Saturday, September 23, 2017

Spider-Man T-Shirt Review

A long time ago I got a Captain America shirt to review. Mica's loved it so much. When the company offered another shirt to review I jumped at the chance. Isaak picked Spider-Man! He's always been one of my favorites as well.


Isaak said, "Is this what I'm wearing for Halloween?" He could. I said, "This is a shirt you can wear anytime." He was so happy about that.

Since I reviewed the Captain America shirt awhile back I can tell you that the colors do hold up. All the shirts have designs all around the shirt.

You can get their shirts here: https://babiesrhere.com/products/t-shirt-superman-batman-spider-man-captain-america-hulk-iron-man-t-shirt-men-fitness-shirts-men-t-shirts

They have:
  • Superman
  • Batman
  • Spider-Man
  • Captain America
  • Hulk
  • Iron Man
Sizes:
  • Small
  • Medium
  • Large
  • XL
  • XXL
  • XXXL
  • XXXXL
I got Isaak an Adult Medium. No more kid sizes for my boys. Their sizes run small! Isaak fits in an Adult Small, but I knew from the Captain America shirt that they run small, so I got an Adult Medium. I wouldn't want to get it any smaller considering it's fall, and will be awhile before it's summer again. Although it's now technically fall, and it's been in the 90s for much of this week. That's unusual for Nebraska. 

Design:

I love that the design travels to the back! It's so cool!


Since I've asked you what your favorite superhero is before, I'll ask you this: If you could have a super power, what would it be? I think I've been asked that question 100 50 times by my boys. I'd probably pick the ability to disappear. Then I could watch my children, but I wouldn't hear, "Mom!" over and over again. I'd like to see how they could handle their own problems with me out of sight.


Disclaimer: I got this Spider-Man shirt for a discounted price in exchange for an honest review. This company didn't influence my review. I only review products I think will fit my family, or my readers.

Mens Dress Socks Review

One thing silly that my boys like is socks. Recently I got Mens Dress Socks to review: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0755T95D4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Mica won't take them off. He's like, "I have 3 pair, so I can wear them for 3 days." They look crazy silly with shorts. They are meant more to wear with dress pants. Ha!


Cost:

$19.99, but on sale for $12.98 for 3 pair!

If you don't like the dots mixed with the stripes they have other options!


Options:
  • Dots - The ones we got to review
  • Argyle
  • Cartoon 1
  • Cartoon 2
  • Gradient
  • Grid - MC Esher looking
  • Presidents - JFK, George Washington, and Abraham Lincoln
  • Seafood
My favorites are Grid and the Presidents! I may go back to get more. Mica had an obsession with older presidents when he was younger, so they fit his personality. Christmas is coming, and these would go great in a stocking!

Size:

7-13 is the sizes. Mica fits in an 8 1/2, and they heel seems to go up too much. He's not done growing, so I'm not worried about. If you have small feet in general it may be a problem.

Opinion:

They seem comfortable! You know how some socks have loose strings that are annoying? These didn't seem to have any of those. 


Do you like fun socks, or just plain black and white ones?

Disclaimer: I got these socks for a discounted price in exchange for an honest review. This company didn't influence my review. I only review products I think will fit my family, or my readers.

Friday, September 22, 2017

Random Tid Bits

If you've been reading my blog for a long time now you may possibly remember me bitching complaining about my students a few years ago. Last year I had wonderful students, this year I have great students in first year for the most part, but I have the students back that I complained about before. Yep the ones I complained about were in first year when I struggled with them, I don't teach in second year, but I have them back in third year.

  1. Girl that's uber talented hasn't shown up for 3 and 1/2 classes. We're into week 7. That means she's missed 1/2 of my classes. We have class 1 day a week. I can't even find her to talk to her. 

  2. Boy that's uber talented I did talk to. Me, "Where's your work? You did great on your logos, but I haven't seen any of the campaign since week 2." Boy, "I have to admit I've just been slacking. That's all I've got." 

  3. I also talked to the boy that sleeps in lecture, and in lab. Me, "Get up to walk around, exercise before class, eat right, get something to drink, or do whatever you need to do to stay awake." Boy, "Ok." So now he's taken what I've said to the max. He leaves to walk around, and is hardly in lecture. I found out that he closes his Mom's restaurant. That's great, but it's not helping his grades. He has literally fell asleep under his desk, and I could hear him snoring in class. I asked him to leave. 

  4. Mr. Negative boy I haven't talked to. I'm worried I'll push him away, and won't get him back. Students like him I could use advice on. He brings not only himself down, but others as well. He is talented. He misses most mornings, and I see him in the afternoons. I said all chipper like, "Good morning!" to him when he comes in. He complains about other teachers, and probably complains about me when I'm not around. I've also hear him complain about tuition - it's as if he's bitter about it, but let's be honest the school was up front about costs every year he's come in. He got his Associate's Degree, but came back for his Bachelor's Degree. If tuition bothers him so much, why did he come back? More importantly, Why wouldn't he make the most out of his day? I'm a firm believer that if you're going to complain, you need to be making the most out of things before the complaining starts. That would be like me complaining about one of my son's swimming lessons, but only showing up for half of them. Would I be justified in my complaints? I don't think I would be. Maybe I need to talk to him in private, in a black and white way. I just fear that he'll take my conversation wrong, and will be all the more negative. I just can't take the negativity. Our school is small. Negativity feeds negativity. 

