DANCE-DANCE-DANCE

Did you know that today is National DANCE Day?

Well it is!

And that means that I get to

Dance

Boogie

Salsa

Mambo

Do a Jig

Twirl

TwIsT

and SHOUT!

Party All The Time

We would like to have a friends who feel like family weekend.
So we would love it if your and yours would like to join us.

Here is our idea.
This is Dear Hubby's last weekend off for some time.
So we wanted to really enjoy all of our friends and have a lil fun time.

This is a come as you are (honestly we just wanna enjoy our time) gathering.
Bring the family as yours is ours.
Make yourself at home!!! It makes life so much easier when we all do.

Bring drinks and a already prepared dish.
This can be beer and pizza, kool aid and mac n' cheese, soda and fried chicken.
You get the idea. Now we will not have to scramble to make tons of food or have anything to drink.

Second we are willing to cook. Anything. Got a great grill here and considering getting the two ducks on them. I adore baking and can clean dishes as fast as we get them dirty. So no biggie to me. If there is something you would like to make then bring the fixings and teach us all how to do it.

Fun...yes, fun is indeed called for. We have the horse shoes already set up. And the dart board. You know we have tons of different games. Poker night...we can do it. Movie you wanna share bring it along. Basically what ever we all wanna do and enjoy together. That is always the best part of being with your family and friends.

If your traveling and wanna stay over. We can make room. Granny M is gone for the week so that bed is available. The couches are here and we can always kick College Girl out....LOL No, we would not do that. But we can make space.

Oh and most important......The a/c is on all over the house.
You will not have to die of heat provide we keep the outside doors shut.

Please call, text, email or just holler loud enough we can hear ya.

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Guest Post: Phyllis Scheiber & Girlfriends

We are so lucky to have a guest post today from Phyllis Schieber. Phyllis visits Sharing with Writers. She has a blog outreach campaign where she will visit a wide variety of blogs and discuss many topics, relevant to all women, but especially to the older, mature woman. (That's me now!) Today she is sharing about her relationships with her girlfriends. I am so happy to have her here. I know my girlfriends are my strength and soul. For more information about Phyllis and her books Willing Spirits and The Sinners Guide to Confession: visit her site. Now on to Phyllis.............

Next week, I will celebrate my thirty-sixth wedding anniversary. I was married at twenty-one, and while I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge that my husband is a fine and decent person, a good father, a good husband, and an all-around nice person, he is simply not a woman. I do not know any other way to explain the difference between my relationship with my husband (whom I have known for forty years) and any of my girlfriends. It is not a question of love; it is merely the reality of the differences between the sexes. I am a wife, the mother of a son, a sister to a brother, the daughter of a father I adored, and quite fond of men. Nevertheless, I cannot think of one man I would choose to have lunch with over one of my girlfriends. I know some will balk at this confession, but it is true. Mind you, I would happily have lunch with any or all of the men aforementioned, but it simply would not be the same as lunch with one of my girlfriends. The details matter so much with women, and we savor them shamelessly. Everything matters. The best men (in my view) are the ones who recognize their deficiencies and genuinely work to compensate. It just does not seem to come as naturally to them. They have to work at it. I say all this with a nod to a male friend who offered this to me today: “Talk to me.” It nearly took my breath away, but they are words I would have expected from a woman friend. And that is the difference. I have a circle of women friends who sustain me, keep me sane, remind me of my worth, and reassure me that I am treasured. We say, “I love you,” at the end of every conversation; we unashamedly sign off our emails with a series of xoxoxox for kisses and hugs, and we embrace and affirm our love for each other each time we meet. I think it is because women spend so much of their lives nurturing—their children, their husbands, their partners, their ailing parents, their students, co-workers, the list is endless—that they understand the need to let each other know how much they matter. My girlfriends are my support, my secret keepers, my cheering section—they mean everything to me. I cannot imagine how any woman survives without close woman friends. I know that I would not be able to get through my day without some contact with my girlfriends. In her essay, “Women Are Just Better,” Anna Quindlen quotes the observation of a friend who says, “Have you ever noticed that what passes as a terrific man would only be an average woman?” And that’s when, as Quindlen describes it, “A Roman candle went off in my head… What I expect from my male friends is that they are polite and clean. What I expect from my female friends is unconditional love, the ability to finish my sentences for me when I am sobbing, a complete and total willingness to pour out their hearts to me, and the ability to tell me why the meat thermometer isn’t supposed to touch the bone.” It’s so true. I know for certain that it is exactly what I expect and invariably receive from the women friends in my life. And they rarely, if ever, disappoint me.

