First of all, let me just disclose that this is free advertising for Amazon. They really should hire me to do PR for them because I just love them more and more as time goes on.  I've been a fan since their inception and unlike my love affair gone sour with Target and many other businesses, my love for Amazon just keeps growing and growing. If you're reading this Amazon, I'm available for hire!

   I've been paying for Amazon Prime for years. The free two day shipping was a lifesaver for me. I live in a part of the big city of Miami but the closet real book store is about 45 minutes away which is absurd.  Luckily, right about when Barnes and Noble moved out of my hood, Amazon Prime came along. My kids were always needing books for school and it really became a life saver for me.

    I order tons of stuff on Amazon now. Shoes, socks, printer ink, vitamins and shampoo are just a few of my most recent orders. It is so much easier than running around town trying to find exactly what I need and is usually less expensive than my local stores which is just crazy.

   My love for amazon became greater last year when Amazon "Prime Now" became available in my area.  This means that many items can be delivered to my house within two hours. For free. Yes, you heard that right.  Cases of bottled water, flu supplies, 25 pounds of kitty litter and a king sized duvet are just a few of the things that have shown up at my door within two hours lately.

    Today my apple mouse started to act wonky. I was in the middle of a lawyer project and the thought of heading to most germ-filled place on earth (The Apple Store in my mall) was too much for me to handle. As I rattled through closets looking for a back up, I decided to check Prime now.  They delivered a brand new Magic Mouse 2 within two hours for $3.00 less than it would have at the mall. Now that is great service.

   

In other news, I'm writing in Limberbutt McCubbins on my ballot on Tuesday. I think old Limberbutt is cuter than anyone else running.

Easy Peasy...

All moms know that feeding our children healthy foods is a good idea. Unfortunately, convenience and healthy don't always go hand in hand.  I love it when I find something that is both easy and healthy to serve to my children.

Therefore, I was excited when Revolution Foods asked me to review their lunchbox kits.  They send me vouchers for 5 kits and I had to go to Walmart to get them. I'm not a big fan of Walmart but I am a big fan of both free and healthy so I ventured there and got my kits.

The kits are like those Lunchable ones but these are healthy and, according to my son, they were quite delicious. His favorite was the turkey & cheddar.

* Disclosure: Revolution Foods gave me 5 free lunchbox kits to test for free. All opinions are my own

Another Life-Changing Tip courtesy of Japolina...

I think that this tip may be more life-changing than my COSTCO tip  that I posted a few weeks ago.

If you shop at Publix are you aware that you can order your sliced deli meats and subs ahead of time? You just download the app or go to Publix.com and  fill out the form as to what you want and it is waiting for you at the deli. You don't even have to ask for it, they have a spot where you just walk up and grab it.  This is life-changing to moms on the go and saves at least 5-10 minutes off of my weekly shopping trip.  

You can thank me with sliced cheese.

As a side note, when my children were infants, Publix tried a delivery service. You would just order online and they would deliver it within a two hour time frame that you chose. It saved my sanity during those early years. Publix stopped the service but how I wish they would start it up again! 

My favorite new site...

One of the good hings about getting older is that you know what looks good on you and what does not.  I know what style dresses that I like but it is not always that easy to find them.  This is why I wore the same cocktail dress to at least 15 Bar Mitzvahs before I had to retire it but that is another sad story for another day.

That is why I was excited when Eshatki.com contacted me and asked if I would be interested in customizing a dress that they would then send to me for free! How could I say "No" especially when they made this offer with no strings attached. They said that they would send me the dress that I chose and customized and if I liked it, I could blog about it but there was no obligation.

Eshatki looks like a regular clothing site but you can customize any of the clothing. You chose the garment that you want and enter your measurements and they make it for you! In addition you can add sleeves, etc

I chose this mullet/hi lo dress.  I put in my measurements which I took by myself with a tape measure and it showed up within 10 days. 

