Peanut Butter and Honey Take the Hill's Healthy Mobility Challenge

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Hills Pet Nutrition for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Many of Roxy's Bay Head Blog's loyal readers know that London and Maddie have two beautiful cockapoos:  Peanut Butter is 19 months old and Honey is just a six-month-old.  Back home in the Roxiticus Valley, the girls have just joined the Doggone Crazy 4-H Club and are going to spend the next year learning all sorts of things about their dogs as part of their 4-H Dog Project.  For example, they will be researching nutrition and how much it costs to feed their dogs for a week, a month, a year.  

As part of their online research, London and Maddie visited Hill's Pet Nutrition and learned about Healthy Mobility Dog Food:  

• Specifically formulated to help dogs facing quality-of-life changes due to mobility problems
• High levels of omega-3 fatty acids for improved joint flexibility and enhanced active mobility in just 30 days
• Essential bone and joint cartilage support through chondroitin sulfate, EPA and glucosamine
• High-quality lean proteins for lean muscle and ideal body weight
• Antioxidant blend for healthy immune function

The girls think Peanut Butter and Honey are way too young to worry about mobility issues, but for their friends with older dogs they thought it made sense to "like" Hill's Pet Nutrition on Facebook  and register to take the Hill's Healthy Mobility Challenge and receive $30 in Hill's Healthy Mobility Coupon offers. Registering automatically enters you and your dog in the Hill's Sweepstakes where 30 winners will receive free pet food for a year.

Maddie and London's Costumes Have Arrived....Ready for the Bay Head Halloween Parade!

I know I’ve told you before, and I’ll tell you again…our family takes Halloween very very seriously. Even before London was a glimmer in our eyes, Rex and I would sit out on the porch of our beach house in Bay Head, New Jersey, on the Sunday before Halloween, and the crowds of ghosts, goblins, princesses, prom queens and football players would gather in front of the shops on Mount Street for the Bay Head Halloween Parade.


The year Maddie was born, my niece Candy sewed a homemade pumpkin costume for Baby Maddie and a farmer girl costume for London, and London pulled her sister along the parade route from Mount Street to the Bay Head Firehouse in a hay-filled (aaaahhchoo!) wagon. The girls won a trophy that year. The next year the girls chose a Wizard of Oz theme: London was Dorothy and Maddie was the Bad Witch...but London was afraid of the Bad Witch so she told Maddie the green make-up and black lipstick said "4 years and up" so Maddie ended up as the sweetest Bad Witch ever.

For several years running, we've competed as a family…sort of. We won a big trophy the year we did Little Red Riding Hood, starring Rex as the Big Bad Wolf, Roxy as Grandmom, Maddie as Little Red, and London as...the Mermaid Bride?  The next year, while you may be familiar with two Disney characters — Hannah Montana and Sleeping Beauty (Aurora) — you may not be aware that they were sisters. In 2007, London wanted to dress up as Hannah Montana, but Maddie had a theme picked out for our family…Maddie as Sleeping Beauty, Rex as her handsome prince, and Roxy as Maleficent, the thirteenth fairy who was not invited to princess Aurora’s christening. When Maddie saw her sister’s costume, she coveted the blonde wig and microphone and had to have one of her own, and the legend was born: Aurora Montana! The panel of judges smiled upon us and we won a family trophy in the Bay Head Halloween parade.

In 2008, the girls convinced me to be Barbie, and Rex was Ken, in our coordinating outfits from the Sixties. We rocked the parade route with not one but two Sharpays from High School Musical: Sharpay Golf and Sharpay End of the Year in gold hot pants. 

In 2009, Rex and I were pirates while the girls performed as their basement girl band the Butter Bites. Last year, Maddie, Peanut Butter, Rex and I dressed up as the Devil Dogs with London the Dark Angel.

This year, be on the lookout for London as a Nerd with Big Hair and Maddie as Sweet But Dangerous.  Rex and I have not been struck with any inspiration yet, but we still have a couple of weeks to change our minds and dress up....any suggestions?