Willing Spirits was written to honor and to celebrate the friendships women share. I describe what it is like when the novel’s protagonists, Gwen and Jane, find themselves “falling in love” shortly after they meet: Yes, women do fall in love with each other. Differently, of course than they fall in love with men. Falling in love with a man is a feverish experience. There is little control. But falling in love with a woman is much more serious. It guarantees so much more for the investment. For it is from other women that women are nurtured. It is from other women that they hear what they hope to hear from men. I understand. I know how you feel. I’m sorry for your pain. I care about what you think: Words that need no prompting. In that circle, women tell each other things that men and women tell each other first with their hands and lips and tongues before they can tell each other with words. Women comfort each other with touch that is meant to heal, rather than to excite. The mysteries of love are less complex between women. The hidden passages are easier to negotiate. And the dangers do not seem as great as when the same journey is taken with a man. Around each dank and frightening corner, women hold out their hands to each other and form a human chain that is, quite simply, spiritually different. The lucky ones find men who (and it is a deep and well-kept secret between women) are more like women. My friends are my mainstay. I have women friends from various stages of my life. One friend in particular has been my friend since she was twelve and I was ten (I continue to point out our age difference at every opportunity!) We met at sleep away camp and in the almost fifty years that we have been friends, we have been through everything together. Several years ago, she found out she had lung cancer. It has been a long and challenging battle that she blessedly seems to have won, but we take nothing for granted. We speak every morning, exchange news, reassure each other we are still here, and remind ourselves how lucky we are to be friends, to have each other yet one more day. We always, always have something to talk about, secrets to share. We are always still girls together. And I love that about us. In The Sinner’s Guide to Confession, the protagonists, Kaye, Ellen, and Barbara, are very different from each other, yet their bond is unshakable. They are girlfriends. They may disagree. They may disapprove. But they are there for each other. It is the one certainty they can depend on in their otherwise unpredictable lives. Their bond is solid, and it strengthens each of them, making possible for them to navigate the unforeseen complexities that come their way. They are girlfriends together. I close the acknowledgments in Willing Spirits with the following statement: “Mostly, however, I am indebted to my friends, the women who embrace me with their open hearts. They nourish me with their love and goodwill. I have been blessed to be surrounded by women who indulge my moods, allow my eccentricities, listen to my complaints, and applaud my triumphs. I cannot imagine how I would thrive without any one of them. They never disappoint me.” Girlfriends. My girlfriends. My husband will often ask, incredulously, “What do you have to talk about every single day?” My answer is always the same, “Everything. We talk about everything.”

She is Such a Smart Mouth

My College Girl has a Smart Mouth! Really she does. And I am so so so so glad.

Now why would I like that? Well you see dear loving sweet adorable Collage Girl suffers horrible from halitosis. Dragon Breath does not even start to tell you about it. And we have tried everything. Brushing her teeth three times a day. Flossing. Mouth washes. Tongue scrapping. You name it we have been there. Well now we have a solution. Smart Mouth.....told she has one. Well here let me have College Girl tell you about it.

I always like it when mom requests review items just for me. There was no exception to that rule when she ordered the Smart Mouth 12 hour breath freshener system. It comes in two flavors: cinnamon and fresh mint and I got the mint. It comes in two pump style bottles with a little measuring cup. Four pumps from each bottle, swish and gargle twice a day to prevent bad breath during the day and morning breath when you first wake up. It adds up to about a tablespoon worth of liquid, if I remember the measurements from the side of the cup right. Super easy to use, I've just added the Smart Mouth system to my morning and evening bathroom routines. After using it, my mouth felt really fresh and clean, which was nice. We also noticed a marked difference when I didn't use it one day. The taste was great, not too strong, with just a little hint of wintergreen, which I love. The blend of mint was nice since pure peppermint is sometimes too strong for me. I think it would be cool to try the cinnamon flavor too. I'd recommend Smart Mouth 12 hour breath freshener system to everyone; it's a great tasting product that works!


You can also get a $2.00 off coupon at smartmouth.com. This is available at most of your drug stores now. I tell you we highly recommend it now!

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary product to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided.

A New Niece and a Giveaway--(not the niece)

