The Howard House of Chaos

A Mile in His Shoes...

2011-09-25T17:06:00.000-06:00

As many of you know my 10 year old son has Aspergers, so anytime I hear of a television show or movie which involves someone with Aspergers, I do feel the need to watch it.

About 2 weeks ago I found in my inbox an email from Michelle Sisco, She was letting me know about a movie that was to air called A Mile In His Shoes! I was offered the chance to have a review copy sent to me. I could not say No and just a few short days later I received it in my mailbox!

Below is a copy of the press release:
DEAN CAIN, LUKE SCHRODER AND GEORGE CANYON STAR IN THE GMC WORLD PREMIERE MOVIE A MILE IN HIS SHOES AIRING SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 AT 7 P.M. ET ON GMC TV Newcomer Schroder Stars Opposite Cain in His Debut Role as Autistic Baseball Player Mickey Tussler Atlanta, GA (July 27, 2011) – GMC TV, America’s favorite channel for uplifting music and family entertainment, presents the GMC World Premiere Movie A Mile in His Shoes, starring Dean Cain and newcomer Luke Schroder in his debut role. Country music singer George Canyon also stars. The movie is directed by William Dear (Angels in the Outfield, Harry and the Hendersons). A Mile in His Shoes will air on GMC TV on Sunday, September 25 at 7 p.m. ET. Based on the critically-acclaimed book written by Frank Nappi, A Mile in His Shoes is the uplifting story of Mickey Tussler, a 17 year-old farm boy from Bargersville, Indiana with Asperger’s Syndrome and a killer fastball (Schroder), who is recruited by minor league manager Arthur “Murph” Murphy (Cain), to play for the Clayton River Rats, his struggling minor league baseball team. Murph is convinced Mickey has a gift, but his autism keeps him isolated from a world he attempts to understand. Caught between life at home with his overprotective father (Canyon) and life on the field, Mickey turns to his gift, the support of his teammates and Murph, who gives him the opportunity of a lifetime. Murph learns a few life lessons himself along the way, which help him to make peace with his family. “A Mile in His Shoes is a homerun for GMC,” said Brad Siegel, vice chairman, GMC. “Not only will this movie resonate with anyone who loves a great baseball movie, it’s a heartwarming story that the entire family will enjoy watching together,” he said. “The film is brilliantly acted by Dean Cain, who plays the man bold enough to take a chance on the underdog. Luke Schroder’s approach to the role of Mickey in his first leading role, is incredibly powerful. Under the direction of Bill Dear, they bring a dynamic to the screen that will win your heart,” he continued. A Mile in His Shoes takes place in Clayton, Ohio. The movie was filmed on location in surrounding areas of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, including Langley, New Westminster and Queen’s Park. The film is produced by Nasser Group North. The screenplay is written by Jason Koornick (Next), adapted from The Legend of Mickey Tussler, the critically acclaimed novel by Frank Nappi. About the CastDean Cain is most widely known for his role as Clark Kent/ Superman in the popular series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. He was born in Mount Clemens, Michigan and grew up in Malibu, CA. In high school, he excelled in sports. He played for the Santa Monica High School baseball team and was offered athletic scholarships to 17 universities. He attended Princeton University and upon graduating, signed on to play with the NFL Buffalo Bills. After suffering a knee injury, he turned to acting. In 1998, Cain started the Angry Dragon Entertainment production company, which produced the TBS Superstation television series Ripley's Believe It or Not!. He has also starred in several films, including The Broken Hearts Club (2000), Out of Time (2003), Bailey's Billion$ (2004) and the made for television movie The Perfect Husband: The Laci Peterson Story. Cain made a return to the Superman franchise, with a special guest role in a seventh season episode of Smallville. More recently, he starred in the GMC World Premiere Movie The Way Home. George Canyon is a Country music singer. He was the season 2 runner-up on Nashville Star, which led to a deal with Universal South Records and his debut album, One Good Friend. He grew up in Nova Scotia, Canada. When he was five, his parents built him a three-quarter-sized acoustic guitar and taught him the essential chords. At age 14, he was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. He serves as a spokesperson for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation in Canada. He holds an appointment in the Canadian Forces as Honorary Colonel at 14 Wing Greenwood. He lives in High River, Alberta. Luke Schroder is the son of Ricky Schroder, the award-winning actor and film director whose long-running acting career includes major roles in the 1979 film The Champ, Silver Spoons, Lonesome Dove, NYPD Blue, and guest starring roles on Scrubs, Strong Medicine, 24 and No Ordinary Family. The GMC World Premiere Movie A MILE IN HIS SHOES marks his first leading role and acting debut. Luke is the second of four children, born on August 1, 1993 to Andrea Bernard-Schroder and Ricky Schroder. He lives in Malibu, CA with his parents and three siblings. About the DirectorWilliam Dear is a film director, producer and screenwriter most widely known for directing Angels in the Outfield, If Looks Could Kill, Santa Who?, The Sandlot 3, The Perfect Game, Wild America, and the Academy Award winning film Harry and the Hendersons, which he directed, wrote and produced. He was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. About GMCGMC (www.watchGMCtv.com) is America’s favorite channel for uplifting music and family entertainment. The Parents Television Council™ recently awarded its Entertainment Seal of Approval™ to GMC for being “an authentic family-friendly cable network.” GMC is the only television network to receive the highly coveted honor in 2010. GMC can be seen in nearly 48 million homes on various cable systems around the country, on DIRECTV on channel 338 and on Verizon FiOS on channel 224. Follow GMC TV on Facebook and Twitter at http://facebook.com/gmctv and @gmctv or http://twitter.com/gmctv

This show is one that will have you laughing, crying, and shaking your head in agreement.

I understand that this post is kind of late but for those of you in the Eastern Time Zone go ahead and change the TV channel to GMC and watch this show. You will not be disappointed, I promise!

For me this is a show hits very close to home, I could def. see my son within Schroder's character.

Thank You Michelle Sisco for giving me the opportunity to view this show previously to it being on TV.

New Skill!!

2011-09-18T19:22:00.000-06:00

I am 33 years old and today I learned a new skill. My Mother In Law was my teacher and today she taught me how to can tomatoes..
I went and bought 2 bushels of tomatoes, 4 green peppers, 3 lbs of onions, 1 package of celery, and a box of coarse canning salt. Took it all over to her house today and we went to town..
We ended up with 16 quarts of tomatoes and 15 quarts of tomatoes with the other veggies mixed in.
I honestly can't believe how easy it was. I also can't believe I didn't learn this earlier, but I guess leaving away from family the last 10 years is most likely the reason.
I think I will be getting another couple bushels of tomatoes if I can find them and do some more up. It feels so good to now be able to provide this for my family. So empowering!

Do any of you can fruits or veggies? If so what?

Baseball Mom!

2011-09-17T22:11:00.000-06:00

I have recently added this title to my list. My oldest is 10 and is finally playing baseball.
I will be honest and say that I do not make a very good baseball mom. I really thought I would be able to relax a little bit more with each game, but that is just not the case.
Take today's game for example:
I yelled to my son to pay attention, watch the ball, quit playing with the dirt, be ready, run, and a few other times I just yelled his name and pointed. I really need to work on this and try to just sit back and the coaches do what they need to. LOL
Out of the 5 games that his team has played, today's game was a good match up, well in the beginning, the end score was 19-9 with my son's team winning!

I have been learning a lot about little league. I think I am a quick study.
What I have learned:
Each team can get 3 outs or 5 runs per inning!
Sometimes there are some crazy calls: a ball that hits the child's helmet and then hits the bat is a strike, a ball that you could hit with a bat angled with a 90 degree angle is a strike, even though the child that is running home never touches the base or gets tagged, they are safe. These calls have gone on for both teams. At least no favoritism has been played.
All kids like to play in the dirt, getting a big cloud of dust to form around you and slowly move across the field is a BIG accomplishment!
If a child gets hit with the ball they get to take their base! Last week my son got hit.
It is okay to bring a barking little dog to your child's game. Not me but a few other parents have done this.

I have to admit that I really do LOVE watching my son out there on the field. I am so happy he finally is getting the chance to play.

Today I finally told the coach about my son's Aspergers. I told her he takes things very literally and if you want him to run as fast as he can to the base, just tell him and he will. I love that she listened to me, he was able to steal a few bases today as he has other days, but today he moved a little faster.

Hopefully I find my camera cord so I can share some wonderful pictures with all of you.

All in all, so far this season of Fall Ball has been fun, a great learning experience for both my son and both the Hubbyman and myself, and very interesting!

5 Conversations You Must Have with Your Son Review and Giveaway!

2011-09-08T18:09:00.000-06:00

As the Mother of 3 boys and of coarse 1 princess when I was approached to review this book, I literally jumped at the chance! I am def. not disappointed with my choice. Vicki Courtney, who is the Author has an amazing writing style. Of coarse you would have to read the book to understand what I am talking about next, but maybe not..

One of my favorite chapters was when she wrote about the lack of Real Men in today's society. I am quite sure if you look around you will be able to tell the real from the not so much real ones. This is actually only the first chapter of the book in which she has entitled "The Wimpification of the Modern Male". She could not be any more right when it comes to this chapter. I was laughing, nodding, and agreeing out loud while reading this chapter, as well as the chapters that followed.

Now for the fun part! Who would like to own a copy of a book that you will not be able to put down? I can see a lot of hands stretched upward, so I better hurry to tell you what you need to do for your chance!

This is very simple! There are 2 chances, 1 mandatory and 1 for fun, both very easy!
Make sure you leave your email address in your comment so I can get in touch with you should you be the winner!

Mandatory: Tell me in a comment What conversation subject you feel is an important one to have with a child?

Extra: Share this giveaway and leave the link!!

On September 22nd at 11:00pm eastern time this giveaway will end and I will pick a winner!

I was sent this book for review from Tolly Moseley at PR by the book and I could not put it down. The author writes in such a way to keep the reader wanting to continue.

Tomorrow I will post a review but for today....

2011-08-13T20:09:00.000-06:00

Have you ever felt like your life changed faster then you thought it would? I mean we knew what was coming for months, knew that the Hubbyman would be retired medically from the Army, knew we were heading back to MI, and just knew we would once again be by family.

Well we did just that, all those things listed above! I have also finished my Front Office Medical Assistant course through Military to Medicine, the Hubbyman has started his Pharmacy Tech program through Penn Foster, on July 25th he was retired from the Army, and now we can start the civilian life.

If you have made the switch from Military to civilian, What was your experience? Did you feel like you fit in? I have been feeling like I don't fit anywhere, like I no longer fit in with the Military crowd, but I also don't feel like I fit in with the Civilian crowd. Not to say that I have not tried. It is such a weird feeling to seem all alone even though you are surrounded by family and friends.

I have a lot more to say but for today, I will stop. I don't want this to become a long rant about feelings and such. I have had a few days that have not been great and I needed to get this out somewhere.

Thank You for reading and please if you have any encouragement for myself or for others who are going through the same thing, please leave a comment.

Coming up tomorrow is a review on a book and there will also be a giveaway to go with it!!

Did you miss me?

2011-07-24T11:57:00.000-06:00

I am BACK!! Things have been quite different since we moved away from an Army Post, but we are now settled in Michigan. I now have the time to get this blog rolling again. I have missed it so much and have so many posts that I want to write up so I can tell you all about our adventures as we left El Paso, TX and traveled to MI.

So Monday I will start off with a review of a wonderful book and just keep going from there.

Until then, Keep aiming for your dreams...

New Name!!!!

2011-04-12T08:30:00.000-06:00

Well since my time as an Army Wife is coming to an end I decided it was time to change the name of my blog. One of my friends calls our house a house of Chaos, so I took that and made up the name.

I have a few things to do today, but I will be back tonight to post up a giveaway and an update. Lots of craziness happening around here.

Coming Home on Lifetime! Interview with Matt Rogers!

2011-03-24T17:40:00.001-06:00

I am sure many of you have watched this show and I know some of you can not watch it but have been DVRing it because it hits too close to home at the moment. This weekend when it comes on you will want the kleenex handy, it is for sure going to be a tear jerker.

Today I had the amazing opportunity to interview Matt Rogers, who is the Host of Coming Home. First I need to say that he is so down to earth and I can't believe I was so nervous right before my phone rang. I also have to tell you all about the hour leading up to the time in which he was going to call. Don't worry you will get a laugh out of it.

2:00pm mtn time: Got to my 3 year old's Neuro Feedback appt. Which of coarse started late by 15 minutes. This started the freaking out on my part. lol

2:45pm mtn time: We rush out of his appt. Jump in the Durango and start heading home. I look down and realize I am almost out of gas. I kept thinking Please just get me to the gas station.

2:55pm mtn time: Get to the gas station and go in to prepay, ALL I kept thinking at this point is hurry up people you have no idea who is suppose to call me at 3:00 pm mtn time. LOL

3:00pm mtn time: I am pumping gas, staring at my phone and telling it to please not ring until I get home. LOL I am sure I looked like a complete fool.

3:10pm mtn time: We are home, I get Dustin into the house, and go into the garage where it is quiet. Look at my phone to make sure I have signal and start waiting. Thanking my phone for not ringing earlier.

Right at about 3:14 mtn time, my phone rang and it was Life Time, the women apologized for being late and asked if I still wanted to speak to Matt. Well DUH!! of coarse I did!!

We started out by talking about my blog and why I had chosen the name. Matt found it interesting because he understands that one is never "JUST" an Army Wife. I was quite happy that he understood the meaning behind it.

I asked Matt 4 questions. I didn't want to take up too much of his time and was very grateful to be interviewing him at all.

Question #1
How do they pick the post, unit, and people for the show?

Matt's Answer:
"The producers send out an email to a Public Affairs Officer/Office (PAO) After that they wait for Soldiers to respond and then they choose from those emails."
Matt said there is another way to send in your story. You can go to mylifetime.com/coming-home and click on Participate. There you will find all the instructions on how to get your story to them. If you have home video from a homecoming they would love to get those sent in also.

Question #2
How do you keep the tears in so well?

Matt's Answer:
"I don't!"
Most of the time he finds himself bawling like a baby, making sure his wife (who does his hair and make-up) has plenty to do between takes. He also said that they edit out a lot of the moments when he is crying.

Question #3
What made you choose to host this show?

Matt's Answer:
"It was a no-brainer!"
He said that this show is who he is, coming from a family where many have served from WWI to Operation Iraqi Freedom and everything in between. When he was approached to Host Coming Home it felt like a blessing and one who could never turn down.

Question #4
After witnessing these homecomings does it make you look at your own family in a different light?

Matt's Answer:
"Absolutely!"
He has a 3 year old and a 5 year old. He has found that the fuse for his patience and understanding has indeed gotten longer. He no longer can take the little things for granted.
This whole experience for him has been humbling.

A Little more information about Matt Rogers:
Born in Arcadia, CA, Matt Rogers was a business communications major at the University of Washington where he played college football as an offensive lineman for their 2001 Rose Bowl championship team.

Once a mortgage broker, Rogers pursued a career in television after appearing as one of the Top 12 finalists on the third season of American Idol. He most recently hosted the CBS series There Goes the Neighborhood and Really Big Things for the Discovery Channel. Before that, Rogers was a co-host for American Idol Extra on Fox Reality Channel, and worked as a correspondent on several entertainment and sports shows including Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, Turner Sports College Football, Best Damn Sports Show and the TV Guide Network. Rogers also works regularly for Fox as a correspondent on American Idol for their finale telecasts.

In his spare time, Rogers enjoys playing poker and fishing with his dad. He lives in Rancho Cucamonga with his wife and their two sons, Brayden and Mason.

Don't forget to tune in to Coming Home on Lifetime at 10pm/9c on Sunday evenings!

Thank You to Michelle Sisco for your help in setting this interview up. Thank You to Lifetime Television and most of all Thank You to Matt Rogers for taking the time to talk with me.

Still House Hunting, well in a sense..

2011-03-24T13:03:00.000-06:00

I keep getting sidetracked in my search for the perfect house. I am not getting sidetracked by normal things like the kids or you know house work. I am getting distracted by finding things I would want to change right away in the house on the screen. For instance have you ever really looked at the lighting options of your house? I have lived in houses in which there were no overhead lights, so we had to go out and buy lamps and I have lived in places that had tons of lighting options being used.

This house that I live in right now is that house, there are overhead lights attached to fans in almost every room, for the lights in the stairway we have wall sconces, which I personally LOVE because they are perfect and light up the stairway without being too bright. Some rooms have too many lights, but you can easily turn a few of the off. So while I am looking at all these different house I am looking for all the lighting options used.

Sadly the Hubbyman is starting to think I am getting obsessed with details and thinks I should just be looking for a house that will fit us all in and we can add things in and take things out as needed. What do you think? Do you look at all the different options when looking for a house or apartment?

PT, OT, Speech!! What else?!

2011-03-21T20:03:00.000-06:00

Oh yeah let me add to that Ophthalmologist, Gastroenterologist, Developmental Ped, and Geneticist. All for my 3 year old child. That is what I have been up to lately and what has kept me away for a little while. I had to get a schedule going for him before I could really sit done and get caught up with posts.

Finally a year after his diagnosis and almost a year after his time with ECI had ended, we are finally back into the groove of therapies and help.

As most of you know I have been taking courses through Military to Medicine, I am so proud of what I have accomplished so far, passing my Medical Terminology course with an A, maybe shocked is more like it. LOL I now have a little break and then I start a 16 week course to which after that I will be done.

The break is really nice because I am getting things done around the house between My 3 year old's therapies. We still have to try and fit in ABA Therapy in and I am confident we can start really soon.

Just wanted to give you all a heads up that I some posts coming up some for giveaways, some for information, and yet some more to go into more detail about what is happening in the Howard House of Chaos, by the way that will be the new name of my blog by the end of the year!!

Just Amazing..

2011-03-11T09:31:00.000-07:00

I had plans to write up a few posts today, but they are going to have to wait because right now I can not do anything but pray for all those affected by the Earthquake and Tsunami. I can not imagine how they feel or what they are all going through.

It is simply heartbreaking.... Please keep everyone in your thoughts and prayers as they try to recover from the devastation..

Saving a School from being closed...

2011-02-23T00:03:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had that I think it may be too late feeling? That is the feeling I have right now. The school my children go to has been on the list to be closed due to budget cuts. Last year 2 schools in our district were each given a list of ways to improve and right now I am wondering why ? because to me the school district was giving false hope to both of the schools, both of these families. Both schools met almost every single one of these so called goals if not surpassed them. Both schools were told over the weekend that in a few days there will be a vote to approve the closure of each school.

On Monday there was an emergency parent meeting after school where we were told of the meeting. I got up and spoke in front of a cafeteria full of parents, students, and staff to tell my story and why I feel this school should not be closed. I was on the local news along with my daughter. Today I picked up the local paper where part of my statement was printed along with my son who talked with them.

