Thursday, October 31, 2013

Motel 6 on Lomaland in El Paso, TX

The following post was written by my husband about his recent trip to El Paso, TX...

I had occasion to visit my hometown for a 20th year anniversary. My accommodations at the Motel 6 on Lomaland couldn't have been more perfect for this was not a large an crowded property and while offering close proximity to I-10, it still had a pleasant seclusion. From my arrival to departure, the staff was exceptionally courteous and genuine which would help put anyone at ease.

My accommodations were on the east side of the building. The property was tidy and the interior was top-notch and comforting, especially after two flights to El Paso.

Everything was very neat and clean.

During my lodging, the staff was very accommodating in receiving a few UPS packages on my behalf, even placing courtesy calls to my wife out of state to alert me of the deliveries. Top notch.

I couldn't have been happier with my stay at this Motel 6. I loved the experience, it was truly pleasant and complication free. Such a great location for anyone seeking ease-of-access to the east side or east-central parts of town. The property manager, Alex, I will always remember fondly and hope to see again on the next trip out. I definitely recommend this location to anyone with east/central El Paso needs. Please see the pictures I personally took, to share with you.






Friday, October 18, 2013

Danny's Favorite Toys


For my first toy post, I wanted to tell you about Danny's two most favorite toys.


The first is his Chicco Butterfly Spinner.



He first encountered this toy at therapy. At first, he had no idea what to do with it, but it didn't take him long to learn. Soon, he was pushing down on the plunger hard and fast and yelling, “Go fast, butterflies!” Being that he speaks very little and even less that you can understand, this was a major thing for us. Every time we went to therapy after that, it was the first thing he went for. We started looking around for it, but couldn't find it because we didn't know it's name. Then, one day we were in Target and found it! Once I knew it's name, I was able to locate it on Amazon and we got him one immediately. It has been his favorite toy ever since.

It has eight small balls inside that look a little like butterflies. When you push down on the plunger, they spin around and it is very colorful because of a reflective surface in the middle of the spinner. The plunger itself has several bumps on the surface which is a great tactile stimulus for kids with sensory issues. The plunger is fairly easy to push down as well so your child doesn't have to be all that strong for it to work. All-in-all a great toy!



His second most favorite toy is another kind of spinner. It's called the VTech Winnie The Pooh Play 'n Learn Spinning Top.





This one is different in that it is electronic, so it has lights and sounds. We thought that since he already knew how to work a plunger toy that he would enjoy the surprise of those lights and sounds when he pushed it down. We were right about that. He loves when Winnie the Pooh starts to sing to him! The lights flash and Pooh sings him songs and music plays. When he stops playing with it, Pooh asks him a question to get him re-interested. The questions are things like, “Do you know who likes honey?” Then, to answer, you simply move the little Pooh piece on the side. There are similar questions for the Tigger and Piglet pieces. Danny doesn't understand these questions and answers, but your child might. It also has three buttons on the side with shapes and numbers that identify themselves when you push them. Danny has figured out which one says what and he will say them with the toy. Again, any toy that gets him talking is a big hit in my book!


You can find the Chicco toy HERE or the Pooh toy HERE.

Stay tuned for more great toy reviews by signing up for my weekly newsletter.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Blogger Op!!!


Black Friday Shopping Spree Event

Organized by: Mom Powered Media



Prizes: $1,000 {visa gift card, amazon gift certificate or select your favorite store}
Event dates: 11/8 - 11/29
Open Worldwide
Referral prize: $50 Amazon E-Code or Paypal Cash


Requirement to join:
* No more than 2 blogs per person allowed
* Agree to post the giveaway html on the date the event begins and promote at least 3x a week


Bloggers: Sign Up HERE

Monday, October 7, 2013

My Favorite Indie Author

For my very first book post, I want to tell you about my favorite indie author. Her name is Jessica Miles. She also writes under the name Jessie M. She writes romance novels that are just amazing. Several of her books are also paranormal, which I absolutely adore. Yes, I am a Twilight kind of gal. Don't judge me! Anyway, back to Jessica. I have read seven of her books so far, and I loved every single one of them. Here is a short description of each:






Blood Match is about a girl named Serena who has just finished her degree and gotten a really good job. She decides that she has earned a little fun time, so she goes out for a night on the town with her very promiscuous little brother. While she is out, she meets a dark and mysterious man who intrigues her. She does a little bit of flirting and that's that. Imagine the shock when she finds out that he is actually her new boss! It makes for some interesting office tension, and things just get more strange when she finds out more personal details about him and his “family”. It is a thrill ride you won't want to get off of. My only complaint about this book is that it left me wanting more. Jessica says in the end that a sequel is in the works. I can't wait!





The Pairing is another steamy romance novel with a paranormal twist to it. It is a love story about a girl who wants to be a vet because of her love of animals. When she meets a scruffy looking, but rather handsome man, she is extremely attracted to him. Little does she know, that he is quite the animal himself. She finds herself wanting to be a part of his world more than anything, and realizes that she will do extraordinary things to make that possible.





Rose Blood is similar to Blood Match in that it is a vampire love story. The leading lady of this is Rose. She begins having feelings for a co-worker (Harry) who has been trying to win her affections for years. But she suddenly has a huge client (Marcus) fall in her lap that is handsome, intriguing, and mysterious. She is drawn to him for reasons she can't explain and thus begins a struggle to decide who she truly cares for the most. It isn't exactly a fair fight. Marcus is exceedingly wealthy and powerful and determined to have Rose for himself. He will stop at nothing to make her his.





White & Black is more of a love square rather than a love triangle. There are apposing love interests for both the leading man and lady. It makes for a lot of juicy drama. The leading lady, Ella, seems to be such a sweet and innocent little thing until she starts her new job. Then her inner bad girl gets loose. And at the same time, the leading man, Dev, has a bad boy attitude that gets turned around when he meets her. They seem to bring each other into a harmonious state between good and bad. White and Black mixed make gray, you know. All Fifty Shades of it!





62 Days is about Ray (Rachel) who just got out of a really bad relationship. 62 Days ago to be exact. But her best friend “Suze” forces her to go to a birthday bash for her twin brother's boss, Mark. He is a millionaire property tycoon who also happens to be absolutely gorgeous. Ray is still so torn up by the breakup, that she really doesn't even want to be out of her bed, much less meeting anyone new. When Mark meets her though, he decides that she is the one he wants and he will find a way to change her mind. Soon, they are heating things up and Jessica (the author) does a good job of telling us exactly hot things get!





Touch of Eden is a different angle for Jessica because she writes it entirely from the man's point of view. Joshua is a total horn-dog. He can't keep his hands off of women. But one day, something happens that wakes him up and makes him realize that things need to change in his life. Then, he realizes that he has very strong feelings for a woman that he never saw in that way before. Unfortunately, she only sees him as a playboy and knows better than to give him her heart. It makes for an interesting journey.





Whirl is exactly what the name suggests. It's a whirl of a relationship. Two people named Alex (Alexander and Alexandra) meet when she-Alex gets tired of her failing relationships and decides to take a vacation to visit her sister. She wants to have a little fun while she is there. She thinks maybe she can have a bit of a fling and be done with it and go home. Until she meets he-Alex. He is a pilot in the US Marines. He is gorgeous and they have instant chemistry. Granted at first it is very negative chemistry, but that quickly turns around. From there on, the whirlwind begins.



I look forward to her next book always! I recommend that anyone who likes a good romance to check her out. Her books are usually $2.99 although I have gotten lucky a couple of times and grabbed them up on free days. Let me know in the comments if you read any of these books and what you thought of them!