Baby, It's Cold Outside

I don't mind the cold so much. I don't love it, but I can deal.

You just can't hate snow when the little ones love it so much!

I don't mind the snow. It's beautiful when it's falling, the kids LOVE it, and it can be downright fun.

No hat for her, no gloves for him, luckily it was our side yard so they could run in and get them after the five minutes it took for them to get cold. ;)

On one of our oldest son's surprise visits, we immediately went out to play in the snow.
There's a park in town that's perfect for snowboarding/sledding.

The 3 youngest climbing back up the hill at the local park to take another sled run down the hill.

What I do mind is driving on ice, and of course, every single year it ends up being a necessity, more than once. Having lived in south Florida for 18 years, where it never even gets cold, I think it's natural that it would take me some time to adjust to winter weather, and driving in it. But it's been 7 years now. I don't think I'm going to adjust to the latter.

Now to make matters worse, hubby's car is broken down.

I've mentioned it before that we differ on a lot of things, despite being gloriously, happily married. One of those is cars. When I was working (which was my whole life until recently), I had a new car...the warranty would go out and I would opt for an extended or trade-in for a new car. I like the security, I don't mind the payments.

Hubby is completely different. He thinks it's ridiculous to shell out the kind of money that it costs to get a new vehicle, and he won't do it. Well, I've been out of work for awhile now (5 1/2 yrs. to be exact). We opted to have one final child added to our family, and since we moved up north to a state where finding high paying work isn't so easy (I took a far less paying job and stayed until little man was born), we decided I'd stay home with him.

AWESOME decision. BUT, that meant hubby was solely in charge of finances (except for my bills, I write to pay my own bills, and I pay for our vacations)...and that meant no new car. Fortunately, I purchased a new vehicle right before we moved here and paid it off w/the sale of the house.  It's had a couple of problems here and there but is still running like a champ.  It's getting old though, just topped the 100k mark in miles (YIKES!). I'm not used to driving a car that's older and has no warranty.  It makes me nervous if I think about it.

Well now hubby's car has broken down. He's taken it to be fixed four times. FOUR times. And each day after getting it back (and shelling out the money to fix whatever got fixed) it has broken down w/the exact same symptom the very next day. No one can find what's wrong w/it. And so it's retired. Sitting in our driveway until hubby decides what to do with it. And that's instantly left us a one-car family.

That means I have to get up early, drive him to work, and then come back to drive the kids to school.

This morning we had the ice...everywhere. And I don't know if it's a budget thing or what, but the roads were not salted. The highway was a disaster with the wind blowing the snow from the median across the highway, and cars would be going fast and then drop speed so suddenly it left you worrying (validly) that the guy behind you was going to slam into you! Scary stuff. And I hate it, every single time.

I read recently that people in the north live longer than any other region in the US. I think the reason for that must be the jump start to the heart that drivers get every winter, lol. For me it's downright scary, and when my vehicle starts fishtailing or sliding...all I can say is ugh. I took the back roads home from hubby's work this morning, so I could drive slow. But it was still scary.

The simple solution, of course, would be to move back to my beloved sunny Florida.  But hubby hates it there.  Despises it.  So it's just not an option.  He loves it here, and his family is here too.  And so I'll deal with the winter driving.  But I don't like it.  I don't think I'll ever like it.  Maybe we can be snowbirds...ah, the thought of it is even divine.  :)  Except of course, hubby doesn't like Florida, lol.

The Lone Ranger is Coming!

The Lone Ranger is coming, woot!  Not until summer...but it's coming.  And Courtney's (from Mommy LaDy Club) soon to be victor in her 'Ultimate Leading Man' poll (hehehe, sorry Courtney, I could not resist) is starring in it (that would be the ever so handsome Johnny Depp).  If you haven't voted yet, the poll is still up and running.

