Hailey

I can not believe my little girl is going to be 11 in a couple of weeks.  In some ways, she acts like she is way older than that.  But in other ways, she is still my little girl.  For instance, she still has this one baby doll named Hailey that she loves.  She doesn't necessarily play with her all that often, but occasionally I will find her holding her, or dressing her, or even pretending to give her a bottle.  I sometimes catch her playing doll games online, too. She has such a natural mother's instinct.  I believe she will be an excellent mother someday.

One of her favorite things to do is scour thrift stores for close for Hailey.  Her baby doll probably has more clothes than I do.  I try every few months to clean out her old toys from her room, and while she has gotten rid of things like Barbie dolls and building blocks, she refuses to get rid of anything related to Hailey.  This doll has a crib, and a playpen, and a stroller, and a car seat.  When she was a little bit younger, she used to take Hailey with her everywhere.  She would push a buggy in the grocery store with Hailey strapped into it.  These days she doesn't like to take Hailey in public, but she will occasionally ride in the car with us.

I know that someday she will be ready to get rid of Hailey.  But for now, I will let her continue to mother her.  I mean, why force her to grow up? It will happen on it's own whether I like it or not, just like it did with Ryan and Kasi.

Poker And Game Night

One of the best memories I have of my grandparents is playing poker with them.  Years ago, my parents moved from New York to South Carolina, leaving me, my sister, and my brother behind.  The only family we had up north were our grandparents, and every couple of weeks we would get together with them and play poker.  We hardly ever played five card stud.  My PopPop had other games he liked to play, and the only one I can remember is "deuces and jacks, the man with the ax, and a pair of seven takes all".

It has been many, many years since we have played, and it's been over ten years since my PopPop passed away.  I have tried playing poker online, but it is not the same.  These days, I prefer playing classic solitaire.  I have taught the kids how to play rummy, and that is fun to play when we have our family game nights, though we haven't done that in a really long time.  I think our last family game night was New Year's Eve last year.  The kids had gotten a dice game for Christmas, so we sat and played that for a couple of hours.  Eventually, I gave up and went to play solitaire online, leaving the game to the kids.

My kids love when we do game nights, not only because we play games together, but because I cook all kinds of "bad for us" food.  Each of the kids get to pick out all the food, and it is usually a combination of mozzarella sticks, taquitos, and pizza rolls.

I am going to have to plan a game night with the kids soon.

Platform Games Are My Favorite

Do you have a favorite game that you play online?

I go through stages, where I will play a certain game for weeks, then tire of it and play something different, only to return to the original game after a few weeks.  Did that just make sense? My favorite kinds of games are considered platform games, where you have to clear one level before you are able to move on to the next, harder level.  Take the mario and luigi games, for instance.  The first boards start out kind of simple, and then they get harder the further you get into the game. It is hard for me to start one of these types of games and not complete it.

I am playing a game right now where you have to switch different colored candies to make three or more in a row to clear them from the board.  I believe I am on level 167, and I have been stuck on it for almost a week.  I get so close to clearing it, which is very frustrating.  But, I keep going back to it, because now I am determined to move up to the next level. It's personal now.  And yes, I know I have a problem.

There are several platform games that I like to play on my son's playstation.  I know it's supposed to be a guy thing, liking video games, but I love them.  I can even kick my son's butt playing guitar hero.  The only games I can't play are the racing games.  I stink at those.  No matter how hard I try, I can not steer the car.  I always crash.

At least I am a good driver when I am in the real world.  You know, where it counts.

Letting Go And Moving On

I started this blog as a place to write down all the things going on in m life.  Back then, I was posting daily, and it was fun to share stories about my kids and my everyday life.  Now that I am working all the time, I find it hard to post regularly.  I keep telling myself that I need to find the time, even if it is on the weekends and I write posts and schedule them to post throughout the week.  But when the weekends get here, I am usually busy cleaning my house, or spending time with my kids.  I have come to enjoy my weekends when the kids are with their daddy, because that is when I get the best cleaning done.  It's amazing how hard it is to clean with three kids under foot, even if they are all mostly grown.

I don't want to give up blogging, because I do still enjoy it.  I have made great friends over the years, even though most of them no longer blog.  I am thankful for Facebook, because we are still able to keep in touch on there. Plus, I love my games.  I was so disappointed a couple of months ago when my favorite game disappeared one day.  It was a game I had been playing since it started a couple of years ago, and one day, without warning, it just vanished.  Thankfully there are other games online (not just on Facebook) like Bubble that are just as addicting.

