Red Sox Mom

Thanksgiving dinner for 8 for $20 at Walmart giveaway

2009-11-21T12:35:00.006-07:00

Let's face it, our current economy is less than stellar. I keep hearing of layoffs and cutbacks, which means there are a lot of people out there wondering just how they're going to pull off the holidays for their families. Walmart wants to make sure Thanksgiving dinner is affordable so more people can have this traditional festive feast. That's why they're making it possible to cook a Thanksgiving dinner for up to 8 people for as low as $20. What does this meal include? Just check this out from their website:

According to a survey by the American Farm Bureau Federation, last year’s average cost of a turkey was roughly $1.19 per pound. Select Grade A turkeys are available now for 40 cents per pound at Walmart.* These gobblers are part of Walmart’s $20 Thanksgiving menu guaranteeing family favorites will be on the dinner table this holiday season. Walmart’s $20 Thanksgiving feast includes:

* One 12-pound Grade A turkey*
* Three 11 to 15.5-ounce cans Green Giant vegetables
* Two 14-ounce cans Ocean Spray cranberry sauce
* Three 6-ounce boxes of Stove Top stuffing
* One 5-pound bag of red potatoes
* One 12-count package of Sara Lee dinner rolls
* One 22-ounce pumpkin roll cake

*Prices and availability may vary in AK, HI, OK, NM, WI and at Walmart.com. Prices on select Grade A turkeys begin November 4; limit two turkeys per customer; weights and brands vary by store. Quantities are limited; no rain checks. All prices do not include tax.

That covers nearly all the bases for a nice meal that is sure to please any family. My musts for Thanksgiving include the turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy and rolls. The rest is nice, but that's what I look forward too. The past two years I've cooked our Thanksgiving dinner because we haven't been able to travel to see family. I found that making certain items the night before helps a lot when it comes to getting it all done in time. The mashed potatoes are easy to do the night before then heat up right before serving. I actually like pumpkin roll better than pumpkin pie and that's one dessert that's always better the next day after it's had lots of time to cool off and chill. The turkey, on the other hand, is something I like best fresh. My aunt made it early one year then heated it up for dinnertime and it just wasn't the same.

For more information on the Thanksgiving dinner for 8 for $20 visit Walmart.com's holiday meal page where you can also get yummy recipes from Food Network’s Melissa d’Arabians.

Mom Central and Walmart sent me a $30 gift card to help with my holiday shopping and they want to give two of you Red Sox Mommy readers each a $30 gift card to help with your own holiday shopping. Of course, there's not time to get it for Thanksgiving, but there's definitely time to get it for Christmas meal or gift shopping.

To enter just leave a comment sharing a favorite holiday memory or your favorite money saving tips.

If you'd like more chances to win you can do one or more of the following after doing the above requirement:

- Blog about this giveaway (5 entries, leave 5 comments).
- Follow me on Twitter (@RedSoxMommy) and tweet about this giveaway, you can do this one once per day, just leave a comment each time (1 entry each time). Mention @RedSoxMommy in your tweets please.
- Add my button to your blog (2 entries, leave 2 comments) or add my URL to your blogroll (1 entry) (Please note my URL recently changed to redsoxmom.com, the code for the button in my sidebar reflects this change if you want to switch to this new code).
- Become a follower or subscriber (1 entry).
- Enter any other current giveaways on Red Sox Mommy (look in left sidebar for links to giveaways) (1 entry).
- Fave this blog on Technorati (1 entry).

Disclaimer: You must have a US mailing address. You must leave a valid email address so I can contact you if you win. I will not use the addresses for any other purpose. You must follow the first entry requirement before any extra entries will be counted as valid. No "count me in" style comments will be qualified to win, please follow the directions. You have until December 5, 2009 at 11:59pm MT to enter. I will choose the winners at random soon after that time and they will have 72 hours to respond to the winning notification or a new winner(s) will be chosen by the same method.

Good luck!

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Walmart. In addition, I received a Walmart gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate and two to offer as a giveaway.”

Two Months

2009-11-20T21:51:00.002-07:00

I realized yesterday that it's been two months since we moved into this house. It seems like we've been here for a million years now. Sure, we're still not unpacked. BUT...we've been through so much here and have a lot more to fix, it feels like we've been doing this stuff forever!

