I can't tell you how often I've heard people I know talking about this amazing thing called the Texas Renaissance Festival. It happens once a year. People of all ages, races and backgrounds are attracted to it. Be it for the booze, the festivities, or the chance to go back to the renaissance age - there is something for everyone.
I've been wanting to go for the past few years. So much so, that I even added it to my bucket list. Thanks to my association with US Family Guide, I may just get to finally go this year!
If you like to have unique family fun, I suggest you take a look at what they have to offer.
The Texas Renaissance Festival is the nation's largest and most
acclaimed Renaissance themed event. Established in 1974, the event
attracts over half a million visitors each year to its 55-acre New
Market Village and Fields of New Market Campgrounds in Todd Mission,
Texas. This immersive experience features world renowned live
entertainment, works by master artists and craftspeople, award winning
food and drink, hand-powered rides and games, and over 100 interactive
characters during its nine themed weekends from September 30 through
November 26, 2017. For more information, please visit
www.texrenfest.com.
Each weekend, a different theme comes to life across the 55-acre festival grounds including:
I love to dress up and do cosplay. Which is why I have a large tote full of costume stuff for our family. Also why my kids have costumes to play with any time they want.
You can dress up and for that time, be someone else. Someone you wish you were. Someone you admire. Your favorite hero. To me, its a blast!
I currently have a handful of costumes. I have a complete Sweet Pea from Sucker Punch costume (even down to a blond wig).
I've been a Lady Phantom of the Opera.
I'm just about done with my Lara Croft cosplay.
Spent a few minutes in between loads of laundry this week, painting the toy guns I had picked up last summer. I love these because they were cheap (Walmart cheap brand of imagination toys), look like the type of gun Lara would use, and they make the sounds of being cocked and fired!
Per cosplay regulations, I left the orange tips slightly showing so that others will know they are toys. Now, all I have left is to fix the leg holsters I had bought from Spirit Halloween last year. They turned out to be too small for these guns. Plus, it's generic. So both guns are facing the same way and it looks silly. I plan to pull out my needle and thread and *fingers crossed* fix it!
And eventually I want to have a Wonder Woman one as well. The other costume I want, is a realistic Steampunk one. The one I have now, makes me look generic, and with a red wig, like a steampunked version of the Scarlet Witch.
While we were hiding from Hurricane Harvey in Waco, we went by a Dirt Cheap store. If you don't know what they are, its sorta like Ross. They get the scratch and dent items from retailers though (saw a lot of Target labels there) and sell it at a fraction of the retail price. It wasn't as awesome as I had hoped, but it still had some cool things. We picked up a set of Star Wars books that comes with an electronic reader device that would've been $29.99, but we paid $9. Then we went through the mountains of Halloween stuff they had. Found my oldest son a Deluxe Navy Seal costume. Came with multiple toy weapons, full jumpsuit, and belt.
Normally this sells for $23.99, but we only paid $12.He can't wait to wear it to the party we plan on having to celebrate his birthday and Halloween! The same time we go for that, my husband plans to dress up as Darth Vader and pay a visit to his sisters class. Last year, when her class was going over family, she showed her students a picture of our family in costume. She pointed to my husband, who was in his Darth Vader cosplay, and tells her students, "That's my brother." From that moment on, they were convinced that her brother was really Darth Vader! This year he has plans to upgrade his outfit so that there is a voice changer in the mask as well.
I didn't get to cosplay at any cons (conventions) this year. Next year, just maybe, I do hope to. The neighbor across the street even wants to join in! Who knew?! Its a small world when you meet a fellow Nerd in your own neighborhood. So what about you? Are you the type to get hyped up for Halloween because you get to dress up? Do you dress up for cons too? Are you a closet nerd who seeks to show this side of yourself only in the presence of those just like you, or do you scream it from the rooftops?? I'd love to hear about your costumes and where you wear them in the comments below.
These days, it seems
there are a number of products online to help you with editing or
writing. Whether you have an important email, business proposition,
manuscript, college paper, etc. there are so many ways you can get it
“fixed” without having to hire someone to do it for you. But why
should you consider a human editor or writer instead?
As an editor, I have
worked for a variety of individuals in either writing or cleaning up
their literary works. One thing I know for a certain is, however,
that no one writes perfectly; because no one speaks perfectly.
