Tick Tock Escape Games in Overland Park, KS

I can't say enough good things about our experience at Tick Tock Escape Games in Overland Park, KS. When they contacted me to see I'd like to come try it out for free in exchange for a review blog post back in the summer of 2017, I was intrigued. My son Michael had been to an escape room once and loved it and he was excited to try another one. He loved Tick Tock so much that his 15th birthday is coming up and he specifically asked to go back to Tick Tock and take 4 friends and his dad!

I really didn't know what to expect, and of course I can't share much because you have to figure out each room on your own! We took our three oldest kids and left the two youngest with our friend and her kids. The kids we took were then 16, 14 and 12.

When we got there, we were given instructions about how to get through the escape room situation. 
We were in a room with cool music and retro clues, so I was in trivia heaven. My husband didn't grow up watching a lot of TV, so I was super helpful in that area. However, that's about where it ended. Everybody worked together and we did so well we only missed the one-hour time limit by a couple of minutes. It was so great as a mom to watch my kids work as a team and come up with some smart ideas of things to try and they figured out so many of the clues! I went into the experience thinking my husband and I would have to carry the whole deal, but the kids were amazing!

They had a blast and wanted to do it again immediately. I texted my dad right away and told him he needed to do the same room I had just done, and he needed to do it with his brothers sometime soon. Fantastic workplace team-building opportunity. Great for birthdays, a double date, family or friend fun.

(I had written this post but not published it. In creating a list of enrichment activities for homeschoolers on my homeschooling blog, I remembered this escape room and added it to the list!)

FUNNY Family Math Word Problems Part #1

Here is the worksheet for tomorrow, kids, so study up (if you teach "real" school, feel free to use this in your classroom). Word problems can be fun!

1. There are 389 members in the homeschool group. Four get kicked out for voicing opinions in a different, secret group. Who was the mole?

2. It costs $50 to rent the church basement for the Valentine's Day party. Kerrie has $23 cash. How did she get that much cash?

3. The Explorer Room has a capacity of 50 people. Kerrie brings herself plus 7 kids. Who is the [bleep] that told her, "It's not a lunchroom."?

4. Sleeping hours at Kerrie's house are approximately 11 p.m. until 7 a.m. If Kerrie nudges her husband 14 times per night for snoring, ... where else do you think he should sleep?

Math is all around you! Homeschooling is easy when you see that!

See part two for more!

originally posted February 12, 2012

IMDb's List of 22 Movies You Must See in 2022

 Not to be confused with this list over here of dozens of family-friendly and clean movies mostly free of any type of nudity or sexual stuff.

For more details on each one, check out IMDb's list of 22 movies they can't wait to see in 2022!

And because everybody loves a good movie trailer (tell me I'm wrong!), each movie title links to the trailer on YouTube. Enjoy!

75 (and Counting) Clean Movies with Minimal Sex/Nudity (updated regularly)

*"Clean" means different things to different people. My kids are 12 and up, so violence and cussing are not things I worry about as much as others might need to. It's the visual sex and the messages sent that I am now trying to watch out for. Definitely watch out for some of the PG-13 movies and make sure to read what others have posted.

I have to admit, we have watched some questionable movies. Sometimes we'll put on a movie for the family that we enjoyed once (pre-kids), and then we realize ... "Oh wow, I forgot about that inappropriate part." (examples: why does the guy have to be naked at the start of Die Hard 2, and why does there have to be a poster of a naked woman on the wall as Bruce Willis walks by in Die Hard?)

But it's never too late to turn things around! A quick trip to the IMDb website parent guide, which my best friend told me about now solves all that. (just go to IMDb site and search for the movie or show title, then scroll down to Parents Guide) If something is rated R, don't freak out. Sometimes movies are rated R for something like smoking ;-)

It goes further than Common Sense Media in that it explains specific instances and scenes. I'm okay with most language (hate when God's name is taken in vain though), and some violence is fine, but the sexual stuff that's inserted even in kid movies is just so unnecessary! There's a section at the top called Sex and Nudity and it shows instances and describes them so you can make an informed decision about watching the movie or not.

