Things to do with your kids this summer on a budget

As the summer approaches finding things to do with your kids can be a challenge, especially if you are looking for things to do on a budget. If you are like me, you want to keep your kids busy during the summer doing fun activities, so they aren’t always on their electronics.  My girls are now teenagers at 13 and 14 years old. They love hanging out with their friends and this summer they will be busy playing softball, but on days they aren’t at the fields I wanted some go to activities I could entertain them with.  I have been doing several of these activities with my kids since they were toddlers and each year there are a few more things to choose from. It’s great to have more options. Here are a few of my favorites.

Since my girls are getting older they can now go to the gym and workout. We are fortunate to live in the city of Seminole and have a free gym at the Seminole Recreation Center. You have to be 12 years old to go with an adult, so they can both go with me. Be sure to check and see if your city’s recreation center offers free memberships to their residents. If you don’t have a free gym, you are in luck. This year Planet Fitness is offering free workouts for teens agers 15-18 all summer long from May 15 to September 1. You can find out more by clicking here. 

If your kids like going to the movies several of the theaters offer discounts on movies for kids during the summer. Cobb theaters offer Free Kids Summer Movie escape with free movies for kids starting June 11 and will continue every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 10am through the August 1. Some of the movies include Smallfoot, Smurfs, Curious George and more. We have several Cobb theaters in the area you can find out more information by going to their website by clicking here.  AMC theaters is offering a $4 special for kids and it includes a movie ticket and kids pack including a drink and popcorn. It is every Wednesday and the movies include Trolls, Lego Movie 2, Teen Titans Go and more. Here’s a link for more information click here. Studio Movie Grill offers movies for $5 on Tuesdays all year long and you can see any movie for $5.

If your kids like to fish the Kiwanis Club of Seminole Breakfast has several free fishing days for kids ages 14 years and younger. This summer mark your calendar for Saturday, June 1 and August 3 from 8am-11am. Fishing is done at Taylor Park located at 1100 8th Avenue SW in Largo. They provide the bait and the fishing poles. On August 10 from 9am-3pm Angler Armory is hosting a back to school free fishing day at Madeira Beach Recreation Center, 200 Rex Place, Madeira Beach. They will have bounce houses, raffles, food, prizes and more. Every kid 15 years and younger will get a free membership to Angler Armory. For more information go to their website by clicking here.  Gates open at 8am that day to register.

If it’s too hot to be outdoors or maybe it’s raining and you want to get the kids out of the house, there are quite a few deals to go to museums for free this summer. If your child is a fourth grader they can get a voucher to go to museums for free this summer. The program is called Every Kid in a Park. Kids can get free admission by visiting the website by clicking here. There is also a program called Museums on Us if you are a Bank of America, Merrill Lynch or U.S Trust cardholder. You can get a free ticket on the first full weekend of every month at over 225 participating museums including The Florida Aquarium, Tampa Museum of Art, Florida Holocaust Museum and Museum of Fine Arts. You can find out more here. Don’t forget Glazer Children’s Museum always offers the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County free Tuesdays the first Tuesday of the month from noon to 6pm. They are located at 110 W. Gasparilla Plaza in Tampa. The museum is great for kids ages birth to 10 years old.

I know bowling and roller skating is fun to do with the kids. Did you know you can do it for free all summer long? The Kids Bowl Free program offers two games a day of bowling all summer long. All you have to do is pay for the shoes. If you have shoes you don’t pay a thing. You must register here. Locally we have some great bowling alleys all over Pinellas County participating in this program including Seminole Lanes in Seminole, Liberty Lanes in Largo, Sunrise and Ten Pin Lanes in St. Petersburg, Maple Lanes Countryside in Clearwater and Dunedin Lanes in Dunedin. Go to the website for other participating bowling alleys. Kids must be between 2-14 to register. 

I found locally Astro Skate in Pinellas Park, 10001 66th Street N. offers free skating for kids 12 years and younger. Skating passes are good for Wednesdays and Saturdays from 6:30 pm- 8:30 pm. You can find out other participating locations on the website and register here. 

It’s important for kids to read this summer and if they read they can get a free book at Barnes and Noble. Kids grades 1-6 can earn a free book. Go here to register your child and start reading. My girls have done this the past several years and it does seem to motivate them to read. You print out the reading log and when finished turn it in for a free book. 

I found a few other ideas for the summer with Microsoft and Apple. They have offer free workshops and camps for kids. Apple has their Apple camp for ages 8 to 12. It is free and is at area Apple stores. They are 90 minute sessions and include coding and robotics, moviemaking or musical storytelling. To find out more click here. All campers must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian during the camp. Microsoft has a free camp at International Plaza. Most of their camps are for ages 8 and up and 13 and up. To find out more go to their website by clicking here and look for events for students. There you will find the different camps offered.

