FEMA/NFPA Fire Safety Videos

I had the opportunity to review some Fire Safety Videos from the fabulous website WeAreTeachers.com and I could have sat there and watched them myself and rambled on and on and on about how great they are (because they are)...but I had a better idea.

The videos are made for children ages 4-9...and what do you know?  I have a 5 year old and an 8 year old right in my very home that must do as I say.  How convenient.

So I told asked them to sit down and take a little look at the short videos.  Guess what?  They liked them!  They sat through the whole video both times. My 5 year old even laughed a few times.

You can watch the videos here:
Little Roslie by SteveSongs:
YOUTUBE: http://bit.ly/1fl8fox
SCHOOL TUBE: http://bit.ly/1q79yWQ

What's That Sound? by Recess Monkey:
YOUTUBE: http://bit.ly/1ds71A9
SCHOOL TUBE: http://bit.ly/1icEHq0

Both songs/videos are great! I would definitely use them in my classroom if I taught younger students but since the 5th and 6th graders I teach are a little older, I can only go by what my own children thought. And they gave the videos two thumbs up!

For all of you teachers or homeschoolers (I know a few...and more power to you! I don't know how you do it!!!), you can check out Sparky's Schoolhouse for lessons to go with the videos. I actually did one with my 5 year old and she really liked it. It was a lesson that went the the Little Rosalie video where she had to order the events (from 1 to 4) of what to do after the fire alarm sounds.  This lesson is great for children from Pre-K to 1st grade! You can find the lesson here.

I HIGHLY recommend these videos as a fun and entertaining way to teach a super important topic. ALL children must know about fire safety...so go ahead and show them these videos. Who knows, it could save their lives!




Disclosure: I was compensated for this review/post.  However, ALL opinions are my own. Fire safety is serious, yo. Check out these videos for your little ones.  Trust me!

How to Keep the Home Fires Burning

If you are looking for tips on how to have a successful marriage, you came to the wrong right place. If there is one thing I know, it's how to keep the home fires burning. Just ask my husband. Wait, don't ask him. Just trust me.

So here are my TOP 10 tips on how to succeed in love and marriage:

10.  Pay no mind to people bragging about their significant others on Facebook.  It's all Lies.  LIES, I tell ya.

9.  If you wake up first, make the damn coffee.

8.  If your spouse is sick, sleep on the sofa. Don't just keep complaining about how my their coughing is keeping you up all night. I am They are sick, for God's sake. Man up and sleep somewhere else.

7.  Remember: It's cheaper to keep her.

6.  Talk about stuff other than the kids. Like bills, necessary home repairs, and politics. No...wait.  Maybe just talk about the kids.

5.  Have friends. The fact that my friends allow me to whine and complain incessantly really saves my marriage some days.

4.  Admit you are wrong, even if you think you might be right. You can always rehash the whole argument in a month anyway.

3.  Like a good bra, be supportive.

2.  It's okay to go to bed mad...because if not, you will stay up all night fighting and then be even more angry and tired. And that helps no one. Trust me, just go the eff to bed.

And #1? Drumroll please...

1.  BUY OUR BOOK, I Just Want to Be Alone. 

Honestly, this is the best marriage advice I can give.  Buy it now...because it's available TODAY!



But wait...you can WIN it. Like, for free! And I will mail it to you!!!! And not only will you win the book...you will also win a $25 Amazon gift card!!!!!

SO enter below.  The giveaway starts today and ends on April 7th! Good luck!!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Meet the Women of I Just Want to Be Alone!

I'm not sure if I have already mentioned this...maybe I have, but I wrote an essay for this little book called I Just Want to Be Alone. What's that? I have mentioned it already? Well, too bad because I am going to keep on talking about it! I happen think it is one of the funniest books I have read in awhile and that's not just because I am in it (well, maybe that has a little bit to do with it).  But it's mainly because there are 37 other HILARIOUS lady writers included in the book and I laughed until I cried while reading some of the essays.

I want to introduce you to some of these funny gals, interview style...but before I do, of course I have to give a little plug for the book.  It is available to pre-order TODAY. Yep, right this very moment.  If you pre-order now, it will be shipped right out to you on the release date, March 22nd!!! You can also pre-order the Kindle version or for iTunes.



Order for iTunes here!

Alright, so on with the interview...

Q: How did you come up with the name of your blog?

-I'd like to say I named my blog "Hollow Tree Ventures" for some well-thought-out, intelligent reason, but really it's because I didn't know what a blog was at the time. ~Robyn, Hollow Tree Ventures

-I thought I was adding tabs/categories when I bought my domain name. Apparently, they don't have a delete button on those things. ~Stacey, NurseMommyLaughs

-If you had my opinions would you write as yourself? For real? ~Magnolia Ripkin, Magnolia Ripkin

Q: What is your biggest daily accomplishment?

-Brushing my teeth before noon. No, I'm not kidding. ~Stephanie, When Crazy Meets Exhaustion

-Surviving. ~Deva, MyLifeSuckers

-I wasn't aware I was required to accomplish things on the daily. ~Nicole, Ninja Mom Blog

Q: If you could only have one food and one beverage for one full month, what would it be?

