STAY AT HOME MOM

CSN Stores Tetherball Set - Upcoming Review

2009-11-26T21:02:00.001-05:00

I wanted to give you a little preview of an upcoming review I'm going to be doing. I am very excited to be able to do a review on a Tetherball Set from CSN Stores.

I can't wait to try this out. I will post a review on it as soon as I do. CSN Stores has a huge selection of lawn games to choose from along with some really cool swing sets too.

So be on the lookout for my review coming soon!

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T00:10:00.000-05:00

Here is my contribution to Thanksgiving:

An apple pie that I made Wednesday night. Hope everyone has an awesome Thanksgiving! Happy Turkey Day!

The Best Sweepstakes Of The Year From Charter!

2009-11-25T17:51:00.000-05:00

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

If you've read my blog in the past, you probably remember some of the sweepstakes I've posted about from Charter. Well after a groundbreaking year of sweepstakes and offerings, they have one last one. And it is the best of the year!

It first starts with a chance to win great deals on Charter Cable, Internet and Phone services. This also includes free gift cards with special online deals. Their is also a chance to win some cool prizes for the holidays.

These deals start on Black Friday. Starting Black Friday through Cyber Monday they are offering gift cards worth up to $200 with special online deals. The gift cards are from major retailers in electronics, clothing, home, accessories and restaurants. These would also make great gifts for people!

And after Cyber Monday the deals continue. Charter will begin 38 days of specials. Each day will be something different, so check Charter’s Daily Deal Web Site often. And there will be plenty of chances to win each day.

Some of the prizes are going to be iPods, Camcorders, TVs, GPS units, webcams, photo frames, and more. They will be giving away some Showtime box sets too. Like Dexter, The Tudors and Californication. And also the HBO box set of Big Love and Entourage.

This is going to be an awesome sweepstakes from Charter. If you want to keep updated with all the daily deals then you should become a fan of Charter on Facebook. They will be updating their fan page on Facebook daily with all these deals through out the holidays. Don't forget it all begins on Black Friday!

WW #83 "Son's School Picture"

2009-11-25T10:07:00.000-05:00

I feel like I post a lot more pictures about my daughter then my son. So I wanted to post at least one of my son too. He just received his school picture the other day. So here is his 8th grade school picture:

(Still working on liking the bright green background)

Visit Wordless Wednesday , 7 Clown Circus, Sunnymama & Mom Dot for more participants.

18 X 24 Poster Print Giveaway

2009-11-24T10:45:00.000-05:00

Large Format Posters is sponsoring a giveaway for my readers. This would be perfect for the upcoming holidays. You could have a picture made into a poster to either give as a gift, or even for yourself.

Large Format Posters has many options for your poster printing needs. Make sure to also check out the YouTube Channel for some of their videos too.

Giveaway Prize Details: (1) 18x24 poster print for One Lucky Winner
Size: 18x24 Poster: Paper: High Gloss; Semi Gloss

Win It: One lucky reader will win a 18 X 24 Poster Print

Mandatory Entry: Tell me what photo would you have made into a poster print?

Extra Entries: (leave separate comment for each entry you do. For example if you blog about this giveaway - worth 5 entries - please leave 5 separate comments)

1. Follow my blog (on Google Friend Connect)
2. Follow me on Twitter & tweet this giveaway (use retweet button above if you like)
3. Daily entries: tweet giveaway
4. Add my "button" to your blog (worth 3 entries)
5. And for 5 extra entries blog about this giveaway, linking back to this post.

RULES: Giveaway is open to US Residents only. Free UPS Ground Shipping. Giveaway ends November 30, 2009 at 6:00 AM. Winner will be chosen via Random.org. Must have valid email in their blog profile or leave email in comments otherwise you will be disqualified.

Disclaimer: Large Format Posters will be awarding me with one 18 X 24 Poster Print for hosting this giveaway.

