Whatever Works

Post whatever you want

Hey friends, I know you don't need me to tell you this but I just want to say it: When you are sharing via social media, please post what you want.  I keep seeing all these articles about How to Be the Most Annoying Person Online or What Everyone Needs to Stop Posting About and I just don't get it.  Trust me, I don't like everything I see online.  There are so many posts that I think are ridiculous that I get tired of seeing day in and day out.  There are many people I've blocked from my newsfeeds because we do not see eye to eye on topics.  But trying to get them to stop posting their ideas...? Nope.  It's their space to do whatever they like in.  Just because I may not agree does not mean they should stop.  It's up to ME to filter out the things I don't want to see.  It's not up to them to change for ME.  I'm the one in charge of my own happiness.  I can filter.  I can block.  

The reason I bring this up is because just this morning I was motivated by one of those posts I've heard people complain about.  One of those get-off-your-ass-and-do-something posts that make a lot of people roll their eyes.  But guess what.  It motivated ME.  I'm glad to have read it.  Because of that post, I got off my ass and did something in the form of a 2 1/2 mile run.  It felt good.  I feel like I'm a better person today because of it.

I can tell you from my own experience that I KNOW not everyone likes all the posts I make.  I know that I'm blocked from more than a few people's newsfeeds.  That's totally fine with me!  I post for many different reasons.  

1) I post for myself.  Yep, that's right.  I post most times to make sure I'm relevant in this world.  I post to make myself feel good.  I'm not trying to be needy, but sometimes I AM needy and those few likes or comments make me feel good.  Sometimes if I'm in a funk, I throw myself out there into the social media abyss in hopes to grab onto the arm of another drifting soul.  It usually works, too.

2) I post to help others.  When I find something that I think may help someone, I'll throw it out there. Hey, 98% of the people who read it may scoff at it, but that post might be useful to that 2%.  I'm cool with that. 

3) I think I'm funny.  I laugh at a lot of things that maybe I shouldn't.  I can't help it.  If someone falls down, but first instinct is to laugh.  I like to post funny stuff.

I do NOT post for anyone's approval.  I do NOT post without acknowledging the fact that what I post will not be received well by everyone.  There are always consequences for every action whether it be in real life or online.  

I won't stop anyone from posting what they want.  It's not fair for me to try to change people to make MY life better.  I can only change myself. 

So post away, my friends! Know that someone somewhere loves what you're doing. :-) 

The stuff I crave

Yesterday my daughter and I got to spend some quality time together. We get to spend a lot of time together on a daily basis, but about 19 minutes of that time is quality.  And I'm talking per week, not per day, it seems.  Most of the time we just happen to be going the same direction but completely in our own worlds just glancing over to give a thumbs up or blow a quick kiss.  But yesterday we had about 4 full hours of embracing each other's voices and holding onto each word while it seeped in.  We talked about everything we wanted.  Some serious, some silly.  And I saw something I had been missing.

My daughter is growing up.

It didn't hit me like a ton of bricks, but it trickled in as the day went on. Little things like carrying a purse.  With actual money in it and hand lotion. Using chopsticks to eat the spicy tuna roll she picked for her lunch.  Trying on jeans just for fun.  Skipping the toy store. 

I have always been excited and scared to watch my kids grow up.  I know I'm half of the team who is in charge of their upbringing (along with all our loved ones, of course) and that is terrifying.  I screwed up so much in my youth that I never thought I could do this.  But then days like yesterday...

There is never an end to parenthood and there is never any way of knowing whether or not we are doing a good job.  Sometimes you need your daughter's offer to buy you a smoothie from the mall food court with her own money to show you it's all alright.

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I don't think we're supposed to go this fast all the time

Making Memories at Jenkinson's: How we do Mother's Day #JenksMemory

This post makes me uncomfortable

For some reason I felt the need to write this down and share it.  I don't know... maybe to help me remember when times aren't as easy as I'd like them to be.