High-low hem stretch crepe maxi dress

It fits perfectly and is really cute.  The best part, under a 100 bucks! A true bargain. I promise you, it is really cute and looks great on! I wore it for my 20th anniversary (I'll blog about that soon!) I will defintely be ordering from them again.


Disclosure: Sometimes companies send me free stuff. If I like it, I'll tell you. If I don't like it, I'll either tell you or won't blog about it. I always tell the truth and I will never sell outt. Eshatki sent me a free dress with no strings attached. I promise you that if I did not like it, I would have not have blogged about it. Trust me, this happened recently with a company that sent me some flowers for free and wanted me to blog about it. It was a horrible experience so I did not blog about it. I only tell the truth her at Japolina! 

Never underestimate the power of a good hair day….

     Having a bad hair day can really make life a little bit darker.  When I am having a good hair day, my disposition is just a tad bit more sunny.  

    I live in South Florida. Hair here frizzes and goes limp one second after you step out the door most of the year.  We Miami girls are always looking for a better way. We buy fancy blowdryers and flat irons and tons of different products that promise better hair days. I think that I found the next great thing.

     I'm not a regular QVC shopper but I did stop one day on the channel when pretty hair stylist Maria McCool was demonstrating her Calista Tools Pro Grip Heated Round Brush.  The girls on the QVC show were running it through their tresses and quickly smoothing, lifting and curling their hair.  

     Despite always trying to explain to my children the difference between "needing" and "wanting", I screamed out " Honey…I NEED this!" A few weeks later, this showed up on my doorstep via UPS…

Calista Tools Perfecter Pro Heated Round Brush at QVC

      My hair is below my shoulders so I got the 1.5" barrel version but they have a 1" barrel for shorter hair.  The Perfector Pro is a hybrid between a brush and a curling iron. The bristles stay cool to the touch but inside, the barrel heats up.

      It can make your hair have volume or curls but I use it instead of my flat iron. I run it through my bed head or after I blow dry and my hair instantly looks straighter and shinier. It is quick and does not seem half as damaging as my flat iron is.  An added plus is that  it does not make my hair too flat or straight. It is also  great on bed head, a quick run through and I am ready to go.  Better than a regular brush, it definitely adds some shine.

    The Perfector Pro runs around $100 shipped at QVC and many girls I know would love this as a holiday gift! 

*This is not a paid blog post, just my community service for the week! 

What did I buy at Bed Bath & Beyond?

Bed Bath & Beyond is one of those danger zones for me.  The one that is less than a mile from my home is gigantic, well-staffed and has a million different things that you can buy.

They have:
- amazing bedding
- fluffy towels in every single color that you can imagine
-an outragous selection of kitchen & dining products
-a full sundry store
- travel gear
-organizing stuff
and a ton of tiny little things that I often throw into my basket that seem to pad the bill

I went in for one boring thing today and given that it is summer time, I leisurely strolled through just about every aisle.  Here are some of the interesting things that I came across. Can you guess which one that I actually bought?

1. Diguise Push Pins ($5.99)
These little things allow you to pin a hat, mustache, sunglasses or lips over any photo that is on a cork board. How fun!

Did I buy them? Of course not.
Why not? I think that my six dollars could be better spent on something else.

2. Solemates High Heelers ($9.99)
Someone is a genius. You put these little things grip the bottoms of your heels to prevent them from sinking into the grass as a wedding or other outdoor event. So clever!

Did I Buy them? No.
Why not? I don't have any outdoor events scheduled where heels will be worn. This is probably because it is a 100 degrees here in SoFla and one breaks into a total sweat while walking from target to your car in the parking lot.

3. The Phone Fetcher ($9.99)

I carry large handbags and can never find my phone when it rings. I'm forever digging though like a maniac much to the annoyance of my loved ones.  This little thing is a problem solver for sure. You clip one end on the strap of your bag and plug the other one into the little headphone jack of your phone. When it rings, you will be able to locate your phone quickly by following the little bungee cord.