Younger kids can take part in the free Home Depot workshops for kids. The workshops are offered all year long, the first Saturday of the month from 9am to noon.  On June 1 the craft for the month is building a tabletop putting green. I know my kids loved going to Home Depot on Saturdays with their grandpa to make all sorts of wood items. Now they have outgrown it, but my sister and brother’s kids still go. It ’s a great place to learn basic skills of carpentry like how to use a hammer and how to paint. Kids get to build their item and either paint or put stickers on their craft. Kids receive a certificate and a workshop apron and commemorative pin all for free. 

I hope you are able to use at least one of these ideas. 

Things to do with the kids this summer on a budget

The kids are out of school and if you are like me, you are looking for fun things to do that won’t cost you ton. Every year I browse the paper, internet and flyers sent home from school to find some of the best and cheapest things to do. Here are some of the activities I’ve done with my two girls, ages 12 and 13, over the years and a few new ones I’ve found.

My kids love going to the movies, but they can be so expensive. During the summer you can go to the movies for $1. This is part of the Regal Theatres Summer Movie Express. It runs for 9 weeks starting June 5^th in our area.  The movies are Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. A portion of the proceeds goes to the Will Rogers Institute. Go to their website at www.regmovies.com and look up promotions. The movie theatres locally are Park Place Stadium 16 and Regal Largo Mall 8. The movies are G or PG and start at 10 a.m. Some of the movies include: Despicable Me, How to Train Your Dragon2, The Lego Movie, the Peanuts Movie, The Secret Life of Pets, The Minions and more.

For older kids and adults Clearwater Beach offers free movies on Friday and Saturday nights at Sunset at Pier 60. You can see movies like Lion King, Black Panther, Apollo, Moana, Jaws, A Wrinkle in Time and more. Go to the their website to find the listings at www.sunsetsatpier60.com.

If older kids want to see the latest releases head to Studio Movie Grill in Seminole all movies all day are $5 on Tuesdays.

My girls love to bowl. Kids can go bowling for free all summer long. It is part of the Kids Bowl Free program. Bowling alleys all around the United States participate. Locally kids can go in Largo to Liberty Lanes, in St. Petersburg to Ten Pin Lanes or Sunrise Lanes, in Dunedin to Dunedin Lanes and in Clearwater to Maple LanesCountryside, in Seminole to Seminole Lanes and in Port Richey to Lane-Glo Lanes North. Kids get to bowl 2 games free a day. You must register at www.kidsbowlfree.com. Remember to bring bowling shoes or you can rent them.

We are so fortunate to have baseball all around us. Not only do we have the TampaBay Rays, but we also have 4 minor-league baseball teams in the area. If your kids like baseball, the minor league team tickets very affordable. The Clearwater Threshers have dollar Tuesdays, where the tickets and food sell for $1. We went recently, and it was a blast. The Tampa Bay Tarpons formerly the Tampa Bay Yankees have a great kids club where you pay $20 and get a bunch of fun items including a hat and all Sunday games are free with a food voucher for hotdog, soda and chips. The Dunedin Blue Jays and the Lakeland Flying Tigers also have kid’s clubs and great promotions on ticket deals and food. Go to the team’s web sites for more information.

One place my two girls love going to is the beach and it’s free. Did you know that on Friday nights there’s a place on North Redington Beach that offers hula dance lessons to kids and adults? It is at Mango’s Restaurant and Tiki Bar which is located right behind DoubleTree Beach Resort. You can listen to tropical music on the beach and right before sunset on Friday nights the Sunset Island Dancers come out and put on a wonderful hula show. The kids have a lot of fun!!

If your children like to read and like baseball, they can read their way around the bases with the Reading with the Rays program. Just for reading a certain number of hours during the summer, they can get a free ticket to a Ray’s game. You can find out more at your local library.

Kids can also earn a free book at Barnes and Noble with the Barnes and Noble Summer reading program. It is for kids grades first through sixth. If your child reads 8 of their own books and journals the books, they can get a free book at the store. You can find out more at www.barnesandnoble.com.

If your children like to build things or make crafts, take them to Home Depot this summer. They offer a free workshop for kids the first Saturday of the month from 9 am to noon.  On Saturday, July 7 they will host a workshop on building a fishing game. Recommended ages are 5-12. The crafts the children make are incredible. The kids get to keep their craft and receive a free certificate of achievement, a workshop apron and commemorative pin. This may be something a grandparent wants to do with their grandchild. I know my kids love it!

The Glazer Museum in Tampa offers free museum admission on the first Tuesday of the month to everyone from 12-7 p.m. You can find out more here. 

The summer is a great time to explore where you live. There are so many fun things to do right in your own backyard. You just have to know where to look and make the most of it!  Hopefully this gives you a few ideas of things to do with your kids and you won’t have to spend too much money.