This year's Bay Head Halloween Parade is scheduled for Sunday, October 30th.  Parade participants gather in front of the shops on Mount Street starting around 11:15am.  The parade begins at 11:45am with a firetruck followed by nerds, devils, goblins, ghosts, witches, princesses, superheroes and other creatures marching down Lake Avenue, left on Bridge Avenue to the Bay Head Firehouse.

London and Maddie Celebrate 10th Anniversary of Upromise: Maddie's Dream

This post brought to you by UPromise. All opinions are 100% mine.

Since my beautiful London turned ten back in January, I was not at all surprised to learn that Upromise is celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year.  www.upromisetodream.com will be giving away $20,000 to users who share a story that tells how a parent has supported a child's dream.  Upromise members have received more than $600 million in college savings through their rewards program, and over the ten years since we joined the program, our family has saved over $10,000 for London and Maddie's education...and it hasn't cost us a thing.  We just take advantage of Upromise savings everywhere we can...we refinanced two mortgages through Upromise and Washington Mutual, we shop online through Upromise, and pick up a few pennies every time we go grocery shopping...it really adds up.

Now Upromise wants to celebrate all of the ways it's program has helped to fuel those sparks that made children into the people they are today and the adults they will become tomorrow.  Members can participate in the sweepstakes by submitting a story, and can vote on their favorite stories by “liking” them. Upromise will give away $1,000 to ten winners and a $10,000 grand prize winner will be selected from the participants. Check out the dream wall official rules, then join the Upromise movement, share your experiences and give a spark to help fuel the flame of your child's future dreams.

I'm going to submit one dream for London, and one dream for Maddie.  I'll talk about London's dream over on my Roxiticus Desperate Housewives blog, but here at Roxy's Bay Head Blog we'll feature her younger sister, Maddie.  Maddie is my beach girl, my tomboy, my softball player. She's always looked up to London and joined her in many activities, including modern dance, gymnastics, musical theatre, and selling painted seashells for 25 cents at our beach house in Bay Head, NJ, but it wasn't until she started playing softball in the 2nd grade that Maddie discovered her own identity and found her passion. This year, as a 3rd grader, Maddie started pitching for our Mendham Minors Mets rec league team, and the rest is history.  In September, Maddie will join the Branchburg Blaze 10U travel softball team to pursue her dream of playing softball year-round...we'll hope it takes her all the way through college.

Click on the link to the dream wall, and comment here on my blog post, to share your dreams.

Jedi Clam Eaters, Sherman Brothers Band and DJ Trish Fans Alert: 16th Annual Clam Bake in Bay Head, NJ on Saturday, August 20th

Since my two girls are Jedi clam eaters, it may surprise you to know that we've never participated in the Annual Clam Bake to benefit the Bay Head Fire Company #1.

There's a first time for everything, they say, and this may be our year...DJ Trish stopped by Roxy's Bay Head Blog to let me know that the 16th annual clam bake is scheduled for Saturday, August 20th, from noon to 5pm, rain or shine (and we're hopin' for lots of shine) at the fire house, 81 Bridge Avenue in Bay Head, New Jersey. The food will include clam chowder, steamers, cherry stones, hot dogs, hamburgers, corn on the cob, hot roast beef and sausage sandwiches, beer and soda. You can get discounted tickets in advance, or pay full price at the gate (last year they were $32).

As or more importantly, there will be live music, including the fabulous Sherman Brothers Band...our plumbers really rock! DJ Trish will also be rockin' the gazebo, so get your tickets, discounted in advance, or pay full price at the gate (last year they were $32 per person).