But a more exciting milestone comes tomorrow. Eight years ago on November 21 my husband and I officially decided to be a couple, no more dating others, the whole thing. It's crazy how time flies...who would've thought that night that we'd be married with two kids and be living in Colorado eight years later?

Speaking of those two kids...I'm so unsure on what to get them for Christmas. My 4 year old asks for everything she sees on t.v. We'd be in bankruptcy if we got it all for her. But the one thing she keeps asking for is "Cinderella Makeup." I'm not sure what she's talking about, but she tells me she's seen it on t.v. I've got to figure out what toy she's referring to because I bet that's the one she wants most. My little one will probably be happy with anything, that's the good thing about having a 2 year old. Overall I guess I should be grateful, their wants are cheap in comparison to what they will be in a few years when they're asking for computers, digital cameras, MP3 players, stereos...well, you get the idea.

What are you getting your kids for Christmas/Hanukkah?

Busytown Mysteries

2009-11-20T15:42:00.002-07:00

The other day a Busytown Mysteries dvd arrived in our mailbox. These 11 minute episodes are based on the Richard Scarry books that children have been enjoying for the last 40 years. And they're now airing weekend mornings on CBS during the Cookie Jar TV block of children's program for your kids to enjoy, just check your local listings for air times. In addition to watching these adventures on weekend mornings you can hop online anytime and enjoy the fun to be had at www.BusytownMysteries.com, including 14 games designed for preschoolers.

Things have been crazy busy around here and we didn't have a chance to watch our dvd until today. But today we settled down after lunch and popped in the dvd. My girls were enthralled and didn't budge during either episode. When the second one ended they were asking for more...looks like I'll need to remember to turn on CBS this Saturday morning for them.

What I liked is they're good wholesome shows so I don't have to worry about what my kids are watching. And I think it's great that they're only 11 minutes long, it's the perfect length for kids as young as mine. Thanks One2One Network for introducing this show to my kids!

I received, from One2One Network, two 11 minute episodes on dvd to watch in order to write this review. The opinion expressed is my own.

Ecostore USA giveaway

2009-11-19T14:43:00.004-07:00

I was recently contacted by a representative for Ecostore USA. She asked if I wanted to try a couple of their products and share my thoughts with you. I'm all for trying new eco-friendly stuff so I said, "Sure!"

Ecostore USA is the US extension of the more than 15 year old New Zealand store (www.ecostore.co.nz) founded by Melanie and Malcolm Rands. They specialize in plant based, non-toxic products like household cleaners, baby and personal care items. It all came about when members of an eco village in New Zealand found the chemicals in traditional store brand products were becoming dangerous to their waterways. And now there's a whole line of products available for those looking to go green and those looking for a healthy alternative to chemical based products.

It was hard to choose exactly which products I wanted to try. I've reviewed many cleaners, but not too many haircare products so I opted to try the Vanilla Shampoo and Vanilla Conditioner. They definitely worked when it came to getting my hair clean. I was a little disappointed that the shampoo's scent was so faint, but the conditioner made up for it by having a bit stronger scent. And one thing I was really excited about is their lack of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, they don't have any. Some of you may be scratching your head wondering why I care about that, right? Well, recently I read an online friend's blog and she disclosed that she has thinning hair and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate in shampoo worsens her condition. Ever since reading that I've been a little nervous about using a shampoo that contains it.

And guess what? Ecostore USA isn't just being generous to me, but they're being generous to one of you Red Sox Mommy readers as well! That's right, one of you will win a $25 gift certificate to Ecostore USA.

For the first (mandatory) entry just visit the Ecostore USA blog and sign up for the No Nasty Chemicals newsletter (in the right sidebar). Then come back here and leave a comment letting me know you did so.

If you'd like more chances to win you can do one or more of the following after doing the above requirement:

- Blog about this giveaway (5 entries, leave 5 comments).
- Visit Ecostore USA and leave a comment letting me know one product you're interested in trying. (1 entry)
- Follow @ecostoreusa on Twitter (1 entry)
- Follow me on Twitter (@RedSoxMommy) and tweet about this giveaway, you can do this one once per day, just leave a comment each time (1 entry each time). Mention @RedSoxMommy & @ecostoreusa in your tweets please.
- Add my button to your blog (2 entries, leave 2 comments) or add my URL to your blogroll (1 entry) (Please note my URL recently changed to redsoxmom.com, the code for the button in my sidebar reflects this change if you want to switch to this new code).
- Become a follower or subscriber (1 entry).
- Enter any other current giveaways on Red Sox Mommy (look in left sidebar for links to giveaways) (1 entry).
- Fave this blog on Technorati (1 entry).

