Mom's Tree House

Archive for the ‘Miscellaneous’ Category

I would like to give a great big thank you to Living at the Whitehead’s Zoo for awarding me with this beautiful Blogger Award. Thank you! Please stop by and visit her at http://livingatthewhiteheadszoo.blogspot.com/. Awesome blog!

• Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post.
• Tell us seven things about yourself
• Award fifteen recently discovered new bloggers

Mmm, 7 things about myself…..

1. I am a neat freak. 

2. I am a bookworm. Have to have a book with me at all times.

3. I love taking pictures.

4. I love high-heel shoes but succumbed to wearing flats and sneakers in order to run after my 22- month-old.

5. I love going to the gym but always to tired to get there.

6. I love my husband but he sometimes get on  my nerves.

7. I’m a history fanatic.

The 15  bloggers, I will be passing the award to are;

1. Yummy Mummy
2. Pratical Living
3. Holly Goes Lightly
4. Atlanta Military Mom
5. Whispered Thoughts
6. To Find The Line
7. Writing with Debra
8. One Blonde’s Ramblings
9. The Write to Make a Living
10. Mumfection
11. Mama’s Monologues 
12. Tootie Foodie
13. Product Junkie Mama
14. The caffeine Coquette
15. Our Crazy House

If I did not mention you, forgive me, as I still think you are fabulous, but I am only supposed to mention only 15.  

Do you have a little artist at home? Does your kids enjoy coloring and creating beautiful pictures? Then you have to check out Coloritbynumbers.com. This new interactive website allows your little artist become creative and artistic simply by coloring beautiful pictures online.

 Color It By Numbers is an interactive computer program that helps children learn their numbers while they color pictures.  There are three different coloring books to choose from which include- animals, princesses, and vehicles and the process of coloring in the pictures not only teaches numbers and colors but, also computer skills. This program also enhances imagination and creativity all while the little artist is having fun.

The program also features:

• Three coloring modes
• Easy to change preset colors
• Engaging and exciting images to choose from
• Beautiful, vibrant color effects
• Adaptable screen resolutions
• Pictures are automatically saved
• High image quality 
• Music and sounds

What else can you ask for? Coloring books have now entered the computer age and your kids will truly enjoy coloring in a whole, different way.The program itself is so easy to use with big navigational buttons that my five year old niece asked for no help coloring her pictures. The program is suitable for Windows, MAC and Linux and comes in several languages which includes English, German, Spanish, French and Russian. To purchase your own coloring book for $9.99, visit coloritbynumbers.com or enter to win;

The Giveaway

One (1) Mom’s Tree House reader will win all three promotional codes for the three (3) coloring books program which include animals, princesses and vehicles. The winner will be selected via Random.org.  and will have 48 hours to respond to my email as to claim their prize.  After 48 hours and the winner has not responded back, another winner will be selected. 

1. Become a GFC follower of this blog. (1 entry)
2. Follow me on Twitter, @johannaloporto and Facebook. (2 entries)
3. Like Mom’s Tree House.
4. Vote for me on Top Mommy Blogs and on Picket Fence. (2 entries)
5. Tweet about this giveaway, by tweeting the following, “Win 3 interactive coloring books at Mom’s Tree House.”

 Contest is open to US residents only. Contest closes on May 5,  2011 at 12 midnight (EST)

 Disclosure: I received three Color It By Numbers coloring books for the purpose of this review.  No other compensation was received.  All opinions are 100% my own and not influenced in any other way. My reviews may not always be positive but, they are my own personal, honest opinion and therefore,  may differ from others.  Any factual information was obtained from the company website.

Good Luck!

I recieved a Blue-ray copy of the new Yogi Bear from Warner Bros which is now available on Blu-ray Combo pack, DVD and on Demand for download. My little guy and I just finished watching it and he loved it! I grew up with Yogi bear so it was nice to see a new adaptation of the cartoon made into a movie. 

