Mid-July already? Did one of you sneak in and snip a few pages out of my calendar? I don’t feel ready for the mad rush back to school, the early morning alarms, the overstuffed activity schedules. Please let me bask in the warm, breezy sunshine cocoon of summer just a little longer.

One way I’ll work on extending my free time this summer is by taking advantage of the great deals online. I know you’re all with me on this one. No one wants to spend hours in overcrowded malls, claustrophobic dressing rooms, trying to snatch the last box of crayons from the pawed-over remains of a sticky sale table.

Right now I’m having fun checking out I See Me. What a cool concept! The site offers a variety of items personalized with your child’s name, photo or likeness- which not only teaches them to recognize and spell their name but also increases their self-esteem by showing them books that feature children they can instantly relate to. They carry not only books, but puzzles, growth charts, placemats, stickers and more!

I’ve seen a few companies that offer personalized books and children’s items before, but the quality was never quite what I hoped for. Not so with I See Me. I can tell their line was created with great attention to detail, design and functionality.

For instance, their lunchboxes. One of my favorites is the All-A-Flutter Personalized Lunchbox. The outside is super cute with a cool retro color scheme of brown and pastels on the sides, along with a fluttering explosion of butterflies on the pretty pink front. Now check out the inside! All of I See Me’s lunchboxes feature a chalkboard on the inner lid so that mom or dad can leave a sweet note. So much easier than scrambling for a notepad (or in my case, honestly, the torn off back of an envelope) early in the morning, then searching for a pen, then hoping the scrap of paper doesn’t get lost in the shuffle. That’s how you can tell these products were designed by real parents with actual children in mind. You open the box and: instant smiles!

These sturdy metal lunch boxes come in quite a few styles to suit the personality and interests of your little one. From dinosaurs, sports, cars and space, to ballerinas, fairytales and pretty gardens- I think every child will find one that they love. Plus we all remember the first-day of school anxiety. Will other kids like your clothes? Who has the coolest lunch box? I think these boxes easily pass the “cool” test and will have other kids begging to know where it came from!

Another of my favorite items on the site are their personalized sticker sets. These allow you to add both the name and a photo of your child. We all know how easily possessions get lost during the bustle of the school year. I have to say, these stickers are about a million times more fun and convenient than trying to Sharpie your child’s name onto everything they own. Plus seeing their name and face so nicely displayed helps give them the sense of pride of ownership that leads children to take better care of their belongings.

They also offer a 100% money-back guarantee, which always makes me happy to see a company that stands behind their products and cares about their customers.

I know you’re eager to get over there and start shopping. Just one more thing! I See Me has generously offered my readers a discount to make back-to-school shopping even easier! Use code UNIQUE during checkout for $10 off your order of $40 or more. Make sure you stop back by to tell me what items you simply couldn’t resist!

**Though I received compensation for my time in writing this post, all opinions are always my own. I will never recommend products or sites to my readers unless I’m truly enthusiastic about them. That’s just how yams roll. **

For this review I had to call in my World Renown Guest Tester, the Mighty Thor Thunderpaw. He says hi. He doesn’t want to discuss the haircut, thanks. It was a little traumatic and we weren’t on speaking terms for days.

Moving on! Thor is very particular about his treats. He knows what he likes an he simply doesn’t settle for anything inferior. I read up on these Bully Sticks to make sure they fit his lofty standards, and I wasn’t disappointed. They’re made of 100% all-natural free range cattle. They are free of gluten, grain, chemicals, preservatives and additives! They not only help clean your dog’s teeth, the act of chewing soothes and calms them.

Since Thor has managed to chew through everything I own, he must be the calmest dog in the world. Which is why I’d like to divert his attention to things he’s actually allowed to chew!

Though these Bully Sticks are odor-free and were inside a sealed bag, in a box, in another bag, he somehow knew I had new treats for him. Our conversation went something like this: “Treats? Treats? There are treats for me? In that bag? Oh you are the best person ever. Treats right now. Treats!” “What treats? There are no treats. You have to wait til I get my camera.” “Treats! I know there are treats! For me! In that bag!” “No! You have to wai..” “TRRREEEAAAAAATS!”

I obviously have this stony-faced disciplinarian thing down cold. Three minutes later, he had his treat.

And I was his favorite person in the world again.

“Hmm. hey these aren’t my normal sticky chews! MMM-nnnm but they aren’t mmm-nmm too bad.”

“I mean I guess they’re okay. Chomp-chomp-nmmm”

“Oh who am I kidding, I lovvvve them! Do we have more??” He proceeds to roll around on his back with his paws in the air, gnawing on his Bully Stick in total blissed out happiness for the next half hour.

So, a nutritious treat that my puppy actually adores? Yes, I’m sold.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

I decided to do a test run of my table setting for Independence Day. I thought I’d challenge myself by just gathering things from around the house to fit the theme instead of rushing out to buy more stuff. Sometimes I feel like I’m drowning in belongings, even while being grateful for the excess. It seems like one good way to celebrate my gratitude would be to actually dust some of it off and USE it instead of letting it hide in the corners prettily accumulating cobwebs.

