Hi everyone. I'm a mom of three (five if you count the dogs !) We live in New Jersey but I'm originally from Yonkers, NY. Besides being a full-time mom, I'm also a teachers aide in a special needs class and an advocate for the rights and needs of disabled children. In my spare time, I love crafts, gardening, couponing and, of course, making lenses for Squidoo ! http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/suzy-t Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:49:50 -0600 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.squidoo.com/disney-cruise-insider-tips Cruising with Disney is always a magical experience. Following a few of these insider tips from a seasoned Disney veteran will make your cruise even more magical, less stressful and it may even help to stretch your dollar a little further ! It doesn't matter whether you're a first-timer to Disney cruising (or cruising in general), or you've been on the Disney Magic, Wonder or Dream already, a little extra knowledge before you go can insure your cruise is the best it can be for you and your family. We're going to assume you've already made the BIG decision... deciding to book a cruise with Disney. If you have, congratulations. You made a very good decision. If you still aren't quite sure if a Disney cruise is for you, we suggest you visit the Disney Cruise Line home page. It has scheduling, destination and stateroom information. You can even view a Disney Cruise Planning DVD online. We also highly recommend fellow RocketMom and Squidoo Disney expert EverythingMouse's lens The Secrets of a Great Disney Cruise for detailed planning information. How can we help?... The information we'll provide is going to be most helpful for the people who have already decided when and where to go and are putting the finishing touches on their plans BEFORE they actually book the trip. Even if you've already booked the cruise, our tips and tricks will make your cruise even better. travel-and-places Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:50:57 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/disney-dream-deck-plans Come with us on a journey through the Disney Dream, deck by deck, and discover why cruisers, young and old, first-timers and experienced alike, fall in love with the Dream every time they set sail with her. The Disney Dream, the third in Disney's fleet of cruise ships, set sail on its maiden voyage on January 26, 2011. With it's predecessors, the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, already established and successful in the cruise industry, Disney Cruise Line took a gamble with a larger ship...about 40% larger. She is amazing to see in person. With it's brilliant white decks and striking dark hull, she's hard to miss. Topped off with red and black funnels and a cruise industry first, the AquaDuck water coaster, she's instantly recognizable when you see her. In 2012, the Dream will sail out of Port Canaveral, Florida on 3, 4 and 5-night cruises to the Bahamas and Disney's private island, Castaway Cay. DECK PLANS UPDATED WITH LATEST STATEROOM CATEGORY INFORMATION FOR 2012/2013 SAILINGS. travel-and-places Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:58:40 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/bruce-springsteen-biography "Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce the heart-stoppin', house rockin', earth quakin', booty shakin', history makin', legendary... E - STREET - BAND!" ...famous words (or in some variation there-of) from Bruce Springsteen, a rock and roll hall of famer and true legend, to honor a group of men and women that have made some amazing music with him for decades...words that have rung out from stages in clubs, arenas and stadiums around the world since the 70's. .. and never so true than today. Like a fine wine that gets better with age, so does Bruce and the E-Street Band. I'm a fan...A big fan...Since I was in high school in the seventies and growing up in the New York/New Jersey area, it was hard not to be a fan. Now older with grown children, I'm an even bigger fan!... I still love seeing Bruce and the band whenever and where ever they play. There is just no other experience like it and it's hard to put into words. Perhaps I should let Bruce, the ultimate wordsmith for the common man and woman do the honors...it's like a rock-and-roll baptism !... After completing more than two years on the road promoting two new albums, Magic and Working on a Dream, Bruce and the band took a well-deserved break in 2010. Tragedy struck E-Street unexpectedly in 2011 when we lost Clarence Clemons to complications from a stroke leaving a hole in our hearts that will never be filled. 2012 dawned with the promise from Bruce of a new album and world tour. Yes, the show must go on but we will never forget you Clarence. Bruce, your fans are glad you and the band will carry on and are waiting anxiously for you to share your music with us again real soon. music Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:20:39 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/disney-fantasy-deck-plans The Disney Fantasy is the newest jewel in Disney Cruise Line's crown. Set to sail on her maiden voyage on March 31, 2012, she will take over the Disney Magic's assignment of 7-night eastern and western Caribbean cruises. She will share Port Canaveral, Florida as home port with her sister ship, the Disney Dream. The Dream and Fantasy are both state-of-the-art cruiseships built at the Meyer Werft Shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. With striking Mickey Mouse-inspired colors of red, black, white and yellow and both equipped with a cruise-industry first, the AquaDuck water coaster, they are instantly recognizable at their ports of call throughout the Caribbean. Join us on a journey through the