Jellystone has been loosing business, so the mayor decide to shut it down and sell the land. Fear of loosing his home, Yogi (voiced by Dan Aykroyd) and his side kick Boo-Boo (Justin Timberlake) decide to save the park before it closes down forever. With the help of  Ranger Smith (Tom Cavanagh) and a documentary film maker (Anna Faris), the journey of saving Jellystone embarks on a wild adventure.

  The film itself is is bright and colorful which held my son’s attention for the whole 80 minutes.  Yogi, Boo-Boo and  their forest pals are cute and engaging. The voice acting is also amusing, with Aykroyd and Timberlake creating cartoon chemistry in cartoon land. There were some over-animation and some slow enunciation but for my 22-month old, the movie was to his taste. He was more interested in the chases and fun that played out on the screen.

Truthfully, I thought the movie was okay but Franco enjoyed it, so that makes it a hit on my movie list. Thank you warner Bros. for such a treat. For more information on this Yogi Bear DVD, visit Warner Bros. at their official site at yogibear.warnerbros.com.

 Disclosure: A free copy of this DVD  was provided to me by Warner Bros. Entertainment Affiliate Program. No other compensation was received.  All opinions are 100% my own and may differ from others. 

Okay, this year, I am not feeling it. The Fa-La-La’s, the jingle or the jangle, the Ho-Ho-Ho’s, the glistening or the Merry, the reindeer’s, mistletoe’s, not even the caroling or snow. I am not just into Christmas this year.

I don’t know is it because I’m always tired or I’m not sleeping right. Maybe is because money is tight or maybe because I don’t want to shop, maybe I’m just too stressed out,  but I want Christmas to be over and done with. It seems that every year the Christmas hype becomes bigger and bigger as people try to hustle and bustle in trying to find that perfect gift. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not a hypocrite, I fit right in with the Christmas 25-day count down of chaotic shopping and of course, I only want to purchase gifts that will make all my special people happy but, I just simply do not have the energy.  

To top it off, I am then bombarded with updates of the recession. People around me are loosing their jobs, their homes and although the media says the recession is getting better, I want to know exactly where is it getting better? I don’t see it.  What about their Christmas? This is just depressing! I am grateful that although we may struggle here and there to pay our bills, we have a home and food on the table every day. This year though, I just feel fed up.. with everything and…although I may still not be in the Christmas spirit, I still have to give my son a perfect Christmas.  

So,  I go to the mall and can’t find a parking spot. I enter the stores to find they are flooded with crowds and lines. I go shopping, in search of my son’s favorites but they are either sold out, they don’t have in that size, color or the Sale just ended. WTH!! No Yo Gabba Gabba Brobee, no singing Elmo, and no elf outfit for his Christams picture. Yeah, yeah.. I know he will hate me later for that.  

I don’t know, I am just bitching and bitchy about Christmas! I just hope my mood changes before it’s here. I mean I love Christmas, love it! Just not this year, I am totally in a Christmas Funk. Ugh!!

If you are visiting today for the first time, I thank you so much for stopping by. Check out the Penthouse and check out some of Mom’s Tree House great members. These are some wonderful ladies  with some wonderful blogs, each have something special to contribute to the blogging world.

Girls, if you are a House member, then feel free to do what you do best and show some support today on Follow Friday by hopping around at the Penthouse.

If you visit 6 blogs, then let me know, and get in the VIP’s. (Check VIP as to get your extra perks)

Have Fun!!! 

 Six years later, I have a new life. I am now re-married, living in Long Island  and have recently given birth to my son who was still in the NICCU. My other children are now on thier own also living thier lives. Life is good for all of us.

During July of 2009, I was home on martenity leave while the baby was still in the NICCU so, between back and forth from the hospital I watched a lot of TV. I stumbled across the Biogaphy Channel and satrted watching all these ghost stories and documentaries. When I was living in Brooklyn, they did not have these type of programming so I became very interested. I then came across a segment that showed you how to research a property. Upon watching this program, it brought me  back to that apartment and I decided to research the apartment.  

I started by calling Brooklyn libraries and then I was given some information to start my search in the Internet. Now, I have to admit that I really did not think i was going to find anything but within two weeks of my searchI finally found what I was looking for.

