Almost Done Christmas Shopping

I think I might have mentioned this in another post, but I am pretty excited to almost be done with my Christmas shopping.  Ryan and Brandi are pretty much done, except for some stocking stuffers.  Kasi needs stocking stuffers, too, but I also need to get her a few more things for under the tree.  My problem with her is that she is so hard to shop for.  She doesn't like "girly" things, so finding girl things that aren't "girly", well, you see my dilemma. 

I also have to get a few gifts for some of the adults I want to buy for.  I hate waiting until the last minute, but it's hard to buy for people who you don't see often.  I wish there was a button I could press that would magically make gift giving easy.  I have heard people say that the best gift in this situation is a gift card, but to me, sometimes those are a little impersonal, especially at Christmas time.  I was thinking that I could get new pots for someone, because I found a really great coupon code for Gettington that I could use, but I'm not sure which types of pots this person would want.  I know I need some new non-coated pots for myself, but I think Junior would kill me if I piked out another of my own gifts.  I already picked out every gift from him to me, and he wants me to let him and the kids pick out the rest of my gifts.

Maybe I'll tell the kids that I want pots, and they can pretend like it is their idea.  Do you think that would work?

No More Dirty Glasses

I hate it when my glasses are dirty.  I hate smudges and water spots, and anything else that blurs my vision.  Sometimes I will clean my eyeglasses with water and a paper towel, but that doesn't usually work very well.  I have also been known to use the edge of my shirt to wipe of my lenses, but most of the time that just makes them worse.

Brilliant Lenses recently sent me their eyeglass cleaner to review, and I have got to say, I love how clean it gets my glasses.  The package had two pump spray bottles (7ml each), a microfiber cloth, and a little pouch to put them in.  I really do like the way the spray clings to my glasses.  I have used drop type cleaners in the past, where you could only clean one side of the glasses at a time or the drops would roll of.  This spray pump coats the lenses completely, allowing me to rub both sides at the same time. It also "provides gentle superior cleaning while imparting an invisible durable barrier that resists scratches, soiling, and water spots".  All I know is that I can see through my lenses better.

This spray can also be used on cell phones, monitors, and MP3 players.  My son grabbed one of my bottles of spray to clean his laptop, and the screen has never been cleaner. 

I am giving away a bottle of Brilliant Lenses eyeglass cleaner to one lucky reader.  To enter to win, simply "like" them on facebook and/or follow them on twitter.  Make sure you leave me a comment with your usernames.  This contest will run until 11:59 pm on Wednesday, December 8, 2010.  US bloggers only.  Good Luck!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.
Sponsored by Tomoson.com

Migraines

For the past week or so, I have been having the worst headaches.  Night before last I was convinced i had a migraine, complete with nausea and sensitivity to light.  Today, I have a slight pain behind my left eye, which started right after I had to tell Brandi one of her hamsters died and she had a complete meltdown. 

I wish Junior was able to afford the health insurance offered at his job, but it is so expensive.  The kids are covered by medicaid, so even if he just covered the two of us, he wouldn't bring home enough money for us to live on.  How crazy is that?  He used to carry health insurance on all of us when he worked at his last job, but back then I was also working, so my pay covered the cost of the insurance.  With his current job, even if I went back to work, my pay wouldn't be enough to cover the cost.  We need to find some cheap health insurance that we can get independent of his work.  Does such a thing exist? 

I miss being able to go see my regular doctor for things like migraine headaches and the pains my mom thinks is my gallbladder acting up.  Going to the emergency room is such a hassle, so I keep putting it off and dealing with things on my own.  I wonder how long I can keep this up?

It's On Now...Or So He Says!

My husband is crazy.  He messes with the girls he works with all the time, and today, one of them got even.  When Junior walked out of the store to go home today, he discovered that someone...I'm not naming names...kind of vandalized our van, Christmas style!

First we have the forest scene, complete with lake and trees.

On the back windows, we have a decorated Christmas tree and a festive wreath.

The kids each have a stocking full of goodies.

I do, too!

Junior's stocking is full of rum, which is an ongoing joke with one of his co-workers. 

And on his window, he found this little message...

Of course, he spend the better part of the day planning his revenge, and complaining to me because I don't want him to wash the windows.  You all know I love Christmas, and this, to me, is completely awesome!

FINISH Review And Giveaway

I have been married for over fifteen years.  In those fifteen years, we have lived in several different homes.  The one we live in now is the first to have a working dishwasher, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't excited the first time I used it.  It was so nice not to have to wash every single dish by hand.  I still had to rinse them all before putting them into the dishwasher, but that wasn't bad.

I tried several different dish washing liquids in the dishwasher, and they all seemed to do an okay job.  My dishes got clean.  Ryan was tasked with having to put the clean dishes away, and his biggest complaint was having to dry all the dishes before putting them into the cabinets.

I was recently asked to review FINISH Quantum and JET-DRY Turbo.  I had never tried those particular products, so I was interested to see how they would work.  The first time I used the FINISH, I put the little cup into my dispenser as instructed, and it never dissolved.  I found it intact when the cycle was over.  The packaging suggested putting the cup on the bottom of the dishwasher if that happened, so that is what I did the second time, and it worked perfectly.  I didn't rinse the dishes at all.  I just scrapped the big stuff off and put the dishes into the dishwasher.  I was really surprised to find clean dishes at the end of the cycle.  I was sure there would be bits of food everywhere, but there wasn't.  These little cups make dish washing so much easier!  They were even featured on an episode of Designing Spaces.  You can click here to watch the segment that focuses on the dos and don’ts of dish washing.

I also tried out the JET-DRY, and Ryan will tell you that it worked great.  I filled the rinse agent dispenser with the JET-DRY, and the dishes were spot free and completely dry when the cycle was over.   There was no need to dry the dishes before putting them away, which cut Ryan's chore time in half.  I will definitely be buying both of these products in the future.