Link: http://yhoo.it/rangerbowl

All press materials can be downloaded from http://www.wdsmediafile.com/WaltDisneyStudios/ and http://www.wdsmediafile.com/disney/loneranger/

“Like” THE LONE RANGER on Facebook: www.facebook.com/theloneranger

"Follow" THE LONE RANGER on Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneypictures  

THE LONE RANGER rides into theaters on July 3rd!

DISNEY DEBUTS NEW FOOTAGE FOR “THE LONE RANGER” ON CBS PREGAME SHOW

Tune In to Enter The Lone Ranger “Who Will You Ride With on Game Day” Sweepstakes

BURBANK, CALIF. (January 29, 2013)–Disney announced today that they will be debuting a brand-new :90 sneak peek for the highly anticipated Disney/Jerry Bruckheimer Films summer blockbuster “The Lone Ranger” on Sunday, February 3, during the CBS Pregame Show 2:00 PM EST. In conjunction with the release of the new footage, Disney will hold a sweepstakes that offers participants a chance to win prizes provided by SUBWAY® restaurants and Kawasaki.

To participate in The Lone Ranger “Who Will You Ride With on Game Day” Sweepstakes* and get a chance to win prizes for “You and Your Kemosabe,” tune in and follow @LoneRanger on Twitter.  For a chance to win, after the sneak peek airs answer trivia questions about the spot correctly and use #LONERANGER in the reply. All correct entries will be entered in a blind drawing for a chance to win a prize pack, such as Kawasaki helmets, SUBWAY®  gift cards, and more.  Each prize pack includes two prizes, one each for “You and Your Kemosabe.”The sweepstakes will end February 4, 2013, at 3:00 p.m. PST. Entries will also be accepted via email tolonerangersweeps@thaweb.com.   

Starting today, fans can also text RANGER to Disney** (347639) to receive a Tune In reminder to watch “The Lone Ranger” new footage debut during the CBS Pregame Show and, in addition, receive updates on “The Lone Ranger.”

Check Facebook.com/TheLoneRanger or Disney.com/LoneRanger for more details, or follow @LoneRanger on Twitter.

From producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski, the filmmaking team behind the blockbuster “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise, comes Disney/Jerry Bruckheimer Films’ “The Lone Ranger,” a thrilling adventure infused with action and humor, in which the famed masked hero is brought to life through new eyes.  Native American spirit warrior Tonto (Johnny Depp) recounts the untold tales that transformed John Reid (Armie Hammer), a man of the law, into a legend of justice—taking the audience on a runaway train of epic surprises and humorous friction as the two unlikely heroes must learn to work together and fight against greed and corruption.

“The Lone Ranger” also stars Tom Wilkinson, William Fichtner, Barry Pepper, James Badge Dale, Ruth Wilson and Helena Bonham Carter.

A Disney/Jerry Bruckheimer Films presentation, “The Lone Ranger” is directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Gore Verbinski, with screen story by Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio and Justin Haythe and screenplay by Justin Haythe and Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio. “The Lone Ranger” releases in U.S. theaters on July 3, 2013.

*No Purchase Necessary.  Void Where Prohibited.  Open to legal residents 13 years or older of the 50 United States and District of Columbia.  To enter each of the ten sweepstakes, entrant must correctly answer on twitter.com the trivia question as posted on twitter.com/longranger and include hashtag #loneranger.  Starts after :90 sneak peek plays during CBS Pregame Show on or around 2:30 p.m. PST, February 3, 2013 and ends 3:00 p.m. PST., February 4, 2013.  Entrants may also enter by sending their email address to lonerangersweeps@thaweb.com.  For official rules: https://www.facebook.com/notes/the-lone-ranger/the-lone-ranger-who-will-you-ride-with-on-game-day-sweepstakes-rules/10151431178693373.  Sponsor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

**Msg. & data rates may apply. If under 18, get your parents’ permission first

Yahtzee Queen (Wordless Wednesday)

Our household Yahtzee Queen

She rolls one EVERY SINGLE TIME!
I say luck...she says mad skills. ;)

Hacked (what a great word)

So, yesterday was fun (sarcasm).  I tried to pull up my blog only to find it had been hacked.  Now I know why the word sounds so ugly...being hacked is an ugly thing.

