EyedentityLabel.com offers temporary tattoo style identification. You can place not only your child’s name and an emergency contact number, but also information like: Allergic to Peanuts or Allergic to Bees, or Seizures or Asthma, or whatever you need to let someone know in an emergency.

This is something worth checking out if you or your child need emergency ID. It’s a simple solution that’s visible, or easily hidden….but something emergency responders will be able to find. Perfect for daycamps, a day out at the park with friends, a friend’s birthday party when you can’t be there…

They are waterproof and last for a couple days…currently the pricing is $25 for a pack of 18.

What was really cool was the age range they were. Hot Line is a 1966 pinball machine, and the bumper points were worth a tiny 10 points. There was even a small bumper worth 1 point! Newer machines went electronic, and the latest machines go microchip. It was really neat to see the transition in things like artwork on the machines, the point values of bumpers and such. On Hot Line and a Bowling pinball machine from 1973, you were lucky to score a few thousand. Heck on Hotline– I’d get maybe 6,000 points, while on the bowling one I’d see closer to 60,000. On the newer machines like Dracula, I was scoring 10 million point bonuses! See how point ranges keep going up too?

If you’re in the area, you need to check out RichieKnucklez.com

I’m going to be adding them to my Hunterdon County site this week, so be sure to check that out too.

What I got in return is a clear, blank mind. Wow, I’m not overwhelmed with what needs to be done, and honestly…it’s a reality check to realize that 3 or 4 days will not make or break me. In fact, it was a nice surprise to see my sites were making money while I was kicked back at the pool bar with my feet up. Gotta love that passive income baby!

Either way, I’m recharged and ready to go. I’m looking forward to starting fresh today, rather than starting my day with a list of I should do this or that, and I need to do this….I’ll make a list of priorities for the week- and there’s no rush. I learned this week, there’s no rush! I also learned I have a lot of fun in Florida, ha…okay, I all ready knew that.

Lots of sunshine, lots of laughter, mix in some shopping, some heart to heart talking, some more sunshine, some more shopping, and well….you get the picture. While the dreary weather met me in New Jersey…Monday I spent about 12 hours from 10 to 10 outside under palm trees at a par and then moved to the pool bar….man, it just has me itching for spring here. So, this Jersey girl is rested and relaxed and ready to head back to work. Signing off on this NJ blog for now….be back soon.

In my life, I’m drawn to change. I’m drawn to take action and make things happen when it’s time.

Often times, we get caught up in patterns. Patterns can be healthy, but they can also become a “safe space” and stop us from reaching out for change and our potential.

I like safe spaces…they’re easy.

Growth only comes from change though, and I felt it was time for me to move forward. I’ve been in a holding pattern for awhile now. I’m making changes, because I’m ready to move and grow. It can be scary, and it can be hard, but in growth comes the ability to see things in a new light.

This week, I decided to do something different. It wasn’t about anybody but myself….it was about my own personal growth. That can be hard, because sometimes we want to take things personally and feel that we had an impact…that we were the reason, that we must have done something, anything to have caused a reaction.

Hopefully our actions, and how we’ve treated people over the last few years is enough for others to know your spirit and intentions. No guarantees though…one wrong move, and you’re judged for that moment, rather than the things you’ve done previously.

Did someone cause a reaction?

Nope…it was time for me to grow and rely on myself to make something happen…time for change. With no change, there is stagnancy. I’m excited to see what the next year holds for me, but I couldn’t get there without propelling myself to do things differently…

Are you caught in a holding pattern?

After getting married and moving to NJ, it took me awhile to adjust. Not that it was so different, but I moved into my husband’s house at the time, and there were moments that I felt like it was his house, not our house. I got over it after a little bit of time, and merrily went along my way realizing this was home.

I’ve been here (in NJ) more or less for 8 years now (5+ married, and 3 years commuting back and forth 4-5x a week!), but somehow or another, I ended up with a bunch of Jersey blogs, go figure. New Jersey is it’s own animal. It has it’s own unique dynamic. It’s not a sit by quietly kind of place, it sort of just grabs you!

So here I am…a NJ blogger, with a bunch of NJ blogs. It snuck up on me, but I guess I was just a Jersey girl waiting to break free!

Now…mix NJ drivers and cell phones, and we’ve got a problem! People, hang up your phone when you’re driving. I know you think you can drive and talk, but I’m here to tell you that you can’t! No, really, you can’t.

I can hear you all ready…I’m different, I can, but I know others can’t. Nah, really, you can’t either. You either drive too fast, swerve, or drive too slow while you’re on the phone.

Seriously, how did we exist before cell phones? Come on, pull over, wait until you get home, or call people back another time. Trust me, little Tommy can wait 15 minutes to hear you’re bringing pizza home for dinner. Your girl can wait to hear you picked out a movie to watch. Your business, well…pull the heck over if it’s urgent, or just wait and make all your calls together.

There’s a law now in Jersey where you can be pulled over for chatting on your phone while holding it, but I don’t see it being enforced. It’s utterly irritating to get stuck behind someone on their phone.