I am going to give five of you, my loyal readers, the chance to win a sample of both the FINISH Quantum and the JET-DRY Turbo for yourselves.  All you have to do to enter is leave me a comment, telling me about your worst dish washing story.  US bloogers can enter until 11:59pm on Wednesday, December 8, 2010.  Good Luck!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of FINISH and received a sample of FINISH Quantum and JET-DRY Turbo Dry. Mom Central Consulting also sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Red Crystal Earring Review and Giveaway

Next Sunday, the 5th, is my husband's work Christmas party.  He has worked for this company for several years, and this is the first time he has wanted to go to their Christmas party.  I usually hate this kind of thing, because it involves being around people I don't know, but I am kind of looking forward to it.  That might have something to do with the fact that it is at a really nice restaurant that serves really good food.  You all know how I feel about food.

Anyway, I am not like most women who worry about what they should wear to an event like this.  I have a nice pair of black pants and a black shirt I plan on wearing, and I figured this would be the perfect time to wear a new pair of earrings I have been asked to review.  They are perfect for a Christmas party, because they are red and sparkly.  As you can see in the picture, they are 3/4 inch long with an 8mm swarovski crystal and silver band with rhinestones. You can find these earrings, and other beautiful pieces of jewelry, on the Jewelry Stylist's webpage.

Do you want to win a pair of these red crystal earrings for yourself?  To enter, all you have to do is go to their webpage and tell me another piece of jewelry you love, and where you would wear it.  After doing that, you must like the Jewelry Stylist on facebook and/or follow them on twitter.  (Please leave a separate comment for each)  Please do both steps to be entered into this giveaway, as they are required by the sponsor.  This contest is open to US and Canadian bloggers and will run until 11:59pm on Sunday, December 5th.

Good luck!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.
Sponsored by Tomoson.com

Seriously, When Did This Happen?

 

Brandi took this picture on Thanksgiving.  

It's me, Ryan and Kasi. 

My new header is a picture all of us.

I was wondering...why is Brandi the only one shorter than me?

When the heck did that happen?

The "I'm Thankful" Post

On this Thanksgiving Day, I figured I would share with you some of the things I am most thankful for.

I am thankful that we have a roof over our heads and food in our tummies.

I am thankful for elephants, because they make me happy.

I am thankful for music, and for the fact that I can listen to it and enjoy it, especially Sugarland and Lady A.  They rock.

I am thankful for the color purple, because it is pretty.

I am thankful for my husband, who loves me despite the fact that I can be a total bitch sometimes.  Okay, a lot.  But he gets me, so it's all good.

I am thankful for my kids.  I love them more than life itself, and I am so happy to be their mom.

I am thankful for my family...my mom, dad, sisters, brother, nieces, nephews, in-laws (not those in-laws...my sisters husbands and my brothers wife)...we may be growing up and focusing more on our own little families, but it is still awesome when we get together.

I am thankful for slipper socks.  They are the neatest little invention, and they keep my feet nice and warm.

I am thankful that Junior, the kids and I are all healthy, even though my mom seems to think I am having gall bladder issues, which is not fun, let me tell you.

I am thankful for television.  Cable television.  I don't think I could live without my Dexter and True Blood.  And Weeds.  Oh, and The Big C.  Yeah, I love TV.

I am thankful that I am happy.  I know there are a lot of people who go through life without ever truly being happy.  I am lucky that I have a family that knows how to goof off and laugh, and we do that a lot.

I am thankful for cheesecake.  Enough said.

An Udderly Smooth Review

I love having my feet rubbed.  In fact, I use that as a form of punishment for the kids.  If they are being extra annoying or cranky, or can't seem to get along with each other, I make then grab the lotion and massage my feet.  I know, I am a horrible mom.  But, my philosophy is, if you make my life miserable, you have to pay for it.  Enough said. 

A couple of weeks ago, I received a bunch of Udderly Smooth lotions to review.  I was sent a 4 oz. tube of udder cream, a 16 oz. bottle of moisturizing lotion, and my favorite, a 10 oz. pump tub of shea butter foot cream.  The kids seriously groaned when they saw that tub of lotion, because they knew I would be looking for someone to rub it onto my feet.  Luckily, I didn't have to wait long for one of them to annoy me enough to try it out.

Let me tell you, my feet felt sooo good after rubbing in the lotion. I have really rough heels, and this lotion made them soft and smooth.  I continue to put the lotion on my feet myself every day, and I can really feel a difference in them.  The other lotions are great, too.  They smell so good, and work into my skin nicely.

About Udderly Smooth:
Made in the USA for over thirty years, Udderly Smooth® products contain rich moisturizing ingredients. Not your average moisturizing lotion- Udderly Smooth® can be used on Dry Skin, Cracked Skin, forDiabetes Foot Care, as a Facial Moisturizer, as a General Moisturizing Lotion and many other uses.  Ideal for winter dry skin.

Do you want to try some for yourself?  The wonderful people at Udderly Smooth have agreed to let me give away an assortment of Udderly Smooth items to one lucky reader.  All you have to do to enter is one or all of the following:

• follow me on twitter (the link is over there at the top of my sidebar)
• like my blog on facebook (the link is over there in the sidebar, too)
• follow me publicly on GFC
• blog about this giveaway with a link to this post (leave the url in the comments, please)
• tweet this giveaway (leave a link in the comments, please)

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian bloggers only, and will run until 11:59pm on Friday, December 3, 2010.

Good luck!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.
Sponsored by Tomoson.com

When I Die...