This morning, my son came downstairs dressed as he normally would for school.  Jeans and a long sleeved T-shirt.  He looked presentable, but today he is going to sing Christmas carols at the local nursing home with his classmates so I asked him to please change into a nicer shirt.  I didn't ask for an entire wardrobe change, just a shirt.  Nothing more, nothing less.  

I brought him the shirt and he grumbled the whole time he was putting it on.  "I don't like it." "It makes me feel cold."  "Can't I just wear my other shirt?"  "Why do I have to wear this?"

Maybe it was the fact that my daughter had also just told me she doesn't like the toaster strudels we have because they are strawberry and not her favorite raspberry flavor, but I sort of lost it.  I went on a rant for a few minutes about the difference between disliking something and it simply not being your favorite.  There IS a difference.  Just because something is not your #1 top pick does not mean it is no good.  In a nutshell, this is what I told them:

Here's the thing... You're not always going to be comfortable.  

You're not always going to have your favorite thing to eat.  People aren't going to always laugh at your jokes.  You're going to hear and see people do things that make you squirm.  In a lot of cases, those people will be people you love and admire.  Some days will be just a little too warm for you.  Some days will feel too cold.  Sometimes you will watch a friend fail.  Sometimes you will just feel blah and not know why.

It's ok.

Eat the food anyway.  Wear the shirt that doesn't feel 100% right.  Keep telling jokes.  Put on a sweater.  

It's ok to feel uncomfortable sometimes.  You don't always get everything you want in life.  But there are times when it's not about you.  It's about being there for others.  Maybe wearing a nice shirt inconveniences you, but it sure does look nice and will most likely make the nursing home residents smile.  And isn't that worth it?  Yes, it is.

That small amount of personal "sacrifice" (I put that in quotes, because is it REALLY a sacrifice to wear an uncomfortable shirt? No.) will come back to you at least 10 fold.  Those smiles you will get will wash away the stiffness of the collar in no time.  And if they don't, then we'll have another talk.

And guess what?  Tomorrow, you can wear whatever you like and I'll probably make you your favorite dinner while we sit in our 72° kitchen.

There are so many HUGE things in the world that are so much worse than a little discomfort.  Get past it.  Move on.  Make someone smile when you can, because it will make you smile, too.  

 I also feel the need to add this little note:  I'm not talking about anything more than being uncomfortable in little situations like discussed above.  If you ever feel more than uncomfortable, trust your gut and get out of the situation immediately.  I'm simply offering the suggestion of learning the difference between tolerable,acceptable discomfort and knowing something is downright wrong.  There IS a difference.

 

Making Memories at Jenkinson's: How we do Mother's Day #JenksMemory

Ever since my sister and I started our own families and found ourselves so busy it sometimes hurts, we have been celebrating Mother's Day with my mom on a completely different day.  We find it much easier to celebrate our roles as moms when we don't feel all that pressure Mother's Day tends to throw at us.  It was our mom's idea.  None of us are the "brunch" type, really.  We prefer the beach, some boardwalk food, and watching the kids ride all the rides that we used to at their age.  (We even get on some ourselves.)

As it turns out...This year, I was very happy to have been chosen as a Jenkinson's Boardwalk Memory Maker through Jersey Moms Blog.  They supplied me with wristbands for my family free of charge so that we could go and enjoy our day at Jenkinson's Beach and Boardwalk in Point Pleasant and then report back here with our findings.  The wristbands included access to the beach, the bathhouse, all the miniature golf courses, all the rides, the Funhouse, and the Aquarium!

As you can probably guess, our Mother's Day was a blast.

Point Pleasant beach will always hold a special place in my heart.  Since I moved to the South Jersey shore area, meeting my North Jersey family members at Point Pleasant beach in the summer is perfect.   It's right in the middle of us all. 

We started with the beach, of course.  There are lifeguards everywhere.  We were nervous about crowds at first because we saw about 6 summer camps walking onto the beach right before we got there, but the beach is so big we had plenty of space to enjoy ourselves without being at ALL crowded.

After about an hour of beach antics, the kids went to play mini golf while the moms stayed put on the beach.  Ahhh!  The kids loved playing at the course and came running back to tell us their scores.

