a dash of sassitude

Giveaway Time

2008-05-12T09:47:00.000-07:00

There are 31 subscribers on here and only two on my new a dash of sassitude. I've moved, you're gonna miss out on all the new fun stuff if you don't resubscribe over there. :) I won't be updating this site anymore.

I'm hosting a giveaway on the new a dash of sassitude. Go check it out! In fact, I'll be hosting on next week and the week after, too.

I'M MOVING!!!

2008-04-28T18:52:00.000-07:00

Hubby bought me a new domain: a dash of sassitude! Come join me over at my new home! I've got the place all spiffied up. I've also got some fun surprises in store over there.

I'm Having a Giveaway...

2008-04-27T11:07:00.000-07:00

No, not here, THERE. Check it out for your chance to win A Mother's Heart Knows. :) You only have until Tuesday, April 29th, so don't dilly dally. And there is a question you must answer to qualify. Don't worry, it isn't 'What is your bank account number?' or anything serious like that. This time. hehe

Bloggy Giveaway Hangover Anyone

2008-04-25T08:15:00.001-07:00

Wow - over 800 giveaways this round. You know what that means? There are some serious givers out there that know how blessed a person is when they give. I'm still bummed that I missed out on this round (as a giver). Thankfully, we are once again healthy and next time, I'll have something fun planned I'm sure.

I did, however, manage to enter some giveaways. Wowza! There are gift cards, books, clothes, jewelry, toys...so many neat things to possibly win. My fingers feel like nubs and my kids are tired of staring at the back of my head. :)

Life is returning to normal as we hit the end of the giveaways. I've found some new blogs to read. Here are a couple blogs I am enjoying thanks to Bloggy Giveaways:

Marsha from Our School and Other Such Happenings has a gorgeous blog and she has a great sense of humor. :)

The Natural Mommy is another new favorite of mine. I can totally relate to her posts and love her writing style.

Thoughts from Miller Manor is fun to read and I love the look of her blog.

Now, I'm off to enter one or two more giveaways and then the kids and I have some friends to hang out with this afternoon. Bring on the girly chit chat and FOOD. :)

The Bloggy Giveaway Carnival

2008-04-23T20:26:00.000-07:00

With everyone being sick here, I almost missed this. I wish I could have hosted a giveaway this time because it was such a blast last time! I'm sure there will be another and I hope to be ready for it. :)

In the meantime, there is several hundred giveaways going on right now, so head on over and have fun! (Click on the banner)

Where Have I Been?

2008-04-20T09:06:00.000-07:00

We were hit hard by the flu here. Fevers, croup (it sounded like we had some barking seals in the house), sore throats, ear aches, runny noses, stuffed noses, chapped skin, sinus infections, headaches, chills, coughs, throwing up, sleep troubles...it has been loads of fun. I've been so tired, I've spoken nonsense at times lol.

We had to steam the kids, take them out in the cold air, give prescription meds, put Vicks on feet and chests, drink loads of tea, drink plenty of water, eat an immune boosting soup, take honey and lemon mixture, get lots of rest, pray, spend nights sitting up, spend days snuggling sick little ones - it's been exhausting.

I have felt anything but sassy for over a month.

Are we done yet? Not quite. In fact, I'd love to crawl in bed as my ears and throat hurt right now, but I've missed blogging and figured I should let everyone know what's up. Most of the kids are back to healthy. Hubby and I seem to be bring up the tail end of this fun round of the flu.

I will say this - there was a drastic improvement when I kicked the natural remedies into full gear. I'll share some of what I did for a works for me Wednesday post soon. :)

In the midst of the chaos here, my darling hubby bought my own domain for a dash of sassitude and I'm working on setting up a new wordpress blog for it. Only one problem, I can't seem to figure out how to get a second sidebar. If anyone can guide me, I'd be ever so grateful!

It's seriously slowing me down with the launch of the new site. I hope to unveil the new blog soon!

