I absolutely had to use a photo of Princess Diana because I was a huge fan of hers. I remember watching her wedding on television when I was a young child, and I cried like a baby when she met her untimely demise. I don't recall ever crying like that when a celebrity died, but she was my heroine and I loved her! Since then I've kept up with the ins and outs of the Royal Family and the shenanigans of Prince Harry, my now favorite Prince. He is a Princess Diana reincarnated in the male form. Lives by his own rules and with not a care in the world. Madison and I were able to visit the Madame Tussauds London museum while on our trip to London just recently, thanks to the kind folks of Merlin Entertainment. Since this is most likely the only way we'll ever get to the meet the Royal Family we just had to do it. Now if you're thinking all wax museums are the same, well Madame Tussauds London is on a whole new level of awesome. I've also come to realize that no two Madame Tussauds are alike. You can check out our experience at Madame Tussauds New York.

Now you may notice that my post title states, "The Best Way to SEE London" and not the best way to get around London. There is a difference. Most people when they envision "seeing" London, they think of taking a bus tour and sure that is one way to "see" London, or even walking around London, which will take quite a lot of time. However, there is a much easier way to do so. What if you don't have a lot of time, but you want to see as much as you can? I was lucky enough to collaborate with the kind folks of The Coca-Cola London Eye, who provided Madison and I with tickets, to this once in a lifetime experience. The Coca-Cola London Eye is one of London, England's must do if you're a visitor or even if you're local. We noticed that the weather in London is almost always cloudy and there was very rarely a clear day, it was also rather cold there on the day that we decided to brave the London Eye. If you're afraid of heights then this might not be for you. Located on the South Bank of the River Thames, this is one of the largest Ferris Wheel in the world at 443ft, giving astonishing views of the House of Parliament, which houses the Clock Tower (aka Big Ben), Buckingham Palace and other London landmarks.

As a young mother living with my family in Brooklyn, New York, every day you would find me on the playground supporting my husband's love of basketball. As soon as my own sons were old enough to handle a ball they were given their very first basketball and football and my husband started on their training. While my son Mikael didn't have the passion for sports, my son Kyle however loved the game like he was born to play. Every weekend you could find my husband playing on the basketball court and my son Kyle playing right along with him. We were on our way to having a basketball star on our hands. Fast forward a few years and we moved from Brooklyn to Colorado and while he was far away from his friends that he grew up and played with, his love of the game never diminished. As a matter of fact he decided that he was going to sign up to play on the basketball team for his junior high school. So what's a mom to do? Well I encouraged my athlete of course. I gave him the necessary tools that he needed to keep his game intact. So for our very first Christmas, I bought him a basketball hoop so that he could practice his love of the game and by using the following steps.

Now this post is based on my experience and my experience may differ from yours. We are currently in London at the time of this posting, and while there are lots of things to do for everyone, grownups and kids alike, there are just a few things that your little ones would thoroughly enjoy. While I know most people would say, how about a museum, or the Buckingham Palace Changing of the Guards or visiting Big Ben, be for real. How many of your kids would actually choose that? When planning a vacation with children, of course you want to add in a few 'adult' themed experiences, and the palace and a museum or two would be perfect for the grownups, but they are definitely not what your own kids would choose. These however are the top three things that Madison, my own preschooler has added to her list of top things to do in London.


First lets start under the sea.

1. Sea Life London Aquarium:

This is a great experience for all sea lovers. You can get up close and personal with sharks, see the feeding of stingrays and get to touch a star fish. While this isn't one of the biggest aquarium that we've been to, the experience was amazing. The attention spans of pre-schoolers aren't that long, unless they're watching an unboxing video of toys or the opening of a Kinder Egg Surprise on YouTube, so the hour or two that you take to go through the aquarium is perfect for them! While there is no flash photography for those who are intent on taking photos, just being up close to a big tank of sharks getting up in your face is worth it.


Now we head above land.