Tonight My son and I went to the School Board meeting where this For or Opposed vote was suppose to take place. We left with more questions then answers. The School Board could not make a decision and a motion was put through to take a second look and see if there are any other ways to cut the budget besides the closing of 2 schools. There are no new goals more like a wait and see kind of thing.

Why are these 2 schools on the list? I know many of you are wondering this. Both of the schools are small schools with about a 15 to 1 ratio. That is 15 students to 1 teacher. Less than 300 students to the whole school. My children's school is an exemplary school which is the highest a school can be rated within Texas. This is what I don't understand, why is school that thrives on the education of children and is doing very well I might add on the list to be closed? Instead of expanding the attendance zones or looking for many other ways to cut this budget, they would rather shuffle the kids to other schools in the area that are already full. Are you as confused as I am about why these 2 schools are on this list? Seems to me that the district needs these 2 schools so no school gets too full.

Students will go from a family friendly school with wonderful teachers, a small school that for many they are able to walk to, to a huge school where they will have to fight for any help, a school that is already full, a school that many will still have to walk to, but will have to cross dangerous intersections to get to and sometimes walking about 3 times as far just to get there.

My children go to this school because of the Bullying and death threats at the other school. These things are not tolerated by this school. I worried everyday for my children's safety while they were at the school 5 minutes away, but now I drive them 15 minutes away and can relax all day. It is almost like they are in a sense bullying the little guys with the excuse being the budget.

Working Class!

2011-01-20T20:19:00.000-07:00

Country Music Television (CMT) is premiering their very first scripted sitcom "Working Class"starring TV veteran Melissa Peterman ("Reba") and Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actor Ed Asner on January 28 at 8pm EST/PST, followed by a second, all-new episode at 8:30pm.

ABOUT "WORKING CLASS"

"Working Class" follows Carli Mitchell (Melissa Peterman), a single mom from a rough and tumble background, trying to give her three kids a better life by moving them to an upscale suburb. She quickly finds that making the transition to “the good life” is harder than she thought.

She's unwittingly befriended by her cranky neighbor, Hank (Ed Asner), her only “career” prospect is a glorified deli job at the local grocery store, and the man she falls for not only already has a girlfriend – but he’s also her boss, Rob (Patrick Fabian). With her ladies-man brother, Nick (Steve Kazee), to help her out (when he’s not acting like one of the kids himself), Carli faces the challenges of parenting, dating, and making friends in her new community by doing more with less, staying true to herself and approaching each day with a touch of working class.

Thanks to The One2One Network, I was able to watch the first episode of Working Class before it is on CMT. Honestly for the first episode it kept my interest enough to want to watch some more. I had a few favorite scenes, which if I told you all it would give it away. So what I will do is after the first episode premiers on CMT, I will write a blog post and let everyone tell me any favorite scenes from the show.

Because of my relationship with the one2one network, I was given access to the first episode of Working Class. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for writing this review.
This post does enter me into a contest.

Box Tops For Education!!

2011-01-19T21:58:00.000-07:00

How fun is that video to watch ?!? I can only imagine just how much fun it was to make. I love the fact that they use a band because honestly my favorite part of a parade are the High School Bands. I don't know why but I have always LOVED watching and listening to them.

More Information about Box Tops for education:
Box Tops for Education was created by General Mills in 1996 as an easy way to help make a difference for kids and schools. Since then, schools have earned more than $375 million through the program to help get the things they need-from books and school supplies to playground equipment and computers. Help make a difference in schools by clipping Box Tops from more than 240 brands, including Cheerios, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Hamburger Helper, Kleenex, Ziploc, Hefty, Juicy Juice, Avery, Welch´s, Land O´Lakes and Brita. Find out how much your school has earned and learn other ways to earn cash for your school at http://www.btfe.com/.

This program is amazing and so very easy to participate in. When you go to the store and do your shopping you will see some products that have the cute Box Tops For Education symbol on it. When you buy that product and take it home, you can cut out that symbol and have your children take it to school. It will then be added to the container they are using to hold all of them. That's it!! It is as simple as that.

You can follow Box Tops For Education on Facebook or Twitter

Do you collect the Box Tops? Does your local school accept the Box Tops? Please let me know your experience with this program.

It's Girl Scout Cookie Time!!

2011-01-14T11:50:00.000-07:00

Now I have always bought at least 5 boxes of cookies from one Scout or another, but this year things are different. This year I will be getting them from my little Brownie Scout. I can already say that I feel for all Scout parents during this time. This is crazy just how popular these cookies are and I thought the Popcorn sale for Cub Scouts was crazy.

We picked up the forms last night and already have 40 boxes on the list to pick up. 4 of the orders came in a comment on my status on facebook and the other 3 orders came from Hubbyman's work. I may never want to see a cookie after this sale. LOL

There are some changes that you need to know about to ensure you get the correct cookie when ordering from a local Girl Scout:

Trefoils are now called Shortbread
Tagalongs are now called Peanut Butter Patties
Samoas (I think) are now called Caramel deLites
Do-Si-Does are now called Peanut Butter Sandwich

There is a new cookie this year called Shout Outs, this one is described as Light and crisp, these Belgian-style caramelized cookies are a sensibly sweet treat!!

Also the Thanks-A-Lot cookies come in new packaging and because of that they are reducing waste.

In our are area we offer 8 flavors: Thanks-A-Lot, Shout Outs!, Lemonades, Shortbread, Thin Mints, Peanut Butter Patties, Caramel deLites, and Peanut Butter Sandwich.

So be on the look out for your local Girl Scouts to get your cookies!!

Carpet and Laminate and Hard Wood Oh My!!

2011-01-13T12:37:00.000-07:00

As you can tell from the title, I am once again looking at houses. I have about 10 on my short list, but will not make any real decisions until we know a better time frame on our move.

Each of these houses would be perfect for our family, so I can tell already just how hard making the final decision will be.

So Let's talk about flooring options. Do you have a favorite or Do you like a mix of flooring in your house? Personally I really LOVE the look of a dark Hard Wood, however I really want carpeting at least in the bedrooms. There is just something about waking up and placing your bare feet down on something nice and cold that does not appeal to me. Unfortunately, Due to some allergy issues my carpet option may have to be out of the question. :(

But fear not, I have started looking at modern rugs and have found some that could work to give me the best of both worlds. We already have a few themes in mind when it comes to decorating the Kids Rooms. We have not been able to really paint or decorate while living in Military Housing, so we are really excited about being able to.

My Daughter wants Zebra Print and Bright Pink, so black, white, and pink it will be. I found the perfect rug for her room within all the wonderful shops at CSN Stores.

Is that not just perfect for the theme she has picked!?!

If someone would have told me last year that I would be obsessed with house related things now, I would have thought they were out of their minds, but look at me now. LOL I am having a blast looking at all the wonderful items you can get to make up your perfect room, no matter which room it is!!

What kind of flooring is your favorite? Do you use rugs in your house? Let me know!!

Sensory Kids and IHOP Join Forces For a Fundraiser!!

2011-01-10T14:27:00.000-07:00

Sensory Kids is doing a Fundraiser to raise money for the Sensory Gym and YOU can help by purchasing and/or selling $5 tickets for a Short Stack of Pancakes. IHOP in Las Cruces has GENEROUSLY donated up to 500 short stacks for Sensory Kids to raise money for the Sensory Gym. That's $2,500 we can use toward equipment IF we can sell all the tickets; but we NEED HELP to sell the tickets!

The tickets are available now and the best part is they can be redeemed ANY DAY IN JANUARY 2011 including today! These would be great gifts for employees, clients, or families as well!

You may also call (575) 635-9481 to purchase tickets or for more information. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!! Special thanks to Mike Tellez and IHOP in Las Cruces!

Having a Child with Autism I would LOVE to see a place where we can go that he will feel comfortable. I don't live in Las Cruces, NM But I live close enough. That is why I wrote this post to help get the word out about Sensory Kids and this amazing Fundraiser. If you are in the area and want to help by purchasing or selling some tickets, Please call the number listed above.

The way meat is packaged...

2011-01-02T13:25:00.000-07:00

Normally I am so on top of everything. I go to the store and as soon as I get home I am quickly separating the meat products and tossing them in the freezer. This weekend I was not so on top of it all. I just had to toss 8 lbs of ground beef into the trash instead of the freezer, why? Because apparently it would be too much to ask for the store to package the stuff so there are no little holes in the plastic.

It is moments like this that I can not wait to be able to go to a meat market, where they wrap the meat up in cute white paper. The difference is that they wrap it up the correct way! You can just come home from the meat market and toss everything in the freezer (no separating) AND if you do toss it in the fridge to use for dinner that night or the next, you will not have to empty your fridge, clean it all out, and put everything back in because of a hole in the packaging that caused nasty blood stuff to leak out all over.

Well so much for Lasagna tonight, I guess it will have to be steak soft tacos instead.

Do you ever get this? I think I might have to make a small complaint to the store, I don't know..

How do you decide?

2010-12-13T21:41:00.000-07:00

Wow!! I have been looking online at houses for the last few days, ok weeks, maybe even months. LOL Since we are leaving the Military finding that perfect house has become my goal, maybe my new obsession. I don't have a lot of must haves and the Hubbyman only has a few, mainly a big garage to store big boy toys in. Oh and he would like a double sink in the master bath. lol Me on the other hand would like a nice kitchen since that is the one room that I LOVE to be in. I would also like to have a fireplace, why? well because we are moving from Texas to Michigan and I have been spoiled by the weather here. So I dream of all of us sitting around a nice fire. Ok, who am I kidding here. I would LOVE to sit in front of a fire staying warm and having 5 minutes of peace and the smell of a fire burning in a fireplace brings me peace.

The problem with having a fireplace is where these said fireplaces are located within the houses I have looked at. Do you choose to place your television in the wall above the fireplace and risk not only ending up with a stiff neck from constantly looking up or melting your television because I want a real wood burning fireplace? I think I have found a solution! In all the houses that I have seen there is a corner of the room that would be perfect to place a television in. So I started looking for a corner tv stand Having one of these would totally fix my problem and give me the best of both worlds. I can sit in front of a fire watching my favorite show staying warm while all the white stuff falls down outside.

I love this one, but I think what I like about it which is the pull out drawers would be the one thing that just would not work with the little men of the house.

So I kept looking and found one that I liked equally well and have the ability to throw a lock on it so the little hands can't get to all the fun stuff.

I know I can't buy it just yet, mostly because I do not want to get my hopes up that this color will match the house, but I have it saved into my favorites so in a few months I will be able to hopefully find the house that this will match. After that I can order it and have my dream come true living room.

So how do you decide when dealing with such dilemmas?

Yo Gabba Gabba Live!! and a Winner!!

2010-12-08T10:59:00.000-07:00

I can not thank the Abraham Chavez Theatre enough for allowing part of my family the chance to watch Yo Gabba Gabba Live!! The boys had so much fun and it was a lot of fun just hanging out with the younger 2.

Brobee is Dustin's favorite, I think even more so now that he got to see him live. lol Plex is Benjamin's favorite, he even wore his Plex sweatshirt for the show. I had to snap a few pics with my phone because even though I took my camera, as soon as I went to take that first pic the battery was dead. :( I did not take any pics during the show per the rules.

I think that I watch the show with the boys too much. LOL I knew every single word to all the songs they did. Peek A Boo became Benjamin's new favorite. He was dancing around to that one the whole time. Dustin's favorite was There's A Party In My Tummy, I think that is because Brobee is singing it.

I really do recommend you check out http://www.yogabbagabbalive.com/ and find out if there are upcoming shows in your area and grab your tickets.

So I bet you are all wondering who won the Yo Gabba Gabba Prize Pack....
I let Random.org choose the winner and the Winner is....

#8..
Anonymous said...

A favorite is Don't Bite Your Friends
December 6, 2010 8:28 PM

I have already been in contact with the winner!!

Congrats to the winner and Thank You to all who entered!!

Marry Me!! December 12th and 13th on LifeTime!!

2010-12-04T23:23:00.000-07:00

LUCY LIU STARS IN LIFETIME MINISERIES EVENT MARRY ME PREMIERING DECEMBER 12 AND 13

This is one miniseries that I can not wait to see. Just reading about the how somehow has grabbed my attention and I now have a reminder set on my cable box. Check out the press release below.

ALL-STAR CAST INCLUDES STEVEN PASQUALE, BOBBY CANNAVALE, ENRIQUE MURCIANO AND ANNIE POTTS

LOS ANGELES, CA (November 16, 2010) – Award nominated film and television actress Lucy Liu (Ally McBeal, Charlie’s Angels) stars in the Lifetime Television original miniseries event Marry Me, the story of
one woman’s journey to find her elusive “Prince Charming.” But when she happens to find three at the same time, who she ultimately chooses is a surprise…even to her. The two night event premieres Sunday, December 12th and concludes on Monday, December 13, airing at 9pm ET/PT on both
nights. Steven Pasquale (Rescue Me), Bobby Cannavale (The Other Guys), Enrique Murciano (Without a Trace), Annie Potts (Law & Order: SUV), Vanessa Marano (Dexter), Elizabeth Bogush (Big Bang Theory) and Danielle Nicolet (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation) also star.

Liu stars as Rae Ann Carter, a single aspiring artist-turned-social worker who always wanted a fairytale romance – to fall madly in love and live happily ever after. But when her two-year relationship falls apart,
Rae unexpectedly falls for a new man, Luke (Pasquale), who asks her to marry her after a few short dates. Just as everything seems to fall into place for Rae, her ex-boyfriend Adam (Cannavale) suddenly reemerges into her life with a proposal of his own. Things get even further complicated when a third man (Murciano), smitten by Rae, enters the picture and asks for her hand in marriage, as well. With three men after her heart, who will be Rae’s Prince Charming? Five-time Emmy® Award nominee Barbara Hall (Judging Amy, Joan of Arcadia), who wrote the teleplay, executive produces the four-hour romantic comedy with Susanne Daniels (The Lone Ranger, Hidden Hills). James Hayman (Ugly Betty) directed and co-executive produced the miniseries. Marry Me is produced by Sony Pictures Television for Lifetime.

I don't think there has been one miniseries on Lifetime that I have not liked. I watch these during what I like to call "Mom Time". lol Someday I am sure that the 2 youngest of the house will learn that "Mom Time" doesn't involve them sitting on my lap, eating my popcorn, or stealing drinks of my Mountain dew. But until then, I will cherish the cuddles and quiet time.

If you watch the show, please let me know your opinions.

And The Winner Is!!

2010-12-02T23:10:00.000-07:00

I choose the winner for the Progresso Prize Pack, okay to be honest I let Random.org choose the winner. lol There were 12 comments and Random.org choose #11.

The winner is:
Tracy DeLuca said...

Following Progresso on FB

Thank You to all who entered and Congrats Tracy!!

Current Giveaways!! Along with an update!

2010-12-02T22:44:00.000-07:00

I am extending the giveaway for the Book The Club No One Wanted To Join until there are at least 10 entries.

Also even though the post is about the local Yo Gabba Gabba show, anyone in the U.S. can enter to win the gift pack!! So get your entries in for the Yo Gabba Gabba Gift Pack. Ends December 7th!!

I have so much to share with you all, I just have to get my thoughts straight first. LOL So expect to see posts about Flat Stanley, My 2 Siberian Huskies, a few books, and other craziness that has happened.

I start back to school on the 7th of December, so I want to get as many review and giveaway posts up as I can before then or at least during that week.

I can not believe that Christmas is almost here. Are you ready? I am happy to say that I actually got some great shots of the kids and ordered my cards and I now have about 75% of the shopping done.

I hope everyone is having a great week!

48 Hour Cyber Monday Fun Auction!!

2010-11-29T13:02:00.000-07:00

So the past few days I have been playing with ribbon. Who knew it could be so relaxing?! I put all of the bows that i have made into an album labeled Cyber Monday Fun Auction on my Facebook page. So Click HERE and take a look. Also if I can get up to 200 friends before the Auction Ends then I will have a few giveaways on my Facebook page, some will be for everyone and some will be for only those who bid on an item.

Yo Gabba Gabba, Live! There's A Party In My City!

2010-11-24T23:00:00.000-07:00

The two babies of this family LOVE Yo Gabba Gabba!! To be honest I find it to be a very cute show, a little weird at times, but the meanings involved with the little songs are so right on. I think we all have a favorite and mine is "Don't Bite Your Friends". Have you ever thought about taking the kiddos to a LIVE show that includes all their favorite characters from Yo Gabba Gabba? Well now is your chance!

Yo Gabba Gabba LIVE! There's A Party In My City! is making its way to many cities across the country. Just go to http://www.yogabbagabbalive.com/ to check on the tour dates and purchase your tickets.

There is one tour date that I need to tell you a little more about. On December 7th, Right here in El Paso, TX my family will be watching the show thanks to some wonderful people and I can not wait. I know the boys will LOVE it!! If you are in the El Paso, TX area and want to take your kiddos to the December 7th show make sure you click the link above to check on tickets and put in your order.

Here is a local release that went out and gives everyone information on this show.

KIA MOTORS PRESENTS YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE!: THERE’S A PARTY IN MY CITY! NORTH AMERICAN TOUR WILL STOP IN EL PASO ON DECEMBER 7 FOR SINGING & DANCING AND TO SUPPORT THE LOCAL HABITAT FOR HUMANITY AFFILIATE

$1 From Every Ticket Sold To Benefit Habitat for Humanity Affiliate In El Paso

(El Paso, Texas) -- Fresh off a triumphant sold-out tour debut, a headlining performance at The White House, a critically-acclaimed, chart-topping album, and an appearance at Coachella that garnered rave reviews from spectators and media alike, DJ Lance Rock and the cast of YO GABBA GABBA! are back on the road with Kia Motors Presents YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE!: THERE’S A PARTY IN MY CITY! to play to enthusiastic fans in El Paso. Today’s hottest live show for families will be at the Abraham Chavez Theatre on Tuesday, December 7, 2010. Kia Motors Presents YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE!: THERE’S A PARTY IN MY CITY! is produced by S2BN Entertainment in association with Wildbrain Entertainment and The Magic Store and promoted by C3 Presents.

Champions on the stage and in the community, the Gabba Gang will partner with Habitat for Humanity to further their homebuilding efforts in El Paso. In addition, $1 from every ticket sold for Kia Motors Presents YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE!: THERE’S A PARTY IN MY CITY! in El Paso will be donated to the local Habitat for Humanity affiliate.

For complete tour, ticket information and VIP packages, visit www.yogabbagabbalive.com. Children under one year of age will be admitted free to sit on a parent’s lap.

I love that $1 from every ticket is being donated to Habitat For Humanity!