BONUS: Many of these movies are based on true stories and count as educational history!

Check out this list of movies, vetted by my girlfriend for her family of 7 boys and 2 girls 😀 plus a few of my own. And PLEASE leave your ideas in the Comments section or email them to me at mommykerrie@yahoo.com so I can check them out and add them!

All the Marvel movies (except for the Iron Man movies)

Captain Phillips

Courageous

Dunkirk

Godzilla movies (newer ones, 1998 and 2014)

Goosebumps

Hunger Games series (four movies)

In the Heart of the Sea

Inception

Interstellar

Lincoln

Night at the Museum (and 2 sequels) — We've seen this many times and I didn't realize how clean it was! Sam requested it for his 12th-birthday night movie after his homemade sushi dinner. 

Pacific Rim and sequel

Pursuit of Happyness

          Quiet Place 1 and 2 

Source Code

The Bourne Identity (and sequels)

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (we read the book first as a family for homeschooling, then watched the movie ... be prepared to be depressed afterward)

The Eagle

The Giver

The Greatest Showman (one of our family's favorites!)

The Impossible

The Maze Runner

There be Dragons

True Grit (the newer one)

Vantage Point

Walk the Line (Johnny Cash)

My Family's Recommendations (movies we have seen or want to see again or for the first time):

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Because of Winn-Dixie Just started this book with 12-year-old Sam (November 2021), then we'll watch the movie.

Cast Away (male butt cheek)

Cheaper by the Dozen (how could I forget this one?!) but NOT the second one

Chef (read the sex/nudity stuff before watching with your kids, depending on their ages)

Cinderella Man

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (2012)

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Evan Almighty

Good Will Hunting

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword

Little Women (2019) We've read the Junior Classics version of this book, and need to watch the movie!

McFarland USA (it says 7 instances, but one instance says "there is absolutely no sex or nudity" and then it goes on to talk about things like a married couple kissing or a brief shot of a shirtless man, so you do need to read it!)

Me Before You (fantastic date night at home movie, but the message about self-euthanasia is something to watch out for and discuss)

Moneyball

RED (Retired Extremely Dangerous) (my aunt recommended this one forever ago, so I recently checked it out and was shocked that it had zero sex/nudity and only 1 instance of profanity) (Update: if anyone in your household is triggered by being tied up or women with duct tape on their mouth and a bit of cleavage showing at the same time, skip this one. Keep an eye on the "violence" category in IMDB as well, because something like this was not in the "sex/nudity" category and also I didn't realize that people just like you and I are the ones leaving these notes.)

The Princess Diaries (2001) *Cheerleaders and bathing suits at a beach party*

That Thing You Do

The Terminal

Twister (I was typing up some Science stuff for homeschooling and this movie came into my mind, so I looked it up and it's clean!)

Wall-E

Walt before Mickey

Yes Day

Recommendations Found Online:

A Boy Called Po

A Little Game

All is Lost

Arrival

August Rush

Cool Runnings

Finding Neverland

Glengarry Glen Ross

Hachi: A Dog's Tale

Heart of the Country

High Strung

Locke

Major Payne

Martian Child

Mr. Church

National Treasure (cleavage)

Storm Rider

The Great Gilly Hopkins

The Intouchables (subtitles)

The King's Speech

The Truman Show

Waffle Street

Your Recommendations: 

Have seen but won't watch again with the kids:

Bedtime Stories (or anything by Adam Sandler, sadly)

Pixels

Image by Devon Breen from Pixabay 

#WorldsofFun — the Perfect Family/Fun Day! Find Your Amazing!

So I initially titled this post "Perfect Summer Day" ... but we've been to WinterFest and it was a Perfect Winter Evening. How about The Haunt? That would be a Perfect Autumn Evening! Carnivale? The Perfect Summer Night! We are so fortunate to have Worlds of Fun here in Kansas City, and it's no wonder people come from all over the country in all seasons and in all types of weather to enjoy it!