2. The ZSL London Zoo

Some kids may be afraid of the aquarium and seeing sharks swim by so close. So if you're a land or animal lover, then the zoo is the place for you. Be prepared to spend an entire day at the zoo. With lots of animals to see and lots to do, it's quite an experience. Madison's favorite was getting up close to the Lemur's, and when we say up close, we mean up close, in an enclosed area with complete access. Their beautiful butterfly paradise is also a must visit, where you are completely surrounded by butterflies flying around you. This is a definite must when in London. When you're done, take a lovely stroll through the Royal Regents Park which is close by.


Now how about some fun and adventure!

3. Shrek's Adventure

This is perfect for everyone as well and I had a blast as did Madison. While it's named Shrek's Adventures, you get to meet some of the other more famous Dreamworks characters. This is an interactive adventure that starts off on a 4D bus tour to Shrek's castle. On the way you accidentally kill Rumpelstiltskin's favorite witch with your bus and the adventure begins. It's a laugh out loud funny adventure and everyone gets involved. There is no photography on this adventure but then you'll be having so much fun you won't even want to take any. You do however get the opportunity to take photos at the end of your "trip".


So there you go! Our top 3 things to do in London with your pre-schooler. Stay tuned where get into more details of our experience from each trip in upcoming posts.

Let's discuss: If you've been to London or live in and around London, what do you recommend? 

Yes dental accidents happen and more often than not they happen at the most inopportune time. Take for example just a few days ago. A trip planned for Disneyland Paris. A toddler at her prime just waiting for her big day to meet Mickey Mouse, only to wake up with an aching tooth and a swollen cheek? What's a mom to do? Luckily for me I have MetLife TRICARE Dental and was able to make one phone call to get some information on whether or not we'll be covered while traveling internationally. The good news was that we were. While I was more concerned about whether or not she was ok, she was more concerned about whether or not she'll get to meet Mickey Mouse. As a TRICARE Dental Ambassador I am pleased to say that I've been impressed with what I've learned the past 3 months of my ambassadorship. If you haven't read my past posts, you may want to take a look at posts where we talked about the TRICARE Dental Premium Changes, or how TRICARE DENTAL has your kids covered. I'm living testimony as to how they have come through for me over and over again.

This recipe has been sitting in my draft posts for months, not because I didn't want to share it with you, but because I've been so busy that it's just been overlooked. It's been a while since I've shared a recipe and today just seemed to be a great day to do so. My kids aren't big veggie eaters, as a matter of fact they aren't big on squash and neither are they big fans of zucchini (the two things that this recipe contain), however I can say with certainty that they all enjoy cheese. They crave for cheese like it's candy and the best invention since sliced bread and seem to add shredded cheese on almost everything. I don't know if it's just my kids and weird obsessions but it's like bacon for most people, but for them everything tastes better with cheese apparently. So my Cheesy Squash and Zucchini always gets eaten. Even picky Madison who can tolerate zucchini but isn't a fan of squash loves it. So if you have picky kids who aren't big on both of these veggies, give our cheesy squash and zucchini a try and see if it's a hit in your house as well.

Here is what you'll need:

As parents, we are always looking to give our kids the best. We want them to learn and grow. Sports are a big way kids gain strength and build character but the price adds up fast. Here are some great ways to save on kid's sports.


Look into local school sport options
Check if your child's school district offers a sport they are offering the sport your child wants to try. If you are a homeschooler some states allow children to take advantage of extracurricular classes and programs offered by local schools including band and sports.

Get the early signup discount
When it comes to saving money we all know planning is key. By planning ahead you can save money on kids sports by getting you a 10% to 20% discount on your sign up fees and first pick over equipment at your local stores. You may also get a discount by paying ahead on programs with monthly fees.


Seek a sponsor
Talk to your child's coach and volunteer to help find the team a sponsor to help lower the out of pocket cost for the whole team. Pitch local supermarkets, shoe and equipment shops, or the local mom and pops. These sponsor relationships help foster growth in the community.

