Happy Fourth of July~

Last night, I was with friends out to dinner! It was a fun night! It was our friend's birthday celebration~ 50 years! So, we kidnapped her and took her out to eat! We had some good talks, and good laughs. I love getting together with these ladies! Then, when I got home, we went to a nearby city to watch the fireworks. They were spectacular! Caleb and Maddie were not impressed at all. So, they safely watched from inside the van with a light on. Their eyes were glued to the fireworks from inside their safe domain.

Today, our lake is having a boat parade. Every year we have been here, we have watched it from our shoreline, but this year we are participating. Nathaniel is going to ride in the tube behind the pontoon, and it will be fun. Last year, people launched water balloons from their boats at other boats or at onlookers. This year, the balloons are banned...which is a bummer. I do understand about not wanting the balloon pieces in the lake for different reasons, but it is still sad.

This afternoon, we are heading over to my aunt and uncle's for a family reunion we do every year. It is so great to see relatives, chat, eat, swim, go boating...I love it! In the late evening, usually my uncles and brothers bring out their instruments, and we all sing and listen to them. It is a great highlight. Most of the time we sing great Hymns. I am not sure if we will head up to a bigger city to watch the firework display or not.

I hope you all have a Happy Fourth of July!

Jishaku is a hit! ~and a giveaway!

Nathaniel loves magnets, and loves to manipulate them to "try" and make them succumb to his control. I was fortunate to review the fun, and fascinating new game called, "Jishaku." He was so excited about this game, it instantly became a favorite. He brings it many places, and likes to show it to his friends.
Jishaku, Japanese for magnet, uses finely polished hematite magnets for playing pieces. There is a game board included which is a foam pad with indents. You have to place your stones in the pad indents with avoiding to "magnetize" other stones. One variation of the game is the "I'm out" concept. The goal of the game is to place magnets onto the game base - without letting any magnets connect. If your magnet connects to other magnets as you are laying it down, you must pick up what connects. The first one to get rid of their magnets, wins. But there is a twist. All magnets have North and South poles. Jishaku magnets do too. They just aren't marked. So as you carefully place your magnet in a hole you can feel the tug of magnets all around the board. Skilled players learn to use magnetic force in their favor- repelling the magnets closest to them without forcing them into other magnets. Here are the rules of game play and a few more variations of game play with Jishaku. There are some special tricks and tips offered on the site, too.
We love this new game, and it always is a new game every time we play. It always surprises us with a squeal every time the magnets click together. This game is for ages 8 and up, and can be purchased here for $19.95. You can also buy replacement pieces for $4.95 here. Check it out, you will be glad you did! Great family fun!

DO YOU WANT TO WIN YOUR OWN GAME?
This contest is open to bloggers and non-bloggers until July 16th at 7:00 PM CST. Go check out the Jishaku site, and take a look around. Come back here and comment what you think you would like about this game, or who you know would love to play it. Click here to see how you can earn extra credits.

Here is a special discount code for 10% off through 7/31, if you want to order your own game right now. The code is SASFRAZ just enter this at time of checkout.

A funny statement

I forgot to blog this, but it is so precious, that I have to let you all know about it. I was telling Caleb that he will be getting to see his cousins at our family gathering "reunion." He was so excited to go there, and see everyone. The morning of the family reunion, I was giving Caleb a much needed hair cut. While I was cutting his hair he said, "I sure hope Atira likes my new hair cut!"

**Atira is one of his little cousins.

It was so cute that he was thinking about what kind of impression he would make at only 3 years old. :)

Safe Eyes

I was recently given the opportunity to review the great software from InternetSafety.com called Safe Eyes. I am greatly impressed with this program! I think it is great that with one CD, I can protect up to 3 computers in my home! The software features time limits, program blocking, usage reporting, web blocking, key word blocking, instant messaging recording/blocking, peer-to-peer file sharing and more! My oldest is nearing the pre-teen years, and I am happy to know about this software to make our computers a bit more safe, and this will increase accountability in the home. I really like that I can have a report on what is viewed online at any time. Also, I can limit how much computer time is used by setting a time limit. I know that the world web has so much garbage on it, so I am happy to know that there are programs like Safe Eyes to help us rest assured that we are making web browsing, instant messaging, and e-mails a bit more family-friendly. Safe Eyes is the only program of its kind that can be used in mixed Mac/PC homes, with a single annual subscription. I think that at the price of $49.95 for a year subscription, it is worth the piece of mind to make the web a more kid-friendly, and family-friendly experience. Safe Eyes received the Parents' Choice Award for 2008 from the Parents' Choice Foundation. The award is the latest in a series of honors for the parental monitoring software, including two consecutive Editors' Choice awards from PC Magazine. I give Safe Eyes two thumbs up!