Looking for lovelies in life

Is this glass half empty or half full??

There's so much going on around us and sometimes we hear and see so much negative news. It's easy to dwell and get wrapped up in the negative. I have always been taught, though from my parents to think of the positive and try to be the person with the glass half full instead of half empty. I know personally, when I look for good things, I do find them, and it makes my day! I like to call good things that happen each day "lovelies."

I recently started telling my daughters about the lovelies in my day and then ask them, what kind of lovelies they had in their day? At first, they didn't have any, but then all the sudden they would give me a lovely for the day. It could be anything from I got a great grade on a paper, to a friend said something nice to me today.

The other day my older daughter, Randi, even called me when she was out somewhere, to tell me she had a lovely. This was the first time she called me about a lovely, so I knew this was going to be a good one and it was. She said, "Mom, one of Graci's teammates moms made a special soup for Graci since she wasn't feeling well. Isn't that a great lovely?" I told her, “Yes, it was a wonderful lovely.”

I am so happy my girls are looking for what’s going right in their day. We need to be on the lookout for good things happening. It's so easy to miss them if we aren't thinking positive. And kids need positive reinforcement, especially today when so much negative news makes the airwaves and social media.

Sometimes my lovelies even come later after the fact. Have you ever had something good turn out from something you thought was so bad? It has happened to me quite a bit. Do you remember that Garth Brooks song, "Unanswered Prayers" from 1990? The song is about a man who returns to high school and runs into his old flame, a girl he thought he was in love with until he met his wife, who he married and knows is the best person for him. It’s kind of like that song. I have experienced things turning for good, when something bad happens or something I didn’t want to happen. Now, I don’t dwell on it and try and think what good will be coming from it. It keeps my mind positive and I don’t get stressed like I use to. I know when you are dealing with something it’s hard to do, try it and see if it works for you.

Try looking for your lovelies in life and I know you’ll start seeing a brighter tomorrow.

Sports are valuable for kids to play

Riptides 12 U team wins Districts in 2017

This past weekend, my daughter played six games of softball and four of the games were played in one day. Yes, softball is in full season. Both of my girls play softball and they are on two teams each. One is recreation softball and the other is an extreme team, which is a travel ball team. It is quite a commitment. I know a lot of families who are on travel teams travel all over the US. We are fortunate our travel team plays within a few hours radius from home.

Randi and Graci started out playing tennis when younger.

My two daughters’ have been playing sports since they were 4 and 5 years old. The first sport they wanted to play was tennis. I think they started out with tennis because their cousins played tennis. The next sport was soccer, then T-ball, baseball and it eventually lead to softball.

Being in sports has helped my girls in so many ways. They learn how to win and to lose. They learn how to play as a team and as an individual. They learn how work for a goal. They also learn camaraderie and sportsmanship. Another benefit is they are exercising and in today's world of electronics it's important to get them some physical activity.

Since my girls have been playing softball for the past four years, it's amazing to see how their skills have developed over the years.

My husband and I always try to encourage out kids.  Sometimes they get upset if they strike out, don’t get a hit or make a bad play. When we go to baseball games or watch on television our favorite teams the Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago Cubs, we can show the girls even the professionals strike out and don’t get hits every time.  We tell them even their favorite players make errors, but they don’t let it get them down and get right back in the game.

I know from my own experience that when I was playing sports and going to school, I didn’t have time to do much else. I played soccer, basketball and softball. I wasn’t good enough to go to college on a scholarship, but I still enjoyed playing.

I think it was even more important for kids to play sports in middle and high school because those are the years that kids seem to get into trouble, if they don’t have anything to do. When you are involved in sports you don’t have time to be bored and get into trouble. The other good thing is you have to keep up your grades to play sports. Most kids like playing sports, so they get good grades.

Parents try to help your kids find a sport they like to do, whether it’s a team sport or an individual sport. It can make a big difference in your child’s life and who knows they may even end up receiving a scholarship for college.

Randi and Graci at a softball game.

The benefits of music at a young age

Graci playing guitar at age 5 with a family friend
and recording artist Jeremy Rizer

Randi at her piano lesson.

Music is something we love in our house. My oldest daughter Randi, who is 13 years old, has been playing piano for the past four years and my youngest daughter Graci, who just turned 12 years old, has taken guitar lessons in the past and recently started voice lessons.

I sit in on the lessons and listen and it is truly amazing to see how professor Donovick works with Randi. She can read music, but also plays by ear.

I am amazed when they start playing songs at how fast she picks it up.We are so blessed to have instructors who are truly gifted in what they teach. Randi’s piano teacher is Jeff Donovick, a music professor at St. Petersburg College. Randi has been taking lessons for a little over a year and he is a phenomenal teacher and knows exactly what teaching method works best for Randi. I took piano when I was younger and stayed with it for a few years and never really excelled at it; Randi, on the other hand, is blessed with a musical talent and a teacher who is bringing that talent out.  

