Adventures at the Pumpkin Patch

Awww an adventure at the Pumpkin Patch… Fall is my favorite season of the year and I think my kids like it too!

What a better way to start our weekend than visiting our favorite farm, Holiday Farms in Ridgeland, South Carolina and just like they claim, "Just not a Holiday... an experience!"

Our family has visited this farm for a couple of years now and there are a few things I truly love about this farm, for example, they are family owned and operated, they transform the farm on each holiday and you are welcome to bring your own food and drinks.  We all now how expensive purchasing food and drink can be when visiting the local fair.   They also have a covered picnic area for all the visitors to enjoy. 

Holiday Farms offer many activities and my kids take advantage of every single one.  Well, let me take that back, they can no longer do the speedway since that activity is only for toddlers… 

As soon as we arrived we were able to see the welcome signs, the "fall" decorations and hay rolls sprayed painted with funny images of animals. 

 My favorite decoration was this perfectly shaped pumpkin painted in red... it looked so shiny!  

Not far from the entrance we were able to find a large group of colorful "mums".  Last year my best friend gifted me with some of her "orange" mums. I know, they don't last very long but they just look so festive!

And who can say no to their new Jumppad!  and guess what?  Adults are also allowed to jump on it too!!! Not that I got on it or anything... 

Our kids spent a good amount of time jumping and chasing each other on this pad.  Energy zapper at work!

Then we enjoyed some time playing with the cornhole boards!  This is when I realized my daughter has an amazing arm and aim.  Yes, they had 4 different sets of boards and they had to play on each one.  So we played this game for a w-h-i-l-e!

After playing with the conrnhole game, they moved towards the next game, "ring toss".   

When they realized the wagon was coming, they forgot about the ring toss game and ran towards the "Barnyard Zoo" in order to board the wagon! 

See, they ran.. we didn't.. because we knew that once they got closer to the barn, they were going to pet every animal before they actually got on the wagon.   And petted, they did! HAHA!

Their new covered wagon actually takes you around the farm to the back field which is where all the pumpkins are.  Another great thing about this adventure, everyone got to pick a pumpkin from the patch which was included in their $10.00 admission fee.

Pumpkins everywhere... big pumpkins, medium size pumpkins, tiny baby pumpkins, and it was so much fun trying to find that perfect pumpkin to bring home.  

Our only rule for the day was, if you can't carry it (pumpkin) then you can't take it. After all parking was at a good distance away from the grounds, so it made sense to put that rule in place, especially if you have to carry a pumpkin of your own.  But when you have daddy wrap around your little finger, who cares what mommy says! 

And we couldn't just leave without seeing a "pig race", that would have been an incomplete experience for them! 

It was fun to see all those little piglets running!

These are the faces of some tired and hungry kids!  Unfortunately, our kids waited too long to decide it was time for them eat.  

If you know me, then you already know that when I take the kids to places like this, I only go for one thing and one thing only, FOOD!  So, as soon as I got there I went straight to the extremely long line that promised to provide me with some good old fashion Funnel Cake, ribs and perhaps some good BBQ chicken.  Our children had other plans, they insisted that they were not hungry and there was no need for me to stand in line, so we decided to forgo the food and go straight for the activities.  

Let me say this, what a GIGANTIC MISTAKE that was! Since they waited until the last minute, all the greasy and delicious food was GONE and they had no other choice but to settle for snow cones and a small basket of french fries!  

But they had so much fun that not been able to get a funnel cake was totally okay with them.

We highly suggest you make plans to visit Holiday Farms.  Your little ones will enjoy participating in the many activities like barrel racing, duck racing, corn grinding, steer roping, cow milking and getting to know the animals at the Barnyard Zoo.  

Every Saturday you will be able to enjoy the food from their concession stands as well as live entertainment!

Don't forget to stop by their General Store while you are there and check out all of their items like their local honey, jellies, jams as well as soaps, candy and toys!