You know that old saying, "you learn something new every day"?  As someone who thinks they know everything, (just kidding) I was surprised this morning when I found out that you can buy funeral insurance.  That's right.  I said funeral insurance.

It's a pretty great concept, too.  It allows you to cover your final expenses, and make sure that your funeral is exactly how you want it to be.  This takes the burden off of your loved ones, which I am sure they will appreciate.  You can even get funeral insurance quotes to make sure that you get the most reasonable rates.

I have been thinking about it, and I think it's a great idea to plan your own funeral.  I don't know exactly how I want mine to be, but I am sure it will involve the color purple and elephants.  If you know me, you know that that is totally me.

We Found Our Holiday Spirit!

 This is how we spent the weekend.  The girls and I decorated the house for Christmas.  The hubs and Ryan put up the tree when they got home Saturday night, and the girls decorated it yesterday.  Sort of.  There are still a lot more ornaments that need to go on, but they got bored doing it, so they left the rest for me.  Hopefully, I will get them on there before Christmas Day.  No promises, though. :)

Sandisk Sansa Fuze+ MP3 Player Review

I love music.  I really do.  If I am in the car, or cleaning the house, or waiting at the bus stop, I have music playing.  Lately, it has been Sugarland's The Incredible Machine CD.  I listen to it over and over, because I have this weird obsession of learning all the words to all the songs on every CD I buy.  I also realize that not many people don't even buy CD's anymore, but I do.

Recently, I was asked to review the SanDisk Sansa Fuze+ MP3 player, and I was thrilled.  I already have a SanDisk MP3player.  It's the 1GB Sanza Clip.  It doesn't hold very many songs, but it's tiny and clips right on whatever I'm wearing, and I love it.  In fact, I bought Ryan and Kasi each one for Christmas a few years ago, and they liked it so much I bought myself one for my birthday a month later.  But, I am not writing this to talk about my old MP3.  I am writing this to tell you how much I love my new one, the Fuze+.

First let me start by saying that it is pretty.  It's black and shiny, and has a touch pad, which I think is becoming standard on all electronics these days.  It took me a couple of days to get used to that...I can't tell you how many times I rewound or fast forwarded a song by accident.  The Fuze is 4GB, which holds a ton of songs.  Oh, and it also has a slot where you can use a SanDisk slotRadio card, which is a little card that holds 1,000 songs.  The great thing is that the songs are not downloaded onto the MP3, so you can still listen to great music without taking up memory space.  You just pop it into the slot and listen. I was sent the VH1 Classic radio card, and it has some pretty great songs on it.  Songs that I listened to as a teen.  Wait, does that make me classic?

The only thing I wish it came with was a clip.  I like to listen to it while I walk, and I hate having to hold it, because that is when I touch the screen by mistake.  Other than that, I would recommend the SanDisk Sansa Fuze+ for all the music lovers on your Christmas list.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of SanDisk and received the SanDisk Sansa Fuze+ and VH1 slotRadio Card to facilitate my review.

Bacon Jam ~ A Review

That's right...it's bacon jam.  If you are like me, you are wondering what the heck bacon jam is.  Put simply, they take a bunch of bacon, render it down with a bunch of spices, puree and chill it, and package it up.  It was developed by street food vendors, and they use it on a specialty burger that sounds delicious.

Now, when I think of jam, I think of something smooth and paired with peanut butter on a sandwich.  This bacon jam is chunky, and tastes really good on burgers.  It has a tangy, almost sweet taste, and my dad said he could eat it by the spoonful right out of the jar. 

If you are interested in buying some for yourself, check out their website, Skillet Bacon Jam.  They sell an 11 ounce jar for $13.  If you have any questions, you can contact the vendors directly at eat@skilletstreetfood.com.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

My Wicked Fresh Moment

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Tom's of Maine. All opinions are 100% mine.

Do you remember your first kiss?  I do.  Do I want to remember it?  No, not really, because the guy turned out to be a total loser.  I hate that I have to associate him with a wonderful memory, but it is what it is.  I have had several "first kisses" since then, and the most important was the one I shared with my husband almost 16 years ago.  We were set up on a blind date, and when he was dropping me off at home, he just went for it.  It was sweet. 

Tom's Of Maine wants to know all about your Wicked Fresh moments.  They are giving away Target gifts cards to seven random entrants, and all you have to do to enter is tweet your Wicked Fresh Moment.  You can find all the details on the That's Wicked Fresh contest page.

Do you want to make sure your future Wicked Fresh moments are awesome, too?  Try using Wicked Fresh toothpaste by Tom's Of Maine.

From the Tom's Of Maine website: Tom's of Maine Natural Cavity Protection Fluoride Toothpaste is ADA Accepted, so you can trust it to help prevent and reduce tooth decay when used as directed. Naturally-sourced fluoride helps remineralize soft spots before they turn into cavities, and it helps strengthen the tooth structure so enamel is more resistant to decay.

I haven't ever given much thought to what my toothpaste is made from.  I just took a look, and the ingredient list is a lot of words and numbers, and I have no idea what any of them mean.  This toothpaste is made with natural flavor oils and botanical extract.  That sounds a whole lot better than the stuff my toothpaste is made from.  Maybe it's time I start paying more attention to what I put into my mouth.

Make sure you follow Tom's Of Maine on Twitter and "like" them on Facebook.

Thanks Guys! You're The Best!

I seriously can not thank you all enough for your comments on my dropping post.  I think that is the most comments I have ever received on a single post. 

So, after reading how everyone else does it, I installed the ecard toolbar last night.  Then I dropped.  I did it 45 minutes faster than I ever have before, which was awesome. I am still trying to "favorite" all of my, well, favorites, so that I will have my own drop list.  

If you want to be on my list, and you don't have one of those crappy blogs we were all talking about, leave me a comment and I'll try and find you, and add you to my list. 