 Did I buy it?: No
Why Not? : I actually considered it for a minute but I realized that i don't even put my coins in the coin section of my wallet. I just throw them into the bottom of my purse,  so what makes me think that I would be organized enough to remember to put my phone on the leash every time? I also thought that my friends and family would make fun of me if I did actually use it. It seems very old-ladyish. (Yikes!) I was also worried that the clip would damage the handles of my precious leather babies.  

Camisole hangers ($7.99 for pack of three)

These are clever little hangers for hanging tank tops. I have a lot of tank tops and I hang them in the closet (vs. putting them in drawers) so I thought this would free up some room.

 Did I buy them? Yes
Will I return them? Probably not. They are really, really cheap feeling but I hung them up and put my tanks on them and it seems to be working. I will update in a week or so to see if this was a good purchase.

A creative use for Bike Sharing….

   While other countries have been doing it for a while(there are 20,000 available bikes in Paris!), Bike Sharing is a relatively new concept popping up in cities across the US. It basically is the short term rental of a bike. The idea is to allow people to get from point "A" to point "B" without having to worry about owning or storing a bike.  In many cities, people use these systems to tour around a city or to get from a train or a bus to work. 

   I've been using Bike Sharing in a more creative fashion,  I use it as my workout tool. My bike sharing card is like my gym card.  For $45 a year, I can rent a bike for 30 minutes a day. If I go over the 30 minutes (which I usually do) it is another $1 per 1/2 hour.  Way cheaper than any workout classes or gyms around Miami for sure.   The place that I go is the Hollywood Beach. The bike path that I ride on is 7 miles round trip, next to the Atlantic Ocean, car-free  and most of it has the million dollar view like this shot taken at 7 a.m. this morning....

I love that I don't have to worry about maintaining a bike. I don't have to put a bike rack on my car to start to ride. I don't have to worry about my bike being stolen.  I just drive up and hop on.

When I started this over a year ago, I just rode without a plan. Now I use an iPhone ap called "Seconds Pro". It is a high intensity interval training program. In normal-person terms, it means that it plays different pre-determined songs and tells me when to go slow or fast. It is a suggested way of burning calories quickly and making your heart healthy. It is hard but fun. 

I am not a person who loves working out. It was always a chore for me. I've been riding for over a year now and  I wake up and  jump out of bed, excited to go at least three or four times a week. I ride with a smile on my face as the beach is always stunning and gorgeous. I get some good thinking done during my rides and get great exercise. I am cranky when I can't go. 

Bike sharing is super easy. The one that I use is called B-Cycle. They have an ap and you can see where there are available bikes near you.   I got the last one today...

I have a card so I just walk up and place it over the sensor. The green light goes on and I just pull the bike out and off I go!

The bike that I rent has a generous sized basket that fits my giant tote. No need to fanny-pack it!

Here is a shot of some additional bikes in the area.

This is the start of my 7 mile journey. 

 Here is the machine that you go up to if you don't have a membership.  It is $5 per half hour to rent a bike here. Not bad if you want to try it out or bring a friend. There are three or four stations in the area so you could drop off the bike at another part of the beach if you are just using it for transportation.

It takes about one minute to check out a bike if you're not a member. Just swipe your card and you're good to go.  You can only check out two bikes per credit card so if you are taking the whole crew, bring more than one card!

 

Also, helmets are not provided so you should really bring your own. Especially if you are traveling in areas where there is traffic.  

 

FREE GIVEAWAY Courtesy of Fresh Produce...

Fresh Produce  has sent me an awesome t-shirt to give away. It is an adorable number and is one size fits all so all of you can try to win. All you have to do is leave a comment.  That is it!  I will pick a winner by drawing out of a hat on Sunday night so you have a few days to enter.

Fresh Produce is celebrating 30 years! If you have not checked out Fresh Produce lately, you should. It is not your grandma's store anymore. They have really cute summer looks! See??