But, I did learn a few things along the way.

One:  There is a way to insert a meta-tag on your home page to track your blog's health.  I tried this multiple times and failed.

Two:  There is a section called 'spam' that has hundreds of comments that were not published.  Some of those were legit, so if you've left a comment on here and it hasn't show up, I really apologize.  It would take too long to sort through all of the old ones and mark them 'not spam' so they would show up, and I'm sure most people have long forgotten them anyway.  Now I know though, about that section, and I will be checking it regularly to make sure your comments do show up because I appreciate you taking the time to post them.

Some were spam, boy were they.

And a couple were not nice...those can just stay in the spam. ;)

Three:  I really like Blogger.  It's free, simple to use, effective, and I like the layout, but if you're trying to reach a person to help you, or an e-mail addy for contact purposes, hahahahhahahhahahahhahahahhahahahahahhaha.  Okay, that's all I have to say about that one.

Final Thoughts and Questions:

All's well that ends well, but I'm not sure about what to do to prevent it from happening again.

I know a lot of you don't like word capture, so that's out, but what about the check-box verification...does that help?  And is that option even available on Blogger?

How about backing your blog up?  I've done it once...a few weeks ago, but I don't do it regularly.  If you blog, do you back yours up regularly?  If so, do you back it up on your computer, Cloud, or an external device?

Last...if you have any other tips, advice, or thoughts, I'd appreciate hearing them. I'm not at all tech savvy though...so if it's a difficult process to fix something, and it's worth it, I try my best, but I'd rather have simple (and protected).

Thanks, all.

Bailey Berry Children's Shoe Review

Bailey Berry Shoes come with this great zippered mesh bag, a bracelet, and reversible straps for the shoes

Bailey Berry is a fairly new company, founded in 2010 that makes the cutest little shoes for kids.  We spend a lot of time at the lake in the summer, and these shoes are going to be perfect for then...they're nice and thick (sturdy), but still airy and easy to slip on and off.  This is important for us because we don't want the kiddos to burn their feet on the sand, but we don't want to have to take a long time messing around with laces, buckles, and the like either.

Bailey Berry shoes also come with an additional set of straps, which are reversible, so you end up getting four designs to choose from (so the shoes match most any outfit) and they're fun for the kids.  You can see the double designs on the straps in the picture above.  Bailey Berry shoes come in six different colors and offer a good variety of strap styles too.

I asked my son what he thought of the shoes after running around in them for a little bit.  He said, "They have these little pointy things in them that make them super comfy."  Sure enough, there were soft comfort points covering every place inside of the shoe where the foot rests.

We thought these shoes were fun, comfortable (out of the mouths of babes) and good looking too.  They are also anti-microbial, washable, and made from recycled materials.  Keep them in mind when you're headed out on your mid-winter mini-vacations (gotta have shoes for the pool) or planning ahead for summer.

You can learn more about Bailey Berry on their website.  You can also follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest.

Disclosure:  I received a product to help facilitate the review.  No other form of compensation took place.  All opinions stated are my own.

Winner Announcement

Congratulations to Shea B. who was randomly selected by Rafflecopter as the winner of the $10 Starbucks Giveaway. Thank you to all who entered!

Soft Neutrals or Bright & Bold?

Hubby and I agree on a lot of things, but there are other things we don't agree on:  books, movies,  and furniture come to mind instantly.  Another area we don't agree on is paint.  I like Earthy neutral colors like this soft taupe-y beige I put in the kitchen.  It feels warm and home-y to me, and to him it feels blah.

We had a spicier color that I put in the kitchen (it was supposed to be peach but came out orange-ish, ew).  I left it up a few weeks and it just kept nagging at me, so I replaced it with this color, which I LOVE!  That's when I found out hubby liked the other color, and he doesn't like this one.  *sigh*

This is the soft taupe color in the kitchen. I love this paint!

