The 2019 Disney slate of movies is a whirlwind of must see movies and I am really excited about the upcoming thrilling and vibrant live-action adaptation of Disney’s animated classic, “Aladdin”. Remember the animated classic starring Robin Williams as Genie? Aladdin is the exciting tale of the charming street rat Aladdin, the courageous and self-determined Princess Jasmine and the Genie who may be the key to their future.  Directed by Guy Ritchie, who brings his singular flair for fast-paced, visceral action to the fictitious port city of Agrabah, “Aladdin” is written by John August and Ritchie based on Disney’s “Aladdin.”  The film stars Will Smith as the Genie; Mena Massoud as Aladdin; Naomi Scott as Jasmine; Marwan Kenzari as Jafar; Navid Negahban as the Sultan; Nasim Pedrad as Dalia and Billy Magnussen as Prince Anders. “Aladdin” is produced by Dan Lin, p.g.a., and Jonathan Eirich, p.g.a., with Kevin De La Noy and Marc Platt serving as executive producers. Ei...

Lenten Season is upon us and I was asked to share a few new releases just in time for Lenten Season.  Ash Wednesday is THIS week!  Which means Easter will be here soon. Here are just a few fab reads from the kind folks at FaithWords which will help keep your heart in tune and focused on the Word during Lent. I remember back in the day where the big discussion this time of year was what we were giving up for Lent.  Oh the struggle.  As kids we would always vow to give up candy or chocolate but that didn't last long.  I confess I've eaten a few candy bars during Lent but I wholeheartedly confessed afterwards.  The guilt... oh the guilt. As an adult, I took my Lenten practices more seriously.  I would fast and follow the rules as best I could and attend worship services as I longed for a more deeper spiritual connection.  There was something about consciously making a sacrifice to do better, to give up something, to strengthen my faith during...

During a recent shopping trip to one of my fave beauty and makeup stores, my friend and I noticed a shelf full of lip scrubs.  We were shocked by the price, especially since I make lip scrubs all the time for a fraction of the cost. Why lip scrubs you ask?  Lip scrubs are perfect for exfoliating your lips, keeping them moisturize during extreme weather like the 100 degree plus days we've had this Summer and those cold, Winter months which will soon be here.   Lip scrubs gently exfoliate lips and help keep lips kissably soft and lip scrubs are simple to make.  All you really need are 3 ingredients you've probably got in your pantry right now:    1.  Sugar    2.  Carrier oil    3.  Essential oil or extract   Most recipes call for a 1/2 cup sugar to 1/2 teaspoon carrier oil ratio with 10-20 drops of essential oil or extract for scent and flavoring and some food coloring for those who want a splash of ...

Card  ✔ Now that we've found the perfect Valentine's Day card .  It's time to shop for flowers.  Flowers make the perfect Valentine's Day gift.  Shop local if you can but if you need to order online don't worry as many online florists partner with local floral shops.  This partnership is great as you can support local florists while taking advantage of the wider selection and discounted pricing of an online florist.  Win-win!  There are lots of online florists to choose from so as with any other online purchase, BUYER BEWARE. Here are a few tips to make your online flower shopping a little easier. Buy from a reputable company.    Google "Valentine's Day flowers" and a ton of online florists ads immediately pop up all over your screen.  With so many to choose from it may be difficult to separate quality amidst the quantity from the list on your screen.  There are some great companies.  C...

February is Black History Month and what better way time to celebrate by sharing some of our favorite, award winning books for children written by African American writers. Radiant Child This book is about the famed artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.  Just like Basquiat's art, the book is vibrant and full of colorful illustrations. Radiant Child tells the story of Basquiat as a child who saw art everywhere he looked and not in the traditional sense.  A visually stimulating book and a wonderful introduction to the work of a truly talented artist. The Snowy Day  by Ezra Jack Keats holds a special place in my heart as it was one of the first books by kids read by themselves.  My kids participated in the HIPPY program - a homeschool based reading program for 3-, 4-, and 5-year olds and The Snowy Day .  A classic tale of a young boy venturing out during a snowy day with vivid, bold watercolor illustrations sure to capture your child's attention. T...

Have you seen those infomercials for the bacon bowl?  Pretty neat premise:  a bowl made out of bacon.   A bowl made out of bacon.  Oh the deliciousness and you don't need to waste your money ordering one online.  Bacon bowls are really easy to make. All you need is bacon and a muffin tin I used thick cut bacon but you can use regular sliced bacon or turkey bacon or veggie bacon    Directions: Wrap bacon slices around individual muffin tin cups and bake according to directions. You can weave the bacon if you like for a prettier effect.   Rule of thumb:  More slices = fuller bowl Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes or so Keep a close eye on the bacon so it doesn't burn I used 2 slices of bacon this time but next time I'll use 3-4 slices for a fuller bowl Fill. Fill with scrambled eggs and cheese for breakfast or brunch or fill with leafy greens for a tasty salad.  The possibilities...

My middle kid motioned for me to come into the building.  I couldn't imagine why.  He ran to the car saying "Mom, it's important.  Come here."  I quickly put on my shoes and raced inside to find my oldest son being consoled by a group of women and a group of young men being ushered out the building. My son was calm and I could tell he wasn't physically injured.   Yet, I could see he was visibly shaken. "What happened", I asked looking around.   One of the ladies explained a group of boys had been taunting my son and he retaliated. Another lady explained some of the kids said he had asked them to stop but this one kept at it and my son finally turned around and punched him.  He had had enough. I feel terrible because a few weeks earlier my kid told me he really didn't want to go back to this program.  He told me some of other kids were making jokes at some of the mentors and class leaders.  Some kids were calling them names say...