To show appreciation for its customers, Fresh Produce Stores are hosting a party inside their stores all weekend. They will give away stuff including a girl's weekend and much more. Your invite is below.



My local Fresh Produce store is in Ft. Lauderdale. Here is the info on their party this weekend…

What: Fresh Produce 30^th Birthday

When: Sat., June 28 – Mon., June 30

Where: Fresh Produce Ft. Lauderdale

912 E Las Olas Blvd

Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301

Check out your local store or Fresh Produce online if you can't make it to the Ft. Lauderdale party!

Thanks Fresh Produce for hosting this giveaway. My readers and I loooove free stuff!~ 

Private Browsing...

   Sometimes it really pays to live with teenagers. While searching for travel ideas on the internet, my son told me that I should turn on "private browsing".  HUH?? What the heck is private browsing, I thought.  

   My son explained to me that when you search the internet, third parties can track you and see what you are looking at to track buying patterns, etc.  For example, if you go onto "IwantToRunAwayToTahiti.com" every day to check prices for your escape, they know that you really want to go and may not lower prices for you.  If I log on just for fun, they may quote you a different price.

   I really did not believe that this was actually true. It seems so unfair. I compared it to me going to Target three times a week and paying one price and my husband going in only once a year and getting a better price. That is insane.

   Unfortunately my son was right, at least in the case of American Airlines.  I was searching for fares for an upcoming trip.  I searched the same exact trip a few times before booking it.  The fare was  $686 with fees, taxes etc. I booked the ticket but put it on a courtesy 24 hour hold.  I then searched it in private browsing. The fare for the exact same trip (same day, time, flight & seat)  was $654. That is a 5% difference.   SERIOUSLY??? This seems illegal, but I guess it is not.
  
    Different browsers have different ways of turning on "private browsing" so good how to do it. On my mac, I use safari and you just go click on the drop down menu for "Safari" and  click "Private Browsing"

    I'm going to try this again and see what other variations that I can find. Has this ever happened to you? I'd love to hear other stories of this.

What do you get for someone's 80th birthday???

   First of all, I promise you, this is not a sponsored post. (I wish it was!)

    My father-in-law was about to turn 80. My mother-in-law decided to plan a little surprise party. She put me in charge of making a slide show to play during the party. She gave me a shopping bag full of photos and let me loose.   It was a labor of love to weed through the photos, pick out the best ones, scan them and then figure out music etc.   I went with upbeat songs so as not to make the birthday boy depressed.  It was  a family only party so I was not really worried about keeping the slideshow short (My feeling about photo montages of people you are not related to has been discussed on this blog. In one word, they are… BORING ).

    After I finished the montage, I wondered what the heck we would buy for this 80 year patriarch. He is one of those people that has EVERYTHING. He buys the latest and greatest gadgets and loves to shop online. He is impossible to buy gifts for.  In my post-scanning haze, I remembered what I did for my grandfather's 90th birthday a few years back. …SHUTTERFLY.

    Shutterfly and other online photo companies make great hardcover photo books.   For my grandfather's 90th, I made a story book, like a fairy tale…It started with photos of him as a child and then he met the princess (grandma) and the rest of the story of his life in photos. It was really sweet and he loved it.

     For this current gift, I just took the slideshow photos and made a large 11 x 14" premium photo book. It is like a coffee table book and turned out well.   Everyone in the family wrote messages in it (like a yearbook) so it is an instant family heirloom.  It was a big hit and I think that he liked it more than the slideshow.

    I decided to make this book 6 days before the party. I paid for express shipping but that still put the estimated delivery window on the day after the party. I called Shutterfly and they said that they could not promise anything but would put a note on the file to see if it could be rushed. It arrived three days BEFORE the party.  Thanks Shuttefly…You rock.

     I would say that this gift takes a little bit of time and effort but despite it's relatively inexpensive cost (under $100 shipped), it was one of the best things we could have given him.