My great niece Caylan Jane Green was born today! Yipppeee! I am so happy to have a new family member here all safe and sound. I can't wait to meet her. My mom (Granny M) is there now helping out. You see there are other small kiddos and it is going to be hard on my niece to do all the juggling of a newborn and a full household too. You know how that all goes. Well I sent some goodies on to her. And a few things during the pregnancy too. Thought I would share them with you. First one was for my nephew (by marriage) was how he could both help out my niece and be a great part of this mystery. I sent him the book Dad's Pregnant Too! This is a great guide to help dad prepare and enjoy the first nine months of his childs life. You know how it is. Focus is all on mom, after all she is carrying the baby. But where does dad fit in after the deed is done? Well here is a way for him to know where and what to do. What type of partner is he? How he can make mom feel special. The trap of those baby stores where everything looks like you need it. And all those in between things like the baby's development and why mom's mood keeps swinging. Even how to navigate sex with your very pregnant partner. I feel that this is something that all dad's need. No matter if this is kid #1 or #5. A refresher course if you ask. Yeah, even us moms need that too. So here is a great go to source for the dad. Next I sent a budget saver. With child #3 there now I am sure that money is tight. I found that The Complete Book of Baby Bargains can be such a help. This is a collection of all the best money-saving baby advice that has been on the web for 10 years. But all in one book. So now not having to comb from site to site to site eating up precious time. Here there is over 1,000 tips on what to do from bedding to diapers and advice for free stuff too! Yeah! We all like free. I also like the itps on how to reuse and what you really don't need. I am so sure that this is one book that will have many pages with bended ears on them to bookmark the best ideas. Now for a lil bit of fun and a break in day to day life. I had to send my all time favorite short cut book to my niece. In Life's too Short to Fold Fitted Sheets we have the ultimate guide to domestic liberation. I am so OCD about my home that I drive myself crazy. I mean we can not have everything picture perfect all the time. Well not if we actually live in the house along with our kids, pets and husbands. So we have to have some secrets that help us master the code to housework. My fav lil secret that I do is I don't fold sheets at all. Nope.....not one. Instead I take the sheets and stuff them all in the matching pillow case. Now I can just grab the ones I want and the whole set is there. All in there own lil bags. Whoot! Time saved. I do plenty of giveaways but this was the hardest book to pry out of my lil OCD hands. So go find one and save yourself some time, worry and energy.

And last but never least (you know the best is always saved for last...just like dessert), we have a Chicken Soup for the Soul book. And this one has a giveaway too! Yeppers! I sent a copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul: Power Moms to my niece. Here she has some reading that can fill her with happiness and joy. Well and some tears too. Gosh we all need a good cry sometimes. We have stories of all the mommies out there. From stay at home to work form home to doing it all moms. As with all of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books, the short stories are perfect for end of the day reading or getting the day started stories. We all see ourselves and those we love in these text too. I am thrilled that I can share this one with you too. So now here is the giveaway. THREE Chicken Soup for the Soul: Power Moms to three of my readers. Please leave me a comment (with your email too!) on what your favorite mom moment of the day is. Extra entries are always the same. Entries are with the normal comments. Another for following me anywhere....here, facebook, twitter...leave a comment for each place you follow me at. Make sure your email is with you profile or on the comment. I will have a winner withing two weeks.

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DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copies of these books to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided.

Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes and Yes!

Image by alancleaver_2000 via Flickr

Yesterday was a great day....well there was one horrid cloud I will tell you about too. But over all a killer of a great day.

If your here much you know that Dear Hubby works two jobs and it is killer on him. With 7 days a week and morning til night and no time in between to rest. Then you also know he was off a month due to foot surgery. A blessing in it's own right as he got some much needed rest. Alas no income for a month though. You also know he works this hard to pay child support to two different states. Now I agree pay what you owe. We do not balk about that. But.........

Child support that is over due in Texas has a 6% interest rate. And it is compounded daily. Also once the interest is added to the past due support it becomes part of that. So now interest is compounded on the interest. STUPID! Right! Ok so if one falls behind for what ever reason (Dear Hubby was ill, in a coma and had several heart surgeries too) you never seem to get out from under it. He owed total around $20,000 for total child support to Texas for the whole time he would be paying it. He has paid double child support for over 8 years now. He is right at $1,000 of paying all of the original owed. But with interest they have him owing $45,000. Yeah you read that right. More than double of all child support ever owed. That is what that interest will do to you.

Now you see the issue. Well the great news is that yesterday his Ex and Dear Hubby had a meeting with the Child Support office. And all the interest was totally dropped! ALL! So now he only owes around $1,000 with payments of $200 a month. YIPPPPEEEE! Give us 6 months and that bill will be dropped. Also his daughter in Missouri will turn 18 this fall and we should have that finished in about 6 months time. You see the big picture? Without all this debt Dear Hubby can drop the second job in around 6 months time! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!

This is a RED letter day for us. Top it off I won a giveaway also. So I have a new book Fatal Circle coming to me from Linda Robertson. Thank You! And then Tracy of Crazy Suburban MOM is also sending me a good package. Yipeee! I love it any time I hear from Tracy as she makes me smile and laugh and jump and twirl and just feel joy. You should pop over and visit her.....daily!

Now the bad part of yesterday. Please pray for comfort for my step children and their mom. After all the good news we stopped to visit with their grandfather (their mom's dad). That is when we found out he had passed away just a lil time before hand. He was quite ill and we knew it was not long before he went home. But it is always hard for those left behind to deal with. So pray for my grandbabes and all of their family please.

Post Card Winner!

We have our first winner of the week of giveaways.

