Two features that [believe me] make a bigger difference than you'd think.

Afterwards, we headed to Target to pick up the supplies to fill up my kiddo's new bag.

A few things I'd like to say now is this: some things SHOULD be name brand and some things don't matter. If it isn't specific, try to go the cheaper route. Also, don't worry so much about having brand new items. A backpack and lunch box I can understand, but besides that you really don't need to worry so much. Those pencils are going to get messed up anyways.

Here's the breakdown on how things went:

3 Folders $1.00 each

2 Black spiral notebooks $0.50 each

1 Minecraft spiral notebook $2.50

2 Pack of erasers $0.50

2 Pack of glue sticks $0.99

Crayola markers $0.99

Crayola colored pencils $0.99

Crayola crayons $0.50

Fiskars scissors $1.49

Pencils were free (we had extras from last year)

Minions case was free from last year

All in all, less than $12 for every bit of supplies are under $14 for a brand new backpack AND lunchbox, bringing the grand total to: $26! Granted that's not including the new clothes, but to be honest we won't be going crazy with that. We have so many "hand me downs" and thrift finds, we may just get a few new key pieces here and there.

Side note: the tiny blue item in the middle of the school supplies, is a mini hand sanitizer I got for free using a Bath and Bodyworks coupon I received in the mail. My Padawan loved it and he's a little health conscious.

My dad and his girlfriend gave us a gift card for Target to shop for his school supplies and with so little used, we will be able - or at least are going to try - to stretch the gift card out for the rest of the year. Seeing as how we don't need much else, we're going to use it for anything needed throughout the year. Shoes, a sweater, perhaps some more crayons, whatever necessary. For now, we're able to get by with what we've purchased.

As you can see school shopping doesn't have to be insanely stressful or insanely expensive. With [hopefully] a head start on school shopping, you and your little ones will be able to start the new school year with a clear mind and a smile because you'll have gotten everything for less! Now that's smart.

Reorganizing a Disaster, With a Side of Ice Cream.

Today I decided to tackle on a project I've long since put off, reorganizing my hall closet.

A minor detail I should include is that the entire hall closest is a basically a wall with 4 long shelves and 6 doors, hiding [technically] 12 large sized cubby holes, filled with crap galore. Between decorations, beach toys, linens, and miscellaneous items, my closet was overflowing. Each time I opened a door, it was like playing Tetris trying to avoid an avalanche of any sorts. Once I got word that Target was having a sale on storage bins - for those students heading to college - I went to my local money pit (because I spend too much here) and picked up a handful of them in all different sizes.

Unfortunately they didn't all have my favorite colored lids - turquoise - but white sufficed. Besides, it was what they were going to help me accomplish, not necessarily the color of their lid that mattered.

Immediately after I got home I went through all the cupboards except for the very bottom section of one (because I ran out of bins) and was able to organize absolutely everything. With minimal items out of bins - an iron, a humidifier, and a bucket of tools - I stood back pleased with my success. Granted I wish I could've covered the bins inside so you couldn't see what was inside, but I know it would've driven me crazy not being able to see later in the future. I don't plan on labeling them either, since I can see and distinctly remember what I put in each box with what.

I have to say even though it was extremely hot and humid in our hallway and I spent the hottest hours of the days making a pile of mess everywhere, I'm beyond ecstatic with what I've been able to accomplish. I still have to get rid of a few things in the closet (they are organized though) and a few items from our storage unit, then I can put the bottom shelf items in the storage unit (beach toys, wood, dirt, and sand), freeing up space to put our board games in the hallway.

Putting the board games in the hall closet would then free up our dresser, currently being used as a TV stand in the living room. I haven't quite decided what I'll do with the dresser yet: sell it, put it in my room, or turn it into a bigger turtle tank (ultimately selling our DIY one, but I really don't want to get rid of it). Regardless, I'm just excited to free up space.

I know I need to downsize, which I have been doing in a sense, but for now I think the amount of crap I got rid of is adequate enough to say I've cleansed the house. Much to do, so little time, but it's getting done.