All photographs you see in this post that are of my family on a ride were taken while others were still loading onto the rides. We did NOT take any photos while a ride was being operated. You are not allowed to do this, and we did not do it!

*I need to start by sharing how great the Worlds of Fun/Oceans of Fun park app is. It stored all of our tickets and passes, including meal and drink passes. It showed wait times of rides and had a map of the park. It also made it quick and easy to get into the park.

Last Friday Night (parody about a Scout campout) ...

Lil Scout Joel with his baby brother Sam. Scroll to the bottom to see the outcome.

*This post was originally uploaded October 1, 2011.

Set to the tune of the song I HATE by Katy Perry (I love the melody but hate the words!). It's about a little campout we had once when my oldest was just 10 years old. 

There's rip in my man's jeans

Must've eaten too much beans

Kids are all over the place

Runnin’ up and down the berm

I smell like a coffeebar

Sam is passed out on my lap

S’mores are on the barbeque

4 Fun Ways To Keep The Kids Entertained At Home

Baking with kids is a blast!

(Originally posted 6/11/2019, but with the COVID situation, I thought I'd give it an update and repost)

With the school summer vacation looming comes the tricky task of how to keep your kids entertained for weeks on end. The weather isn’t always on your side, and you might face many wet and dreary days stuck in the house together (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing because who can say no to some quality family time?).

Keeping everyone busy and entertained doesn’t have to break the bank – the more creative you get with it, the more fun things you can come up with which may not even cost a dime.

Of course, there are also some cool investments you can make, too, if there comes a point when you’d rather the kids entertain themselves with a piece of tech because you need to get on with the laundry and your own tasks for the day.

Take a look at some of these tips to get your creative fun-loving gears whirring. 

Build an Awesome Fort

If your kids are still young enough to appreciate the power of imagination, it only takes a minute’s work to transform a pile of empty boxes, cushions and sheets into a fairy tale castle, fort or fun-filled maze. 

The great thing is you won’t need to spend any money: just pull the bed sheets right off the bed, lay them on the back of the couch and get creating your dream fort!

Bake Something Yummy Together

Because there’s nothing better than tasty treats and snacks while enjoying a cozy day home with the family – and what kid is going to say no to the concept of whipping up some delicious home-baking? 

Get creative with food coloring, fun stencils or weird flavors. This is also great for teaching your kids elements of cooking and making their way around the kitchen, as well as showing them what great products can come from using the kitchen at home. It may get messy, but that just means you’ve done it right. 

Invest in Audio and Video Products

In this day and age, there’s only so long you can keep a child away from a screen. Obviously the goal is to get your kids away from the TV or tablet long enough to enjoy family time and fresh air, but that doesn’t mean that it’s a bad thing for you and the kids to enjoy a movie together, cartoons or a bit of fun music. 

Companies like The Wires Zone offer free shipping on pieces of tech, and even same-day shipping if you’ve woken up just realizing you promised the kids you’d watch a home movie today. They offer items like Blu-Ray players and surround-sound speakers to make sure your family movie day is done right.  

Practice Face Painting

Make use of cheap skin-friendly paints to transform your kids into little tigers or their favorite superhero – and let them have fun doing the same to you! Get the artistic juices flowing.

Just don’t forget to check the mirror before you go answering the door to any unexpected callers!

Need more ideas? Check out these Top 18 Ideas for a Perfect Night In!

Make Memories with Your Kids!!!!

 It is a Friday in September. 

Homeschooling during coronavirus is going better than most years and we have a rhythm going and I don't want to interrupt it. Just kidding. We are like 2 weeks in and already a little bit "behind."

It is kinda chilly. Maybe rain is coming.

It isn't my husband's Friday off, so he can't come with us, but it had to be THIS DAY ONLY (you know when your schedule is so full as a parent and there is NO OTHER DAY to do something?).

We already had the budget done and I forgot to put this as a line item (when we go to this place like once a year, we have to eat at a heavenly spot called Burrito King). What if we could not live without something from The General Store or The Nature Center Shop?

I am swamped with proofreading projects.

The Rona is rampant on the college campus, where we are heading to see Julia, who lived with us for five months this year.

