Find Some Joy Online with Solitaire.org

As a stay-at-home-mom of young kids, I generally don't have much time for myself.  Once my kids are in bed for the night, I take some time to myself.  I may scroll through social media on my phone or find a movie to watch depending on if I'm not too tired.  One thing I really enjoy though is playing online games.  I feel that having something like online slots or Tetris really brings me joy and helps me decompress after a long day.

Solitaire.org is the jackpot for all solitaire lovers.  With over 100 different free online versions of solitaire, any player would be in heaven.  Choose from huge spider solitaire, wasp solitaire, Scottish solitaire, solitaire garden 2, and so many others.  There's truly a version of solitaire for whichever type you're looking for.  

If solitaire isn't the game that interests you, why not try something else on the website? At the top of the website there are game categories to choose from like word games, Mahjong, logic puzzles, hidden objects, and even matching games.  If you like card games, you'll love the classics like blackjack, crazy eights, and gin rummy.  All the games are completely free, there's no membership or any kind of registration system.  You can play whenever you want in the comfort of your own home. 

I am more interested in the game categories of hidden objects, or candy house matching in the matching section.  I find that they are more interactive and keep me interested and entertained.  If you're unsure of how to play a game, there are helpful rules displayed underneath the game.

One of the first games I played was the hidden garden game.  The background of the game is a garden and on the bottom of the picture bank is objects you're supposed to find within the garden.  It's like an online version of iSpy, which is so fun.  You do have to act quickly though because you're being timed! If you click on the wrong object time is deducted from the ticking clock, leaving you even less time to find what you need to find! There are different versions of the hidden games including a kitchen and a hotel. 

For the matching games, I was most interested in trying the tetra block game.  This is a neon lights colored tetris game.  Make sure you move quick enough to make all of your falling blocks match up! This is definitely a great way to keep your mind sharp and thinking.  It isn't easy to think of block placement as each set of blocks rapidly falls with a timer going! 

There are still so many games for me to explore on Solitaire.org with my free time.  If you're looking for a fun way to pass the time, why not make it a game day?

*DISCLOSURE* This is a collaborative post.  All thoughts are strictly my own. 

Jack's Speech Therapy Journey

One thing I never thought about before having kids is that my children could potentially have speech issues.  It honestly never crossed my mind.  I babysat for children for years and none of them ever had any speech problems.  I was never around a child who did.

When Scarlett was born, I just assumed she'd talk within a given amount of time.  When the time came for her to be on track to speaking, it didn't happen.  We started speech therapy for her and in time words came out.  Her speech issues were very mild and easily corrected.  

Fast forward to when Jack was born, I didn't really think about him having issues with speaking because I thought maybe it was a one off thing with Scarlett.  They say that second-born children often speak quicker than first-born children because they want to keep up with their siblings.  Around 18 months or so, we brought up our speech concerns to Jack's pediatrician.  They weren't too concerned but referred us to our local evaluation program called Birth to 3.  Birth to 3 is the same program Scarlett was in for speech.  They work with children who have a variety of needs that need to be addressed, essentially from birth to age 3 free of charge. 

Jack was evaluated for services and qualified for play-based speech help.  He started in August 2021 at age 2 and would end in August 2022 when he turned 3.  We were offered one day a week for an hour.  Before we began, the therapist and I made goals for Jack to hit at various points.  If they were made, we made more goals we wanted to reach.  I followed the advice, tips, and treatment plan given by the speech therapist.  

His speech therapist left for maternity leave in March 2022 and was replaced by someone virtually.  This was difficult.  It's not easy to have speech therapy on a computer screen.  Jack would sometimes run off because he wasn't interested.  I finally realized I could just bring the computer in his room and lock he door so he couldn't walk off.  Some sessions were harder than others.  He would cooperate to an extent and then just want to do his own thing.  Sometimes he would be able to focus more than the previous session.  Each week really was a gamble and it was difficult.

I knew that Jack was going to be okay because cognitively he is perfect.  He understands everything he just can't get his words out for whatever reason.  Jack can point to a picture of a bird in a book if you ask, and if you tell him to go get his shoes from the front door he will.  I can't get a straight answer out of anyone when I ask why he isn't speaking more at his age.  He also tested negative for autism back in February.

As the months rolled on by, we didn't see much progress.  Jack remained the happy little boy he was, just without many words.  It was depressing.  When Birth to 3 was nearing the end of his year of speech help, he was evaluated yet again by a local center to see if he qualified to receive a slot at a special needs preschool.  He did not qualify for a spot, but qualified for free state speech help which he would receive in September.  Jack was offered two 30 minute sessions a week at his preschool, which he started about 2 weeks ago.  This was less than I wanted, but I needed anything at that point.  He is also working with a private speech therapist, so he has 3 total days of speech therapy a week now. 

Birth to 3 ended on August 31st, right after his third birthday.  They were nice enough to let us continue through the month of August, even after his third birthday on August 8th.  

In the last few weeks of Birth to 3, Jack started making slow but steady progress and continues to do so.  He is able to say Lynnie, car, go, and a few other words.  On a good day he may have about 10-15 total words. He finally started being able to label Scarlett too.  He doesn't say Scarlett, but says goo goo.  It's something at least because he never had a name for her before.  She is not a fan of it, but it's progress in my eyes.  We are pushing Jack to work harder and be able to speak more confidently and more clearly. 