Who would LOVE to have a Yo Gabba Gabba Prize Pack and make a child in their life smile? You are in the right place as I have one to give away!!

Here is what is included in the prize pack:

BOOK: Yo Gabba Gabba!, Party in My Tummy" - Based on the popular song from Yo Gabba Gabba!, Party in My Tummy makes healthy eating fun for little ones! Lift the flaps, sing along, and find out what everyone in Gabba Land is bringing to the party!

DVD: “Yo Gabba Gabba! Clubhouse” - The Nickelodeon DVD “Yo Gabba Gabba!: Clubhouse” released on June 15 and features performances by musical guests Erykah Badu, The Killers, Jimmy Eat World and more.

CD: “Yo Gabba Gabba!: Music is Awesome Volume 2.” Fans can enjoy a new, super radical compilation of music featured from Seasons I, II & III, YO GABBA GABBA! MUSIC IS AWESOME! VOLUME 2 hit shelves nationwide on August 31, 2010, timed with the launch of the live tour, KIA Motors Presents YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE! THERE’S A PARTY IN MY CITY. Jam-packed with Super Music Friends & all of the songs you’ve grown to love including those from Weezer, MGMT & Jimmy Eat World.
A deluxe edition featuring bonus songs from the hit series will also be available on iTunes. Fans can get a sampling of the record with a free download of our favorite Super Music Friends – Weezer’s track “All My Friends Are Insects” at http://www.yogabbagabba.com/freedownload/

MUSIC IS AWESOME! VOLUME 2 is available on CD at Target, Toys R Us, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, Borders, and independent music retailers nationwide.

I bet you are all wondering how to enter this AMAZING giveaway, Right?!
Please leave your email address in your comment, as I would love to be able to get ahold of you should you be the winner. This giveaway will close on December 7th and the winner will be posted in the post I will write up on December 8th about my family's experience.

Mandatory Entry: Tell me in a comment yours or your child's favorite character!

Extra Entries:
1. Tell me a favorite song from the show.
2. Tell me which individual or group were your favorite guests on the show.
3. Share this giveaway on your blog, facebook, or twitter, coming back here and sharing a direct link to your message. (1 entry for each) please leave separate comments for each that you do!

I can not wait to hear every ones favorite things about the show!!

Thank You to El Paso's ABRAHAM CHAVEZ THEATRE for allowing my family the chance to come and watch the show on December 7th. Thank You to Michelle for offering up the prize pack for my readers.

Road Trip Time!!!

2010-11-23T20:51:00.000-07:00

Okay, It is not really time for a Road Trip, but I will tell you about one of our Family road trips.

Being an Army Family we have taken a lot of road trips, but there are a few that always come up in conversations. I will tell you about one of those trips.

It was during Hubbyman's second deployment. Leave time was coming up, also called R & R and when I had talked to him last he thought everything was set, where he would be flying into Georgia and I would drive down from Virginia first dropping the kids off in North Carolina. That was "The Plan". At least until 2:30 AM on the morning I was to leave. I had everyone packed for a weekend trip.

That phone call changed "The Plan" dramatically. Now I had to drive all the way to Michigan, pack everyone up including the Hubbyman for at least 2 weeks, and I have about 36 hours to get there. I think I went back to sleep for about 2 hours and woke up at around 4:30 AM. While the kids continued to sleep I went ahead and emptied the packs that were already packed. The weather is different so everyone needed clothing for cooler weather. It took about 2 hours but I got everyone packed up. By this time the 2 kids were starting to wake up and were told of the change in plans. They were excited because the change in plans meant that we were once again headed back to Grandma and Grandpa's house!

By 9:00 AM Everyone had everything needed to make the trip in a pile by the front door. Just as I started to open the door to go out and load up I heard something and was not happy. Yup, It had started to rain! As quickly as I could I loaded everything and came back in to make sure that we were indeed ready to leave. Of coarse nothing could be that simple, as one child made a mess with a cup of juice, the other was filling their diaper. This went on with me cleaning up the house because of all the messes for about two hours. I decided not to waste the money and go ahead and have some lunch and had cleaned up from that. Finally I saw a break in the weather so I choose right then and there to leave. One at a time I loaded the kids up because this was the easiest way to make sure each was comfy and had their bag of fun for the trip. Just as we were ready to back out I had realized that I did not have my trusted CD of traveling songs, so back into the house I ran to grab it. We finally pulled out and started on our way to what was suppose to be a 12 hour trip at 1:00 PM. Thinking I had plenty of time because at most this trip should take 14 hours.

Everything was going great despite the rain which was on again off again for the first 3 hours of our trip. The kids and I were singing along to our CD just about ready to make our first stop when the thunder started and then the lightning came. Boy this was just not my travel day, but we made the first stop and got lucky with a close parking spot. Went in had a snack, did the whole bathroom thing, and about an hour later we were back in the vehicle with 2 cute stuffed animals from the gift shop.

We always stopped at the same places and I always let the kids pick out a new little friend to keep them company for the rest of the trip. It became our special thing when they were traveling with just Mommy. Fast forward 10 hours and at the time we should have been pulling into my Parent's house we were still in Ohio at our 5th stop. It was very cold and the white stuff had started falling from the sky. Now 3:00 AM and ready to get back on the road, the brake lights had come on in my vehicle. All I could think about is why this stuff (but I am sure I used a not so great word) had to happen now.

I looked on the map and decided that I had about 3 and 1/2 hours left of the trip, called a couple people who both said that it was most likely a sensor or something and as long as the brakes were working I should be OK, and went ahead and got back on the road. After a little while the lights shut off and I felt much better about making the decision to keep going. The kids were fast asleep and I was finally able to listen to my own music. I was singing along and for once during this trip even though it was snowing and that I have been driving for now 15 hours or so, I was happy.

Just as I crossed the border from Ohio to Michigan it was snowing really hard and the road that I was traveling on was completely covered. A road that you usually could go 70mph on, I had to go 25mph. The road was horrible as everyone was just like me and we ended up making our own lanes until a semi would pass one of us and we would sneak behind them, just to follow the lights. This is about the time that the kids started to wake up because really we should have already been there.

To my amazement the kids stayed quiet and let me concentrate which I thanked them both for numerous times. Finally after driving 19 hours, driving through rain, driving through a thunderstorm, driving through snow, and driving on a road that was so covered with slush, ice, and snow that no one could see it, we pulled into my Parent's driveway. The kids ran in and were telling my Parents all about the fun but long trip. I was exhausted after being awake for over 24 hours and driving straight for 19 hours. Not only that but I had to be at the airport in 5 hours to pick up the Hubbyman, so I went to lay down.

My Mom woke me up about 3 and 1/2 hours later so I had time to get all of us ready to head to the airport. We made it there just in time to pick him up and were able to enjoy a very nice and relaxing 2 weeks. This was one trip that I will never forget. The kids and I had a lot of fun and I learned never to underestimate myself. Until this trip I didn't think I could ever drive more than 14 hours straight. I would have never known that I can make the kids laugh just by changing the words to the songs on our traveling CD. Even though this trip was a rough one it will never be forgotten.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Discount Tire blogging program, making me eligible to receive a $50 gift card and be entered for a chance to win a prize valued at $1,000. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

New reviews coming!!

2010-11-20T11:07:00.001-07:00

This week I have been trying to get my house in order for the Company coming in Tomorrow!! Tonight I will try to get a few posts up and then again Monday - Wednesday. Some will be only a review and some will be a review along with a giveaway!!

As much as I try not to procrastinate, something always comes up. LOL Are you like that? Does everything else lure you to it when you have things that just have to get done?

I will be back in a few hours..

The Club No One Wanted To Join.... Review and Giveaway!!

2010-11-15T14:30:00.000-07:00

This is the what the White Board that hangs in our Dining room now says. There are quite a few items on this basic list that Bernie Madoff should have listened to and put into action. Who is Bernie Madoff you ask?

Bernie Madoff is the one who had started one of the biggest Ponzi schemes to date to the tune of Sixty-Five Billion Dollars. You can google his name to find out more. I won't go into major details about him because that is not what this review is about.

This review is about a book. A book that takes you into the lives and back to the times when the Victims or Survivors whichever way you want to view them as, first got involved with Bernie Madoff or with a feeder company, in which they had never heard of Bernie Madoff. When they first found out that all the money was gone, sometimes 10 years later. As you read this book you are put right there with each of them. Seriously! I felt like I was right there, right there in that time, standing right next to them.

This book makes you think of things like what if I woke up tomorrow and all my money was gone. What would I do, where would I go, who would I talk to? Each of the 29 stories compiled in this book tells of how they got where they are, tells about finding out the news, and tells what they have done since that time. Now there are only 29 stories within this book, many have stories but are not telling them, and even some will never get the chance to tell their story because they took their own lives when the news came in that day.

The Club No One Wanted To Join MADOFF VICTIMS IN THEIR OWN WORDS was edited by Erin Arvedlund and Compiled by Alexandra Roth.

The book is available on Amazon but here is your chance to win your very own copy.

Please remember to include your email address in the your entries so i have a way to get ahold of you should you be the winner. Also make sure to do the Mandatory entry so any extra entries will count.

This giveaway will go until November 30th, at that time I will use random.org to choose the winner.

Mandatory Entry- Please tell if you or someone close to you have ever been scammed.

Extra Entries-
1. "Like" the Madoff Survivors on facebook
2. Follow my blog or let me know you already do.

That is it, Easy Peasy!! I feel that everyone should read this book, it really helps to know that the victims really had no clue what would happen in the end after placing their trust out in the open.

I was contacted by Alexandra to run the review and giveaway. I was sent a copy of the book free of charge and offered a copy to run the giveaway. The opinions are my own and i know not everyone will agree.

What a Week this has been!!

2010-11-14T19:41:00.000-07:00

This is the never ending week!! Some good times and some bad. Some happy while others were kind of sad.

First off on Monday after our amazing weekend of camping it is now official that 4 kids is our limit. Tuesday was Cub Scouts. Wednesday was quite a normal day. Thursday was a day off for everyone. I really can not thank all of those who have served in the the past, serve now, or will serve in the future. Friday was back to school for the kids and boy was it hard to get them to wake up. Saturday was a wonderful day of Welcoming home the last of the Hubbyman's past Soldiers from a year gone. After that Natalee had a Fun Day for Brownies. She had a bunch of fun and good thing too because last night she came down with the flu at 3AM. She is doing a little better today but still can not keep anything down. Tomorrow she will not be going to school.

On a happy note I made my 2 week list and went to Albertson's. If you spend $100 or more you can get a free turkey up to 15lbs. They also give military discounts, but because I was just over my $100 limit to get my 13 and 1/2 pound turkey for free I did not accept the discount today. If I would have my turkey would not have been free. Yup!! 2 weeks worth of groceries for $103.71. I am pretty proud of that.

Hopefully with one more day of rest Natalee can kick this stomach bug and she can return to school on Tuesday. We have all had a cold, but was really hoping no one would get any sicker than that. We have company coming from out of town next weekend so please pray that we get all healthy by then.

So that is the update. Tomorrow I will be posting a few reviews and giveaways. So keep on the look out!!

Making Your Life Easy!!

2010-11-11T19:02:00.000-07:00

With having such a big family or maybe a family size that is right in the middle, I have had to come up with different ideas to make my life easier. When our day is not going as planned it can cause chaos within the house.

Here are a few things that I do that help make our days easier:

1. Schedule- Sometimes I think I have a schedule for everything, but really I have 3. We have a house schedule which covers all the chores and all household items. We have a schedule for medicines which covers all the meds that each of us takes daily. The last schedule is the Doctor schedule which covers all appts.

2. Lists- I keep several lists through out the day/week/month these help me to get everything done. Every morning I look at the House schedule and write down the items that need to be completed that day, such as what laundry is to be done and what I am doing in each room.

3. Chore chart- This is not only for the kids as I have my own area on this chart. I write done what chores need to be done everyday like what family member's laundry gets done on what day and what rooms get vacuumed and on what day.

4. Meal Planning- We do not eat out very often, so this is very important to me. Some do Weekly plans or Monthly plans. I do bi weekly plans because we get paid every 2 weeks. I plan out breakfast, lunch, and dinner for each day. I also try to include something yummy with every dinner.

5. Freezer Meals- Along with my meal planning I also have 2 days every month in which I cook meals to freeze. This makes it so easy to give my family great meals without making a huge mess of my Kitchen every day.

6. Organized Rooms- If you can keep certain areas of your home organized then it can make things very easy. Take for instance your kitchen. If you keep all your baking products together, your cooking products together, and your cleaning products together then you will always know when you are about to run out of something or what you have on hand when doing your meal planning.

7. Notebook with important paperwork- We are a Military family and we move around quite a bit so having all of the important items together is quite necessary. This can also help you. When it comes time to enroll your kids in school it makes things a lot more easier if all the paperwork is together in a folder. All you have to do is grab the folder the day of registration.

8. A Rainy Day Box- We all have those days and it doesn't have to be raining for us to want to have a little pick me up. Our rainy day box has items for the whole family including match box cars, trains, crayons, and coloring books. I also add books and new movies that i know the kids will love.

9. A craft box- This is a box that has everything to do any craft. We have paper, markers, beads, glue, feathers, and a ton of other things in our box. Every week the kids pick one day and together with as many of us that happen to be home that day sit down and craft up a storm. This brings us all together and makes it easier to know what is going on with everyone else.

10. Time for yourself- We often put ourselves last on the list. At least I know I do. To help me make my day a little easier I schedule time even if it is just 20 minutes as my mommy time. I usually blog during this time or listen to some music and just reflect on our day. It clears my head and makes it easier for me to want to wake up and do it all over again the following day.

What are some ways that you make your life easier? Let me know!! Hopefully my list will help give you some ideas that you don't already use.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Oral-B blogging contest, making me eligible to get full-sized Oral-B Glide products and a $30 Target gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Change Your Clock Change Your Battery!!

2010-11-11T18:00:00.002-07:00

Over this past weekend we all changed our clocks. Did you change anything else? I did! After we got home from our camping trip and after I went around the house to change all the clocks, I grabbed my package of batteries and went to each of our smoke detectors. With the major decorating Holidays approaching making sure that the batteries in all the smoke detectors are new is a very good idea.

For twenty-three years, Energizer, the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and thousands of fire departments nationwide have worked together to encourage everyone to adopt the life-saving Change Your Clock Change Your Battery® habit of changing and testing smoke alarm batteries with each fall time change. This is so important because having a working smoke alarm can cut the risk of dying in reported home structure fires in half as they can often provide critical extra seconds needed to get out of your home safely. And even though 96% of American homes have smoke alarms, many do not have one that works because of missing or worn-out batteries.

I have seen what fire can do and it is not pretty, so I ask that each and every one of my readers check the smoke detectors in their houses. If one needs new batteries then replace them, if one is broke, then replace it with a working one, if you have none, then please put some up.
Each year, Energizer donates 200,000 batteries to help local fire departments nationwide. This year everyone has the chance to help double the donations, up to 400,000 batteries. Participation is easy. Visit the CYCCYB tab on the Energizer Bunny® Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/EnergizerBunny, and pledge to change your smoke alarm batteries, share the life-saving Change Your Clock Change Your Battery message with others and create your family’s home escape plan so you have an exit plan in place. Each action will trigger a donation of batteries.

Camping Season Is Officially Over..

2010-11-11T13:00:00.001-07:00

Over this past weekend our family went on our Final camping trip of the season. We packed up the bags and the kids backpacks then we made our way to Ruidoso, NM. I won't lie, it was quite cold during the evenings but the days were pleasant. The kids were able to get in some fishing time and Dustin (3 years old) caught his first fish.

We didn't keep his because it was small, but he was so happy that he caught one!

Out of the 8 or so caught we kept 5 and Blake and Natalee totally loved gutting them. No surprise there, I always knew that Natalee was a tomboy. LOL

We fished at Grindstone Lake. It is a wonderful place and so peaceful, which was a big plus for me.

On the way home I was able to snap a few pictures of the trees. No reds or oranges but this beautiful yellow was covering all the trees.

All in all our last camping trip was a wonderful experience and we can not wait until next season!

Michael Chiarello's Bottega Cook Book and Progresso Lemon Pepper Panko - Review & Giveaway!

2010-11-11T08:00:00.001-07:00

I will be completely honest here and tell you that I LOVE TO COOK, yup it is true. I love to be in the kitchen creating wonderful meals for my family. So when my blog spark let me know of an opportunity to work with both them and Progresso I quickly said Yes!! Soon I received a prize pack which included a package of Lemon Pepper Panko and a signed copy of Michael Chiarello’s Bottega Cookbook.

Cookbooks are my weakness, I love to look through cookbooks and I love the ones with a story to tell.
Michael Chiarello's does just that, there are little tidbits of info and beautiful pictures of not only food but also of his family and friends. For some this cookbook may be a little too fancy with one of the recipes being Wood-Grilled Octopus "Under a Brick" with Olive Oil- Braised Potatoes. There are a few that look so wonderful that you just have to take a chance and prepare them. One that I will be trying very soon is the Strawberry Tiramisu Semifreddo. It looks so yummy.

Soon after I received my prize pack I snatched the Lemon Pepper Panko and started figuring out what I wanted to do with it. I decided to make breaded pork chops and oh my goodness were they ever a hit.

Make sure to check out the Progresso’s Wine & Dine with Chef Michael Chiarello Sweepstakes. Now through December 31st, participants can enter for the chance to win a trip for two to Napa Valley to attend the Spring Bud Break Party, an annual dinner and wine tasting event taking place on May 7, 2011. In addition to two tickets to the party, the grand prize also includes round trip airfare and hotel accommodations. Visit http://www.progressobroth.com/ for the sweepstakes rules and entry form.

While your there don't forget to grab a coupon to save $1 off of Progresso Broth!

My Blog Spark has offered one of my readers a gift pack including one package of Progresso Lemon Pepper Panko and an autographed copy of chef Chiarello’s new cookbook: Michael Chiarello’s Bottega!

The Giveaway!!

Please make sure that you include an email address so I have a way to get in touch with you should you be the winner!

Mandatory Entry:

Let me know in a comment what you would make with the Lemon Pepper Panko.

Additional Entries:

1. Follow this Blog!

2. Blog about this giveaway linking back to this post (include a link to your post)
3. Please tell me one of your favorite recipes to prepare!

4. Become a Fan of Progresso on Facebook!

5. Follow Just An Army Wife on Facebook and leave a comment on my wall!

This giveaway will end on November 30th 2010

Progresso and My Blog Spark provided me with the Progresso Panko and Cookbook prize pack for free in order to do the review. All opinions are my own and I know not everyone will agree with me.

And The Winner Is!!