My wonderful and talented husband had the big van torn up, working on the timing system, so the 6 of us will cram into the truck and drive an hour each way.

My daughter has a sleepover later today to be dropped off at, so also crammed in the truck with 6 decent-sized people would be a pillow, blanket and suitcase. Oh, and the plans changed as far as drop-off time turning into LATER, so I had to pivot.

It's the time of the Rona, and unexpected things happen, which sometimes make me nervous, but mostly make me surly. I don't like to be surly. For instance, we are going to avoid the Natural History Museum this time because of all the mask stuff (the potential for workers and volunteers to bark at us for having them below our nose or whatever). I'm not getting into a debate about masks with anyone, but just know that I do not want to kill anyone with my germy breath, but we are not pro-mask for various reasons that I will not go into here (although, hey, I do have a pretty good platform for a blog post on that someday). That is all.

I've done this a lot over the years, where I waffled on going somewhere, packing up all the diapers, snacks, juice pouches and sippie cups, keep a trash bag in the car at all times, stop by the side of the highway to nurse a baby or toddler. There were other things we needed to be doing, other things we wanted to be doing, but we did this thing anyway.

You know what? My kids are now 10, 12, 15, 17, and 19, and the things they talk about fondly are some of those very things I had to force myself out of the house to do.

Loading up a bunch of bikes and snacks and sunscreen and waters back at the end of March for eight people and taking two vehicles to drive 30-plus minutes to ride one of the most beautiful trails in the city was a pain. Especially since the entire world had our same idea because there was nowhere else to go but OUTSIDE back in the spring of 2020 so even finding parking at the parks was difficult. But we did it ... twice. And the kids still talk about it fondly. We will probably do it again next year.

So there are a bunch of reasons why I wanted to just cancel today. Just forget it. Let's try another day (although we'd been doing that for a year and it never worked out).

Be we are going anyway. Because there is never a PERFECT DAY. There is today. So just jump. Just go.

Come back for an update on our day!

4 Ways To Build Self-Esteem That Lasts

 

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Nobody wakes up in the morning and thinks, "I'm going to hate myself today." Everyone has the intention of loving themselves because a high level of self-esteem is an incredibly powerful thing. Whether it's bouncing back quickly from defeats or not allowing rejection to ruin your day, you're bound to be happier and more content if you love yourself.

However, it's not as simple as clicking your fingers and eliminating the tension. Anxiety doesn't work like that as, if it did, there would be no such thing in the first place. The key is to build up your confidence so that knocks, no matter how big or small, don't have a lasting impact, but also so that you don't love yourself to the point that you become a narcissist.

If it appears like a tough balance to strike, it isn't as long as you understand the basics, four of which you can find underneath.

Focus On Your Strong Points

To begin with, it's vital to concentrate on your strengths rather than focusing on your weaknesses. Everybody has weak points, yet your lack of self-esteem magnifies them, and they transform into huge negatives. Thankfully, the way to forget about your weaknesses is to dive headfirst into your strengths.

Please don't assume that you don't have any because everyone has talents - you need to figure out what they are. Once you realize that you're a skillful cook, for instance, you can decide to prepare meals more often, finishing with a dinner party. When it goes well, you'll start to see your real value. The same goes for everything from sports to crossword puzzles.

Whatever it is, do more of it to enhance your skills and reinforce the fact that you do have strong points that you can fall back on when the negative thoughts creep into your mind.

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Lean On Technology

Often, it is a habit or a feature that makes your confidence plummet. Physical and mental attributes are debilitating as they make you feel as if you're not normal. The worst thing is that it can be something as basic as having poor hearing. When you can't hear properly, you'll always fret about trying to be involved in the conversation.

Sure, hearing aids help, but it's not as if they are discrete. Well, they weren't, but technological advancements mean that software and hardware are ten times more subtle. As a result, you can rely on invisible hearing aids to help you keep your secret while enhancing your lifestyle. This is pretty much the case for a host of defects that can play on your mind, so there's no reason to suffer in silence.