It's A Party!!

2008-03-07T18:55:00.000-08:00

You've made it! Welcome to the party with a dash of sassitude. Can you believe the hundreds of blogs already joining in the blog party? Talk about fun.

I'm a sassy blogging mama married to an amazing man who finds me amusing. I think that's a good thing.

We have six fantabulous kids with varying degrees of sass depending on who they take after.

Higher sass levels definitely means they resemble their father. What?

I rest my case.

Why this blog? Well, I came up with a dash of sassitude and thought, "What a cool name for a blog". On a lark, I checked to see if it was available on blogger. It was and I clicked away not needing yet another blog.

A little while later, I discovered I had actually clicked make a blog instead of cancel. I couldn't let it go to waste. After a little brainstorming, a dash of sassitude officially came to life.

I've had a blast reviewing products, hosting giveaways, and writing about things only a sassy mom could appreciate.

Now I know you have other parties to attend to this week, so I'll wrap this up. Need a dash of sassitude in your life? You can subscribe over on the sidebar. You'll even have the option to subscribe to my other bloggity blogs.

And if you want to party with me some more, check out my other blogs: Enoikeo, My Meandering Mind, Penning Prose, and Six Short of a Dozen all have unique party posts.

Please leave a sassy comment before you leave. I'd love to visit you at your place.

The banner at the top of the page will take you to The Ultimate Blog Party. There are lots of people to get to know, blogs to check out and PRIZES to win.

My top three picks are:

♥ The Rocking Horse from A Rocking Horse to Love
♥ The webcam from Liz at This Full House
♥ A $50 gift certificate to Emily Rose

If those are already taken, I'd love the following (in order):
15, 37, 59, 55, 60, 39, 103, 87, 47, 11, 62, 34, 64, 7, 17, 46, 74, 100, 105, 104, 99, 3, 75, 28, 8, 90, 73, 70 - after that, anything is fine. :)

There are so many awesome things that it's really hard to choose. You don't even need a blog to participate. Now go have fun!

Show and Tell: Me

2008-03-07T09:52:00.000-08:00

I'm new to the Show and Tell Friday meme, but I thought it would be fun to add it to a dash of sassitude, so you can get to know me better. With that in mind, my first Show and Tell subject is me.

Don't these glasses make me look smart? I've been wearing them for less than a year, but I feel like I've always worn them. There wasn't much of an adjustment period going from nothing to glasses. This probably has something to do with my obsession with sassy sunglasses.

This picture actually tells a lot about me. See the hair color? I'm actually a blonde naturally. My blonde moments come out full farce when the roots begin to show.

Anyway, the next thing you see is my top. I love fun and funky clothes. This one is near and dear to my heart (literally) because it has images from London all over it. I actually lived in London as a child and moved back to the states when I was 10. Yes, I was a Navy brat. Now, I'm just a brat. Sometimes.

It's hard to see, but I'm wearing a sterling silver necklace. I LOVE sterling silver. My hubby bought this necklace for me when I asked him to choose a cross for me. I wanted a special necklace from him and one that would remind me of Jesus. This one shows Jesus on the cross. It reminds me of what He did for me. And for you. Sentimental x two.

Now look behind me. See the tea cups? I happen to love tea. English influence? Perhaps. I raise my pinky when I sip my tea. You HAVE to raise your pinky finger. That's how real tea drinkers do it.

I love tea cups. We have a lot of tea cups in our cabinet and all my kids love tea. I'll save that for a future show and tell.

The tea cups behind me in the photo hold all sorts of fun buttons. I actually bought this set of cups for a craft project. I need hubby's help. Or I may modify the design. HMMMM. Mind is whirling. Creativity is flowing. I gots an idea. I guess I now have another future Show and Tell.

Which brings me to the next thing in the photo. See all those mini drawers? Lots of crafting goodies to be found in there. I love working with my hands and behind me is my craft desk and supplies.