Also, I wanted to ask a little bit more about this greasemonkey.  Some of you love it, some of you says it caused computer (malware) issues.  I was wondering exactly what it does before I make up my mind.  I know Stacey said it moves the ecard widget up top, but is that it?  If you use it, let me know how it works for you.  'Kay?

Am I Out Of Touch?

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Boudreaux's Butt Paste. All opinions are 100% mine.

Sometimes I feel left out when it comes to my sisters.  I have three of them, and they all have little babies.  My oldest sister had a baby in September, 2009.  My baby sister had a baby in October, 2009.  My younger sister is pregnant, due to deliver in January, 2011.  They have so much to talk about because they have all these babies in common.  My "baby" will be 9 in a couple of weeks, so I feel kind of left out.

I think they forget sometimes that I've been there.  Three times.  I've dealt with the teething and the croup and the diaper rash.  Though, thankfully, I didn't have to deal with diaper rash often.  When I did, though, I always used the same brand of diaper rash cream.  My baby sister, who is the only one who lives close by, uses Boudreaux's Butt Paste.  The first time I saw the tube laying on Lylah's dressing table, I had to laugh, because let's face it, that's a pretty funny name. 

I was impressed with the product, though, and have to admit that it is better than the stuff I used.  Butt Paste was formulated by a pharmacist (with the direction of a respected pediatrician) to prevent diaper rash and dry skin, and the stuff is so easy to wipe off.  For me, this is a big selling point, because even if a product is awesome, I won't use it if it hurts my baby.  Some diaper rash creams are hard to get off, and having to wipe hard on already tender skin is not something I want to (or am willing to) do.

Don't take my word for it, though.  Visit their website and request a sample for yourself.  I bet after you try it, you will switch.

Um...How Did This Happen?

I had a thought today that kind of freaked me out a little bit.  Want to know what it is?

Christmas is almost here!

I know...I know.  Next week is Thanksgiving, and then Brandi's birthday, and then before I know it, the kids will be ripping open their gifts on Christmas morning.  The thing is...Santa is having a hard time buying those presents. 

Maybe Santa needs a raise...

I Want My House To Look Like This For Christmas

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Pier 1 Imports. All opinions are 100% mine.

I found this picture of a Holiday decorated table on the Pier 1 website.  Doesn't it look festive?  I can't decide if I like the bows on the chairs or the hanging snowmen plates the best.  Or maybe those adorable peppermint candy candle holders.  I absolutely adore the ball wreath under the cake plates for a centerpiece.  I would never think of that on my own, but I am definitely going to remember that idea for my table at Christmastime.

For the first time in three years, my mom is doing the holiday entertaining in her own home.  For the past two years she was in apartment that was too small for all of us, so my sister hosted the Holidays.  It's going to be nice to watch my mom host all us kids again.  To me, that is what the Holidays are about.  Being with family.  And all the decorations!
We plan on putting up our tree this weekend and decorating our house.  This is our first Christmas here, so I'm not exactly sure where things will go.  Brandi asked me the other day where we will hang our stockings, which reminded me that we need new stocking holders.  The ones I have used for the past few years were from the dollar store, and they aren't very pretty.  I love all things whimsical at Christmas, and I found these stocking holders at Pier 1 that are so me.  What do you think?

Cute, right?  I really think these would look great in my house.
Pier 1 is a drop off point for Toys For Tots, which I think is pretty awesome.  During November and December you can drop off an unwanted toy at any Pier 1 store, or even make a cash donation at the register.  Also, for every "like" they get on Facebook, they will donate one dollar to Toys For Tots.

So what are you waiting for?  Go like them, and see what Christmas goodies you can find to decorate your home with for the Holidays.

I Have A New Toy, And I Love It

My son hates to read, which is weird to me because I love to read, and so do my girls, especially Brandi.  My son does love anything electronic, so when I was offered the opportunity to review Literati's eReader, my first thought was that I would be able to get Ryan to read by giving it to him.  I anxiously awaited it's arrival, certain that I had finally found a way to pass my love of reading onto my son.

Yeah, I must have been dreaming.  At first, he was excited.  He picked out which books he wanted to download (which I downloaded) and then took off to his room to start reading.  Five minutes later he came out of his room, handed it back to me, and said that reading is reading, no matter what he was reading, and he didn't want to do it.  At 15, I guess there are more important things in life.

At first I thought it was horrible that he didn't like it, but then I realized that I could keep it for myself.  And I love it!  My sister has had an eReader for a while now, and she loves it.  A few months ago she tried to talk me into buying one, but I resisted, because I love the feel of a book in my hand.  I love the smell, and turning the pages.

Now, I love that I can carry my Literati and have a ton of books at my fingertips.  I can read at night without turning on the light in the bedroom and at the bus stop in the morning when it is still dark, thanks to the 7" back lit color LCD screen. I can even adjust the brightness of the screen.

I can download books so easily, too, thanks to the built in connection to KOBO (which is a global eReading service with almost 2 million titles).  My eReader came with 25 classic books already on it, with the ability to download another 125 for free. Turning the page is easy with the touch pads on the side of the reader, and whatever page you stop reading  is the page that comes up the next time you turn the device on. 

I really do love my Literati eReader.  I would recommend it to anyone who loves to read.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of The Sharper Image and received a Literati eReader to facilitate my review.

How Do You Drop?

For the past few months, I have been dropping using EZDrops.  Lately, though, I have been noticing that a lot of the blogs on there haven't been updated in months.  Even the guy who does the site hasn't updated since April.  The thing I love about it is that I get to open ten sites at a time, and it makes dropping easier.  I want to find a new list, though, that updates more regularly.  I used to be "in a bucket", but for some reason, whoever runs that site took me out.  I have no idea why.

