Okay, so I have a gripe with Mother Nature right now. 

It's April 17th, and I am sitting comfortably inside my house watching it SNOW. Elsa clearly forgot to take her meds, and has a bone to pick with humanity. 

Yep. It's snowing. In late April. Gotta love NE Ohio weather, right? 

Anyway, I have been in the process of updating my Spring wardrobe because eventually the sun has to prevail over this seemingly endless winter. It HAS to warm up sometime.... right? So even as the snow falls with no clear end in sight, I have visions of sundresses, sandals, and sunglasses dancing in my head. Some of my favorites of the season would have to be the brand new Ed Hardy eyewear from Addicted Brands. 

Launching in January 2018, Addicted Brands is ready to provide style-savvy consumers with a whole new selection of sun and optical eyewear. The collection, which is designed from handmade acetate, includes men’s, women’s, and unisex models. Unlike similar brands and materials, which retail for more than $250.00, Addicted Brands eyewear is available for an MSRP of around $100.00 or less. Their goal is to bring consumers modern and designer-looking glasses without the designer price tag. In addition to opening 1200 physical stores across the United States, the company will soon announce significant partnerships in the retail and digital industries.

In our home, gaming is serious business. While my 18 year old son and my husband prefer to play adult-themed games that are usually rated M, the littles play games that are a lot less graphic and a lot more age appropriate. 

Some of our favorite, kid and parent approved games? 

Nintendo Selects, of course! 

Nintendo Selects is a collection of classic Nintendo games that fit any budget for owners of a Nintendo 3DS or 2DS system. Games include favorite characters like Kirby, Mario Bros., Donkey Kong, and even Link and Princess Zelda, just to name a few. 

As a mom who is always on the go, I've had to deal with some pretty sticky situations. The worst are when the kids grab or touch things that are....well...questionable in nature. This could be from things that are found on the ground to some mystery gunk from a shopping cart. 

If you have kids, you know that there are always about 3,592 ways that they can come into contact with germs. I think that's just part of a child's curious, inquisitive nature. When in doubt, they like to touch and explore things. This is great for learning about the world around them, but not so great for the mom in me that doesn't want to deal with illness from said germs and bacteria. 

This is where Elyptol saves the day. I always keep some of their Natural Antimicrobial Hand Sanitizer Gel or Spray in my bag to tackle whatever life happens to throw my way. With small kids who like touching everything under the sun, our Elyptol gets plenty of use. 

If you are lucky enough to have access to a garden you will know just how lucky you are. It provides you with a nice private place to enjoy being outdoors as well as somewhere to entertain. Plus, of course, if you have children, it is a safe place for them to play in.

Perhaps the only drawback is the maintenance. If you enjoy gardening, having to go out there and work in it every week is a joy. But, if you loathe gardening the opposite is true. In that situation, maintaining your garden soon turns into a real drag. However, it need not be that way. Provided you choose the right plants you can usually get everything done in just a couple of hours every month. Take for example evergreens, once established; they require virtually no work to look take care of.

Where to buy evergreens
You will find a great range of Evergreen Trees from The Tree Center and other similar firms. It does not matter if you have a handkerchief-sized garden, a patio or a huge plot they will have evergreens that to suit that space. Importantly, firms like this will help you to work out which evergreen trees and shrubs are best for you. They will know if a particular variety will grow well in your acidic, free draining garden and can also advise you about pests and local regulations. This last point is important because in some towns, cities, and states certain varieties are banned.

Once you have worked out which varieties you can potentially grow you can start coming up with ways to use them. As you will see, they are really versatile plants and trees, so there are lots of potential options.

Hedging
Fast-growing evergreens like Leylandi make beautiful dense hedges. Typically, once established they only have to be cut once a year. You can choose the height you want them to grow to. Once they reach that height, you just cut the top off.

As screens
You can also use narrow evergreen trees like Thujas to screen off various areas of your garden. This variety is perfect for creating a play space for the children, somewhere to dine outside that is out of the wind. A lot of people use them to screen off a section of a big garden so that they can leave it to grow wild and become a sanctuary for wildlife.

