I have been wanting a pair of lovebirds for a couple years now if not longer. I love parrots, but they are too expensive for me. I seen the cutest pair of lovebirds on Craigslist that I really wanted. I didn’t buy the birds when I seen the ad, but I kept thinking that I wished I would have bought them.

Luckily I had saved the person’s contact information and emailed her a couple days ago to see if she still had a pair left. She said she did not have a pair, but she did have the male left that was pictured on Craigslist. I got EXCITED. She then mentioned she wanted him to go to a home that had a female. I had already found a female that I liked on Craigslist so I asked her if it would be okay if I bought him and then buy him a mate. She said that would be good and I met her at the bank parking lot and purchased the pretty male. A couple hours I bought the female from another lady on Craigslist selling her female peach faced lovebird

Now I was hoping these two birds were going to like each other. I have a few cages so I would be able to separate them if needed, but a loving pair of lovebirds was my goal. So far they are getting along and happily sharing the swing. I think I might have made a good match.

The one thing about my new lovebirds is they don’t have names yet. Since they are a male and a female, I would love to give them a cute name for a pair like Jack and Jill.

Have any suggestions for their names?

My kids are officially back in school and this mom is able to get more work done throughout the day. I love my kids but I love the break I get when they are at school too! I still have my little guy at home, but with my three daughters being gone there is way less chaos all day.

I can’t believe that next year I will have two children in high school. Then hopefully I will be able to sign my oldest daughter up for college. Just saying that makes me feel old. For those of you that are sending your children off to college I want to share with you some Tips for Staying Safe When Returning to Campus. These are the tips that the identity thieves DO NOT want you to know.

College students often look forward to moving out of their parents’ home and living on their own – with their own rules. Occasionally these new experiences could include fake identification to purchase cigarettes or alcohol. While this is not only against the law in all 50 states, it also makes the underage student vulnerable to potential identity theft when they order the fraudulent ID.

Personal information, including but not limited to your name, date of birth, address, Social Security number or email address, can be compromised in many ways, including hackers gaining unlawful access to computer files containing student information (even SSNs).  Since identity theft can strike at any stage in life, whether you knowingly hand over your personal information to a criminal or not, LifeLock recommends college students do the following to help better protect their identities:

1. Keep it Real: A recent report by the Arizona Republic has identified identity theft rings in China that offer underage students the opportunity to purchase a fake ID that looks like “the real thing” and is often undetectable as a fake. These fake ID shops are a cover for more elaborate identity theft rings. More frequently, these rings are targeting college campuses where students are willing to pay a small fee and willingly hand over personally identifiable information in order to get a fake ID.  Follow the law and use your real identification.  Creating a fake ID can cause more harm than good.
2. Wi-Fi! Why Not? – Many campuses offer free Wi-Fi services, which can be great for research or just surfing. When connected through a free Wi-Fi connection, understand that the connection is not always secure and identity thieves may have the ability to intercept wireless activity and see where you are going and what you are doing. Avoid social networking sites, online bill pay, checking your financial accounts and shopping online when connected via free Wi-Fi.
3. Credit – One Size Fits All – Consider relying on your credit card vs. your debit card. If you and your debit card are targeted by an identity thief, you could potentially lose the money you have in your checking or savings account. If your credit card is compromised by an unscrupulous thief, you have 60 days to notify your financial institution and you won’t be out your direct checking and savings account funds, instead your line of credit.
4. Here’s My Number – Some colleges/universities may still use your Social Security number as your student identification number. If this is the case at your school, request a unique identifier instead of your Social Security number. Keep your Social Security card locked in a safe place where no one, not even a new roommate, can access.
5. Weekend Getaways: As college students near the end of each semester, email offers frequently arise for long-weekend vacations. Identity thieves can pose as trusted sources offering you the “deal of the day” if you just follow their link. Verify all offers by opening a new Web browser and typing in the official web address to confirm the authenticity of the offer.

These are just some important tips that I wanted to share. You can find out more ways you can protect you and your family by visiting the LifeLock website.

Disclosure – I am a Lifelock Ambassador. The information in this post has been provided to me and any compensation does not influence my honest opinions.

When I was a teenager I NEVER thought I would have a family that included four children. Growing up I was an only child which meant I didn’t have to share my toys with any brothers or sisters. I remember thinking that when I grew up, I only wanted to have one child that I would be able to spoil that wouldn’t have to share their things either. My thinking must have changed because I am the proud mom of 4 children who are always keeping me on my toys.

My daughters are ages 15, 13 and 8. I then have a 4 year old son. One thing I have found throughout the years of being a mom is that these kids need good quality time spent with them. Quality time with the family, individually and sometimes time with just the GIRLS. See the picture below of my daughters smiling.

They were smiling until their very active brother wouldn’t cooperate for the picture.

There are days that the girls just want to spend some time with mom and not their silly brother. So sometimes the little guy will go over to his Nana’s house while me and the girls go watch a movie or something fun. There are also days when I need to spend some one on one time with each of my children. I have noticed that the little outings that I do individually with my children are the times they talk about the most.

With my daughters, individual time with mom can be important. I have found when I pick them up at school and I am by myself, they like to tell things they normally wouldn’t mention around the whole family or maybe around dad. Like the days they start their period at school and might have had to ask a friend for a pad and were embarrassed. I have two daughters that have already started their period which hasn’t been a fun experience for either of them.

My youngest daughter just recently turned eight years old. I also recently learned that girls can have their period as young as eight. Now that I have that knowledge, I have been preparing in my head what I am going to say to my daughter so she is prepared before it actually happens.  I started my period when I was in junior high at school and remember having to go to the office to ask the nurse for some help, so embarrassing!

I think I am almost prepared. I have plans to talk to my daughter at a time when the rest of the family isn’t around to make her feel embarrassed. I know she has heard of her sisters or me talk about tampons or pads, but I don’t think she knows any of the details just yet. I plan to take her on a mom-daughter date and include a discussion about what periods are and what those pad thing are that her sisters complain about. I want to allow her to ask questions and I want to be able to tell her what she needs to know. I am also going to let her know her sisters are already prepared so she can go to them for help if mom isn’t around or maybe  if she feels more comfortable talking to them about something in particular.

Sometimes I wish my kids would stay young forever!

What is neat is the Kotex Tween line of products for those that have daughters that have already started their period.

Kotex has a neat feminine product line called the U by Kotex Tween that includes different pads and liners designed for the young ladies in pretty and colorful packaging. For more helpful information about having the First Period Talk, be sure to visit: www.kotex.com

“I wrote this review while participating in a Brand Ambassador Campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of U by Kotex Tween and received products to facilitate my post and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.”