Our Day trip to Duluth, MN

On Sunday, we went to church, and then we decided that it was such a beautiful day, that we would take a road trip up to Duluth. The drive is so pretty, and sometimes it is just great to go for a drive. We had lunch in town, then took off. It is a good couple hours to Duluth (more like 3) so, it was good timing with Caleb and Madelyn's naps. We went down to Canal Park, and watched the big ships come in and go under the lift bridge. The last time we were in Duluth with the kids was last summer. Maddie was just about 5 months old. Caleb remembered the big boats. He wasn't so impressed with standing under the bridge when it was coming down over our heads. It really is a rush to have the bridge stop just about 5 feet over your head. Madelyn loved waving to all the people on the boats. She kept doing the sign for boats, and she was waving with smiles yelling, "HI!"
After the Canal Park, we walked around and saw a few fountains of icy cold water. Nathaniel really liked this one fish he found...
Caleb and Madelyn loved playing with the fountain spouts, too!


On the way back to the van, Nathaniel and Caleb decided it was hot enough to dunk their head in the fountains. Boys will be boys, I guess. They had fun!

Then, our family ventured off to this great park we went to last time we were in Duluth. It is a wooden playground set. There are tunnels, slides, swings, bridges, and great hiding places stuck in sand. It is a great place to play with the kids, and just run around. Here is a cute picture of Madelyn playing peek-a-boo with Terry and I~

After our busy day, we went over to Perkins for supper. We had a great view of Lake Superior. It was great to look out and see those views. Madelyn was so hungry! She ate more than anyone, I think. We drove over to Proctor to see the Duluth Missabe train display before heading out of town. I wish I had been camera ready, because Madelyn was loving the flowers. I handed her a daisy, and she smelled it, and smiled. She just loved carrying around the flowers. We got back late Sunday night, but it was a great family day out away from home.

Ease of locks and safe, too!

When I get home, I am usually carrying an armload, plus holding on to Maddie. The last thing I want to do is to search for my keys, and fumble with them to unlock the door. I am so thankful that Schlage Locks have created a product to make my life easier! I really like the electronic security with the keypad locks! We don't have to hide a key, carry our house keys, lose or forget our keys with our electronic security. Each family member can have their own code to get into the home! It is so nice, and conveinient! With Schlage Locks we can have up to 19 codes stored in the keypad. What is really nice about this feature is, if we have someone staying at our home while we are on vacation, we don't have to give them a spare key. All we have to do is give them a code, and we can delete it when they are done. Talk about security! This is also great if we are gone during the day, and we have a repair person coming out to fix something. We just give them the code to get in, and delete the code when we get home. I also like the feature of the light up keys on the keypad. This is so nice at night when it is dark. I just click the top key (Schlage button) and all the numbers light up.
Installation was easy, too! It only took one tool. We just replaced our deadbolt with a screwdriver in less than 30 minutes. I like that this lock fits round or square corners, or drive-in installations. Schlage offers many different selections of products to meet your needs. I like that they offer different finishes for their locks, so I can pick which one I like best. I am just so grateful for Schlage Locks!
Thank you MomCentral for this review opportunity!

Baby Wearing contest!

Kristen Gallagher, from Along for the Ride, is having an amazing contest! For all you babywearing people...and those who want to be a babywearer....you HAVE to check this out!



Win the Essential Babywearing Stash from Along for the Ride (one Beco Butterfly, one Hotsling baby pouch, one BabyHawk Mei Tai, one Zolowear Ring Sling, and one Gypsy Mama Wrap)


I posted a few pictures for example! They are beautiful! I love wearing my babies, and I would be just tickled pink to win this outstanding contest! Thanks for the generous giveaway, Kristen!

Little Miss T.R.O.U.B.L.E

I was giving Madelyn and Caleb a duo bath tonight after we came indoors. All was well, until Madelyn started to splash me. She did this the last time I gave them a bath (usually Terry is the bath giver). Last time she stopped when I told her to stop. Not tonight, I told her to stop, and you know what she did? She got this little twinkle in her eye, smiled with her one dimple showing, and did it again even bigger. So, I thought I would get even. (I know, that is the best example to give our kids). I splashed her back, in the face. This was obviously a failing attempt to get her to stop, because she just giggled, and as she was smiling she did it again. This game lasted the entire bath time. My little darling is just a little trouble maker, and loves every minute of it. Isn't that third child syndrome traits?