2010-11-08T18:53:00.000-07:00

The Winner of the RediShade Giveaway which ended last night is.....
Comment #10
Alexis AKA MOM said...
Tweeted :)
http://twitter.com/AlexisAKAMOM/status/27977645460
October 20, 2010 6:05 PM

Congrats to the Winner and Thank You to everyone who entered.
The winner has been sent an email!

How was your Halloween?

2010-11-02T10:49:00.000-06:00

We had a really exciting Halloween around here. This year was the first year that we all dressed up, that Dustin actually knew what Trick or Treating was, and Benjamin's second time going out with us.

At first I had a Karate Kid, a Rocker Chic, a Super Hero (super D), and a cute little Bam Bam.

The night before Halloween I was busy sewing. On Halloween we ended up with 2 Cowboys, a Cowgirl, a Karate Kid, a Rocker Chic, and a cute little Bam Bam.

Dustin switched from a Super Hero to a Cow Boy. He had gotten a real Cowboy Hat a few days earlier and was really into being a Cowboy, so we went with it.

Natalee wanted to be a Rock Star, I won this costume in an Auction (it came with a different shirt) and it fit perfect. Natalee was excited!

Blake had originally wanted to be something with a cape, we even purchased everything to make it, but he changed his mind and decided to be The Karate Kid.

Benjamin loves to drag around the bats, so The Hubbyman decided to dress him as Bam Bam. I actually made two Bam Bam costumes, as the first one didn't fit very well over clothes. lol

The Hubbyman! I made the vest the day before. lol

The 3 Cow People (as Dustin said) I think the costumes turned out Great!!

I had made all the Chaps and Vests and it was a lot of fun with all of us dressed up.
Today the older kids took about 5 lbs of candy total to school to donate to the troops. The school together with the Dental Association is collecting candy to send to the Troops overseas. I think it is a wonderful program and being an Army Family the kids were excited to take some in.

Blake and Natalee's school is having a competition to go along with a big assembly coming up. The kids that bring in the most candy will be VIPs for the assembly, get a cool t-shirt, and be the only ones who are called upon to participate in the assembly. What an amazing opportunity for the kids!

So How did your Halloween go? Did everyone have fun? Did everyone stay safe?

Bullying Again...

2010-10-29T07:55:00.000-06:00

I know I know I seem to bring this subject up a lot, but I have a question or 2 for all the parents that read my blog.

At what point do you think it goes from just kids being kids to bullying?
In Elementary School I expect a few little tiffs about someone cutting in line, the occasional being pushed, a little he said she said, and a little name calling. What I didn't expect was the constantly getting kicked everyday for 3 weeks, the getting pushed around everyday for 3 weeks, or the older kids cussing out the younger kids.
For me that is when it turned from kids being kids to bullying at least in my eyes.

What would do if your child was being bullied and you saw nothing being done to help them?
For me I honestly got to a point that even I didn't think I could help them. They were doing everything they were suppose to according to the School's Anti- Bullying Policy. Instead of getting help they were getting told "I don't really like tattle tales", "Oh just ignore it", and "Just stay away from them".

What steps would you take after your child received a Death Threat? What if your child was the one that was responsible for that threat?
For me I pulled my kids out of that school because the threat along with all the bullying equaled a place that was not safe for my kids. This threat was not just a child saying "Oh you are dead now" this threat was in picture form. The other child was right there in the school and my son's classroom the very next day, I guess to me the child should of received at least one day suspension for his actions.

I only ask these questions because I have been told I should do this or I should do that and I have also been told that I should not care about what the school does now because My kids no longer go there. My kids may no longer go to that school but they still go to another school in the same district. I feel that no child should have to go through what my children went though and if that means helping the school come up with ideas for what should have been done or what will be done from now on, then so be it.

Shout Out For Fall!!

2010-10-28T22:14:00.002-06:00

Fall!! This is my absolute favorite time of year. At least it is in my home state where there are actual trees that turn from green to beautiful shades of red and yellow, but despite the fact that we live in the desert we have been having some fun.

With my daughter's Brownie Troop we were able to head out to a pumpkin patch. It was a great time and I actually posted about the trip Here. Fall can also be a very messy time with Halloween parties and jumping around in a big leaf pile (another thing I have been missing). I find that my kids learn amazing things just by taking some time outside to explore and have fun. That is why I was so very excited to be a part of Growing Tree Toys and Shout's Go Play initiative blogger Program. Just check out Shout's Facebook Page and you can find all kinds of fun! You can also find so many wonderful outdoor learning toys at Growing Tree Toys, they have all kinds of fun things that your children will love so much that they will forget they are actually learning.

If you are drawing a blank on how get your children to enjoy the outdoors and the wonderful nature surrounding them check out the 52 Activities In Nature card set. As part of the Blogging program I was given some of Shout's wonderful products as well as a set of the cards I mentioned above free from Shout.

I put one of the products to the ultimate test. While at the Cub Scout pack meeting my kids were able to dress up, my son's costume choice this year is a white Karate outfit, yup, you already know what happened don't you? Well they were serving Red juice. Here is a video of How a Shout Product saved the costume.

I have tried other types of stain removing sprays but always come back to Shout. I have also used the original stain removing gel. Still I am amazed how the Shout Advanced got rid of a stain that to me is one of the hardest to get out. With 4 kids and places that still think that Red Juice is a great beverage to serve to kids I may have to keep Shout on hand at all times. It has literally saved my son's Halloween costume making this mommy very happy.

The pack of nature activity cards and products were given to me for free from Shout, all opinions are 100% my own.

Do You Shutterfly?

2010-10-27T22:02:00.000-06:00

With the Holiday season just around the corner, I am sure many of you have already or are planning very soon to get that perfect Holiday photo taken so you can send it along with your holiday cards out to all your family and friends.

Maybe you are looking for the perfect Christmas invitations to invite everyone you know to the amazing annual party you throw every year. You could even be looking for something to be used after the Holiday season like personalized thank you cards to thank friends and family for the wonderful gifts you received.

You don't have to search all over to find the perfect place to take care of any of the above mentioned items. There is only one site that you need to know about it and that is shutterfly.com. You can get all kinds of neat items from here. I have been looking around the site because like many of you, I need to find what I think is the perfect Christmas Photo Card.

I love the cards that fold open, I don't really know why except to me it feels more like a real card. I have a pretty big family and I really like to include each of the kids individually, so I look for a card that holds at least 4 photos, but one that holds 5 photos in which I can include not only each of the kids but also a family photo is the perfect card to me. Oh and one other thing that I look for is that each of the photos on a card are the same size. To me this makes for a neat and clean card.

After looking at shutterfly for probably close to an hour (okay it may have been 2 hours) because there are so many amazing cards, I found 3 that I have fallen in love with.

1. Joy Oh Joy American Lung Association Holiday 5x7 Folded Card This card is bright and fun with a place for each of my 4 kids and they each have the same size photo. I Love It!!

2. Cool Blue Snowflake Holiday 5x7 Folded Card I love the colors on this one. The blue is such a wonderful blue color and the name matches perfectly to the card. Once again there is a spot for each of my kids and again the spots are all the same size. Perfect!!

3. Elegant Greetings Christmas 5x7 Folded Card This one is one I saw last and it is the exact card I was looking for. The colors are perfect and there is not just a spot for all my kids, there is also a spot for our family photo to be included. Yes, this is a card that will hold 5 photos. Each photo of the kids is the same size with one in the middle that is bigger and will fit our family photo. Honestly seeing this photo card gets me excited and wanting to hurry up and get that perfect picture taken, not that I have not already been trying to snap one of each of the kids because I have been. It is the whole family together that can take 3, 4, maybe 10 takes before we get one where everyone is finally looking in the same direction. LOL

Do you want 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly? Click here to go to Shutterfly for information on how you can get 50 free cards this holiday season, and make sure to select Clever 1000 as the referral source.

This post is part of a series sponsored by Shutterfly. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

When Bullying Gets Worse...

2010-10-22T11:40:00.000-06:00

Today is the last day of school for 3 of my kids. 2 of them will be going to a new school and 1 of them will be home schooled.
Yesterday my oldest who is in 4th grade received a death threat. Another child drew a picture and wrote Dead Blake across the top. This came after both my 1st grader and my 4th grader being bullied for the past month.
This morning I took them to school, I didn't want to, I wanted to keep them home but I knew that the transfer to a different school would be easier if they didn't miss too many days. This morning I walked into the office and asked for 3 withdrawal forms. This morning I filled them out right there. This morning I had a talk with the Assistant Principal (again). After all of that. I went to each of my kids and told them TODAY is the last day they will be at this school. They both cried, they both know the reasons, but they both so wanted this school to be a good experience for them. So much so that they are willing to disregard all the horrible things that have happened to them.
Today I went to the new school to start the transfer process. Today I saw a wonderful school that cares about each child within the school. This is the school that my children can go to without being called names, without being bullied, and without me having to worry about them.

I have called the School District about this incident. My children may be done with the school, but I am not. Something needs to change for that school. I pray that the next child to get bullied in that school will never come. I pray that the School District steps up and the few kids get removed from the school.

I just want every parent to take your children seriously and listen to them. Bullying is a horrible thing to have happen. It is up to us Parents to look out for our children and never stop until something is done. Always remember that even being called can and does HURT.

And The Winner Is!!!!

2010-10-22T10:54:00.000-06:00

This was my biggest giveaway yet. Thank You All who took the moment to enter for your chance to win. There were a total of 146 entries, WOW!!
Random.org chose Number 105:
The Winner of the $75 CSN Stores Gift Code is..........
Liz said...

I haven't started shopping yet--I hope to start in two or three weeks, although I do my best Christmas shopping two or three days before Christmas!
October 20, 2010 1:58 AM

I will be emailing the winner today and they will have 48 hours to claim the prize.

Seriously I am amazed at how big this giveaway had gotten and I can not thank you all enough.
Don't forget to enter for your chance to win the custom window shade from Redi Shade (value $99 - $253)

10 Years!!

2010-10-21T07:03:00.000-06:00

10 years ago today the Hubbyman and I were married. Step back in time with me..

Year 2000- Hubbyman and I reconnected after 5 years apart, July- We found out I was pregnant, July- We got engaged, July, August, September, and October- We planned the Wedding, August- We moved into our house, October 21st- We were married!!

Year 2001- March 30th - Blake was born!! September 11th- well we all know what happened on that day, 2001 brought a few separations as the Hubbyman was in the National Guard. End of 2001 - Hubbyman went back to Active Duty.

Year 2002 - Jan- The Hubbyman left to Virginia, End of Jan - Blake and I packed up and left Michigan, The rest of 2002 was all about this new life.

Year 2003 - Jan 4th- Natalee was born, 2003 also brought us to our 1st deployment.

Year 2004 - Now with 2 little ones this year brought us to our 2nd deployment.

Year 2005 - End of 2nd deployment, mission to England, Dec 13th - William was born an angel.

Year 2006 - Moved from Virginia to New York, Found out I was pregnant, The dreaded 3rd Deployment started (this is the one that would forever change my family).

Year 2007 - April 25th Dustin was born during R&R, The Hubbyman went back to Iraq, While in Iraq Hubbyman was diagnosed with PTSD, November - 3rd Deployment finally over.

Year 2008 - November - We moved from New York to Texas, 4th deployment scheduled but The Hubbyman ended up not going. Found out I was pregnant.

Year 2009 - April 9th- Benjamin was born!

Year 2010 - Present The Hubbyman and I along with the whole family are in the process and making plans. Hopefully by next year we will be out of Texas.

Even though we have been married 10 years, I keep teasing him and telling him that every Anniversary that he missed doesn't count. LOL This morning I told him Happy 6 year Anniversary as I was handing him his lunch.

What I did not place into the time line was all the other schools and separations, also our other losses.

Thank You for taking a step back in time with me. Today I will be baking a Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese frosting for The Hubbyman as his gift. I may even throw in a nice dinner.

Bzzz Agent Fun with Elmer's and X-Acto Products!!

2010-10-19T11:21:00.000-06:00

As a Bzz Agent I received a kit in the mail. This is what it looked like

When I first opened the box, ideas just rushed into my head. Not only are these products great for scrapbookers, they are also wonderful items to use with the kids for school projects, a fun craft time, or in one of my children's case a science project. That is right Blake has started on his Science Project and he just HAD to use a few of the Elmer's and X-Acto products. Once he completes his board I will share pictures, he still has a bit of work before it is done.

The kids were bored one day, so we sat down with Halloween themed paper from my stash, ribbon, and the Bzz Kit. They all had a blast making a few cards.

These are only a couple of things that we have done using the products and so far I have not one complaint. These products make everything so easy and a ton of fun!!

You can find all of these wonderful products in a store near you!!

Irritated...

2010-10-18T18:59:00.000-06:00

I really don't know why this is still bugging me, but it is. Today while on Facebook, someone posted new pics of some products they were selling. When I was looking at the pics I saw 2 typos in the wording on the shirts. The shirts both said "The Military May Have My Mommy, but I Have His Heart" Can you see the typo in that saying? Being nice I posted a comment under the pictures stating that there was indeed a typo. I didn't think I was rude about it at all or maybe this person just wanted to hide that there was a typo because they fixed the typos and promptly deleted my comments. No Thank You for letting them know or anything.

Like I said this bugged me and I wrote on their wall about how a little note of thanks could have gone a long way. Well they deleted that comment off their wall also. Seriously!! So still being bothered by it, still not sure why, I wrote on my own wall and changed my own status to say that i was deleting them off my list and the reason why. When looking at their page I saw that they had commented back every time someone said something good about a product but had deleted my comments. They even replied to my status and still never said thank you.

Well lesson learned on my part, I will now just let a product picture look like an idiot designed it. I will keep my comments to myself.

The fact is that I don't care that they deleted my comments under the pictures after fixing the typos, but they could have added a comment stating something like Thanks for noticing the typos. I don't care that they deleted my comment off their wall, but again how hard is it to say thank you to someone. Even after I wrote my status to which they replied, they could have very easily said Wow!! not sure what happened to your comment, but I do appreciate and thank you for your help. Instead they wrote something along the lines of I am not going to argue about this and I am not in High School.

Sorry I just had to get this out, maybe it is because my day has not at all gone as planned or something but this whole thing does not sit right with me. This is one place that will never get my business and the sad thing is that the products they offer are some that i would actually purchase.

Thanks for letting me get that out....

Redi Shade!! Review and a Giveaway!!

2010-10-18T08:00:00.002-06:00

A few weeks ago I was contacted by the amazing people from Redi Shade. They offered me the chance to review the Simple Fit Shade and for me to offer a giveaway on my blog. I know, AMAZING right? Well I of coarse could not say no to something so awesome.

I followed all the directions on how to measure my window of choice, how to order, and all that good stuff. Shipping was actually quite quick and although I forgot to take a picture, the shade was very protected within the box.

Let me tell you a little bit more about the Simple Fit Shade. I find it easiest to include the Simple Fit Shade Fact Sheet.
Simple Fit Fact Sheet

•Available Sizes:

Custom widths 19" - 64" in 1/8" increments 72" Length

•Material: 9/16" Single cell, Spun Lace, non woven fabric, 100% polyester

Aluminum head rail and bottom rail

•Available Colors: Snow, Cream

•Inside Mount Only

Simple Fit Shades are available for inside mount installation only. Please provide the exact width of your window with NO deductions; the factory will make the necessary deduction for your shade to fit properly.

•Available Light Control:

Light Filtering - Softly filters light, while providing privacy. Black-Out - Blocks light, while providing increased privacy and room darkening.

•Mount Depth Required:

Minimum - 1 1/2"

Flush - 2"

•Stack Height

◦Simple Fit Light Filtering:

■Total Stack Height is 3 1/2" (top rail is 1 1/2", fabric with bottom rail is 2")

◦Simple Fit Black-Out:

■Total Stack Height is 3 1/8" (top rail is 1 1/2", fabric with bottom rail is 1 5/8")

•Shade Clearance to Window Frame

◦Fixed End (left end) is 1/4" (a 1/4" spacer is also provided if window width was incorrectly measured)

◦Trigger/Compression End (right end) is approximately 3/8"

•Simple Fit shades are guaranteed to stay in your window under normal use and conditions. For further information please contact sales@redishade.com.

•Made to order in the USA

•Exclusive patented installation system

U.S. Patent No. 7,549,615 - Other Patents Pending

I was informed of just how simple it was supposed to be to install the Simple Fit Shade, but I had my doubts. Watch this video, this is how to install the simple fit shade. Looks way too easy..

To my amazement it was actually just that simple!!

Originally I had measured my daughter's window. I wrote down my measurements and still some how got it wrong. But luckily for us the shade fit perfectly in the room where the 2 babies of the family play. I chose the light filtering version as opposed to the black out version as I prefer to have a little light in all rooms.

Here is the video of The Hubbyman installing The Simple Fit Shade.

Before I post the giveaway, I have to say that pressing the trigger button while the shade is not in place will cause the trigger area of the shade to fly across the room. Not that any of you would do that..

Now for the fun part, Who would LOVE to have a Redi Shade Simple Fit Shade? There are a few requirements.
The value of each shade is between $99 and $253, depending upon the size and type. This giveaway is only open to U.S. residents. Your window must meet the following requirements:
Simple Fit Custom Shades install only inside a window frame.
Select a window that includes a frame with a minimum depth of 2 inches.
Minimum width of 19 inches
Maximum width of 64 inches
Maximum length of 72 inches

This giveaway will close on November 7th. At that time I will us Random.org to pick the winner.

Mandatory Entry: Leave a comment telling me what window in your house that you could really use a Simple Fit Shade. Please leave your email address so I can get a hold of you should you be the winner!

Extra entries:
1. Check out Redi Shade on Facebook and post this giveaway on your facebook page.

2. Tweet about this giveaway

3. Go to Redi Shade and have a look around, come back here a leave me a comment with your favorite shade.

Most of all HAVE FUN and Good Luck!!

Science Fair Time!!

2010-10-17T15:48:00.000-06:00

In our School District the Science Fair is mandatory for the 4th graders. Guess What? That means Blake is required to enter the fair. This just reminds me of all the things that have changed since I went to school. I always had the option to do a Science Project but was never required to enter the Science Fair.

All morning we (Blake and I) have been researching on what he wanted to do as his project. Low and Behold he actually made a decision. This is a great thing for him because usually he has a horrible time making any type of decision. I am quite proud of the little big boy right now.

After going to multiple websites we came across one called Science Buddies This is where he found which type of project he wanted to do. Between Life, Earth, and Physical Sciences he chose Physical Science.

After that he chose from a list of projects and his final choice has to do with static electricity!!

I feel this will be a wonderful learning experience for Blake and I will be writing an updated blog for each step of this process. Tomorrow is the day he has to turn in his entry form. We now have it all filled out and ready for him to turn in tomorrow. Next step is for him to turn in his Proposed Hypothesis on the 29th.