-Peanut butter on any carb and red wine in any glassware. ~Leanne, Ironic Mom

-My body weight in ice cream and Chateau St. Michelle Riesling. ~Christine, Keeper of the Fruit Loops

-This question is evil. ~Amy, Funny is Family 

Q: If you could sing one song on American Idol, what would it be?

-"Fancy" by Reba McIntyre. ~Michelle, You're my favorite today

-"Express Yourself" Salt n Pepa...and I'm certain I would be asked to leave the show immediately. ~Andrea, The Underachiever's Guide to Being a Domestic Goddess

-"I Get Lost in Your Eyes" by Debbie Gibson.  If acid washed jeans deserve a comeback, so does bubblegum pop. -Jen, People I Want to Punch in the Throat

Q: When was the last time you cried?

-At "The Lego Movie". Shut up, you don't know my life. ~Nicole, Ninja Mom Blog

-Yesterday. We watched Cars for the first time and all I could think was, oh hell no! Winning IS everything. And then I cried because I realized my kids were going to grow up and be a-holes like me. ~Lynn, Nomad Mom Diary

-Watching the Oscars when Lupita won. I practically bawled. I get really into my award shows. ~Rebecca, Frugalista Blog

Q: What's the best gift you you've given? Received?

-I'm a horrible present giver- no creativity at all. My hubby on the other hand, always gets me something meaningful, proving that he actually DOES listen to my rantings. ~Kathy, kissing the frog

-Aren't I enough? ~Lynn, Nomad Mom Diary

Q: What do you think about when you are alone in your car?

-I finish arguments with more witty comebacks than I did in real life. ~Rebecca, Frugalista Blog

-I listen to Howard Stern and avoid thinking. Thinking is overrated and stressful. And Howard is funny. ~Bethany, I Love Them the Most When They're Sleeping 

-How to prolong the time that I am alone in the car. ~A.K.Turner, AKTurner.com

Q: Which character from Friends would your want to do and why?

-Joey. He's hot and he'd be too dumb to notice my stretch marks. ~Deva, MyLifeSuckers

-Chandler Bing, because no one quite understands what I do for work, I'm sarcastically defensive, and people often ask if my name is really my name. ~Kim, Let Me Start By Saying

-Mike Crapbag. You know, Phoebe's boyfriend played by Paul Rudd. ~Amy, Funny is Family

Q: What three things can't you live without?

-My family, coffee, and a good story. ~Bethany, I Love Then the Most When They're Sleeping

-Kindle, bubble bath (and water and a tub if we're being technical), and TV. I love my TV. ~Meredith, From Meredith to Mommy

-Sweat pants, Diet soda, and Bengay. Kristen, Life On Peanut Layne

Q: What's the biggest thing you ever lost?

-My verbal filter. I'm working on that one. ~Abby, Abby Has Issues  

-My ass. Then I gained it back again after Fruit Loop #2, dammit. ~Christine, Keeper of the Fruit Loops

-My sanity.  ~Leanne, Ironic Mom

Q: Who/what scares you?

-Permanent Markers and glitter glue. ~Stacey, NurseMommyLaughs

-Someone who chews gum while speaking to me. Or while working. Or gum on the sidewalk. Gum in my hair. Gum on my shoe. I'm afraid that someone's gum will fly into my mouth. ~A.K.Turner, AKTurner.com

-Kardashians. ~Michelle, You're my favorite today

Q: What was the last good deed you did?

-They were out of carts at Walmart, so I went out to the parking lot and got not only one, nay, I got five and passed them out like they were quarters and I was the Tooth Fairy. Coincidentally, the Tooth Fairy gets a lot of business from the citizens of Walmart. ~Ellen, Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

-I'm the motherfucking PTO president, because I care about my children -- and because you get a reserved parking spot. The other day when someone was parking in my spot, I didn't key their car or slash their tires. ~Jen, People I Want to Punch in the Throat

-I saved a little boy from walking home by himself. My kids saw it and will never forget. ~Magnolia Ripkin, Magnolia Ripkin

Q: What was the last thing you splurged on? 

-A new diaper bag. Ohmygod I'm so lame. Someone put me out of my misery. ~Stephanie, When Crazy Meets Exhaustion

-A badass minivan. ~Jen, People I Want to Punch in the Throat

-A new furnace motor because being a responsible adult is bullshit. ~Abby, Abby Has Issues

Q: What do you think of Garden Gnomes?

-Why? What have you heard? ~Ellen, Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

-I prefer garden flamingos. I have one. ~Deva, MyLifeSuckers

-I like when they fall in love and sing about it. ~Kim, Let Me Start by Saying

Q: When was the last time you did a happy dance?

-Last night, and every night, for those five minutes when all of the kids are simultaneously sleeping. ~Robyn, Hollow Tree Ventures

-Probably the other day when my son with ADHD got more "yeses" on his school behavior chart then "nos". ~Kathy, kissing the frog

-I'm constantly doing one. Damn, it feels good to be gansta. ~Kim, Let Me Start by Saying

Have you lost yourself to motherhood? (A Flow Chart)

I have heard many people say that they feel like they've lost themselves to the whole motherhood gig.  And that can happen.  It really can.  It's not a bad thing...but it happens.  Hey, you spend so many days, months, and even years wiping noses, wiping butts, cutting up food into tiny pieces, and watching Disney Jr....so it's bound to happen.

The question for all of you moms is has it happened to you?  Well, check out my little handy dandy flow chart to find out!