Disclaimer: You must have a US mailing address. You must leave a valid email address so I can contact you if you win. I will not use the addresses for any other purpose. You must follow the first entry requirement before any extra entries will be counted as valid. No "count me in" style comments will be qualified to win, please follow the directions. You have until December 3, 2009 at 11:59pm MT to enter. I will choose the winner at random soon after that time and s/he will have 72 hours to respond to the winning notification or a new winner will be chosen by the same method. The winner will receive their gift certificate via email.

Good luck!

I received a bottle of each the Vanilla Shampoo and Vanilla Conditioner from Ecostore USA to use so I could write this review. The opinion expressed is my own.

Apparently I've been living under a rock

2009-11-18T10:46:00.002-07:00

Seriously, where have I been?!?!?!

I was just checking out the blogs of some of my friends and family and stumbled upon a certain cousin's blog. She's pregnant, and not just barely pregnant either...like 10 weeksish pregnant and I HAD NO IDEA!!! I kept reading older posts and she apparently announced it awhile ago. I could swear I'd checked it more recently...but nope, the last post I'd seen was the one before she announced it.

I feel like such a nub. That'll teach me to go so long between checking up on family.

Apple Jacks and Fruit Loops now pack a fiber punch!

2009-11-18T09:20:00.004-07:00

Mom Central recently sent me a few boxes of Kellogg's Froot Loops and Apple Jacks with new added fiber and one box without. Growing up I loved Froot Loops and this new version with added fiber definitely still tastes delicious! As I opened the box the scent of those colorful little rings came floating out of the box and I was reminded of growing up and eating them at my grandparents house. I honestly didn't grow up eating Apple Jacks, I'm not sure why. But my girls certainly seem to like it, so I guess they'll be able to say they grew up eating it.

Kellogg's knows how important nutrition is to moms. And it's true, moms, like me, want to feed their children healthy, nutritious foods. But sometimes it's just so hard. Kids, especially my 2 year old, are stubborn and headstrong. They want what THEY want to eat and not what YOU want them to eat. So I think it's wonderful that Kellogg's has added fiber to some of their kid friendly cereals. The first time my 2 year old tested the Froot Loops she was asking for seconds.

So, how much fiber is there in these cereals? Each 1/2 cup serving contains 3 grams of fiber from sources like whole-grain corn flour, whole-grain oat flour, oat fiber and soluble corn fiber. That sounds good to me...and my girls are none the wiser! ;)

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Kellogg’s and received boxes of Froot Loops and Apple Jacks and a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Image from Kellogg's website.

WW - Missing my Sox

2009-11-17T18:23:00.003-07:00

The season barely ended and I'm already dying for Spring Training to begin...it's gonna be a loooooong off season!

For more Wordless Wednesday participants check out the Wordless Wednesday headquarters.

First ballet recital rehearsal

2009-11-16T19:26:00.002-07:00

Tonight my daughter had her first ballet recital rehearsal. The little girls were there all dressed up in their costumes with their stage make-up. They looked so cute all lined up getting ready to go on stage, you could tell they were so nervous. They did a pretty good job of remembering their routine, or at least the first half of it. I guess tomorrow we'll find out in class what their teacher thought. All I know is my daughter looked adorable!

Brine a turkey with Kikkoman

2009-11-16T18:23:00.008-07:00

Recently I was asked if I wanted to brine a turkey. I'd made a ham in brine, but I'd never heard of doing such a thing to a turkey. So I thought it would be pretty fun to try it out. Kikkoman sent me over a gift card to purchase a turkey, a few Kikkoman brand products, a Kikkoman coupon and several recipes so I could give this a try. I decided to make the turkey the weekend of Halloween when my mom was visiting. So the night before her arrival I cleaned the turkey and made the Kikkoman brine recipe I was sent so it could brine overnight in a big stock pot. The next morning it was ready to be placed in the roasting pan for cooking later in the day. After that I just roasted it as I would an un-brined turkey. Easy!