Everyone around you has their own way of speaking. And those little
quirks they have verbally, carry over in how they write. There are
accents in print, just as there are in conversations. And if you know
the person or have heard them speaking, then you can imagine them
better when the things they write still reflect those voice patterns
on a page. An automated program cannot read in accents. They cannot
detect the southerners drawl or the northerners lack of R’s. So
say, for instance, a writer of fiction is looking to perfect his
novel. A computer program will tell that writer all the ways they
need to change their manuscript to fit into better English. But that
will in turn strip the originality of their style away. A human
editor, however, will know the person well enough to understand why
they wrote this word as they did. Or why this phrase was important,
though grammatically incorrect. I had to do that for a guy from New
York that wrote horror stories, novels and later comic books. He had
his own style, that when you read it the way he wrote, you could
tell it was with a northern accent. Then again, I edited for a 3-time
international best seller who has his own style. And though it might
not seem perfect, it is him. His writing reflects his speech which is
a big part of who he is. Now this might not be needed for a college
paper, but for blog posts and manuscripts, it could be a make or
break situation.
Programs can’t get
everything right. Do you know that the English language is one of, if
not the most, difficult to learn? One word can have a plethora of
meanings, depending on the context as well as the dialect. Take the
word shot, for instance. You get a shot to help prevent diseases, but
wouldn’t want to be shot in the head, while drinking a shot to get
courage to take a shot at that special lady. I just used one word to
demonstrate 4 meanings. Or the word fag. In America, its a derogatory
term referring to gays. In the United Kingdom, it refers to a
cigarette. English editing programs can be as naive as the auto
correct that you probably have on your smart phone. You start typing
word, it thinks it knows what you are talking about, then suddenly…
you have something totally off-the-wall in your message. Ever seen
those text fail screen shots? I’ve been there. More times than I
care to admit. Which is why I am now more careful than ever when
texting. I try to do everything I can to send a well written text,
especially when I’m in a hurry. Doesn’t mean I succeed every
time, but I do try.
Last point I want to
make about hiring an actual person instead of purchasing a program is
the price. How much are you willing to spend? And is the price you
are paying, worth what you are getting? Let’s face it, you can hire
me for a one-time deal, flat rate price. Or you can purchase a
program that you will use how many times? Maybe you want to get that
ongoing service with a regular flat fee. But how often will you use
it? Enough that it pays in the end? Will that program be worth the
price if it misses something that a human would not? There have been
tests done by users. Take this one. This guy tried 5 methods and his
professional editor of a wife caught every mistake while the programs
did not. Do you really want to pay for a service that you can only
hope for perfect results from? With a human editor, you get more bang
for your buck in the long run. They can edit a piece repeatedly until
you are satisfied. Depending on who you hire, they can even offer you
suggestions on how to reword something to flow better. They can
rearrange paragraphs to make everything smooth and easy to
understand. Isn’t it worth the money to get the extra service if it
will further your success in the long run?
You don’t have
take my word for it, though. Do your own homework. Just take the time
to know what you are truly looking for when you are paying for a
service. Know how you want something to be in the end. Ask questions
before you hire. And if you don’t think a human being can do
better, then go with the program. Just don’t write us editors and
writers off because the market is flooded with a cheap service. We
are more than meets the eye.You can check out my professional page here.
I've been searching for unique gifts for family and friends this year. Especially since it can be tiring to give the same old things each year. You know what I mean. Fruit basket. Movie. Gift Cards. Don't get me wrong, sometimes that is the best thing to get someone. But sometimes, I like to shake it up. And this subscription box could be just what the doctor ordered.
*Disclaimer: I received these products free of charge in exchange for my honest review. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed. All opinions are my own.*
Creativity is a dying skill in this world. Rare are the people who can take ordinary objects, add some skill and voilà - you have an extraordinary work of art. I'd like to say that I'm one of those, but the truth is that I'm only trying to be. I don't fit in with most artistic types. I color outside the lines. I march to my own drum. And it can often be messy. But with a little help, I just might be the artiste (come on, say it with the French accent) I wish I were! That is where Busy Bee Stationary comes in handy. They provide you with the products that can inspire you to create something wonderful. Take the products from the August edition box (yes, August. It came a little late.)
What beauties did they send me?