Then we all went up to the bath house to clean up a bit before heading to the boardwalk.  I am going to say this with all honesty: that was the highlight of my day.  I had never visited the bath house before and was very pleased!  It was very clean and felt seriously luxurious after all the sand, sun and sunscreen.  I felt like a million bucks walking out of there with fresh clean clothes on.  I will use that every time I go from now on! 

We then went to the Aquarium.  We are no strangers to the Jenkinson's Aquarium.  My kids love visiting the sharks, penguins, seals, and all the aquarium has to offer.  This week (July 6-10), Jenkinson's is celebrating Shark Week, so the aquarium offered a lot of shark information, crafts and games.   Here is my son participating in a game to determine what types of food a shark likes to eat.  He won these cute glasses!

After the aquarium, it was on to the Funhouse.  Not all of us made it in there.  My kids opted to stay outside with Grandma and Aunt Amy.  So I took my niece and nephew in.  It's safe to say that all three of us had a great time, even though our hearts might have been on the brink of bursting at every turn!  

We then had some dinner and went to the rides.  Jenks rides are awesome.  They have something for every age.  Both of my kids experienced their first rides ever at Jenks when they were little: the little clown fish. If I can find the pictures, I'll add them later.  But this time, everyone tackled the "big kid" rides.  The Pendolo was their favorite! ... even though just looking at it made me queasy.  Grandma even got on a few!  

OK, I know this is a sponsored post and you might think I'm about to say is a result of the free wristbands, but I assure it it isn't.  I love Jenkinson's Boardwalk.  It has been a place that has given my family so many memories over the years going all the way back to my own childhood.  My parents took us down at least once a summer to enjoy Jenkinson's beach and have a great seafood dinner somewhere nearby.  My friends and I would drive down from Morris County almost every week once we got our driver's licenses.  I love reminiscing and then watching my kids experience the same things I did in the same exact spot.  I love watching their faces when they win some plush toy after being first to fill the water balloon at a boardwalk game.  I love listening to them talk about how great the peppers smell wafting from the sausage stand.  I love that they just HAVE to get zeppolis and they HAVE to get a slice from Joey Tomatoes.  They are making their own memories and they don't even know it.

So now comes the fun part...

I was given a voucher - that is EXACTLY the same kind  I used - to give away to one lucky reader!  If you are chosen as the winner, you will receive 1 (one) VIP voucher for a weekday visit (Valid Monday-Friday, excludes holidays, Non-transferable) which entitles up to 5 (five) people to complimentary use of the Amusements, Beach, Bath House, Mini Golf, Aquarium, and Fun House.

We want you to make as many memories as you can this summer!  Including Jenks in your plans would be awesome, don't you think?

All you have to do is complete the activities on this Rafflecopter form.  Some are mandatory, but you can complete additional tasks to receive more entries.  PLEASE be sure to actually complete the tasks and not just click the button or your entries will not count.  Good luck to you!  The giveaway will end on 7/16/15.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more information about Jenkinsons Boardwalk, you can visit their website at Jenkinsons.com.  Times, directions and pricing for all the above mentioned activities and amusements are listed there.  You can also follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest in what' going on at Jenks! 

And for more information about Jersey Moms Blog, check them out on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and at www.jerseymomsblog.com 

Monster Jam is coming to NJ & NY! Win tickets here!

I know that you love Monster Jam.  And I know you know I love Monster Jam, too!  But do you know that I know that you know how MUCH we both love Monster Jam?  Well, I know, ya know?  Over the past few years, I've had the opportunity to interview a few drivers and get up close and personal with the HUGE Monster Jam trucks on several occasions.  

Zombie are EVERYWHERE! - Interview with Zombie driver Sean Duhon

Does the inside of a monster truck smell funny? - Interview with Shockwave driver Bill Braukman

And of course there have been numerous giveaways including my first ever giveaway here on Whatever Works! 

So...

I'll cut right to the chase.

I've got tickets for this season's shows right here for ya!