My mom, a former food critic, thought it was delicious, as did I. My husband even liked it and used the leftovers in sandwiches for days. But before he could eat them all up I tried another one of the recipes I received from Kikkoman, Turkey Fried Rice. I'd never made fried rice before, but had always wanted to try and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. It was super easy to make and tasted yummy! I even made it again later after the leftovers were gone, but used chicken. It's definitely a recipe I'll be keeping around for a good long time.

Unfortunately there were several recipes I didn't get a chance to try with this turkey, like the Terrific Turkey Tetrazzini that uses Pearl Organic Soymilk, one of the products sent to me by Kikkoman. We're spending Thanksgiving with friends so we won't have any turkey leftovers next week, but I plan to give this recipe a try with our Christmas turkey leftovers.

I love that I was given this opportunity, it definitely opened up my options for how to cook turkey and use the leftovers. The brine was super easy to make and made for one juicy turkey.

You can visit Kikkoman online for a money saving coupon and lots of recipes using Kikkoman brand products.

I received a gift card to purchase a turkey, a few Kikkoman products and a Kikkoman coupon so I would be able to try the recipes and write this review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Going domestic

2009-11-13T21:06:00.003-07:00

I used to sew and by that I mean I took Home Ec about a million years ago in high school. Fast forward more than a decade to last Sunday. There was an announcement at church that there was going to be an activity night on Wednesday where they were going to be making bags. These weren't ugly bags, they were actually cute. So I summoned up my former sewing self and bought some fabric and showed up at the activity. The picture in this post is my finished project (sorry about the hideously ugly bedspread, it's kind of distracting, I REALLY want a new one). What do you think? I think I did a pretty good job.

And in the whole process I discovered the store Hobby Lobby. Oh my gosh...I'm in love! I'd never been there before, but my friends said their fabric was on sale and I'm all for a good sale. I thought the name of the store was lame and pictured a store full of model airplanes (no offense if you love model airplanes...my grandpa does). But this store was AWESOME! My husband has "forbidden" me from going there without him for fear I'll bankrupt us. But seriously, when I get some money to buy some home decor items I'll be headed there first...such cool stuff!

Niaouli Scrub for Blemish Prone Skin from Skin Free

2009-11-13T16:15:00.004-07:00

Even at thirty-one years old I still find myself with a bit of acne from time to time. While I think this is totally unfair considering I'm also getting gray hairs, a slowing metabolism and all the other "fun" stuff that comes with entering your 30s, my body doesn't care. So I get to deal with blemishes just like an angst ridden teenager. Lucky me! But seriously, I have to do something to help rid my face of those evil little monsters.

Recently I had the opportunity to try Skin Free's Niaouli Scrub for Blemish Prone Skin. This is a facial scrub that helps rid your face of oils, dead dull skin and the like. You can use it daily or just once a week to help your skin look more like you want it to and less like a pizza.

I liked the aroma of the scrub. Skin Free describes it as "bright forest like," I'm not sure that's how I'd describe it though. But it's definitely a clean almost minty scent, at least in my opinion. I could feel the little grains of pumice working to remove the dead skin as I scrubbed away. My skin felt soft and refreshed after using. I think it's a nice change from the other scrubs I've tried in the past that are full of artificial stuff and chemicals. I still have the occasional blemish, I know that's something I'll always have to deal with. But this scrub feels good and the end result for me was softer, healthy looking skin.

I received some Niaouli Scrub for Blemish Prone Skin for this review. The opinions expressed are mine.

WINNERS!!!!!!

2009-11-12T09:08:00.002-07:00

I'm late...so very late!!! The time got away from me and I failed to announce (or pick) some winners. But, better late than never, right? I hope so...anyway, the first winner to announce is the winner of the Fiber One Toaster Pastries giveaway and that winner is:
Here are your random numbers:

52

Timestamp: 2009-11-12 16:10:55 UTC
Comment number 52 belongs to: dolls123

Next up is the winner of the Yoplait Promise to Make a Difference pack and that winner is:
Here are your random numbers:

26

Timestamp: 2009-11-12 16:14:01 UTC
Comment number 26 belongs to: Annette D

And finally, the last winner to announce is the winner of the Beauty Tips giveaway and that winner is:
Here are your random numbers:

34

Timestamp: 2009-11-12 16:17:15 UTC
Comment number 34 belongs to: one frugal lady

I'll be sending out notification emails shortly, so keep an eye on your inboxes.