I know I still have regular readers, even if some of them are people I wish would just go away.  It's these people who make me hesitant to post, because in my opinion, they have no business knowing what is going on in my life.  To them I say, if you want to know what is going on with me, ask me.  Face to face.  If I feel it is any of your business, I'll happily share my life with you.  More than likely, though, I'd tell you to worry more about yourself than me.  I'm doing just fine.  Better than ever, actually.  I am happy.  Happier than I have ever been.  I am standing on my own two feet, providing a happy, safe, and loving home for my children, who are now and have always been the most important people in my life.  That should be all that matters.  I have let go of the past and moved on.

I suggest you do the same.

Games

I love playing games.  I love playing board games, especially with my kids.  I love playing video games.  In fact, whenever my son is playing a game and gets stuck on a particularly difficult level, he comes to me to help get him past it. I also love playing games online.  I can sit down at the computer with the intentions of spending ten minutes playing a game, and end up sitting there for hours. I am sure I am not the only one who does that.

I was playing this happy wheels game online, and I have to admit, after a few minutes I gave up.  I had to pick a character at the beginning, so I picked this guy on a bicycle who had a kid on the back.  I was riding up a hill, and somehow I ended up flipping the bike upside down.  As I was rolling back down the hill on my head, my arms fell off and I was spurting blood everywhere.  Thankfully, the kid on the back of the bike was fine, but I'm pretty sure I was dead.  I am not sure if this a game I will play again, but I can guarantee that my son would love it!

Games

 I love playing games.  In fact, right at this moment, Brandi is setting up a game of Pictureka for us to play.  My love of games is not limited to board games, either.  I love all kinds of games.  The kids and I play cards and video games, and Brandi loves to give me makeovers.  Recently, I have discovered the joys of online games.  I am not only talking about the games you have to pay to play, because I have never tried any of those.  I love the free games that you can find online.

I am new to skill games, and find them extremely addicting, especially the ones where you can play against your friends.  Most of you know that I have an addictive personality to begin with, so when I start playing a game I have to finish it, no matter how long it takes me.  It's funny, but there are a few games that Ryan has for his Playstation that he needs my help with to clear levels.  Of course, I never tell him no.  Like I said, I am a gamer. 

Nowadays, though, I don't have time for much of anything.  I work all the time, and by the time I get home in the afternoons, the only thing I want to do is sit and relax.  These games can be relaxing, but they can also make me crazy. 

And these days, I avoid crazy at all costs.

Time To Say Goodbye To The VCR

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of iNetVideo. All opinions are 100% mine.
Yes, you read that right.  I still own a working VCR.  In fact, we have two of them, and they are both very, very old.  I also have a cabinet full of VCR tape movies.  A lot of them I now own on DVD also, but for some reason, I am having a hard time getting rid of them.

I have a feeling I am going to have the same problem when I switch from a DVD player to a blu-ray player.  I have heard that the quality of a blu-ray movie is so much better than a DVD.  The good news is, I can buy the blu-ray movies from iNetVideo.com.  They have a huge selection of movies, starting at $6.99.  That's right.  They have blu-ray movies for less than $7.  They also sell DVD's, and I found some for as little as $3.00.  (That's cheaper than Walmart) They also have a monthly contest where they give away a blu-ray player, which I would love to win.  You can also check out their blog to read up on the latest in entertainment news.

You know what else I love about this site?  They sell video games, both new and used.  I was looking at their wii games and Playstation2 games (the two systems we own) and found a couple of games the kids would love, at very reasonable prices.  I think I found somewhere to do a little Christmas shopping.

We Love Playing Games

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of goviral. All opinions are 100% mine.

Around here, we have game nights. I cook a bunch of finger foods, and we play cards, or board games, and just hand out as a family. We go through phases with the games, though, Recently, the kids have been wanting to play Pictureka, which is fun, but after a while I like to change things up. There was an episode of Wizard's recently where the family played charades. Brandi thought it looked like fun, and asked if we could try playing it one night. I told her we would, and then completely forgot about it.

Until today.

I found this website where they teach you all kinds of hand gestures, and I have to say, if my little family of five mastered all of these, we would beat anyone in Charades. This site also has a section where you can play a game of Charades to win free music for a year (you have to have a premium We7 subscription). I played their practice Charade, and got it wrong on my first try. I did, however, get it right the second time I watched. Check it out below and see if you get it right the first time.