I know studies have shown starting kids in musical training when they are young not only benefits them musically, but it also helps develop their cognitive skills and do better at school in subjects such as math. I was reading on the website of the National Association of Music Merchants about a study done by the College Entrance Examination Board that found students involved in public school music programs scored 107 points higher on the SATs than students with no participation.

My girls haven’t taken the SATs yet, but I can tell you they do well in school.

Playing an instrument also helps with confidence building. I can see that in both of my daughters. Randi’s teacher has given her not only confidence in playing the piano, but in singing. He heard her sing while playing and she has a beautiful voice and now she sings while playing some of her songs.

Graci singing a few years ago
with her guitar teacher
Charlie Coffman.

Graci did take guitar a few years ago, but decided she like singing more. Taking guitar was good, because she learned how to read music and her teacher had her do a few recitals playing in front of crowds, which helped build her confidence and not be afraid to get up in front of people. Since she started out when she was young, she wasn’t as nervous as an older person getting up in front of people. 

Graci singing the National
Anthem at the 
Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast

A few months ago, she started voice lessons with a wonderful teacher, Lee Tong. Tong is a professional opera singer and soloist in her church. After just a few months of lessons, Graci’s voice has really developed and sounds beautiful. Tong is a great teacher for Graci because she knows how to bring the best out of her and Graci enjoys practicing something that sometimes can be hard to get kids to do. Not only has her confidence in singing increased, but she’s reading music more and singing has helped her with her poise when speaking in front of large crowds.

Both my kids take private lessons because their schools haven’t had piano or voice, but I do know there are schools that offer these classes. Most middle schools and high schools offer band and chorus to students. If your child has the chance to play an instrument, I encourage them to do so. Even elementary school sometimes offer students lessons on playing the recorder. The benefits of learning at a young age is such a wonderful gift and will last throughout their life.

Room makeovers with kids- Getting them motivated!!!

Randi's room makeover

(previously posted 4/13/17)
In our house we have been spring cleaning. My goals were to declutter, be more organized and simplify what we have in our house. 

Randi taping off the edges before
priming her room.

My two girls decided they wanted to get involved in the process. My oldest daughter, Randi who is 12 years old wanted to give her room a makeover.  It's been a few years since we really did a deep cleaning getting rid of old toys, games and knick knacks.  It was also time to get rid of clothes she had outgrown. While we were doing this, she asked if she could redesign her room with a new coat of paint and rearrange  her furniture. I gave her the ok and she was off and running with it.

She got on the computer looking for picture of a room she liked and was ready to replicate the look. Her walls have a chair rail already, so she wanted two paint colors for the wall. The bottom half she picked a beautiful baby blue color and for the top half she went three shades lighter.  

Randi was so persistent in doing her room, before I knew it she she taped off the walls, primed the walls with the help of her sister, Graci age 11, and then started painting.  

Randi priming her walls before she paints.

My husband helped get her the supplies and helped paint a little of the room, but most of it Randi did on her own. She really did an amazing job.  

She went online and found several items for her room including a beautiful tapestry to cover part of the wall for only $9.99.  I was impressed.  She also picked out a wall photo organizer and new blinds and a new comforter and few other items. She gave me the list and ordered them for her. She knew exactly how she wanted her room. Did I mention she was using her own money to pay for the items and the paint? We agreed before she started if she wanted to do this she would pay for it with some of her money she had in her savings account. 

Graci and Randi having fun
painting!

Of course once Randi's room was finished it looked like something out of a magazine at least that's what friends and relatives said when they saw a photo of her room redesigned. It really made Randi feel good because she picked out everything and paid for it. Even my friend, Julya who is a home stager gave her stamp of approval for how Randi's room came out.

As you can imagine if you have two children who are close in age, once Randi's room was finished Graci was ready to do her room. Graci wanted more than a new coat of paint on her walls. She wanted to get new furniture too. We decided to sell her furniture. The money we made we used to purchase new furniture, which worked out perfectly. 

Graci also picked out a picture on the internet of what she wanted her room to look like. She wanted her room to feel more relaxing. She went from dark purple to gray walls giving her more of a spa atmosphere.  With the help of my friend Julya, we were able to make Graci's room look like the picture without spending a lot of money. Graci needed more help than Randi at painting her room, but I expected that. She is younger. 

Graci with Julya Kemp, a friend
and owner of New Outlook
Home Staging, helping her pick out
a color for her walls.

Graci is the second child and as you can imagine gets a lot of hand me downs, so we needed to get rid of toys and clothes she didn't use any more.

Once we got all her things together I had the girls help me with a garage sale and told them any money they made from their stuff they could keep.

My goal during all of this was to teach them a little about money and how hard they have to work to make money and how fast it can go when you buy things. 

