Enter to win 2 tickets to the LEGOKidsFest GIVEAWAY!!

I am hosting a LEGOKidsFest Tickets for 2 GIVEAWAY. The GIVEAWAY is at the bottom of this blog. How cool would that be? In the mean time, let us learn about about LEGO® bricks.

When I was growing up. My younger brother loved playing with LEGO® bricks. Our parents would get him all kinds. I would sit and play as a teenager with them. I would design building I wish to love in one day. After all these years, I still haven't managed to move in to a LEGO® house. However, my kids and grandkids still play with LEGO® bricks and experience the joy I once did. Every so often I get down to play withthe LEGO® bricks too.

A little LEGO® history - LEGO® bricks was invented in 1934. LEGO® literally means play well.  The line has expanded over the years to what you see kids and adults playing with today. LEGO bricks went from being wooden to the plastic bricks to the different designs and shapes you see when walking through a store.

I asked my kids if we went went to the LEGO® Kids Fest what would they want to see. My daughter said something pink with a horse. My boyfriend said he would like to see all the different designs and things made from LEGO bricks. My teenage son said he wants to see a Spiderman made from LEGO® bricks. As he is a die hard Spiderman fan. My other said mentioned Batman.

Did you know? In February 2015, LEGO replaced Ferrari as the most powerful brand.

LEGO® Bricks has expanded to include video games, theme parks, and children's clothing.

Austin Convention Center Sept. 4-6 LEGO KidsFest brings all of the creative hands-on, minds-on fun of LEGO® building and experiences together in one activity- and entertainment-packed family event for children of all ages and builders of all skills and interests. Austin Convention Center

500 East Cesar Chavez Street 

Austin, TX 78701-4121

Come on, come all to this spectacular event. Tickets are going fast. If you are planning on going. It is best to call ahead and order your tickets in advance. As promotions like these sell out fast!!

Enter to win 2 tickets to the LEGOKidsFest GIVEAWAY!!

One of MY followers has already won (2) tickets back on April 17, 2015. I encourage you to LIKE and Follow LEGOKidsFest on Facebook, Twitter and/or Instagram for all the latest ticketing updates as this event has been selling out in prior cities. Must be 18 to enter, 1 entry per day allowed, random drawing by USFG!

Winner will be randomly chosen by USFG on Thurs, August 23 and announced on my Blog and notified via email,

ENTER HERE - http://www.usfamilyguide.com/LEGO_KidsFest/?blogid=3224

What is your favorite LEGO® brick set? Mine's a toss us between the Viking pirate ship and the dinosaurs.

Art In the Park, History and Flooding

The "Art In The Park" festival was celebrated this weekend at the Defiance Public Library. Located in Defiance, Ohio. Defiance Public Library has a bunch of history in the area. It has been around since 1904. Defiance Public Library sits in the spot where Fort Defiance was constructed by General Anthony Wayne.

Local artists from all over the area was there to showcase and sell their items. 

The library was selling books for a donation to the library. My family and I picked up "Chicken Soup for the Soul" 101 stories to open the heart and rekindle spirits, Anne Rice - The vampire Lestat, Thomas Berger - Little Big Man, Steve Alten - Meg, Melanie Rawn - The Dragon Token, Michael A. Stackpole - The dark Glory War, Melanie Rawn - The Star Scroll, and Barry McWilliams - This Ain't Hell... But You Can See It From Here.

There were different vendors selling foods. Pies with ala mode for $4.00 a slice. $3.50 without ice cream. I decided to save money and bought popcorn and snow cones for a $1.00 a piece.

We were able to listen to a slew of different music while looking at all the displays.

Two cannons still sit on site where the two rivers (Maumee and Auglaize) meet. One facing towards each river. 

If you get a chance. Click on the above picture in order to make the photo bigger to read the whole plaque. It tells when the first settlers arrive and how long it took before every Native American Indian was driven out of the area.

This is another historical plaque on display at the Defiance Public Library year around. It stands tall. I tried to get one of my kids or my boyfriend to stand by it to show  its true height. It was a no go. I guess I snap to many photos.

It was a lot of fun to see the different vendors and local artists to see what they had to sell. Each of those plaques displayed in the sidewalk shared a piece of history.

Following along the path around the library, you walk across several small plaques that tell a little bit more history. 

This local artist takes old windows and transforms them in to pictures to hang on your wall. 

This artist had many different styles of paintings on display. I was surprised to see a piece done of one of my favorite rock bands "Six A.M."

There were several different jewelers who make their own jewelry. Pieces cost from cheap to expensive. Depending on what materials were used.

This artist makes animals out metal by soldering or welding heavier pieces together.

My daughter normally stops at this vendor. As he sells sand candy in bottles and tubes. The bottles and tubes can be made up like the sand art by choosing different colors. except instead of sand. It is powdered candy.