Did you get it on the first try? If so, you are better than me. I guess I need to go study some of those hand gestures so I can get better at this game. Have I mentioned that I am competitive, and I like to win?

Online Gaming

sMy kids love playing game online. They come by it honestly, though, because I can, and do, spend hours playing online games myself. What else is there to do at 2am when insomnia has kicked in and there is nothing on television?

Brandi really loves the games where she can dress up dolls, or in this case, Miley Cyrus. She will sit and dress the doll up in all kinds of different outfits. Unlike some other games, this one, which is found at poptropica games, allows you to change hairstyles. I guess because they want you to switch Miley into Hannah, which is what Brandi did in the picture.

Most gaming sites are okay for kids, but I still have to approve all games before the kids are allowed to play. I think that is what every parent should do. I also do not allow her to get on the computer unsupervised. I am always within viewing distance, just to make sure she doesn't end up on a site that is not kid appropriate. Again, I think that is what every parent should do. Especially with younger kids like Brandi, who is only 8. When kids get older, there are a whole new set of reasons to monitor their online activity. That is why half the time, Ryan and Kasi are grounded from the computer. I am trying to teach them to be responsible with their online choices.

Seems like it is a losing battle most days, but I refuse to give up.

Games

My kids love to play games online. They come by it naturally, because I also love playing online games. Heck, I play playstation and Wii games, too. In fact, there are several games where Ryan needs my help to get past certain levels. I'm a geek, and that's okay with me.

Kasi and Brandi like to play the games on Facebook. Ryan plays these games, too, but he also likes to play games on other sites. His new favorite is this game called Crazy Mustang. Basically it is just driving this "monster" mustang over hills, crushing other cars and anything else that is in your way. He found this game on the Miniclip website.

I always have to check out these gaming sites before I let him play. I know there are a lot of sites out there that can give your computer virus' and stuff like that. I have become almost paranoid about it, because I have been infected more than once, and it is not a fun experience. I am lucky, though, because my brother is my computer guy, and he has been able to fix my computer every time.

I am just hoping that I can keep it virus free from now on.

The Perfect Game For Me

I keep telling myself that I am not going to start playing anymore games on facebook. BUT, I found this one all about kittens and cats, so I could I not play? Check out my cats:

Right now I have three. The black one is Hambone, the white one is Lucky, and the blue leopard is Pinky. I have the option of changing their names, but I kinda like the ones they came with. For right now, I can only have three cats. I can not wait to level up, because they have the cutest long haired kitties that I want to adopt.

Oh, the game is called Happy Pets.
You know you want to play, too.

My Cafe

Like I needed another facebook game to keep me busy! My newest obsession is Cafe World. I love making the food, and serving the customers. I love buying things for my cafe, and rearranging the furniture. If you play, come by and be my neighbor!

Why, Facebook, Why?

Dear Facebook,

Why do you have to have such fun games to play, tempting me day after day.

It started so innocently with BubbleTown.

Then came the farm games. Oh, how they were so fun to play! It was my dream to reach level 34 so I could own a mansion, and when I accomplished that dream...wow. It was a proud day.

Then came the fish games. Oh how I love my little swimmers! I feed them often, and keep the tanks clean...and am rewarded with happy little fishies.

And now, I have been sucked in again. This time it is the cafe.

I am cooking and decorating, and it's only my first day.

I am already on level six.

I think I might have a problem, Facebook. I think I might need for you to stop putting out all these fun games.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,
Jenn

p.s. feel free to reply. You can find me standing over my stove...

Mobile Gaming

I love video games. We have a Playstation, and I have been known to lose an entire day in a game. My son, who is almost 14, still comes to me when he is playing certain games, begging me to get him past a hard level. My favorite games are the Jak and Daxter series. I can play them over and over, and still enjoy myself.

Back in February, I broke down and bought Ryan a PSP. He loves it. He makes it a point not to let me play it, though, because he knows he would never get it back. What I really need to do is buy myself one of those fancy iPhones, so I can download games onto it, and play whenever I want. Some people might call this an addiction, but I just think it's fun.

It's more fun to play against someone, so having a multiplayer iphone game platform would be a necessity. Since I do not have a cell phone right now, I have no idea what kinds of games are available. Can I get the same games I play online? Oh, did I forget to mention that I become addicted to computer games, too? I know, I probably need some type of intervention.