Check your community center
Community centers often offer fairly low-cost sports programs for kids that can save you plenty of money. Many community centers offer scholarships for their programs, discounts, and even resale on equipment.

Check your YMCA
The YMCA offers scholarships to kids with lower incomes. They offer a lower price than many private leagues and provide a great family-friendly environment.

Trade time for a discount
It never hurts to ask. Many teams need coaches, assistants, and other help and many are willing to offer discounts and even your child's fees. This allows you to save money while demonstrating work ethic, and bonding with your child over their favorite sport.


Buy used equipment
Being used equipment is a great way to save money on kid's sports. All of those cleats, pads, helmets rackets, and balls add up in cost FAST. Add the fact that children outgrow all of it so fast that you will be lucky if it all lasts a whole season. Resale shops, Craigslist, eBay, and specialty shops like play it again sports are all great options for finding uses equipment. be sure to clean and sanitize well then go on with your life enjoying a large savings.
Save on snacks for the team.

Save on team snacks
The local grocery store may be willing to provide things like granola bars, and bananas to your team for healthy pre-game snacks. Coupons and sales are a great way to save money on snacks for the kids and with planning ahead could lower the cost dramatically. Spaghetti makes a great affordable meal for large team dinners. Even offering a higher cost gluten-free option it is a cheap meal. A crockpot to keep the marinara hot makes even cooked the night before spaghetti a great option as the noodles taste fine cold.

Let's discuss: How do you save money on your own kids' sports? 

Can you believe that Easter is almost here. While most people are thinking of Easter Eggs and of course candy, here in our family we love books. From the day that Madison was born, actually before she was born, I already had a library of books that I wanted her to read. Her very first books that we read together were Pat the Bunny and Goodnight Moon. Both have been staples in my kids library as newborns and ones I always recommend to other parents. Well with Easter on the way I also have a few suggestions for those Easter baskets. You can nourish the body with treats and nourish your little ones minds with these delightful Easter books for kids.

I was not blessed with perfect, flawless, baby smooth skin. As a matter of fact I remember growing up in my teens I would have outbreaks of acne that never seemed to disappear. I tried everything under the sun and even got treatments prescribed by a dermatologist. As I got older I was under the impression that my skin would clear up and my acne troubles would be totally over. Boy was I wrong. Who would have thought that someone in their 30's would still have acne outbreaks? I sure didn't. I felt like a teenager all over again and I'm very self conscious about the way I look. It's one of the reasons why you very rarely see photos of myself here on the blog. However I do have a skin care regimen that has truly been helping me. As I mentioned, I tried almost everything under the sun but the one thing that I've been trying recently that has actually been working for me has been Neutrogena Naturals. I'm not one to sell you the moon so when I say it has been working for me, it has been working for me. I'm not one to wear lots of makeup since I think it clogs up my pores so unless I'm going out for a night on the town, my makeup is very minimal. Lipgloss and maybe a smidgen of powder, but personally I prefer au naturel. These products however are what you will find in my bathroom and what I use EVERY night before I go to bed.


Neutrogena Naturals Facial Cleanser:

Before I go to bed I make sure I wash my face first and the Neutrogena Naturals Facial Cleanser not only washes away all the dirt, oil and makeup that I've had on my face all day, it also leaves my pores clog free. My face feels so much better after I've washed my face and my oldest daughter has been known to use it as well. I've now banned her and told her to get her own but she loves it as well. This contains naturally derived ingredients such as coconut, corn, willow bark and guar bean and since there are no harsh ingredients, it doesn't dry my skin out like a few other cleansers I've used in the past.


Neutrogena Naturals Multi-Vitamin Nourishing Moisturizer:

My dermatologist has always recommended that I use a moisturizer daily. Neutrogena Naturals Multi-Vitamin Nourishing Moisturizer is what I use, not only at night after I've cleansed my face with the Neutrogena Naturals Facial Cleanser, but also during the day as well. I have mixed combination skin, oily and dry but it never leaves my face feeling oily. It also has a nice fresh citrus smell that I also love. Since it's fortified with vitamins B, C, E and antioxidant omega bionutrients, I feel good knowing that my skin can feel and look younger for much longer. After all I still think I have a few more years to go before I truly start looking like an "old woman" as my kids would say.