Hook, Line and Sinker

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Straight Talk for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I haven't been fishing at the beach in Bay Head for more than ten years...as we were babyproofing our beach house, I gave all my hooks and lures to our next door neighbor the summer after London was born, but something tells me Straight Talk has caught me hook, line and sinker with their no nonsense cell phone plans. Just check out this funny video and you'll see what I mean:

<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/h_EeaIFiDaw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Every year we use the land line at our beach house a little bit less, and as I get set to turn it back on for the months of August and September I wonder if I could just go all cell phone all the time.  When we're at the beach, we like to get away from it all, with no cable TV and minimal technology, we just use a cell phone when we need to call a friend.  When we're working from our beach house, it's nice to have a phone for business conference calls, and we can use Straight Talk International Long Distance, a flexible prepaid calling service, we can make international calls from home, cell or office phone at low rates. No unfortunate surprises when the international phone bill comes.

What's great about Straight Talk is there are no surprise bills, no credit checks, and no contracts.  Who needs to sign a cell phone contract when you can get everything you need without one? Great nationwide coverage.  Excellent cell reception/connectivity. A choice of phones from trusted manufacturers like LG, Nokia, Kyocera, Motorola and Samsung. Monthly plans include the “All You Need Plan” that meets even the needs of heavy phone users with 1,000 minutes, 1,000 texts and 30 MB of web data. Or get unlimited monthly service for only $45. That's unlimited calls, text, picture messaging and web for a whole year, for only $499 with no activation, reactivation, or termination fees.  Reconditioned phones start at $10 with camera, mp3 player, mobile web access, and blue-tooth capability. Or step up to impressive smart phones, touch screen phones, and app capable phones with features like voice navigation, camera, video recorder, music player, instant messaging, and Bluetooth®.

Feels like we may be kissing our beach house land line goodbye this summer...maybe I'll spend the savings on some new fishing gear and get out there to catch some dinner....I hear the stripers are running.

Music Monday: "Power Windows" by Billy Falcon

This past weekend, we were down at our beach house in Bay Head for the first time in a long time...London and Maddie's softball, a mini-high school reunion at our home in the Roxiticus Valley, and the crazy heatwave kept us away for several weeks in a row, but it sure was great to be back. Even as the rain poured down on Friday night (paving the way for a perfect beach weekend), I was happy to sit out on our porch with Rex and the puppies, drinking my 4 o'clock beer and listening to some classic late 80s/early 90s tunes on my iPod. "Heaven's Highest Hill" (featured this week on Roxiticus Desperate Housewives) came on and I knew it had to be Billy Falcon theme week for my Music Monday posts. "Power Windows" took me back to 1991 and my on-again, off-again long distance relationship with Johnny Moneybags and reminded me it was worth the wait for my happy ending without him.



Charlie drives a brand new Mercedes Benz.
He's got another one just like it, just like all his friends.
His wife is playin' tennis and his kids are off at school.
He drives home to his empty house and sits by his empty swimming pool.

But, he's got power windows. He's got power brakes.
He's got a power bed. Push a button and it shakes.
He's got no one to talk to and tears rolling down his face.
He's ain't got the power of love...

Louis drives a beat up '69 Dart.
Swares it's the statue of Mary that keeps the car from falling apart.
With Gracie right beside him sittin' closer than a smile.
She's got her head on his shoulder.
He loves to drive and hold her.

He got no power windows. Got no power brakes.
He ain't got no power nothin' but he got what it takes.
He's got Gracie's arm around him and a smile on his face.
He's got the power of love.

No air condition'...no cellular telephone.
He goes rumblin' down the highway listenin' to his A.M. radio.
With one arm out the window and a smile on his face
Makes you wonder how he got there 'til you see him look at Grace...

No power windows...got no power brakes..
he ain't got no power nothin' but he got what it takes...
one arm out the window and a smile upon his face...
it makes you wonder how he got there until you see hime look at Grace...
See him look at grace.

