ThrowBack ThursDay ~ 80's Movie Style!

This video will have you reminiscing about those 80's movies you've never forgotten!

How many can you name and which ones are your favorites?

Have A Great Day Everyone!

No comments

Posted at 9:49 AM  |  by Elle

WordLess WednesDay #14

No comments

Posted at 2:54 PM  |  by Elle

The Liebster Award!

I was nominated by Emily 

at Mom On The Move for this award. 

Many thanks to Emily for choosing my blog for this recognition.

The Liebster Award "was created to recognize and/or discover new bloggers and welcome them to the blogosphere."

If you're nominated for this award you will do the following:

1. Thank and Link Back to the person who nominated you

2. Answer questions given by the person who nominates you

3. Nominate 11 other bloggers with less than 200 followers

4. Create 11 new questions for your nominees to answer

5. Let the nominees know they've been nominated!

The questions Emily asked me:

1. Why did you start blogging?

I've always enjoyed journaling as well as reading blogs by others and just wanted to give it a try.

2. If you could meet any person in history, who would it be?

Jesus Christ

3. If you could wish for one thing, what would it be?

Continued Health Until My Passing.

4. What is your favorite movie and why?

Beaches with Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey.

I like the reality of the friendship between the two characters as well as the reality of the story. Although it is sad, it is also a heartwarming story.

5. Name three places you would like to visit.

Hawaii, St. Lucia, Australia

6. Where is your favorite place to vacation?

The Beach

7. If you won the lottery what would you do with the money?

It would depend on how much money I won.

If it were a minimal amount, I would pay off the mortgage and bills, and take a long, relaxing vacation.  If it were a large sum of money I would donate some to charity, buy a vacation home, pay for my daughter's college educations, give some to family and enjoy life without the stress of worrying about money.

8. What is your favorite thing to do to relax?

Read A Book

9. What is your favorite meal to cook?

Meatloaf

10. If you could pick a different occupation what would it be and why?

A Virtual Assistant because I could continue being 'Mom' while helping others grow their businesses online.

The New Questions For My Nominees:

1.   What is the best advice you've ever received?

2. What is your favorite book and why?

3.  Who is your favorite actor/actress?

4.  What is your favorite season?

5.  What is your most cherished childhood memory?

6.  If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?

7.  If you could travel back in time, what time period/year would you travel to and why?

8.  What is your favorite food?

9.  E-reader, Physical book or Magazine?

10.  What is your favorite animal?

11.  Are you an optimist or pessimist?

My Nominations Are....

1.    Massapequa Chief

2.    Mostly Lisa

3.    PocketFul Of Posies

4.    Pines and Palmettos

5.    Roses For Mommy

6.    The Miscellaneous Mom

7.    Vicki And Livi

8.    DIY Creative Therapy

9.   Not All Who Wander Are Lost

10. Angie Benjamin

11. Momma Didn't Say

Nominees, please pay a visit to one another's sites and/or pages so you can make new blog friends and continue paying it forward in the blogosphere!  Have Fun!

1 comment

Posted at 1:11 PM  |  by Elle

Musical Monday #16 ~ Ed Sheeran & Xtra From Lady GaGa!

This is my 12 year old Em's favorite song right now.

YouTube video for Ed Sheeran's Thinking Out Loud.

And this was too good not to share on this day after the 87th Oscar Ceremony.

Lady GaGa's tribute to 'The Sound Of music'!  Amazing!

No comments

Posted at 12:00 AM  |  by Elle

Book Review: A Taste of Chardonnay by Heather Heyford

A Taste of Chardonnay by Heather Heyford

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is Heather Heyford's debut novel and I'm already looking forward to follow-up books in the Napa Wine Heiress series!

This book focuses on Chardonnay "Char" St. Pierre, the middle child of the famous French vintner Xavier St. Pierre and the late actress, Lily d'Amboise. Char's sisters are Sauvignon (aka "Savvy") and Merlot (aka "Meri'.) My first impression when I realized the sisters were named after wines was that these women were going to be uptight, snooty brats. I was pleasantly surprised that they all seem to be likable characters.

Char is a charitable person who helps out in local soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and collects donated clothing for the less fortunate. She has a degree in public service from the University of Connecticut and has a plan to get a charity organization up and running. Her plan involves winning the McDaniel Foundation's Napa Charity Challenge so that she can start up her charity without the help of her father's money. The challenge involves running a half-marathon, raising funds from local businesses and a charity auction. Char is determined to win.

What Char doesn't foresee is another competitor by the name of Ryder McBride. He's a famous actor who has come back to the area to participate in the Napa Charity Challenge for his own cause. Although they don't see eye-to-eye when they first meet, they both admit to themselves there's an attraction there.

There are family secrets intertwined in the story line and the shining of light on some great charitable causes. Neither character comes off self-centered, which was a breath of fresh air.

I would've liked to see more relationship development between Char and Ryder, as it felt like it happened quickly. All in all though this was a quick read and I'm looking forward to reading Char's sister's stories in the forthcoming books.

                                 A Taste Of Sauvignon will be available on April 14, 2015

No comments

Posted at 7:30 PM  |  by Elle

Musical Monday #15 ~ Try by Colbie Caillat (Self Esteem)

YouTube video for Colbie Caillat's Try.

Three months ago my daughter Em went to a program with her Girl Scout Cadette troop entitled 'Who's That Girl? ME & MEdia'. The program was run by a local college sorority. They showed the girls magazines and how photographs are manipulated by using Photoshop and they also used the Dove Self Esteem Project on their website. Below are a few of the videos they watched and talked about from the Dove's YouTube site.  I've shared Cobie Caillat's 'Try' video today because it explores this topic extremely well.  I was surprised they didn't share Colbie's video at this program, but when my daughter started to tell me about what they talked about there I showed it to her and she loved it!  I hope you enjoy it as well!

Dove Real Beauty Sketches YouTube video.
Selfie YouTube video.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Whether your child plays an instrument, your toddler learned a new song they like to sing, you want to do a throwback of a favorite music video from your past and countless other ideas, as long as it is musical, linkup with Musical Mondays here at All Around the Circle!

(Musical Monday Link-Ups can always be found on the 

Blog Hops/Link Up Page ~ don't forget to sign up each week!)

 

Here is a smaller banner for you to display on your site

<div align="center"> <a href="http://allaroundthecircle.blogspot.com/p/blog-hops.html" target="_blank" title="All Around The Circle"><img src="http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t248/CraftWithKids/All%20Around%20The%20Circle%20Blog/MusicalMondaysm2_zps7ab94922.png" width="150" height="150" alt="All Around The Circle: A SAHM Going Round The Circle Daily" /></a></div>    

Musical Monday Link-Up Rules

1. Follow your host.
2. Link Up your Post.
3. Display The Above Banner On your Site.
4. Check Out Those Listed In The Link-Up, Make New Friends & Spread The Word! The more friends who join, the more fun the link-up will be!
5. Have Fun!

We're also participating in Mingle Monday @ the Life Of Meg Blog today!

We're also participating in the InspireMeMonday Linky Party!

No comments

Posted at 9:11 PM  |  by Elle

Book Review: Codependent No More/Beyond Codependency by Melody Beattie

Codependent No More & Beyond Codependency by Melody Beattie

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I wanted to learn about co-dependency because I wasn't completely sure what was meant by being co-dependent. This book is wonderfully written and is extremely informative.

I wish I had read this book as a young woman so I could have been more aware of relationships with friends and others during that time of my life who may have been codependents. I believe reading this book as a young adult would help aide in figuring out personal issues (and relationships with others) sooner in life rather than later.

Although the book also focuses on alcoholism, substance abuse and 12-step programs, there are many more topics in this book that relate to general life issues. Learning to love and accept yourself (and others), expressing yourself, setting goals and learning how to communicate properly are just some of the helpful topics covered.

This book is actually a 2 in 1 book with 'Codependent No More' being published in 1987 and 'Beyond Codependency' being published in 1989. Melody Beattie, the author, is a recovered addict, alcoholic and codependent. The reason this book is so insightful is because Ms. Beattie wrote from the heart. She shares her experiences and those she has connected with vividly in this book.

I must tell you that I started this book on February 11, 2014 and to my surprise I finished it exactly a year later. The reason I spread this book out over such a long period of time was because it is not 'light & fluffy' reading. It is intense and thought provoking. This was a borrowed book, but if I owned a copy I would go through the book again and highlight many insightful and smart advice that I could pass onto my daughters.

Here are more books by Melody Beattie that you may enjoy!

No comments

Posted at 7:58 PM  |  by Elle

Musical Monday #14 ~ Madison Tevlin

Madison Tevlin 'All Of Me' cover YouTube Video.

A Facebook friend shared this video on her timeline and I just knew I had to share this for Musical Monday.  It had me in tears because I grew up across the street from a girl that had Downs Syndrome and it brought back memories.  She was a few years older than me, but was child-like and less mature, so we were a good fit for one another.  I remember friends in my neighborhood not understanding 'why' my Mom would let me go play with her.  There was only one other girl in our neighborhood that was allowed to go over to her house to play.  My friend was difficult to understand, but we both enjoyed one another's company.  I remember one time she locked me in a closet, walked into another room and was laughing about it.  Her Mom realized I wasn't with her and got me out, but she pretended she didn't do it.  She thought this was the funniest thing.  At the time, I did not.  I was probably only in there for a minute or two.
She went to a special school (this was back in the 70's/80's) and I remember for Christmas the year I was in 5th grade, her parents had Santa come to her house on Christmas Eve in a sleigh.  I remember looking out my bedroom window feeling this was the most magical thing I had ever seen and needless to say, I believed in Santa a year or two more because of that.

Madison Tevlin, you are an inspiration.  I love that you're doing what you want to do regardless of your obstacles.  My 12 year old daughter Em loves to sing to her favorite songs and I can't imagine if she physically wouldn't be able to.  Continue following your dreams and thank you for sharing your voice with us!

No comments

Posted at 7:00 AM  |  by Elle