When I opened the box, my husbands attention was immediately drawn to two things: the notebook and the design tool.
He is an Engineering student who is designing a prototype generator in his spare time. Seeing those two items gave him an idea on using them together to sketch out the details. Especially since drawing is not his strong suit.
I, on the other hand, look forward to the uses for the tape and markers.
Silver and gold can make an awesome combination! I can make personalized cards. I could use them in scrapbooks. And even my canvas arts.
The products included in this box:
Tim Holtz idea-ology Design Tool
Gold Sharpie
Silver Sharpie
Pentel Art Pen
Little B Tape
Leuchtturm 1917 Notebook
Who are these perfect for?
Busy Bee Stationary is a great Christmas gift idea for anyone you know who is crafty and/or likes to write. The types of items they provide are geared towards these activities. They provide you with quality products. You can order a subscription for yourself or for another. The month-to-month plan is $39.90, the 3 month prepay plan is $109.70, and the 6 month prepay plan is $214.40. So check them out and let me know what you would do with these things or what you liked most in the comments below. Would you or someone you know like this as a gift?
From the previous owner of Busy Bee Stationary (They now have a new owner)
August Box – Black & White, Silver & Gold
Without doubt, Leuchtturm products are quite possibly the most popular and a huge favorite of yours. So, for this box we wanted to provide you with something Leuchtturm, plus some gorgeous accessories to complement this Leuchtturm. There are so many blogs and videos of what you can create with your notebook, so I encourage you to have a look around and find something that suits you.
Happy Exploring!!!
More information about your surprise supplies!
Leuchtturm 1917 Pocket Hardcover Notebook - White
In your box, our first feature item for this month, is your Leuchtturm 1917 Pocket Notebook. Details make all the difference! Leuchtturm 1917 notebooks are manufactured with the highest quality materials and construction. Each notebook is thread-bound with high quality bleed-proof, fountain pen-safe paper. The book opens flat with a durable hardcover and rounded corners that washes off easily and is pleasant to the touch.
Leuchtturm will help you get organized; the blank table of contents and page numbers will make leafing through your notes easier than ever before!
Your Dotted Pocket A6 measures 3.5” x 6” / 90 x 150 mm / 185 pages
Acid free, bleed-proof, 80 gsm paper
Fountain pen friendly
Pocket in back for loose notes
Elastic closure
Bound-in bookmark
We hope the quality and organizational features of this notebook will make your life easier and more enjoyable!
Pentel’s – Hybrid Technica Gel Pen – 0.5 mm - Black
The Pentel Hybrid Technica is a favorite and classic thin gel ink pen. With its strong needle-point tip, the pen writes neat crisp letters and fine lines. The water-based pigment ink is water-resistant and fade-resistant, and provides a smooth writing experience. The ink is also refillable! A perfect complement to your box this month.
Little B – Decorative Foil Tape – 15mm x 10m Gold Feathers
Our Gold feature product for this month is Little B’s Decorative Foil Tape. We know how much you all love washi tape and we appreciate the fun of adding beautiful designs to your projects. The perfect addition to all your paper crafts and more! 10 meters of 15-millimeter-wide designer foil tape.
Tim Holtz – Idea-ology Design Ruler – 12”
This feature item for this month is this very handy Tim Holtz idea-ology design ruler. After researching the most popular bullet journal tools, this is definitely a must-have! The Tim Holtz Design Ruler is a clear ruler with a tapered acrylic straight edge on one side for measuring lengths and drawing lines and a metal straight edge on the other side for accurate cutting. In between is a grid, two sets of measurements and holes for piercing. The grid is measured in quarter inches. The holes are spaced 1/8 of an inch apart. The ruler is lightweight and sturdy. A great accessory to your Leuchtturm or any other journal you use.
Sharpie – Silver & Gold Metallic Markers
Yep, you guessed it! The Silver & Gold components of your box this month are the fabulous Sharpie silver and gold metallic markers. Make your work shine with these! These fine point permanent markers give a brilliant sheen to writing and design, and they’re great on both light and dark surfaces. The opaque metallic ink is quick-drying for less mess, and it’s perfect for labelling hard to mark surfaces or jazzing up craft projects. There’s no shaking or pumping needed to start ink flow, so you can just uncap and write whenever you need it! The AP certified nontoxic ink is waterproof and smear and fade resistant. We hope you enjoy your Sharpie’s 😊
That concludes this month’s box and thank you all for beeing (busy) and amazing - we can’t wait to hear your thoughts about this month’s goodies!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Labor Day with those they love! I know I did. We took the kids to our favorite park, Converse City Park.