Glade giveaway

2009-11-12T08:32:00.003-07:00

Last Thursday I had the wonderful opportunity to meet a group of great Colorado bloggers. The PR people behind SC Johnson gathered us all together at The Warwick Hotel for a night of drinks (Diet Coke for me), appetizers, salad and fun.

We pushed tables together so we could all visit together and we had a wonderful time laughing and chatting with each other and the sweet PR girls. In the end we got to make these great gift baskets with products from Glade, IKEA and more. The main product is the Glade Sense & Spray which is something I have been using and loving for awhile now. My favorite scent is the Clean Linen. This time I was able to try the new Clear Springs scent, which is nice...but I'm a creature of habit and think I'll stick with Clean Linen. Anyway, back to the basket...one of you Red Sox Mommy readers will be able to win one of these baskets for yourself or to give to someone else.

The winner's basket will feature items similar to the ones in my basket pictured in this post. This includes an IKEA throw blanket (colors vary), a Glade Sense & Spray and refill, a white mug and some markers to decorate it with, some hot cocoa mix, a sleep mask and this awesome IKEA basket.

To enter just leave a comment on this post telling me if you've tried the Glade Sense & Spray before. Easy!

If you'd like more chances to win you can do one or more of the following after doing the above requirement:

- Blog about this giveaway (5 entries, leave 5 comments).
- Follow me on Twitter (@RedSoxMommy) and tweet about this giveaway, you can do this one once per day, just leave a comment each time (1 entry each time). Mention @RedSoxMommy in your tweets please.
- Add my button to your blog (2 entries, leave 2 comments) or add my URL to your blogroll (1 entry) (Please note my URL recently changed to redsoxmom.com, the code for the button in my sidebar reflects this change if you want to switch to this new code).
- Become a follower or subscriber (1 entry).
- Enter any other current giveaways on Red Sox Mommy (look in left sidebar for links to giveaways) (1 entry).
- Fave this blog on Technorati (1 entry).

Disclaimer: You must have a US mailing address. You must leave a valid email address so I can contact you if you win. I will not use the addresses for any other purpose. You must follow the first entry requirement before any extra entries will be counted as valid. No "count me in" style comments will be qualified to win, please follow the directions. You have until November 26, 2009 at 11:59pm MT to enter. I will choose the winner at random soon after that time and s/he will have 72 hours to respond to the winning notification or a new winner will be chosen by the same method. The winner's info will be given to the sponsor so they can mail out the prize.

Good luck!

I was given yummy food, a good time and a fun gift basket by the PR firm representing SC Johnson, they will also be providing the winner with his/her prize. I provided my own opinions for this post.

There must be something in the air...

2009-11-11T12:38:00.003-07:00

There must be something in the air, because I can't get the holidays off my mind. Today we decided to attempt pictures for our Christmas cards. Most of the pictures turned out like this:That's what happens when you have a two year old...cute little stinker!

But some of the pictures turned out a bit better like this:

They're definitely not professional pictures, we don't have mad skills in that area. But I think they're pretty cute and some of them did end up acceptable enough to grace our cards. I know I'm biased, but I think it helps that the kids are so darn cute!

WW - Christmas is coming!!!

2009-11-10T20:40:00.002-07:00

This was taken at Santa's Village in New Hampshire earlier this summer. Now it's finally almost Christmas and I can't wait!!! (By the way, my father-in-law took this picture.) :)

Visit Wordless Wednesday headquarters for more participants.

Busy but happy

2009-11-10T17:20:00.002-07:00

It used to be that I would write every day, often several times a day. But now I can't seem to do that. You see, I used to live in the middle of nowhere. The town we lived in was far from friendly and didn't take well to outsiders or law enforcement. We were definitely outsiders and my husband is in law enforcement. It was a loooong, lonely two years and I used my website to feel connected to the world.