Disney Fantasy, deck by deck. Find out what's new on the Fantasy and how it differs from the Dream and most importantly, learn how to be a step ahead of everyone else with our helpful tips and information. DECK PLANS UPDATED WITH LATEST STATEROOM CATEGORY INFORMATION FOR 2012/2013 SAILINGS. travel-and-places Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:01:57 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/10-tomato-plant-problems Home tomato gardens are very common with millions of people around the world. Why? Because there is NOTHING like a fresh, juicy tomato from your very own garden. It is one of my favorite things about summertime. Tomato plant problems are also very common and may include harmful insects, diseases and improper care or fertilization. It doesn't matter whether you grow your tomatoes in a garden, in a pot on your deck, upside-down or right-side-up, most tomato plants can fall victim to any or all of these problems. There may be few things as exciting to a gardener as a fresh, juicy tomato from your very own garden... There is also nothing as discouraging, especially after the hard work, time and money you invest in your home tomato garden, than finding out the plants are being eaten by pests or they have contracted a disease that is incurable. We will explore the 10 most common problems growing tomatoes and provide suggestions on how to prevent and/or solve many of them. ...and look out for the "Tiny Tomato Tips" sprinkled throughout the page for more great information about your home tomato garden. home-and-garden Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:23:49 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/teddy-bear-power Donating teddy bears to a a child in need is a heart-warming experience. You can donate bears or other stuffed animals directly or there are organizations that will accept your monetary donations, buy the bears for you and donate them on your behalf. Some places will even accept used bears and other plush animals. Children are admitted to hospitals and clinics around the world every day. Doctors, nurses, medical professionals, clergy and hospital staff (all angels in my book !) provide them with the best primary care possible. As family and friends of a child in the hospital, the best medicine we can give is love... but not all hospitalized children have that luxury. That's where teddy bear power comes in ! healthy-living Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:47:20 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/towel-cake With these simple, illustrated, step-by-step instructions and decorating ideas, you'll be able to "bake" your own towel cake in about an hour. The basic cake can be customized in thousands of ways to suit any occasion. It's perfect for bridal and baby showers, holidays, housewarmings, birthdays, anniversaries, Mother's day...the list goes on and on...and it's always a popular gift. It's easy, inexpensive and you don't need any special skills to make one. The "ingredients" for a basic three-tier cake can cost under $25. If you want to spend more, that's OK too. It's a great gift to give from a group of people and you can share the cost ! A brief safety message from your local Fire Department... hobbies-games-toys Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:50:19 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/hot-kindle-fire-accessories   The Kindle Fire is the hottest new tablet on the market. Protect and customize your Kindle Fire with the newest accessories, lights, covers, cases, sleeves, skins and screen protectors. New gear is coming out all the time so whether you have a Kindle Fire already or you need a gift for someone who has one, we take the mystery out of shopping for the latest Kindle Fire accessories. computers-and-electronics Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:03:24 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/stuffed-baked-tomatoes This classic stuffed, baked tomato recipe originated in our family with my grandmother who used to prepare it every time I visited. She never revealed the recipe and to this day, my family still tries to duplicate Grandma's wonderful tomatoes. After many attempts with fancy ingredients and complicated instructions, I finally realized Grandma lived in a simpler time. After applying that philosophy to my latest attempt to duplicate her recipe, I think I finally did it ! These delicious stuffed, baked tomatoes can be used as the foundation of a great appetizer, side dish or main course. I've provided step by step, illustrated instructions and you can prepare the basic dish in about 10 minutes (not including cooking time). Use any one of the suggestions to customize the stuffing or toppings or add your own ingredients to suit your unique taste and turn Grandma's basic recipe into something really special. The recipe is simple and uses only basic, inexpensive ingredients. The result is a healthy delicious meal everyone will love. food-and-cooking Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:13:39 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/minigolf Mini golf is a fun, miniature version of the sport of the same name that is absolutely adored by kids and adults of all ages. It's an international phenomenon enjoyed by millions all over the world. It goes by many different names. In the early 1900's it started as "Tom Thumb Golf" but today its commonly referred to as mini or miniature golf or under the trademark "Putt-Putt". Some people call it goofy golf, shorties, extreme golf, crazy golf, adventure golf or mini-putt. No matter what you call it, it is pure summertime fun. Maybe you play at a lakeside campground, the beach or theme park. When the weather doesn't cooperate, you might have an indoor mini golf course near you. If you