Checking out across the river where you can see it flooded. You can also see the river water coming up over the embankment on the other side of the rails covering up the sidewalk. 

You can see across the way where one of the local parks, ball fields and only swimming pool is flooded out. That is typically where the fourth of July holds a small carnival and people go to see the fireworks show. I wonder if the waters will recede by in time.

How did you celebrate your weekend?

My home is being flooded out

I am sitting hear reading the flash flooding reports in my area. NW Ohio and NE Indiana has been under a flood and flash flood warning for the past couple of days. I can see the evidence of the rain collecting in areas all around my home. Plus, see the rain still continue to flow. The local dams (Independence Dam and Power dam) are open allowing as much water as they can to flow through.

I look around my home out the doors to see water everywhere. Here are several photos where you can clearly tell I can not get out of my home without walking in water some how.

This photo is taken out my front door. I have placed a couple of these bricks to walk across. As you can see the sidewalk below is sinking into the ground. If we get anymore rain in my area. Those bricks will be under water as well. My landlord already is aware of the flooding issue and doesn't care. I have lived here for three years now. He says it is too expensive to fix.

Any suggestions of a DIY fix that doesn't cost too much? i thought of possibly adding more of those cements blocks with mulch around it to help soak up the water. Placing blocks on each end to hold the mulch in from washing away.

This is looking out my backdoor. It is starting to flood out as the water increases towards my door.

To the right of my step out my back door that leads to the gate is filling fast with rain water.

My back patio is becoming flooded.

Trying to get a closer view of the other side of the gate standing at my back door. The sidewalk is under water. You literally have to walk in the water even in the grass to get out. It is deep enough to cover your shoe. I know I tried and got my foot soaked.

The backyard near the fence always floods out. As it is low lying compared to the cement patio. it is getting is getting worse. The strong winds are blowing things over my yard. 

I am sure the tree has dropped branches in the old ladies back yard again. She wants the tree removed. However the landlord refuses to remove the tree because it drops branches. I am glad about that to. I think the removal of the tree would be bad. As I think the roots of the tree are keeping the dirt from eroding more because of the flooding of the waters in the back yard. It would cause the shed to give way. The patio would eventually crack and fall as well.

With all these rain waters. I am thinking I need to buy me a pair of rainboots or in the near future possible a boat. 

The area I live in use to be nothing but swamp water. Til farmers drained it to grow crops. It seems like the swamp is trying to come back on days like this.

Challenge : Write about flooding in your area. 

Do you have any suggestions to fix this flooding besides moving?

ABC Emotions Challenge Q

Today for the ABC Emotions Challenge I will be using different words start with the letter 'Q'. As I enjoy using more than one word that starts withthe same letter to describe what I have to say. This week is harder to complete compared to most weeks. As the letter 'Q' doesn't have as many words as most of the rest of the letters. Some of the words I have never heard of. I actually had to grab a dictionary and look them up. If anything today can be a learning lesson for me. 

Last night was a bad night for me. I still feel queasy. I knew my stomach was hurting when I went to bed. However, I was tired. All that told me I was going to be up later in the night puking my guts out. At least that part has stopped. However, I still feel queasy. If it wasn't one end it was the other. Ugh!

I don't think I am going to talk much. I am not up to it. I feel like being quiet. Good thing about the internet, one can talk without saying a word. Their fingers can do all the talking for them.

My daughter went up to the shop with my boyfriend today. I hope she isn't being quarrelsome. I really don't think I can deal with her quarrelsome attitude feeling like I do. Hopefully I will be feeling better by time work is over and they come home.

Yesterday my daughter was being quirky. That is normal for her. We had a discussion with a couple of friends of how she is quirky. I think we got her to understand that everyone is a little quirky. To embrace her quirkiness. Otherwise if everyone was the same, life would be boring. Quirkiness is what makes her unique from the rest and will allow her to stand out from the crowds when she chooses to do something.

Challenge : What are some 'Q' words you would use to describe yourself today?

I will confess my ABC's

I came across a game I saw my friends on Facebook were playing. You confess to the questions listed from A - Z. I thought it would be fun to play the game. Here is my ABC confessions 

 
A: age: 43 years old
B: biggest fear so: Losing custody of my kids
C: current Time: 7:30 PM
D: drink you last had : Diet tea with no sugar
E: Easiest person to talk to: Krammitt
F: favorite song: What ya give by Tesla
G: Grossest Memory: Watching an animal give birth
H: hometown: Defiance
I: in love with: Krammitt
J: jealous of: Someone who can ride a bike
K: killed someone? Nope, not yet
L: longest Relationship: My estranged husband
M: middle name: Kay
N: number of siblings: 7
O: one wish: To go to the store and have enough money to not have to worry about the price of anything
P: Person you last called: My boyfriend
Q: question you are always asked: When are we going to eat?
R: reason to smile: My kids, my boyfriend, my dogs
S: song you last sang: I want some more of it by Tim McGraw
T: time you woke up: After 11 am.
U: ultimate friend: Amber
V: Vacation destination: Italy
W: worst habit: Non being consistent
X: X-ray you have had: On my left shoulder
Y: your favorite food: Fried chicken with homemade gravy and potatoes 
Z: Zodiac sign: Cancer

Challenge : Confess your ABC's 

I Use This The Most In My Kitchen

One of things I use most in my kitchen is a sandwich maker made by Rival. I picked it up at a garage sale for $2.00 a few weeks ago.