Tomorrow I plan on downsizing my son's toys, because he got LOADS more from his birthday and I KNOW he's keeping some toys that he never plays with anymore.

After a long hot day of organizing, we decided to take a short drive to a close-by Cold Stone for some much needed ice-cream. We ended up in Old Town and decided to stroll through with cones in hand. A beautiful stroll at that.

Now that we're home, my Padawan passed out and I'm finally winding down myself. Bellies full, memories made, and closest cleaned. Overall it was a good day. 

DIY Cars Birthday Party: On a Budget, Without Anyone Knowing It!

Birthday's are big for me. There are other holidays I go all out for as well, but when it comes to my little padawan growing up, I do my best to make sure his birthday's are memorable. While I want to give him the best party ever, I don't always have the funds to splurge like I'd like to. This simply means I have to improvise.

Last year I threw my son a Star Wars themed party (see that post HERE) and everything was completely DIY. This year was no different. I wanted to do things DIY style again, with a few actual decorative pieces. The reason I decided to purchase a few key pieces that I didn't DIY myself, was simply because (thanks to Cars 3 being a big hit), there were a number of dollar - and budget friendly - "Cars" themed items at Target! So it was still a budget party, with DIY mixed in. 

First up, gift bags.

At Target they were selling eight gift bags for $3, so I purchased 2 sets. Then I used some sticker paper that I had (shipping labels, full sheets) and printed out an entire sheet of checkered patterned paper on the sticker paper. Using my mini paper guillotine, I cut strips 2 blocks tall and measured the length to fit the bags themselves. Once every strip was cut, I simply took the back off and slapped them [carefully] onto the bags themselves. 

Total so far: $6

As for the inserts - not photographed - I went to the dollar section and looked for some bags of goodies. I also decided to go to Target's party section to see their goody bags and I highly recommend checking the prices of the infamous "themed" goody bag packs on Amazon, because not only are they cheaper, but Target will price match!

Total now: $12

I also used my left over sticker paper and printed out multiple "Cars" logo's without the words, so the kids could write their names on them. This helped alleviate the "who's bag is who's" issue.

Now onto the decor:

I got some punch balloons (3 sets) that had Cars prints on them, a number 6 gold balloon (the size of two palms), a Cars center piece, and "road" themed duct tape, all from Target's Dollar section.

I was scrolling Pinterest one night, when I saw this mom print Lightning McQueen's eyes (the red car from Disney's Cars trilogy), cut them out, and glued them onto red cups. It made it look like the cups themselves were Lightning McQueen. I was inspired. 

My little padawan specifically wanted a Cars 3 theme, so I purchased brown (Tow Mater), black (Jackson Storm), and red (Lightning McQueen) colored cups from Dollar Tree. Then I googled each character's eyes, cropped the pictures, printed them out on sticker paper, and cut just the eyes out. Once every set of eyes was cut out, I stuck them on the corresponding characters colored cups. 

Afterwards I got 2 tablecloths:red and black and a silver platter for some cupcakes along with silverware all from Dollar Tree.

Current total: $25

As for the other "generic, pre-made decor", I purchased a Cars cupcake tower from Party City for $3, a Cars "Happy Birthday Banner" for $3, and some $2 Cars confetti, to bring together the entire theme together.

The cupcakes were all funfetti and I decided to skip any extra's by simply frosting one set red and one set yellow. Only thing left was to get a "6" candle and a pinata.

I decided to get the pinata from a small shop, instead of Party City, because I felt they were far less expensive and just as good of quality as a pricier one would be. The lady was incredibly sweet and had a Lightning McQueen among her many beautiful creations. The price was $20 and it could hold up to 8lbs of candy. It was a bit hard for the kiddos to break apart, but eventually candy rained and everyone dove for the sweets. 

Grand total: $54

All in all the total was more, seeing as how we supplied burgers, pizza (supplied by my mom), and drinks, plus I got a few cooking utensils and baskets to house the food momentarily, I didn't spend more than $75, making this 30 person party go off without a hitch!