One last thing you can learn about me in this photo: see the mango wall? Pretty huh. Why a bold color on the wall? Well, this room is my office, craft, school room. I wanted something that would inspire creativity. Mango and yellow walls! Total FUN! I'll take you on a tour later for Show and Tell.

To think, I wondered if I'd have enough ideas for Show and Tell Fridays and they seem to be all over the place. I love it when an accident comes together. ;)

Amazing what you can learn about a person from one, little photograph. For more Show and Tell Friday goodness, click on the banner.

Works for Me Wednesday - Backwards Edition!

2008-03-05T14:34:00.000-08:00

Today it's Works for Me Wednesday: The Backwards Edition! This means I get to ask you for tips on my dilemma. What is my dilemma? I'm so glad you asked.

I want to incorporate more bean and rice dishes into our meal plans because they are not only healthy, but frugal. However, warmer days are coming, so I'd like to skip the soup and opt for summer friendly recipes.

I'd love for you to share your favorite/best recipes for bean and rice dishes (can be together or separate) that are especially wonderful when it's HOT outside. :)

I look forward to seeing what you all come up with.

Click on the banner for more Works For Me Wednesday ideas!

And the Ribbon Rockstar winner is...

2008-03-02T08:26:00.000-08:00

I apologize for keeping you all in suspense for an extra day (now you know why I write suspense novels), but we have some sick kiddos here and I'm fighting sinus stuff myself. FUN!

This was a fun giveaway because I love the product and I got some cute pictures of Little Miss Amber as a result. Thank you everyone for entering and make sure you come back and visit soon.

Now for the moment you've been anticipating. Who is the winner of the Hanna Montana bow? According to random.org, the randomly selected number is 2!

Stacey Moore who said she loves 'the Made to Match Tres Chic bows!! my soon to be 4 year old loves to rock out the show with hannah montana!! thanks' and 'i am already a subscriber and already have your button!! we would so love to win the hairbow!!'

Thanks for your support of this new blog, Stacey. Congratulations on winning the hair bow. Please email me to claim your prize and I'll forward your email to Linda at Ribbon Rockstar.

Thanks again for playing along everyone.

Giveaways Around the Net

2008-02-27T16:09:00.000-08:00

Don't forget my own Ribbon Rockstar giveaway here at a dash of sassitude!

The Opinionated Parent is hosting a giveaway for a fun kid's CD called Fast and Feisty by Princess Katie & Racer Steve. The music is lively and the message is positive. I can see Little Miss Princess and Wild Dude dancing around the house to this. :) Go check it out before the deadline on March 5, 2008 at midnight MST.

Tag, I'm It

2008-02-25T08:34:00.000-08:00

I've been tagged by Tami from Tree Swing Reading for this fun meme.

The Rules:
1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.

The nearest book happens to be the one I just reviewed on my other blog, Penning Prose with Audra Silva: Taming Rafe by Susan May Warren.

Here's the snippet from page 123:

"From the colors and delicacy of the flowers to the landscape that can't make up its mind to the sky that seems to stretch from the first gasp of wonder to the next and beyond." She lay back onto the grass, tracing the clouds, in the endless ocean of blue. "Yeah, I like this place."

This was such a good book. Check out my review here.

I tag Charlyn, Jules, Bev (who needs to write a post this year), Pietra, and Heather. Leave a comment if you do it, so I can come check it out. :)

Review and giveaway: Ribbon Rockstar

2008-02-25T03:55:00.000-08:00

It's giveaway time. Stay tuned for the giveaway at the end of the review.

When Linda from Ribbon Rockstar contacted me to review her product, it took only a few minutes on her website before I eagerly agreed. Her bows are adorable and come in a various sizes, many different styles, a huge array of colors and two choices of clip types. I'm really pleased with the quality of these bows. The ribbon looks secure and she even covers part of the clip.