I have had others in the past. I am not sure what happened to my last one. I had to get another with summer here. As sandwiches are something my family eats alot of in the summer time. I love the sandwich maker because of all the different sandwiches you can make with it. You can make more than sandwiches. Like pancakes and eggs.

Yes, you really can make breakfast in the sandwich machine. I started using a sandwich about twenty years ago when I moved in to an apartment. The kitchen had a gas stove hook up. I could not afford a brand new gas stove at the time. As I was a single mom. I improvised and bought different appliances to help me create a meal without having to buy a gas stove. At the time you were not allowed to sell use gas stoves in my area.

Now the fun part of seeing how to make a sandwich in the sandwich maker. Let's make a pizza sandwich. I am starting out with two pieces of bread. I butter each side and face the butter side down.

Add pizza sauce. You do not want the sauce to touch the edge. otherwise it will explode and go all over your sandwich maker. It will make a mess. Instead try centering the sauce in the middle. It will be spread as we place as it cooks. A small jar of pizza sauce will last a long time making these sandwiches.

Now you can add any item you like to eat on your pizza.

Such as: mushrooms, onions, olives, spinach, pepperoni, peppers, sausage, different cheeses and more.

I choose to add a half slice of mozzarella cheese. You do not want to over portion your cheese. As it will also spread when cooking and make a mess.

When you have all your topping. You can place the top slice of bread on each sandwich. Butter side up.

About 10 to 15 minutes later, or until the bread turns a golden brown. The sandwich is done. it can be removed from the sandwich maker.

The sandwich maker makes a crease in the sandwiches. It is to make it easier to cut in half. This is what the sandwiches look like out of the sandwich maker and on a plate.

The best part is you can make any warm sandwich you can think of in the sandwich maker. In the past I have made ham & cheese sandwiches, fried tuna and swiss cheese sandwiches, fried bologna sandwiches ( I'll have to make that to share the recipe at another time ), meatball marinara, and roast beef & cheese.  I always load on the veggies when making any sandwich.

The best part in the summer, I do not heat my home up to cook. Cleaning the sandwich machine is easy. All you do is wipe it clean. My kids all enjoy using the sandwich maker for a quick bite to eat.

I had also made muffins and breads in the sandwich maker. each item comes out looking like triangles. However, it works.

What kind of combinations would use you use to make a sandwich?

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Ten Things In My Yard

I love looking at people's yards when I go out for a drive. It gives me ideas of how I would like mine to look like. I know I am no where near as good as a landscaper as many of the yards I pass by. However I do like to decorate my yard with frogs and other ornaments.

Here are ten things in my yard :

1. My strawberry plant. I bought it from menard's for $9.99. I have got a few very sweet strawberries off it. Not enough to compensate for the cost.

2. This plant is growing extremely well. It is about ready to drop some of it's pieces. I have moved it to an area, where they can quickly take root.

3. I received this frog statue after someone decided to re-do their lawn and no longer wanted it. It weighs over 50 lbs. What color do you think I should repaint it?

4. I bought this frog at a GoodWill last fall. I can place a flag or something in it's right hand. (My right, its left. Lol)

5. I received this frog from a  sister when she moved. She no longer wanted it because the paint was coming off.

6. I picked this frog up from someone no longer wanting it because it no longer looks good. Their trash, my treasure.

7. A red dragon that was given to my boyfriend. It is heavy. It has notches in it because the yard worker doing the yard at the last place we lived at catch it with a weed wacker. He didn't even apologize.

8. This frog will make a sound like a frog when anyone comes near it. It sits right outside my front door. Where I can hear it sitting anywhere in my bedroom or living room.

9. This cross is the only solar light that still works in my front yard. A dog wagging its tail broke it. However, I was still able to have it displayed in my yard. Not as high as it once was.

10. I actually have two of these. The other one is blue. The butterflies use to stand up against a metal rod that held them in place. Til a strong wind tore them off and threw them in the yard. Now I have them laid down in my flower bed. As a way to deter people from walking across my flower bed. unless they use my stepping stones.

I have a lot more things in my yard. More frogs. As I love frogs. Many need to be repainted. I am not sure how to get the old paint off. Or if I should start repainting. I am thinking of doing bright colors to make them stand out.

Anyone know of a good type of DIY paint I can use without worrying it will peel? So, I don't have to re-paint every year?

Challenge : Write about 10 things in your yard.