He also likes the bright, sunny, happy yellow in the master bathroom (that came with the house) and I despise it, hate it, wish it was not there...but I know he loves it, and so we leave it.

Which leads me up to our anniversary.  Last year (towards the end of the year), one of the gifts he got me was a gift card to Sherwin-Williams.  We went together just before Christmas and picked out our paint.  Not surprisingly, he wanted zip and zing in the colors, and I wanted soft, neutral tones.  We ended up agreeing on a color that was sort of a mix of the two, and the cans sat untouched until last night when I started painting the dining room (which until now has been white because we couldn't agree on a color).

It looked more green to me in the can than blue, but now that it's on the walls and drying, it's a gray/blue kind of color.

My first brush stroke brought out a gasp, 'oh my, that color!' lol

I'm not against color...in clothes, in decorations, or other people's homes (sometimes I love it in other people's homes, it's just not for me).  I think this is not bright or 'poppy' enough of a color for hubs and it's too much of the wrong color for me.

BUT, this was an anniversary gift he got me, and we selected the color together, so it's not so easy of  a solution as to simply repaint with a color I love (like I did in the kitchen).  Hubby put a good deal of thought into getting gifts he knew I would like, and painting over the color we selected together seems...rude (or ungrateful), neither of which I want to be with my husband.

It was difficult to show the color contrast, so I did a swipe on a wall that's not prepped yet (cleaned, dried, taped, and the pictures removed), so you could see it.

What to do... what to do...

We'll see...maybe it'll grow on me.  :)  Doesn't matter, it's there for awhile, so I'll find a way to make it pretty (the room).  That's what we women do. ;)

As for the painting itself, I did have a helper (sort of).  My little one was giddy excited when I started getting out the paint, just like his older sister was when I did the bathroom. Something about kids and paint...

But the questions started in right away:

Can I help?  When can I help?  Is it time for me to help now?  Why are you cleaning the wall?  When can we paint?  I've had kids a long time, so I knew just what to do (works every time).

The fastest way, in my experience, to get a child to quit asking, "Can I help paint?" is give him a paint roller.  Once he gets it out of his system (and it doesn't take long) he or she will be on their merry way, doing what little kids should be doing (playing).

When the painting's done, the whole room is going to have to be redecorated. We've already moved the Panini (hubby's favorite painter!) to the library because the reds in it look terrible on the blue.  And new curtains will have to be found (or made).  We'll see.  It'll all turn out in the end (a few years from now when I get to repaint). Kidding!

In the meantime, I guess I better quit blogging and get back in there to painting. :)

Shine Bright Like a Diamond (Pantina Diamond Earrings Giveaway)

Prize:  

Pantina Diamond Earrings ARV $195 (A.L.L. Review)

Hosted by:

A Lucky Ladybug

I've joined up with a group of fabulous bloggers to bring you free diamonds, woot!  With Valentine's Day in the air, lots of people are going to be thinking of diamonds, and when they're as pretty a these, who can blame them?

"Say Hello Diamonds offers its customers quality products at the best prices possible...all women should be able to afford quality merchandise at a fraction of what they may pay at department stores," and Say Hello Diamonds is the place to do that. 

The Pantina Diamond is "the top selling Say Hello Diamond product and the star of New York's The Today Show, our 4 carat Pantina earrings radiate shine through our round Say Hello Diamond studs. Beauty she can enjoy throughout the week, the earrings are set in cool, polished Sterling Silver and feature butterfly clasp backs." 

Giveaway open to Continental US only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

"Make Our Own Network" solely organized this event. I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are 100% my own and may differ from your own. Mail4Rosey is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment.

Flashback to the 80's

I'm just sitting here catching up on things, and these old songs are running through my head. No idea why because I don't have the radio on, and I haven't heard them in forever and a day, but each song takes me back to a specific place and time.