Part of my inspiration was this sweet package I received from Aaryne at the Make it or Buy it blog. She went out of her way to wrap everything so carefully and sweetly- in seasonally appropriate colors, even! She sent a box of the beautiful blue Heritage Ball canning jars, which I have been coveting for quite some time. She also sent a bag full of red and white party supplies- cute old fashioned straws, plastic cutlery, napkins and paper plates. I used most of this in my tablescape, and I loved her idea of  making place settings with the cutlery tucked inside the jars.

Instead of struggling to fit one tablecloth around the center pole of my umbrella table, I decided to use two different scarves, one on each side. That’s right, I mixed stripes and plaid and I’m not ashamed. The large red metal stars were hanging in my bedroom. The black lantern, lighthouse oil lamp and blue star candle tin were found in various places around my deck.

The blue and white pillow was nabbed from my kitchen. I made the USA pillow and will be posting the instructions  for you tomorrow, in case you want to make your own! I promise it is super simple, and I will even give you a no-sew option.

I’ve had the cute little Winnie the Pooh Uncle Sam figurine for years. He was proud to be drafted into service once again! A few little extras like the Darice rusted star and handfuls of star confetti were nabbed from the craft room. All of the dishes and glassware were super cheap at Target.

I may tweak a few things for the actual holiday, and of course we’ll need more tables than this. However, I ‘m pretty pleased with the result.

I try to limit the screentime of our 2-year old, to slow down the pace of her childhood in this every-quickening electronic world. That’s why I’m so pleased when we find an app that is both visually beautiful as well as resoundingly educational.

Since she’s just starting to learn her letters and numbers, I can tell the app is going to be of great long-term use as her abilities are developed and reinforced. I love that it allows me to track her progress to see improvement over time. She seems to love tracing the letters and numbers, and the happy praise after each accomplishment makes her smile.

While I received compensation to download and try this app, my opinions and enthusiasm are genuinely my own!

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I’ve seen a lot of finger-shaking posts reminding us that Memorial Day isn’t about happy family picnics and barbeques, beaches and kites and lemonade. Today we should be bowing our heads and weeping at the loss of our fallen soldiers. While I do think it’s so very important to never lose sight of the men and women who fight for our freedom, I also think that’s something that should be done on a daily basis, not just on an easily prepackaged holiday. If you really care about the sacrifices of our armed forces, how about putting your money and your time where your mouth is? Try donating to Veteran’s Associations, try voting for better funding for VA hospitals and services. Try fostering an atmosphere of understanding instead of disdain around our soldiers who come home physically and mentally damaged, often beyond any real repair. Try to imagine the horror of being trained to kill, trained to be ever vigilant and hyper-aware, trained to an almost machine-like grace of obedience— and then to be returned to normal, mundane life where you’re supposed to put those emotions behind you and somehow not be haunted.

I went off on a tangent, but my original point ties right in. My grandfather, my uncle and great-uncles, my ex-boyfriend and still dear friend have all gone to war, offered their lives as supplication to keep others free. While you might argue about the rightness or wrongness of certain battles or of war itself as a remedy for anything, it’s hard to argue with the individual sacrifices of human beings.  And I’m positive that all of the men I’ve known who’ve fought for your freedom wouldn’t want you spending the day weeping. They fought so you wouldn’t have to think about the dark things lurking in this world. They fought so you could breathe easily, build sandcastles, run barefoot through the grass, gather your family close, bask in the water and the sunshine and the gloriously sparkling free air.

These are a long-time family favorite, perfect as a side dish or vegetarian option at cookouts but also a comforting meal in colder seasons.  They’re a decadent treat that practically make a meal all alone. Meat-eaters can add crispy, crumbled bacon. For a lighter version you can use a low-calorie butter substitute and reduced fat cheese.  And for those who don’t like mushrooms, try replacing them with broccoli or another favorite vegetable! I’ve left quantities open in the recipe because they’re very dependent on the size of your potatoes and the number you plan to bake.

Ingredients:

Large baking potatoes
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Mushrooms
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Butter
Salt

Supplies:

Large, shallow baking dish
Mixing bowl
Foil
Knife
Fork
Optional: Hand mixer, ice cream scoop

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Thoroughly scrub and rinse potatoes, leaving skin on. Pierce the potatoes through the center with knife and place in baking dish. Cover dish with foil and bake for one hour (longer depending on the size of potatoes- check for tenderness with a fork).

When potatoes are tender, remove from oven and let cool. While you’re waiting you can prepare your ingredients.

Once potatoes are cool enough to work with, use small sharp knife to slice an oval shape into top of each one. Use a spoon to scoop out the top and insides of each potato, leaving skin and enough flesh intact so that the potato forms a bowl. I’ve found that a small metal ice cream scoop is perfect for this job! As you work, save the insides of the potatoes in your mixing bowl.