To create decorative features
Evergreen trees make fantastic focal points. Many varieties can easily be trimmed into attractive shapes. It is not hard to create a beautiful green sculpture that looks fantastic in daylight and can be up-lit at night. They are also really good for creating structures like arches or green shelters. As you can see from this webpage there really is no end to what you can do with these beautiful trees. Scroll to the end of the page to see a stunning example of how an evergreen tree can be turned into a spectacular feature using topiary.

Spring is finally here, and I am so absolutely thrilled to be able to get outside and enjoy the sunshine with my family. Winter can be brutal in the Cleveland, OH area, so the official start of Spring is kind of a big deal. 

We decided to celebrate the season by getting family memberships to the Zoo and the Great Lakes Science Center. As a homeschooling family, we like to head out for as many educational outings as possible, and the Spring season is the ideal time of year to do so. 

This season, I will be heading out in absolute, sustainable comfort thanks to my prAna eco-friendly clothing. prAna offers organic, hemp, sustainable, and fair trade items so that consumers feel great about the things they wear and the items they give. 
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I absolutely LOVE this brand, since they offer fair trade, sustainable clothing that's not only versatile, it's luxurious as well. Their timeless looks are perfect for wherever your day takes you, from the hiking trail to the office. In fact, these garments are designed by folks who are passionate about outdoor activities. They're also great for layering, so the style possibilities are endless with prAna. 
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Recently, we were given to opportunity to check out a couple great pieces from prAna for ourselves.

Now that Spring is here, my schedule is about to get a LOT more hectic. There will be tons of outdoor activities since the frigid winter is over, like trips to the Nature Realm, Akron and Cleveland Zoos, and of course, our local parks. I'm also planning to get the kids enrolled in swimming lessons, and maybe even martial arts or some other kind of active sports with other kiddos.

That means I'll have a lot on my plate, and I will need a little assistance making sure I get where I'm going in a punctual manner. My stunning JORD Wood Watch will come in handy, as well as make a bold, beautiful fashion statement! ​

​JORD Wood Watches are expertly crafted using all natural woods. You won't find any plastic or rubber in these beautiful timepieces! There are several stunning styles to choose from, including mechanically driven watches that allow you to see the inner-workings of the watch like the one below, and there are also dual wood watches and even watches made from bamboo, which is one of the most sustainable materials on the planet! (Yes, these watches are eco-friendly!) ​

Any members of the Rebellion out there? If so, I have some fantastic news for you! 
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​Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi—the next action-packed chapter of the Star Wars saga— Earned critical acclaim and the No. 1 spot atop 2017’s list of highest-grossing films. The visually stunning film welcomes the return of original characters, including Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, Yoda, R2-D2 and C-3PO and further explores the deepening journey of the saga’s new members, Rey, Finn, Poe, and Kylo Ren. Now families can bring home the movie digitally in HD and 4K Ultra HD™ and via Movies Anywhere on March 13, two weeks before the 4K Ultra HD™ Blu-ray, and Blu-ray™ disc on March 27.  This release also marks Disney’s first title available on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc in both Dolby Vision™ HDR and Dolby Atmos® immersive audio, delivering consumers a transformative viewing experience.
 
Director Rian Johnson takes fans on an intimate journey into the creation of Star Wars: The Last Jedi in a feature-length documentary, explaining his unique interpretation of the Force, detailing the painstaking process of creating Snoke, and deconstructing action-packed scenes from the film such as the epic space battle and the final confrontation. Johnson also reveals two exclusive scenes, featuring Andy Serkis as Snoke prior to his digital makeover, as well as 14 never-before-seen deleted scenes, in addition to his audio commentary.

Many of us are already counting down to our well-earned holiday or summer break. But before you pack your sun cream and buy a whole new summer wardrobe make sure you’ve ticked everything off your holiday checklist first! No one wants to have that horrible feeling that they’ve forgotten something while they’re in mid-flight or sitting on a beach!

