MelissaStuff

Thank you to Zaycon for providing us with Zaycon foods in return for this review.  Have you ever heard of Zaycon ? Zaycon Foods provides high-quality, super fresh meat and produce at crazy low prices! The answer is strength in numbers. It's the modern day version of a co-op. Zaycon Foods can sell its products at bulk rate prices to individual consumers and families because their  unique sales event business model brings lots of people together, adding all their purchasing power into  a combined bulk food purchase. And when you buy as part of a group that’s committing to such a large  purchase, the power is in the hands of the purchaser! It’s the ultimate group buy in terms of both price and consumer empowerment. You can pre-select exactly what you want to order from a given Zaycon sales event – sometimes you  may want to stock up on amazing meaty back ribs and sometimes it might be all about the Zaycon  bacon – and then, on the day of the...

I have to thank my lucky stars that my boys are big readers . . . and I love being able to give them books that challenge them and teach them something. So they were more than excited when I was asked to review The Big Book of Where : Time for Kids BIG Book of Where was written specifically for 8- 12 year olds and is made to appeal to the kinds of things their minds are naturally interested in. The book answers questions such as Where is the tallest mountain?; Where did the Olympics begin? and many more. This book allows your kids to explore everything from their own backyard to somewhere across the world. It teaches them about the customs, the sports, the history and the animals in each location. The  BIG Book of Where   is a must-have kids geography book for your kids. 

When was the last time you got a babysitter, made plans and went out to do something decidedly adult? It had been awhile for us, so when I got the opportunity to go experience a show at the Improv for FREE, I was all over it!    Even though I've lived in Dallas my entire life and experienced many of the Dallas "experiences" - most more than once - I managed to make it to 33 years of life without ever going to a comedy show at the Improv. If you live in the Metroplex, then you hear the name of The Improv quite frequently. All of the big named artists come through and make a stop at The Improv. The weekend we went was no exception - George Wallace . . . nationally renowned comedian and past roommate of Jerry Seinfeld . . . was the headline comedian. (You might also recognize him from a variety of tv and move roles including the Mayor of Gotham City in Batman Forever.) George was not disappointing, but even the opening acts before him were truly funny. All of the ...

Awhile back, I mentioned that I had the opportunity to try out a new cleaning service called HomeJoy. The difference with HomeJoy versus regular cleaning services is that you pay by the hour - just $20 per hour - and they will do whatever household chores you need them to. I had them help with dishes and laundry in addition to regular cleaning services. They actually have an additional discounted offer right now on Amazon Local . . .

KIDS BOWL FREE ALL SUMMER!  We take advantage of this every year . . . my boys think it's great, and when it's 100+ degrees outside I think it's pretty awesome myself.  Sign-up for Summer Unplugged and Summer Pass now and you'll get FREE bowling for kids all summer long! Kids registered in the Summer Unplugged program can bowl two games per day, every day, all summer long!  Use this link to sign up today! 

I can't tell you how excited my three padawans were when we were invited to come to a special media screening of the new LEGO Star Wars Miniland Model. This exhibit is a large-scale, interactive model, clearly made of LEGOs. I have to admit that it was pretty impressive. The Millenium Falcon actually rises from the depths of the Tattoine. There are special features tucked away in nooks and crannies just waiting for the kids to find them. My oldest son was the most thrilled with the interactive game that allowed him to join in on the fascinating scene before him. (The only negative is that there is ONE and only ONE of these games in the entire building so when it's busy that's going to be a battle waiting to happen.) This feature is only going to be at the Legoland Discovery Center in Grapevine for a limited time, so if you have kids who are as Star Wars nuts as mine are, you'll want to get out there soon. You can use this link to get after 5 p.m. tickets for ...

So . . . if you hadn't heard  . . . we're going on a cruise in October. A Disney cruise. And my best friend is a little bit nuts and talked me into having a theme at every meal where we dressed like different Disney characters. In the process of planning, I lobbied for a "Villain Night" and she gave in because she loves me like that. Over the last couple of months I have been on the search for the perfect outfit - dressy with a splash of evil. Something different, a bit edgy. Something that will be bold and look good at the same time. When I was contacted to try out Novica - a company that partners with National Geographic to bring unique items from artisans around the world directly to your home - I had a hard time deciding what to choose. They have home decor, jewelry, clothing. I must have looked through the website for a couple of hours all told. In the end, I found myself drawn to this piece: This jersey vest, called "Sumatra Night," is made...