But our adventures are not stopping there... today we will be putting our costumes on and having some fun with the officers at SCMPD Precinct 5!

  

SALE ALERT: SinfulColors Guise & Ghouls Glowing Masquerade

Hello everyone!!

    I've finally found the time to visit my local Walgreens and the timing was perfect! 

    I found that all the SinfulColor Guise & Ghouls Glowing Masquerade are finally on SALE for $1.99 each!!! 

In this collection you will find:

* Cloak & Swagger

* Play Dead

*Nice Guise

*Deja Boo

*Hazel Moon

*Got a Bat Attitude

*Dead On

*Glow In The Dark Top Coat

*Let's Talk

*Courtney Orage

*Black on Black

Walgreen Exclusive:

*Where Oh Werewolf

I picked the Glow in the Dark for Ms. Bree and she is going to love it!!  Yes, my daughter loves nail polishes as much as I do.  (maybe more than me)

 The Glow In The Dark polish is a top coat and it promises to really get things "glowing".

I picked the above colors for me.  Unfortunately, Courtney Orange was not available but I was able to grab Cloud 9 at the same price.  Cloud 9 seems to be a bit lighter and brighter than Courtney Orange. 

If you have a Walgreens Rewards Card then don't forget to use it, instead of paying $1.99, you will only pay $1.50!!  

Stay tuned because I will be doing my own manicure and I will be using Cloud 9 together with Black on Black topped with a few accent stickers!

Are you planning to join the festivities by dressing up or maybe by getting a "wicked" manicure for the week??  If you decide to take advantage of this great sale, make sure you tell us which colors you picked!! 

Memorial Day Sales....

Hello everyone!

We hope that everyone is having a wonderful three day weekend so far.  My steaks and hamburgers are happily marinating in the refrigerator at the moment.  

But before I start on the rest of my "Memorial Day" menu, I wanted to share this amazing sales... 

(Please note that affiliate links are included in this post)

Beauty Box 5 is offering: FREE SHIPPING ON MEMORIAL DAY ONLY!

Click here to learn more about it Beauty Box 5 is celebrating Memorial Day!

My all time favorite product, Bee Mine Organics is having a sale this weekend too!

Bee Mine's "End of School"  sale starts NOW through Tuesday May 31st, 2016 (11:59PM EST)

DISCOUNT CODE: ENDOFSCHOOL

Please note: This code will give you 25% off with a minimum purchase of $35.00 This discount cannot be combined with any other discount code. 

Shop Amazon Fashion - Up to 60% off Memorial Day Sale 

and who can forget the infamous sales from Target, JCPenney, Macy's, Belks and Walmart!! 

Banana Republic also has a Memorial Day Sales:  50% - 70% OFF the entire store.  Online and In Factory Stores.  Their sale ends May 30th, 2016.
(and you can save even more if you are a cardholder)

We will try to keep this list updated for all of our shoppers out there.  Please be careful if you choose to visit the stores this weekend.  This is going to be  a very busy weekend and thieves don't take time off, put your packages in the trunk of your car.    

HAVE FUN and be safe! 

The Amazing SCAD Sidewalk Art Festival

Hello everyone! 

Daddy is finally home and we are so happy that our little family it's back together... Yes, Hubby had to travel to Columbia, South Carolina and had to remain there for an entire week!  

Was it hectic? Absolutely! Having to drive the kids to all of their after school activities, making sure their homework was completed as well as my house chores had me begging for mercy by Friday.  I have always thought magnificent things of single mothers, I've always praised their ability to juggle it all by themselves, but after spending a week alone with all the responsibilities, my respect for single mothers have increased by a thousand percent.  

There is no better way to relax than to enjoy a beautiful day at  the park admiring some mind blowing colorful pieces of art, created with chalk by SCAD students, alumni and high school students as well!! 