Graci's room makeover

I think their rooms will mean more to them since they helped pick out the paint, decorations and used their own money to pay for it.

I never knew my girls would take spring cleaning to a whole new level. Since they are getting a little older now, it's great that they can help me with their rooms. I feel so much more organized and I know the girls do. It's like a breath of fresh air! 

Making memories in the Florida cold!

Gaylord Palms Resort's ICE! Christmas Around the World

It’s not too often Florida kids get to play in freezing cold temperatures and throw snow balls. Even though we’ve had some bitterly cold temperatures lately, it’s nothing like the nine-degree temperatures in Orlando at Gaylord Palms Resort’s ICE! This year the theme is Christmas Around the World.  

The Tubbs Family at ICE! 

Recently my family was invited to experience ICE! It is in its fifteenth season and is self-guided walk through experience of a winter wonderland, where two million pounds of colorful ice has been carved into larger-than-life ice sculptures by some of the finest artisans from Harbin, China. This year the sculptures represent holiday scenes from various nations including a two-story ice sculpture with slides visitors can go down.  There’s also ice sculptures of the traditional Santa’s North Pole and a beautiful nativity scene created with crystal clear ice. The nativity is my favorite part because it brings in the true meaning of Christmas.

Graci and Randi inside ICE!

Kadi, Graci and Randi at the nativity.

My two daughters Randi (13) and Graci (11) are Florida girls, so feeling the freezing cold temperatures and seeing ice sculptures isn’t something they experience too often.  Even though their teeth were chattering at times, they loved it!

They could only stand the freezing temperatures for about a half an hour, still it was plenty of time to see everything and go down the slides, which probably was their favorite part.  It truly is fascinating looking at the details in the sculptures.  

The slides made of ice inside ICE!

Remembering the days of the “Elf on the Shelf”

The "Elf on the Shelf"

Have you heard about the “Elf on the Shelf?” If you haven’t, it is a little material elf about 8 inches in height that comes in a keepsake box with a hardcover book you read your children called “The Elf on the Shelf.”  The book explains all about the elf and how he is Santa’s helper during the holidays. The elf watches each day to make sure the boys and girls are being good. At night, while the children are sleeping he reports back to Santa about how the kids were that day. When the kids wake up the elf is usually in a new spot somewhere around the house. It is somewhat of a family tradition during the Christmas holiday for many and the fun part for the kids is finding out where the elf is hiding each day.

When my girls were 3 and 5 years old is when we got him. We read the book, named the elf and registered him online. And that night the elf started playing the hide and seek game. Well, it didn’t last long, and my girls were frightened of the “Elf on the Shelf.”  We ended up telling the girls the elf had to go to the North Pole to help Santa and wouldn’t be back that year. The girls were happy he was gone.

We brought him back about three years later. The girls were helping me put up the Christmas decorations and found the elf packed away in a box with our Christmas stuff. They begged to have him out again and for us to re-read the story.

Since the girls were older ages 6 and 8, my husband and I thought we would have some fun with the elf.  The girls were in elementary school and both of their teachers had an “Elf on the Shelf” in their classrooms. Their teachers told the students the elf would be watching the class, so the kids needed to be good.

That year, my 8-year-old daughter became a little obsessed with our elf. At first, she was skeptical about the elf being “real” because she told me he’s just a stuffed animal with a tag. But after her teacher brought out the elf in school and told the kids the elf was “real,” she wanted her elf at home to be “real” too. She decided she would leave her iPod out and ask him to make her a video. She had seen other videos online other elves had made. She also wrote him a note. That night she couldn’t sleep. She kept waking up to see if he moved, to see if he wrote her a note back or if he did a video. She was a little afraid and excited at the same time. She hardly slept. The next morning, the elf was in a different spot and wrote her a note. She was so excited and couldn’t wait for the next night.

The next day and night were worse, as far as my daughter’s obsession with the elf. All she could think about was this elf and where was he going to move and how he moved. If that wasn’t bad enough my 6-year-old daughter, who by the way didn’t really care one way or the other about the elf, played a trick the older one. She moved the elf during the day, wrote a note from the elf and even made a video with the elf moving. This really had older daughter nervous. Even though the younger daughter admitted to moving the elf, my 8-year-old couldn’t sleep that night and my husband finally had to box up the elf and ship him back to the North Pole.

The elf came back last Christmas, when the girls found him hiding in our garage in one of the Christmas boxes. Even though they were 10 and 12, they decided to give him away to my nephew who was looking for an elf of his own. We joke about the elf and I think the girls kind of miss him, but secretly I think they are glad he isn’t in the house.