don't, you always have the option of playing online, on your PC or on the Wii. We'll explore the wonderful world of mini-golf from every angle starting with the history from the early 1900s to current day. We'll cover keeping score and explore some of the most amazing courses in the world. We'll rank your favorite obstacles. (I'll bet you already know what number 1 is !) We'll even tell you what the color of the golf ball you pick means about your personality ! Come have fun with us...and don't cheat on the scorecard ! hobbies-games-toys Sun, 12 Feb 2012 08:50:51 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/rabbit-deterrent A bunny in your yard is cute but wild rabbits can cause considerable damage to unprotected flowers, vegetables, trees and shrubs on your property. They are active throughout the year and especially love gardens during the spring and summer months. The last thing a gardener wants to discover is their precious flowers and vegetables chewed up by an uninvited guest. Damage caused by rabbits can look very similar to damage caused by other animals. We'll help you identify the culprit, the first step in getting your problem under control. Once you know it's rabbits chewing up your plants, getting them to move on can be a difficult task. They can squeeze through the smallest holes, under fences and they have an amazing ability to reproduce very quickly. The good news... effective rabbit control IS possible and very affordable with one or more of the three methods we'll discuss. More importantly, these are HUMANE ways to protect your yard, garden and landscape from wild rabbits without harming your family, the environment or the animals. home-and-garden Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:17:04 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/hot-kindle-fire-skins        The new Kindle Fire is the hottest new tablet on the market. The only thing missing out of the box is a hot new skin to protect it and make it your own. Protect and personalize your Fire with one of these great skins. Choose from regular vinyl adhesive skins with slick new designs or upgrade your protection with a TPU gel skin...all available below, certified "made for Kindle" and at a great price! computers-and-electronics Sun, 29 Jan 2012 16:12:48 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/get-rid-of-squirrels Squirrels are hungry little animals. They seem to have a second sense and know exactly when you are about to pick a fresh tomato from your garden... and then they help themselves to it the day before! I can also sadly confirm that this is not just a summer issue and tomatoes are not the only thing squirrels like to eat. Our family has not put pumpkins on our front porch for the fall season in many years. The squirrels in our neighborhood quickly took a liking to our pumpkins, chewing a deep hole until they reached the seeds inside. They proceeded to hollow out the pumpkin, leaving a rotting, sloppy mess on the porch. There was one brief moment I had a little relief from the anger and frustration when the squirrels finally chewed through the thick outer skin and reached the inside of the pumpkin. Watching them climb into and out of the hole covered from head to tail in pumpkin goo was quite funny. Because of their sheer numbers and ability to get around very quickly, it is nearly impossible to make your yard squirrel-free. Using a live trap and relocating them is an option we will discuss, but this solution will probably keep you very busy. As soon as you trap and relocate one, there are usually three more waiting to take over. Instead of trying to eliminate them from your yard, your best defense is to learn how to repel them away from the areas you want to protect. Several of the most effective control methods will be discussed, with specific focus on organic repellents that do a very good job protecting your precious plants. home-and-garden Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:22:18 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/disney-magic-deck-plans Disney's first cruise ship, the Disney Magic, set sail on her maiden voyage in 1998. With eleven decks of fun from top to bottom, she has a lot to offer cruisers of all ages. Explore the Disney Magic from bow to stern. Learn interesting facts and tips about the Magic and her sister ship, the Disney Wonder, to help you make your cruise experience the best it can be. In 2012, the Magic will relinquish it's assignment of 7-night Caribbean cruises out of Port Canaveral to the brand new Disney Fantasy. The Magic will spend April through September of 2012 sailing out of New York with different itineraries to Canada, the Bahamas and special 2-night weekend cruises. In September 2012 she will reposition to Galveston, TX where she will resume 7-night itineraries to the Caribbean. DECK PLANS UPDATED WITH LATEST STATEROOM CATEGORY INFORMATION FOR 2012/2013 SAILINGS. travel-and-places Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:55:27 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/healthy-jello-desserts Summertime is a great time for a party with friends and family. Many of the picnics and barbecues this summer will probably have a fresh fruit salad on the dessert table...But whether you're a party-goer or party-thrower, you're always looking for something a little different to make, aren't you?. You may have a diabetic in the family and there's always someone watching their weight. Why not be considerate of them and add a little fun to the party with a healthy dessert everyone can enjoy without the guilt. JELL-OŽ gelatin and pudding both come in sugar-free, fat-free varieties and a bunch of yummy flavors. They can be the main ingredient for some extremely delicious and fun healthy summer desserts. We have a few recipes the kids