So, my question to you is...how do you drop?  Do you have a master list you use, or do you do the whole "u drop I follow" thing?  The only problem I see with that strategy is that a lot of the sites that drop on me every day are crap.  And since I get more than 300 drops on here most days, I can't return every drop anyway.

I am open to suggestions...anyone willing to share their secrets????

Bryton Floss Pick Review

When I signed up to review this product, I really didn't know what it was.  I knew it was some type of floss, but I didn't realize that it was metal.  At first, this scared me.

I was sure the first time I used it that I would cut my gums.  I didn't.  In fact, I like these a whole lot better than flossing with string.  The metal is thin enough that it bends, so getting it between my teeth was pretty easy.  There was no blood when I was finished, and I could definitely see a difference in my teeth.

The picks come in individual little packages that fit into your wallet or purse with no problem.  This makes using the Bryton Pick Floss on the go so easy. 

I don't think these picks should replace regular flossing, but they are good to use when you are short on time.  Or stuck in the car.  Or a restaurant bathroom.

[Product review & giveaway disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."]

My Wisdom Teeth

 I think I am going to have to break down and go to the dentist.  I haven't been in many years, which I know is a bad thing, but I have this fear, and well, I have no desire to torture myself.  However, I have this wisdom tooth that has been bothering me for a while now, and it is finally time to do something about it.

I went online to find a dentist in my area who sounded good, and I didn't find any.  I know, I am probably way too picky, but I want a dentist who will not look down on me because of my lack of dental care in recent years. I also want a dentist who isn't too stingy with the "sweet air". 

I am not sure what types of dental services I'm going to need, but I am pretty sure that they will be pulling my wisdom teeth.  Even though only one of them is bothering me, the rest are having a hard time coming in, so I am not going to be surprised when they want to pull all four.

Who knows.  Maybe a little dental surgery will help me get past this weight loss hump.  That's a pretty nice silver lining, right?  Right?

Applied Labels Review And Giveaway

Usually, when I am asked to do a review, I always have Brandi in mind when I accept.  This has not gone over well with Kasi.  She feels neglected, and rightfully so.  The thing is, the products I have reviewed so far have been geared more towards kids Brandi's age.

When I was asked a few weeks ago to review some Applied Labels, I knew this was my opportunity to get something for Kasi, especially when I saw the skull icon that I could have put on them.

She was pretty excited when I gave them to her, and she put them on everything.  I have seen them on her notebooks, her book bag, and even on the reusable water bottle she carries to school.  So far, they have stayed on everything.  They come with a special clear sticker (called a blank backer) that you can put over the label to help it stay on clothes, and they also have shields (shoe shields) to help the shoe labels stay in place.

As with everything these days, you can also find Applied Labels on Facebook and Twitter.

Applied Labels has graciously allowed me to give away some of their labels to one lucky winner.  To enter, just do one or all of the following:

• follow me on Twitter
• "like" this blog on facebook
• follow me publically on GFC
• Tweet this giveaway (leave link in comment)

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian bloggers only, and will run until 11:59pm on Friday, November 19.  Good luck!

[Product review & giveaway disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."]
Sponsored by Tomoson.com

Crazy Hair

 

Last week was "Just Say No" week at Kasi's school.  Every day, the kids had to do something different.  On Monday, they had to "dress like a friend".  On Tuesday, they had to wear a hat to "put a cap on drugs".  On Wednesday, they had to dress like someone from the 70's.  Thursday, they had to dress like what they wanted to be when they grow up.   I think Kasi's favorite day was Friday, when they had "crazy hair day".  Luckily, I bought some colored hair spray when the Halloween stuff at Walmart went down to 90% off, so I had some for her hair.

What do you think?

I Have The Best Cable Televsion Deal

 I have cable television.  We have tried several times to do the satellite thing, but I always hated how when it got stormy outside, or even just a little rainy, the signal would go out.  I have been with my current cable television provider for several years, and for the most part, I am a very happy, satisfied customer.

I know it can be confusing sometimes to find the best cable deals, so it's nice to have a website that compares Cable TV Deals for you.  Different companies offer different packages and channels.  Heck, even the same company can have a variety of different channel packages.   I subscribe to all the channels, even the movie channels.  We don't go out a lot, so having the ability to watch whatever we want on television is nice. 

I also love my High Speed Internet.  I don't remember exactly how fast it is, but I do know that I have the best speed that my cable company provides. I also have my phone through them, so I only have to pay one bill every month.  Granted, it is a pretty good sized bill, but it is worth the services they provide.  If I were to check out Internet Service Providers, phone companies, and then just have basic cable, I would be paying three bills, and I am pretty sure that added together, it would be more than I am paying now.  

Finally, The Winner Is Announced

I know I am way behind, and I apologize.  My Carmex lotion giveaway ended last weekend, and then life went a little crazy, and I forgot all about it.  I guess in better late than never news, I should announce that Marilyn was the winner!  Congrats! 

Thanks For All You Do For Our Country

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Dollar General. All opinions are 100% mine.

My dad was in the Navy, and my brother was in the Air Force.  Both served their time with pride, and I am proud to say that they are my family.  I also want to thank them for putting their lives on the line for my (and your) freedom.  If the time comes that my son decides to join the armed forces, I will be the proudest mom in the world.  I will worry like crazy, of course, but I think that is my job as his mom.

On November 11, 2010, in honor of Veteran's Day, Dollar General would also like to thank the military for all that they do.  For one day only, all Veterans, active military, members of the national guard and their family members will receive a 10% discount by identifying themselves as such at the register.  Some restrictions do apply to this discount, like cell phone minutes, Rug Doctor items, Lottery tickets, propane, wine and beer, and all prepaid items.  If I was able to take advantage of this discount, I would do a bunch of Christmas shopping.  I know my local store has the cutest toys.