Giveaway Prize from Digital Room:

100 4 x 6 Postcards for One (1) Winner

Paper Stock: 14pt Card stock Gloss

Specifications: Full Color Both Sides;

And the winner is:

Tammi said... 9

I got a great poster from this company before! I would let everyone know that I have recently moved Curves of Comanche!!

I will let her know she has won. And get the info off to Digital room also. Congrats.

Win a Memphis Trip

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Memphis Travel. All opinions are 100% mine.

What does Daisy, Jerry and Peabody have in common?

Well my first thought was cartoons. You know! Daisy Duck, Jerry the mouse and Peabody the all knowing dog. But I am dead wrong. Instead it is a all around fun trip in Memphis Tennessee. I was surfing around and found a Memphis-savvy travel guide. There I learned that I could get a trip that would include Daisy, Jerry and Peabody. That is the New Daisy Theater that has a wide selection of shows. Stopping by at Jerry's Sno Cones. My favorite is still wedding cake flavored. And ending up at a rooftop party at the Peabody Hotel. Yeah, up there with the famous Peabody ducks.

You can also enter to win a trip package. They have ones that are for families, couples, music, sports and more. My favorite is the Flipside itinerary. How fun it would be to win a trip to get away for a lil while. I know that Dear Hubby would enjoy it. But more so would be a great girls run away trip. That I have not been able to do in awhile. You can enter one time every day. That adds up to quite a few chances to win a trip for 4. Let me know if your lucky so I can come along for the ride.

Murder on My Hands-Updated!

Friday night my step daughter arrived to pick up the grandbabes. And with her was a beautiful long hair white cat with tawny tips on her ears and tail. A beauty! Top it off she was so loving to us. She was a gift to us from my step daughter.

Awwww! Straight to my heart! Of course College Girl swooped in and gathered up the cat. With great kisses, cuddles and petting, the cat was named Diana. Many different references there. The goddess of the hunt. The goddess of the moon. The mother of Dr. Spencer Reed of Criminal Minds. But the name fits so well.

Well being good mommies we next doctored her for the fleas that had attacked. Just like all of our fur babies, she got her drops straight down her back. What a good girl, did not even flinch. Great! Now give a few days and she should be flea free and we have a lap cat finally. (Yeah our others are all so independent.)

Now today (2 days later) I am afraid I have given her a painful death sentence. You see she is not one that can handle the drops. They have attacked her nervous system. She is flinching, ticking, shacking and just trembling all over. We got online to see and found out that it has to be the flea drops. And I know this sounds horrible but I can not afford the vet, especially the emergency room (this is Sunday). Yeah how can we put the cost on a life but we are close enough to losing our house at this time that I can not take the rent money and put it toward the vet bill. (Remember my Dear Hubby was just off work from two jobs for a month.)

I feel horrid. My College Girl has hugh eyes while she pets Diana. Dear Hubby is wringing his hands trying to figure out what to do. And I feel so guilty. This lovely, beautiful creature that I am responsible for is suffering. All because of me!

Thank God for BJ and Trav. They contacted me and told me to use children's liquid benadryl. They had the same thing happen with their pet. Well we did and after two baths, a lot of drooling, a long nap and some water to drink our lil girl seems no worse the wear. Amazing. I am so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so happy!

Princess Emma's Birthday Phase 3

Ok now for the books.....and we have some great ones here! I have to give books as reading is one of the greatest gifts I know of. And I always think that we should be willing to help children learn to read.

So let's get started with the great list I have to share with you.



First I want you to meet Nito. This is a very special pup. (Yes, I told you Princess Emma loves pets.) Well Nito is featured in a series of books that share a very special story. These were put out by Assistance Dogs of the West. This is a non-profit organization that helps train and place service dogs. And here we learn about their jobs and how they help with Nito's Tale, Nito Meets Chloe, and Nito and Chloe Get an Invitation. These three books have a wonderful progression from Nito as a puppy all the way to his trip to the White House and all that happens in between.

I love being able to share these three stories with Princess Emma. The best part is that she can learn that animals are able to help us in many ways. The books are aimed at children from the ages of 2-6 years olds. And the art work is bright and fun. Make sure to look for the cute lil red bird in each picture too! I do find it interesting to also find out that 19% of the U.S. population is defined as disabled. Being one of that 19% I am thrilled to help teach others that we may be different but all of us want to be productive. Service animals help many of us do just that.

The next three books in Princess Emma's gift box are all a lil different. The last one being a great surprise.

The first one is a Playtime with Little Nye book. In "It's Vacation Time" we follow Little Nye and friends as summer time is explored. Having packed to go on vacation they are faced with a problem. The suitcase will not shut. (Oh we have all been there.) So some things have to be taken out and explored. We have bright bold colors and wipe clean pages that will help this book travel well. I know we always have a book or two when we are doing car trips. And this one would be a great one for the beginning reader.