As you can see, throwing a party doesn't have to be intricately detailed with the finest jewels. It's the memories and people you share them with that will make the moments last forever. 

Food Feature Friday #38: The Melting Pot Melted My Heart.

Last weekend my little padawan went to hang out with some family friends, so I was given the opportunity to have some mommy time. Seeing as how I'm always looking to try new things, I decided to eat at a fondue-styled restaurant called "The Melting Pot".

I'm a meat person and I'm a cheese person, so when I was told that I could "cook" my own meat AND dip it in cheese, I knew it was for me. 

When I entered I noticed Frank Sinatra playing on radio, with a semi-formal hostess gleaming at me immediately. I also noticed that the bar was a medium sized, 5 seater with the resemblance of an older bar. I was given the option of waiting about an hour for seat at a table or I could eat at the bar immediately. Bar it was. 

Walking the short distance to my seat, I saw steam coming from every table and a one burner induction stove top directly in front of me. My waitress was quick to my side, mainly because she was also the bartender. She quickly explained how the menu worked - believe me it's a bit confusing, but they are willing to help you understand - and I found myself choosing spinach artichoke cheese dip, a trio of meat including pork, chicken, and beef, and a milk chocolate fondue dessert platter. 

The waitress grabbed a platter of shredded cheese, some broth, artichoke, and spinach. She poured the broth into this silver fondue pot as it sat on the induction stove. The cheese was then sprinkled in, along with the spinach and artichoke (both finely chopped).


The cheese is served first with bread bits and is apparently meant to be taken away when your course actually come. I opted to keep my melted cheese as my meat arrived. With the meat, I was given a new pot with broth, then told that I was to skewer my meat and cook it myself. I will say that the portions were far smaller than I had originally anticipated, but I can see how the entire course is quite significant. 

Once I devoured the meat and experimented with the variety of sauces placed nearby, I moved onto the dessert.

Dessert consisted of a multitude of bread and sweets (fruit and rice krispie treats) that were to also be skewered - they give you new ones - and dipped in the chocolate of your choice. Mine was milk chocolate. 

When everything was said and done, I thoroughly enjoyed myself and had a belly filled to the perfection level. The bill was slightly higher than I had anticipated (I had a coupon thankfully), but regardless it was an experience worth doing. 

My final thoughts are this: This is something I encourage anyone - couples, singles, families, friends, anyone - to come out and try. Their aren't an insane amount of choices for any category, but the variety is decent. I don't think I'll ever go back especially due to the price, but I definitively don't regret going. 

Atmosphere: 10 out of 10, Service: 10 out of 10, Food: 7 out of 10 (I would've preferred more quantity wise), Experience: 8 out of 10 only because the price was a tad hefty. 

I will say that now I'm intrigued by the possibility of owning my own fondue set. Fondue chocolate every night? Perhaps.

Timeshares: Waste of Time or Worth the Hassle?

Before I begin, I'd like to make a small disclaimer. I did NOT purchase a time share, I simply attended a presentation for one in exchange for a free gift. I'm basing my entire review on today's experience, the information given, and how everything happens. I am not experienced in the actual ownership of a timeshare, but after today I feel as if I learned enough to make an educated decision on how to move forward. Here's what happened:

While we were at the Reptile Super Show (see that post HERE), we were confronted by a lady asking if we'd like to partake in their contest of guessing the number of corks in a jar. While I normally steer clear of gimmicks like this, something told me to check it out. So I went over, made my guess, and while I was filing out my form she told me about an opportunity for a free gift, with absolute guarantee I wouldn't have to buy anything. 

Intrigued I listened. 

Long story short she invited me to a timeshare presentation that offered free breakfast, my padawan could come, a 3 day 2 night vacation to any of their hotels, and no requirement to buy. The gift was for just going. After reading the fine print, I agreed.

Yesterday was the actual presentation at a local hotel, with free valet parking also included. Upon entering the room we were meant to wait in, I realized it was rather small, leaving me to believe that this wasn't necessarily something many people were partaking in. 