But first, some info:

Monster Jam will be performing at both the IZOD Center and Nassau Coliseum.  Show times are as follows:

IZOD Center: 

• Friday, January 30, 2015 at 7:30 PM (Pit Party from 5:30 – 6:30 PM)
• Saturday, January 31, 2015 at 2:00 PM (Pit Party from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM) and another performance at 7:30 PM

Nassau Coliseum:     

• Friday, February 6, 2015 at 7:30 PM (Pit Party from 5:30 – 6:30 PM)   
• Saturday, February 7, 2015 at 2:00 PM (Pit Party from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM) and another performance at 7:30 PM
• Sunday, February 8, 2015 at 2:00 PM 

The events will feature some of the most popular Monster Jam trucks in the circuit, including Grave Digger^®, El Toro Loco^® and Mohawk Warrior℠, along with the newly created Dragon and Be Aware.

 Standing at 12 feet tall and about 12 feet wide, Monster Jam trucks are custom-designed machines that sit atop 66-inch-tall tires and weigh a minimum of 10,000 pounds. Built for short, high-powered bursts of speed, Monster Jam trucks generate 1,500 to 2,000 horsepower and are capable of speeds of up to 100 miles per hour. Monster Jam trucks can fly up to 130 feet (a distance greater than 14 cars side by side) and up to 35 feet in the air.

 To win a family 4-pack of tickets to see your choice of Friday night show, I've got a trivia question for you to answer:

Which of the following will NOT get a driver points during a Monster Jam Freestyle run? 

1. Hitting Obstacles
2. Wheelies
3. Donuts
4. Rollovers

Answer correctly in the comments section below (including your email address) and you will be entered to win a family 4-pack of tickets to your choice of Friday night show at either the IZOD Center or Nassau Coliseum! 

But don't worry if you don't win!  Tickets are affordably priced for the whole family with $10 seats for kids. Tickets can be purchased in-person at the IZOD Center Box Office, Nassau Coliseum Box Office, by visiting www.Ticketmaster.com or calling 1-800-745-3000.

Hope to see you there!

Visit Monster Jam at their website MonsterJam.com, their Facebook page or on Twitter!

 

**Correction- Giveaway ends 1/20/15 at 12:00PM EST. (Post originally stated giveaway would end on 1/27... typographical error.  Sorry!) ** Winner will be emailed at the address given and will have 24 hours to respond.  If there is no response, a replacement winner will be chosen.  Tickets are for show only, not Pit Party.  Tickets will be available at Will Call on the day of the show.  Prize is not guaranteed and will be given by a third party.  Winner will need to have identification to retrieve tickets from Will Call.

***Second correction made on 1/21/15 to clarify that the winner has the choice of either FRIDAY night show (IZOD or Nassau Coliseum) only.***

All photos in this post are courtesy of Feld Motor Sports.

4 reasons we love LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham

I received this game in exchange for my review.  No other compensation was given to me.  All opinions are my own.

photo from videogames.lego.com

Everyone in my family is a gamer of some sort.  My husband is a shoot-em-up master. My daughter has beaten basically every game she has gotten her hands on.  My son can pick up a controller and understand any game within 3 minutes of playing.  Me?  I'm the gaming equivelent of a backseat driver.  I like to watch everyone play and give my two cents.  "Shoot that guy!"  "Go over there!"  "Why didn't you jump over that fence?  If you would've jumped over that fence you could've gotten the sword back!"  ...stuff like that.

So when we got LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham to review, I was very excited.  Watching the kids play is like a workout for me.  While they loaded the game and got situated, I put on my sweatbands and got ready to yell out some serious instructions.  

Instead, though, I ended up just sitting there in awe.  Watching.  Admiring.  Listening.  And laughing.  Want to know why?  Here are 4 reasons:

1. The game is beautiful

Isn't that gorgeous? Photo from videogames.lego.com

Seriously.  The detail in every scene and within every aspect of the game is flawless.  You may wonder how a bunch of electronically drawn LEGOs could have any detail, but these do.  They look three dimensional.  The colors are tremendous.  While the kids navigated through each level, it became more intricate.  