Next we are hanging out with our friend Maisy in Maisy Goes to Bed. Here we have many special hidden pictures as we explore this lift-the-flap classic. You have all had Maisy in your home I bet. And we also all have the let's go to bed blues. Well here we can explore with our lil ones the rituals of getting ready for bed. We know lil ones love to imitate these stories. So this is a God send in helping bed time become an easier trip.

And last but surely never least is Flanimals. This is my all time favorite of Princess Emma's gifts. Why? Well it is a big, bold, colorful, fun pop-up book. Have you ever met a Flanimal? Well I had not til now. Here we enter the Flanimal kingdom which we know nothing about. But I can only imagine the stories that Princess Emma is going to share with me when she meets these creatures.

I am so happy to have a big ol stack of books to share with Princess Emma. What are some of your favorite stories that you have shared with the lil ones? At what age do you feel books are right for a gift? And join me in wishing Princess Emma a very special 4th birthday!

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of these books to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided.

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Princess Emma's Birthday Phase 2

Another fun gift for Miss Emma. She took a hold of the last Air Bud DVD we had. So I knew this DVD was perfect for her. Between her love for animals and all the sports she watches with her Poppa, this is a natural.

She is going to love Disney's Air Bud: World Pup. And of course it is the special edition with bonus features and free sports bag too. I know that she will love the pups as they learn how to take soccer to a whole new playing field.

Now her Poppa will be sitting right beside her to watch from the broadcasting booth as Rosebud gives a sports channel broadcast. And it will be interesting to see how they taught Air Bud how to play soccer in the production featurette. And Emma will be squealing about the puppies.

We all love puppies right? Of course we do. Ok everybody say AAAWWW here. But the puppies get into all the action too. I hope you get a chance to see this one too! What is your favorite Disney movie? Are you a fan of Air Bud? And how do they manage to get a hold of my heart and twist it around so with those adorable faces?

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of this DVD to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided.

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Princess Emma's Birthday Giveaway

Today is a special day in our house. I mean it is not every day that we have a birthday for a Princess around here. But since she is College Girl's lil sissy and she truly has the grace of a Princess we are so excited. By the way did I ever tell you her name is Emma Grace. I am sure you can tell we adore her.

Well as the avid readers we are there are books galore for her. I will tell you about them in just a moment. We also have a Princess toy organizer for her. And the most perfect 'noise' maker....I mean voice enhancer too. Honestly she loves to sing. A Sid the Science Kid Gotta Know Microphone will thrill her. It has buttons that repeat well know phrases from the show. But there is also a Echo Effect that she will surely use to sing with. Of course we also have an Applause button too! Gotta have the cheers from the crowd ya' know! I love Sid on PBS. He is our morning show around here.

Since it is Princess Emma's Birthday we want to share the gifts with you. So if you would like to leave a comment below on your favorite children's show or gift then your entered. If you can give us one of the characters names on Sid the Science Kid then you will get an extra entry. Entries are with the normal comments. Another for following me anywhere....here, facebook, twitter...leave a comment for each place you follow me at. Make sure your email is with you profile or on the comment. I will have a winner withing two weeks.


DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary Gotta Know Mircrophone to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided.

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Fresh Looks

This is what I look like most days. Just plain ol me without any make up. At least my hair is brushed. But I wish I had a brighter look. I would like to be well......

Bouncier!
With curly hair that is fresher.
More red to it.
And of course, with make up on.

So what would you think?

BTW I have to thank Jana over at Life with the Leonard's. I have been playing with her Mary Kay site. That is where I was able to do all the changes and have a virtual make over. Now I know what make up I need to buy. But where can I get that hair?

For the Love of Our Pets

Once again College Girl has attacked my mail. It is amazing how fast she can hit that mail box when a new book has arrived. I am unsure which member of this house loves to read the most. Well this time she took the book The Dog who Healed a Family and other True Animal Stories. Well I will let her tell you about the book now.

I've always had pets in my house, from the time I was four years old and decided I wanted a kitten. When I asked my dad for one, his response was something along the lines of "you can have a cat or me." I replied, without missing a beat: "when are you moving out?" The next
day, mom and I went and got Snowball, the demon kitten from hell. After learning that Siamese cats are occasionally insane due to inbreeding, we got an older, spayed, de-clawed cat named Annie. That started a wonderful group of various pets, everything from dogs and cats to finches and ferrets. Suffice to say, I love animals.

With my great love for animals, I asked to review Jo Coudert's book for my mom's blog. The Dog who Healed a Family and other True Animal Stories that warm the heart & touch the soul is a book that delivers exactly what it promises. There were stories in this book that drove me to happy tears and others that had me wishing I could live the events that were described. Everything is written simply and to the point, the collected stories told without too much excess. Animal stars range from dogs to birds to deer to raccoons all of whom work miracles on the hearts of their owners. These stories reminded me of
things central to my life: animals are people too and miracles can happen in everyday life. As I read, I remembered my own pets, those I still own and those who have lived their lives as my spoiled babies, who have left their own special tracks on my heart.