Thank You for letting me share this new journey into the Science Fair with you all..

Ultimate Family Vacation!!

2010-10-14T08:00:00.001-06:00

Sponsored By

Cheerios® is giving you the chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, your ultimate family vacation. As part of a paid promotion for their “Do What You Love” Sweepstakes, Cheerios® is sponsoring my post today about what my ultimate family vacation would be. Read mine and Enter the Sweepstakes for a chance to actually win your own fantasy family trip or one of a bunch of other great prizes.

Have you ever dreamt about what your Ultimate Family Getaway would be? I know I have!! Different spots, different activities, not to mention a little relaxation thrown in. Through the years and the adding of more kids into the mix as well as the major changes with the Hubbyman have made me rethink a few of my vacation ideas. Instead of wanting to go to some major amusement park where everyone can have fun (well except for hubbyman who would must likely be hiding in a corner somewhere), now I would love to go to a very peaceful place, rent an RV (since we don't have one yet), rent a boat (yup, still don't have one), and set up camp for an amazing 2 weeks. Just because it is camping doesn't mean it is not fun for everyone in the family. We are a family who love the woods, nature, fishing, hiking, and the like.

I will be honest before I married the Hubbyman almost 10 years ago I would have never thought I would enjoy camping. Now I absolutely LOVE camping. In fact all 6 of us do. The place doesn't really matter per say except a wooded area by a stream or lake is a must. Not only can you take a nice relaxing family walk through the woods to check all the nature surrounding you, you can also look for all the amazing things to be found on the shore before, after , or even during some fishing fun. And nothing says family fun better than a boat ride out across the beautiful water. Seriously a camping trip can be nothing but relaxing. I would love to be in a spot that during the evening you can look up and see all the beautiful stars, not too mention all the learning by the kids as they try to find different constellations.

So my ultimate Family Vacation would be camping for 2 weeks with my whole family and I could never forget to bring the 2 dogs to join the family fun. What would yours be?

Don't forget to enter the “Do What You Love” Sweepstakes, for a chance to win your own ultimate family vacation. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

A Glimpse Into My World

2010-10-11T22:01:00.000-06:00

I have quite a few reviews to post including an awesome review and giveaway from Redi Shade. But for today, right at this moment I need to get a few things out.

Have you ever had one moment in time where all the sudden you are feeling every emotion possible? You are feeling sadness, being nervous, scared, happy, excited, and a little unsure. This is me tonight. I don't know why but today everything is hitting me all at once. There are so many changes happening in my life right now. Don't get me wrong at the end there will be no regrets but this process and all the decisions have been hard and easy all at the same time.

I have posted before about the Hubbyman going from Soldier to Wounded Warrior to getting out of the Army. Never direct but if you read between the lines you will find out who i was talking about. From the first decision to go ahead and start the process to today, they have all come from the heart and what is happening with these decisions will be great for our family, but with each decision brings more questions. Today the Hubbyman had an appt to get a sleep study done, of coarse it has been approved and he will be having his sleep study in about a week. Turns out sleep apnea is quite common in those with PTSD. Hmmm PTSD that is another post of 4 all in itself.

Also within about a week I will be going back to school. Okay not really to school as this program is all online. I have been approved and am now all registered to start a program with Military To Medicine. Not knowing exactly how long we have left being in the Army I chose to do something now instead of having to try to find some type of minimal job once we get where we are going. I was proud of myself but today I am quite nervous as i found I have 3 weeks to finish my first course add that with all the appts for all the kids and Hubbyman, I guess I am sort of getting over whelmed, Yup I will admit it, I am overwhelmed.

The other stuff that is going on is knowing I will be losing this title I have held for quite some time. I will no longer be an Army Wife, nope I will become just the wife. I don't know why but this is hard for me. I have been thinking about this a lot because well scroll to the top and there is the first change that needs to be made. I will have to rename my blog, the blog I started to first just get out the stuff about me and my life ramblings, this in turn became part of me instead of me becoming part of it. I love being able to post things that will interest others. Hopefully you will all continue to join me in the new adventures that will be taking place for my family and I.

Well I am sure I have bored you enough. Thank you for allowing me to throw these crazy posts into the mix. Don't worry I am sure there are more crazy posts coming. I have so much to get out but I also have so many wonderful things to share with everyone. I promise to post the fun and exciting posts with just a few crazy ones like this thrown in.

Fall Brings so many Local opportunities!!

2010-10-09T22:19:00.000-06:00

Today my family went out to a local place with her Brownie Troop!! We went to La Union Corn Maze it was so much fun. The first thing we did was go through the Corn Maze. We thought it was best to get to it first as Dustin would not have done well if it was dark. We gave Natalee control of the map and she had fun taking us in circles. We did end up finding our way back out. LOL

Even though it seemed so busy by the look of the parking lot, once inside everyone was quite spread out.

Get Lost in Green - 2010 Season Opens Sep. 24 - Nov. 7, 2010!

$9 for ages 6 and up — 5 and under free.

Fri. 5-10pm — Sat. 11-10 pm. — Sun. Noon-6 pm

Wednesdays Nights, Oct. 13 and 20,

reserved for Church/Youth groups by appointment only

Please Excuse the mess of Ketchup on Dustin's face in the back ground. lol

They have a lot to do:

A Jumpy Thing

The Goats

Cow Train

Hay Ride You can just ride or you can get off at the pumpkin patch to go pick out your very own pumpkin and grab a ride back with the next Hay Ride to come by.

Awesome Slides
A slide with a mini maze

Lots of fun to be had, no matter what your age is!!

If you get a chance and you live near by, I recommend going and getting lost in the green. Oh and don't forget to try the roasted corn, it was amazing!!

Being Bullied

2010-10-08T10:41:00.000-06:00

I do have reviews and giveaways to post but I just had to step back and look into something else today. That would be Bullying or being Bullied.

When I made the decision to allow my oldest 2 to go to school in a regular setting, it was a decision that I took to heart. The transition has not been pleasant at all times, in fact more than a handful of times have the kids asked to come back home. I have not gotten to that point yet, but goodness I am soooo close. I will tell you why.

My 7 year old has switch from a second grade classroom to a first grade classroom. Academically this has been wonderful for her, socially not so much. In the first classroom the teacher made it clear she was "that" child, you know "a homeschooled kid" crazy right? So a few kids started teasing her about being homeschooled. She took that teasing episode with grace and simply said "Oh being homeschooled was great!!" "We went to San Antonio for 2 weeks and went on field trips and we went to Ceder Point for a day and it was a field trip!" The kids stopped because they found out how neat being homeschooled was.

Now this first grade classroom has a few bad apples. My daughter has been called names and had things said to her that I wish I could take back. She wears glasses so yes some of it comes from that. I have watched my daughter go from loving school to not wanting to go back, I have had to answer her when she asks me if she is ugly, fat (she is a bean pole), stupid, dumb, and the list goes on. I have been to the school numerous times and have talked to the people I need to talk to. Today I get to do that again because she came home yesterday and said that the teacher does not like tattle tails. Seriously? I just can't understand why the teacher would consider this tattle tailing if it is the same child that my daughter is referring to.

I was sent a link to another Blog Post on Facebook. I went and read it. It is well written and I want to share it with you. Single Dad Laughing has many wonderfully written posts but this one inparticular went straight to my heart as I am dealing with this with my oldest 2 right now. Memoirs Of A Bullied Kid It is long but well worth it!!

I would love to hear from anyone who was a Bully or was Bullied. Please leave me a comment with your story. I would also like any ideas about how to help my children get past this bullying and come out a better person in the end.

CSN Stores!! Maybe even a Giveaway!!

2010-10-06T10:08:00.001-06:00

By now I am sure most of you have heard of this amazing site. I have worked with them twice before and now get the chance to work with them again.

I love getting on to csnstores.com and day dreaming about all the neat stuff that I can finally get once we get our own house. One of the things I would love to have is an Upholstered Headboards and I know they would go perfect in my children's rooms. I just love of the different looks that you can make yourself instead of the standard wooden or metal head boards. They even have some that have a slip cover, much easier to take off and wash or switch up the decor.

Here are a few of my favorites:

This one sells for $146!!

That one is most definitely on my list for after we move.

For $149 the next one on my list would go perfectly with the new theme my oldest has picked out. He found out that he gets to go hunting after his next birthday and that is all he has talked about since.

Seriously I get more excited when looking at everything at all the 200+ stores that CSN has to offer. Now that i can look and actually choose things that will one day be in my own house.

With a few Holidays coming up soon CSN Stores has once again gotten ahold of me to offer my readers something special!!

I know you all would LOVE to find out just what they offered for you to win.........

Okay I won't keep anyone waiting any longer.....Who would like to win a $75.00 one-time use gift code to any of the sites?

The Giveaway:

The winner of this giveaway will receive a $75.00 one-time use gift code that can be used at any of the 200+ sites. This giveaway will end on October 21st at 11:59 p.m. I will use Random.org to choose the winner at that time. Please make sure that you include your email address in your Mandatory entry. I would hate for you to win only to find I can not get in touch with you.

Mandatory Entry: Leave a comment telling me who you would like to use the gift code on should you be the winner.

Additional Entries:

1. Follow my Blog or let me know you are already a follower! Leave a comment letting me know.

2. Let me know in a comment if you have started buying gifts for Christmas, have a plan for purchasing some soon, or maybe you have already finished. I am very far behind and although I have my list made out, I really need to start buying. LOL

3. Head over to CSN Stores and leave me a comment letting me know what site is your favorite.

*CSN Stores contacted me to host a giveaway. I did not receive any payment, compensation, or products for my participation, and my opinions are my own

And The Winner Is!!!

2010-10-06T07:42:00.000-06:00

At midnight I chose the winner of the GoGoJuice Giveaway. Well I let random.org choose. LOL I had to do it twice because the first time it chose number 4 and comment number 4 was not really an entry into the giveaway. The second time random.org chose number 8.

True Random Number Generator

Min: 1
Max: 11
Result:
8
Powered by RANDOM.ORG

The Winner of the case of GoGoJuice is...............................

Jaime who said...

I learned that pears are a low glycemic product which decreases the feeding of bad yeast in the gut!!!

Congrats to Jaime!! Thank You all who entered the giveaway!!

And The Winner Is!!!

2010-09-30T15:49:00.000-06:00

The giveaway for the Yoplait Splitz Prize Pack ended last night. I used Random.org and punched in 1 for the beginning number and 15 for the ending number. Random.org chose number 7!!

And the winner is:

susan said...

blogfollower
September 24, 2010 10:33 AM

Congrats Susan!! I will be emailing Susan later today.

Thank You to all who entered.

Domestic Violence is NOT a Taboo subject..

2010-09-28T16:27:00.000-06:00

Come on Girls... I know many of you are thinking that this is just one subject that no one talks about openly. Well that needs to change and it can start with us.

Did you know that Domestic Violence touches millions and more than seven out of 10 Americans know someone who is or has been a victim – but somehow it still remains a taboo subject. This is really sad and we should be better than that and help each other.

I bet you are wondering where this post is coming from, maybe not but I will tell you anyway. The Allstate Foundation and TwitterMoms have teamed up to raise awareness of domestic violence. The Allstate Foundation is asking everyone to Tell a Gal Pal about domestic violence so we can face the issue together during October’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month – and beyond. Taaa Daaa now you know.

This is a subject near to my heart as I personally know more than a handful of women who are survivors of Domestic Violence. To some it was verbal abuse, some it was mental abuse, and to a few it was worse and became physical abuse. The truth is that this could happen to anyone of us.

Together Let's look at some facts about Domestic Violence..

The Startling Facts

Each day in the U.S., 3 women die as a result of domestic violence.

More than 1 in 4 women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime.

Nearly 3 out of 4 Americans know someone who is or has been a victim.

Only 54 percent of Americans have talked to a friend about domestic violence, and only 56 percent would know what to do to help a victim of domestic violence.

This is real and this is something that will not "just go away" if you do not talk about it.
You are probably thinking or should be thinking How can I help. I am only one person. The truth is there are lots of ways to help that are very easy to do.

Tell a Gal Pal to:

Talk openly about domestic violence. Tell your Gal Pals – whether it’s your best friend, sister, mother, daughter, niece, cousin or neighbor – to face domestic violence, share their opinions and experiences and show support for survivors.

Speak out against domestic violence when you see it. Call the police or National Domestic Violence Hot line to report domestic violence in your community – you could help save a life.

Visit ClickToEmpower.org for easy ways start the conversation, check out resources for survivors or read inspirational survivor stories.

You can also show your support for domestic violence survivors by volunteering at or donating items to your local domestic violence shelter. Contact your state domestic violence coalition for more information. Click HERE for a complete list of state coalitions.

Another thing you can do is this:

Pledge to Tell a Gal Pal and Help Raise Money to Support Domestic Violence Survivors You can do this by joining the Tell a Gal Pal movement on facebook and encouraging all your Gal Pals to do the same to help raise money to support domestic violence survivors.

For each person who “likes” Click To Empower FaceBook Page, The Allstate Foundation will donate $1 to the National Network to End Domestic Violence (up to $20,000). Click HERE to go to the Facebook page.

The Allstate Foundation will donate another $1 if you take the pledge to Tell a Gal Pal about domestic violence. As part of the pledge, your photo will be added to the “Faces of Support” gallery to show survivors that they aren’t facing domestic violence alone.

The last way that you can help is to grab the widget which is at the top of my sidebar and install it on your own blog or facebook page to help spread the word.

I wrote this blog post while participating in The Allstate Foundation’s Tell a Gal Pal blogging program with TwitterMoms, making me eligible to get an interview with Cheryl Burke. For more information on how you can participate, click here

EFMP Again..

2010-09-25T21:18:00.000-06:00

Many of you read my other EFMP post. In that I explained a little about what exactly EFMP was.

Now I want to tell you what I have been up to regarding my own kids and the EFMP process. I can't remember if I mentioned it in the last post but My oldest, Blake has been an EFMP for the last few years due to hearing loss. We have had no problems with the process.

Just the other day Hubbyman walked into the EFMP office and updated Blake's paperwork. They took the copies from the Audiologist and did the update. They also gave us the paperwork so we can have Blake's psychiatrist fill it out for his other issues.

That same visit Hubbyman dropped off the paperwork for my 3 year old, Dustin. He has been diagnosed with Autism and being an EFMP can help us get the right therapies for him. They took it handed us the paperwork to take with us and have another Dr fill out. We are to call them back next week to see what the status is. We are hoping that he will be in the program by then and all we will have to do is update with paperwork filled out by the other specialists.

Same visit we were given the paperwork to have my 7 year old's psychiatrist fill out. She has been diagnosed with severe ADHD among other issues. So I am sure you get my point. We did so much in just one visit with them. Here at Ft. Bliss they are amazing to work with.

So what is my point? I know you are asking yourself what the heck is going on. LOL I just want you all to know that you should not be afraid of walking into the office and doing what you need to for yourself or your child. I know not every office is the same but so far here at Ft. Bliss and first at Ft. Drum we have had only pleasant experiences when dealing with putting our children into the program and making them EFMPs.

If you have any questions about the EFMP program, please ask and i will do my best to help you. I just can not get over the fact that some think that if they or a family member become an EFMP that it is like a death sentence for one's career when it is so far from that.

GoGo Juice!! Review and Giveaway!!

2010-09-21T23:02:00.001-06:00

If you are anything like me then you are always in search of products that are good for your child/ren. One of my main concerns is what my kids drink. We do not do the red dye #40 around here and I always look for 100% juice. Even with that I still do a 50/50 split and add water. GoGo Juice has everything that I look for in a juice and the best part, it is actually made to add water to it.

My family was sent one bottle of GoGo Juice and all the kids LOVED the design on the bottle. lol For kids I guess it really does all depend on the packaging no matter how hard I try to show them otherwise. Needless to say they all wanted some GoGo Juice, they made that very clear when they were marching around in a circle repeating Go Go Juice. lol House full of characters is what I have.

Before I go further with my review let me share some more info about how GoGo Juice got started.
GoGo Juice started because our founder, Betty, couldn't get a job. She tried and tried but just couldn't get hired during the economic downturn starting 2008. After the birth of her second child, Betty realized that all the "bad" stuff that happened in the past two years were really blessings in disguise. And, in a dream it came to her! She was going to take matters into her own hand and do her "own thing" - juice for little kids. Why not? She knows how hard it is to find affordable, non-toxic juices for her own kids.

The next day, Betty started researching the industry, the market, and everything else. She found that there were already products on the market and was a little discouraged, but decided to continue anyways. After all, she needed to be able to support herself and her family. So, Betty found a great mentor (Hi David!) and together they formed the basic business model. But, that wasn't enough. She needed something more unique than just "a juice drink for kids."

One day, Betty was thinking about her cousin's wedding in Galveston, TX. It was the first family reunion event she had attended in a while and another of her cousins mentioned that her kids were found to be on the autism spectrum. Unsure of what autism really is, Betty googled it. One thing led to another and she found herself in the midst of the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD). Next thing anyone knew, Betty was soaking up all the autism and biomedical intervention information she could.

As time progressed, and the business started building it's skeleton, more and more people thought the idea was "interesting". Betty started talking with families on the spectrum and even leaders within the Autism community. Pretty soon it went from "Interesting" to a "Good Idea" and now we think its a "Great Idea". During one such conversation, Betty realized her focus should be families and not just little kids. Generally speaking, the whole family must be supportive of dietary changes before true change can begin. And so, our products began to take shape and we're hoping families of all ages, both on and off the spectrum, will like our naturally-juiced beverages.

We're really proud of what we've accomplished so far and excited by the opportunity to actually make a difference in the lives of families who are frankly short on time (and maybe even patience). Our goal now is to help families step away from the juicer so they can spend more time doing what makes them happy (and we like spending time with our kids). Additionally, we will focus on helping unemployed, underemployed or single parents by offering paying, work-with-your-child positions.

We look forward to growing together with you and your family.

I love the honesty in how GoGo Juice came to be and having a child with Autism and also another with Aspergers, yet finding a Juice that everyone LOVED makes me a happy Mommy. Our bottle did not last long at all, but at the same time it did last twice what it would have. When the older 2 get a drink by themselves they always try to get away with adding less water. With GoGoJuice they soon realized after taking that first sip that they only like it if they mix in the water. LOL

So now that I have told you what my family thinks about GoGo Juice it is time to offer some to one lucky reader of mine. That is right, GoGo Juice has been very generous and is offering one of my readers not one but six bottles of GoGo Juice of their own. How awesome is that? Many thanks to GoGo Juice for the amazing giveaway offer.

This giveaway will end October 5th at Midnight. That is when I will let Random.org pick a winner. Please remember to include your email address within the Mandatory entry. It is always nice to not have to search when trying to connect to the winner.