New movie theater has long been anticipated by kids

It’s always a treat to go to the movies, but going to the VIP grand opening of our local movie theater Studio Movie Grill in Seminole was even more exciting. My two girls Randi (13) and Graci (11) have been waiting for something fun to go into the new Seminole City Center for the past few years. Since the rebuilding of our mall, they have been asking when are we going to get something fun for kids to do at the new mall? The mall has quite a few stores and restaurants, but for kids a movie theater is something special.

The grand opening was a lot of fun. The girls were able to walk down the red carpet. There were characters from Star Wars there including Darth Vader and Princess Leia. They were there to promote the new movie coming out December 15, 2017, Star Wars: The Last Jedi. They alas had fun meeting the professional wrestler Brian Knobbs, who is best known as part of the tag team The Nasty Boys with Jerry Sags. There was also a ribbon cutting with the Seminole Mayor Leslie Waters and City Council.

The ambiance of this building is beautiful with the wonderful outdoor seating and view. We were able to sit on the patio having appetizers and drinks in the fall Florida weather overlooking the entrance lined with palm trees and beautiful landscape and lighting. There is also a huge covered lounge area with lots of televisions. This area is open to the public and you don’t have to see a movie if you just want to eat and have drinks.

We really didn’t know what to expect of the movie theater. When we got in we were pleasantly surprised. Everyone has their own set and each seat has a number on it and a tray table with a drink holder. There’s also a button you can push so you can order food when you want it during the movie. The seats are reclining and so comfortable.

This was truly a treat, I don’t think we have been to the movies as a family for years. Usually I take the girls to see the $1 movies during the summer, so going with my husband and the girls together was awesome!

My girls' favorite part was probably being able to order the food right at their chair. We tried several appetizers including the pretzel bites and potato skins which were great! We also tried the burger and chicken tenders, which were also fantastic. I know your probably wondering what the prices are. You can find all the prices online and all the specials before you go.

They do have kid’s meals for $6 like chicken tenders, pizza, mac and cheese, cheeseburger or chicken quesadilla. There’s also a special for $25 for adults which includes an appetizer and two entrees.

Right now, is the time to try out the new theater. The tickets for movies are $3 until November 29. The movies regularly are $9 adult, $7 matinee and $6 for a child. You need to go online at www.studiomoviegrill.com/seminole and use the code SMGSEMINOLE for the $3 tickets and there is no booking fee. It is only good at the Seminole location.  

I look forward to enjoying many more nights like this with my family and friends! And my kids don’t have to ask me any more when is the movie theater going to open.

Relationships are important for the young and old

Kadi Tubbs with the women of St. Jerome's Catholic Church

Recently, I was asked to speak to a group of women to give them encouraging words and to talk about intergenerational relationships. Interesting topic, right? What I love is that word relationships. We were designed to have relationships. I believe it’s important to have relationships in life. Without relationships who do you share your passion, joy, sorrow, pain and hope with?

Intergenerational relationships can be beneficial for both the younger person and the older person. I saw a news story recently with reporter Steve Hartman about an 82-year-old man and a 4-year-old little girl who had developed a friendship after she asked the 82- year-old stranger for a hug while shopping with her mom in Publix. It was her birthday and she wanted people to know it and she asked the man for a hug. That hug from a stranger changed both their lives. He had just lost his wife and was in deep depression ready to give up on life, but this little girl changed that. They developed a friendship which gave him hope and her a new friend. It’s stories like this that can really have an impact on people.

Kadi Tubbs speaking to a group of women
at St. Jerome's Catholic Church in Largo

I remember as a young child how we would go play Yahtzee at an older neighbor’s home. She was a widow and my friends and I didn’t think much of it at the time, but we just loved going to her house and playing games. She loved having us.

I also remember the relationship I had with my great-grandma. She was the only grandma I had living nearby us and we would visit her frequently. She was the best cook. She would always be in her kitchen cooking something. She would talk to us about coming over from Portugal and tell us how lucky we were to go to school because she had only gone to sixth grade in her country. She would speak Portuguese to us, but we never really picked it up. One time she babysat me and my brother and sisters and put my hair in rags to curl it. Back in the old days they didn’t have curlers she would tell me and they would cut rags and curl the girl’s hair that way. It was the only way my hair ever curled because it was so straight. Today, I sometimes put my two girl’s hair in rags to curl it. It was a tradition I am passing on to my kids from their great-great grandma. My grandma learned a lot from us too. We would draw pictures, dance and sing for her. She couldn’t wait for the family to come and see her.

I think every person has something to offer another person, especially when it comes to intergenerational relationships. Just think about the young kids of today and the technology they use daily. The older population not using technology as much, and if they are maybe not knowing how to use it fully. An example of this that comes to mind is a soldier we have been sending care packages to through my daughter Graci’s nonprofit Operation: Military Matters. His grandma gave us his address and when we told him that’s how we got his address, he said he wanted to get in touch with her, but she didn’t have Facebook and her phone didn’t have texting set up on it. He is in the Middle East and his grandma lives locally. Graci and I met with his grandma and of course the 11-year-old knew exactly how to fix his grandma’s phone so she could receive texts from her grandson. Now they can communicate from around the world.