Fast forward to late Spring. We moved to a new town, the people here are friendly, it's not in the middle of nowhere and we've made friends. I'm not home as often, my kids (at least my oldest) are involved in activities that keep me away from home, I have play dates and errands and I like it. We had some issues when we first moved into our house, those kept me home and down. But so far (KNOCK ON WOOD) November hasn't brought issues like September and October did. We still have a few light fixtures to install, some wallpaper to remove and a little painting to do. But that's done easily enough and we've already paid for the stuff so it isn't stressful.

Also, I'm getting excited about the holidays. Not Thanksgiving so much...I'm just excited for that one to come and go...but I'm excited for Christmas. I'm putting our tree up on Thanksgiving and it's taking all I have not to do it sooner. And I know that I won't make it to Thanksgiving before I stick in my Harry Connick, Jr. Christmas cds.

So anyway, if I'm not on here everyday it's actually a good thing. I'm not disappearing any time soon, so you're all stuck with me! *wink*

Fancast

2009-11-08T16:40:00.002-07:00

When I was single and kid-free I seemed to be able to work my schedule around my favorite shows. I didn't have a ton that I liked to watch, but there were a few and it was fairly easy to make sure I didn't miss many episodes. Then I got married and within a year of that became a mother and my schedule was super unpredictable. Between working full-time, being a wife and having a baby I just lost track of my favorite shows. And now, a few years later, my schedule is still crazy. I no longer work outside the home, but I have added another kid to the mix and there are soccer practices and dance lessons and so many other things that I often miss the shows I like. In fact, I can't even tell you when most of my favorites are on...it's a hit or miss situation.

Enter Fancast, a free online tv viewing website. You can watch your favorite shows whenever you want to and with very limited commercial interruptions. In addition to the convenience of being able to watch your favorite shows when you want to watch them, Fancast gives you more extras like movies, pictorials, blogs, listings, live chats and Q&A's with stars and more.

If you're wondering if they have your favorite shows, it's quite possible they do. So now I can catch CSI, The Biggest Loser, 18 Kids & Counting and more whenever I want to. It looks like my "me time" is about to get a little more entertaining.

I wrote this post for One2One Network. I was not compensated, but have written this as an entry for a gift card.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: What I Learned from the Dog giveaway

2009-11-08T16:02:00.003-07:00

I've long been a fan of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books. So when I was asked if I wanted to receive one to review AND be able to give away a few copies I was more than happy to say, "Yes!" I received one of the newest books in the Chicken Soup collection, What I Learned from the Dog. This was a good book for me. My husband and I have been discussing getting a dog in the not too distant future. And if you know me at all you know this is HUGE, because I've never been a dog person. But I've given in after years and years of relentless ~~begging~~ asking and am actually getting a bit excited at the prospect of becoming a dog owner.

What I Learned from the Dog is broken down into sections, each section full of stories that teach you something like learning about family, overcoming adversity, learning to heal, learning to say goodbye, unconditional love and more. I never realized you could learn so much from a four legged friend. Dogs really are smarter than I ever gave them credit for. This book made me both smile and cry. All stories, whether happy or sad, were inspirational. I wouldn't have expected anything less from a Chicken Soup for the Soul book and this definitely lived up to the reputation.

Thanks to the nice folks at Phenix & Phenix Literary Publicists, three Red Sox Mommy readers will get a Chicken Soup for the Soul book of their own. To enter just leave a comment on this post telling me if you have or have had a dog and what kind it was OR if you haven't had a dog just tell me if you've read a Chicken Soup for the Soul book before.

If you'd like more chances to win you can do one or more of the following after doing the above requirement:

- Blog about this giveaway (5 entries, leave 5 comments).
- Follow me on Twitter (@RedSoxMommy) and tweet about this giveaway, you can do this one once per day, just leave a comment each time (1 entry each time). Mention @RedSoxMommy in your tweets please.
- Add my button to your blog (2 entries, leave 2 comments) or add my URL to your blogroll (1 entry) (Please note my URL recently changed to redsoxmom.com, the code for the button in my sidebar reflects this change if you want to switch to this new code).
- Become a follower or subscriber (1 entry).
- Enter any other giveaways on Red Sox Mommy (look in left sidebar for links to giveaways) (1 entry).
- Fave this blog on Technorati (1 entry).

