Here in the Cleveland suburbs, summer time is already in full swing. Well, sort of. The weather isn't fully cooperating just yet, but people are definitely showing their summer spirit! This week alone, there have been plenty of events to mark the beginning of the season. Our local water park is now open, and our weekly summer concert series on the riverfront also opened with a killer Bon Jovi cover band. It's also Prom and Graduation season, so our local youth are super excited about these important milestones! 

I am SO blessed to be able to raise my children in a city that is so rich with family-friendly activities. We always enjoy the various festivals and events, and especially everything that involves live music. With these events, however, comes alcohol. Lots and lots of alcohol. (There are always beer and wine vendors available for responsible adults at these events.) 

My teen, Kyle, often attends these events, and usually, he chooses to spend time with his friends rather than his parents. I can't really blame him. When I was 15, I certainly didn't want to hang out with my family all the time, either. We have a very open line of communication, and Kyle makes very good choices the majority of the time. Still, with all of the summer festivities beginning, we have been taking the time to talk to him again about the consequences of underage drinking. 

I don't know about you, but this time of year, I love to head out to my deck in the mornings and check my e-mail over a nice cup of tea. No, I haven't given up on my trusty coffee. Not one bit. I just happen to be a tea lover, too. And sometimes, a cup of tea hits the spot like nothing else. You feeling me, ladies? 

Anyway, tea is actually the second most consumed beverage globally, right behind water. Why is it so loved by every walk of life? Well, tea is not only delicious, it can also be relaxing, invigorating, and even help boost your beauty game, depending on the variety you choose. (And there are TONS of different types of tea available!) Some teas can even help you manage your weight. Now where can I get a truck-load of that? Hmm.....

Recently, I learned about a truly unique and decadent way to enjoy one of the world's favorite beverages. The folks at Big T NYC have created some absolutely mouthwatering tea blends that are perfect for the foodies and fashionistas out there. 

That's right. Tea has gone Couture, and Big T NYC is the go-to beverage of New York Fashion Week models! Hey, I can't say I blame them! These teas are delicious, organic, and calorie free. This makes for a much more sensible choice than sodas, which can cause gas and bloating. 

Oh, these teas are also loaded with antioxidants and essential oils, too. Finally, a beverage that can also step up your beauty game. I don't know about you, but I can use all the help I can get in that department! 

As the mom of 2 preschool-aged kids, I try and help them learn new things all the time. Whether it's simple math lessons at the grocery store, learning about shapes and patterns in the sandbox, or even admiring local architecture, I try and incorporate learning into our everyday activities. What better way to make kids passionate about expanding their minds, right? 

Sophie, who will be starting Homeschool Kindergarten this fall, is already a reading pro. She reads long, complex words, sentences, and paragraphs with absolutely zero hesitation. She even reads novels. She is reading at a level far beyond her 5 years, so we thought that by choosing to enroll her in a Homeschool curriculum, we could prevent her from being too bored, and continue to offer learning activities that challenge her and keep her engaged. 

Xander, on the other hand, is pretty average for a 4 year old. He doesn't share the same reading abilities as his slightly older sister, but he does have a huge desire to learn, and loves exploring the world around him. Reading is something we just need to work harder on with him. No shame in being average, though, and we're just as proud as can be of his accomplishments, too! 

I normally don't post about Kickstarter projects. It's not the lack of desire, it's just the fact that I often have SO much work piled up that I don't have the time. Recently, however, I learned about Crayon Crunch and their unique and heartwarming mission, and I got excited. Truly, incredibly excited. 

Tim Osterbuhr, Kai Schmittat and Friederike Geiken founded crayon Crunch
in February 2015. (Yes, this is a brand new business!) Their product could help kids everywhere not only learn to love reading, but also build their self-esteem, regardless of their abilities. 

Do you have children aged 12 or older that enjoy mysterious and magical things?
Maybe they are "too old" for most kids' movies and want something a little more mature? Well I just saw a fantastic film that is sure to capture the hearts of any tweens or teens out there. 

A beautiful new film out of Ireland, The Legend of Longwood, is coming to DVD on June 4 from Shout! Factory, following its appearance at several film festivals in early 2015. An adventure for all ages, the release includes a fascinating behind-the-scenes featurette as a bonus feature.

Warmer weather is here to stay, at least for the next few months. Well, hopefully....Here in Ohio, it's honestly still pretty darn chilly! Whoever keeps making Elsa angry seriously needs to cut it out. I am tired of being cold! 
Anyway, we have had a few kind of nice days peppered in between the colder ones, and the kids have been itching to get outside to play. I really can't say I blame them, either! We spend a lot of time outside, so Cabin Fever just seems a bit unnatural, especially this time of year! 

When we head outdoors, I am very anal about making sure that we take measures to protect our skin from the sun. We ALWAYS use sun-block, even in the winter, and we even wear sun protective clothing that is specifically designed to protect against harmful UV rays. My mother-in-law died from Melanoma several years ago, so skin cancer is something we take very, very seriously in this house. It can be deadly, and we would not want to lose any more loved ones to this horrible disease.

My Yorkie, Trouble, thinks she's a cat. Seriously. She lounges around with the cats, tries to climb out kitty towers, and she even has a weird love of cat food. I guess because she's about the same size as the cats, and is always hanging around with them, she assumes she is a cat, too.. Perhaps a visit to a doggy psychologist is on order to address Trouble's identity crisis. 

Anyway, cats and dogs have very different needs, and finding a dog food Trouble will actually eat is tough. (Did I mention she's also very picky?) We have tried everything from the super-expensive grain-free varieties to the bargain specials, and everything in between. Usually, she might take a few nibbles, and then heads to the cat food to steal some of the "good stuff". It's an ongoing battle. 

As a Smiley360 Blogger, I recently got the chance to try out a new variety of dog food from Purina. Purina ONE SmartBlend True Instinct With Salmon & Tuna Dry Dog Food recently hit store shelves, and I couldn't wait to see how Trouble received it. After all, it contains seafood and she thinks she's a cat, so I had pretty high hopes that this would be a hit.