Got kids? Then you know it! Clutter, messy floor and the despicable messy room - they are the vain of your daily domestic existence! I get you. They're part of my "normal" for about 10 years now too. Never a fun moment there I tell you, but you know what? I just discovered an appreciation of all my unica iha's mess-es! I may have just fallen in love with them in a cuckoo, crazy, kind of way.
It all started with my daughter being on Summer Camp for a week. I thought, "Aaaah! What a relief!" A relief that washed over my entire being. Finally, a break. A break from motherhood. A break from all her "drive-me-crazy" mess. Period.
Amazing view at Latta Plantation Nature Preserve picnic area - Huntersville NC
I know what you're thinking. The kids are home. It's Summer. You know what that means! You're stuck at home with each other 24/7. I don't blame you if you are kicking and screaming at the reality of it all right now. Pulling all your hairs out yet? I'm not one bit surprised. The thought of cabin fever creeping in is never pleasant! What does one do? Instinct tells you to find Summer activities. You need your sanity intact! But can you afford these activities? Well, you can - creatively!
I didn't know how lost I would be at simply trying to figure out which Summer activity option is doable for my daughter that won't cost me an arm and a leg. And my thing is, if I'm going to be the glorified chauffeur anyway, might as well find something that I can be part of and benefit from it too. So, this prompted my quest to find affordable, better yet, free activities that is good for both me and my daughter and also great for other families.
I found a few that totally works! Even the most bored tot in your family may actually enjoy it! All you need to do is simply add your own creative twist to it and be open to the potential of each options!
Cornelius Public Library - Cornelius NC
Here are some FREE or Almost-Free and dirt-cheap Summer Fun Activities to be had:
1. Library - Local libraries offer Free Summer programs for all ages. It is a great place to bring your bookworm kids to hangout and chill away from the Summer heat. Some local libraries also offer computers where they can feed their geek needs. It's also the perfect venue to catch some peace and quiet!
2.State Park - What better place to spend all that surging energy within? Nothing beats an open space where the children can literally run all day. State Parks have plenty of that! It also gives you plenty of option for family picnics. Most parks have picnic tables and shelters. Best of all, some parks have a creek or lake alongside it where hot feet can cool down.
3. Mall - Big shopping centers have play areas for kids. Best time to go is at opening time. After they're done playing, you can all go window shopping! Or you can go outside and hit the open fountains and have fun in the water! Now that's hitting not just two, but three birds with one bullet.
4. Swimming Pool - If your community have it, make use of it. With Summer heat rising, it's the best place to cool off. The children will thank you for it. Don't have it? Get invited by friends who have it in their community! You can also visit your State's Aquatic Center for FREE swimming lessons if you're children love the sport, even if not, it's still a fun option to go to when it's hot out! Daily admission rates are also affordable!
5. Movie Theater - Entertainment made easy and affordable.Escape the summer heat and bust boredom with Summer movies that are deeply discounted or occasionally free in your local theaters participating in the program. Most theaters charge $1 per movie. Talk about huge discounts and cheap form of entertainment for the whole family!
6. Bookstore - Library too quiet for your children's temperament? Haul them over to your nearest bookstore where they have a wider variety of book choices and more space to explore in as you park yourself in their cafe for a drink or two of your favorite coffee and a book or magazine to calm your nerves. Check their story-telling schedules too for added adventure!
7. Local Art Camps - For the creative bunch, local community arts organizations can be a great alternative for your Picasso's and Da Vinci's. They have various Summer programs that may be a good fit for your budget and your sanity.
8. Museums - Children's museums and other area attractions offers group discounts. Works best when you have other parent friends who are also desperate to try every other options to avoid going Summer stir-crazy!
9. Camping - If you're feeling the effect of cabin fever, go camping and feel the freedom of being outdoors! Great option if you've been cooped up long enough indoors and just needed to be in touch with your "wild" side! Camping sites offer a variety of option to enjoy the wilderness without breaking your bank!
10. Playdates - My favorite option of all - trade playdates with friends! Works all the time and it's guaranteed to make everyone happy if not having tons of fun! Well, except for the adult watching them that is.
Some bonus ideas:
Hang out or chill in a cafe other than Starbucks.
Visit a local Farmer's Market.
Cool down at an Ice cream shop.
Possibilities are endless... You just gotta be creative in the ways you approach them.
I hope this works for you! Say Hello to Summer with open arms - and happy pockets!
If you've seen the original movie of How To Train Your Dragon and loved it, I'll tell you now that you'll find the sequel packed with a little more to love! The 3D movie which opens in all theaters today, June 13th, offers its viewers a high-octane adventure and over-the-top excitement for all ages! Also, make sure to bring a box of tissue because you will cry! Yes, cry. This movie is not only packed with roller coaster fun, but also overflowing with raw emotions that will touch the core of your soul.