It's very difficult to be a mother of a child who has an extreme speech delay.  I have a lot of worries for Jack as I don't know when this journey will end, or where it will take us.  He is going to have difficulties making friends because he lacks communication.  You can only play silently next to a child for so long.  Are kids going to make fun of him? Will he miraculously start speaking on his own? Will it take another year to speak in sentences? We have no idea what the future holds for him and it is scary.  It's hard to have children want to play with him at the playground and they say hello and he cannot answer.  I tell the parents he's speech delayed so they don't think Jack is just a rude or unfriendly child.  It can be sad and depressing.  I just try to push on and do everything we can for him.

Jack is happy and full of life and energy.  He loves cars, snacks, being outside, Elmo, and so many other things.  I just hope he can catch up to where he needs to be at some point.  

In the mean time, we are there to help Jack every step of the way to be the best he can be.  

Sesame Street Live Will Put a Smile on Toddler's Faces + Giveaway

Even though my children have a larger age gap between them, they have a lot of shared interests from the same age.  Jack at age 3 loves the same foods, songs, and shows Scarlett liked at that age.  It's a funny coincidence.  One big thing they share is their love of Elmo and Sesame Street.  Since Jack was 7 months old he has slept with the same mini Elmo Scarlett slept with when she was younger.  It is his buddy and he doesn't go anywhere without it.  Elmo is very important in his life.  

Sesame Street Live is making its way across the US with tour dates hopefully somewhere near you! This is definitely a show that will bring the family fun with lots of smiles and dancing. There are various dates starting on September 17th and ending with a final show right before the new year. Tickets are on sale now and there are even meet and greet options too! Jack's Sesame Street dreams are coming true in a big way as there's a show near us in Bridgeport, CT at the Total Mortgage Arena! I can't wait to take Jack there and surprise him with all of his Sesame Street friends on stage right in front of him. 

The premise of the show is that magician extraordinaire Justin visits Sesame Street to put on a magic show for the whole neighborhood.  Elmo wants to be part of the big event too.  But there's one problem, Elmo doesn't know how to do magic.  To help out, Elmo teams up with Abby and Justin, embarking on an amazing journey where he will discover the "power of yet"- the lesson that with perseverance and practice, nothing can stand between you and your dream.  Along the way, Elmo and Abby along with show favorites like Cookie Monster, Big Bird, Grover, Rosita, Count von Count and Gonger, discover the many magical moments in everyday life.   The show is about 90 minutes and your little ones will be talking about how much fun it was for some time to come.

If you live in the Bridgeport, Connecticut area, you're in luck and can have a chance at joining in on the Sesame Street magic too.  One lucky winner will win a family four pack of tickets to the September 30th 10:30 AM show! This will definitely be a perfect way to spend the morning. Make sure to bring some spending cash for all of the fun merchandise to buy too! :) The contest will be going live on my blog's Facebook page and I will be choosing a winner there! 

*DISCLOSURE* Thank you to Total Mortgage Arena for providing complimentary tickets to the show in exchange for this promotional post.  All thoughts and opinions are strictly my own. 

Handwritten Cards Are Special

As a child, I remember feeling the annoyance of having to write a hand-written thank you card to a relative for a gift.  I didn't want to do it and it felt like such a chore.  As an adult, I'm glad my mom pushed me to do this and I can appreciate it now.  We do live in the age of technology where you can easily send a text or an email, but you can't deny a handwritten note is special and shows the person took the time to think of you. 

I definitely will have Scarlett send out thank you cards for gifts for her birthday and Hanukkah this year.  When Jack is old enough, I'll expect the same for him.  Picking out beautiful stationery to write on always makes me smile. I know Scarlett may want to draw a small picture on the thank you card too to add some flair.  You definitely can't do that over text or email!  Seeing someone's handwriting on paper is also special. 

Birthday cards are something I look forward to every year as well.  Seeing someone's birthday wishes and greetings for me is unbeatable.  I have many cards from family members and my husband that I save and treasure.  A birthday card in my opinion is just as important as the birthday gift itself.  Words are powerful and can really stick with you, especially when they're written down.  This birthday card service is helpful if you're short on time and want to send someone a birthday card but can't make it to the store on time. Also, if you want to wow someone with an extra special birthday card this year, here are some fun card ideas. 

There are also dozens of reasons to have to send a thank you card.  Whether you're sending them out to thank guests from a baby shower, a bridal shower, a birthday party, or whatever other special occasion, people will appreciate it.  Life is very busy for everyone and sometimes we don't always think about going the extra mile.  I know that I definitely appreciate opening the mailbox and seeing a hand-addressed envelope inside, especially when you'e not expecting it.  Who doesn't love getting something in the mail that isn't a bill too?

I'd say writing one or two thank you notes is doable for anyone over the course of a few days.  If you have a large number of people to thank it may be smart to have some help, plus it won't feel as overwhelming! 

Handwryten is an online service that uses custom-designed handwriting robots that hold real pens to write out the notes in the handwriting style of your choice.  Simply type your message on the website or app and then choose from the beautiful selection of cards.  You can even use your own stationery.  You're able to write whatever message you want, and the recipient will have no idea it wasn't written by your own hand.  Use that extra time to do whatever it is you need!

Whatever you do, make sure that handwritten cards do not become a thing of the past.