Right now, invisible braces are among the most common forms of orthodontic devices for this very reason.

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Accept Compliments

A telltale sign that your esteem is at an all-time low is when you can't accept a compliment. Unfortunately, the negative thoughts are ingrained in your brain so much that you can't compute them, which forces you to reject them entirely. Even worse, you need positive comments more than ever when you're struggling because they help you to see the light.

Therefore, it's essential not to resist them, even if they make you uncomfortable. All it takes is a simple "thank you." With an everyday phrase such as this, you won't automatically shut down the person providing a compliment, and in time, you'll learn to accept them more. As well as expressing your gratitude, you can defer to other people and share the credit.

"I got it from my mama" is more than a will.i.am song!

Address The Triggers

You shouldn't expect to go through life without experiencing rejection as it's a common feature for everybody, regardless of success. However, rejection makes you feel bad about yourself, so what are you supposed to do when it rears its ugly head? The answer is to reaffirm your value once it has taken a hit.

For example, rather than focusing on the reasons why you didn't get your dream job, you should write down the attributes that make you a valuable employee. That way, you'll have the confidence to continue applying for roles and putting yourself in a position to be successful. You'll appreciate the way this tactic makes you feel inside, especially after you've suffered a blow.

Again, you can do it for a variety of issues. If you go through a breakup, for instance, you can jot down the features that make you a great life partner. 

It's hard work, but feeling good about yourself is worth the effort.

4 Tips to Stay Connected With Your Loved Ones During Lockdown

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Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels 

The lockdown has created challenges for all individuals, regardless of whether you are a mum working from home or a navigated entrepreneur. The travel restrictions and social-distancing measures we are dealing with today were unexpected and took many by surprises. So, you might have gotten stuck alone or lucky enough to share this time with your loved ones. And, for how tough this period can be for you, it is not easier for your daily and friends. Doing everything you can to let them know you are there in case they need support is essential. Start with the tips below! 

Make time for a virtual catch-up. 

You might not be able to meet your best friend for a coffee during these unusual times. However, doing everything you can to ensure they are happy and healthy is essential. Scheduling in a catch up once a week might seem a little gesture for you, but it can be life-changing for someone who is facing quarantine alone. 

These calls don't need to last hours or cover difficult subjects. They can be a way of checking in with your closest friends and family members. While it might be hard for you to find enough time to do so, remember that others might be alone at home or separated from their loved ones. A call can make all the difference!

Send presents

Being next to the people who are the closest to you during these tough times is essential, and some celebrations cannot be stopped because of the pandemic. If one of your friends has celebrated his or her birthday, anniversary, or wedding while isolating, sending a little present can help you connect while apart.

Whether you are looking for ice cream gift cards, flowers, pieces of jewelry, books, or their favorite cakes, everything can be sent online today. Everything you need to do is head over to the website you prefer and know friends' addresses. In some cases, everything you need is their email address! These might seem small gestures at first, but it can make it a lot easier to connect with them during these unusual times.

Plan a virtual dinner party

If you used to have regular meetings with your friends and family members before the pandemic, don't let the current situation prevent you from enjoying their company. Of course, you might not be able to visit your favorite bar or restaurant, but leveraging modern technologies can offer you a valid alternative. And it can give you the chance to try new things!

Scheduling a dinner party with your friends can be an excellent way to catch up and build memories while respecting all the social-distances in place today.

Make plans for the future

The pandemic - and the ensuing lockdown - might have stopped you from undertaking that trip that you were so much looking forward to. However, starting to make plans and projects with your friends can offer you something to look forward to during these times. Moreover, it can be an excellent way to stay in touch with your closest friends and keep you busy during these times.

Are You Still Busy during the "Shelter in Place" Order?

Every now and then I'll interact with someone who thinks I have a lot of free time on my hands now that we are "stuck inside" due to the shelter-in-place guidelines which are in place all over the country and the world. (We are actually NOT inside all the time; we are outside quite a bit because why move to 8 acres of land with a pond and stay inside in the springtime?)