Your travel insurance
Yes, it’s rather dull and no one enjoys sitting and filling in the personal detail forms but having travel insurance is absolutely crucial. Having travel insurance means that if anything happens to you while you’re abroad then you’re covered and won’t face hefty medical bills. Not only that, you’ll also be able to fully enjoy your holiday, knowing that everything is covered. If you’re unsure and need a little more information, then check out SafeTrip safe travels blog.

Your passport
You can’t go very far without it! And chances are you know exactly where it is. But when was the last time you looked at and checked it was still in date? No one wants to rock up to the check-in desk with an out of date passport and be told that their holiday is a no-go! Be smart and make sure you check your passport in good time before you travel – better still, check it right now!

Your travel documents
The best tip I can give you here is to be sensible and get organised. Find yourself a nice big plastic wallet or folder and put all your travel documentation in one place. That includes, everyone’s (in date) passports, your travel insurance documents, boarding passes, hotel confirmation, flight numbers, tickets, driving licenses and anything else you may need.

It’s also a great idea to write down the details of your flight out and your flight back home. Make sure relatives and friends know where you’re staying and have the flight numbers and hotel details to hand, if you can’t use your phone abroad, make sure you have some other means of communication.

Make your home secure
This one is so easy to forget. You’re going to be away from home for a while, so make sure that your home is secure. That window that doesn’t quite shut properly, get it fixed before you go away. Make sure all the windows and doors lock securely. If possible, let your neighbors know that you’ll be away for a few days and ask them to keep an eye on your property. It might be wise to invest in some light timers too, so it looks like someone is home.

Your pets
Don’t leave this to the last minute either. Whether you have a four-legged friend or one that runs in a wheel make sure you have good, reliable pet care in place before you travel. And once you’ve found the perfect pet care provider, plan a backup one, just in case something goes wrong. You can enjoy your holiday so much more, knowing that everything is being taken care of at home!

Life is becoming ever more expensive and if you’re quailing at the prospect of sending two or more (or even just one) of your children to college, then you need to woman up and encourage them to pay at least some of their own way.

Not only that, but you need to start them off early. Not in the same way as they did in Victorian England by sending them up chimneys to clean them – instead you can send them to this website to learn all about investing in precious metals.

Investing in a physical commodity is a good way to start, because your children can see, touch and smell (but preferably not chew on) their possessions. They’re tangible and they are theirs, so they’ll seem a lot more real and understandable than shares or mutual funds, for example. Here’s some more tips on raising a mini-magnate…

It’s never to early to talk about finance
As long as your child is old enough to understand the concept of money and value, then they’re old enough to learn about investing. Having their own coin collection or financial portfolio can be really rewarding and interesting, especially when they’re gaining in value. Even if you just open a simple savings account for them they can see how much the interest earns them each year.

Explain how their money and their metals are “working” for them
They’ll love the idea of their money beavering away while they’re at school, or while they’re asleep and you may find that they want to check their balance every day.

Get involved in the research
If there’s one thing kids love, it’s hitting up the internet to find stuff out. Start off with their favorite companies – looking at how their shares are doing, or if they’ve brought out any new products or games – as well as looking for the coins or bullion they’re into, then slowly expand this to more abstract and technical investment concepts as they get older.

Make sure that your child knows it’s a long-term process
When you’re young, a year seems like an eternity, so don’t expect your children to really get the idea of planning for ten or 20 years into the future. You can, however, show them how your investments are doing, especially if you’ve had them for a number of years. It’s also time to bust out the compound interest calculator and play around with projections –
let them see how patience pays off.

Inculcate good habits
Your children’s brains are developing, so if you can help them to develop good financial habits, as well as a great sense of patience, then this will probably carry over into adult life. Even if it’s as simple as checking their shopping receipt for multiple-buy discounts and putting these amounts into their savings accounts every week, they’ll be storing up money that will work for them.

Make it fun when you can and then when it’s time to get more serious,
they’ll have all the right tools ready and waiting.