BJ's Wholesale Club Savings Solution Review & Giveaway

2009-11-23T09:10:00.006-05:00

I was a member of BJ's Wholesale Club a few years ago. I remember I really liked belonging. And I loved the savings I got from shopping there. For whatever reason I stopped belonging there. But I just signed up for a 60 day free membership again.

Anyone can do so, just go here to BJ’s Trial Membership to get your free 60 day Trial Membership too. After printing out your pass, take it to the member service desk at any BJ's Wholesale club. Also, Click here to locate your nearest club - http://www.bjs.com/general/locator/index.

I went to BJ's yesterday to activate my 60 day free trial membership. Right now there is some great savings on some General Mills items, such as Pillsbury “Big Deluxe” Chocolate Chip Tub, Green Giant Complete Skillet Meal, Progresso High-Fiber Soups and Nature Valley Nut Clusters.

I also received a $25 gift card to BJ's along with a coupon book, through MyBlogSpark. So I decided to buy a box of 140 Totino's Pizza Rolls, a box of 60 Eggo Waffles, a box of 100 Calorie Right Bites from Keebler (30 Pouches) and 2 and a half pounds of ground beef, using my gift card. Here's a picture of my purchases:

These are all things we can really use in my house, and I feel like I really got a lot for my money at BJ's! Also if I decide to continue my membership after the 60 day trial, then for $45.00 I will receive $10 coupon and an extra two months of membership (on the 12 month membership) You also will receive:

A Member Savings Book with more than $1,000 in coupons and instant rebates
“Sign up and Save” coupons worth $117 in savings
2 cards (one for you and someone else in your household)
A no risk 100% money back guarantee on the fee if you are not satisfied

Win It!: One lucky reader will win a $25.00 Gift Card to BJ's Wholesale Club (remember to go to the link provided above to receive your 60 day free trial membership.

Mandatory Entry: Tell me what items you would love to stock up on at BJ's?

EXTRA ENTRIES: (leave separate comment for each entry you do. For example if you blog about this giveaway - worth 5 entries - please leave 5 separate comments)

1. Follow my blog (publicly)
2. Follow me on Twitter & tweet this giveaway (use retweet button above if you like)
3. Daily entries: tweet giveaway
4. "Grab my Button" and post it on your blog (worth 3 entries)
5. For 5 extra entries blog about this giveaway, linking back to this post.

RULES: Giveaway is open to US Residents only. Giveaway ends December 4, 2009 at 11:59 PM. Winner will be chosen via Random.org. Must have valid email in blog profile or leave email in comments otherwise you will be disqualified. Winner will have 48 hrs. to confirm by email, If no confirmation in that time frame a new winner will be chosen.

Disclaimer: BJ's Wholesale Club and General Mills provided me with the free trial membership, gift card, coupons and information through MyBlogSpark.

Winner of 16 X 20 Canvas Print

2009-11-23T07:46:00.003-05:00

The winner of the 16 X 20 Canvas Print is Debbie.

Debbie said... 47: I tweeted. (That was my first retweet!); November 22, 2009 9:24 AM

I have emailed the winner. Congratulations Debbie!

Skin MD Natural Lotion Review & Giveaway

2009-11-21T16:17:00.001-05:00

I love lotions of all kinds. So I was excited when I was asked to review Skin MD Natural Lotion.

Skin MD Natural is a shielding lotion, a breakthrough in skin care technology. It bonds with the outer layer of skin to form a new protective layer that locks in natural moisture, protects against chemicals and other impurities, and lets the skin heal itself.

Skin MD Natural is Dermatology tested. And some things I also like about it is that it does not contain animal products and is not tested on animals. That has always been important to me.

Another thing I like about it is that it is fragrance & colorant free. It is also hypoallergenic. I like the fact that it is fragrance free, because although I like lotions with scents, there is also sometimes when I don't want any fragrance. Especially since Skin MD can be used on your face, hands and body. I love putting lotion on my face, but don't want it to smell. So the Skin MD is actually perfect for that. It also is very quickly absorbed into your skin and doesn't feel oily or greasy.