He got the power... ain't that the power of love
He's got the power...ain't that the power of love
He's got the power...ain't that the power of love
He's got the poer...ain't that the...he got no
power windows...got no power brakes
He ain't got no power nothing but he got what it takes...
power of love...the power of love...he got the power...the power of love

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Music Monday: Make Me Lose Control by Eric Carmen

Yeah, I know I've been neglecting my blogs, but I'm back in a big way this week with an Eric Carmen theme on Music Monday. Over on Roxiticus Desperate Housewives, I've got two different versions (1974 and 2005) of "Go All the Way," and here's a great radio-loving tune from the '80s. And yes, even Eric Carmen had bad hair in the 80s.



I run a comb through my hair and step out in the street
And the city's the color of flame in the mid-summer heat, oh yeah
Jennifer's got her daddy's car, she's playing up-town on the stereo
We go cruisin' so close, the way they did long ago

My darlin'

CHORUS:
(Turn) Turn the radio up for that sweet sound
Hold me close never let me go
(Keep) Keep this feelin' alive
Make me lose control
Baby baby
(When) When I look in your eyes, I go crazy
Fever's high with the lights down low
(So take) Take me over the edge
Make me lose control

We put the top down and park with the moon in the sky
And the wind is so hot in our hair, like a fire in july, oh yeah
Jennifer's singin' "Stand by Me" and she knows every single word by heart
Was love always this good, or could this be just the start?

Oh darlin'

CHORUS

Keep my baby clothes on, and were movin' in time
And the heat from your touch, makes me feel like I'm losing my mind
Oh yeah
(And then they played) Back in my arms again(We close our eyes) We start rememberin' when
(We start to kiss) And all the feelings return
And we just pray that this night never ends

Oh, my darlin'
(Turn) Turn the radio up for that sweet sound
Hold me close never let me go
Keep this feelin' alive make me lose control
Baby
When I look in your eyes, I go crazy
Fever's high with the lights down low
(So take) Take me over the edge
Make me lose control

Baby baby

(Turn) Turn the radio up for that sweet sound
Hold me close never let me go
(Keep) Keep this feelin' alive make me lose control

When I look in your eyes, I go crazy
Fever's high with the lights down low
(So take) Take me over the edge make me lose control

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Music Monday: Rock the Casbah by the Clash

This week's Music Monday post is a tribute to DJ Trish, who sent me a new workout mix that has enabled me to take my elliptical training to the next level...1.5 miles, 11 minutes without taking a break to lie down on the gym floor. Listening to her mix CD, I also realized that I didn't own a digital copy of Combat Rock by the Clash, including this classic that's been helping me to work my way into those circa 1995 Daisy Dukes that I intend to wear for spring break in Southern California...thanks Trish!



Now the king told the boogie men
You have to let that raga drop
The oil down the desert way
Has been shakin' to the top
The sheik he drove his Cadillac
He went a' cruisnin' down the ville
The muezzin was a' standing
On the radiator grille

[Chorus]
The shareef don't like it
Rockin' the Casbah
Rock the Casbah
The shareef don't like it
Rockin' the Casbah
Rock the Casbah

By order of the prophet
We ban that boogie sound
Degenerate the faithful
With that crazy Casbah sound
But the Bedouin they brought out
The electric camel drum
The local guitar picker
Got his guitar picking thumb
As soon as the shareef
Had cleared the square
They began to wail

[Chorus]

Now over at the temple
Oh! They really pack 'em in
The in crowd say it's cool
To dig this chanting thing
But as the wind changed direction
The temple band took five
The crowd caught a wiff
Of that crazy Casbah jive

[Chorus]

The king called up his jet fighters
He said you better earn your pay
Drop your bombs between the minarets
Down the Casbah way

As soon as the shareef was
Chauffeured outta there
The jet pilots tuned to
The cockpit radio blare

As soon as the shareef was
Outta their hair
The jet pilots wailed

[Chorus]

He thinks it's not kosher
Fundamentally he can't take it.
You know he really hates it.