  5. Lastly is a student in first year. Oh he's talented. He works S.L.O.W. I talked with him last Friday. He barely looked me in my eyes. Here were my tips:
  • Paint like a 72 dpi image, and build up to a 300 dpi image. Basically paint like crap just blocking the image in, and bring the control back in the end of the piece by painting good. 
  • Look up YouTube videos on graffiti artists. Watch how they start by blocking things out. Then he can work in his own style after he's blocked things out.
  • Stand up to work. Sitting down is way too detailed.
What's random in your week?

Thursday, September 21, 2017

Top Ten Tips to Organize a Party

I have to admit I love planning parties.


1. Create a Theme! 

A theme will set the tone for the party. You can start with the invite, and take that theme other places, or decide not to. I usually create themes around what we're into at the moment. If you're having a party, and you don't really have a certain direction go with a seasonal theme, or even go with a certain color. 

A Garden Theme:



An Indianan Jones Theme:


A Captain Underpants Theme:



A Moustache Bash:



If you don't have a computer to make cards, you can buy card that have a theme.

2. Send Out Invitations. You can get some great ones at Paperless Post

You can send evites, or traditional printed cards. I usually send people in our family an evite. Then I print one to send to my Grandpa that doesn't have a computer. People still like to get things in the mail. Maybe you will choose to go that route.

3. Decide on the Food!

In our family we tell each family what to bring, then we make the rest. Usually our food doesn't go with the theme. Just the desert goes with the invite. At times I'll have something on the table that ties in. I had small flower pots at each spot with each person's napkin, spoon, and fork for the garden birthday. In my opinion the food should be good, but low key. 

4. Find Something Fun for the Kids to Do!

At The Captain Underpants party we provided capes, and white undies to put over their shorts. The kids loved it!


We had a Water Balloon PiƱata set up before.


5. Don't Do a Ton!

The prep work is the biggest work time. Beyond that I try and keep it simple. I don't want to work during the whole party. Kids for the most part find things to do on their own. Adult like time to talk.

6. Relax!

I need to follow my own advice here. I tend to get all stressed out for parties. It's the cleaning part. I hate cleaning! My husband is always saying, "Relax Alissa!" I need to learn to just breathe.

7. Use Plasticware!

This kind of goes with numbers 5 and 6. There's no need to do a ton of dishes when you are supposed to be having fun. I don't ever dive into plasticware any other time, but with parties.

8. Have Options to Drink!

I'm not a soda lover by any means. I do think for parties one should have something fun, and different to drink.

9. Only Give Favors if They Go With the Theme!

I went from thinking favors were silly, to thinking favors were fun, and now think favors are fun if they go with the theme. I don't think they are a must. You have to decide if you want to give out favors, or not. With the Mustache Bash we all took home a mustache. With the garden theme I gave people seeds in a tiny green house I found in Target's dollar section. My nephew's got to take home their homemade cape for the Captain Underpants party.

10. Thank People!

Thanking people is a trend that's starting to leave. I think it's still important. For kid parties I have names on thank you cards, write in what they gave, and slip it into their favor bag. For family I just simply say, "Thank you!"

What's a tip you would add to this list?

Disclaimer: I worked with Paperless Post to come up with this blog post. Paperless Post will give me points to use in their store. They did not tell me what to write.

TNT Old Time Photo

When Isaak got the magic prize from the Hamners' Unbelievable Magic Show, I decided we would go to TNT Old Time Photo to get a free 8x10. The rest of my family wasn't as excited as I was about getting an old photo taken. They are never excited about photos like I am.

It was one of the best photo places! If you go to any photo place it's best to schedule a time to go in. We called them the night before to get our reservation. The day of I grabbed the ad thinking it was the coupon. When we got there Travis had to back peddle it to our hotel, for our coupon.

I was thinking the people that worked there would get frustrated with us because they had to wait on Travis, which was my fault. They were wonderful!

I let Isaak choose what theme to go with. He said, "How we look now." I said, "No a theme up there." pointing to gangsters, Victorian times, or hillbillies. Thankfully he picked gangsters over hillbillies.

They got us ready. The boys loved that they got to actually hold a gun for a photo.

Travis showed up, and they got him ready in a hurry.


They took many photos that were well done! 

Have you ever went to get photos, and the person having you pick the pictures were pushing for you to get whole package deals? They did bring up package deals, but weren't pushy. I loved that! They showed us our options, but didn't get pushy with those either. 