Win It: One lucky reader will win a bottle of Skin MD Natural Lotion

Mandatory Entry: Visit the Skin MD site and tell me something you learned there.

EXTRA ENTRIES: (leave separate comment for each entry you do. For example if you blog about this giveaway - worth 5 entries - please leave 5 separate comments)

1. Follow my blog (publicly)
2. Follow me on Twitter & tweet this giveaway (use retweet button above if you like)
3. Daily entries: tweet giveaway
4. "Grab my Button" and post it on your blog (worth 3 entries)
5. And for 5 extra entries blog about this giveaway, linking back to this post

RULES: Giveaway is open to US Residents only. Giveaway ends December 5, 2009 at 11:59 PM. Winner will be chosen via Random.org. Winner must have valid email in their blog profile or leave email in comments otherwise you will be disqualified. Winner will have 48 hrs. to confirm by email, If no confirmation in that time frame a new winner will be chosen.

Disclaimer: Skin MD provided me with the bottle of lotion, at no cost to me, for the sole purpose of reviewing it and offering it for a giveaway. The opinions expressed are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation.

Winner of Pillsbury "Thanksgiving Fun" Pack

2009-11-21T16:00:00.000-05:00

JC said... 7: My favorite part about Thanksgiving is actually all families can get together. It's once a year big event for us, I'm very thankful for this!; November 10, 2009 8:58 PM

I have emailed the winner. Congratulations. Check my sidebar for my current giveaways, which I will be adding a few more in the next couple of days. Thanks to every one who entered!

Also a friendly reminder, please, when entering any of my giveaways either have your email in your blog profile, or leave in the comments. Otherwise if I don't have your email, I can't contact you if you win, and I will have to choose another winner.

Camera Critters - #19

2009-11-21T09:29:00.000-05:00

Awhile ago, when my tomato plants were still growing, I went out to pick some. And on the ground, in between the plants, I heard some rustling. I didn't know what it was at first, until I spotted a cute little baby mourning dove.

I ran back in the house to get my camera, and was only able to get this one picture, when it flew up into some bushes. The baby mourning dove really blends in, doesn't he?

Celebrate The Holiday Season In Branson

2009-11-20T14:49:00.000-05:00

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

If you are looking for a fun way to spend the holidays this year then you should consider visiting Branson. You and your loved ones could share the warmth and comfort of a real Ozark Mountain Christmas. This sounds like a great way to spend the holiday season.

If you decide to visit Branson, then you should stay at the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing or the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel.

There are really some terrific packages going on right now. There is one called It's A Wonderful Life starting at $329 a night. Starting on November 19 through December 23, you can experience an incredible getaway. This would be the perfect getaway for shopping, relaxing or even entertainment.

That's because Branson has loads of shops, restaurants, and entertainment facilities. There is even a spa called Aspire Medical spa.

The Hilton Branson Convention Center is also having story time with Mrs. Clause in the lobby during November and December. Doesn't that sound fun? And Santa himself will deliver presents and cookies and milk to guest's rooms. This will come with a package called Santa Coming To Town. That package starts at only $189 a night.

So if you're looking for a real fun way to spend the holidays, check out Hiltons of Branson!

Friday Photo Flashback #7

2009-11-20T12:09:00.000-05:00

I'm sure if you have an extended family of any kind, you might know the dilemma every holiday of whose family you are going to spend that holiday with.

This year we are going to my mother's house for Thanksgiving, but we have gone to my mother-in-law's in the past too.

Here's a picture of my my husband's nephew, my husband, and my husband's brother, taken about 8 years ago on Thanksgiving.

These three, can be quite the trouble makers when they get together - lol.

Received Some Tofurky and Gravy Jones Soda!

2009-11-20T11:40:00.001-05:00

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

I received a package yesterday. I love getting packages in the mail. Look at what I got:

Can you see what it is? It is a really cute Turkey hat from IZEA and some Tofurky and Gravy Jones Soda . Fun!