At the beginning of this whole thing, I put a lot of things on hold to make sure I was checking up on the virus numbers and checking in on the press conferences by the governors on both sides of the state line, checking in on my own city's Facebook page and county's website. I realized some things were starting to suffer and it was taking its toll on me and how I lived my life and how I was steering the lives of my children.

The Best Ways You Can Celebrate Change

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While a lot of people will associate change with something terrible, such as leaving friends behind or experiencing a breakup that leaves you feeling isolated in your social life, there are plenty of positive changes that are worth celebrating. These can include anything from promotions and moving to a new city, getting on the next flight to start a new exciting life elsewhere, having a baby, getting married, and many, many more.

But how do you celebrate such a change? The fantastic thing about positive change is that it avoids the sad and self-pitying wallowing you find with more negative changes. With a good change, you have an array of options to explore to commemorate the moment, no matter how significant or small. 

If you've recently experienced a fantastic change in your life and want the world to know all about it, here are some options to consider. 

Beat The Lockdown Boredom

Lockdown might be coming your way quicker than you realize. We’re all facing uncertain times where you just can’t be too sure what’s going to happen. Day by day there are new things being said in the media that we have to think about. Deaths going up, cases going up, and the restrictions seem to be coming in thick and fast. Every single country is dealing with it in its own way, and it seems as though it’s not getting any easier. What countries need to do is take a leaf out of China’s book. Wuhan was the center for the outbreak, and within a few days, the city was completely isolated. Thanks to that it has now had its first day without any new recordings of cases. Now, the rest of the world needs to take a leaf out of their book. Some countries, such as the UK, don’t seem to be taking the spread as seriously as others. Thankfully the US has shut its doors and hopefully, the spread will peak fairly soon. Until then you might be facing a bit of a lock-down. Either you’ll be self-isolating, told you can’t go to work for a while, or someone in your family might be ill. If so, we’re going to show you how to conquer the lock-down boredom. 

Image Source

Tips for Hosting a Successful Social Evening

There’s nothing better than inviting people around for a fun evening at your house. While there will always be bars and restaurants and so on to attend, there’s just something that’s more intimate about inviting your loved ones into your home. But of course, while it’s nice to have them around, it’s not as if you can just get them into your home and hope that you stumble upon a night of fun. Simply being together will give you fun for some time, but a whole night? That’ll require more. Below, we take a look at a few ways how you can host a successful social evening with friends and family.

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Create the Space

We’re used to our homes being spaces where we cook, relax, watch television, and so on. They’re spaces designed with our needs in mind. But that won’t be of much help when you’re hosting people. Then, it’s best to have a designated social space for everyone to enjoy. If the seating in your living all currently point towards the television, then make some changes! There are layouts that are more conducive to conversation. Alternatively, you can look at the open-plan kitchen layout, which is especially good for social evenings.

Grab the Supplies

You can’t have a great night with friends without a few supplies! Of course, the type of supplies you have will depend on the type of evening you’re hosting. You won’t need quite as many snacks if you’re going to be serving dinner, for example. It’s always a good idea to keep some snacks in the pantry so that you’re always ready to host. For drinks, opt for a selection, including beers, wines, spirits, and non-alcoholic drinks. That way, everyone will be happy!

A Warm Welcome

The best social evenings are the ones where people feel welcome from the first moment they walk through the door. So be sure to give people a warm welcome when they arrive! Some people are more forthright with their needs when they’re in other people’s homes, but many people hold back. Be sure to offer them a drink, take their coats, and let them know that they can do whatever they need to feel comfortable. It’s the best way to ensure that you get the most out of your social evening, rather than having to wait for everyone to feel comfortable before the fun begins.

Games and Fun

You’ll spend some time talking and catching up, but at some stage, it’s best to introduce more guided activities. One of the best and most fun games to play is charades. Divide the group into two, and use a random word generator to select the word. You’ll find that everyone gets into the spirit of the game!

Easy Logistics 

Finally, you can make your night a resounding success by taking care of the logistics, such as how people will get home. Order taxis for a specific time, or give people the option to spend the night in your spare room.