If you're going to a Red Carpet event in Hollywood for the first time and you're going nuts trying to figure out what to wear, then this is for you! Yes you, clueless creature. I was once like you. I feel your pain. I feel your stress. And I feel your confusion. If you find yourself reading this, then I can safely bet you're scouring the internetz to find wardrobe help. Well, aren't you lucky?! I've been in your shoes before and totally survived the wardrobe challenge. So, let me help. Either you're going there as an invitee, a media rep or blogger, these tips will target your need!
The Dress.
Here's a great rule to live by:
If you're not a celebrity, don't over-splurge on your dress like the celebrity.
But by all means, dress like a celebrity. Go va-va-va-boom with your dress choice but without your piggy bank going kaboom!
A simple, yet chic and classy dress fares pretty well at the red carpet. The key here is wearing something that makes you feel good, feels good on you and one that you can totally rock! One that simply makes you feel like one of the stars without the hefty price tag.
The Little (or not so little) black dress always does the trick. You can't go wrong with a well-designed black dress. It is simply versatile! But if you love a little touch of color and print, go for it!
Wear a gown if you must. This is totally a personal choice. If you are a guest and will be in front of the cameras as you walk down the red carpet, I say yes! But if you're covering the event and lugging around a heavy dslr or a personal bag with your gadgets, I advise against it. It's simply AWKWARD. But then again, if you can rock it, be my guest!
Sidenote: When I first got the invite that I was going to the Red Carpet Event to cover the MNO movie, I panicked! But after doing a little, no, a lot, of research on "what to wear", I came to a personal Mantra that I should "let the dress speak" and "less is more". And a little accessorizing actually helps!
Here are some fabulous Red Carpet Dresses worn by women at the recent MNO Movie in Hollywood.
Knee-length dress and gowns
Knee-length dresses, laces, solid colors and sparkly ones, was a common sight.
ALMOST JEWELRY-FREE.
If you look close, you'll notice that these women barely wore jewelries. They're letting the dress speak! And they sure did a great job with it. Rihanna anyone?
Now, the SHOES!
My killer shoes. Yes, killer. It "killed" my toes after an hour standing.
Heels on the red carpet is a given on the red carpet but oh boy! It's like wearing HELL on your feet. I found that out firsthand. And so did most of the women on that closed-off section intended for media, press and bloggers, where we were. "My toes are numb!" was our unified mantra! Our shoes were like Jekyll and Hyde. Pretty on the outside and so ugly in the inside.
But it's a different story if you're walking down the carpet. I saw celebrities, wearing wedges, flat shoes and pretty bling-ed out ones. Again, this is all about personal style!
So, there ya go!
Word of the wise. If it [dress] makes you pretty and confident and you can pull it off with style, go you! At the end of the day, it is your style that matters! Be fabulous!
On the Poppy Fields on top of a hill in Lancaster, California also known as the Antelope Valley
Most of my out-of-town travels involves riding in a car as a passenger. Either sitting in the front or at the back. I love being a passenger because I get to sight-see. The only funny thing about it is that, there are tremendous amounts of panoramic views and photography-worthy landscapes that I wish I could capture vividly with my camera. Be it with my camera phone or dslr. It is a tricky undertaking of which I'm slowly learning to conquer.
As of this writing, the movie Moms' Night Out has all been played and shown in theaters nationwide. It was set to coincide with the celebration of the reknown National Moms Nite Out and of course, Mother's day. Well, that's because this movie is all about moms! Sorry dads!
Ironically, I have to take a bit of an MNO from my INSANE schedule myself - hello packing and moving West to East coast! - just so I can sit my overworked self down and finally write this article. I spent 2 fabulously exciting and glamorous days in Hollywood meeting, mingling, partying and talking with the forces and stars behind this funny movie. It is a tad, tad late I know, but a good story never goes bad. So, here it goes, just as fresh as the day it happened and filled with tons of exciting gossip fodder only for you!
"How are you?" My mother greeted me as she held the door opened for me. Her usual smile painted all over her face. "Good" I replied monotonously like I do each day and walked past her uncaring. This have become a daily routine that it's almost like a broken record replaying a part of my day over and over again.
Each day I wish it was different.
Each day I wish my mom was not at the door to greet me.
I yet again find myself in this unglamorous world of moving and packing and surrounded by these boring brown boxes that never, not in a million years, did I think that I will have a break to do a Moms' Night Out involving a night filled with celebrities, glamming up - in stilletos! - projecting my inner Marilyn Monroe at first try, and stepping on the famous red carpet, at the Chinese theater in... Hollywood!
I'm one who always want something unique, with personality and decoratively creative. Moreover, I love to recycle and save money. In this project, I was able to put these factors together and came up with these cute designs for my daughter's birthday - turning old Calendar pages into decorative gift wrappers that will blow your mind away but not your budget!