A little briefing then we headed up to another floor where breakfast and a long conversation took place. 

I'll admit I just wanted the free food and free trip.

This very kind lady came up, introduced herself, showed us the breakfast bar, and sat us at a table with food in hand. Eventually we were taken to another room for a video presentation, where majority of the programs information was presented to us.

Bullet point version:

- You're buying a share in their company to stay at homes
- You have to put a down payment
- Monthly payments are no less than $200
- You can go anywhere in the world to one of their properties with your points
- You own it forever 
- If you can't pay it, you have to sell the share, not them

We then headed back out to the nice lady from earlier, where she and her boss began breaking down how much I needed to put down, what my finances were going to be, and that I was owning a piece of realty. 

I rejected every offer, got my free gift (after slightly upsetting the boss man due to my denial), and walked away a trip richer.

I will say this, while there weren't any high pressure sales, I definitely won't be making plans to check out another timeshare meeting any time soon. As for the trip, we haven't chosen where we're going to celebrate this small victory, but you can believe we will be documenting it for you all!!!

UPDATE: We will no longer be going on the trip to Lake Tahoe for a multitude of reasons. Our car is no longer able to make the voyage, paying the tax for the trip isn't feasible anymore (saving for a new car), and the aren't up front about EVERYTHING! Check out my blog post HERE to see what happened to make us change our minds.

Pardon My Delay, the SWAT Interrupted.

Well despite my best efforts in getting out a post for today in time and having a really intriguing story, I failed. 

Our neighborhood block had quite the commotion tonight with us marshals, the sheriff, and the SWAT team swarm all around. Not to mention the loud drone flying all around and the helicopters shining lights all around. 

Needless to say it's been quite the commotion, so instead of my usual typing, I have to bid you guys goodnight. If I know any more - and can actually tell you guys - I'll update this post. For now, have a wonderful night Jedi's!

6th Birthday For The Padawan!!!

Today was my little padawan's 6th birthday and man oh man am I exhausted. 

We woke up to open presents immediately - priorities - and then we went to Denny's for a birthday breakfast. With full bellies we headed to Target to pick up a couple things for his party this Saturday. Afterwards we went to the Disney store to not only have them sing him happy birthday, but so he could pick up his patch for the week. Then we came home to play with his new toys and bake his birthday cake. 

Now that he's passed out from his cake coma, I've finally finished picking up the mess that ensued from our shenanigans and showered the cleaner off. So without further ado, I'm off to bed and I can't wait! 

So goodnight Jedi's and padawans. I hope your day has been fantastic and don't forget to keep on rockin'!

The Reptile Super Show! [Not For the Faint of Heart]

Over the weekend the "Reptile Super Show" took over the Concourse Civic Center here in San Diego. It was certainly a sight to see with an astronomical amount of species to adopt, learn about, or simply just hold. Along with animals themselves, you could also purchase a number of supplies for your little pals, at a decently discounted price. The tickets themselves were rather pricey - $14 for adults and $9 for kids aged 12 and under - but they did provide a coupon on their website for you to easily redeem. 

Parking was supplied if you chose to park at the Civic Center, but seeing as how we chose to go on a Sunday and not on a Saturday - the show took place both days, we snagged a free spot within walking distance. 

The vendors ranged from only animals, animals and supplies, suppliers, and edible plants for all your [potentially] new purchases. Quite a few big named brands were there: Zoo Meds, Exo Terra, etc., along with some locally infamous pet stores. Including the pet store we adopted Yoda from (see that post HERE)! 

Our first stop was to check out the closest vendor, which showcased a few baby red-foots mixed with some others. These had a hefty price of $175 and while I wanted to just snuggle every single one of them, that was WAY out of my price range. Not only that, but I was very concerned with housing a baby tortoise, seeing as how it's tiny stature would instantly make me fear of it's [possibly] fragile state. Besides, they are way to small to give Yoda some company, which would be the sole purpose of adopting another one. I tend to think he likes his peace though, because he doesn't have to share the cuddles with any other tortoises. Just my padawan, but he [carefully] pets Yoda as well and showers him with attention. Yoda's spoiled, what can I say.