Or maybe you would want to play against me?

Filler

I am bad about getting addicted to games on facebook. Thanks to Jenera, I am now totally addicted to Filler. The concept is simple...you have to make balls, but you can't let the balls you are making touch any of the bouncing balls. Once they are made, they can touch, but not while they are "filling". You clear a board when you sill 70% of the board with balls you made. I made it to level 50 last night, and had to quit because my eyes were crossing. I got to level 54 this afternoon, but had to quit to go run errands. I am hoping one day to have enough time to see how far I can go before I die. Up until now, I haven't even gotten close to dying.

If you are on facebook, check out this game.

Games My Girls Play

I have two daughters, and they love to play games on the computer. Brandi, who is seven, loves to play the games where you get to put makeup and clothes on dolls. We were just looking on Girl Games and found a game where you can dress up Zac Efron. We chose his hairstyle and color, his eye color, facial hair, and all of his clothes. Brandi made all the decisions, and look how he came out. She thinks he looks pretty hot.

I don't know how I feel about my seven year old thinking anyone is hot.

I know she is going to go back to this site, and I'm okay with that, although I am not too happy about all the kissing games. It's a good think she is not interested in that kind of thing. I tried out another one of other games, the pizza matchmaking game, and think it is geared more towards my older daughter, who is twelve. Now they both have something new to play.

New Games To Play

I love Trivia. I have been told on more than one occasion that I have too much useless information in my head. I can play a Fun trivia game at Triviala.com. You can answer trivia questions for fun, or to collect crowns. There is more than one Trivia Game. You can play a Quickfire game where you answer thirty rapid fire questions. I just played and only got 16 out of 30 correct. You have to "spin" to see what category your questions come from. You get three spins, for ten questions per category. I did great on the movie questions, but the history and general questions were hard.

I also played Coin A Word, and I can tell this will be an addiction of mine. You get six letters, and you have to make as many words as you can using those six letters. I love games like this. Kasi stood over my shoulder and helped me get almost all of the words. She is going to be a puzzle solver like I am.

There are other games to play, and I could lose the next few hours of my life playing. I had to sign up to play, but it was quick and easy. It literally took me about thirty seconds. Playing is free, and you can use the crowns you collect to enter drawings, where you could win up to $5000 each month. I kind of like the sound of that.

If you like playing computer games that make you think, this is the site for you. Trust me when I say they are addicting and fun.

Games

I love that my kids are getting older. When they were little, they had so many toys and games, some of which they needed my help to play. With Ryan, I didn't mind the endless hours of Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders. By the time Brandi was born, I was over it. I would make Ryan and Kasi play with her. Now that they are old enough for adult games, I have been trying to teach them some of the classics that I grew up playing. We went through a phase where we only played Sorry, then it was Life, and most recently we have been playing Clue. I think Clue is my favorite game ever, and I love that the kids like playing it, too. I am teaching them my little tricks to figuring out the who, where, and with what. Brandi amazes me with how quickly she picks up the rules of these games, because she is only seven.

I have been looking for games that are a little different, and most recently looked on ShopWiki. I love this site because when I found a game I was interested in, they showed me exactly which stores sell it. That right there saves me the hassle of tracking it down myself. I was also looking at their video games while I was there, because there is a certain game that Ryan wants for his Playstation. I don't feel like driving all over trying to find it. I just don't have the patience for that. I did find it, though, and Ryan will find it under the tree Christmas morning. Yes, I am one of those early shoppers.

World Of Warcraft

Do you play World of Warcraft? I know a lot of bloggers who play for hours on end. I have thought about playing, but am worried I would not be able to stop. I have been reading up on it, and know that you have to complete quests to level up, and that you can't save a quest in the middle. It's best to have a good block of time to sit down and play.

I don't have that kind of time right now, but this game is on my list of games to try. I might cheat and buy some WoW Gold, that way I can have a leg up in the beginning. Is that even considered cheating, or is it just good planning?

Playing Games

Last night we finally convinced Ryan to play Clue with us. He picked it up pretty quick, but somehow mid-way through the game his score paper flipped over, so he was playing a different game. This led to a ton of confusion, which eventually made us stop playing. But, there is always tonight for a rematch!

I love, love, love that the kids are old enough now to play real board games, not just Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders. I have always loved board games, and it is such a great way to spend quality time with the kiddos.