Her Baby Bows are about 1.5-2 inches wide. These little bows are perfect for babies and for pulling the hair back on the sides of older girls.

I received the Double Stacker in pink and white from the Basic Hair Bows section. Here's Little Miss Princess modeling this bow:

She made sure to turn, so you could see the back. She loved modeling this bow. As you can see, the Basic Bows are anything, but basic.

Next, Linda makes Boutique Hair Bows and the ribbons she uses have a lot of sassitude. These bows are fun and it would be hard to choose a favorite in this group.

The Character Hair Bows will be sure to excite your daughter. I have fallen in love with Miss Mouse myself. AND one of these character bows has been chosen for our giveaway, so stay tuned.

There are also Holiday Bows for Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Halloween, Christmas and even Patriotic Bows.

She has even made some Made to Match Bows for Gymboree. These would be adorable in any outfit that matches the colors. I have Standard Poodles and I'm thinking the Made to Match Tres Chic bows would be nice to have.

The final category is School Spirit. My second sample bow came from this group. Little Miss Princess wasn't quite in the modeling mood for this set of photos, but we managed to get some cute photos to show off the fantabulous Apple for the Teacher Bow. This one is perfect for the homeschooling mom or teacher or to match an apple outfit which we just so happen to have:

That is Little Miss Princess signing I love You (her interpretation) and starting to crumple. She became happy again when I showed her the pictures.

Here's a close up of this adorable bow.

I have one of each style of clip and they are both wonderful. If you have a little girl who loves wearing bows, either clip would be fine. However, if she doesn't like it when you take too long fixing her hair or if she decides she is done NOW, I recommend the alligator clip. It is quick to get in and out fast.

Win it: Linda has graciously offered a Hanna Montana Bowto be given away to one my readers.

Here's what you need to do to enter:

1. Visit Ribbon Rockstar and browse around.

2. Come back here to this post and leave a comment telling me which bow is your favorite and who you'd like to win the Hannah Montana bow for.

3. Extra entries:
a. Blog about this giveaway on your blog, come back here and leave a separate comment with the url directly to the blog post.
b. Subscribe to my blog (you can subscribe at the top of the sidebar), come back here and a separate comment telling me you did.
c. Add my button to your blog's sidebar, come back here and leave a separate comment with the url to your blog.

4. Make sure I have a way of contacting you or come back to see if you have won and then email me. If you haven't claimed your prize within three days, I'll have to choose another winner.

You have the chance for three extra entries, but you have to leave a separate comment for each thing you do, to make it easier for me to count the entries.

Contest ends Friday, February 29th. I'll announce the winners on Saturday, March 1st.

Giveaways Around the Net

2008-02-24T08:03:00.000-08:00

We seem to be going around and around with colds or bugs this winter. I'm fighting a cold, have fluid in my ears, and now it's moving to my chest. Fun. My voice seems to be coming and going today much to the delight of my children. Sounds like a great day to enter contests. :)

I'm A Drama Mama is hosting a "You Know, Whatever Giveaway" to celebrate her blog turning 1. What's the prize? It's a mystery. I love a good mystery, don't you? If you do, go grab the button before February 26th.

Kristin from An Ordinary Life is hosting a giveaway for some cool Retro Style sunglasses from Baby Banz. These are so cute! Deadline is March 1st.

Pippin Party is hosting a giveaway for a cool set (8) of Happy Birthday Plates from Department 56. They have some great posts about hosting parties, too. Check it out before the deadline on Saturday, March 1st.

Want your little one to learn sign language? Sassyfrazz is having a giveaway for a Baby Signing Time gift set or a Signing Time gift set. You can find out more about the DVDs from the Signing Time website. The deadline to enter is March 2 at 11:59 PM CST.

MommyKnows and www.thebabymarketplace.com (a great place to shop and learn about cloth diapers) are hosting the bumGenius 3.0 One-Size Cloth Diaper Give Away. Go on over and comment and be entered to Win one of two bumGenius 3.0 One-Size Cloth Diapers. Contest is over on February 27th, 2008 (@ 9:59 pm MT)

I'm a finalist!