Think about your life and the relationships you have had over the years with friends, relatives and even strangers. Our lives are hopefully full of ways we have made positive impacts on others through experiences we have gone through that we can help others maybe younger or older than us. Intergenerational relationships are ways to use your life experiences to help others. Next time your child, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, grandchild or neighbor needs help with something or asks you to do something make time to build that relationship. It’s worth it!

Darlene Hutchinson Biehl Heads President Trump’s Office for Victims of Crime

Photo August 14, 2017, Acting Assistant Attorney General Alan R. Hanson swears in recently appointed Office for Victims of Crime, Director, Darlene Hutchinson Biehl in Washington, DC. 

In November of 1987, Darlene Hutchinson Biehl's life changed forever. Biehl was a junior in college at Troy University in Troy, Alabama, studying journalism. A native of Seminole, Fla., and graduate of Keswick Christian High School, she was in college 400 miles away from home. School had just let out for Thanksgiving break and she was going to a post office to check her mailbox, when she was kidnapped at gunpoint by a stranger. She was just 20 years old. She was blindfolded and bound, and after two days was able free herself and escape. Fortunately, she survived and led police to the offender who pleaded guilty to kidnapping and rape and served 20 years in prison.

Since her attack, she has seen firsthand the needs of victims and how the criminal justice system failed at times. A passion to help other victims like herself began to develop.  This passion has lead her on the path to recently being appointed by President Donald Trump's to a key role in his administration. On August 14, 2017, Biehl was sworn in as the director for Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), within the U.S. Department of Justice.

A longtime friend of Biehl’s, Rachel Johnson Collier knew she was an excellent choice for this position. "When Darlene got appointed to this position, I knew no one deserved this more! I have known her for 32 years. We have been roommates, sorority sisters, and of course, friends for life! Darlene has worked diligently with the victims and families of victims for many years. She goes to parole hearing, meetings with officials, and any other means necessary to help as many people as she can. She has helped get laws changed when it seemed there was no hope of getting legislature to change. Most of her work and accomplishments have been on a volunteer basis. Most people would not devote their lives to a cause and not expect anything back, but she is an exception to the rule! I just want to end by saying I am so very proud of Darlene for stepping out and facing her own situation to go to such lengths for so many people. She had blessed my life by being the very best friend a person can have and for making our world a little safer with her efforts!”

Biehl’s accomplishments over the past twenty plus years is incredible. She has volunteered countless hours to helping victims and their families. Her work includes legislation and public policy, teaching at police academies and accompanying victims of all types to court and parole hearings. Her volunteerism includes 10 years with rape crisis centers in Montgomery, Alabama, and Collin County, Texas, as well as seven years as president of a victims’ support and advocacy group.  She has received many awards for her dedication to empowering survivors and protecting their rights, while enhancing public safety.  Biehl has also played a key role in the development of Alabama’s innovative victim notification system, as well as the passage and ratification of a Victims’ Constitutional Amendment in Alabama. 

Those who have worked with Biehl over the years including Alabama’s Attorney General Steve Marshall know she will be an asset to the country. He recently released this statement in a press release, "Darlene Hutchinson Biehl is well known as a tireless advocate for crime victims' rights in Alabama and nationwide. She has an extensive background in fighting for those victimized by violent crime, ensuring they are given a voice in the criminal justice system. Over my 16 years as prosecutor, I have worked closely with Darlene to protect the rights of crime victims and I know President Trump made the right choice in appointing her to lead the US DOJ Crime Victims Office.”

  

Biehl has roots in Pinellas County. She grew up in St. Petersburg and is a 1985 graduate of Keswick Christian High School. "We were extremely proud to hear that one of our alumni was selected to this critical position in our country. Darlene is a woman of character and integrity, has a heart and compassion for people, and consistently exemplifies the love of Christ. She will be an excellent leader in a very sensitive area and we look forward to seeing how families will be helped in a great time of need by her guidance and support. We pray the Lord’s blessing over her life and position,” said Nick Stratis, Superintendent Keswick Christian School.

According to the OVC website, Biehl will oversee assisting crime victims and helping provide leadership in changing attitudes, policies, and practices to promote justice and healing for all victims of crime. OVC was established in 1988 through an amendment to the Victims of Crime Act of 1984. Besides being a crime victims' advocate Biehl has more than 25 years in publishing, including eight years as the editor of law enforcement publications in Alabama, Washington, D.C., and Texas. Plus, she served nearly 6 years as the Communications and Media Director for the Dallas Bar Association. 

"It's been a whirlwind, but I'm loving it and so very honored to have this opportunity to serve victims of crime on a national level," said Biehl.