Mandatory Entry: Go to GoGo Juice and sign up for the e-newsletter. Doing this will also automatically enter you into a drawing to win a 6-pack of our 32 oz bottles. Come back and tell me which email address you signed up with.

Second Entry: Go become a Fan of GoGo Juice on Facebook and come back and leave your Facebook name. From now until the end of September GoGo Juice will be donating $1 for every new fan they get to the Autism Society of America's cause on Facebook.

Last Entry: Go to GoGo Juice and come back and tell me something you found interesting on the site.

Have Fun and Good Luck!!

Yoplait Splitz!! Review and Giveaway!!

2010-09-21T22:31:00.000-06:00

Have you heard of Yoplait Splitz?

Well thanks to MyBlogSpark.com and Yoplait I received a little prize pack which included a coupon for this. I also received a wonderfully useful picnic tote that was not only great looking but oh so roomy. We are a big family so when going for a picnic I tend to over pack. The last thing in my pack was a picnic blanket and this whole set was perfect and worked out so great the 3 times we have used the tote and blanket so far.

A little info:
Now you can drive past your local sweet shop without looking back. Yoplait Splitz is the new yogurt that tastes like a sundae. My oldest really LOVED this yogurt!! he told me that it really does taste like a sundae and he is one of my picky eaters. lol
Providing all of the goodness of 100% real yogurt, Yoplait Splitz is a good source of calcium and vitamin D. With no artificial flavors or sweeteners and no high fructose corn syrup, this 90 calorie dessert is the treat your family craves. My favorite part is that this is a tasty treat that doesn't have all the yucky stuff others feel needs to be in the products.

For an even “cooler” experience, just pop a Yoplait Splitz in the freezer and in a few hours you can enjoy a cool, creamy cup of authentic frozen yogurt. For 2 out of the 3 times we used the tote we did just this. All 4 kids LOVED and actually prefer the Yogurt to be frozen. They like it so much that the two oldest have requested the frozen ones be put into the lunch boxes every morning.

Available in three delicious flavor combinations including Strawberry Sundae, Strawberry Banana Split, and Rainbow Sherbet, Yoplait Splitz is sure to have your family screaming for more.

You can visit Yoplait on Facebook or Yoplait on Twitter and “Like” or “Follow” the brand to keep up with the latest news on your favorite Yoplait products.

I was generously given a second prize pack to give to one of you, so here we go.

Make sure that you include your email address in the mandatory entry so I have a way to get in contact with you should you be the winner. I will let Random.org choose the winner at Midnight on September 29th.

Mandatory Entry: Tell me your favorite Yoplait Yogurt Flavor or a flavor that you would love for Yoplait to make.

"Like" Yoplait on Facebook and come back here and let me know leaving your facebook name.

Follow Yoplait on Twitter and come back here and let me know leaving your twitter name.

Follow my blog or let me know you are already a follower!

Have Fun and Good Luck!!

The Yoplait Splitz, the prize pack, information and the prize package for giveaway were all provided by Yoplait through MyBlogSpark.

Yes, I am still here!!

2010-09-18T00:29:00.000-06:00

I just want to apologize to all my followers for not posting in a few days. I am still around and will be posting a lot more in the coming days. I really thought I would have more time to blog with 2 kids in school for the full day and a 3rd in school for half the day. That is not the case as I have found that the baby of the family is a big trouble maker when the other kids are away. Ha Ha

So this is just a quick I am so very sorry post.

You all are the best and like I said look out for more posts very soon.

4 Giveaways have ended, Are You One of The Winners?

2010-09-13T08:18:00.000-06:00

So sorry I am behind in announcing the winners for a few giveaways. So here they are!!

A Wild Light Random.org chose #1 out of 2.
The winner is:
debbie said...

My favorite series of books, is by diane mott davidson.

Waking The Witch With only one entry the winner is:
Tracy DeLuca said...

I am a huge Kelley Armstrong fan and just learned that I missed several books in her series'!!! I also did not realize that she lives in Canada....

The Rattles Random.org chose #2 out of 2
The winner is:
Tracy DeLuca said...

Looks like a fun cd! I think both of my boys would love it.... just like your little one did! LOL

Box Tops For Education Random.org chose #2 out of 25
The winner is:
Mami2jcn said...

I like Box Tops for Education on Facebook- Mary

Thank You everyone who entered the giveaways and Congrats to the winners!!

I will send out emails this afternoon, but if you see this before that time, feel free to email me at justanarmywife09@gmail.com with your shipping info. Please put the name of the giveaway in the subject line. Ex. The Rattles giveaway winner.

Thank You!!

Box Tops For Education! Plus Giveaway!!

2010-09-01T22:59:00.000-06:00

If you have school aged children then I am sure by now you have heard about the Box Tops For Education program. Well the Safeway family of stores (which includes Dominick’s, Tom Thumb, Randalls, Vons, and Genuardi’s) is making it simple to give back with “2ways2earn” cash for your schools with Box Tops for Education and the “10% Goes Back to Schools” program. I love this program and I do look for box tops on many items and will go out of my way to purchase these items.

Box Tops for Education has already given away over $320 million to help the more than 69 thousand schools participating. And if that wasn’t enough, earning Box Tops is even easier this year with four new brands participating in the program: Progresso Soup, Totino’s Pizza, Betty Crocker Cake Mixes and Gold Medal Flour. I use a lot of cake mixes so I was very happy to hear that Betty Crocker cake mixes now had the box tops on them.

To help your local schools even further just look for the “10% Goes Back to Schools” yellow school bus tags on over 2,000 of your favorite items throughout Safeway from August 11th – September 14th. When you purchase participating products with your Club Card, Safeway will give 10% of the purchase price to the local school of your choice.

Here’s how it works:

Check your receipt from August 11 – September 14. The total will be updated each time you shop.

Beginning on September 18, a redemption code will be printed at the bottom of your receipt.

Visit backtoschools.escrip.com before October 13 to choose your favorite participating local school, then simply enter your redemption code to make your donation.

To learn more about Box Tops for Education and Safeway’s “10% Goes Back to Schools” program, visit http://www.2ways2earn.com/. And while you’re there, don’t forget to enter the Safeway Bonus Box Tops Sweepstakes for a chance to win 1,000 Bonus Box Tops for the participating school of your choice!

Also, check out Box Tops for Education on Facebook today! Visit Box Tops for Education on Facebook to “Like” the program and keep up with the latest news from Box Tops.

My readers have an opportunity to win a giveaway for a gift card that can be used at any of the Safeway family stores and a certificate for 50 Box Tops for Education that they can choose a favorite school to give them to.

Here is all the fun stuff about the giveaway:
This giveaway will end on September 8th. The winner will be chosen by random.org. Please make sure to leave your email address in your comment so I have a way to get in touch with you should you be the winner.

Mandatory Entry: Tell me in a comment what your favorite product is that has the Box Tops For Education logo on it.

Additional Entries:
"Like" Box Tops for Education on Facebook, come back and leave your name.
Become a follower of this blog or let me know if you are already a follower

Good Luck!!

The Safeway gift card, Bonus Box Tops certificate, information and giveaway were all given to me from Safeway and General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

How to make a big decision..

2010-08-29T10:54:00.000-06:00

This past week I have had to really think about what would be best for my daughter. Many of you read that this school year I was going to place the kids into public school. That is what I did, many things are different between home school and public school and I have seen first hand this past week just what those differences are.

My daughter had a horrible first week. I feel the teacher never looked at my daughter's file to see what if any challenges she may face. Natalee had severe ADHD and GAD. She is medicated, although I would love for her to not be. I told the teacher on the first day that Natalee is a beginner reader and her writing and spelling can use some work. I was straightforward and never held anything back from the school.

I knew there would be an adjustment and my son is doing that, still tries to get up when he is suppose to be seated, but his teacher is awesome and we are working together to find his learning style. Natalee is just not getting it, which some of it is because no one can seem to take the few minutes to show her. Take the lunch line for instance. Natalee has never not once eaten lunch in a lunchroom. Thursday when I picked her up she said she was starving, turns out she did not eat lunch because she had no idea how to go through the line. Friday I had a meeting with the teacher and said flat out that someone needs to walk her through the line to show her how it works (this was before lunch) When I was taking Dustin to school, there was Nat wandering the halls looking for her teacher. She had not eaten yet because she needed help. At that time her teacher came around the corner on her way to pick up the kids from the lunchroom. I shot her a look and she knew she had once again done me wrong. She then took Natalee through the line and Natalee was able to eat.

There is a lot more but it breaks my heart to reenact how Nat's first week of school had gone. So now I am left with some big decisions to make. Because she is behind in reading and writing I have 2 choices. 1 place her in a first grade class, where she would be able to not only learn what school is all about but also be with others who are at the same level in reading and writing. 2 pull her out of school and home school her at the 2nd grade level with more emphasis on reading and writing.

Right now it is looking like we will place her into the first grade and see if she can finally adjust and if not then withdraw her from public school. It is such a hard decision, so once again I will be up at the school to talk to the Principal, Assistant principal, and counselor and try to come up with a plan of action.

I will keep you updated as we continue this crazy journey...

Kids and School

2010-08-23T09:24:00.000-06:00

As many of you know this year the kids decided to give regular school a try. Today is their first day!! So last night I got all of the back packs ready to go, the kids picked out which outfit they wanted to wear, and actually went upstairs to go to sleep quite well.

This morning I went up and woke the kids up at 6:45, not to bad they got up and came down stairs all dressed. We had cereal for breakfast, took meds, and then it was time to brush teeth and get hair done. I helped my son with his hair, he has it spikey and then put a braid in my daughter's hair.

We were going to walk but as much as the Hubbyman tried he didn't make it home this morning until after 7:30 so we loaded up in the Van and away we went. It was complete chaos!! Sure they listed out which teacher the kids had but no room numbers were listed, so after walking around the main floor we traveled upstairs. Found out that my daughter's 2nd grade class was the only one downstairs, so we dropped off my son to his 4th grade class and traveled back downstairs. Finally after asking one of the Soldiers what her room number was, he walked with us to help us out.

My 3 year old also starts his special class today but that is not until this afternoon and at 3:15 I get to pick up all 3 of them and see how every one's day went. It is too quiet here and I am not sure how this afternoon is going to go when it will be just me and baby home.

Today I was SPOILED by the Hubbyman!!

2010-08-19T23:48:00.000-06:00

Hubbyman's birthday is coming up and I have an idea of how I want his cake to look, so tonight while we were out and about I had him stop at Hobby Lobby so I could just look at a couple of things.

Well I walked out of there with:
Wilton 101 Piece Professional Cake Decorating Set with Tool Caddy

Wilton Flower Nails

Wilton Flower Nail Templates

Wilton Trim 'n Turn Plus Cake Turntable

Wilton Roll & Cut Mat

Wilton Gum Paste and Fondant Mold Set

Wilton Fondant Rolling Pin

Wilton Make-Any-Message letterpress set

AND

2 packages of White Rolled Fondant

Yes I def. got spoiled (I never usually get anything for myself) and I can't wait to start using everything. Besides the Hubbyman's cake I also want to make a cake for a new little one born to one of my Best Friends.

I will share all my creations with all of you.

Time 4 Learning!!!

2010-08-19T13:10:00.000-06:00

Have you heard of Time4Learning? Last year during our home school year my children soar through everything I had purchased for the year by March 1st. Obviously I had to find something else because the kids need to be in school for 180 days. So I went on a search and came across Time4Learning.

I read up on it, looked at the lesson demos, and made my decision. They even have a Parent Forum that allows you to ask questions to others using the program.

Now my 7 year old just never had the urge to want to read and I know that reading is an essential part of the learning process. After the first lesson in Language Arts for grade 1 my daughter was trying to read. I was amazed and she was so proud of herself. She is still new to reading but the program kept her interest long enough to want to learn. After the first lessons using Time4Learning I knew that I had made the right decision for my kids. They excelled and better yet the Time4Learning system kept track of all time logged in, which activities they had past, and how they did on Chapter tests.

Little did I know just how important the whole record keeping was until as a family we made the decision to let them try traditional school. I did keep records, but they were not nearly as thorough as the records kept by Time4Learning. After printing out the records from Time4Learning I was able to hand the school easy to read paperwork on what the kids did and where they are at. For me I had to fill out some paperwork and I was able to take the percentages of each section and come up with a final grade.

We will keep Time4Learning throughout this coming school year as it can be used for extra practice and can also help them if they are having some problems with a subject.

I am very happy that I found Time4Learning and I always tell my friends about it. Head on over and have a look!! You may find that Time4Learning can help your child like it has for mine.

Energizer Smart Charger How it would make MY life easier!!

2010-08-18T21:26:00.000-06:00

Since there are 6 of us here in this house ages ranging from 1 to almost 34 we have A LOT of toys. I always say I should just buy stock in the darn battery business because I feel I am always changing batteries in something. If it is not the baby's favorite toy that teaches him some great stuff, it is the Wii remotes, the mouse for the computer, or some other item. It is a never ending cycle and I hear at least twice a week "Moooom!! The batteries are dead, again." Believe me I have come to dread those words, mostly because we are usually out of whichever battery is needed at the time. It the item takes a AA, when I go to replace it we have 0 AA's but a ton of AAA's. With a Smart charger I would never go to the battery drawer (yes we have a whole drawer just for batteries) and not have the size needed.

So you ask how an Energizer Smart Charger could help me? I would LOVE not to have to buy a crap ton of batteries every month and while I know not every toy or product can use rechargeable batteries the majority of them can. I know the Wii remotes can and just that can save me a bunch, in fact I would save so much that I could go out and buy new toys that take batteries. LOL It would also be nice to get my kitchen drawer back and use it for something other than batteries..

I wrote this in order to try and get a Target gift card and an Energizer Smart Charger from Energizer. I learned about this from jleighdesignz. Who not to mention is an awesome blogger and I have learned so many things from!

Do you use a lot of batteries? Do you use rechargeable batteries? I want to know what your experience has been.

The Rattles!!! Review and Giveaway!!

2010-08-18T16:21:00.000-06:00

Do your kids LOVE music? At our house music is our #1 choice for entertainment. We listen to many different kinds. When I first heard about The Rattles thanks to The Musebox, I was quite surprised at who they were being compared to, but after listening to them the Hubbyman and I agree they have a sound like the Beatles, which for the Hubbyman made listening to a children's CD that much more enjoyable.

You can download and listen to “Wavy Lane” This is just one of the great and fun songs by The Rattles. http://themusebox.net/mp3s/wavy_lane.mp3

From the press:
New York, NY– Hailing straight from the swamps of Central Jersey, an eclectic band of anthropomorphic critters known as The Rattles are preparing to roll out their debut studio album ‘RATTLE ON’. Working in the classic traditions of The Beatles, Moxy Fruvous, The Monkees, and They Might Be Giants, The Rattles apply a fresh fusion of classic rock and power pop that is sure to appeal to fans of all ages and put them on the map.

The unique animal collective consists of four stellar musicians and life-long friends – Gus, Kitty, Sal, and Hal – who describe their upcoming release as “the album we were born to make”. From start to finish, ‘RATTLE ON’ provides a solid testament to The Rattles’ undeniable musical ingenuity, jammed with catchy pop melodies and feel-good vibes that are sure to inspire lots of head swaying and booty-shaking.

With their trusty manager Benny and a devoted legion of roadies all named Elvis in tow, The Rattles intend to take their show on the road and connect directly with the people who inspire them most – the fans. With such a distinct background and a colorful collection of grooves, The Rattles are shaping up to be one of the most intriguing new music acts of the year.

I caught the baby of the family dancing when we were listening to the CD, so I made a little video catching his awesome moves.

The Rattles Cd is now out there for everyone to buy and enjoy as of it's release yesterday.

The Rattles released a music video for "Rattle On" I have to say that Rattle On is one of my kids Favorites!!

You can learn more about The Rattles by visiting their website HERE

Thanks to The Musebox I have an additional copy of The Rattles cd to giveaway to one of my awesome followers. This giveaway will run until September 8th!! On that day I will use Random.org to choose a winner.
To enter just leave your name and email address in a comment along with who the cd is for. Nice and Easy!! Good Luck!!

Waking The Witch Review and Giveaway!!

2010-08-16T22:01:00.001-06:00

I have had the opportunity to read some wonderful books since I started doing reviews and entering giveaways and this book Waking The Witch by Kelley Armstrong is no exception. This book kept my interest from beginning to end. It took me a few days to read it as life read the Hubbyman and the kidlets got in the way of my Mommy time. Ha Ha I could have easily read this book in one sitting if given the chance. For me that means that a book is a good one if it keeps me wanting to read it and not set it down for anything.

Here is a little from the press release: Waking the Witch by Kelley Armstrong, Dutton, July 27th: A whopping seven of Armstrong’s adult Otherworld series novels have hit the hardcover and mass market New York Times bestseller lists, and both of her young adult Darkest Powers books hit the New York Times children’s list, debuting at slots #1 and #5. Her first two novels, Bitten and Stolen, continue to sell in huge numbers, and, on July 27th Dutton will publish WAKING THE WITCH, where she introduces her youngest protagonist, Savannah Levine, to the Otherworld audience.

Savannah is a spunky, spirited, and talented young witch, and at twenty-one, Savannah is tired of being a mere assistant at her adopted parents’ PI agency so she jumps at the prospect of solving her own investigation. Soon, Savannah finds herself caught in a web of unraveling secrets, a burgeoning love affair, and a shocking revelation that threatens to shatter her entire world.

You can learn more about the Author and her books at http://www.kelleyarmstrong.com/

You can buy the book from places such as Amazon.

You can win your very own copy right here. To enter this giveaway which will end August 30th all you have to do is leave a comment (be sure to leave your email address) and tell me something that you have learned about the author from Here

Yes once again a giveaway that is very easy to enter. Good Luck!!

A Wild Light Review and Giveaway!!

2010-08-16T21:47:00.001-06:00

You may remember my computer game review of Tiger Eye: Curse of the Riddle Game, if not check it out here. Why is that relevant to this book review, well that game is based on marjorie M. Liu's Tiger Eye novel.

A Wild Light came out on July 27th which is another book from Liu to add to her list of amazing books. I honestly could not put this book down (only put it down when life called for Mommy help) seriously it kept my interest that much.

Here is some info from the press release: A Wild Light by Marjorie M. Liu, Ace, July 27th: Marjorie is the incredible author of two ongoing New York Times bestselling series: the Dirk & Steele paranormal romance novels and the Hunter Kiss urban fantasy series. She is also co-writing the ongoing bestselling Dark Wolverine series for Marvel, along with NYX: No Way Home, X-23, and Black Widow. The video game based on her Tiger Eye novel, Tiger Eye: Curse of the Riddle Game, is a top ten bestseller at Big Fish Games. A WILD LIGHT, the next Hunter Kiss novel, is set to release July 27th and Maxine Kiss will have to face a darkness that may finally consume her.