S.C.A.D. (Savannah College of Art and Design) hosted the 35th Annual Sidewalk Arts Festival which took place at the beautiful Forsyth Park this past Saturday, April 23, 2016.  

This event is always free and the public is always welcome to witness these artists creating their masterpieces for a chance to win prizes at the end of the show. Artists at the top of the different categories are awarded a special prize.  

IN REMEMBRANCE OF PRINCE:

It was amazing to see not just one but many colorful creations done in memory of the magnificent and talented Prince, who sadly passed away on Thursday.

But this was by far our favorite!  This was created by the talented Ariana Fletcher!  When we inquired about her art, we discovered that it took her nearly two and a half hours to complete.  Let me say this, these pictures don't do the artist justice.  

  

Here are some more murals dedicated to Prince that were created by different artists. 

These are some more of our favorites: 

Little Man's favorite was this dinosaur, "more specifically, a velociraptor".. 

"Lemon-aid" was my favorite for so many reasons:

1. Bree was dressed in this "lemon-"lime" color, and 

2. I enjoyed the joke in the title of this piece. 

We had a great time viewing the art and even go to see some of these talented artist create their art, it truly was amazing.  There is nothing better than spending "family time" on a lovely sunny day in the park   The way God intended us to enjoy each other. 

Life After Tonsillectomy- A Month After Her Surgery

Hello Everyone!! 

Ms. Bree's Tonsillectomy surgery was performed thirty four (34) days ago today.  Can you believe it?  It has been a rough thirteen months for us but I think I am finally seeing the light at the end of tunnel.  

In my post "Her Journey To Surgery: Tonsillectomy", I explained how long her journey had been and how helpless we felt during her monthly fevers before her surgery was finally scheduled.  

A lot of our fans have asked why did it take so long for surgery to be scheduled. I agree that nine months of reoccurring fevers are a bit too much for a child's little body to endure.  

As a rule, pediatricians can only advise this type of surgery after making sure the tonsils are causing a chronic problem.  Unfortunately, during the beginning months, Ms. Bree had no signs of red or pink throat, she had a good cell count, no throat ache, no ear ache nor congestion.  However, she would occasionally complain of a tummy ache.  It was not until January 7th, 2016 that she was officially diagnosed with Tonsillitis and her second diagnosis was in February 8th, 2016.    

When the doctor tells you "children recover faster than adults" believe them!  Usually, tonsillectomy is done as an outpatient procedure, which means that the child will be able to go home the same day.  

Day 2 Post Surgery: 

The diet suggestion throughout the first few days included the following: 

Drinks: water, tea, apple juice, gatorade, milk, milkshakes, popsicles, jell-o (drinks that contained high levels of acidic were not allowed)  While she was allowed to have soda, it was not preferred. 

Thankfully she understood that she couldn't have anything "red" and soda, therefore she opted to stick with Frappucinos and Milkshakes. 

Food: Bland foods that are easy to swallow like ice cream, mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, applesauce, grits, noodles, pasta, macaroni and cheese, dumpling, soft chicken (bake or boiled, not fried) and meatloaf.  

Food was one of the most difficult parts for her.  Ms. Bree is a big eater and by Day 2, she wanted to eat everything that she was not allowed to eat.  She had a lot of mac and cheese, plain noodles with grated parmesan cheese.  She also ate a lot of ice cream sandwiches, popsicles and chicken breast (rotisserie style). 

Our instructions were to concentrate on hydration rather than nutrition and that's exactly what we did.  We took cues from her and we watched her behavior closely for any indication that she was in a lot of pain.

The anticipated recovery time was two weeks and the only activities allowed were lot of "bed rest" and "quiet activities".  No running, lifting, yelling, swimming are allowed.  

Day 3 Post Surgery:

By  Day 3 she was so bored, tired of taking naps and coloring quietly in the company of Grandmother.   She followed instructions wonderfully by not yelling and running around the house. 