I just want to, once again, thank all the families of the military.  Our country wouldn't be what it is without you.

Let's Get Some Chinese Food!

 Do you know what I want to do?  One day, someday, I want to go to one of these blogging conferences to finally meet all the wonderful women that I already feel like I know.  Or better yet, I think I might organize my own conference for bloggers like myself, who have a handful of close blog friends they want to meet, but who aren't interested in all the politics.  Oh, you know what I am talking about.  I am not interested in swag or getting invites to the "cool" parties.  I just want to hang out and maybe get some Chinese food.  I know a few bloggers reading this, right now, are nodding their heads and saying, "Heck yeah!  Chinese food with Jenn would be awesome!". 

All we have to do is decide where to meet up. Crowne Plaza Muscat is out of the question, because let's face it, that's a little bit too far to travel.  Their hotel looks beautiful, especially the banquet room, but I am not going to travel that far.  In fact, where ever we decide to meet needs to be within driving distance, because I don't fly.  Maybe I need to see who is willing to do this, and then map it out and pick a point in the dead center.  That would work, right?

The funny thing is, that as much as I would love for this to actually happen, I know it never will.  I am much to shy to meet new people.  Hard to believe, right?

Sometimes, Life Gets In The Way Of Blogging

That title just about sums up my week.  I was pretty amazed when I noticed this morning that I have not put up a new post since Sunday.  You all know this is not like me at all.  But, we've been busy, and life happens, and time just got away from me.  I had a giveaway end over the weekend, and I've yet to post the winner.  I have had several things delivered for reviews, and they are just sitting around, waiting on me.  Well, that's not entirely true.  I have been using the eReader and MP3 player...those two things are going to get a pretty great review because, well, they are awesome little pieces of technology. 

Junior took an unexpected leave from work for a few days, so with him home, I find it hard to get anything done.  The house is a mess, my blogs are neglected, my mind is on fourteen hundred things all at the same time, and, well, that just means that things get put on hold until I can collect my thoughts.

I'm still collecting...

Getting the Gang Together for the Holidays

Guest post written by Greg Rollins

This Thanksgiving is going to be an interesting one. For the first time, my kids are out living on their own and my wife and I are working on a grand homecoming for them. However, my wife's parents live all the way down in southern Florida, and it's really important that we figure out a way to visit them, as well.

This year, we decided to have Thanksgiving at home and then leave in the evening for a flight to Florida. I've already started to get some items together for the trip. Even though it could be a little exhausting, I'm looking forward to really getting everyone together. My wife's mother taught her everything she knows about cook and is quite the master. My family is really looking forward to enjoying some of her cooking this year. We figured that since we are going to be in Florida, we may do some quick fishing while we are down there. While it's a little different, I think I may take a Miracle Ear Free Hearing Test, as well. I'm just so relieved we got everything worked out this year and so easily!

Ryan's Birthday (CHEESE)Cake

Only my son would ask for cheesecake for his birthday!  I don't have a recipe for a home made one, (or the time yesterday) so I ended up making one of those no bake ones.  It was good, but nowhere near as good as the kind you bake.

Anyway, we got him the little mini radio he has been wanting.  Think MP3, only it only plays the radio.  He has an MP3, but he like to listen to the radio (rock station) on the bus, and his MP3 doesn't have a radio option like mine does.  I got tired of him asking to take mine to school every day, so when he found this little radio, I knew it would be perfect for him.  He also had fun spending all his birthday cash, though he didn't buy a swim nappy.  He bought clothes and soda.   Yes, you read that right.  He wanted camouflage pants, so he got those.  He bought the soda because I refuse to buy it for them unless it's a special occasion, so he figured if he bought them himself he could drink all he wanted.  Turns out, he drank so much he made himself sick. 

All in all, I think he had an awesome birthday.

I Want To Win This!

I have been wanting to try one of these dance videos, but I am too cheap to buy one in case they are horrible.  So, what better way to try one than to win one, right?

The Diary Of A Frugal Family is giving away Just Dance 2 and I really want to win.  The entries are simple, and you see for yourself here. 

Good luck if you enter, too.

Family Entertainment (Watching Free on Demand)

Thanks for the guest post by Emmett Coffey

Many find watching Free on Demand tv is fun and entertaining experience. I know my family and I certainly enjoy watching Free on Demand tv just about everyday of the week especially since we have purchased a large screen HD television. Each member of the family has their favorite programs to watch. My favorite is the free movie channels, especially the science fiction and horror movies. My husband likes to watch the free on demand sports shows. I am not really a fan of the sports shows but I do like the Free on demand exercise shows. They are great for working out at home and trying to get in shape. I try to watch them every morning. The shows really do motivate you to try to get in shape and lose weight. The kids like to watch movies or cartoons. I try to limit the amount of television for the kids. family cable tv is off limits until they have finished their home work. On the weekends I allow them to watch more television. Watching Free on Demand on satellite tv is great entertainment for the entire family.

For Ryan

Today is my oldest child's birthday.  He's 15.  Legally, he will be allowed to drive this year, thought I won't allow that to happen.  This is the year he will probably have his first girlfriend, thought I'm not sure I want that to happen, either.  He's growing up so fast...it seems like only yesterday that I found out I was expecting him. What a surprise that was!  He made me a mom, and I couldn't love him more.

Happy birthday Ryan!  I hope you have a wonderful year!

MAT@USC

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of 2tor. All opinions are 100% mine.

Junior has been encouraging me to go back to school.  He sat down a couple of weeks ago with his boss at work and found out all about his company's tuition reimbursement program, which not only covers him but me and the kids as well.  The only drawback is that we would have to pay up front, and depending on my grades, we would get money back from the company.  Unfortunately, we don't have the money for me to do this right now. 