For too long Maxine Kiss has felt an inexplicable darkness insider her—a force she channels into hunting the demons bent on destroying the human race. But when she finds herself covered in blood and crouched beside her grandfather’s dead body with no memory of what happened or of the man she loves, Maxine begins to fear that the darkness has finally consumed her.

You can learn more about Liu and her books at http://www.marjoriemliu.com/

You can buy A Wild Light at Amazon and many other places. You can win a copy right here!!

To enter the giveaway which will end on August 30th all you have to do is leave a comment (include your email address) and tell what your favorite book or book series is. That is it, nice and easy!!

Wow have I been busy...

2010-08-05T13:02:00.001-06:00

I made the big (last minute) decision to switch things up this school year and with that comes a lot of running around for me.

This year my 9 year old, my 7 year old, and my 3 year old will be going to school. What in the world are me and Mr. Smiley (aka the baby) going to do without the other kids here? Of coarse my 3 year old will only be going for half a day, so that may help.

You know that feeling when your child starts school for the first year, well I have that times 3. My oldest went to pre-school for 2 years, Kindergarten, and 1st grade in what he calls normal school. lol My daughter went to pre- school, so I thought I would feel less of this feeling. I guess having them home for 2 years straight and making this decision last minute has made the feeling worse.

Now we are busy trying to fit in everything we need to get done before school starts on the 23rd of.this.month.. Being a little overwhelmed would be an understatement. LOL Today I made 3 appts. At those appts the kids will be getting school and sports physicals. Yes I said sports physicals, not only are the kids going to go to "normal school" all 3 want to play soccer. I got my oldest an appt. before his registration day, the other 2 however will have registration and school will start before they get physicals. Oh well at least I made the appts.

Today I get to go pick up 3 packets from the school, hopefully the supply lists, and come home and start filling all that out. I am hoping that we already have most of the supplies, I also have to go get 2 lunch boxes and 1 girly back pack because my daughter just CAN NOT have a plain blue one for school. lol Then we have 3 pairs tennis shoes to get and of coarse I will have to get each of them a first day of school outfit.

All of this along with our normal crazy days, I just hope the kids enjoy it. I know that if it does not work out, i can always bring them back home.

Be on the look out tomorrow for 2 reviews and giveaway items to be posted. I just finished 2 books and I have 1 of each to giveaway to my wonderful readers!!!

And The Winner Is!!!!

2010-08-03T20:24:00.000-06:00

The giveaway for the Brugo Mug ended last night. Sorry I am just now posting up the winner. The next post will explain what is going on around here. .

So I know you all want to know who Random.org picked as the winner. I put in 1 as the beginning number and 9 as the ending number. Random.org chose number 6.

That is:
Danielle who said:

I am following your blog via Networked Blogs

I will be emailing Danielle in a little bit, but if you see this before the email, go ahead and contact me.

Congrats Danielle and thank you to all who entered.

How did we get here?

2010-07-30T09:21:00.000-06:00

When did many people lose that respect factor? When did people stop teaching the children compassion and respect?

Basic things:
Holding the door open for others
Helping someone who can not reach something in the store
Saying Please and Thank You

That list can go on and on.

Just last night as I was in Walmart (not my favorite place) there was an older Gentleman using one of those electric chair things with the basket attached. We were in the pop/soda area of the store. I watched as he looked around trying to decide what he wanted, I waited until he tried to maneuver the seat close to a section. I watched as about 15 people walked past and did nothing as I made my way over to him.

I asked him which one he wanted, picked it up, and placed it in the basket. The look in his eyes said it all, but he also spoke of a true Thank You.

My Husband always says that I am living in the wrong time and I have to agree with him. I belong way back in the day. My 9 year old son has been taught to hold the door open for others, say excuse me, and many other things that show respect. My daughter is 7 and is learning those same things.

When did this happen? Can we pin point it? Better yet How did this happen? When did we lose sight of the respect factor?

Respect your elders, Treat others how you would want to be treated, and once again the list could on and on.

Again just last night as I was stopped in Walmart looking at something someone had come up behind me, I was not blocking the aisle, They mumbled something and darn near ran into me to go around me without saying a word. A simple excuse me and I would have tried to smash myself and my cart closer to the product I was looking at. I was quite upset because for 1 no "Excuse Me" came from them and 2 I was already off to the side.

One good thing did happen at my least favorite place last night. A little boy around 2 years old took my hand to show me what he was going to ask Santa for. A big power wheels police car! He was so excited and the look on his face was indeed priceless. He didn't come up to me out of no where as I was talking with his mother. Figured I better put that out there. LOL

Are you seeing what I am seeing?

Think about it!

You want to know a secret?

2010-07-29T23:31:00.000-06:00

Okay so this is not so secret to people that know me in real life, buuuuut

I am a smoker and I want (read) NEED to quit. I have decided that this carton that is down from 10 packs to 9 will be it.

Smoking is my stress relief, but I have been known to bake or cook and feel awesome after doing so. Hmm maybe that is my new stress relief.

I need advice, help, thoughts, and most likely a few prayers in order to make this happen.

I like to walk and run, you know in those runs like the Race For The Cure and the Autism run. Oh and the Wounded Warriors walk/run that I did a few months ago. So in order for me to do that successfully I NEED to quit, that is one of my goals.

So please give it to me. If you are an ex-smoker please share with me how you did it? If you are on this new journey, please tell me what you are doing?

To start I am making a list (I love lists) I will write down the time I last smoked and when I get the urge again, I will look at my list. I want to start off by making sure at least an hour has passed before the next what I call break time.

Last Night I Baked a Cake..

2010-07-26T22:15:00.000-06:00

I made from scratch Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting to be exact. It turned out so Yummy.
Hubbyman took a piece with him in his lunchbox. Around 10 this morning I received a phone call. It was a Soldier that works with my Husband. He was calling to ask how much I would charge to make him the exact same cake. Since I have everything here I said I would only charge him about 5 bucks.

This is the recipe that I used, since it was so good I figured I would share.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

2 cups flour, sifted

1/2 tsp. of salt

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 cup milk

1/4 tsp. vanilla

3/4 tsp. baking soda (add to pureed bananas)

3 pureed bananas, very ripe

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/2 stick butter, softened

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 box powdered sugar (1 lb.)

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13" baking pan or two 9" layer cake pans.

2. Cream butter, sugar and eggs. Sift flour several times, then add the salt and baking powder to the flour.

3. To the creamed butter mixture, add the milk and flour (alternating, beginning and ending with flour).

4. Add vanilla and mashed bananas (with the baking soda added to the bananas) to this mixture.

5. Bake layer cakes (9") for 25-30 minutes, oblong (9x13") for 35-40 minutes.

Frosting Directions:

1. Mix cream cheese and butter until smooth, add sugar and vanilla and blend well. Spread on cooled cake.

Sorry I don't have a picture to share, the cake went too quickly. I promise when I make it the next time I will indeed snap a few pics to share!!

What I did today!!

2010-07-24T15:32:00.000-06:00

Today we are heading down the street to a Birthday Party/ BBQ. Two days ago I had asked what the little girl was in to and her Mom said Toy Story. So with that I set out getting ideas for her cake. I really wanted to try my hand using Fondant this time but the store that I went to did not have any on the shelf. I took that as a sign that for this cake Fondant would not be used. Ha Ha!!

So I just wanted to share a few of the final pics of the cake. I hope she likes it!!

Thanks for looking!!

And the WINNER is...

2010-07-24T00:19:00.000-06:00

The giveaway for the Bella Sara Moonfairies cards ended tonight. There were 7 entries and random.org chose #7 to be the winner.

The winner is:
Anonymous who said My gand daughter would love these, her brother has pokemon, it would be great if she could have trading cards of her own. I learned that Bella Sara inspires and empowers children with positive messages and the magic of North of North.

The winner has 48 hours to contact me with shipping information.

Thank You all who entered!!

Giveaway ending TONIGHT!!

2010-07-23T12:03:00.000-06:00

Just a reminder that the Bella Sara Moonfairies giveaway ends tonight!!

So if you want to enter for your chance to win go Here

Thank You and I hope everyone is having a great day!!

Tommee Tippee Explora Feeding Review

2010-07-22T23:11:00.000-06:00

As a reviewer for the Mom Bloggers Club I had the amazing opportunity to try out some Tommee Tippee Explora Toddler Feeding products.
I received 3 products which included: 1 Water Bottle, 1 Weaning Bowls and Lid with Spoon set, and 1 Easi-Mat free from Tommee Tippee in order to do a review during the Summer Tour!!

Having a 3 year old and a 1 year old in the house I have come accustom to seeing cups on their side, wiping up spills from leaky cups, and cleaning up the big messes from bowls being dumped and thrown on the floor. Tommee Tippee have come up with products to help with everything I just listed.

A little about the Explora Products:
Learning how to wean is an exciting time for children and parents as children experience new tastes
and textures, develop new skills and create new messes to clean. The Tommee Tippee Explora line of
BPA-free toddler drinking and feeding products is designed to take children from first sips and nibbles
to grown-up drinking and self-feeding by easing transitions along the way, while helping to reduce
stress and mess at mealtime.

The advance-flo™ valve used in Explora cups was designed by a physicist and requires almost no force
to drink from, yet still remains spill-proof and leak-proof. Explora cups ease the transition from bottle
or breast, because the suction required is basically equivalent to a bottle or breastfeeding. Each
Explora cup is progressively staged with a specific grip to fit little fingers and soft flexible spouts to
meet the needs of every age and support natural oral development.

Bright colors, appealing designs and coordinating mealtime products reflect the individual styles of
moms and their children while making drinking and eating fun. Parents appreciate the no-spill, noleak
designs and interchangeable tops that work across all Explora cups, making Explora products a
convenient and helpful choice for an important developmental stage.

The complete range of Explora products includes sippy cups, straw cups, water bottles, drinking cups,
independent meal sets, weaning bowls, food pots and utensils for children aged 6 months and
beyond.

For more information on Tommee Tippee and its products, please visit www.tommeetippee.com, or
find us on Facebook and Twitter

As you can see in the first video Ben did what he always does and took the bowl and dumped it. For the first video I did not use the mat. You can also see the cup laying on it's side with no leaking observed. The only way to get it to leak was to really shake it and even with that only a few drops came out.

For the second video I added the mat. Ben really tried to dump the bowl, but he could not. I love that!! It was fun watching him try though.

I really like how the spoon connects to the lid. This works out great when we are out and about. No more digging for utensils that have made their way to the bottom of the bag.

Tommee Tippee is now available at Toys”R”Us and Babies”R”Us stores as well as online at BabiesRUs.com.

As I had told you in a previous post the deal going on until tonight is Buy any Explora item (cups and toddler feeding), get the second 50% off at BabiesRUs.com

I received the products free from Tommee Tippee as I am a reviewer for the Mom Bloggers Club. All opinions are my own.

And The Winner Is.....

2010-07-22T06:42:00.000-06:00

The giveaway for the Balloonatiks DVD ended last night. There were 28 entries and Random.org chose #18 to be the winner.

Congrats to Linda who said i learned that Sparky used to be known as Nicole Gonzales and that she loves animals and rescues strays all the time!!

I will be emailing the winner shortly and they will have 48 hours to reply.

Thank You to all who entered.

Don't forget to check out the other giveaways that are still open and enter for your chance to win.

Bella Sara Cards Ends 7/23

Brugo Mug Ends 8/2

How do you help your child/ren have a Healthy, Safe, and Successful School Year?

2010-07-20T23:46:00.000-06:00

TwitterMoms and Airwear have teamed up and asked What are your top ten tips for helping your child have a Healthy, safe, and Successful School Year?

Now my list will vary from those of you who have children in public or private schools as I home school, but I do many things to keep our school year running smoothly.

Here are my top ten tips:

1. Healthy Food - Just like children who leave the house for school, I offer healthy foods everyday for lunch. I also do healthy breakfasts and snacks. We limit sugar and my children don't get many of the artificial dyes, such as Red #40. We make a monthly menu just like you would find in a public school.

2. First Aid Kit - During the summer months our First aid kit can lack on the essentials. Before we begin our year I always make sure to re-stock the first aid kit.

3. Smoke Detectors - For us this is done monthly, but we emphasize on checking them before the school year starts.

4. Eye Doctor - Since my 7 year old and I both wear glasses, this is done every year in August. My children do some of the school work needed on the computer. Unfortunately this will be done sooner this year as my daughter's glasses were broken.

5. Dentist - We treat this as a learning experience, not only does it help promote healthy teeth it will also help so no days are missed by appts. during our school time.

6. Running Shoes - making sure that each child has a great pair of gym time shoes is important. When I was growing up I used to go through about 3 pairs per school year, so I always start the kids off with a good pair that offers support and great traction.

7. Safe School Area - The kids and I always go through the school area of our home to make sure that everything is safe and sound. We check that the bookshelf is sturdy and we make sure the lap tops are in good working condition.

8. Supplies - Just like the list that many get before school starts, we also have a list like this. I like for everything to be well stocked. I go through the books and make sure we start out with everything needed for the first 3 months. This way no assignment will be passed over because we didn't have the needed supplies.

9. Safe Outside Area - As exercise is very important I know we need a safe area in our back yard and on our street that the kids can go out and get the daily exercise that they need. We make sure the grass part of our yard is free from rocks. We make sure that all outside toys are easily accessible and we also make a plan in case of raining, too hot, or snowy days.

10. Clothing - This area is not as important as it would be if my children were going to what they call normal school, but we make sure that they each start off the school year with enough shorts, pants, short sleeved shirts, long sleeved shirts, sweatshirts, socks, and even the light Jacket, Winter jackets, gloves, and a hat to get them through the first half of the school year. This way they can also get the school clothes like others would, no one wants to feel left out because they are home schooled.

Now this is my top ten, you can also participate by writing an essay about your top ten, just go to lightersafergreener.com to learn more about Airwear’s essay contest.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Airwear blogging program, making me eligible to get a $25 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, visit twittermoms.com

Brugo Mugs!! Review and Giveaway!!

2010-07-19T17:17:00.001-06:00

Do you have a favorite travel coffee mug? Well I have your new favorite right here and at the end of this post is your chance to win your very own.

Hubbyman was quite the skeptic when we first opened the box containing the Brugo mug He loved the color, but since it was not his "favorite" mug he was unsure about it.

To Hubbyman this whole new technology thing just doesn't click with him. He read the instructions and kept telling me that there is just no way this mug works the way it says. Ha Ha!!

Everything changed the following morning when I brewed his coffee and poured it into the Brugo mug He grabbed the cup and left. When he returned home after PT, he just kept repeating, "Honey, I did not burn my tongue this morning, Not one time!" Needless to say he quickly threw away the old mug and has used his new favorite Brugo mug everyday.

I am still trying to figure out why the Hubbyman was such a skeptic at first, maybe it was the tip and sip aspect, but that is his favorite thing about this mug now. He takes coffee with him every single morning and until now has burnt his mouth every single morning. A few weeks of using the Brugo mug and he still reminds me that he did not burn his mouth that day.

Receive 25% OFF when you purchase two or more mugs. AND, get Free STANDARD Shipping on all purchases of $50 or more. Click HERE to learn more.

Now for the giveaway!!

Please leave your email address in your mandatory entry so I have a way to get ahold of you should you be the winner. This giveaway will end August 2nd.

Mandatory Entry: Head over to Brugo Store and let me know what your favorite style and color Brugo mug is your favorite.

Extra Entries:

1. Let me know what your favorite coffee is. Do you make at home? Do you get it to go from a shop?

2. Become a follower of my blog either through blogger or google friend connect. If you already are a follower just let me know in a comment.

Thats it, easy and simple!!

I was given a complimentary mug in order to do the review and given permission to offer a mug as a giveaway for my readers. No other compensation was offered or accepted. All above opinions are those of myself and my husband.

Just having a moment..

2010-07-19T10:28:00.000-06:00

I try not to bring my frustrations to my blog, but this time I am sure many of you will understand.

My 7 year old daughter has a swollen lymph node, it has been swollen for almost 2 months and during the ultrasound we found it to be about 3 times the size it should be.

Natalee has been poked and had all kinds of tests ran with more to come.

Things we now know:

1. Her white cell count was a little elevated but not enough that the Dr. would think would cause her lymph node to swell like it is.

2. She is borderline anemic.

3. Her red cells are tiny compared to what they should be.

We still have no idea why her lymph node is swelling like it is. We thought we would maybe finally get a few answers on Wednesday, but this morning her appt. was cancelled.

I did reschedule it but I feel so bad for her, she actually wished on a star last night with her wish being that she found out some answers on Wednesday, now I have to tell her it will be another week before we go to ENT.

Just keep her in your thoughts, she just wants to know why this is happening to her and why. I of coarse just want to take it all away for her.

And The Winner Is....

2010-07-16T09:48:00.000-06:00

There were 21 entries into the Silly Mama Quilts giveaway. Random.org choose #11 as the winner!!

The winner is:
Tina Peterson who said: Mandatory entry: I really like both of these and would put my GC toward one of them.

Fiesta Table Runner

Hello Spring Runner

Congrats to Tina, I will be emailing you shortly. Thank You to everyone who entered and don't forget I have 2 more giveaways going on right now.

Enter for your chance to win your own copy of the Balloonatiks children's DVD

Enter for your chance to win some Bella Sara trading cards

Getting out of the Army? What should be on your list?

2010-07-15T14:29:00.000-06:00

This is another post in a series that I am doing about the Army, more specifically about making the right decisions when you know your time with the Army is done. The first post is right here should you want to read it.

I am sure there have been a few times that each and every Soldier and most likely members of the Soldier's family have questioned if they should be done with the Army or not. I know in the Hubbyman's time in, we as a family have asked this question. We have always weighed the pros and cons at the time and made the decision as a family. Up until now there was never a question as the pros have always out weighed the cons. Now we have a new list as the Hubbyman along with us (his family) have decided we are just done. This is our list.

The List

1. How to get out? Since Hubbyman has some ongoing medical problems, we have a choice here. For many this question doesn't need to be answered. Many will choose to just reenlist or get out during the window that presents itself during that time. For my family we have to do the whole pros and cons of being med boarded, medically retired, or waiting 3 years for our window to either reenlist or get out to present itself. For my family we will find out more about the options starting at the end of the month. I will post more about the options that we are given.

2. Where to go? As an Army family we have lived in a few different states, so this is where this question comes in. Do you go back to your home state? Do you stay where you are at now? Do you pick a state where you were once? Do you pick a totally new place? For us after really thinking about it, we decided we will go back to our Home State, but we will be going North from the city that Hubbyman and I both grew up in.

