I Haven't Done a Random Thoughts Post in a LONG Time!

It's been awhile since I did a random thoughts post, and I have a little down time for a change, so... why not?!

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

First and foremost, while my weekdays have been full of nothing but work, work, work, work, work (blame Rihanna and my kids, I can't say 'work' without that song coming to mind), my weekends have been full of family time!

Winner Announcement

Congratulations to Kim whose name was randomly selected by Rafflecopter as the winner of the Polaroid Snap Touch Camera.

We Love Sunglass Warehouse: Patriotic Sunglasses Perfect for the 4th of July!

Disclosure: We got the sunglasses free. We love them though, and all opinions stated are genuine and my own.

Basketball is my son's new thing. He's always been in soccer, and he likes it, but recently he and his buds decided to take up bball on the court, and though he's not playing on a team (yet) it's obviously something he loves. Almost daily he asks me to take him to the court, and more times than not his friends end up there too. I think it's a sweaty, icky game (hey, it's hot out there) but I take him, and I stay... and wait for him to be done playing. And I always end up smiling and having a good time because this is a game that makes him laugh. He's having a good time out there. Keeping him protected while he's playing matters to me too (like I said, the sun is bright) so we bring plenty of water, slather him with sunscreen and protect his eyes with shades. Sunglass Warehouse  has these great Patriotic Retro Square Nation Shades that cost just under ten dollars, and they're the ones he's been wearing lately. He loves them and I do too. :)

These plastic, non-mirrored lenses provide  99% UVA/UVB Sun Protection for my son's eyes, and they have a cool patriotic theme that's perfect for the upcoming holiday. What more could you ask for, right?  You can learn more about these shades and all the other great sunglasses sold at Sunglass Warehouse by visiting their website. You can also follow them on Facebook and/or Twitter.

Huge 4th of July Sale! Oriental Trading and Holidays Should Always Go Hand in Hand!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions stated are genuine and my own.

For our 4th of July festivities, some of my most favorite people in the world will be there, many of them who are aged 10 and under. ;) To help make the day even more special for them, I've stocked up on holiday goodies to use and pass out from Oriental Trading! There's no better time to head on over and browse the site because right now they're also having a huge sale, where many of their items are priced up to 50% off of their already low prices.

Do You Forget to Change Your Filters? FilterSnap Delivers!

Disclosure: We received a complimentary filter. I was curious about the company and pleased with the results. All opinions stated are genuine and my own.

An easy way to keep things clean is with a filter. It doesn't cost much to replace them, it's easy to do and the benefits are exponential. One thing I've found though, is that no matter how good your intentions, it's easy to FORGET to change your filters. Thankfully my refrigerator issues me a reminder when the time comes to swap out the old and put in a new (which is good for an initial alert... that I will still very likely forget). My a/c though... nuh uh. One way to take care of both of these types of filters? FilterSnap!

High Quality Porcelain Fluted Bowls from Sweese with #Giveaway

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions stated are genuine and my own.

What do you do when you get a package from Sweese? You jump up and down and cheer because you know you've just purchased quality dinnerware that is going to last for a very long time. Seriously, these bowls I received are solid/thick, designed well and they're pretty to look at too. Best thing besides that for me? You can put them in the dishwasher and/or microwave. :)

Winner Announcement

Congratulations to Dandi whose name was randomly selected by Rafflecopter as the winner of the SmartMax Magnetic Discovery Building Kit.

Congrats to Barbara, Carol and Alissa who will be getting a code to purchase a free pair of Haggar Dress Pants.

Stock Up on TGI Fridays Snacks for Dad!

Disclosure: We received samples. All opinions are genuine and my own.

My oldest son is a GREAT dad!

This young man, is about to have a big day on Sunday because he is  a dad. An awesome dad at that, and I'm not just saying that because I'm his mom. ;) We're headed over to his place Sunday to help him celebrate being a father and I'll be bringing along some snacks to put out on his table.

Six DIY Projects You Can Build This Weekend

Sometimes it feels like the weekend is never going to arrive. We have so many great plans for our time away from work, but then the weekend arrives and we don’t actually do all the awesome things we said we were going to do. If you think this weekend is going to be anything like your last few weekends: streaming internet videos about cats and eating cold pizza, then why not use your weekend time to build a fun project. Here are six do-it-yourself projects you can building this weekend.

CHOOZE Shoes a Unique Gift for Your Unique Graduate! #graduation

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions stated are genuine and my own.

What's the best thing about CHOOZE shoes besides their durability? Their unique look!! No two pairs are exactly matching which makes these shoes daring, fun, and oh so cute. A perfect gift for the graduate in our family, who liked these so much when she received them that they immediately went on her feet! Why be like everyone else? That's always delightfully been my daughter's motto.

Haggar Dress Pants for Father's Day with #Giveaway

Hanging at the beach house. My beach house? No, but don't I wish! :)
The pants are Haggar No-Iron Khaki's and you can win a pair here!

Just because the men in your life don't fuss over clothes, doesn't mean they don't pay attention to what they're wearing. Give dad the gift of tried and true Haggar dress pants for Father's Day this year and he'll be instantly styling with little to no effort. Why? Because these are the No-Iron Khaki Haggar Pants, and that means looking great with absolutely no fuss at all.

Wordless Wednesday (on a Tuesday) :)

One of my favorite pictures from the long weekend we had not too far back. My granddaughter came to stay with us for a few days, and her Uncle and his fiancée came with us to the beach. She was apprehensive at first, and then she loved it. On the car ride home, all she could talk about was how 'big of a girl' she was and that she 'really, really went surfing with her Uncle Josh!" Believe me when I say my cup runneth over. :)

Father's Day is June 18: Are You Ready? 2 Great Gift Ideas!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions stated are genuine and my own.