2008-02-21T21:52:00.000-08:00

This is a sticky note. Scroll down for current post. :)

I'm a finalist for the Most Evocative Haiku for the Haiku Buckaroo contest over on My Mommy's Place. My entries can be found here and here.

I had a blast writing these and entering, but I had no idea I'd end up a finalist. :) Mine starts with 'As the gray sky weeps...'

Go cast your votes for your favorite Haiku now before it's too late.

Giveaways Around the Net

2008-02-21T17:18:00.000-08:00

Christine from Diapers to Diapers, and beyond! is holding two giveaways. First, you can win a $20 gift certificate to Announcements Galore. The deadline is 9pm (PST) Feb. 25th.

Her other giveaway is for a $25 gift certificate to Ribbon Rock Star. Let me tell you, these bows are so darn cute! (Look for my own review and giveaway coming soon!) Deadline to enter is 9pm (PST) Feb. 27th.

Need a blog makeover? Jen from Trendy Mommy Blog Design is giving away not one, but FIVE blog makeovers! Go check it out before the deadline on Tuesday, February 26th at midnight.

Blessed Arrows is having a giveaway where you can win the chance to choose one item from their store. She has some cute things on there. The deadline is 2/24/08.

Skin Care Part 1

2008-02-11T18:28:00.000-08:00

I don't really have a skin care regimen in place and my skin shows it. I don't break out a lot, but I have a subtle roughness on my face. My forehead has tiny bumps on it, my skin is dry and sometimes the T-Zone shines. Most of this isn't really noticeable to others, but I see it.

I love applying and trying new things in the art of makeup, but the canvas, my face, could use some improvement. I'm on a hunt for better skin tone and texture.

My plan is to use the Cetaphil knockoff morning and night with just a touch of moisturizer. I'm not going to use any foundation for a while unless I'm having my picture taken because it does even things out a bit.

What do you like to use to cleanse and moisturize your face? What does your facial skin care regimen consist of? Do you wash your face once or twice a day? Or are you more like me and it's a hit or miss routine?

Momviews - Bright October giveaway

2008-02-10T14:53:00.000-08:00

I told you Momviews has some fun giveaways. You can win a Haba Little Garden Pegging Game from Bright October. This is a cute wooden peg board game where your little one arranges the pieces of the garden. The deadline to enter is February 13th.

Momviews Giveaway - Pediped Shoes

2008-02-10T14:47:00.000-08:00

Momviews has another fun giveaway for the cutest shoes by Pediped! These would be adorable on Little Miss Princess. The soft soles and comfortable cushion makes these perfect for little feet. Hurry because the contest ends tomorrow, February 11th.

Momviews Giveaway - magazine subscription

2008-02-10T14:41:00.000-08:00

Momviews is hosting a giveaway. You can win a 2 year subscription to a new magazine for moms called Hybrid Mom. It's by moms about issues relevant to moms. Deadline to enter is February 13th.

Giveaways Around the Net

2008-02-10T11:37:00.000-08:00

I know I've been quiet. We've had a tummy bug going through the family this week. It's been a mess (literally and we had the laundry to prove it), but we seem to be almost over it. Just Little Miss Princess (almost 2) and mama.

Now on to the fun stuff:

Kailani is hosting a jewelry giveaway on An Island Life. You can win a beautiful necklace from Hazelnut Cottage. I especially love the meaning behind it which she mentions in her post. Check it out before the deadline on February 14th.

Kat is giving away a shirt from LTDchix. These shirts capture life as a mom with sassitude. My favorite design is this Fitness one, although I can relate to a couple of them for sure. Deadline is February 14th.