Biehl resides in Alabama with her husband Mark, but is splitting her time now in Washington, DC.

Mother, daughter fight back with an app against PMDD

  

For years, 22-year-old St Petersbrug, FL resident Brett Buchert has suffered with anxiety and depression. It started when she was in sixth grade, about the same time she started her menstrual cycle. Over time, the symptoms got worse and while in college, it got so bad she took a semester off and stayed home with her parents. "Some days I’d laugh nonstop with friends, then a few days later I’d cry inconsolably with my mom on the phone, " said Brett.

Brett and her mom Sheila Buchert
founded MevPMDD

It was during this time off from college, Brett’s mom Sheila Buchert found a local doctor who gave Brett hope again. "That fall my mom got me an appointment with a functional medicine doctor. I was wary. Within the past two years doctors had prescribed me four different types of antidepressants, and an anti-anxiety medication, all of which didn’t help me feel better and just furthered my hopelessness. However, this doctor was different. He listened to my history carefully and did not jump in with a new way to medicate me. Instead, he said 'I think it could be premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).'”

Before they could know for sure, Brett had to track her symptoms for two months, two menstrual cycles. "We brought the excel spreadsheets and graphs back to my doctor. He said then with confidence, words that changed my life: 'Yes, you have PMDD.'”

Just what is PMDD? It affects as many as 10 million women in the U.S. and Europe alone. The symptoms of PMDD are severe and can interfere with a woman's quality of life, relationships, work, school and can even lead to suicide. According to statistics from Gia Allemand Foundation, which is the leading US organization advocating for the prevention, treatment, and research of this condition about 15% of women with PMDD will attempt suicide in her lifetime. The symptoms arise during the premenstrual phase of a woman’s cycle (sometimes 1–2 weeks before her period) and subside each month around the time her period comes. PMDD’s cyclical nature differentiates it from other mood disorders, but can also make it very hard to diagnose. About 80% of women with PMDD are not diagnosed at all, or are diagnosed with other conditions like depression and bipolar disorder. 

Brett had seen several doctors in the past and been diagnosed with major depression and generalized anxiety disorder and given medications, but nothing really worked. Being diagnosed with PMDD and receiving the right treatment has been helping. “Yes, another diagnosis to add to my list, but to me it was much more. It was the right diagnosis and the start I needed to change the way I looked at my life. Knowing that I do have a condition I will have to struggle with instills hope. I am able to be more confident,” said Brett.

There is no blood or saliva test to diagnose PMDD. The only way to diagnose it is by tracking the symptoms for at least two menstrual cycles.

After going through this manual and tedious tracking and learning more about PMDD, Brett and her mother Sheila decided they could help others, so earlier this year they developed Me v PMDD. It’s a new app and associated website to help women track symptoms, treatments and gain support.

The power of the information was clear. It not only led to Brett’s PMDD diagnosis, but also empowered her to focus on what she can control in her life. "It makes me feel good to share my experience to help other people and some people have said they are so thankful they found our website. Women helping each other. It's another step in my journey,” said Brett.

  

Me v PMDD will make symptom and treatment tracking for PMDD accessible and simple, by featuring easy-to-read symptom graphs to help women and their doctors understand and more effectively treat PMDD. The app will help replace the antiquated printable symptom tracking charts currently made available online. It will also include a Self-Love Journal for personal affirmations and reminders of coping mechanisms, as well as resources to learn more about PMDD, links to peer support, suicide/crisis hotlines, and doctors in your area who treat PMDD.

“We hope it can contribute to the changing tides surrounding women’s menstrual health and lead to better support, resources, and more effective treatment for women with PMDD," said Sheila.

“Me v PMDD puts the power of tracking into a woman’s hand,” according to Tory Eisenlohr-Moul, Ph.D., Center for Women's Mood Disorders, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “The app will help empower women to take control over their emotional, mental and physical symptoms by gaining a clear picture of their symptom patterns, receiving peer support, and learning about evidence-based treatment options.”

Since being diagnosed with PMDD, Brett says she is working with her doctor as a trial case to find an effective treatment for PMDD. “I’m so happy to say that we are onto something and my symptoms have decreased by about 70%. My PMDD went from nearly unbearable to more of just a nuisance. I owe so much of that to finally figuring out what was wrong, to finally getting a correct diagnosis," said Brett. 

Me v PMDD is being developed in coordination with the Gia Allemand Foundation for PMDD. The Buchert's have been invited to present their app at the national 2017 PMDD Annual Conference in Deerfield Beach, FL. Anyone interested on the issue is invited to attend. Go to https://giaallemandfoundation.org/conference/ for more information. The Me v PMDD app, will be available for free worldwide for iOS, Android and website users in October 2017. You can sign up early for access at www.mevpmdd.com.