They have made some additions to the expansive park that make it more fun for the medium-sized kids.
Even my husband and I joined in the play.
So glad I had my Nexcare bandages with us. It seemed to be a day for everyone to have need of them at the park.
Even with temperatures being around only 90 degrees, we found ourselves running out of water and overheating. So we made a run to the store on the way home to get stuff to grill and ice cream to make milkshakes with.
It was a beautiful day that had the kids ready to sleep by 7! Which was good since they had school the following morning. It is days like this when I feel truly blessed. No matter what happens in my life. I am reminded that we have so much to grateful for. So much to enjoy. I hope you can find something every day!
Hurricane Harvey brought more than just torrential rains, deadly flooding and loss of personal possessions. For me in particular, it brought a personal image revelation. It showed me how truly selfish I was.
We left home on Thursday night after reading that Tropical Storm Harvey, had the potential to become a category 4 hurricane. Though we are a few hours from the coast, I know how far such a big storm can reach. Our area is known to flood. And with all the power line work going on, loss of power seemed inevitable. To be honest, we didn't even know there was a storm coming until that
day. We don't have cable, we aren't checking local headlines daily, and
we don't go to Facebook to get updated. My husband heard about it at a
meeting just before leaving work in the morning. I heard more about it
from a quick radio snip.
So while sitting at my in-laws house in Waco the next day, I felt quite foolish. We
"prepared" for the storm with the intention of staying home to ride it
out. As a Florida-raised lady, I have seen my fair share of storms. I
laugh at native Texans who can't handle the light showers we get from
time to time. So I figured we would be fine. Sure, we might get flooded
in. But that's why I bought water, diapers, and food. Yes, we would most
likely lose power. That's why I made the kids eat refrigerated foods
during the day and bought non perishables to eat when the time came. I
put towels against the base of the back door where I was sure water would
come in. I started washing all the clothes and keeping the dishes
cleaned up so that I wouldn't have them pile up if we lost power. I
bought paper plates and cutlery as well.
But the biggest things I
invested in were the portable butane grill so that we could cook little
things without electricity. I bought flashlights too, to help the kids
while making sure we had our candles ready. I'm thankful I had money in
my savings for emergencies like this. But now it seemed like a waste. As
my husband said, however, we will be ready for the next time.
Why did I
prepare if we were just going to flee to Waco? We were checking the updates and seeing
that the storm was building strength. It was to become a category 3 with
potential to be a category 4. I know what that means. It means strong
winds. It means torrential rains. For my husband, it seemed like the
best option to play it safe and travel North. Put just a little more
distance between us and the coast. I can agree that his logic in doing
so was sound. So I shouldn't feel so bummed out, right? After all,
our family is safe. And yet... I almost wished we were back home. I have
laundry that needed to be done. I had a craft to finish. I had blogging
to work on. I wanted some game time on 7 Days to Die with my husband. Or
even on our family Minecraft map. Instead, I was trying to keep the kids
in line. I was dealing with neck pain and migraines. And I felt bad that we were imposing on the in laws last minute. Don't get me wrong, they had
assured us they were happy to have us and that they felt better we were
there.
(Made it back in time for their first day of school on Monday!)
But this wasn't planned. I had plans. Things I wanted to do. I'm
human. I'm selfish at times. I have to remind myself that my family
comes first. Their safety. Their health. Their happiness. I have to
remind myself that I can do the laundry and crafts when we get back and
they are asleep. Same goes for the blogging. That video games, while a
great chance to bond, aren't important. And when we got home on Sunday, I could be grateful that we were safe.