This one takes me back to the Disco.  When I went to middle school (we called it junior high), there was a "Kid's Only" Disco, and it was the place to be.  My friends and I would practice our little dance routines each week, lol.  Anyone remember the contests where a person strolled the floor and if you got tapped you were out? Man, those were fun! :)



Then there was the skating rink.  If you were an 80's child, chances are high you hit the skating rink, and this song always, always had a run.  When it came on, everyone rushed to the floor (this and 'Another One Bites the Dust).



El de Barge was on the scene and we'd sing this at the top of our lungs thinking we were sooooooo sexy before we even knew what sexy was, LOL! Glad no one ever got videos of that mess.  I think it was hairbrushes that we used for our 'microphones.'

I

I always had my radio on when I fell asleep (remember all stereo systems were so big they looked like furniture?!) and my mom changed the station to country one time to be funny (she's a card like that), and I woke up to this song.  I remember being groggy, not wanting to get up at all, and processing the lyrics while they played.  It made me laugh, and I became an instant George Strait fan.  He's still my favorite country singer today.



And then there was Grease.  I wasn't allowed to see Saturday Night Fever (and years later when I did see it, I knew I hadn't missed anything ;) ), but I was allowed to see Grease.  Instantly I was in love (with the show and John Travolta, lol).  I still sing this song today in random outbursts, and every one of my kids does too, which makes me laugh.



A couple of years ago, the local state theater in a town close by was showing a Grease Sing-a-Long.  I asked the kids if they wanted to go.  The two youngest were all-in (they just like to go places, lol) and my daughter ended up singing all of the songs.  My second-oldest, however, was 17 at the time, and just said, 'Sure,' on a whim (he was humoring his mama, he's sweet like that).

We got to the theater, and he (the 17-yr. old who is not a Grease fan) was sitting on the outside aisle.  The place got so crowded that people started lining the walls standing up (there's an upstairs balcony full of seats, not sure why they didn't go up there...) and singing/dancing to the tunes.  My son was mortified, and it was HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  He spent a lot of time texting while we were there (probably telling his friends he was in misery). Bwuahahahahaha
How about you, any songs that just take you right back to being a kid?

Women in the Military

Our Wall Street Journals (yes, we're pretty old school and still get and like a traditional newspaper) are starting to pile up a bit, so this morning I picked one up and began to read it.  The first article I happened across was on the ban being lifted that previously prevented women in the military from active combat and open combat positions.  I am sure it has been in the news, but I haven't been reading my papers so I didn't know until today, and I was dumbstruck.

I know there are a lot of people in favor of it...equal opportunity and all of that, but being a woman, and having a daughter, I could not imagine either of us being on the front lines in the military.  I have a son who is currently active, and he's a big strong brute of a guy, and I can barely imagine him there (and I try hard not to).  When I went to finish that article, it turned out hubby took it to work with him (I guess we both decided to catch up on our reading today), but from what I can gather from a little follow-up online, it appears women are already doing this type of combat, but because of the former restriction(s) were unable to move ahead in the military, or gain recognition for their accomplishments.  Again, if that is true, and I suspect it is, I am just flabbergasted.  

Maybe it's not a hot topic, maybe it is, I don't know...what I'm wondering is do you have an opinion on it, and if so, why do you feel the way you do?

Please note, I am not trying to impugn any decision a woman makes for herself, it is her right, and have at it...but lifting the ban does seems almost surreal to me.  What does it mean for women already enlisted who don't want to serve on the front lines?  Will they at some point have no say-so in the matter?  And then to flip the coin, if genders are to be considered equal in the military, why would women have a choice if men do not?  

So many questions... so many exclamations come to mind for me.  And I know it is a moment to rejoice for many women (so please forgive me for having a difference of opinion if that encompasses your feelings, I'm not trying to rain on any parades), but it left me, in addition to feeling dumbstruck, a little hollow and a little sad too.  I'm not sure why...  

How do you feel about it?