Mash the potatoes you’ve collected in your mixing bowl using a fork or your hand mixer. Slowly incorporate butter, mushrooms and cheeses as you work. Set aside enough cheese for topping.

When the potato mixture is ready, fill each potato shell with a heaping amount of mixture, adding a sprinkle of Parmesan and cheddar to top each one off. Cover with foil and return finished potatoes to oven for another 15 minutes. Serve immediately or keep in oven on warm until ready to eat. These can also easily be made the day before, stored in the refrigerator and the last step completed right before your meal.

This stunningly dim-witted piece of advice came from former Porterville, CA mayor Cameron Hamilton after a proposition was made at a city council meeting to implement Safe Zones, places where children can go in local schools when they’re being bullied.

Hamilton said “I’m against bullying, but I’m getting damn tired of it being used as a mantra for everything, and the ills of the world. All most people just have to grow a pair, and stick up for them damn selves.”

Apparently this genius has a long history of hateful dictatorship. Last year when the council voted to declare June LGBT Pride Month in their city, Hamilton immediately did everything in his power to make sure the proclamation was rescinded. It seems that part of his vehement rejection of the anti-bullying measure was based on his mistaken belief that these Safe Zones were tied with other similarly named programs around the US that give safe haven to LGBT children and teens.

I don’t want to put words in anyone’s mouth but that surely does sound like “Bullying is wrong! Except if it’s them fags. Those ones deserve to get the crap kicked out of them anyway.”

If only this was a rare example, but both the news and  our own real life experiences are filled with countless instances of the same attitudes. Last month Zeman Elementary in Lincoln, NE sent home flyers advising students that they shouldn’t tell on bullies, because the number one reason “bullies hate their victims is because the victims tell on them.” Further, “Telling makes the bully want to retaliate. Tell an adult only when a real injury or crime (theft of something valuable) has occurred. Would we keep our friends if we tattled on them?”

Because bullies are secretly your friends! That whole thing where they gossip, mock, shun, laugh at, isolate and otherwise emotionally break down their victims? Those aren’t real injuries. That’s just your pwecious wittle feewings getting hurt. Once again, if you’d just man the hell up and grow a pair, everything would be fine. I’m not clear on whether girls who get bullied should also grow these Magical Testicles. Perhaps in this worldview, girls don’t get bullied,  it only happens to those whiny little queer boys. “What about lesbi…?” Shh. Everyone knows there’s no such thing, girls just pretend to like other girls in order to please the owners of Magical Testicles. Lesbian is just a word for a girl who has never had a real man!

I’ve had similar issues with our local schools here in Ohio. While their public policy is all rainbows and smiles and hand-holding, strict anti-bullying blather, the reality is far different. Children are taught to trust teachers and other school authorities, yet when the kids come to an adult with a bullying issue they are almost invariably told to stop tattling. Often the adults turn out to be worse bullies than the child’s peers, drunk on their tiny bit of bureaucratic power. And while bullies are almost never punished or counseled, if a child who is being tormented dares to stand up for his or herself, your head will spin at the speed with which they are expelled.

So after years of feeling helpless, trapped, ostracized and alone, when another child finally snaps and goes on a shooting spree- or merely hangs himself in his own back yard- we can stand around pretending to be shocked, just shocked. But truly, how many of us can claim to be so blind that this phenomenon is shocking to us?  When you were a child, were you the mean girl? The prey? The scurrying in between trying never to get involved? If you are a parent, which is your child now? What are you doing to instill a balance of empathy and strength- to teach that empathy is one of the greatest strengths- and end this sick cycle of abuse?

Yesterday was quite eventful! First there was a trek over the snowy mountains with only our faithful sheepdog for protection.

(Faithful Sheepdog ^^^^ )

We nearly died in an avalanche and were forced to swim back to the island to regroup. A rousing impromptu drumming session lifted our spirits and we were ready for another battle.

The swooshing of a truck passing by on the road made us remember we were at the ocean and there were probably sea monsters to be defeated.

“What does the sea monster look like Jiji?”

“Like a mermaid with a giant floppy tail!”

“That’s ok! Super Bubble Girl will save the day!” while wielding her light-up rainbow bubble gun. “Schooom schoom!”

“Watch out for her floppy tail, Super Bubble Girl!”

“I will be careful! Come on Super Doggie Thor!”

A great battle ensues. Smooshy cheek boy and I look on with grave concern, ready to jump in at any moment!

Super Bubble Girl and Super Doggie Thor come crawling sadly up the stairs, gasping their last dramatic dying breaths.

“Oh no, what happened?”

“Jiji! The mermaid got me with her floppy tail.”

“I feared this would happen! Here, quickly! Only these orange TicTacs can cure a mermaid tail flop.”

*cough, cough*

“No, I think I need some burritos to cure me.”

“Silly, I’m out of Doritos.”

We negotiated down to a huge cup of ice water (“Ahhh! That is SO fresh and shiny!”) which she mostly used to wash her hands and then pour down her shirt. More importantly, Super Bubble Girl will live to fight another day.