We currently have 5 dogs and 4 cats + 1 stray. Our pet population has had almost every kind of pet you can imagine except reptiles. Our favorite was the 3 pet rats. Yes, Rats! But nothing beats any animals unconditional love. What could warm your heart any better than that?
DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of this book to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided.

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Summertime Fun Giveaway

Image by law_keven via Flickr

We so enjoy having the grandbabes here for a week. But we had to come up with a frugal way to enjoy a week of entertainment. Of course we all loved going to the zoo (using coupons to cut cost) and feeding the giraffes there. Did you know their tongues are purple? Well they are.

We have also had trips to the park to play on the new equipment that was set up this year. And my porch is beautiful from our colored chalk art work. I also love having bubbles blowing contest. We timed this right before bath time. Half the work done for us with the soap bubbles being all over them. Our mini play ground in the side yard is not half bad either.

But one of the best was a late night cookout of hot dogs and the best part--S'mores!



It is a bit tricky with a two year old but we managed the fire part with finesse. Our 6 yr old had the neighbor kids joining in and sticky goodness was all over them. College Girl was the biggest kid there!

I remembered this when I found out about the S'mores prize package over at Mom Bloggers Club. You can get ideas for your own S'mores at www.SmoresSmiles.com.

Another good time was seeing an all new video of "Balloonatiks: The Collector's Set". We had it on today at nap time. The two year old needs to rest but the other kiddos here just needed to be quiet so he could conk out. Well my granddaughter and Princess Emma set up camp on the love seat to meet the characters in the DVD. I had to giggle at the names, Sqeeker, Sparky, Bouncer and Airbrain to name a few. Of course they had a good cause to save Hot Air City from Dr. Popemoff. I was surprised to learn about the paperbacks, series of comis and game and a interactive website all for the Balloonatiks.

We also were lucky enough to be able to offer a giveaway for you too. You can get your own copy of Balloonatiks for your kiddos. Pop over to the site and tell me which character you would like the most. You can also visit their facebook page . Entries are with the normal comments. Another for following me anywhere....here, facebook, twitter...leave a comment for each place you follow me at. Make sure your email is with you profile or on the comment. I will have a winner withing two weeks.
DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of this DVD to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided.

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Out of this World Giveaway

I have my grandbabes here with me this week. That means we get to read, read, read. I so love sharing children's books with them. The stories are great along with great pictures. Well, this week we are looking at 3 stories by an author/illustrator. Carlton Scott used a medium for the art that really reached out to my grandbabes. Crayons. Yeppers, crayons. I love the pictures and the babes noticed that they also color. I was able to read three stories.
They are:

• Glamour Girl From the Stars
• Grins's Message
• Little Big Wolf

In Glamour Girl From the Stars, Plee-Dee travels across the universe to answer the call for a New Miss Universe. Her travels bring her to Earth and all the many places to visit here. I do not wish to tell you the story but I will say the pictures that Carlton drew are so full of details. My oldest grandbabe kept noticing all kinds of lil details and places and people. This was as good as Where's Waldo for College Girl. Also the rhyming of the words was like singing a song. Grin's Message tells us of the ocean life. While Little Big Wolf takes us to the mountains to learn about wildlife. I love that all of Carlton Scott's books are set to teach on ways to care for our Earth and life there on. Well tonight I have a giveaway that you can share with your babes. I have a autographed copy of Glamour Girl From the Stars for one special reader. I ask for you to please visit Scotts site and tell me which of the books you would like the most. Entries are with the normal comments. Another for following me anywhere....here, facebook, twitter...leave a comment for each place you follow me at. Make sure your email is with you profile or on the comment. I will have a winner withing two weeks.

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I would also like to tell you to check out Giveaway Scout. It is a nice lil site to find where all the giveaways in the blogsphere are at. Sorta like a one click shopping for freebies!

Giveaway #3 Feeds the Soul

The following is a review and giveaway from College Girl. She often hits my mail and takes the items she so desires....but that is OK. The Chicken Soup for the Soul series has been one of her favorites since she was quite young. So she was pouncing on the latest book. So now here is College Girl.

People can get motivated to do all kinds of things for all sorts of reasons. Some give up a few hours' sleep in favor of healthy exercise. Some give up jobs to pursue a dream. Some go out on a limb to turn
strangers into friends. All these stories and many more are shared in a new book in the popular Chicken Soup for the Soul series.


Chicken Soup for the Soul: Runners features 101 stories from amateur and expert athletes, beginners and old hands, weekend joggers and Olympic marathoners. There are tales of overcoming setbacks, of running for self, and of running for others. From the moment I opened this book and began reading the tales shared so freely, I was hooked. I couldn't put the book down; I wanted to read more. Each story told me about marathons and injuries, setbacks and goals. I'm still astounded by people who can run marathons, who get out of bed at ungodly hours just to exercise - and even look forward to it! For all my determination, I haven't quite managed that yet. However, with this book in hand, I'm sure I'll have a lot more determination to set and even surpass my own goals.