The building I lived in on Sumpter Street in Brooklyn caught fire in where the Neinsted family lived. Three children were badly burned Frederick 4½ years; Josephine 3 years; and Bernard 2 years. Mrs. Neinsted cut her wrist smashing the windows to save her children however, Frances, who was two months old perished in the fire. It appeared another woman also died, a family member who lived with the family under their care, as she was of a “younger mental age.”

My blood froze when I read this. I was speechless, sad and relieved, it all made sense. Frances was not a lady but a baby, and “she” was still looking for him in that building. The smell of smoke was the fire and that voice I heard, could it have been that young girl? The article goes on to say that the mother was distraught and moaned for her new baby and how the building collapsed and had to be gutted out. (To read the entire article, click here ) I then called my sister she was in shock and after absorbing everything,  she cried. My daughter felt vindicated screaming on the phone  ”I knew it!”

I finally found what happened in that building and I understood it. That building has a sad and tragic history which is still felt today. I still think of that apartment, I think of those strange events, specifically those nights in where I simply woke up looking at the doorway becuase I felt someone was there looking at me. I cannot explain that feeling, except for a sense of knowing. I think of the whispering I heard from my pillow, never made out what they were saying. I think of the day I felt a sudden urgency of leaving my husband. I think of my sister, and wonder why she felt and sense it more, was it because she was pregnant? and I think of the girl, my neighbor on the 1st floor, that day she told me a hand mirror was picked up from her dresser and was thrown across the room, yet, she was the only one in  the room. Why did she see that and we never did?

There are still a lot of questions but now, I have an understanding, maybe, one day that building will one day wind up on my TV set.  

If you want to conduct your own property historical search, you can check out  

www.bklyn-genealogy-info.com/Newspaper/index.html

 2001, right after New Year’s, we moved to a new apartment in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.  The building itself contained three floors with two apartments on each floor. It was old and a little run down but the apartments were quite nice. We were  excited as the apartment we were moving into was right next to my sister’s, who have moved into the building two months earlier. My kids had their little cousin right next door and anticipated the birth of their new cousin as well,  due in a couple of months. This was our new beginning.

That night, we all went to bed late, we still had boxes unpacked in every corner of the apartment but we were all anxious to go to bed. I dreamt a weird dream, one which I still remember today…

 I was in the kitchen telling my husband not to let her in. He was in the process of opening the front door when I stopped him and pushed him aside, placing my foot against the door. This lady, wearing a dark 18-century long dress, was trying to push her way in to the apartment. I could tell she wore some type of hat tied around her neck but, was unable to see her face as it appeared shadowed.  I apologized to her, saying I couldn’t let her in and called her by the name “Frances”. She never turned around, but saw her go backwards, floating down the stairs through the peep hole and then I woke up.   

I woke up from that dream confused and nervous. I did not know anyone by the name of “Frances” and the whole dream seemed eerie. I simply pushed it out of mind. 

A couple of weeks later, the kids complained that they were not able to find things they have put away, that they would place something somewhere and find it at another part of the apartment.  My husband and I were still having problems but by this time, I did not care. My mind was preoccupied with other things, like my bed shaking at night. The second night in the apartment,  I felt my bed shake. I jolted right up and looked beside me at my husband still sound asleep. I am a light sleeper and always aware of my surroundings and something did not appear right. I felt someone was in the room, looking  from the  bedroom doorway. I don’t know why I felt there was someone there,  I was not scared but felt uneasy. I went back to sleep and a couple of hours later, the bed shook. My husband stirring tells me to stop moving around in the bed. Again, I looked to the doorway.

The bed shaking continued but after a couple of weeks I got so used to it and  simply ignored it. I also started hearing whispering in my ears as if coming from my pillow. There was something in the house but, I did not let anyone know. I did not want anyone to think I was crazy. It was not until my sister shared her strange occurrences, in where we then all talked about it. 