Seems like I'm not the only one in love with the two above products. Here is what Neutrogena Brand Ambassador Kristen Bell's had to say in one of her Beauty Tips:

As told to PopSugar.com: “I really like the Neutrogena Naturals line because there's a minimal amount of ingredients. It's really pure and natural. I live by the Purifiying Facial Cleanser  — I use it every single night. I use it either with my fingertips or a little wooden natural bristle brush, and then I use the Multivitamin Nourishing Moisturizer. And that's pretty much it.”

Neutrogena Naturals Makeup Remover Wipes:

Now the Neutrogena Naturals Makeup Remover Wipes aren't something that I use on a daily basis, since I don't wear makeup on a daily basis. However I do keep them in my bag for when my face decides to give that extra shine. You ladies with oily skin know what I'm talking about. We're out and about and our face starts shining. These wipes are super soft and takes all the grime off your face. You don't even need to rinse. Once again there are no harsh chemicals in any of these products so no need to worry. Just naturally derived cleansing ingredients to help keep your face looking it's best.

So why do I love the Neutrogena Naturals line of products?

There are no harsh chemicals, no petrolatum, dyes, sulfates or phthalates. They use plant-derived ingredients to provide amazing skin benefits leaving you with such a pleasant experience when you're done. They use renewable packaging helping to preserve the environment and even their website is
brought to you by a Green Server, a self-sustainable, sun-fueled and wind-powered server that only uses renewable energy to keep our website running "off the grid." And of course it's AHMAZING!
So for someone who turns 40 in just a few short months, I couldn't be happier and my skin is clearer, thanks to Neutrogena Naturals and best of all you can pick them up at your local Target.

I'm a comic book fanatic. You can't tell by just looking at me but there is a neat little comic book collection in my house that no-one can touch, and I mean NO-ONE! Whenever the movies are in the theatre, I'm usually the very first one to get tickets and be in line on opening day. So you can imagine my excitement when I was contacted by Choice Collectibles to check out their Superhero Fine Art collection. Located right here in the US, in Fairview, New Jersey, Choice Collectible has been in the business of superheroes for more than 18years and has a staff whose combined art expertise is more than 50. Personally when I shop, I try and support my US businesses and would prefer to have my artwork come from right here in the US, compared to China.  They are also one of the largest providers of animation art from Disney, WB, Hanna-Barbera, Marvel, Peanuts, DC as well as collectibles from sporting world.


Each of the art collectible that you receive from Choice Collectible are all limited edition so that means that there won't be 10's of thousands of them or they won't be found in EVERY home. They also specialize in out of print work and each piece is beautifully crafted and just pops. I happened to receive the Marvel Defenders, from the Marvel Fine Art program and also a limited edition piece, and was totally blown away. As with all of their work, it came with a Certificate of Authenticity and a little back story on the history of Marvel Comics for those who are in the dark. No there's not just only the Avengers, Spiderman and the X-Men, there is so much more to Marvel than that.


The "Defenders" piece I received was actually created by Marvel staff artists and inspired by the famous live-action scene where the Avengers battle the villains in the city rubble. The Rubble Rousers crew features the characters: Thor, Hulk, Iron Man, Hawkeye, Captain America, Falcon, Nick Fury and Black Widow. Totally breathtaking! It also came sealed in a plastic protective covering and I can't wait to get it framed.


So if there's a comic book hero that you just love, or if you have a special someone who loves comic book heroes, then I can't think of a better way to surprise them on a special way with one of these limited edition fine art. The full collection may be found at allanimation.com. I have seen a few pieces that I would love to add to my collection and thought that they were out of my budget but they also have payment plans available. The other good thing I loved is that they ship internationally too. AWESOME!! I can't wait to add the Batman to my collection.



Let's discuss: What do you think of comic book heroes artwork? 

