Well, 2017 is now a distant memory, and generally odd years are great for Get Clued In and her family, but 2017 didn’t really live up to the hype of usual odd years for us.
2016 ended with my mom passing away from a battle with cancer, which was up til now, the worst thing we have experienced and coped with as a family. Then, a few weeks later, in January of 2017, a day before the inauguration of 45 (I won’t even go there with how I feel about this), my husband lost his job after 19.5 years in the same industry/same position. This, along with the political landscape of what was to be 2017, brought a lot of adjustments to our household. My husband now works in a job which takes him away from home more than 50% of the time, and with my new role, commute, and lack of flexibility, we found ourselves in a tough place in 2017. The one person I knew I could rely to be there for me when I needed help in this like this was no longer on this earth, and grappling with that whilst making huge life adjustments was not easy last year.
2017 was also bittersweet as I had the joy and honor to receive a promotion in the military I have served for more than 19 years now. That was great, but I was so sad that I couldn’t share the joy and news with my mom, and that she couldn’t physically be at the ceremony. She would have loved it so much! 2017 was a year of new adjustments for us, and while I made rank and my husband got a new job pretty quickly (all blessings), it all seemed so pointless without my mom to share it with.
Social media and blogging-wise, I did not feel that oomph or energy to blog or do much, as it was tougher in 2017 to balance work, life, and this hobby of writing. So, 2017 was a year of MEH (if I may use the emoji) for Get Clued In, and I apologize to you, the reader, for my lack of scintillating posts. The Emoji movie summed up my emotions for 2017 – hot, cold, sad, very sad, happy, excited, sad again, confused (about the political climate), scared (world events). I could go on, but I think you know that this year’s “year in review” is slightly different than past years. I hope I can share some great posts for 2018, and have time to write a little more. Well, right after I figure out the new tax code. Oy! Happy New Year!
Leap! is coming to a theater near you soon, and you can be at the special, advanced free screening this Saturday, August 19, at 10:00 A.M. at the Harkins Northfield Theater. 
Here is a brief description of the movie: 11-year-old orphan, Félicie (Elle Fanning) has one dream – to go to Paris and become a dancer. Her best friend Victor (Nat Wolff), an imaginative but exhausting boy with a passion for creating, has a dream of his own – to become a famous inventor. In a leap of faith, Victor and Félicie leave their orphanage in pursuit of their passions. But – there’s a catch, Félicie must pretend to be the child of a wealthy family in order to gain admittance to the prestigious and competitive Opera Ballet School in Paris. And with no professional dance training, she quickly learns that talent alone is not enough to overcome the ruthless, conniving attitudes of her fellow classmates, led by the devious Camille Le Haut (Maddie Ziegler) and her wicked mother Régine (Kate McKinnon). Determined to succeed, Félicie finds her mentor in the tough and mysterious school custodian, Odette (Carly Rae Jepsen) who, along with Victor’s encouraging friendship, help her reach for the stars.
Don’t forget to 
If you are a Lego(c) lover like my kids are, you simply must find the time to find 
Like previous years, the kids enjoyed building cars and racing them. There was so much to do and see, and build with, one four-hour session did not seem like enough, but here’s to next year’s #Brickfest. We will be there. If you can, catch one in a city near you. The tour schedule is posted here. We had a lot of fun and it was not crowded at all on Sunday, the last session, so the lines were short, and the kids could do activities they loved multiple times. Everything was just awesome!
Recently, because I do more on-line shopping, I have signed up to get notifications from sites like 
So, if you are going to shop for things anyway or buy new mobile devices, you might as well use groupon and 
We are so excited that LEGO Brickfest is returning to Denver in August! My kids love to build, play, and create with LEGO. August 12-13, the Brickfest returns to the Merchandise Mart, a LEGO Fan Experience is filled with hands-on attractions and activities built to inspire, educate, and entertain.
Both days, Sat, Aug 12, 2017, and Sun, Aug 13, 2017, BrickFest runs from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, at the Denver Merchandise Mart. MY READERS SAVE $3 off tickets with promo code USFGTHREE
Inspiration Stations: Add to existing LEGO cities and make them your own by building custom creations.