     I've made similar albums for anniversary gifts, thank you gifts and more before. These photo books are make special gifts which show that you put in effort into getting.

    Here are a couple of shots of the book that I made for my grandfather a few years ago.  (faces have been blurred out to protect the innocent!We all have cute faces in the real world.)

Your crazy is showing...

Available at  Nordstrom.com

Do you think it would be really bad if I gave this to someone? Just kidding.

 You know that I am banned from blogging about my kids so let's just say that someone I know is graduating 8th grade in a couple of weeks. I asked him this morning if he thinks that I will cry at the graduation.  I thought about it and while I can't believe that this person is actually old enough to start high school, I don't think that I will cry about it. This person and his brother started at this school in Kindergarten and honestly after 11 years there, I am ready to graduate myself!

 What I may cry about it is the fact that my BSMF (Best School Mom Friend) is heading off to a different high school.  She has been my rock since pre-school.

 She is the one that carries a handbag that is so heavy because it contains every single thing that you would ever need in a mom emergency, including a tide stick, clorox wipes and nail glue. She has a full school uniform set and extra flip flops in her trunk. She always has a cooler after school with extra drinks and snacks in case she has to pick up someone else's kids when they are stuck in traffic and won't make it to carpool on time (She is ALWAYS the first car in line).  

She is the one I called for spelling lists, assignments, gossip and other important information.  I always told my son to get in her son's group when there were group projects assigned as her house always produces award winning group projects (She does most of them herself!)  She is my go-to for recipes. She also can tell you where to find any obscure product. This dates back before the every store had a website. She could tell you which store and what aisle to find almost anything.

You get the picture. She is a super-mom but not the annoying kind. Just helpful and never judge-y. I am so lucky that I had her all of these years. She really helped me and rarely asked me to reciprocate.

I want to get her a small graduation present. I don't want to buy anything elaborate because she will feel weird if I did. Just something small and meaningful. Not too mushy. I'd rather go funny.  Obviously the crazy wood plaque above would be what she would give to me but any ideas?

What do you think of these…

Motherhood dish towel

or this minemergency kit. Maybe should could lighten the weight of her magical handbag….

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. (no food, flowers or homemade crafts for this girl)

What's on your dining room table….

My mom was having knee replacement surgery earlier in the week. While waiting, I was flipping through a magazine and found myself compelled to read what was in a celebrity's handbag. This is not the exact one that I was reading but here is an example...

These types of magazine spreads are actually ads in disguise for products but they still make me feel kind of lame. If you poured out the contents of my handbag, you'd find a ton of wadded up Publix receipts (Some with gum attached) and lots of other boring things as well as about 12 pounds of change because I cannot get into the habit of actually putting coins in a coin purse.

After a long day at the hospital, I came home to find my dining room table covered in stuff. In fact, despite trying to keep it clutter free, it is always covered in stuff.   It looks so much better when it just has flowers or is set for dinner, but in a house full of busy people, it ends up being a catch-all for everyone's crap.  So at the risk of having three people that I live with being mad at me, I present my version of Lily Allen's Chanel purse….

WHAT IS ON MY DINING ROOM TABLE TODAY?

 (This may become a regular feature on my blog)

Hospital Waiting Room survival kit (Tote filled with scarf, extra cell phone batteries and chocolate which was already consumed)

 Books that my kids have recently read for school

  An empty box of Cadbury Creme eggs. Thank goodness that their season is almost over!

  Coupons/grocery flyers that will go unused/unread

  Four Sharpies and my keys  

 A thank you note from Mickey Mouse

 Biology Study Guide

Three of my handbags 

(Foley & Corrina, Gap, Celine)

Wireless mouse, Can of Axe (Phoenix scent),  absentee note to school and a packet of ketchup

Pinterest worthy huh? Hopefully that Axe or ketchup won't get all over my out of place handbags. 