2. All the throwbacks throughout the game

Not only are there over 150 characters to choose from, they range from characters of today to futuristic to retro!  There is a level that plays the old Batman music from the Adam West show.  Oh, and Adam West does the voice, too!  It's awesome.

3. The Storyline is appealing 

There are not many things about the story that do not draw you in.  There are many differnet story arcs that come together which include Batman battling his normal enemies like the Joker and Killer Croc and many other DC Comics superstars fighting in space.  They all come together to get back the rings for the Lantern Corp which protects our galaxy.

4.The Comedy  

I always love the silly comedy LEGO movies and games use.  They follow the storyline they are supposed to follow, but always add humor to make it more interesting.  The kids love the slapstick portion while we adults like the dialogue.

 

So do I think LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham is worth the purchase?  Yep.  It's one of those games that you will love playing along with your kids.  It's got something for everyone.  Check it out!

Here's my affiliate link, which is really just a link to Amazon.  But if you click on it, I could be paid a commission and I would really appreciate it.  Thanks!

 

 LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham is available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, and iOS. The game is available for Mac via Steam.

My visit to Philadelphia Magazine's Design Home 2014 with XFinity and Real Mom Media

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.  I was a guest of Real Mom Media for this event and was given a lovely parting gift of a Samsung tablet from XFinity before I left to go home.

Today I got to visit Philadelphia Magazine's absolutely stunning Design Home 2014.  It was AMAZING.  The house itself was gorgeous, but then they went ahead and added about a million cool techy things through XFinity/Comcast that just threw its cool factor completely over the edge for me.

The thing that floored me the most about the house was that although it had all the latest technology within, it didn't look high tech.  It looked comfortable.  Like people could actually live there within this century.  All the colors were perfect.  The floor plan flowed so smoothly, and yet there were about a million nooks and crannies all over to explore.

One of my favorite parts of the house was the lowest level which included a living room area, bar, gym, laundry room and the nanny's quarters including a bedroom and bathroom.  We were brought in to learn about XFinity's X1 system which allows you to customize your TV viewing experience throughout your home.  It seems like a pretty cool system with lots of features like:

• the ability to record up to 12 shows at once
• flip through the guide and watch shows that may not be on at the moment
• make playlists of your favorite shows to play on a continuous loop

We then took the stairs (although there WAS an elevator available, it was that immense...) all the way up to the top floor which was designed as a kids' playroom.  If I know my kids at all, this would definitely be their favorite room in the house.  Up there, we learned about XFinity wifi services and all its capabilities using hte XFinity wifi app.  Just wait, soon it will be available for use even when you are overseas!

We made our way downstairs to the kitchen... I feel like kitchen is too small a word for the place we were in.  It was more like what I have dreamed heaven might be like.  There was a ginormous marble island in the middle of the room, cabinets everywhere, a butler's pantry in the corner, a TV on the wall, and just so much more.  The dining area was across the room and had not one but two - TWO wine cabinets.  It was my favorite room in the house.

The XFinity guys were there to tell us even more about the XFinity Home at that point.  We learned that it is possible to basically set up your entire home on your tablet so you can view, adjust, fix, or turn on or off anything at all.  It can be used as a security system, a thermostat, a baby/pet monitor, a lighting adjuster, and much more!

At this point, my head was exploding with knowledge and I took a little wander off by myself to check out the rest of the house.  Let me tell you, I almost got lost in the master suite's bathroom.  But don't worry, I found my way out and was able to find all the other gems throughout the house like the upstairs laundry room, the three additional bedrooms, huge walk in closets, and did I mention there was an ELEVATOR?

I was very impressed with everything I saw today.  I wanted to get it all out right now before I went to bed or I would probably not sleep thinking about it!  

Oh, and to top it off, XFinity gave us all beautiful Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 (7-Inch) as a parting gift! I couldn't have asked for a better day.