3. Work? This is a big one!! I know as well as Hubbyman that one or both of us will have to have some sort of income. I have not worked since Hubbyman has been in, not really by choice, but because with 4 kids it would have been quite expensive to put them all in childcare. I have a plan of going back to a company I worked for in the past. I have already talked to them and so far it looks like a go even though we still don't have a time frame. The hubbyman has looked into a few things and we are still in the discussion process.

4. Housing? Since being in the Army we have always chosen to live in Military housing we have to make sure we now budget for housing and utilities. What have we done? Well we have been looking for houses in the area of our Home State that we have chosen to live. We have talked about stating the process to get pre-approved for a VA loan. With a VA loan you can get pre-approved for up to a certain amount, we feel that will help us find out a good price range that we should stick to. Of Coarse we already have a good price range as we know what we can and can not afford, but to narrow it a little would be helpful.

5. Medical Insurance? Many of you already know that once out of the Army the medical coverage for your family disappears rather quickly. So we have been looking into state insurance options for the kids including medicaid and like.

6. What appointments need to happen before? For my family we need to make sure that all medical and dental appointments happen before the Hubbyman walks away. I have made a list and started making appointments. Basically every single one of us will have a medical appointment, dental appointment, and any specialty appointments before the day comes when we leave. Making sure that everyone gets things taken care of before can give you a little breathing room during the move. Also you will want to make sure any and all prescriptions get filled right before your move, again giving you a little breathing room directly following the move.

I know you can think of more but right now that is what our list contains. I hope that sharing our list with you can help you make your own list and make sure things are taken care of before the new adventure takes place.

Ozone Warning, Really?!

2010-07-15T13:01:00.000-06:00

Seriously, it is no wonder that all my kids have allergies here living in El Paso, TX. Today the Hubbyman called me to tell me to keep the kidlets indoors because of an Ozone Warning he had saw. So I had to look into it because i have never lived somewhere that had an actual Ozone Warning.

Well I went online and started looking, right away I found the AirNow site and sure enough there was an Ozone Warning set for El Paso, TX.

The actual warning is this: USG - Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups With the Health Message being: Active children and adults, and people with lung disease, such as asthma, should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors.

I know this should not surprise me, but for some reason it does. This is where the Army sent my family. This is where even the baby who is just over 1 has to be on allergy meds, can't go out when it is windy (which this year seems to be all the time), and developed RSV. This is the place that I have had more migraines since being here for almost 2 years then I had in the last 10 years.

It all makes a little more since now, but how horrible for the people that choose El Paso as a permanent home. I know that my family will be out of here as soon as we can, then maybe just maybe my kids can be healthy for a change.

Giveaway ending TONIGHT!!

2010-07-15T11:15:00.000-06:00

Don't forget to enter for your chance to win a $20 gift certificate to be used at Silly Mama Quilts. This giveaway has low entries, so your chances of winning are pretty good.

Just go HERE to enter!!

Good Luck and check back later today when I will be posting another review and giveaway..

Sneak Peek!!!

2010-07-14T16:14:00.000-06:00

I just wanted to share a little bit about a product I will soon be reviewing.

Now through July 23: Buy any Explora item (cups and toddler feeding), get the second 50% off at BabiesRUs.com

You can find Tommee Tippee on Facebook and on Twitter!!

Keep on the look out for my hopefully video review of these wonderfully fun products!!

Gwen the Magic Nanny Game Review!!

2010-07-14T15:17:00.000-06:00

Games that i can play on my computer are one of my favorite types of games, don't get me wrong I love the Wii and Nintendo DS, but I love the times when I can sit down in front of my computer and play a game. Sometimes I even play a game while ~~procrastinating~~ writing a post. LOL

Gwen The Magic Nanny is a great Time Management game. Gwen gets to work for many different families with goals to complete for each family. I love that there are 3 levels of play for each family and believe me these are no ordinary families, unless you would call robots and frogs ordinary.

The levels start off easily enough with the third level being quite the challenge, being honest here the frogs almost did me in. I got past that family after a few tries.

Guess who once again has taken over the game? Yup my 9 year old son. Gwen the Magic Nanny is one game that I don't mind him playing. I usually allow him to play for 15-20 minutes before we start our school day. Kind of like a warm up for his brain.

Game Info:

Our favorite nanny transports players to Fantasy Town where they are recruited to help Gwen put the children to bed and finish other tasks for each of the seven families. With residents like wizards, werewolves, and robots, it takes a real superstar to handle these jobs. Features of Gwen the Magic Nanny include:

· Magical powers to keep the household in tiptop shape

· Unlock able special items to help Gwen with her duties

· Unique tasks for each family member, even pets

Game info can be found at gwenthemagicnanny.com

You can buy your own copy of Gwen the Magic Nanny HERE for just $9.99

I was able to bring you this review because I am part of the the game review network I was given free access to the game in order to be able to write the review. No other compnsation was offered or accepted and all above opinions are my own.

Bella Sara- Moonfairies!! Review and Giveaway!!

2010-07-09T23:28:00.000-06:00

I am sure by now most of you have heard of Bella Sara cards!! If you remember from this post my daughter LOVES the cards. She is so excited to have trading cards of her own. Since my first review of these wonderful cards they have added a few new series. Sunflowers and now Moonfairies, I was sent one pack from each of the new series along with a package of the minis for my daughter to review.

Each pack of cards and each mini comes with a code. The code is used in the online game that you can play. Just today my daughter played on there for an hour before I realized that an hour had past. It was her reward for getting all her school work done. She loves to collect these beautiful cards and she loves that she has her own character within the game. I think she is more excited that Mommy can safely allow her to play this game without having to worry about who she is talking to or who can find out information about her.

You can buy the Moonfairies series now at many of your favorite stores including Target and Walmart. You can also purchase the cards and other merchandise at bellasara.com.
Search Amazon.com for bella sara

Now for the giveaway, do you want your very own pack of Bella Sara cards?
This giveaway will run until July 23rd and please include your email address in your mandatory entry so I can get ahold of you should you be the winner.

Mandatory Entry:
Tell me in a comment who you would be giving the cards to? If you want to keep them for yourself, that's ok, just let me know.

Extra Entries:
1. Head over to bellasara.com and have a look around, come back and tell me something you learned or found interesting.
2. Follow me on Blogger or Google friend Connect. (1 entry for each)
3. Follow me on Twitter (leave your twitter id)
4. Become a friend of my facebook page for my blog (leave your facebook name)
5. Blog about this post (leave the direct link in your comment) This is worth 5 entries so comment 5 times
6. Tweet about this post (leave the direct link in your comment) This is worth 3 entries so comment 3 times

I was sent a complimentary pack of the cards and the minis to review. No other compensation was offered or received. The above opinions are my own and I know not everyone will agree.

Are You Better Than Ever??

2010-07-08T18:24:00.000-06:00

Even though I don't think I would have ever dreamed that this would be my life when I grew up, I have to say that I am loving my life and would never change anything about it.

TwitterMoms and Dove® gofresh have teamed up and asked How are you Better Than Ever?

I am pretty sure I could write a book on this subject. Ha Ha..

1. I am married to one of the most understanding men I have ever known. He is Soldier and I am his wife and together we have been through way to much to list. Through it all we have had each other's backs. He is about to change our lives once again within the next few years and I am ready for the new adventures that it will bring!

2. I have 4 of the most (if I do say so myself) amazing children. God has blessed me with a son that is full of surprises as well as autistic. I have one beautiful princess that has such dreams and my oldest son Oh the plans he comes up with.. The baby boy is always full of smiles and he brightens up every day.

3. I have been blessed with my very own Angel. His name is William and this coming December he would be 5. He was a fighter right until the end and I love him for giving me that time.

4. We are a loving and supporting family, I seriously would never want to change even the littlest piece of my life. But compared to 10 years ago when this adventure begin, I would say I am without a doubt at this moment in time Better Than Ever!!

Is your life better than ever? Share your now and then photos about what's "better than ever" on the Facebook Contest Page for a chance to win a spa weekend getaway in Sedona, AZ, and thousands of dollars worth of great prize packages from Dove® gofresh™!

Learn more about the Twittermoms and Dove Go Fresh discussion by going Here

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Dove® gofresh™ blogging program, making me eligible to get a $25 gift card and some product. For more information on how you can participate, click here

Army VS Civilian Is there a difference?

2010-07-08T11:34:00.000-06:00

What do you think? Is there a difference either BIG or small between Army (Military) and Civilian families?
You are probably wondering why I am asking this type of question, so I will just say that some big changes will be happening around this house and in order for things to go as smooth as possible the planning and preparing will start now.

This is the first in a series of posts that I will be doing on this subject or subjects related to this. I hope to post a new post every Thursday.

The List:
The Job
The Marriage
The Children
The Health care
The Family
The Housing
The Pay
The Deployments
The Time apart from extended family
The Education

This is my list of the areas where I see the biggest difference between Military living and Civilian living.

If you have more please let me know in a comment also let me know your thoughts so I can include them in the posts to come.

Whether you are about to go from being a civilian family to a Military family or you are a Military family about to become a civilian family, I want to know what you think the differences are.

When I first remet my Husband he was in the National Guard, so even though he was Military he lived life as a Civilian with only having a little time away during training times. During our first year together it was decided that he would return to the Army, so when our oldest was 10 mths old we moved away from the city and state that we had always called home and started our Army adventure.

We were naive and just because we had that steady income we were quite stupid with the money. If I could go back I would have never agreed to buying a new car, the one we had just made the trip from Michigan to Virginia just fine. I would have also started with my freezer cooking and being thrifty like I am now.

In the present time we are at our 3rd Military post, have been through 3 deployments, numerous schools, field time, and all kinds of fun and not so fun things. Now we have some big decisions to make as a family and you will be there with us every step of this process.

Search Amazon.com for Army

Glue Dots equal a fun Summer Bonding Project!!

2010-07-07T22:00:00.000-06:00

Twittermoms and Glue Dots teamed up to offer a fun Summer Bonding project and contest. Before I decided to participate in this contest I had only heard about Glue Dots. Now I know what i was missing. Ha Ha! You can do pretty much anything with those cute little dots. Want to learn more about Glue Dots? Head over here and join the facebook page dedicated to the very useful glue dots!!

My family was sent a great selection of Glue dots to use on this project. I seriously do not know who had more fun, myself or the kids. After much brainstorming of what type of project we wanted to do, the kids decided they wanted to make something they could hang on the wall in their rooms.

I had a bunch of fabric and found some cardboard, together using Glue Dots that was all we needed!! Amazing!!

The following pictures are what we came up with:

They had a blast and have already come up with about 20 more things that can make using Glue Dots.

Want to learn more about the Summer Bonding Project head over to the twittermoms discussion page.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Glue Dots blogging contest to be eligible to receive a $30 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here

The Balloonatiks!!! Review and Giveaway!!

2010-07-07T11:34:00.001-06:00

Fun and Entertaining!!! That is how I would describe The Balloonatiks. Awesome!!! That is how my children would describe it.

I know we have watched this show about 100 times in the last 2 weeks. As soon as we received it in the mail the kids watched it 5 times in a row. LOL I love that all the kids like The Balloonatiks, from the 1 year old all the way to the 9 year old. Maybe I love the No arguing over what we are going to watch as a family better.

The Balloonatiks is fun for the whole family!! My oldest 2 have already been adding to their Christmas lists from The Balloonatiks store area. Top item for both is the T-Shirt with the Superheros on the front. We have all enjoyed learning about The Balloonatiks and now thanks to the generosity of Elliott Chang of S.S.A Public Relations, one of you can win your very own copy of The Balloonatiks!!

This giveaway will end on July 21st. Please make sure to leave your email address in the Mandatory entry so I have a way of getting in contact with you should you be the winner.

Mandatory Entry: Visit Hot Air City and have a look around, come back and tell me what you learned about The Balloonatiks.

Extra Entries:
1. Follow The Balloonatiks on Twitter
2. Like The Balloonatiks on Facebook
3. Go to the Balloonalair in Hot Air City and tell who your favorite character is and why.
4. Follow my blog with blogger or google friend connect. (already a follower, that counts too, just let me know)
5. Follow my blog on Facebook (Remember if you are already a friend, just let me know)
6. Follow me on Twitter (Just let me know if you are already a follower)

I received a complimentary DVD to do the review, no other compensation was offered or accepting. The above opinions are my own and I know that not everyone will agree.

It is TOO HOT!!

2010-07-06T16:04:00.000-06:00

Okay not really yet, but it will get there.. We got home from our mini vacation yesterday, last night we had the Ft. Bliss Fire Department here at the house, and right now I am waiting for Housing to get here to hopefully fix a problem.

I don't know about any of you but if someone called and said "well last night we had the FIRE DEPARTMENT here because we smelled something like an electrical fire and this morning when we woke up the circuit breaker for the a/c was flipped, we flipped it back and it switched again" would be a little bit more than well someone will be there at some point this afternoon.

This is how my conversation went with this lady who was answering the phones to put in a work order:

Her: Hello, How can I help you?
Me: Hopefully you can

Her: Well tell me what is going on
Me: well we had the fir department here last night for what smelled like an electrical fire
Her: You smelled rubber burning
Me: No like wires and stuff, you know electrical

Her: That was last night, what is the problem now
Me: The breaker for the a/c keeps switching.
Her: I will have someone come out and switch it back on for you
Me: No, We woke up this morning and it was switched, we flipped it back on, and it just went out again.
Her: You didn't call us this morning
Me: No because you would have just sent someone out here to flip it back on and we would still be having this conversation.

Her: So what is your main concern?
Me: We have no air and with having the fire department out here last night, it is a bit worrisome
Her: You have no power
Me. We have power, just no a/c

Her: okay I will hand this off to my supervisor and someone will be out there at some point this afternoon.

That conversation happened at 12:25p.m.

2 hours later I called back because well it is really hot inside I get the same girl.

Her: Hello, How can I help you?
Me: Well I called 2 hours ago and I was just wondering if you had a time frame that someone might be out here.
Her: I told you before 5
Me: No you did not, you said sometime this afternoon
Her: Well that means before 5
Me: well you would think because we had the fire dept. out here last night and the problems we are having now that this would be more of a priority considering how hot it is outside.

Her: well I will call the supervisor and try to get someone out there as soon as I can
Me: Thank You
Her: click (she hung up)

Well about an hour later someone came to save the day, sort of. He unhooked a couple things so that the a/c would stay running for a bit to help cool the house down a little. He changed out the filter even though it was not too bad. He decided that what we smelled was the motor that was stuck. He gave me his personal cell number and asked if I could check to make sure the compressor continued to run. I said Yes, and he will be back around 6pm to hopefully fix the problem.

I love that he is trying to help make me and the kids comfortable before completely tearing apart the unit. I love that he is willing to wait until after the sun goes behind the Mountain making it more tolerable to be working on that side of our house.

All in all I have found out that we have crappy people taking the work orders, but the people themselves that come out are pretty cool.

In the middle of writing this, the workers had showed up and tonight I hope that they will be able to fix the problem. Stay tuned for a review and giveaway to be posted and of coarse an update to this...

Upcoming fun to my blog!!

2010-07-05T19:42:00.001-06:00

I just wanted to write up a quick post to let you all know what was coming this week.
Children's DVD review and giveaway...
A book by Author Kelley Armstrong review and giveaway...
I will also be sharing a few posts about what me and my family did over the weekend!!

There may be more, I just have to look through some things and play catch up on my emails...

I hope everyone had as good of weekend as they could possibly have!!

Silly Mama Quilts Etsy Store!! Review and Giveaway!!

2010-06-30T23:07:00.001-06:00

Recently I won a great giveaway that A Day in the Life of a Mother of Multiples was running. I won a $20 gift certificate to SillyMamaQuilts. I just had to use the gift certificate as soon as I received it and I had the chance to hold a conversation with a wonderful women.

She has some amazingly beautiful items for sale in her Etsy shop. Things from bags to quilts. I chose 2 bags and a cup wrap to use my certificate on. The mini bags are simple and so well made. As soon as I opened the package I could see all the love come pouring out. Each bag had something inside of it that would keep it open and tissue paper surrounded the items.

I had went to the mailbox on my way to the store, as soon as I got there I quickly took out one of the bags and switched over a few things. I was carrying a huge bag complete with a couple diapers and wipes, but the thing was is I was by myself. Ha Ha The size of the bag is perfect for a wallet, envelope of coupons, a pen, and a few other small items.

Want to know just how amazing Brooke is???

She has offered one of my readers the chance to win a $20 gift certificate to Silly Mama Quilts. Yup, that is how amazing she is.

So let's get to it!! This giveaway will end on July 15th at midnight (Mountain Time) The winner will be chosen by random.org. I will email the winner and they will have 48 hours to get back to me to claim the prize.

Mandatory Entry:

Head over to SillyMamaQuilts and have a look around. Come back and tell me in a comment what you would use the gift certificate on or towards. Don't forget to leave your email address so I can get in contact with you should you be the winner.

Extra entries: Use a separate comment for each entry
1. Follow me using Google Friend Connect. If you already follow me, just let me know in the comment.

2. Follow me on FaceBook. This is a new page, set up for my blog, please leave your facebook name

3. Follow me on Twitter Please leave your Twitter name

Thank You to all who enter!!

I used a certificate that I had won to purchase the items used in this post. All of the above opinions are my own. SillyMamaQuilts offered a certificate to be used as a giveaway. Thank You again!

The Howard House of Chaos

A Mile in His Shoes...

New Skill!!

Baseball Mom!

5 Conversations You Must Have with Your Son Review and Giveaway!

Tomorrow I will post a review but for today....

Did you miss me?

New Name!!!!

Coming Home on Lifetime! Interview with Matt Rogers!

Still House Hunting, well in a sense..

PT, OT, Speech!! What else?!

Just Amazing..

Saving a School from being closed...

Working Class!

Box Tops For Education!!

It's Girl Scout Cookie Time!!

Carpet and Laminate and Hard Wood Oh My!!

Sensory Kids and IHOP Join Forces For a Fundraiser!!

The way meat is packaged...

How do you decide?

Yo Gabba Gabba Live!! and a Winner!!

Marry Me!! December 12th and 13th on LifeTime!!

And The Winner Is!!

Current Giveaways!! Along with an update!

48 Hour Cyber Monday Fun Auction!!

Yo Gabba Gabba, Live! There's A Party In My City!

Road Trip Time!!!

New reviews coming!!

The Club No One Wanted To Join.... Review and Giveaway!!

What a Week this has been!!

Making Your Life Easy!!

Change Your Clock Change Your Battery!!

Camping Season Is Officially Over..

Michael Chiarello's Bottega Cook Book and Progresso Lemon Pepper Panko - Review & Giveaway!

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