A friend recently reminded me of something very important. She told me that we need to put family first, always. Chores can and will be done later. If its not urgent, let it go for a few more minutes. Spend that time with those you love. This is especially true for moms. After all, how many times do we let daily household activities consume our time? How often do we forget that the children we treasure are steadily growing and will soon leave us? My oldest is turning 9 years old in October! NINE YEARS OLD! Where has all that time gone?? I look back through the years of old photos to rebuild the memories of the times past and see so many times I forgot that he was growing up. So much of the time I told him and his siblings that I was busy and "we will see" about whether I can play this game or watch that movie with them. Times I should have taken out just a few minutes to truly enjoy them. This storm brought that reminder home. I was so grumpy about going away from home and my plans, that I forgot why we were doing it to begin with. And then, having talked to people in my neighborhood, felt even more foolish as it didn't cause any of the issues we were thinking it would. No power loss or extreme flooding. But I look back now and realize that I need to change my way of thinking. I need to be more selfless. I do good deeds. I raise my kids right. I love my family and friends. But do I think of others more than myself? Do I put others before myself on a regular basis? Now that I think about it, no. Not enough anyhow. Do you? Prayers for those who dealt more closely with the storm. I've been donating when and how I can. My heart hurts when I see the news of the devastation. I thank God my family was kept safe. Especially when I didn't get to do what I planned.
We have had a wonderful summer. Hard to believe it's coming to an end already. Monday is when my kids head back to school. With that being the case, I decided to get in as much fun as we can before then. Today, we went shopping. We did some crafts. And then, we went to the mall. While at the mall, my husband and I noticed our older daughter scratching the mess out of her head. She was really going at it. And when I asked her about it, she replied that part of her head just itched a lot. I don't know about you, but I grew up with very long and thick hair. When I was in public school, my hair was touched often by a lot of hands... And I came home with lice often. So often, that my dad even threatened to shave me bald. All of my stuffed toys, even one that I treasured, were tossed out. Bedding was stripped and washed. And I went through the long night of Rid in my hair while my mother combed through it with that sharp, fine-toothed comb. Far too often. My mother said it was about every two weeks. And I hated it! So you can imagine the dread I felt when I thought, please don't let it be lice! I told myself that maybe she was just sweaty. Maybe she hasn't been washing her hair too well. Can't shake a Mother's wisdom though. We got home and the purging began right after dinner.
I started by looking through her hair. If you don't know, the sides of the head close to the ears, slightly above and the base of the head at the neck are the two spots usually affected by lice the most. I checked the base first. And boy was I shocked. She had eggs, or nits, EVERYWHERE! I grabbed the bottle of Rid I had from the last time we had to deal with them and got to work. We boiled water to dip the comb in after each stroke through her hair. They don't like heat. Like serious heat. So washing bedding and drying it in heat kills them on bedding, clothes and stuffed toys. Dipped the brush and combs into boiling water also kills them. Otherwise, they will maintain a tight grip. I call it the death grip. The eggs are attached to strands of hair in the same way. It takes a very fine comb to get them off. That's why you have to use the Rid version that comes with the special shampoo. The shampoo has an awful smell and goes on dry hair. You douse every inch of it and rub it onto the scalp. Then you take the comb and go over each hair pulling everything out.
I think it took me at least 2 hours. Plus, I had to cut her beautiful hair. She had long locks that went down to the bottom of her back. Now her hair is right at her shoulders. She looks adorable, but still. As a Mother, I want to spare her from this. I mean, honestly! How did she get them when she hasn't been at school? We haven't been out much. And she is the only one that had them. I checked the boys and the baby. Nothing. I ran the comb through my own hair and only found a ton of dandruff. My scalp is dryer than the Sahara right now... So where is this coming from?? I told her that she must wash her hair. We went over the proper way to wash it (again). I explained the importance of it. And she cried. No one likes having this happen. Her brothers shied away from her when she got close. I helped her wash out the Rid and then I checked her head again. Can you believe that there was more? I had to comb through her locks once again. Pulled out more eggs and more lice. Thus, I started my tasks all over again. While dealing with her, I also had a load of her bedding running on the sanitizing option in the wash. I have about 2-3 other loads to follow tomorrow. My boys were cleaning up their room, picking up toys in the living room, and taking turns helping with the baby who was so tired - that she just wanted to scream at us. My husband was trying to get some sleep before work. I have a dishwasher to empty in the morning, a load in the sink needing to be done, and will have to check her hair again. I'll wash it one more time to be sure. It feels like I'm standing before a mountain of chores. All of them needing to be done. And none of them appealing to me right now. The good news is, this is happening before school starts. I would not want to be in this mess during school days...
A word to the wise, if you see them scratching - get checking!