Disclaimer: You must have a US or Canada mailing address. You must leave a valid email address so I can contact you if you win. I will not use the addresses for any other purpose. You must follow the first entry requirement before any extra entries will be counted as valid. No "count me in" style comments will be qualified to win, please follow the directions. You have until November 22, 2009 at 11:59pm MT to enter. I will choose the winners at random soon after that time and they will have 72 hours to respond to the winning notification or a new winner will be chosen by the same method. The winners' info will be given to the sponsor so they can mail out the prizes.

Good luck!

I received a copy of this book for review as part of a campaign for the Chicken Soup for the Soul books. I received no other form of compensation and the opinion expressed is my own.

Halloween update

2009-11-06T22:38:00.002-07:00

Halloween has come and gone, but I haven't had a chance until now to share a picture of each of the girls. I spaced it and didn't take any pictures at the Trunk or Treat at our church, but here are some at home beforehand. My little one was so excited to wear her Belle costume and told me many times that she was a princess. My older daughter has had her costume since April and was so excited to be able to wear it for the whole day. I'd dare say they were the cutest princesses at the party!

Cystex

2009-11-06T19:24:00.003-07:00

I guess I consider myself pretty lucky. At 31 years old I've never had a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI). I heard horror stories before I got married about getting them after having sex (yes, I was a virgin bride). I was so scared I'd get one...but, I was one of the fortunate ones who didn't. But I've had so many friends complain about them over the years. So when I was asked to share information about a UTI drug I figured it would be a good idea because I'm sure many of you could use this information.

Cystex is an over-the-counter medication to help relieve the pain associated with urinary tract infections. Not only that, but it is the only UTI medication that also has an antibacterial agent to help contain the progression of the infection. This medication will help ease your symptoms and help keep them at bay while you wait to see a physician. And from what I hear any relief you can get is heaven sent.

Cystex comes in easy-to-swallow tablet that adults 12 years and older can take with a full glass of water, four times a day. It's suggested retail price is $9.25 for a package of 40 tablets and $15.95 for a 100 tablet pack. It's active ingredients are Methenamine and Sodium Salicylate.

For more information on UTI's please visit the Cystex blog and/or view the video below:

I received a gift card and a sample for sharing this information with you. I have not yet had the opportunity to use the sample, but am glad to have it on hand should I need it.

Michael Bublé: Crazy Love

2009-11-04T20:18:00.003-07:00

One2One Network recently sent me a copy of Michael Bublé's newest album Crazy Love to listen to and share my thoughts. It arrived just in time for a trip out of town with my mom, so I brought it with me for us to enjoy together.

His voice and style are reminiscent of a different time. This collection of love songs is a perfect complement to a romantic evening or something to listen to as you relax at the end of the day. His soulful voice is sure to lull you into a laid back state of happiness.

Michael Bublé has sold over 22 million albums worldwide and his new one has been available since October 9th for his many fans to enjoy. You can purchase it at Amazon among many other places. So kick off your shoes, grab a glass of wine (of if you're like me and don't drink, a glass of Diet Coke) and relax to Crazy Love. And if you just can't get enough of Michael Bublé then check out his official site for the 4-1-1 on this jazzy star.

One2One Network provided me with the cd for this review, but the opinions are my own.

I'm back and there are some winners to announce!

2009-11-04T19:39:00.002-07:00

I'm back from my quick trip to Utah to visit my grandparents. It was a good trip. Both my grandma and grandpa were having good health days the day I was at their house, so they were able to visit for quite awhile. I've been hearing how sick they are and how they've been close to their deathbed so many times and that grandpa can only handle visitors for about an hour at a time. But they looked great! My aunt was there and said he has about 3 good days a week...I just got lucky that Monday was one of those days.

It was nice to be "home" too. Things have changed so much there since I moved away almost three years ago. There's been a growth explosion and there's so much more to do and see. Even my mom's neighbor's are sprucing up their houses, some of them are barely recognizable. Even my mom has been doing a bunch of work, although her's is mostly on the inside. But she has done some lovely landscaping. But my favorite thing she's changed is a room downstairs. For the first 20 years we lived there it was a 2x4 framed storage room. Very basic, very spider filled and very scary! But in the last month or so she's had it completely finished and turned it into and awesome bedroom! I got to sleep in it and it was so nice! I miss the down comforter she had on the bed, it was so warm! Next month she's completely gutting her kitchen and modernizing it. I have to admit, my little green eyed monster of jealousy was itching just under the skin, I would LOVE to be able to do that to my kitchen, starting with the floor up. I'd love to get new tiles, updated stain on the cupboards, new hardware pulls, new light fixtures...and on and on. I am "inheriting" her old appliances which are newer and nicer than what I have now. But I have to find a way to get them from Utah to Colorado...hmmmm. But once I do I'll have a double oven with a flat top cooking surface. :)

Ok...enough about my trip and my jealousy, it's time to announce winners!!!!