Okay, I challenge you, what is on your Dining Room table besides flowers, food and dishes? 

Teenagers

This is my first grade class photo. Can you spot the real japolina?

    My teenage boys are growing up in a very different world than I did.  My childhood in South Florida was quite carefree.  We played in the street. We ate white flour and sugar without worrying about anything other than a cavity.  Unless we were not home by dark, our parents did not really know exactly where we were or what we were doing. If we were up to no good, one of the neighbors would call our Mothers and tattle.

    Today,  I have the technology to "track" my kids' iPhones. My son was recently out of state on a week long field trip.  I was able to see exactly where he was at any given time.  My other son recently started to drive on his own. He is forbidden to touch his phone unless he is in a parking space. The other day, it took him a very long time to run an errand and I was able to click on an app and see that his car was moving towards home.  My kids hate this technology. Too bad, so sad. That is life.

    Safety was never a big issue when I was in school.  Today's kids have a reasonable fear of possible guns in their schools. They have "code black" drills where they must pretend that a shooter is roaming the halls. This makes me sad but I suppose that the drills may save lives and are better than putting our heads in the sand and hope that it will never happen.

     Gun violence aside, and despite what you see on tv, in many ways, my kids are growing up in a much better place than I did.  

    For example, I only had a set of  World Book Encyclopedias and the library to research a topic. When my kids are interested in something, they are able to research it online until their eyes cross. When a new hobby or interest pops up, they can watch videos, read articles and immerse themselves in it. They are going to be so much smarter than my generation; mini-experts on tons of topics.

     Even better, this generation is going to be the most tolerant and open generation ever in US History.  My kids know that words and phrases that we casually tossed around when  I was a kid such as "Retard", "Midget" and "Faggot" are not only politically incorrect but mean and hurtful words (FYI, Midget is a very offensive word.  People with dwarfism prefer to be called "Little People")

     My kids know people who are openly gay, I sure did not until I went to college, and even then, there was not a lot of openness about it.   My children  are growing up in an era where Gay Marriage is celebrated and probably by the time that they have children, it will just be called "marriage". Along with the Bible Group, Science Society and Debate team, there are over 50 special interest clubs at my son's high school, including a  LGBT club.  My kids are growing up learning that "Love is Love" and that you should be true to yourself, whatever that self is. 

     When I was in school, I read Anne Frank's Diary and knew that the holocaust was horrible but not a lot about it, and I was raised in a Jewish home. My kids have spoken to actual Holocaust survivors. (This is amazing because soon there won't be any of them left. If you ever meet one or get the chance to hear one speak, I would highly recommend it) 

   When I was in High School, the smart kids were not the coolest. Thanks to the magic of Facebook, I've learned that those geeks playing dungeons and dragons on Saturday nights instead of going to the parties are now CEO's and surgeons. These were cute, sweet boys that did not have dates, like ever, in high school. In today's high school world (at least around here), the kids getting good grades and into good colleges are like rock stars. The partiers and "bad kids" are considered losers in many circles. 

    So while life may have been a little simpler and less scary in the old days, I'm excited for this generation's future. 

W.W.J.D.? (What would Japolina Do?)

 I had to get a colonoscopy yesterday *. When I was ready to be wheeled in for the procedure, a sweet Asian nurse walked next to my bed.  She said that her name was Judy and she was my surgical nurse. She assured me that she would be by my side for the entire procedure. Her manner was friendly and sweet. 

 Next walked in Dr. Tall, Dark and Handsome.  He said that his name was Dr. X and was the anesthesiologist. He was friendly and joke-y. He said that he was like my Bartender for the day and would make sure that I felt nothing.  All was as great as it could be given the situation.

   Judy started to wheel my gurney down the hall and Dr. X said "Watch out for Judy, not only is she a woman driver but Chinese. You know how bad Asian drivers are? Ha Ha". Judy chuckled with what I supposed was a nervous laugh. I did not know what to say.  He continued "Judy grew up driving a bike through the rice patties, so hold on, it may be a scary ride!"