I would also have the option of going to school online, which would be perfect for me.  I have seriously been considering teaching.  I want to work with little kids, maybe teach kindergarten.  I found this program at USC that allows women like me to take classes online, and then do field work close to home.  This program is great for students who have already taken the basic courses, because it can then be completed in as little as 12 months.  They also offer tuition reimbursements and scholarships, which is perfect for me.  I also think I would be able to qualify for some grants, being as I'm a working mom. 

I have been reading their student blogs, which give an inside look at the program.  It's nice to hear from people who are in the program to find out the pros and cons.  There is a lot of program information to go through, and reading first hand experiences can help shed some light on the important stuff. 

I have a lot to think about, and I may restart my higher education by looking into how many of the credits from my first college experience 20 years ago can be transferred to the local community college, and then take the basic classes there.  Then hopefully one day soon I can apply for this awesome program at USC.

Facebook

Last week, I decided to do a little facebook experiment.  I had about 230 friends, and I was happy.  Then I started applying to do some reviews, and it mattered how many friends you have.  Apparently, the more friends you have, the better the reviews you get to do.

So....I decided to see how many friends I could get over the weekend.  I am friends with a lot of fellow bloggers to begin with, so I thought that was a good place to start.  So I sent out friend requests to the bloggers whose blogs I love.  And then facebook started recommending other people "I might know", and I was hooked.  I was sending friend requests to freebie and coupon sites (which are AWESOME) and then to bloggers I found through other bloggers.  How did I not know that this is a great way to network????

Right now, I have 501 friends!  That's over 271 friends in one week.  My goal was to get to 500 friends, and then wait a couple of weeks before reaching out again.  I am finding so many awesome blogs and sites that I never would have found otherwise.  I am even having people send me friend requests, which rarely ever happened in the past.

Oh, Facebook, how did I not know that there is more to you than games????

Nation What?

Have you guys seen this commercial?  It's only 30 seconds or so...

Last night, it came on during Survivor, and Brandi turns and looks at me and sang,

"NationBrandi is really handy!"

I about feel off my bed I was laughing so hard.  She's pretty clever for an eight year old.

Filtrete Water Pitcher Review

When I found out I was going to be reviewing the Filtrete Water Pitcher from 3M, the first thing that popped into my mind was doing a taste test with the kids.  This particular water pitcher claims to "reduce sediment and chlorine taste and odor", and I was curious to see if my kids could taste the difference.

Tonight, I set up the test.  I filled one cup with water out of the tap and another with a cup of tap water filtered through the pitcher.  Junior was home, so I had him do the taste test, too.

The results:  Junior was the only one to prefer the filtered water.  The kids couldn't tell a difference, but they're kids, so what do they know?  I can certainly tell a difference.  The filtered water tastes fresher, if that makes any sense to you.

I love the style of the pitcher itself.  It is easy and fast to fill, and there is a sticker on the top that tells you when it is time to change the filter, which is supposed to last for three months.  I love that I (you) can sign up on the Filtrete Water Filtration Products website to get a reminder when it's time to change the filter.  And like everything else these days, Filtrete can be found on both Twitter and Facebook. 

I am sure that my family and I will continue to enjoy using this water pitcher.

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Filtrete and received the water pitcher to facilitate my candid review.”

Searching For the Wii Fit

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of PopWatchers. All opinions are 100% mine.

Last night, I sat here at the computer looking online for fitness games for the Wii.  I have been at the same weight for a while now after a 50 pound loss, and I don't want to diet anymore, so I figure exercising is the way to go.  Unfortunately, almost every game that looked like fun (meaning I would actually do it) requires the balance board that comes with the Wii fit.  Which I don't have.  Which led to a search for one of that.

Thanks to PopWatchers I can search all the top sites, like eBay, Amazon and Etsy at once, making my life a whole lot easier.  I just typed in Wii fit, and this is what popped up:

I found the bundle package on Amazon, which was awesome because I actually have some gift codes for that site.  My only problem is that I could not justify spending almost $100 on myself this close to Christmas.  I would much rather spent that money on the kids, which means it will be February before I have the money to but this for myself.  My birthday is also in February, and this would make a great gift. 

And yes, that was a hint.

Tammy Got Me!

 Tammy from Crazy Mom With Four Boys tagged me to answer these four questions.  After I do, I have to tag four people to answer four questions I come up with.  Sounds like fun, right?

1. What is you favorite TV show?
This is a tough one for me, because I love television.  On Sundays, I watch Dexter and The Next Iron Chef, and they are both awesome shows.  On Mondays, I watch Mike & Molly, Hoarders, Weeds, and The Big C.  Tuesdays, it's Biggest Loser and Chopped.  Oh, and 16 & Pregnant. (don't judge me! lol)  Wednesday is Survivor, Criminal Minds and Top Chef.  Thursdays is The Big Bang Theory, and Friday and Saturday nights I don't usually watch anything because the kids are home.  So, the question was what my favorite TV is?  Pick any of the above! lol!

2. If you could have anything in the world for dinner what would it be?
This is easy...Chinese food!  Sesame chicken, chicken & broccoli, lo mien (not sure if that's spelled right), cheese wontons, egg rolls, spring rolls...oh, it's all soooo good!

3. If you could change something about yourself what would it be?
Another easy one...my weight.  I would love it if I could easily lose weight and keep it off.  I have kept off 50 pounds for over a year now...I just need to do that with more.

4. What is your favorite number or color and why is it your favorite?
Seven and Purple, and I have no idea why.

My questions are for Dawn, Diana, Jeannette, and Vixen.  Here goes:

1.  If you could be anyone besides yourself for an entire day, who would it be and why?
2.  What is your favorite day of the week, and why?
3.  If you could change your name, what would it be, and why?
4.  What is your favorite song?