Winner Announcement

Big Congrats to the latest two winners:
Meegan W was randomly selected as the winner of the MyLite giveaway and Michele B. was randomly selected as the winner of the EatSmart Pro Precision Digital Kitchen Scale giveaway.

It's Raining Money! $1,000 Cash Giveaway (Free Blogger Opp)

It's Raining Money Event

Hosted by: Mom Powered Media

Prize: $1,000 Cash {paypal or visa}

Event dates: 4/1 - 5/1

Free Blogger Event: Sign Up HERE

Little Tikes Cook n Grow Kitchen Giveaway (Free Blogger Opp)

Cook n' Grow Event

Hosted by: Mom to Bed by 8

Prize Package includes: Little Tikes Cook n' Grow Kitchen + Amazon Gift Card

Event dates: 2/1 - 2/15

Free Blogger Event: Sign Up HERE

Spontaneity x 2 (w/Flash Giveaway)

Starbucks at the Shinbashi Yurikamome train station in Tōkyō, Japan
Source: Wikimedia Commons

Well, today's just my day for being spontaneous (and for procrastinating, playing around on the blogs instead of doing what I'm supposed to be doing).  Little man's playing w/his bud, and I've got half an hour free, so on a whim I decided to host a small giveaway.

I have a Starbucks card sitting in front of me ($10) that was in my Christmas stocking, and I'm going to give it away to one randomly drawn winner from the Rafflecopter form below.

And now, I'm off until tomorrow because I've got responsibilities to quit procrastinating over.  :)

This is a fast giveaway.
Ends Sunday, Jan. 27 at midnight (EST).
Open to everyone.

Spontaneous Shout Outs

One of the greatest things I've come across while blogging is the blogger support you get from others, oftentimes just out of the blue and for no apparent reason, other than the person is just plain nice.

My blog has been up and running since summer (2012), which really isn't very long, but I cannot count the number of times since then, that someone has afforded me a kindness.  There are too many to list them all, but when I think of the most recent, several come to mind:

Suzan from Simply Vintageous...by Suzan did something particularly nice, as did Brandy from Happily Blended .  Colette from Jamerican Spice, Theresa from Theresa's Mixed Nuts, and Kenya from Here's the Thing (check out her blog and book here) are continuous supports and always doing/saying nice things.  And the list goes on.

Here's the Thing

Then there are the blogs that inspire me (including those above), and the posters I really, really like (and there really are far too many to list, I can think of at least twenty right away)!  I appreciate everyone of those people, whether I'm just reading their blog, or they're coming over and interacting with mine.  And the ones I'm just learning about or starting to interact with...are appreciated as well (and there are many of those too!).

Lemon Pistachio Chicken
from Mom's Own Words

And while I'm giving a shout out to other bloggers (all of you!), let me mention Kristi from Mom's Own Words who earned me rave reviews from the family last night on the dinner I made from a recipe she recently posted. My husband said this one was good enough to rival Rachael Ray's Chicken Schnitzel (and that's been a long-time favorite).  Whoot!

So now I want to pay it forward and mention two bloggers...

The first is Chuck at Secondary Roads.  From what I have gathered, he has been blogging awhile.  He doesn't have social media, and he blogs totally from the heart (I think he does it because he enjoys it, period).  His blog is real, and about just what's going on around him at the time, and I really like his personality.  It's like one of your favorite neighbor's is writing or something when you read his posts, and I like hearing what he has to say.  He keeps it real.  Because he doesn't have the social media, however, he doesn't get near as many visitors as I bet he could if he did have it, so if you could give him a visit and just say hi, I bet he'd sure appreciate it.  Totally up to you, of course, I just wanted to throw his blog out there in case you hadn't come across it yet.