First off, one lucky person will be receiving a pair of Eleven Collection shoes. These are some of my favorite kid's shoes of all time. My daughter is always getting complements on her pairs. That lucky winner is...
Here are your random numbers:

282

Timestamp: 2009-11-05 02:39:57 UTC
And that is: Amy Lynn

And now it's time to announce the winner of the two Elefun and Friends games. These would make perfect holiday presents for preschoolers and are great for family night games. Now it's time to figure out who's going to be enjoying these games and that person is...
Here are your random numbers:

100

Timestamp: 2009-11-05 02:54:21 UTC
That is: dreamcleavers

Congrats to you both! I will be in contact shortly for your shipping information.

Out of Town

2009-11-02T12:31:00.001-07:00

Hello! I'm out of town at the moment. I'm just jumping on here really quick from my mom's work computer. My husband and kids are still back in Colorado and I'll be back tomorrow night to join them. But for today I'm in Utah and off to visit my sick grandparents. I'll announce the Eleven Collection shoes winner after I'm back.

I hope you all had a great Halloween and HOLY COW it's already NOVEMBER!!!

A look at Halloweens past

2009-10-31T09:47:00.004-06:00

Happy Halloween everyone! My girls are eagerly awaiting the "Trunk-or-Treat" at our church tonight. They can't wait to get all dressed up in their princess costumes. My oldest as Cinderella and the little one as Belle. I'll be sure to take a bunch of pictures, especially since this is the first year my husband will be unable to be home for the festivities. Darn it! But he has to work and having a job is a good thing.

My oldest celebrated her first Halloween in 2005. She was a sweet little pumpkin, I can hardly believe that's her in that picture, she's grown up so much!

The next year we got her all dressed up as a Red Sox cheerleader. Sure, the Sox did pretty bad that year, but whatever...we're always fans and she looked absolutely adorable. You know, at least in my totally ~~biased~~ unbiased opinion.

The next Halloween was both our first Halloween in Colorado and my younger daughter's first Halloween. They were both dressed up as cute little ladybugs.

Last year we were on vacation in Utah for Halloween. We had lots of fun catching up with friends and family and the weather was awesome! We didn't even need jackets on Halloween night! My older daughter picked out her Tinkerbelle costume and we used the old Red Sox cheerleader costume for my younger daughter...I still LOVE that costume!

Have fun this Halloween and stay safe!

Knit the Season

2009-10-30T23:00:00.000-06:00

It's been nearly a year since I told you about Knit Two, the sequel to the popular novel The Friday Night Knitting Club. And now Kate Jacobs is ready yet again to bring the lovely Friday Night Knitting Club ladies back into our homes. And it couldn't come out at a better time. You see, this third installment is Knit the Season.

I received an uncorrected manuscript of Knit the Season to read and tell you about before it's release date of November 3, 2009. This novel starts off a little over a year after we left the ladies in Knit Two. This time we get to spend the holidays with them from Thanksgiving to New Year's. It's a time of change for these ladies with life altering decisions being made. But in true Friday Night Knitting Club fashion they come together when it counts and are there for each other when needed.

I found it to be a very entertaining read. It was simply the perfect book this week as I was snowed in because of a storm. While reading about their festivities I felt like I should have my Christmas tree all decorated and twinkling next to me. Of course then I remembered that it's not quite time for that...but soon, oh yes, very soon. So if you're looking for something to read while you curl up and stay warm inside this holiday season I would highly recommend it. Even if you haven't read the previous books in the series you should still be able to follow along and enjoy.

Book information:
Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Putnam Adult (November 3, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0399156380
ISBN-13: 978-0399156380

I received the uncorrected manuscript for review. The opinions expressed are mine and are real. Happy Holidays!