I would recommend this book to everyone, runners or not. I myself am only a walker at this point, but reading about other people setting and reaching their own goals is a message than can be used in every area of life. The stories are inspiring and quick to read and the messages behind them stay with you long after the book has been closed.


Now for today's giveaway. I have 3 Chicken Soup for the Soul: Runners to giveaway to three lucky readers. I ask for you to please visit Chicken Soup and tell me which of the books you would like the most. (Hint....I have more reviews for this series and giveaways for the will follow). Entries are with the normal comments. Another for following me anywhere....here, facebook, twitter...leave a comment for each place you follow me at. Make sure your email is with you profile or on the comment. I will have a winner withing two weeks.

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Saving My Purse

We all went out to dinner tonight. Traveled about 60 miles to get to the lil town to have dinner. We had heard all about the hugh portions that they served. Order a meal and have dinner for a couple of nights easy. Well this was all true. Dear Hubby's Chicken Fried Steak dinner had 4 large steaks....yes 4! And the place was jammed packed. For a lil town of 700 I bet they serve that many on a weekend alone.

Recently Dear Hubby purchased this cute lil thing-a-mijimi that hangs your purse on the table. That way it is up off the floor and close to you. I was showing it off to our table mates and was about to use it when something stopped me. Instead I used my Grab Guard.

This is a great product. It has a combination lock and a metal cable that loops through your purse and then around a chair or table leg or what ever is close. You then click it close and press a button to take up the slack in the cable. Now your purse is locked where you put it. And it can not be scooped up and taken away. What a great lil product.

Well I am glad I did. Like I said this place was so crowded. Chairs back to back and everyone walking around from here and there. I saw purses being shifted from one to another place. Women trying to keep them close to them and others having to keep them in their laps. I did not have to worry about all of that. My purse was safe and sound. And I was able to concentrate on my meal and company instead of where my purse was at.

No one tried to take my purse. But I did not have to be worried about that either. So look up the Grab Guard and see what you think. I love mine.

Now for today's giveaway. I have a green Grab Guard to giveaway to one lucky reader. I ask for you to please visit Grab Guard's site and tell me of one of the uses they have posted there. Entries are with the normal comments. One for leaving a comment on how you will use your Grab Guard. Another for following me anywhere....here, facebook, twitter...leave a comment for each place you follow me at. Make sure your email is with you profile or on the comment. I will have a winner withing two weeks.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary Grab Guard to facilitate this review. And another to give away. No other compensation was provided.

Time for Giveaways!

I am starting a week of giveaways. So make sure that your here everyday to make sure you get your entries in. Some will be by comments and others will be by the luck of the draw....you never know!

So let's start off with a great sponsor of mine, UPrinting.com. A favorite who has given their fair share of gifts. Today we are hosting a Post Card Giveaway. One you can design for yourself. So on with the show.

I love this item for the versatility it creates. As I told you my niece and her hubby are expecting a new babe. These would make a great birth announcement. I also could see these as being great ways to reach out and share with our followers. Think of it, Follower Awards that we can mail out with a lil note of how much we appreciate them. Personally I am going to use our Christmas cards. You know....the ol' Christmas in July thing. Honestly, we all have to think ahead. This way we have a beautiful photo on front and a preprinted greeting on back. This will save me so much time and energy. So how would you use them? Make them into coupons? Good ol' fashion friendship cards? Or ways to reach out to soldiers overseas with glad tidings? Will they be a postcard printing and marketing to promote your business?

Well here is the fine print:

Giveaway Prize from UPrinting Printing Companies:

100 4 x 6 Postcards for One (1) Winner

Paper Stock: 14pt Card stock Gloss

Specifications: Full Color Both Sides;

Eligibility: Limited to US Residents only 18 yrs old or older.

Entries are with the normal comments. One for leaving a comment on how you will use your post cards. Another for following me anywhere....here, facebook, twitter...leave a comment for each place you follow me at. Make sure your email is with you profile or on the comment. I will have a winner withing two weeks.

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MediFast to the Rescue?

Image by This Year's Love via Flickr

I was sent information and samples for the Medifast program. I tried this program for a short time as a 20+ year old woman. I did not stick with it due to the shakes that did not taste good lil on the gritty texture. Now that was over 20 years ago. I am more than willing to see how the program has improved over the years.

I did try the shake. It was much better now. Not gritty at all and the flavor was rich. That I did like! I also had the Honey Mustard Pretzel Sticks. This would be a snack meal on the plan. But I am not a big chip fan and these fall into that category. But at 110 calories they were a replacement for a bag of chips.