Let me take a second to mention this now: I couldn't stand how majority of the reptiles were housed for this show. They were cramped in tiny little containers with dirt, a paper towel, or even sometimes nothing. A few were larger containers than others, but majority were too small for the animals themselves without ANY holes. It down right broke my heart and made me want to free them all. Of course that wouldn't help anyone, because they'd only be harmed from the people most likely in fear, but I still didn't like it. 

I understand that they weren't permanent houses for the little creatures, but could you imagine being jammed inside this tiny plastic container with giant humans poking the plastic enclosure you're being held hostage in?! Do you SEE why I wanted to rescue them all?!

Pushing aside my temptation to create a massive breakout, I continued to stroll through in hopes of finding some goodies for Yoda and his upcoming outdoor enclosure. We saw some gorgeous geckos and lizards, loads of tortoises (even a few Yoda's size, but again we didn't want to risk his happiness), and a few animals that were incredibly close to becoming additions to our family. 

There was a plant vendor that was incredibly knowledgeable about plants for certain animals, but unfortunately they didn't have any for Yoda. I had high hopes for at least a small hibiscus plant, but alas I was out of luck. This isn't necessarily a huge drag though, as I'm holding out hope for when we check out the tortoise and turtle show at Balboa Park later this month!

The lizards we're spectacular and we even held a very friendly bearded dragon, who ever so kindly snuggled on my hand like he belonged there. I wanted him, but I knew that for now Yoda was to be the only pet in our home. Perhaps someday though. I did like the colorful dragons, but something about the common bearded dragons just made my heart thump.

Another close call was a chameleon. There gorgeous colors, the slow movements, the constant moving eyes. Oh how I desired one. But they don't like to be handled very often, require a strict atmosphere, and can be extremely delicate. If you don't do things just right, you can end up harming your expensive adoptee. Of course this is true for most animals (if you don't do things right that is), but chameleons - or so I was told - are up there on the "high maintenance" list. 

The last close call for me was a very peculiar bug, that hardly anyone would even consider owning. You yourself would probably run away quickly if you saw one in the wild, but me, I wanted him. Granted he was a from a pet shop where he's been handled and hasn't lived the "wild life", but regardless I want one. No I'm not going to go out hunting for them either, as they would NOT be domesticated whatsoever. What am I talking about? The vinegaroon.

The vinegaroon, also known as the whip scorpion, is an extremely harmless little fellow. His only real means of defense - and attack - is the ability to give off a strong odor that closely resembles vinegar (hence the name). This tends to ward of predators. They don't sting, bite, pinch, or even see for that matter. They are one of the easiest pets to own, literally requiring a minimum of 2 inches of dirt and a meal when you can. That's right, you could potentially go up to about 3 months of not feeding them and they'd simply hibernate until you do. Of course that's not recommended AT ALL, but it's simply a fact to show how versatile these creatures can be. 

They're stature is a bit off-putting, keeping most humans at bay when it comes to handling them. I gladly took up the opportunity to have one "chill" on my hand, while I basked in the glory that laid before me. I definitely got quite a few stares and "what the heck is she doing?!" whispers swarmed around me, but the vendor (coincidentally the same one that gave us precious Yoda) patiently said "no worries, he's harmless". I wanted one, but I knew that due to my obsession of wanting to hold him, he may get curious and venture off into a spot where I couldn't retrieve him. Also, I was slightly worried Yoda might try to attack him or vice versa. We only want good vibes here, so I sadly said goodbye to my new vinegaroon friend and wished him well. 

It took roughly an hour and a half to walk the convention in it's entirety, gaining a ton of knowledge regarding red-footed tortoises (and a small bundle of mealworms for the shell baby), but nothing else. I don't think I'll ever be returning to the convention, but the experience and information learned was exciting enough to call this a semi-success. Still want to free all the prisoners, but I'm hoping they find wonderful homes of freedom with awesome families who will adore them.