Thanks to Real Mom Media, Comcast/XFinity, and Philadelphia Magazine for a wonderful time!

If you are interested in learning more about the Design Home 2014, XFinity, Philadelphia Magazine, or Real Mom Media, please visit their webpages by clicking on the names here in this post! 

And you can view my entire album of pictures on my Whatever Works Facebook page.  

If you need me, I'll be off somewhere dreaming about laying next to the pool on a hot day... 

 

Have you seen the Wubble Ball on TV? It's super cool!

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

If you follow my blog on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram, you may have seen me posting millions and millions of pictures from Blogger Bash this summer.  It was an incredibly fantastic event where I was able to meet with brands of all kinds and play with some awesome toys.  One toy in particular that I absolutely LOVED when I was at the Element Associates party during Blogger Bash was the Wubble Bubble Ball.  So when I got the opportunity to work with the Wubble Ball team, I jumped!

The Wubble Ball is this really cool, seemingly gravity-defying huge squishy ball that comes with its own pump and can be blown up in like 4 minutes.  My kids were in heaven playing with it.  The thing bounces like crazy!  We brought it outside and had a blast!

 Here are some things you might want to know about the Wubble Bubble Ball:

• Target selected the Wubble™ Bubble Ball as a 2014 Top Toy for the Holiday Season. It was listed among other popular toys and games that are sure to be on every holiday wish list.
• Wubble Bubble Ball is a Family Fun Toy Of The Year Award Winner. The 25 winners are featured in the November 2014 issue of Family Fun Magazine. 
• Inspired by his children's wish for a real bubble to play with, NSI President Frank Landi developed the Wubble™ Bubble Ball to keep children's love for fun, active play alive.
• Wubble has won numerous toy awards, including an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, a National Parenting Center Seal of Approval, a Mr. Dad Approved Award, a Parent's Choice Award and the  Dr. Toy Best 100 Picks Award and more! 
• Wubble Ball's are not indestructible, but they have a lifetime replacement guarantee. It costs $6.99 to replace a Wubble under the guarantee. *Ours actually arrived with a small pinhole in it.  I reported it and was immediately sent another one.  
• Please take care not to damage your Wubble Ball during inflation. It might be necessary to use a little bit of oil (whatever you have in your kitchen) to insert the pump into the Wubble Ball the first time. 

Our experience with the Wubble Ball has been awesome.  Some things we learned that we want to pass along are:

1. Inflating it may take some practice.  The first time I tried, I couldn't understand why it was taking forever for it to inflate.  It was because I didn't have the nozzle all the way in.  If it is taking more than a few minutes for your Wubble Ball to inflate, there is probably something wrong. Follow the directions exactly. If you have any trouble inflating your Wubble ball, you may find this video about "How to Inflate a Wubble Ball" helpful: http://youtu.be/jy4QK8zRcAo 

2. Be prepared for it to go flying if there is even a slight breeze.  One throw into the air and we almost lost our Wubble Ball over the house!  

3. This tip is for parents or people who will be buying the Wubble Ball for a pubescent child: If given the choice in color when purchasing, the blue one looks less like a woman's body part than the red one does when inflated.  (Something you would probably not think of before you buy.)

4.  If you plan on playing with your Wubble Ball outside, make sure it will fit through your door before you inflate it inside.  We almost had an issue, but it fit!  

 

• Wubble Ball is available at Target, Toys R Us and online at www.wubbleball.com. Wubble Ball is on Twitter (@WubbleBall) and Facebook (facebook.com/wubbleball). 

Strike a Pose - review of R & R Games' fun game and another giveaway!

I'll tell ya, this month is awesome.  I've teamed up with R & R Games to bring you all some seriously fun games.  

You may have already read about Time's Up! - the awesome 'guess who I am' game where you try to get your teammate to guess who you are by talking, gesturing, and doing just about anything you can without saying the exact words written on your name card.  Well, today I'm going to talk about another game Strike a Pose that was developed as an off-shoot of Time's Up!  