WTH???   I was so offended. This was a textbook EEOC complaint.  I used to defend these cases when I worked for a law firm. (I really used to settle these cases as the offenders were very unsympathetic defendants/jerks)

In general, I would have nicely mentioned to Dr. X that he was a bigot but, he was going to inject drugs into my system momentarily. What was I to do?

Here were my options: 

a) Bitch him out and explain how offensive his comments were and risk him giving me too much anesthesia or worse, not enough? I have teenagers to raise. Being in a coma would not be good right now.

b) Hand Judy my card and explain that I will represent her pro bono?

c)  Complain on the comment card later about the nice dose of racism that I witnessed along with the propofol?

d) Nothing

I'm sorry to report that I did nothing. I was too scared to bitch him out before my life was in his hands.  I awoke well rested and grateful that I was alive and sort of forgot about the incident until the car ride home plus I did not see Judy or Dr. X after the procedure.

Furthermore, the smart surgical center asks patients to fill out the comment cards while they are still high on drugs. I'm certain that they get 100% ratings from patients still loopy from anesthesia.

 Nurse Judy, I really hope that you get back at Dr. X in one way or another.

 What would you have done?

FOOTNOTE

*Even though I am waaaay younger than 50, I get colonoscopies every five years due to the fact that two close relatives did not get diagnosed with Colon Cancer until after it had spread to their livers. It is estimated that 1 in 20 Americans will get Colon Cancer in their lifetime. 

The only good thing about colon cancer is that it is the one cancer that they can lop off while it is still in the pre-cancer stage. Screenings save lives.

 People are scared of colonoscopies because they involve poop and your butt. If your doctor has recommended that you have one, don't put it off. I promise you that the very worst part is having to drink 64 ounces of laxative-laced gatorade. Flushing your system out is no picnic but I'd trade one lousy afternoon for chemo any day.  

The procedure itself is simple, even with a racist anesthesiologist. You're knocked out and have no idea what they are doing to you.  My gorgeous colon was perfect and I don't need to go back for another five years. I promise that  if Dr X is still there then, I will make sure that I yell at him.

BONUS: I lost two pounds from the whole ordeal! 

Driving Miss Japolina...

This is a repost of a post earlier this year...

 When my  son was learning how to swim, it seemed like the hardest parenting thing ever for me. Living in South Florida, it is a necessity to teach kids as early as possible. 

    From age one and a half  on,  he took swimming lessons each spring.  I put him in group lessons at the community center. I put him in private lessons at the community center. I had a swim teacher come and teach him at our house. My husband tried to teach him. Year after year, he would cry, puke, almost drown and then finally start to swim just a little bit and only in the shallow end. 

    Native Floridians like me think anything between the end of September and April as "too cold to swim months" so we would stop swimming and by May, pretty much be at square one all over again.  I watched his friends start swimming and become little fish.  It was not until he was 7, when we were on a cruise, that he jumped in and never stopped swimming.  He is now a strong swimmer and has no fear of water at all so I guess it all worked out  fine.   

   My point is  that I thought that teaching him how to swim was really important for his safety and independence AND really, really hard.  What could be harder to teach than swimming to a kid who did not want to swim? Maybe potty training but that was accomplished way before the swimming was. 

     We are now at the driving stage. Well, the learner's permit stage.  It is totally terrifying.  I know why it is biologically very difficult to get pregnant after a certain age. It is because you should not be sitting in the passenger seat of your car with your 15 year old driving if you are older than 55.  I can't even imagine if I was 10 years older trying to sit in traffic with a child learning how to drive without having some type of coronary event.   

As it is, I am trying to yoga breathe and not scream while he is behind the wheel.   I've considered offering a cash incentive to forget the whole driving thing and eventually apply to colleges in cities with great public transportation options like NYC.  He is now almost 16 and it has not become any easier.