My oldest is a grill master. Not only does he make the main meat dishes that everyone loves, but he also can make some pretty tasty foil packs full of veggies. It's something he loves to do, and he knows that everyone else around him enjoys the fruits of his labor too. One of the things he most loves to make, of course, is steak. We're about to hit the rainy season where I live (I say "about ," but by the looks of things this week, surely we're already in it), and while that cools things off, it also means grilling isn't going to happen. I've found a solution! The Family Size Steak Stone allows him to cook right at his table. Say what??? Yep, right at his table. THIS is a perfect Father's Day gift idea.

5 Ways to Prevent Water Damage to Your Home

A sudden onslaught of water, no matter the source, can be an expensive disaster to rectify. It is easier and more cost-effective to incorporate prevention methods than deal with restoring things after a water leak emergency. Below are five ways to help prevent the major causes of water damage to a home.


Have Plumbing Inspected Periodically

Plumbing leaks are a major cause for water damage in the home. Burst and leaking pipes are both unexpected and can create a mess quickly. Have the integrity of your plumbing system checked periodically for wear and corrosion. Replace anything that looks like it has seen better days. This small investment can save a ton of money and grief from a water leak emergency.

Today is National Donut Day! So Many Ways to Celebrate with Entenmann's!

The Entenmann's® 2017 National Donut Day and sweepstakes information has been provided by Entenmann's® Bakery.

Entenmann's® Bakery is making donuts NYC's star attraction by bringing its 2017 National Donut Day celebration to Times Square. Fans will have the opportunity to sample delicious Entenmann's® Donuts, take part in fun activities and be wowed by the world famous Harlem Globetrotters.  Thousands of donuts will be given away throughout the 2017 National Donut Day celebration. 

DONUT worry if you don't live in the NYC area - you can join the festivities LIVE on Entenmann's® Facebook page and share the fun using #NationalDonutDay and #Entenmanns.  

While visiting the Entenmann's® Facebook page, enter the sweepstakes for a chance to win free donuts for a year! For each entry, $1 will be donated to Entenmann's' charity partner Feeding America, up to $10,000. More information about the sweepstakes and donation program is available at www.entenmanns.com/nationaldonutday.

If you are celebrating National Donut Day at home, try this delicious creation

Entenmann's® S'mores Donut

Ingredients

1 box                               Entenmann's® Rich Frosted Donuts

1 bottle (24 oz)                Chocolate Syrup

1 container (16 oz)          Marshmallow topping

1 package                        Graham Cracker Squares

Makes 8 Sandwiches 

Direction

1         Cut Entenmann's® Rich Frosted Donuts in half horizontally

2         Spread marshmallow topping on the inside
           of bottom half of donuts

3         Drizzle chocolate syrup over marshmallow
           topping moving side to side

4         Place graham cracker square in plastic
           sandwich bag

5         Seal the bag and hit it with the back of a
           spoon until you have small pieces

6         Sprinkle graham crackers on top
           marshmallow topping

7         Place the second half of the Entenmann's®
           Rich Frosted Donut on top with chocolate side up

8         Enjoy!

-Comments for this post are turned off. Please feel free to share, and of course enjoy the activities and the awesome donut recipe. 

SmartMax Magnetic Discovery Building Kit #Giveaway

SmartMax has this whole selection of magnetic building kits that your kids are just going to love! First and foremost, these kits are safe! The pieces are designed to be intentionally large, so they won't be a choking hazard to the smaller tots. The plastic is glued together around the magnets and then ultrasonically welded for additional protection. That means children are not going to be able to tear them apart.

Tomorrow is National Donut Day: Celebrate Calorie Free with Papyrus!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions stated are genuine and my Papyrus-loving own!

Celebrate National Donut Day with these sweet calorie-free treats from Papyrus. You can't go wrong with any of these adorable donut items that will allow you to celebrate your love of sweetness all year round!

Handmade Felt Donuts Boxed Notes (set of 8)

https://www.papyrusonline.com/handmade-felt-donuts-boxed-notes-set-of-8
A yummy way to send a greeting, these frosted doughnuts are finished with felt and beads. Blank inside for your message. Price: $19.95

Brick Fest Live is on Tour Now! PLUS $3 OFF Coupon!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions stated are genuine and my own.

I love this picture. It depicts our whole day. I took my son, his friend, my granddaughter and her mama to the Brick Fest at the West Palm Beach Convention Center.  It was an awesome day for all of us, and the boys as you can see...really liked the oversized foam bricks!

Water is Even More Fun with COOP Sports!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions stated are genuine and my own.

Even though it's not officially summer, when Memorial Day weekend comes it's also time for the summer break from school. That means fun times are ahead, and playing outside, as all parents know, is paramount during the warmer months. So too, is water play!! COOP combines the two with extra fun toys that hold up well in or out of the water. We recently put two of them to the test.

What's a Bada Board? Perfect for Summer Travel

Disclosure: We received a Bada Board to review. All opinions stated are genuine and my own.

When I first heard of the Bada Board, I thought it was going to be made of plastic. I'm not sure why the word 'board' in its name didn't tip me off that it was going to be cardboard (duh!) but just the same that's how it played out. So, I was surprised when it arrived, but still of course, decided to give it a go. Turns out being made of cardboard makes it perfect for tucking in and taking it wherever you go! We have folded ours and tucked it into the backseat car pocket when we've gone on trips, and used it for coloring, writing, a game of Bingo, and playing the DS. Some things are a lot easier to do when there is a Bada Board to hold your items.