Time's Up! is normally played in three rounds: First round, you can say anything you want.  Second round, you can only say one word.  Third round, you can't say a word, but can act out.  But there is also a secret round you can play...the fourth round.  In the fourth secret round, you are supposed to pretend you are a statue and strike a pose that you think will allow your teammate to guess your name.  Everyone was having so much fun playing that secret round so the developers at R & R Games decided to make it its own game.  

Strike a Pose was born!

In Strike a Pose, one person per round is considered the Statue Collector.  He or she will have to guess what pose you are striking based on the card selected.  It's very easy to follow when you have the cards in front of you.  Each round, the Statue Collector changes so that everyone has a chance to play.  It's basically charades without the movement.  

We have been playing Strike a Pose for a few weeks now and we LOVE it!  The game says it is for 10+ in age, but my 6 year-old son has no problem at all playing.  We just have to cherry pick the cards that he can understand because some of them have items or topics that he has not yet learned about.

What I love about Strike a Pose is that it forces you to think about the way others might perceive your actions.  What may make complete sense to my daughter may not make any sense at all to my son.  So when striking a pose, she has to do it in a way that HE will understand.  As a mom, it is a great thing to witness.  Even if they don't realize it, they are working together.  And I like that.

Once again, I am thrilled with the quality and concept of this R & R Game.  I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to have some fun at your next gathering.  My daughter is having a sleepover party for her birthday and can't WAIT to play this one with her girlfriends!  

 And as promised, I'm giving away a copy of Strike a Pose to one lucky reader! I hope you'll enter to win.  And as always, PLEASE remember to complete all the tasks you have chosen on the rafflecopter form in order for your entries to count.  (If you choose 'leave a blog post comment' you must actually leave a comment on the blog itself. If you choose 'tweet about the giveaway' you must actually tweet, not just click the button on the rafflecopter.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can check out Strike a Pose and all of R & R's awesome games at www.rnrgames.com. 

Time's Up! - A quick story about game night at our house, a review of R & R Games hottest game, and a GIVEAWAY!

Last week, I was given a whole bunch of games from R&R Games to review.  They could not have come at a better time, because boy were we stressed out over here.  We've been going through life since the beginning of August basically on autopilot.  See, I went back to writing every day after a short break and well, it just felt like everything was happening around me without me actually being a part of it.  So when the games came in the mail, I didn't hesitate to set up a Friday night with some friends to relax and crack open the boxes (and some drinks...woohoo!)

The one game that caught my eye first was Time's Up.  I remember recently seeing a commercial for the show Celebrity Name Game and thought this game would be like playing it at home.  I was right!  

Time's Up is basically a bunch of cards with celebrity's names on them which your team needs to guess based on your actions and words.  You can not say the name of the celebrity at all when giving clues.  There are three rounds with each one getting funnier and funnier.

It took us a while to get started, because the directions were hard to follow at first.  But once we got into full swing, we all fell in love with the game.  We played with two teams: my husband and me vs. my friend and her husband.  After one game, we switched it up to boys vs. girls.  

Let me tell you, there is something incredibly therapeutic in playing games like Time's Up.

Throughout the day, I struggle finding the right words to explain things to my kids.  Playing this game where I was forced to explain a simple word without actually using it really helped me see things from a different perspective.  I know that sounds silly, but it's true. I lose my cool a lot more than I should with the kids when they don't understand something.  But playing this game made me realize that maybe it's not them; it's me.  I really need to do a better job at explaining things!

So after playing a few rounds I could actually feel the stress leaving the room.  The four of us laughed and joked and had a great time while all of our kids played some of the other games in the living room.  Don't worry, I will be telling you more about those games which include Strike A Pose, Guess the Mess and Get A Life in a separate post.

But for now, I want YOU to have an awesome game night of your own by giving one lucky reader a copy of Time's Up!  But you have to promise to let me know how much you love it if you win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 Check out all the games that R&R Games has to offer by going to their website www.rnrgames.com.  

 

 Disclosure: I was given several games to review from R & R Games.  No other compensation was given to me.  All opinions are my own.  This post contains affiliate links.