My kids where very excited about the hat. When my son got home from school he tried it on:

He also wanted to try the Tofurky and Gravy soda. Although my husband kind of wanted to bring it into work and give it to one of his friends. But he let my son have it instead. I couldn't believe they were actually fighting over the soda!

Here he is trying the soda:

My husband and I asked him how it tasted. He said pretty good, he actually really liked it. We were curious for ourselves, so we each took a sip of it. I have to say it is very interesting flavor. It really does taste like Turkey & Gravy.

My husband should look for it for his friend, he'd probably get a real kick out of it. Especially if he is a vegetarian, because Tofurky and Gravy Jones Soda, is perfect for vegetarians, who want some turkey on Thanksgiving. Because it tastes like it but doesn't contain any real turkey in it.

Of course when my daughter got home from her Girl Scout meeting later, she wanted to try on the turkey hat. With out even realizing it, for a few seconds I had her on video.

My husband and I even tried it on, but I didn't get pictures of that (lol). I have a feeling they are going to be fighting over who wears this hat on Thanksgiving!

Aloha Friday #11

2009-11-20T08:43:00.000-05:00

An Island Life hosts this meme. Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.

My question: What are your plans for Thanksgiving?

My answer: We are going to my Mother's house. I am spoiled, my Mom does most of the cooking. Then Bonus - my kids will stay there for the weekend, while my husband and I can have a weekend to ourselves, and hopefully get some more Christmas shopping done.

Be a Pop Star!

2009-11-19T10:16:00.000-05:00

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

Do you dream of being a Pop Star? Well now there is a really cool way that you can make that happen. It is called PopStation. This is a site where you can register for free and then start making that singing career you dream of start.

What PopStation is, is an online music and entertainment singing experience. You can sing your way to the top of the charts. And you may even qualify to win an album deal.

How you do this is, you enter what they call the practice rooms. Every week there is a new song released for each genre of music, such as Hip Hop, Country, etc. Then you can go in the practice room, where you will record your own song. Everything you need to do so is there for you such as lyrics sheets, etc.

Then your song will be entered into the contest. And they will get voted on by the PopStation audience, which is people just like you. There are no celebrity judges, or panels.

Then the really sweet thing is that every three months someone will win "The Big Deal." What the Big Deal is, is that the winner will get an all expense paid trip to NYC. Where you will stay for 3 nights in a really cool hotel. Then you will get to go to a professional recording studio. And you will get to spend two days recording your very own album. All with the help of a professional production team.

That is if you win. And the only way to have a chance to win is to enter. So what are you waiting for? If you dream of being a big Pop Star, then get on over to PopStation!

Thursday Thirteen #31

2009-11-19T07:55:00.000-05:00

I feel like Thanksgiving nowadays is an over looked holiday. I like Thanksgiving, it was my Father's favorite holiday too.

Here's thirteen things I like about Thanksgiving: (traditional things my family always has)

1. Turkey
2. Stuffing
3. Mashed Potatoes
4. Squash
5. My mom's pecan rolls
6. clam dip
7. gravy
8. green beans
9. mixed nuts (the kind you need a nut cracker to open)
10. brownies
11. apple pies
12. ice cream
13. And of course spending time with family

Go to Thursday Thirteen to play along too!

Shop Using The Dirt Devil Holiday Gift Guide

2009-11-18T10:29:00.000-05:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hoover and Dirt Devil. All opinions are 100% mine.

As I have mentioned in some previous posts, I have already started some Christmas shopping. As I'm shopping I can always use some advice and tips on shopping. That is why I was excited to come across the Dirt Devil Holiday Gift Guide.

As I'm sitting here contemplating weather or not I want to go out shopping in the stores, I started to look over the Dirt Devil Holiday Gift Guide. And I may reconsider going out to shop. Instead I may do a lot of my shopping online. That is because on the buying guide I saw that there was over 300 tips on ways to save with online shopping.

Some helpful things I found on the Guide were a list of websites for Black Friday and for Cyber Monday. Also listed is many sites with Promo Codes. It is great to get these codes because when checking out online using these codes many places will give you great deals on shipping, and other special offers.

