The Angel Forever

Pickle Weasel App Valentine’s Day Wishes

Posted on February 14, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Months ago, I received an iPad and during this time TechyDad has never expressed any interest in using it. Then The Pickle Weasel App came out and he kept dropping hints (whining over and over) that he really wanted to try the app from The Animated Woman. This week, I finally got into my iTunes account and bought him the app.

Of course, since I was home I HAD to try it out. Come on, I had to make sure it worked before TechyDad got home. It would have been horrible for him to arrive without it working properly.

So, first I used the Valentine’s Day option to make him a special card.

Then I decided to send the Geek of my dreams a special picture (no time to “connect the dots”).

Then, I decided to channel my inner scientist, or maybe child. You can judge. Just remember Everyone Poops. Please note I was the one that showed this to my child later on who can indeed spell potty words in kindergarten (yay) and picked a different Pickle Weasel to add yellow to the scene.

Of course, since this is our house….I knew that Pickle Weasel had to be a fan of rodents as well.

Yes, the Pickle Weasel app is rated 9+ for infrequent/mild profanity or crude humor. It goes over little dudes head and he just likes to draw. Of course, I did let TechyDad have fun with the app when he got home from work. He actually shared some of his drawings on his blog. Before I go, one more Valentine’s Day wish for everyone.

Yes, I also have a major crush on JC Little’s fun fellow and her app that I will enjoy exploring more in the days ahead.

Categories:
holidays me moments Technology

Disney Love is in the Air

Posted on February 13, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Love is in the air thanks to Valentine’s Day this week. This made me think about Disney love that may be obvious, or possibly hidden. Of course, I tossed in a photo of my parents who will be celebrating their 40th Anniversary in just over a month. They are the reason my family has such an enormous love for Disney. The Love is in the Air theme from Focused on the Magic just worked rather nicely this week.

Be sure to stop by Focused on the Magic by clicking on the button above to join in the Disney magic this week.

Categories:
Disney family travel vacation

Tuesday Tales – Using Goodreads

Posted on February 12, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

If you are into reading, then you may already know about Goodreads. If you have never heard of Goodreads, then I hope you check out this fun resource for readers that is free. Goodreads is a website that allows you to keep track of books that you have read, are currently reading, or want to read. You can sign up for free and then hook up with family or friends. A lot of authors are even on there. It’s always fun to see what others are reading or have thought about a particular book.

I will admit that I often read books and then later forget if I have read them. Goodreads allows me to keep these items in lists that I make. I can categorize things by the year, type of literature, or any other topic that I make up.

In addition to this, when I am ready to figure out what to read next I can check out my to-read list where I often add books that I see other people mention in their Goodreads activity, on Facebook, or beyond. There is also a Recommendation section on Goodreads. When you click on this area, you may select a shelf that they will automate books that you may find interesting from. When I pushed on my Fiction Books for Adults shelf, the books below were a few of the titles that came up.

From here, I can select a book, read the synopsis, and check out reviews from other readers. Goodreads also gives you some other books that have been listed with that title for other options that you may be interested in.

One other “fun” tool is the ability to track your progress reading the book.

I can update where I am within a book that I am currently reading. This is the page for Life After Life by Kate Atkinson that I am previewing right now.

Are you a member on Goodreads or do you use another resource similar to this? I would love to hear about them and possibly catch you there. My profile on Goodreads can be seen here. As always, please share what you have read recently. Be sure to link up to your book posts in the comments below. Include something you read on your own, with a child, or someone else. Tuesday Tales are all about spreading the love for books.

Categories:
books me moments Tuesday Tales

Hello Six Year Blogging Anniversary

Posted on February 11, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

During the winter of 2007, I was pregnant with my second kiddo and teaching full time. Spare moments were few and far between, but I was looking for something else to do. My cousin and several friends had started blogging and it caught my attention. On February 4, 2007, I started my own blog.

At the time, it was simply a place to write thoughts from my brain that was going a mile a minute and to document life of a family of three moving to four. I could write about triumphs and vent some about items that confused or upset me. One of my first posts was about heading to a show with NHL. That started my love for sharing photos.

Days later, I wrote about a storm that left us with 19 inches of snow (more than we got the other day in our region).

In a lot of ways, I have grown up along with my blog. I went from the mother of one little boy to two. I shared being wife to TechyDad and our adventures as a couple and parents. We have traveled to Disney and beyond while posting about our many destinations and the items we learned from them. Of course, I have also been able to look back at my posts to see when we first suspected we would become Autism advocates.

It really has been amazing to watch not only my blog grow over the last six year, but the boys with it. Just yesterday, they were sitting together like this:

Now it often looks a little more like this:

I look forward to many more adventures in learning and growing here on The Angel Forever with my family and all that read in the days, weeks, months, and years to come.

It's Me

Categories:
family looking back me moments

100th Day of School Project

Posted on February 8, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

A few weeks ago, I mentioned to TechyDad that we had not seen anything from school about the 100th Day of School. I was sure that I had seen kindergarten children doing things last winter, so I knew it would be coming. Sure enough, a week ago, JSL came home with a sheet announcing the project and when it was due.

When NHL did his kindergarten project four years ago, he made a banner to bring into school. We went to the craft store and picked out a few items to make it work. JSL’s teachers reminded families that it should not cost a lot and hinted at multiple ways to go with this. The minute the kindergarten kid heard the option of making a book, he was sold. YES, he even asked if we could laminate it.

JSL and I brainstormed on items that he could use within a book. We both agreed that stickers would be a lot of fun. We pulled out my giant sticker box from teaching and began our search. He picked Winnie the Pooh, pirates, Disney, penguins, animals, hats from around the world, dinosaurs, and snowflakes.

We did allow JSL to get three new packs of stickers for his book. He really wanted new Toy Story, rainbows, and shiny smile faces. Everything else was already at home, or at Nana and Papa’s house (they had the pipe cleaners to bind the book). Once he was finished with each grouping of ten stickers, we moved to the next page. Then, we went back and JSL wrote titles on each page and counted by 10s on the bottom of each page. When he finished all of these, we pulled out a front and back page for the book.

JSL wanted to use the ABC stickers to write his name. Then, he used the new smiley faces in patterns around the number 100. The back, was just a fun end to the book with random stickers that were left over from inside.

Once JSL was finished, I went to the thermal laminator that we have and put pages back-to-back to make the six pages. Then, a hole punch was used and pipe cleaners helped to connect everything together. This was the perfect project for JSL who loves to make books. Thanks to the laminator, he will be able to keep it to remember what he made in kindergarten.

So my question to you this week:

What are some of the 100th Day of School projects that your children have done, or you have seen? I love hearing about different options since I’m sure we will have another one to do down the road.

It's Me

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Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the linky there if you are participating.