The other is Pat Hatt.  In looking at his blog I would say he's definitely not a new blogger, he gets a good number of responses for everything he posts, but his work is new to me, and he is not only a blogger but he is a children's book author (of a good number of books).  I recently purchased his Kindle version of The Swashbuckle Chuckle for $1.99 (you can get the print version too, if you prefer it), and my son got quite a kick out of it.  The hero of the story is a one-shoe kangaroo, and in his quest to recover his town's stolen fountain of gold, he comes across something even better (restoration of kindness of spirit).  It is a fun-loving read that incorporates pirate battle (and what little boy does not love that?) and suspense, and it rhymes.  So if you already know Pat, his authorship isn't going to be new to you, but if you're just seeing him around like I am, take a look at the books he has out, you'll find that they're sweet and really quite the treat, and you certainly don't want to be left out (ha, my feeble attempt at rhyming, forgive me, please).

This is the Pat Hatt e-book we purchased.

So there you have it, I just felt like giving some shout outs today, and a million other bloggers came to mind while I was typing (especially the bloggers/readers who come by and post regularly, which is awesome!!), but the post is already getting long, so I'll stop here.  If you have time to say hello to any of those mentioned, that would be great.  The unspoken support system bloggers have in place (I see people supporting each other's blogs all of the time) truly rocks my socks and I'm really happy to be a part of it.

One more day until the weekend, folks. Whoot! Whoot!

Hello Winter $1000 Cash Giveaway!

Welcome to Hello Winter $1000 Cash Giveaway!

Winter blues? We’ve teamed up with the most amazing group of bloggers to bring you a $1000 cash giveaway to cheer you up this winter.

So tell me, what would you do with an extra $1000 Cash?

I can think of many places it could go in this house, but most likely it would just go towards paying off credit card bills built up during the holidays. Of course, a new range would not be out of the question since mine has decided to become quirky in its old age (making cooking an ugly thing).  No matter, I'm not entering, but you can!  And one lucky winner will get to spend the cash on anything they want or need!  Seriously, who couldn't use a $1000 right now?  

Giveaway ends February 24th.

OPEN WORLDWIDE

To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below! Remember that all entries besides the mandatory comment entry are optional.

Wordless Wednesday (projector)

An old Amprosound Projector.  It came with the house... what to do w/it, I don't know.  :)
Do you have anything old just sitting around your house?

Domeo iPad Cover Giveaway

The Domeo Grip Folio

Domeo is a company that specializes in iPad protection, and case innovation. Their motto is, "We don't just protect your iPad, we transform it," and if you take a look at the website, you'll see the many products that serve to make that statement true.  They have come up with many ways to display, carry, and hold your iPad.  The cases are attractive too.  They have the Grip Folio case pictured above; a Loft Folio case that allows your iPad to stand up; the Tri-Lounge soft foam triangle display, which also holds your accessories; the Recliner Folio with thick bubble protection, and the Grip Mini Folio, designed especially for the iPad mini.  So many options means that, no matter what your iPad case needs, Domeo is likely to have you covered.

The Domeo Grip Folio has a sturdy hand strap

The Grip Folio case has a sturdy hand-strap that allows for one handed reading or viewing, adjusts to multiple angles which caters to either reading or typing, and is stain resistant to keep it looking pretty over the long haul.

You can learn more about Domeo and their products by visiting the website.  You can also follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Google +, and/or Pinterest.

Thanks to the generosity of Domeo, one lucky reader is going to get to select a Grip Folio case of their own (winner selects color).  The Grip Folio is designed to fit all generations of the iPad except #1 and mini (if you are looking to purchase one for a mini, please see their website).  Enter on the Rafflecopter form below. US entrants only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Disclosure:  I did not receive any form of compensation for this post. All opinions stated are my own.

Colortime Crafts & Markers (Just Plain Fun!)

If you have a child to buy for (yours or someone else's) Colortime Crafts & Markers makes gift giving a cinch!  All of their products are created with fun, practicality, and quality in mind.  The best part is that items the children create can be used over and over again.

Colortime has personalized T-shirts:

Tote Bags:

Pillowcases:

And more!