Do us all a favor, and put the phone down!

Got a cell phone pet peeve of your own? Maybe that chick who talks too loud on her phone, or the guy at the restaurant oblivious of the people sitting next to him? How about the movie theater? Blog about your cell phone pet peeve, and it may be worth something!

If you’re looking for a smile, then be sure to pick up Cell Hell, a satirical book about 55 cell phone users you’d like to silence!

Apparently they leave a tiny droplet of their scent so they know where to return the following year with their babies. We scrubbed our windows, we used bleach, we used vinegar, we did the soap and water deal. We’ve done this on 2-3 occasions. It cut down on them for a short bit, but finally there was only one thing left to do, suck them up!

We looked at vacuum cleaners and are using it only for this. The problem is, due to their scent, you can’t leave them in a regular vacuum bag for awhile, or the smell is yuck! We got a small one, suck them right off the windows and then we seal up the tube so they can’t get out. It’s dramatically cut down on the number of the bugs.

They love the warmth and heat, but luckily we have good sealing windows and such, so they aren’t getting into our home. I’ve heard of old homes having problems with them inside. Anyway, we had a nice August, and then had that burst of heat last week during September and they were back. There aren’t tons, but enough for me to say yuck! We’re back to sucking them up again and hoping we’re cutting down on the number that can return.

I’ve never been a huge fan of Cape May, New Jersey.
I know people love the charm and Victorian feel, but it never did much for me. Recently, I was in Wildwood Crest, just a few moments away, and I had no
desire to go over and visit. I’m not really sure why. Maybe it’s because Long Beach Island has all ready caught my heart,
and Wildwood is my playground. Don’t get me wrong, I have room to enjoy other
places. In fact, I was just down Sea
Isle City during mid August and really enjoyed it.

The other popular Jersey shore that does nothing for me is Ocean City; though I hate to hear about problems like syringes washing up…sad, sad stuff.
People rave about it, but eh, just doesn’t hold anything for me. I’m sure if
they were the places I visited often as a child, they’d hold memories, and they
would be the beach for me. Oh yeah, one more….Point Pleasant; does nothing for
me.

When I want a beachy place, I’ll take Beach Haven…if I want
a boardwalk, it’s Wildwood for me. What are you favorite beaches? Don’t even
get me started on the snobby north end beaches that have walls down the length
of them, so they’re damn near impossible to hang out on. What is that Sea Girt or Sea Bright? You can
have those and Asbury, and I’d be damn fine without them. Seaside Heights
is one I enjoy for a quick day trip, but it’s seen better days and is slowly going low rent. I hope someone
goes in there and spruces it up. It’s getting more than a little run down. I am seeing a lot of condo activity going on, so I think it’s going to improve its reputation over these next couple of years. Fresh money, people caring again…that’s always a good thing.

While Ocean City, Atlantic City,
Asbury, Wildwood, Point Pleasant and Seaside
all have boardwalks- Wildwood is the boardwalk we prefer.

Beaches without boardwalks…Sea Isle City (while they have a promenade), Long Beach Island and Cape May, I’ll take LBI in a heartbeat.

1. The Hunterdon County Arboretum on Route 31

2. Deer Path Park on Woodschurch Rd (The Seafood Festival is coming in August!)

3. Jugtown Mountain Preserve on Mine Road in Bethlehem Twp.

4. Cold Brook Reserve is on Route 517

5. Sourland Mountain Preseve in East Amwell

6. Teetertown Ravine Nature Preserve in Lebanon Twp.

7. Wescott Nature Preserve in Delaware Twp.

The auto train is a special train that only runs on the East Coast. It’s run by Amtrak, and you can only board it if you also have a vehicle with you. It’s not your typical commuter train. It has one path, and one path only. It goes back and forth between Virginia and Florida. When you buy your ticket, you find you can’t buy a ticket unless you also have a vehicle, and you’ll be paying for that also. You can bring a motorcycle, van, truck or car.

You then also choose if you want to sit in a public coach seat, or if you’d like a private room. The private rooms come in different sizes. The thing is, it’s a 17 hour trip. You leave the station by 4pm at the latest, and arrive by 8 or 9 am the following morning. It runs each day….each way. When the train gets to Florida, you unload, and they unload the vehicles from their special trailers. They then service the train and get it ready to head back for the next trip. The people in Florida load up, and the train leaves by 4pm, and get up to Virginina between 8 and 9am….same thing, over and over again.

They serve dinner on the train in special diner cars, have a lounge car, show movies, and also have a special smoking area and car. There are bathrooms and showers. It’s an interesting experience.

We usually get a small room, and it makes sleeping on the train more comfortable. Seats fold down into bunks, and you doze off around 10 or 11pm, and arrive at your destination in the morning.

If you’d like more information about the auto train, just go to the Amtrak site, and search auto train. It’s a neat experience, and my son loves it. I don’t sleep well on the train, but like having my car with me on road trips. This time we took the train down, and drove back.