Using this guide you can save even more on shipping. They state that the second annual free shipping day is December 17, 2009. Many websites are offering free shipping on that day, and the Dirt Devil Holiday Gift Guide will help you find those sites.

They even have offers on gifts for him, her and family favorites. And there is so much more to find on this guide. This is truly an awesome gift guide for your holiday shopping. Go check it out for yourself!

WW #82 "Horseback Riding"

2009-11-18T08:48:00.001-05:00

About 3 weeks ago, on one of my Camera Critter posts,I mentioned my daughter was going horseback riding with her Girl Scout troop. Well I just received some pictures from her troop leader the other day.

Here's my daughter on a horse for the first time. She really enjoyed doing this. They also spent an hour before teaching them about horses (like what they eat, how to brush them, etc.)

Visit Wordless Wednesday , 5 minutes for Mom, 7 Clown Circus, Sunnymama & Mom Dot for more participants.

Sign Up For SponsoredTweets!

2009-11-17T21:47:00.001-05:00

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

I love Twitter. I joined Twitter way back in February of 2008. At first I didn't take it too seriously. But as time went on, I found it a fun way to share information. Information about my blog, what's going on in my world. And it is also a great way to see what is going on with other people, by reading their tweets.

Another thing I love about Twitter, is that you can also make some money by tweeting. There is a great new marketplace that was recently launched from IZEA. It is called SponsoredTweets. I signed up for SponsoredTweets when it first launched a few months ago. And I have steadily made some money from it.

It is very easy to sign up for sponsored tweets. Just go to the SponsoredTweets site, and add your Twitter account to it. After you sign up, then you just set your price, add a category, and add some key words. Then you sit back and wait for offers from advertisers.

Then once you receive offers you can either accept them or reject them. If you accept an offer then your account will be credit within 24 hours of your tweet. Once your account reaches $50. you can cash out.

There is even a referral program. About 7 people have signed up under me, and every time they post a SponsoredTweet I make a percentage off of it too! Even celebrities are joining in on SponsoredTweets, such as, Kim Kardashian, and Holly Madison.

So if you are on Twitter anyway and are looking for a way to make some extra money, check out SponsoredTweets.

Ruby Tuesday #11

2009-11-17T19:12:00.003-05:00

Today my husband took down my clothes line for the winter. I will restart hanging clothes out again in the spring.

It reminded me of a picture I had taken a few months ago. When I was hanging up a load of our clothes, I noticed how many red articles of clothing we had.

Tweet To Make A Child's Dream Come True!

2009-11-16T22:13:00.000-05:00

A few days ago I blogged about what a great search engine LeapFish is. Well now I found out about something really terrific they are doing.

LeapFish is teaming up with Make-a-Wish Foundation to help an ill child's dream come true. Through a social media fundraising initiative called tweet-a-cause you could help make a little boy's dream come true.

This is truly inspiring! Twitter users can have the chance to help a really wonderful cause. One tweet at a time! LeapFish will donate 5 cents per tweet to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. They will do this until $10,00 has been raised.

Jacob is a 4 year old child, who has been diagnosed with a rare life-threatening disease. And his only wish is that he and his family get to go to Disneyland. With LeapFish, Make-a-Wish Foundation and Twitter this can happen!

I have already tweeted twice to help this cause. And plan to some more later. If you have a Twitter account I encourage you to visit the tweet-a-cause website. There you will be able to simply hit a button with the tweet message already set up for you.

This is such an easy thing to do, and is for a great cause. If all the Twitter users could retweet the message, then this little boy's dream is sure to come true!

Christmas Shopping

2009-11-16T21:00:00.000-05:00

I have already started Christmas shopping. Which for me is earlier then ever. I might do some more later this week too. Between my mother, sister and I (or Santa) we are going to get my son a Playstation 3. So I want to go later this week and try to buy it.