Teresa is holding a new contest over at her personal blog. Those entering have a chance at winning a beautiful floral necklace created by Lori Jaclyn. She’s willing to ship the prize anywhere, so anyone is eligible to participate! Deadline is February 17th.

And the winner is...

2008-02-03T18:07:00.000-08:00

somebody, but first, a message from the Queen of Sassitude:

Thank you, thank you. Speaking of thank you, thank you for joining in the fun here. I had a blast doing this giveaway and reading everyone's comments. Apparently, the dead plant is the new potted plant look. YES! I'm fashionable!

I will get around to visiting those of you who left a url in their comment, but it may take time. I am a mother of six and the comments on this blog alone were 126. I hosted five giveaways on five different blogs (I'm a blog addict), so you can imagine it might take a while.

Also, thanks to Shannon over on Bloggy Giveaways for making this fun event possible.

One more quick note before I announce the winner. You might want to subscribe to this blog because it is actually a blog where I host giveaways, review items (email me if you'd like me to review your product), and generally dish some sassitude. My email is over in the sidebar, along with my button if you want to share some linky love, and a way to subscribe if anyone is interested (you know you are - DO IT!) This has been a subliminal message in which you will now have the desire to do one of those things.

Now on to the fun! Who is the winner out of 126 comments? Let's turn to the overworked Random.org:

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

8

Timestamp: 2008-02-04 02:07:23 UTC

Number eight is:

Margaret who said...The mug is super cute!

Way to go, Margaret! I'd share some Linky Love, but alas, no URL. So, everyone say congrats in the comments! Margaret, email me with your snail address, so I can mail out your prize. :)

I hope everyone had a lot of fun and come back and visit sometime. If you leave your url, I'll come visit. :)

Giveaways Around the Net

2008-02-02T11:31:00.000-08:00

As always, I'll add giveaways to this post as I come across them today. :)

Angela and Connor are giving away a Yoga Mommies DVD over on their Seven Dogs and A Baby blog. Check out the review and then enter to win before Feb. 6th at midnight.

Popular Baby Products is having a giveaway for a $35 gift certificate to Attitude Pie. They have some cute clothes! Deadline to enter is Thursday, February 7th.

Giveaway Marathon

2008-02-02T11:26:00.001-08:00

I think I wore my fingers down to nubs entering all of those giveaways. I've had a blast both entering and holding my own giveaways this week. Mine end later today, so hurry if you haven't entered yet:

http://adashofsassitude.blogspot.com/2008/01/giveaway-with-sassitude.html
http://www.audrasilva.com/blog/?p=39
http://fff.thesilvas.com/?p=44
http://writingmom.bravejournal.com/entry/30041
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/sixshortofadozen/470732/

I'm glad there is a break between the big Bloggy Giveaway Carnivals, but I'm already planning what to give away next time. :)

Stay tuned for the winners to be announced tomorrow!

A Giveaway with Sassitude

2008-01-29T16:30:00.000-08:00

Contest open to those with a US mailing address only. I'm sorry, I can't afford the extra shipping at this time.

Have you heard the buzz? The Bloggy Giveaways Carnival is in full swing. As of this posting, there are almost 700 giveaways linked to the Carnival (and I haven't added my five yet!). There are guidelines on that post if you want to host your own, too. Lots of fun to be had this week.

Now on to my own giveaway with sassitude! You can win a beautiful plant...check it out:

Oh wait...looks like I forgot to water it. Hmmmm, I've got it. You can win something delicious for the chocoholic in you:

Much better. How do you win this yummy gift? Just leave a comment on this post. I prefer comments with sassitude, but any comment will do as long as it is family friendly. Maybe you could tell me something interesting about you! Contest ends Saturday, February 2nd and the winner will be announced Sunday, February 3rd.

PLEASE make sure I can get in touch with you or make sure you check back Sunday. If I can't get your mailing information, I'll have to select another winner.

Contest open to those with a US mailing address only. I'm sorry, I can't afford the extra shipping at this time.