    In my "mommy career", I've always found that having mom- friends a year or two ahead of me, has always been valuable. "Don't worry about fifth grade math, they will get it" or "they will stop that biting thing when they are 3" was always much needed and wise advice.  

   Unfortunately, my friends that have kids who are now in the beginning stages of driving on their own are terrifying me. One friend's son has already been in 2 fender benders after only having his license for a couple of months. Another says that she is terrified whenever her 16 year old pulls out of the driveway and only calms down after he returns home.  I often see another friend's sweet little daughter speeding around town in her new convertible  like hell on wheels.  None of this is comforting.  

Is there anything harder than this? Please let me know because I could use a heads up.

My glamorous time aboard the Norwegian Getaway...

   I guess it pays to blog because Norwegian Cruise Lines invited me, good old Japolina, along with other celebrities  such as Brooke Burke- Charvet (Dancing with the Stars), Pitbull (Mr. Worldwide), Buddy Valero (The Cake Boss) and the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders to christen their new Mega Cruise Ship, the Norwegian Getaway.*

   NCL not only provided us with a free mini suite for the one night cruise to nowhere, they also comped all food and drinks!  They even made reservations for us for dinner and a show.  I really felt like a V.I.P.

     I have been on at least 30 cruises during my lifetime. Given that at least 10 cruises leave from South Florida weekly, it is very easy to jump on one. However, I have been pretty loyal to Royal Caribbean for most of my adult life and had not actually been on an NCL cruise since "The Love Boat" was on television.  I was super excited to check out this new beauty and she did not disappoint.

     The Getaway has 28 dining options from casual to fancy. We ate lunch at a seaside cafe and dinner during a really fun Magic show called the Illusionarium. We also blew the diet at Carlo's Bake Shop. Who needs to go to Hoboken? The canoli was to die for.  All of the food that we ate was delicious and if you sail on her for a week, I'm certain you will not leave feeling hungry at all.

     Our room was a mini suite. It had a balcony, comfy beds and the biggest bathroom that I've ever had on a cruise ship.  We were able to tour some other rooms on the ship. My husband should have not let me go see the special V.I.P. section of the ship called The Haven. The suites up there were amazing and they have their own pool and butlers.  It is sort of like after I flew first class to Europe, my new motto was "upgrade me or I'm not going". Guess who never goes?  All joking aside, I'd sail in any room on the Getaway because the amenities on the ship are great.

Norwegian really made me feel like a V.I.P.

This was the view from our cabin!

    Besides all of the food options, there is a gorgeous casino, tons of bars and clubs including "the Grammy Experience" and a real ice bar where you have to wear a ship-provided coat. There are also shows including "Legally Blonde" and much more.

    The gym had tons of cardio equipment where you can stare at the sea while sweating out some of the canolis. It also had TRX and boxing equipment. There is even a room dedicated to FLYWHEEL indoor spinning.  The spa was stunning and featured a salt room.

This is the salt room in the Spa!

    The kids won't be bored onboard. For the little ones, there are not only a kids club and splash pool, there is a Nickelodeon themed program for them.  Teens won't bug you either. There is an aqua park onboard with huge watersides, a ropes course and a plank platform that extends 8 feet over the side of the ship. You won't be seeing me on that thing!

Yikes!

This is more my speed…

Thanks Norwegian. I had a blast and hope to cruise with you someday very soon.

* NOTE: I did not actually meet any celebrities during my brief time onboard but did run into a few local newscasters. These are the same ones who put me in a panic during hurricane season with their "The big one is coming, we are all going to die!" outbursts so I stayed clear of them.  I also ran into the Dolphins Cheerleaders at the bar. They were all wearing matching aqua cocktail dresses.  I ran when I saw them as they are so blonde, young and gorgeous that they probably made Brooke Burke-Charvet look old and dumpy.  I wanted to make sure I was not in any photos with them.