Well, there you have it.  I look forward to reading your answers.

Did You Know?

 Did you know that women are better drivers than men?  Did you also know that you can get car insurance for females at a cheaper rate than for men?   Take that, men.  Just another thing us girls are better at than you. 

(I can not speak from experience, since I do not drive, but this is still pretty cool)

Leaving It To The Professionals

 I do not know much about building websites.  In fact, you could probably safely say that I know nothing about building websites.  It's a good thing that blogger walks you though every step, or I wouldn't even have this blog.

If you are like me and don't know enough, or if you don't have the time to build your own website, you should let a site builder do it for you.   I was nosing around a website builder's site, and found a template I would love for a food site.  Check it out:

 I mean, what is more foodie than a burger and french fries?

You can see on the side of the picture all of the "benefits" you get by building your site through their site.  You can even try it out for 7 days to see how it works for you.  Simply put, first, you choose your design.  Then you pick a domain name, and provide them with your content.  Twenty four hours later, your business can be online.  Sounds easy enough, right?  I bet even I could do that.  I love the idea of leaving the hard stuff to the people who know how to do it.  To me, not having to suffer through figuring it all out myself is worth the monthly fee.

Brandi's Birthday Party

Now that Ryan's birthday party is over, I can focus on Brandi's birthday, which is coming up the first week of December.  Usually, I only do a family party for her, because I learned with Kasi that at that age, the kids from school don't show up for birthday parties.  Thankfully, the few close friends I invite have kids her age, and she also loves having her cousins come.  

Right now, her favorite singer/actress is Selena Gomez.  We saw some Wizard's Of Waverly Place party supplies at Walmart recently, and she decided that she just has to have them.  They had plates, napkins, cups, table cloths, and even treat bags.  Next thing you know she is going to request having Selena Gomez herself at the party.  I am sure that would be just as hard as if I tried to Book Kesha for the party.

I am going to try and find a Selena Gomez pinata, too.  I know the kids loved hitting the pinata at Ryan's party, so I am sure they will enjoy doing it again.  I have already informed my mom that she has to make a Wizard's cake, and I am looking forward to what she comes up with.

A New Headboard

We recently rearranged our bedroom.  Well, when I say "we", I actually mean me and the girls.  I want to move the dresser away from the window, and put the bed in it's place.  Having the furniture this way makes the room seem a lot bigger, and it has better flow.  The only problem is that my bed doesn't have a headboard, which makes it impossible to sit in bed and read.  If I do, I am leaning against the window, which is in no way comfortable.  All the furniture in my bedroom matches, so I thought finding a headboard to match would be difficult.  Until I found this one:

You all know how much I love CSNStores, so that was the first place I looked for a new headboard.  I was looking at upholstered headboards and I think the one in the picture will look awesome in my bedroom.  I love the black fabric, and it looks like it is cushioned really well, which is perfect for leaning against while reading.  All I have to do now is convince Junior to buy it for me.

I also want to mention that I am going to be doing a giveaway for CSNStores soon.  A really good giveaway.  Like, the prize will be a gift certificate for more than $100.  You're excited, right?  Me, too!  The timing will be perfect...just in time to do some Christmas shopping.  Just remember to keep checking back.  This is one giveaway you will want to enter!

Winners!

I had two giveaways end over the weekend, and I am happy to announce the winners.  It's funny, but neither giveaway had many entries.  I, personally, loved the products i was giving away, and I know the people who did win will love them, too. 

The winner of the SmartKnitKids Seamless Socks giveaway is Kel.

The winner of the PUFFPACS giveaway is Sue.

Congrats to both of my winner.  If I do not hear back from them by Wednesday night, I will be picking new winners on Thursday.

Harry Potter's Next Bedroom Contest

 What do you think Harry Potter's bedroom would look like if he moved into your neighborhood and you paid him a visit?  Would he have stars on his bedroom ceiling or magic monkeys in the closet?  (can you tell I have never read a Harry Potter book?)

Right now, you can enter the Harry Potter Bedroom Contest.  All you have to do is write and essay describing what you think his bedroom would look like, and you could win a beautiful Baroque Bed by Fashion Bed Group.  It is a king sized bed which sells for $769.   They are also awarding a $100 gift certificate to the person who invites the most Facebook Friends. The entries will be judged on originality and which entries are the most fun.  You can enter until November 25, 2010, so get writing!

Top Droppers ~ October

The following blogs dropped on this blog 31 times last month:

Nolitz hunting ~ Watch hunting videos from all video sharing websites in one place and keep track of the best published video on the net

 

bethere2day ~ bethere2day is a personal blog about anything and everything, fun, humour, randomness and rants

 

 Comedy Plus ~ A place for a few laughs

 

Art Shout! ~ Artshout.net provides a showcase for top artists, free arts advertising and urban art blog

 

 Crimsonsparkle.net ~ The view from my window

 

T-Shirt Reviews ~ All the latest and greatest t-shirt designers, brands and shirts reviewed by a team of t-shirt experts

 

Urban Art by Paul Baines ~ Art by Paul Baines

 

 The Twitterer ~ The Twitterer is my venue for sharing my experiences, my thoughts and other things I would like to share to the rest of the world. It's my "Twitter" in the world of blogs

 

Serian Man ~ Some thoughts on teaching and the exploration of the land of the hornbills, my beloved Sarawak, on the island of Borneo

 

 Bit Doze-Help your site to be No 1 ~ Help your site to become No 1 in search engines, here you can find useful information about ways of making money online and other news related to internet world,Blogging Tips, SEO, Social Media 

 

Thanks to all who stop by and drop every day!