will love and some for the adults...a few that are low in fat, some that are diabetic-friendly and most that are both !. They are all easy, inexpensive and fun to make and will be a hit at any summer party. Fresh Summer Strawberry Pie food-and-cooking Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:23:22 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/garden-deer-repellent Deer damage to home gardens, shrubs and plants is a common occurrence among many people in both rural and urban areas. Although they can be fascinating to watch, deer can cause extensive damage by feeding on plants and rubbing antlers against trees. Damage is most common in the spring on new plant growth. Prevention is the best medicine but its not foolproof. A homeowner will still need to use one or more methods of control to reduce or eliminate damage caused by deer. This lens will discuss both prevention and control. The final solution...experts agree that using a combination or even better, a regular ROTATION of many different deterrents is the most effective method of control. I'll provide detail about many of the safest, most effective and most importantly, humane, ways to control deer. home-and-garden Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:25:26 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/organic-gardening-pesticides An organic home garden is a rewarding source of healthy fruits and vegetables. Maintaining the delicate balance between all the components of your organic garden's ecosystem is hard work but if you're successful, it will prevent damage from pests. If that balance is upset, harmful pests may become a problem that requires attention. This lens will discuss the use of both homemade and commercial organic gardening pesticides. It is a sensitive and controversial topic, for sure. Some of my Blog readers have pointed out the dangers of using any pesticides. The "Commercial Organic Pesticide" module has been recently updated to raise awareness of pesticides even though they may be labeled "natural" or "organic". Feel free to weigh in by adding a comment at the end of this lens. healthy-living Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:24:34 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/adding-charts-and-graphs In the corporate world, sales people always depend on charts and graphs to make their point to a potential customer. Why should Squidoo lensmasters be any different ? When I was building my latest lens on deer repellents, I had organized my information in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. I knew trying to deliver all that data in a text module or list would not have the same impact as putting the chart I had built right into the lens. A word of advice...You don't want to saturate your lens with mounds of mind-numbing data. It will chase people away ! However, a chart or graph can help organize and present information and get your point across to your readers. I'll show you a 3-step method to insert a chart or graph into your Squidoo lens. The information in this lens is most appropriate for beginners or intermediate users who already have some knowledge of making charts and graphs and building Squidoo lenses. squidoo-community Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:29:34 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/summer-reading-for-charity There are many exciting, fast-paced activities you can cram into a summer... beaches, mountains, theme parks... but summer should also be used as a way to unwind from the daily grind we put ourselves through the other 10 months of the year. One of the best things you can do to relax is read a good book. Take it with you on vacation. Read it while you lounge on the beach or by the lake. Allow the story to let you escape while you're reading right in your own backyard under a shady tree. How can YOU read for charity?...easy. Whether you click on a banner or ad, or choose to buy something below, the proceeds from this lens will go to Save The Children. We will help create lasting change for children in the United States and around the world. There are links below to best sellers and lots of other great books you can enjoy this summer. There are books for adults and books for kids. If gadgets are your thing and you have been considering buying a Kindle, you can purchase it right here and help Save the Children at the same time. If you already have a Kindle, maybe you're in the market for a case or other accessory. We have those too. Whether you purchase something or not, we hope you enjoy your summer and a good book finds its way into your busy schedule to help you unwind. books-poetry-writing Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:21:24 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/disney-wonder-deck-plans The Disney Wonder is truly a "wonder" to behold. Eleven decks high and 964 feet long, the Wonder and her sister ship, the Disney Magic, are each longer than Main Street U.S.A at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World ! Take a tour of the Wonder from top to bottom with our detailed deck plans, filled with photos, interesting facts and tips about the Wonder. We'll guide you through the ship and help you prepare for your next cruise with Disney. The Wonder will spend 2012 on the west coast of the United States sailing out of Los Angeles on 7-night Mexican Riviera cruises until May. For the remainder of 2012, she will sail out of Seattle on 7-night Alaskan cruises. The Wonder will also offer two very special 15-night cruises to Hawaii and a "repositioning" cruise through the Panama Canal to Miami in December 2012. DECK PLANS UPDATED WITH LATEST STATEROOM CATEGORY INFORMATION FOR 2012/2013 SAILINGS. travel-and-places Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:55:41 -0600