We paid $5.00 extra to get a slight color added. Isaak got to pick, which photo we ended up with. We were between 2. I could tell he enjoyed the fact that he got to make the decision. 

Have you ever gotten an old time photo of your family?

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

WW: Hiking in Branson, Missouri {Linky}

We wanted to something out in nature during our trip to Branson. We already spent a lot in Silver Dollar City, and didn't really want to spend a ton of money for another activity.

Hiking it was. Missouri is more hilly than Nebraska. We also saw 2 lizards, those we wouldn't see in Nebraska at all. They were too fast and hidden to get good photos of. It was still neat-o to see lizards!

More than anything I just wanted to get away from the city life for a few hours.

Up in the trees:



My boys hiking away:


They're always waiting on my to take pictures.

I find likens, mushrooms and moss interesting:


It's like natures shelving system! I think my favorite nature photo is the picture to the right under this line of type.


It almost looks like someone took red thread to this tree:


Moss on a dead tree:



I don't think I'd try eating these mushrooms:


Rocks that are different from Nebraska:


Missouri is the cave state. They had a grouping of rocks that was an overhang. Not really a cave, but still cave like.


Nature's stage:


Us! I got more photos, but Mica's into putting a creepy face on just for giggles! 


No creepy faces with either boy here though:



Me, "Smile Mica!"


I've never seen anything like this caterpillar in Nebraska either:


What about you? When you're in a busy tourist type place do you feel the need to get away from it all like I do?

Monday, September 18, 2017

Hamners' Unbelievable Magic and Variety Show

In Branson we got tickets to see Hamners' Unbelievable Magic and Variety Show. When we sat down they asked if Isaak would like to come up on stage? When they mentioned that he'd get a prize pack he was all excited. 

Mica was immediately jealous. He said, "I don't ever get picked for anything like this." I said, "Mica Isaak hasn't been picked for anything like this either." He said, "Well he won a book once." I said, "Mica that was like 2 years ago. You've had special things you've done. Let this be Isaak's moment." He said, "The things I've done, I worked for Mom." I said, "Ok, but the fact is, is that he was picked. Let it be." 

We watched the show. The boys seemed like they really enjoyed it! They made birds and money appear out of nowhere. 

They had a special guest that was a performer for Cirque Du Soleil. He was a hoop artist. They had singers, a ribbon dancer and more. It was really pretty fun and visually stimulating. 

All the sudden Travis got up with Isaak and said he needed to go to the bathroom. Soon after one of the Hamner's came to get Isaak to go up on stage. 

I didn't know what to do so I said, "He had to go to the bathroom. Take him. I pointed at Mica. Mr. I Don't Get To Do Anything was up on stage in replace of the boy they picked. I was heartbroken for Isaak. I knew he'd get back, and see his brother on stage. I wished during that time I could pause time. 

While Mica was "floating" in air. Isaak got back. Tears flooded his eyes. Travis took him back out to talk. We agreed that Isaak would get the merchandise that they handed off to Mica, since Isaak was the one they chose. 



I did pay $20 for photos of Mica floating in air. It was pretty cool. 

Isaak opted to sleep with Dad that night. After their talk they bonded more. I think Isaak wanted to be anywhere - except next to Mica. I explained to him that I didn't know what to do, they couldn't exactly stop the show. Isaak said, "They should have." There you have it...Isaak wished they could have paused time for him too. 

Sunday, September 17, 2017

NutraEdge TRIPLE STRENGTH Fish Oil

There are a few things in my family I have to worry about: High Cholesterol and Alzheimer's Disease. I've had relatives that have had both.

I'm happy to share with you: NutraEdge TRIPLE STRENGTH Fish Oil. 

You can get it here: 


Cost is $18.99 with Prime shipping. there are other buying options. If you get more than one it's cheaper in price for each bottle.


About NutraEdge TRIPLE STRENGTH Fish Oil:

Known to help the heart, brain and joints.

Take 3 soft gels daily. I have to admit I'll probably only have 1 a day. 3 a day seems like a lot to me. If you take 3 a day they will last for 60 days. There are 180 soft gel pills in a bottle.

For ages 18 and over. Women pregnant or breastfeeding should consult their doctor before taking.

Sealed well! It had a plastic coating on the outside of the lid. It had a paper on the top.

This product is made in the USA, it's GMP - Packaged with high standards, FDA approved, Gluten Free, and NON GMO.



It's hard for me to know what works, and what doesn't overall. I have to have faith in what I'm taking. The ingredients matter to me.

Do you take any vitamins daily? Do you think they work?

Disclaimer: I received this set in exchange for writing this review. I was in no way influenced by anyone in regards to this review.

Disclaimer

The opinions on this blog are my personal take on products and topics relating to motherhood. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me.

I am not compensated to provide opinions on a variety of topics. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are my own. If I claim to show knowledge of certain topic or product I will only endorse products or services that I feel, based on my expertise, are worthy of such endorsement.

If you have any questions about this blog, or want to get in contact with me please email me at: anapeladay@gmail.com