One thing I'm somewhat happy about is that I have money saved in my Paypal account. Since as early as even July, any money I have made blogging, I have kept in my account. And I'm using that as my Christmas money. I even got a Paypal debit card, so I can use it, where ever they take Visa cards, even online. So it's like my own little savings account!

DVD-Ranger

2009-11-16T14:19:00.000-05:00

My sister has a lot of DVDs that I like. And that I don't own myself. For example The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy and The Star Wars Trilogy. She's really into Science Fiction. I love these movies too, but don't own them on DVD. I borrowed them from her, but would like to have my own copies of them.

Well now there is a really easy way to copy DVDs. It is called dvd-ranger. DVD-Ranger has over 8 years of experience. And DVD-Ranger is delivering highly secure and readily available recording and copying applications. DVD-Ranger was created to maximize the DVD copying experience. And it adheres to the strict international copyright laws.

Copying your DVDs is as simple as 3 easy steps. All you have to do is insert the original DVD, select the project type and start copying. You can also back up your DVDs to BlueRay. You can actually copy 10 DVDs onto 1 BlueRay.

You can even customize your DVDs by selecting content you want on the final copy. Such as unwanted languages or other content. You simply deselect unwanted languages and other content and start copying. You can even make mobile copies of your DVDs. DVD-Ranger supports a wide range of mobile players such as PSP, iPod and more.

If I could start using the DVD-Ranger I could start getting some of those DVDs from my sister I really want.

Mellow Yellow Monday #22

2009-11-16T10:28:00.000-05:00

Fire hydrants when I was growing up I think were always red. Well I guess times have changed. My city recently painted all the fire hydrants this way:

Not sure if it was necessary or the reasoning behind these colors. But it makes for some pretty fire hydrants.

Jiffy Lube Motor Oil Matters $35 Gift Card Giveaway

2009-11-16T09:05:00.000-05:00

Ever since I started driving and bought my first car, I have known about the importance of getting regular oil changes. That is the the first thing my Dad and my friends told me about owning a car. It is very important to the maintenance of your car, and could save you a lot of money in the long run.

So I was very excited to receive a $35 gift card to Jiffy Lube to get an oil change. My husband and I really try to get the oil changed every 3000 miles on our cars. My husband took my car in on Friday to get an oil change and the service was great. He had a complete oil change done and was very satisfied with the service.

There is also a great website called MotorOilMatters.org. There is a lot of useful information on there. And is a great resource about motor oil changes and your vehicle.

Additionally, to make a trip to get your oil changed even more rewarding, Pennzoil® has partnered with the VH1 Save The Music Foundation through its "Play The Music. Save The Music" Campaign, and now through December 6, 2009 anyone can receive up to 46 FREE music downloads and up to a $15 service certificate back by mail, when they get their oil changed at Jiffy Lube and other Pennzoil® participating installers. See www.pennzoil.com for details and to find your local participating installer locations.

Win it: One lucky reader will win a $35 Gift Card to Jiffy Lube.

Mandatory Entry: Visit MotorOilMatters.org and tell me one thing you learned or found interesting on their site.

EXTRA ENTRIES: (leave separate comment for each entry you do. For example if you blog about this giveaway - worth 5 entries - please leave 5 separate comments)

1. Follow my blog (publicly)
2. Follow me on Twitter & tweet this giveaway (use retweet button above if you like)
3. Daily entries: tweet giveaway
4. "Grab my Button" and post it on your blog (worth 3 entries)
5. For 5 extra entries blog about this giveaway, linking back to this post.
6. Play the interactive quiz on MotorOilMatters.org called M.O.M Knows Best and tell me how you scored.

RULES: Giveaway is open to US Residents only. Giveaway ends November 29, 2009 at 11:59 PM. Winner will be chosen via Random.org. Must have valid email in blog profile or leave email in comments otherwise you will be disqualified. Winner will have 48 hrs. to confirm by email, If no confirmation in that time frame a new winner will be chosen.

DISCLAIMER: Shell Lubricants and MotorOilMatters.org provided me with the gift card and information through MyBlogSpark.