We were also advised that while you are able to controlled the pain throat with medication, the pain becomes more severe during the 3rd and 4th day and usually peaks during the 7th-10th day.  

She was so blessed, the severe pain we were told to expect, never came! While she continued to take the antibiotics like a champion, she really didn't require a lot of pain medication and I'm so thankful for that. As parents, we hate to see our children in pain and no power to take it away. 

We were expecting some nasal speech or nasal regurgitation as we were told that both can sometimes occur, but Ms Bree didn't experience either of those things. 

However, her breath was out of this world!   We didn't make it a big deal, in fact, we explained to our son why Ms. Bree had a foul odor coming from her mouth, and why he shouldn't say anything to her.  After all, we really couldn't do anything about it, the foul odor is often present during the healing process.  We were told that swelling of the tongue, uvula and throat are common and it usually goes away within seven days.  During the first two days, Ms. Bree had a hard time opening her mouth in order to brush her teeth, so we did our best to keep her teeth cleaned.

Ms. Bree's follow up with Dr. Oliver was on March 24th, 2016 at which time she was given the "green light" to return to school and was told she could slowly return to her regular activities. (except the trampoline)

Day 16 Post Surgery:

Ms. Bree was so excited that she had been given the "ok" to attend her best friend's birthday party! 

While I anticipated for her to be a little bit more tired than usual after the party, she was not.  She didn't require a nap after the party at all.

Day 17 Post Surgery:

Her first day back at Church was so amazing.  The kids were also looking forward to the "Egg Hunt".  Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate and the Egg Hunt didn't take place.  However, their Pastor and staff did a great job making sure the kids had fun and they each received a bag full of goodies. 

Day 31 Post Surgery:

April 9th, 2016 

April 9th was a very important date for her and for me as well.  We celebrated little man's "special friend's" birthday, the celebration took place at the "Get Air" and what kid doesn't like a "jumping place"?

It was important to me because as I mentioned before, her fevers were a monthly occurrence and she would have them anywhere between the 5th -8th of the month.    Well, the fevers never came!! 

I can see the change in her.  She no longer snores and she has not complained of any tummy aches.  Like every child, she will get sick, she will experience the occasional cold or sore throat.  We deeply believe the surgery worked and her quality of life has improved.  While I know it has only been 34 days since her surgery, the fevers didn't strike this month and her daily activities were not affected at all.   

Ms. Bree has been able to enjoy birthday parties, play dates, church and the good old Strawberry Festival!  She is back to her old happy self, enjoying everything in life and everything in the refrigerator!!  And that ladies and gentlemen, makes us very happy and very broke but we gladly accept being broke if it means having our children happy and healthy!  LOL  

"Thimbleberry" by Sinful Colors Professional

Welcome back my beauties!! 

I hope everyone is having a good week so far.  We are definitely staying busy around here with only 32 days left of school!!  

Baseball season ends on May 9th, Ms. Bree is having her recital on May 21st then our family vacation! I am looking forward to that time at the Beach!!!!

After the beautiful teal color nail polish from last week ("Savage"), today I'm bringing to you "Thimbleberry-108".  This is also by Sinful Colors Professional.  (I just love the $1.99 price on these nail polishes)

Thimbleberry is a prefect "spring color", it has that vibrant dark pink "coral" finish to it.  The more coats you apply, the brighter the final color is.

One of our loyal readers commented on our Facebook page: "Gina H-S" I have this one!! It works on all skin tones!! It's my go to spring/summer color!

Thimbleberry is a prefect "spring color", it has that vibrant dark pink "coral" finish to it.  The more coats you apply, the brighter the final color will be.  

It also has a shiny look to it once it's completely dried but I always recommend the use of a base and top coat.  In my opinion, using a base coat gives the nail polish an even look and the top coat will allow the nail polish last longer.

Another of our loyal readers commented on our Facebook page: Christeena C-M W: My son picked that exact color out for me <3.

I personally love this color! Share your thoughts?