Now the king told the boogie men
You have to let that raga drop
The oil down the desert way
Has been shakin' to the top
The sheik he drove his Cadillac
He went a' cruisnin' down the ville
The muezzin was a' standing
On the radiator grille

[Chorus]
The shareef don't like it
Rockin' the Casbah
Rock the Casbah
The shareef don't like it
Rockin' the Casbah
Rock the Casbah

By order of the prophet
We ban that boogie sound
Degenerate the faithful
With that crazy Casbah sound
But the Bedouin they brought out
The electric camel drum
The local guitar picker
Got his guitar picking thumb
As soon as the shareef
Had cleared the square
They began to wail

[Chorus]

Now over at the temple
Oh! They really pack 'em in
The in crowd say it's cool
To dig this chanting thing
But as the wind changed direction
The temple band took five
The crowd caught a wiff
Of that crazy Casbah jive

[Chorus]

The king called up his jet fighters
He said you better earn your pay
Drop your bombs between the minarets
Down the Casbah way

As soon as the shareef was
Chauffeured outta there
The jet pilots tuned to
The cockpit radio blare

As soon as the shareef was
Outta their hair
The jet pilots wailed

[Chorus]

He thinks it's not kosher
Fundamentally he can't take it.
You know he really hates it.

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.



PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Music Monday for London's Birthday: I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing by Mark Chesnutt

Over the past weekend, we celebrated London's 10th birthday with dinner at the Bernards Inn in Bernardsville, NJ on Friday night, followed by a birthday resort spa slumber party (complete with foot baths and mud masks) on Saturday night. This week's Music Monday theme, dedicated to the birthday girl, is "I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing," with Mark Chesnutt here at Roxy's Bay Head Blog and Aerosmith over on Roxiticus Desperate Housewives.

Happy birthday to my beautiful 10-year-old.



I could stay awake just to hear you breathing
Watch you smile while you are sleeping
While you're far away and dreaming
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender
I could stay lost in this moment forever
Where every moment spent with you
Is a moment I treasure

I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
I'd still miss you
And I don't wanna miss a thing

Lying close to you, feeling your heart beating
And I'm wondering what your dreaming
Wondering if it's me your seeing
And then I kiss your eyes, and thank God we're together
I just wanna stay with you
In this moment forever

I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
I'd still miss you
And I don't wanna miss a thing

I don't wanna miss one smile
I don't wanna miss one kiss
Well, I just wanna be with you, right here with you
Just like this
I just wanna hold you close
Feel your heart so close to mine
And just stay here in this moment
For all the rest of time

I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
I'd still miss you
And I don't wanna miss a thing

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.



PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Music Monday: Laid by James

Just this week I tracked down this 1993 song by James (Matt Nathanson covered it in the 2003 movie American Wedding) and bought it on iTunes...it's been in my head since I used to go to see Brian Kirk & the Jerks at Donovan's Reef in Sea Bright, NJ...but I never knew the name or the original performer and it's only lately that I've taken full advantage of Google search to find old favorite songs based on a lyric or two. Now all I need to do is find a recording of "Donovan's Girl" by Brian Kirk & the Jerks.

I used iTunes Genius to create a "Laid" playlist for my workout...lots of Gin Blossoms, John Mayer, Lucinda Williams. Anyway, the video is a bit odd but I think you'll like the song.



This bed is on fire
With passionate love
The neighbours complain about the noises above
But she only comes when she’s on top

My therapist said not to see you no more
She said you’re like a disease without any cure
She said I’m so obsessed that I’m becoming a bore, oh no
Ah, you think you’re so pretty

Caught your hand inside the till
Slammed your fingers in the door
Fought with kitchen knives and skewers
Dressed me up in womens clothes
Messed around with gender roles
Dye my eyes and call me pretty

Moved out of the house, so you moved next door
I locked you out, you cut a hole in the wall
I found you sleeping next to me, I thought I was alone
You’re driving me crazy, when are you coming home

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.


PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!