Well first they have added many items. And I see that most come right at 100 calories per serving. So you have a variety of "meals" instead of just the shakes. The plan is 5 of the Medifast meals along with a low calorie meal (about 150 calories for the meal). A suggested meal would be 6 oz grilled chicken breast and 1 1/2 cups of cooked asparagus with tsp of olive oil. So you take in right at 650 calories in a day. That seems really low when your including exercise in your program. The photo is of a Medifast scrambled egg meal. Yes, that would be your breakfast. Your complete breakfast minus a drink like black coffee.

Now the cost is where I have an issue. You see I am on a tight budget and really watch what I spend. We have to use all of our resources to help our food budget. But for most people a months worth of the plan would not seem unreasonable. It would be right at $300 a month for one person. Now that does not include the at home meal you would have once a day. But 28 of those meals (that you would be making for the family or using a frozen dinner instead) would add about another $100 to that budget. So that would be right at $400 a month for one person. Myself, we do not spend $400 a month to feed a family of 5. If you purchase an single item they seem to come in packs of 7 at $15.50. That would be $2.21 each. Each bag of pretzels or oatmeal pack or pudding cup. Pretty costly if your not doing the monthly package. By the way it is $2.09 per item in the monthly pack.

What would you get for that $300? Well that would be 143 items.

• 49 Shakes
  
• 42 Bars
  
• 14 Oatmeals
  
• 7 Scrambled Eggs
• 14 Soups
  
• 7 Chocolate Puddings
• 7 Cappuccinos
• 3 Bonus Meals

If you looking for help with your diet. And your not the best at measuring out your servings then this may be just up your alley. I could not afford this but will use the ideas here to help me do a plan of my own.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary shake and bag of pretzels to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided.

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Dysfunctional Love

See that man in the center of the picture? Yeah the only one not looking at the crowd like every one else. With the cane and 'star wars' boot on. Yeah....that's the one.

Well that is my Dear Hubby on the 4th of July lining up to be honored as a Veteran. His foot is healing up from surgery (even though he already re broke his lil toe). And he is the dysfunctional love of my life.

Today I thought I would share how we got together. I thought it would be a great addition to the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" book "All in the Family" which is the stories of our funny, quirky, lovable and dysfunctional families. I adore these books with their short stories that tug right at my heart and make me laugh at the same time. And this one in particular has had me in stitches. You ought to read about how the father baked MARIJUANA into the stuffing. Oh my! That turned some people 'on'. Of course we could also do like one family and go to the family reunion...you know across the state to get there. Only to find out your with the wrong family. Gosh I think I am related to these people. Same for you? I did relate to the story in there of a mentally ill woman and her worries, more so thinking of how some things look to our family when they seem so logical to us.

But I degress, so back to my Dear Hubby and how we met. Several years ago while I married to my College Girls dad, I traveled to be with my mother. Her cousin had passed and I was worried about how she was going to take it. Grandma does not do well when she looses those she loves. So after arriving and going to the funeral with her we followed the crowd to the local bingo hall where the family meal was taking place. My great uncle was there (he was in his late 80's then) and I thought I would help him get his meal. It is so hard to use a walker and carry a plate at the same time. Also he is a great flirt and story teller, so what a time to share with him. After sitting I noticed another younger man and elderly woman getting their food. But, the woman was helping the younger man get his food. He was quite thin and was using a cane to move, seeming very weak. But he had a great smile all the way up to his eyes. More so was a beautiful voice. (I love voices!) I hoped they would sit close so I could continue to hear him speak. And luck would have it that the did. (Of course we was the closest table to the food too.)

Well my great uncle drew them into conversation and I enjoyed the meal quite forgetting the occasion we were all there for. Then it came to an end and we had to return back to my mom's cafe. I kept thinking of this man and his voice. I really loved listening to him. I asked my mom if it was to forward (remember I was married at this time) to ask him to coffee and continue the visit. She said it was ok in her opinion. So she looked up his number and I called him. He was not in but I gathered my nerve and called again later much to my delight. I asked him to coffee but he turned me down. Instead he asked me to join his family (sister and all) at the local fire work show that night (yes in July!). So I went along to the community event.

We talked and talked so much that everyone moved away from us. Loud I guess. After the fireworks we sat in the parking lot and continued to talk. His family left him there after asking for me to return him home later. Finally we headed out to the lake where they lived. Arriving quite late we decided to sit at the lake and continue our conversation for just a lil bit longer. I told you I loved his voice. Well we did talk, talk, talk, and talk.....all the way til the sun was coming up over the lake. You can say the conversation just took over. Needless to say we seemed to have quite a bit in common.

Well 8 years later we still talk late into the night. And every year we return to the same fireworks show to think of that first night we met. He had taken me to see fireworks then and continues to show them to me on a regular basis.

So where did you meet your darling? I bet not at a family funeral.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of this book to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided.