I was shocked last week when Maria and Derek were sent home.  But the show must go home.

Tonight is the Judge’s pick and the always fan favorite – the Freestyle! I like the Judge’s picks because they usually go with something they think the celebrity will excel in, they don’t try to throw them off course.

Judges Pick:

William and Cheryl – Cha Cha: I am confused.  William talks in the taped piece about how he started the competition dancing the Cha Cha, but I just went back over all the posts and he didn’t dance the Cha Cha until week 6.  Not quite the beginning my friend.  Never the less he does a fine job tonight.  There is no doubt his hips were made for dancing.  Looks like Bruno made a good choice for him.

And that is when the lights went out.  Black.  Loud growling noise and black.  Sounds like a transformer, so I think oh well, so much for tonight.  At least I will get to bed early.

Then after talking to our boarder, the smell of acrid smoke drifts in and we think there may be a fire somewhere.  Perhaps the transformer caused the fire or the fire caused the transformer to blow.  People are gathering down our street and helicopters and sirens abound.  We are a main thoroughfare for the city so the sound of sirens is not foreign.  But the number of sirens and the intensity of the helicopters urge me to grab my video camera and walk down my street.

I am barefoot, in my M&M pj bottoms, a white wife beater and braless.  Thank god it is dark out.  Here is the unedited video I shot.

I simply can’t believe my eyes.  It is hard to see in the film but there on the ground less than 50 feet in front of me is a plane.  And a few short feet from the plane you can see the firefighters working on the pilot, he is wearing a blue shirt.  I see later from news reports that he is ok.  Witnesses (who were almost hit by the plane when it crashed) say he walked away from the plane right after it hit the ground.

This pic is from the local news paper The Glendale News Press

The pilot is fine.  The passersby are fine.  I am fine.

The meat I just bought in my fridge however?  I don’t hold high hopes for that.

Photo Credit: Ford

I had the luxury of driving the 2013 Ford Taurus SHO last week and I must say it has certainly come a long way.

I used to think of the Taurus as being a small step up from the Tempo but boy was I wrong.  Driving this car I felt like I was driving an LTD from days gone by.  Smooth, gliding, comfort.  I may have overstepped my bounds at the event when I compared the ride to a Cadillac LOL.  What can I say, I am a Detroit girl who likes her American luxury cars.

Technically the Taurus SHO is not classified as a “luxury” car, it is a Sports Sedan, and it does have that sleek sports car look, but definitely the smooth ride of a luxury vehicle.

The comfort inside was immense.  We all know I am of large stature and I had no problem entering or exiting the vehicle.  My knees were comfortable while driving and the seat offered plenty of room for my posterior.

The seats were comfy and I was impressed with the look of the interior.  A few months ago I attended an event regarding the sustainability of Ford vehicles and the Taurus SHO was one that was highlighted.

Slide Courtesy of Carol Kordich, Ford

I am continually being impressed with the advancements Ford is making in all areas of the automotive industry.

On the fun side, I saw a button that didn’t have any identifiers on it, so of course I pushed it, I didn’t notice anything in particular happening.  A few moments later I looked through the rear view mirror and noticed there was now a screen covering the rear window.  Where did that come from?  The button of course.  I pulled over and took a video for you.

You’ve played Club Penguin and Pixie Hollow, now Disney is working on a Princess game.  I have a feeling this one will be a hit in this house, if I ever get another Wii that is. LOL

From the press release:

In “Disney Princess: My Fairytale Adventure,” players will take on the role of an apprentice to the Fairy Godmother and will accidentally set off a series of events that cause friendly Sprites to transform into mischievous Imps. The evil Imps make their way into the worlds of Cinderella, Rapunzel, Ariel, Belle and Tiana, and players must pursue the Imps into each Princess kingdom to prevent them from causing any harm. With the use of their magic wand, they’ll need to turn the Imps back into their original Sprite form, and return them to their rightful home in the Magical Kingdom.

Check out the trailer, I can easily picture Caitlyn playing this.

You know how cute your baby is.  Shouldn’t everyone else?  “Baby Daddy” is a half-hour original comedy series about Ben who, in his 20s, becomes a surprise dad to a baby girl when she’s left on his doorstep by an ex-girlfriend. Ben decides to raise the baby with the help of his mother Bonnie, his brother Danny, his best buddy Tucker and his close female friend, Riley, who is harboring a secret crush on him.  A little Three Men and a Baby and a little Full House.  How could you not want your baby to have a guest appearance?

DisneyBaby.com, a new online destination and product showcase for expectant and new parents is offering proud parents, family members and friends the opportunity to enter their favorite little character into the DisneyBaby.com “Little Character Contest.” The grand prize winner will be awarded a variety of once-in-a-lifetime prizes, including a ‘crawl on’ role for Baby on ABC Family’s upcoming original comedy “Baby Daddy,” Baby’s photo featured in a Disney Baby ad in a national baby magazine, $10,000 towards Baby’s education and a VIP trip to attend the grand opening of the first Disney Baby store at The Americana at Brand in Glendale, Calif.  And if the winner is one of my readers I will throw in lunch with ME, since the Americana is my local mall LOL.

To enter the contest, you can upload your favorite photos of your little bundle of joy onto the site using Disney Baby Magical Moments, an easy-to-use tool that allows you to add your favorite baby photos and memories to a dynamic collection of shared family experiences.

From the Press Release:

Entry Phase: From May 15 to June 18, guests across the country can enter a photo of a magical moment with Baby (newborn – age 2) into the contest by visiting DisneyBaby.com/Magical-Moments.  Guests can enter an unlimited number of eligible photos during the contest entry period. Each week, one winner will be selected as a finalist by the Disney Baby team. The five weekly finalists will each receive a deluxe Disney Baby gift basket, along with a case of Huggies brand diapers featuring Disney characters.

Fan Favorite: Guests who enter the weekly contests will also automatically be entered into the fan favorite contest. The lucky guest whose little character receives the most votes during the entry phase of May 15 to June 18 will win a family-friendly Luxury Included® Caribbean Vacation provided by Beaches Resorts, a one-year supply of Huggies brand diapers and a deluxe Disney Baby gift basket.

Voting Phase and Sweepstakes: From June 28 to July 19, the five weekly finalists will have their entries showcased on the site for the public to vote for their favorite little character. Each person that votes will be entered into the Voters’ Sweepstakes, for a chance to win a luxurious beach vacation at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica, Calif. One entry per person into the sweepstakes is allowed on each day of the voting period.

Grand Prize Winner: On August 8, the finalist with the most votes will be announced as the grand prize winner. The grand prize winner will win a ‘crawl on’ role on ABC Family’s new original series “Baby Daddy” for Baby; a family trip to Los Angeles that includes a VIP invitation to the Disney Baby store grand opening along with a $500 Disney Baby store shopping spree; Baby’s picture in a Disney Baby ad in a national baby magazine and on DisneyBaby.com; a $10,000 scholarship towards Baby education; and a one-year supply of Huggies brand diapers.

For additional rules visit: DisneyBaby.com/Little-Character-Contest-Rules

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When I was first asked to review this product I assumed it would be a stuffed animal.  Not so!  It is a huge amazing tote bag!

The bag I received is the Chica.  It is red and bright and huge and awesome.  LOL

From their website:

The beach is your catwalk.

Practical and rugged, yet stylish and streamlined, The Chica is our modern twist on the classic beach tote. A “secret” zippered compartment provides convenient access to your keys or sunglasses, while our “x-ray” lining acts as a visual checklist for your beach day necessities.

22″W x 16″H x 6″D

In case you can’t tell by the dimensions above it is a huge bag.  I tried to get a picture of one of the grand twins sitting in it, but no one would sit still long enough so you have to settle for a stock photo.

See the lining? Here is a better pic

It is a cute little reminder of everything you need to throw in your bag for an impromptu trip to the beach.  I however used the bag for pullups wipes toys food and all the little necessities for taking the twins to the park (somewhere in there was my sanity I still haven’t found that).

The best part about this bag?  The reps from Cuddly Monkey are going to give one of you the same bag! All you have to do is enter on the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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I played with Care Bears as a kid, my kid played with Care Bears and now my grand kids play with them as well.

The HUB network shows old and new episodes of Care Bear cartoons and they have a new one coming soon!

Check out the trailer:

From the press release:

Take one step into Care-a-Lot and prepare for wishes to come true and unbelievable adventures to ensue! Care-a-Lot is the high-above-the-earth home of the Care Bears – the coolest, most caring-est, magical friends around! It’s a whimsical world where the Care Bears help children navigate their feelings through music, love, belly-badge powers and great big Care Bear hugs.

Recently the good folks at Mamasource and Pure Matters sent me some Kids Sugar-Free Multi-Vitamin Gummies to try.  The grand twins have loved taking them everyday that they are here and of course ask for more.  2 gummies is a daily serving so I dole them our one at a time.  There are six different fruity flavors but no one has professed a preference which kind of surprises me because Matthew can be quite picky about things like that.  Do I notice any difference in them?  No.  They are still a bundle of energy at all times and can still go from adorable to annoying in .64 seconds.

From their website:

• Supports children’s everyday health*
• All-natural, great-tasting gummies
• Sugar-free, gelatin-free and vegan

They also sent me a bottle of their Complete Biotic.  I have self diagnosed myself with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).  I often have loose and/or black stool and have frequent problems with anal leakage (TMI enough?).  When I first opened the jar the stench of the pills threw me for a loop.  I was in my car on the way to a show in Anaheim and the smell wouldn’t leave, I had to open the windows to air out the car.  I couldn’t fathom putting something that smelled that bad in to my mouth.  A few days later I remembered the bottle rolling around on the floor of my car and I recalled the embarrassing episode I had suffered in the public restroom of the Anaheim Convention Center and I popped 2 pills in and swallowed before I could think of it for another minute.  I have been taking them for about a week now and while I haven’t noticed a lot of change, I have some other differing circumstances right now that may be affecting it as well (let’s just leave it at that with the TMI).  I will finish the bottle and we’ll see how it goes.

From their website:

Enhance the health of your digestive system and boost immunity with Pure Matters® Complete Biotic. Its clinically researched ingredients have been proven to help your body establish healthy bacteria that help keep your digestive health on track.

• Clinically researched blend of prebiotics and probiotics
• Supports gastrointestinal regularity and the elimination of toxins*
• Promotes a healthy immune system*

I was invited by ivillage.com to attend a screening of this film with a small girl’s night out get together beforehand.  I had heard about the movie ahead of time, but didn’t know much about it.  When I picked up my date for the evening (Hi Alexa!) she informed me of the “star power” that was in the film.  Cameron Diaz, Matthew Morrison, Jennifer Lopez, Dennis Quaid, Chris Rock, Elizabeth Banks and others.  That scares me.  The norm in Hollywood is that the more star power the less staying power. But whatever, I was going to a free movie and hopefully getting a free manicure at the same time.  I’m in!

The manicure left much to be desired and so did the movie.

In defense of the manicurist, she was a student at the beauty school that was providing the services and she had only been a student for 3 weeks.

In defense of the movie………..well, it wasn’t horrible, and I did laugh quite a bit, but I left feeling like it was kind of forced and reminded how much I don’t like certain actors ::cough:: Chris Rock ::cough::.

The title is from the book of the same name, but the story is very loosely based on the book, I would even venture to say it is not based on it at all, but I haven’t read it so I can’t be held to that.

The story follow multiple couples in Atlanta in the time of trying to get pregnant, being pregnant, having small children, and adopting.  I think every scenario was handled well and that all the delicacies were handled well delicately.  The only part I took issue with is the adoption of a child from Ethiopia.  It does not happen that fast.  Nothing happens that fast.  I understand that it is a movie and things have to progress in an unnatural fashion but I also know people believe what they see.  If an Ethiopian adoption is something you are considering I urge you to check out the Fayye Foundation spearheaded by my friends Jamie Lynne Grumet and Julie Garlington.

All in all it is an enjoyable film with some hiccups.

3 Diet Cokes

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The semi finals are here!  We are down to our final four couples and I am pretty happy with who they are.  It is amazing how fast the last 9 weeks have gone.

Tonight each will be dancing twice, because really ABC has no other programming and has to fill an hour and a half. Plus, because we haven’t cried enough this season we get tear jerking back stories from the stars.

William and Cheryl – Tango (Sweet Dreams): The hardest part for a man in a tango is to keep his frame.  Many times you could see Cheryl lift Williams arm back up.  The judge are right they have to be extra critical not only because it is the semi’s but because all of the teams are very well matched and very good.  Of course I think Bruno would give William a 10 even if he just sat down on the dance floor and didn’t move.  A 28 for their first dance is a good start.

Katherine and Mark – Quick Step: If there is one thing I know about a quick step is that it is quick.  Katherine seemed to lag behind Mark ever so slightly once in a while.  Again, extra critical because it is the semis.  Mark takes the blame for that during the judging, but Len of course penalizes her for it.  A first score of 29 is great.

Donald and Peta – Waltz: I would take Donald Driver over William Levy any day in a wet tshirt contest.  He and Peta were like angels floating on clouds tonight.  Absolutely beautiful.  Bruno is 3 for 3 tonight giving each team a 10.  First dance score of 28 keeps them in the running.

Maria and Derek – Argentine Tango: Tiny little nit picky thing, her kicks were not as sharp as I think they could have been, but other than that I think it was a damn good dance.  I see another 10 from Bruno coming up.  Perfect score! I am surprised that this is the first 30 of the night.

Time for the second dances of the evening.

William and Cheryl – Samba: Whoa!  Maria and Derek may have got the first 30 of the night but I am thinking there will be another one real soon.  Even Len was staring at Williams behind the whole time.  Duh 30! Gives them a total for the evening of 58.

Katherine and Mark – Salsa: Meh.  I didn’t like the choreography, the costumes or the song and it didn’t help that she flubbed up the ending.  Without the flub I think it would have been a perfect score.  Can’t tell if it was a mistake made or a medical issue. A score of 27 added to the 29 is a 56 for the night.  They will need votes to keep them.

Donald and Peta – Samba (Mr. Big Stuff):  Nothing to nit pick here.  I don’t know what the hell is wrong with Len.  29 added to their first dance gives them a 57.

Maria and Derek – Jive: Derek Hough could give me mouth to mouth any time.  The only way maria is going home tomorrow is if absolutely no one votes for her.  Len enjoyed the unconventionality of the choreography which is truly surprising.  Of course he didn’t like it enough to make it a perfect night, but 59 is damn close.

Unfortunately I think it will be Katherine going home.  I hate to see any one go they are all so very good.

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The Children’s Place store invited me to go shopping (with their money)for some summer clothes for the grands last week.

I love The Children’s Place at the Grove in Los Angeles.  It is a HUGE store, but not crammed packed with stuff.  Don’t get me wrong there is a ton of inventory but it is such an open airy store that it doesn’t feel cramped, you can easily walk around, even with a stroller.

My one instruction from Marisa was “get dresses for the girls”, so that is where I headed first.  I loved that they had many that “matched” for Cait and Madilyn, but I ended up getting different ones for them.

I also wanted to get bathing suits for all three since they have outgrown the ones from last year.  I found this cute one for Matthew.

With $100 I was able to get 2 dresses, 2 shirts (for Matthew), 3 bathing suits and 2 pairs of sandals (for the girls).  I think I did pretty darn good!

Thanks Children’s Place.