Mason jars are all the rage these days, as they seem to be popping up in home décor, recipes, crafts, and so much more. It is no wonder, since mason jars are easy to come by, durable, and quite versatile. If you have a handful of mason jars on hand that you want to get creative with, take a peek below at 10 creative uses for mason jars that you need to try! You may never look at mason jars the same way again.


1. Create a terrarium.
A terrarium is a great way to bring the outdoors in! Create a layer of sand, soil, rock, and moss then add in some easy to care for plants such as succulents or cacti. Display your terrarium in an area that gets decent light and mist with water as needed.

2. Pack your lunch.
Mason jars are great for taking your lunch to work! Add salad fixings and just add dressing when you are ready to eat it. You can also put pasta salads, chicken salad, and any other salads. They will stay fresh and are easy to open and eat.



3. Drink your beverages.
Beverages look just darling when served in a mason jar, and they stay nice and cold too! Serve your lemonade and ice tea, or use mason jars to add whimsy to your next garden party. Pop in a colorful paper straw and you are all set.

4. Start seeds.
A mason jar is a great way to start seeds. Mason jars can also be used for smaller, easy to care for plants such as herbs. Pop in some plants and place them on the window sill for an easy window garden. They look pretty and are practical at the same time.


5. Store your beauty products.
Mason jars are perfect for keeping your beauty products safe and dry. Toss in cotton balls,  q-tips, make up sponges, and other beauty items. They will look decorative and be practical at the same time. Plus, since you can see right into them, you will know exactly what you are grabbing for.

6. Color eggs.
Mason jars are perfect for coloring eggs! Just add the coloring and vinegar, and drop the eggs in. During the rest of the year, a mason jar can be used to dye small items of all sorts including yarn or other textiles.


7. Keep art supplies handy.
Fill your mason jars with all of your art supplies including brushes, sponges, fabric scraps, and more. They are easy to clean, which is always a perk when dealing with messy supplies. Just pop them in the dishwasher and fill them up again.

8. Make a firefly jar.
Not with real fireflies of course! Break open a glow stick and pour the contents into the jar. Add the lid back on and shake the jar up. Turn off the lights and it will look like you have a glowing jar of fireflies! So cool!


9. Dress up your next picnic.
Add a ribbon around the jar and it is perfect for dressing up your next picnic. You can even add a faux flower bouquet for decor. Let it hold your silverware, straws, rolled up napkins, and even food items. You can paint the jars or add any other embellishments to add color and add to the theme!

10. Make a mini greenhouse.
Turn an empty mason jar over on top of seedlings that need a little warmth. It will act as an instant greenhouse offering protection and warmth. Once the seedling catches up, you can remove the jar.

Will you ever look at mason jars the same way again? Give these 10 uses for mason jars a try and see how fun and functional they can be!

Let's discuss: What do you use your mason jars for? 

With St. Patrick's Day fast approaching, we're thinking up of Irish meals to prepare. While I love corned beef and cabbage, I think I've seen enough recipes to last a lifetime. I like simple and easy and while this isn't exactly Irish, it does have beef and all you need is 5 simple ingredients. You really can't go wrong. This roast beef and gravy can be used for dinner at any time and doesn't take much energy or time to do. It really doesn't get any easier than this.

It's monkey's outside! However, it's going to be a good day. Yes, those passports and the post title says it all. We're on our way to a grand old time! I haven't taken a proper vacation in quite some time and although I've traveled extensively over the past few years, most of it international, it was usually because of an emergency, in both cases the illness and subsequent deaths of both of my parents. This, however, is different. This is an all-out vacation to take my mind off all the sorrows of the past couple of years. Madison and I will be vacationing in London, England and by the time you're reading this, we'll be airborne.

I've scheduled a few posts and I'll try and keep you updated on our trip but it's not a guarantee. After all, this is supposed to be fun and not work and we plan on having a luvvly-jubbly time. I've turned comments off for this post just in case you're wondering. So Cheerio! It's off to have tea and see the Queen.