 On a particular morning  my sister runs into  the apartment and tells me someone layed down next to her in bed but couldn’t see who. She then told me how her sink faucets would go on and off on their own and how sometimes she would come out the shower and her kitchen cabinet doors would be opened. She told me how she felt someone was watching her at night and how she sometimes heard whispering. She admitted that this started as soon as she moved in but brushed off as not remembering things, blaming it on her pregnancy. I then smiled at her and told her that she just wanted us to know she was here. Till this day, I don’t know why I said that but, we both agreed there was something in  the apartments.   

Weeks turned into months, and the presence of “Frances” was felt by everyone. My daughter informed me she saw “Frances” as she one day saw a shadow in the kitchen. My bed continued to shake, I still heard whispers and at one time, I even heard my name called by the voice of a young girl. We would hear the steps creak in the hallway as if someone was walking up and down the stairs and my husband claimed smelling smoke on a particular night.  I always felt someone was watching me and would often wake up to look toward my bedroom doorway. We all learned to live with the strange occurrences and simply grew accustomed to it.  

A year and half  later, I decide to  leave my husband and the apartment. The fights between my husband and I became intolerable and  at times, became violent.  My sister already moved out a couple of months before, so one afternoon, while he was out, I started packing up the car. While bringing my bags into the car, I bump into my neighbor who lived on the 1st  floor, sitting in the front steps frantically smoking a cigarette, appearing upset  and crying. When I asked her what was wrong she responded simply by saying, “my aapartment is haunted” and simply started crying.

I remember looking up at my window, wondering what the hell was wrong with this building. I finished packing my car with what I could and packed my kids. I left that day and never came back. I left everything behind. It would not be until  6 years later,  that Iwould  find out what happened in that building.

Please Note: Conclusion to be posted soon.

Today, Mom’s Tree House welcomes Lesley Smith from Sticky Hands, Boo-Boos and Whyyyyyy?, our newest VIP. This week, Lesley participated in picking her 6 blogs and showed them some massive love. Lesley is a true believer in taking some time to show some  bloggy support to  her fellow bloggers all in the mist of running  daily chores and overcoming health concerns.  This girl is simply wonderful and totally amazing. She is an inspiration to all women and moms. A true fighter!

Lesley is a almost 23-year old mom of two, Trowa age 3 and Serenity age 17 months. Lesley calls herself lucky as she faces everyday with limitations imposed by her disability. Lesley is diagnosed with Scoliosis and was also born with a club foot. She also have  developed  Degenerative Lumbar Disease and Bi-lateral Hip Dysplacia.  Needless to say,  this is one strong Mama. Lesley says that she is thankful for the support of her family and with them, tries to live life as normal as possible.

Lesley recently started blogging as to share her experiences of a mom and wife. She also blogs about ideas, tips, tricks, products and even her recipes. Lesley also co-host a Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop and makes sures she follows and supports all the blogs/bloggers she meets. Is this girl something else, or what?

Lesley, joins the VIP’s today, she showed some massive love to her favorite 6:

Random Thoughts Blog

The Kissable Kitchen

Mad for Reading

Closer to Lucy

Liliac City Mama

Mama’s Little Nestwork

So Lesley, thank you for showing the Penthouse crew some love at Mom’s Tree House. Stay strong and stay beautiful! We got you!

Welcome to the House!!

Want VIP Status and get some perks-Go here and join! All you have to do is pick your 6! 

In the spirit of Halloween, I thought about what type of post I could write and if as to keep it fun and light or if to share something personal. In launching my blog, I made a conscious decision of being honest with you, (my readers) as well as to connect with you. So with that in mind, I decided to share a story that is very personal to me and one that I really don’t tell. For me however, it is something that has come to be a part of me, a memory if you may, one that haunted me, until years later in where I was able to put the pieces together to the unexplained events I experienced.

Please Note: I  write about this experience in three parts since the events that took place were in the interim of two years and then with the discovery (years later) of what actually took place in history, years before. Know these are  true events I experienced and in no way have been changed or altered for entertainment  purposes. Since I have come to accept what has occurred, I am now, finally comfortable writing and talking about it.   

