Many of you may or may not know this about me, but I was actually an accomplished saxophone player back when I was younger. I've been playing the saxophone now since I was in 5th grade and have won many awards through the years and even played a few paying gigs after high school.
So, needless to say, I thought picking up another instrument such as the piano would be a piece of cake. Since I already know how to read sheet music, understand music theory,etc., I could just teach myself how to play, right? WRONG! :no no:
I've tried on several accounts to teach myself how to play the piano by using various workbooks, video programs and even putting stickers on the keys, but in the end, I always fell short. Two things seem to prevent me from tickling those ivories: I'm not used to playing two lines of music at once and I get confused as to which fingers should be hitting which keys. Once the music starts, all of those black and white keys seem to blur together and I lose my place on the keyboard.
Apparently, I'm not the only one who isn't quite up to the challenge of teaching themselves the piano, and thankfully Casio has invented a portable keyboard for anyone who wants to play, especially beginners. Not only does this keyboard sound great and have a ton of amazing features, it has lighted keys and built in piano lessons to get any player started on the right track to musical stardom. Keep reading to learn more about the absolute neatest keyboard I've ever played!
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Bringing a newborn baby home from the hospital can be a sobering thing indeed, for there's so many immediate changes that take place and so much information parents have to learn quickly. Of course, all parents strive to be the absolute best parent they can, but sometimes we inadvertently harm our children because we're unaware of the latest research and developments when it comes to child rearing.
My daughter is now a whopping three-and-a-half years old and has pretty much left anything and everything she did as a baby far behind her. These days she claims to be a "really big girl" because she no longer uses a pacifier, drinks from a sippy cup or wears diapers.
This year, I've been chosen to participate in the 
As a work-at-home mom who runs a blog, my family's small business and cares for our active toddler during the day, life for me is crazy and hectic most of the time. Like most moms, we tend to put our family first above everything, even ourselves, which means that preparing a healthy, nutritious breakfast, lunch and dinner doesn't always happen for me. This of course, leaves the door wide open to poor diet choices, which in turn leads to an unhappy and unhealthy mommy. :wah:
Growing up in the country, I was lucky enough to have pets of all kinds, including several feline friends. I loved my cats dearly, but because they stayed outside, they needed a permanent shelter for protection as well as staying warm and dry. Our cats resided under our home primarily, but as any cat lover knows, kitties love to be enclosed in small spaces where they can keep a watchful eye on their surroundings.