In 2000, I was living in Sunset Park, Brooklyn NY with my at the time husband and two children. I remember the year because it was the beginning of the end of my marriage. The year I found out about my husband’s affair. We really did not talk much and we lived separate lives. We fought every day about his lies, money, the kids, you name it, we fought about it. On one particular night though, during one of our many fights, something strange occurred.

My children were at my mother’s for a sleepover and my husband and I just had a big fight in where he left the apartment. I was home alone. The rest of the evening I welcomed the solitude and calm. I watched some TV and then went to sleep. I woke up a couple hours later, the room was dark so I knew it was late. I lifted myself on the bed and  saw a man at the edge of the bed. I immediately asked my husband what he wanted, but he did not respond.  I was unable to clearly see his face, as  the room was dark but, I could clearly see the outlined of his body, including his neck and shoulders from the light of the moon coming through the window. Annoyed, I again asked him what he wanted and he still did not respond. I remember clearly at that point beginning to feel dizzy and light headed. I was still upset from the fight so I was about to scream at him to “say something” the kitchen lights suddenly went on and heard the front door open.  I turned and yelled “who was there?” thinking one of the kids came back home but my husband answered. My heart dropped.

I turned to the edge of the bed, and whatever was standing there was gone. My husband entered the bedroom turning on the lights and realized something was wrong. I was unable to speak, I was unable to move. He then asked what was wrong and told him that I thought he was standing over the bed, he simply said I had a dream as he was just walking in. I knew I saw something, a body, with braod shoulders and a tall build, but who was it? I was awake, it was no dream.  I assumed it was my husband, but it was not him. After that night, I then began to wonder who else lived in the apartment.

I never spoke about that night and I never saw that man again, but it was not until we moved to our new apartment that things really began to get weird. What was supposed to be a fresh start, a new beginning to our marriage and family, turned out to be end of the life we knew. Today, I wonder if the man I saw that night was some kind of sign for things yet to happen. As what took place the following year, changed the way I perceived life and death.

Part II- To be posted soon..

Okay, so last night I am watching some horror flicks with Lou and then I wake up at about 4am, after one of those dreams in where you wake up and say-What the %^#*!

Lou and I are sleeping in this hospital slash kinda hotel place. I wake up because there was a puppy on the floor urinating everywhere. I get out of bed and go outside and go to the front desk to find these three guys wearing blue polo shirts with “Blockbuster” printed on their shirts. I complain and tell them they have to go and get the puppy out of my room and they promised they would.

I then leave and turn to go back to my room when I noticed blood all over the walls and floor.  I then see this man walking toward me in a zombie-like trance, I turn and run to hide and wind up in a bathroom. I jump on the toilet seat and hide when the zombie-like man goes underneath the bathroom stall to hand me some toilet paper. I jump out screaming at him to leave me alone, and with his green skin and bloodied mouth tells me to be careful because they are all running an infection. My first thought-is to go back and get Lou.

 I kick the zombie man in the face and run out when I bump into this lady wearing a white lab coat with a beehive hairdo, and tells me that they are on their way to check up on Lou. I then run  and bump into that zombie guy and he gain tries to hand me the toilet paper. I look at him and just keep running. I finally get to Lou and he is still asleep. As I try to wake him, I noticed that he has beads of sweat on his forhead and I pray underneath my breath that he is not sick.

Lou finally wakes up as I then see the puppy in the room, sitting in a corner. Lou puts on a jumper suit (like from the Darma initiative) and tells me to relax. The lady in the white lab coat pulls out a syringe and a thermometer and hands it to Lou. Lou changes the thermometer with another in his back pack and puts in his mouth. Lou takes the syringe and puts in his back pack while informing me that he is fine. The lady in the lab coat then tells me that Lou has to go with her and I start screaming “NO!”. I pull at Lou when I then noticed  the three Blockbuster guys waiting at the door, and then the zombie guy pushes his way through the blockbuster guys and tries to hand me the toilet paper.

I then wake up like-What the %^#*!

No more George Romero movies for me!