We received a Colortime Backpack, and my favorite thing about it was that it's so roomy!  Seriously, this is a big bag, which makes it perfect for traveling or heading off to grandma's house.  We got ours just before Christmas, and my son used it for our mini-vacation right after the holiday.  It was big enough to carry everything he wanted to take along, including his biggest (seek-and-find) book.  It was also sturdy, and because it has a string on each side, easy for him to carry.

You can see him here just before the holidays, decorating to his little heart's content.  Yes, he even colored the background.

The products are very reasonably priced too.  This bag retails for $4.75!  With prices like that, you can afford to get one for every child in the family, at the party, or on your gift-giving list.

You can learn more about Colortime Crafts & Markers by visiting their website.  You can also follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest.

15% off ALL products!

Use coupon code 15USG when you check out at colortime.com. Coupon must be entered at the time of purchase. Offer not valid on sale items and may not be combined with other offers or discounts.

Expires: 01/31/2013

Disclosure:  I received a product to help facilitate the review.  No other form of compensation took place and all opinions stated were my own.

Migraines Anyone?

Migraines are annoying, and so unnecessary.  Why in the world do I need a Migraine to slow me down?  In two words, I don't.

In my previous life (the one before I moved to another state and we decided to have our last child), I was very busy.  I had a high-stress job that I loved, and being busy was what motivated me and made me thrive, and I was good at it...very good at it.  Stress was my middle name, and I loved it (not negative stress, just busy stress).

That was true for so long, that I assumed it would be my whole life (though at my age, I should know better than to assume anything).

Then I had my little bundle of joy, and an elective hospital procedure afterwards (my only procedure ever, my only time in a hospital outside of having my children, ever...knock on wood that remains true).  And something went wrong.  I now get migraines like crazy!  In the beginning they were knock-me-out-all-day-long migraines, and I was completely baffled.  What's worse is every bit of stress (good or bad) that knocked my routine out of whack, caused me to get one.  It was crazy and something I was so not used to (how could I go from being so strong to being such a wimp?!?).

Visits to the Dr. assured me the procedure was not to blame, though I had and still have my convictions that it most certainly was to blame. I know I never had this challenge, and now I know that I do.  For me it's 1+1=2 no matter what I've been told by the Dr's (I've been to two).

These days, five years later, I've gotten very good at noticing the small signs that indicate a Migraine is coming, and if I catch it right away, I'm good to go (Excederin Migraine medicine works great if I get it right away).  Happily, I've been able to catch them quickly for a long time now and haven't had a day ruined in a long time, until yesterday.  Out of the blue one snagged me and took me down for the better half of the day (of course it was a day I had a deadline and a lot of things to do).

So, my question to you is...are migraines a regular for you?
Has anyone dealt w/a switch like this in life where you never got them, and now get them at the drop of a dime?

And is there anyone who has found a way to just get rid of them entirely?  THAT would be more than ideal. Five years of having them come to party at my house is long enough.  They really do take up more time than I can afford to lose. I'm not complaining...just looking to the bloggy world for possible solutions. Crossing my fingers here, hoping to find something that works.

Happy Chef Uniforms Review (w/special appearance from the Toothless Chef!)

Wearing his Happy Chef Uniforms hat in the 'kitchen.'

Happy Chef Uniforms, founded in 1985 and headquartered in north New Jersey, offers a wide variety of anything that has to do with attire while you're cooking (for both the professional, and for you!).  From a fantastic selection of chef coats, to scrubs, to formal wear, and everything you can think of in between (all with a wide variety of styles and colors to choose from), Happy Chef Uniforms has just about any clothing/uniform item for the kitchen that you might want or need.

A sampling of Happy Chef Uniform chef coats

A sampling of Happy Chef Uniform scrubs.

Of course, too, they have every kind of apron you could possibly want, at prices that are entirely too difficult to beat.  Anyone who cooks regularly knows the value of a good apron!  Those pictured below are all less than $10 (some significantly less!), and they come in a variety of colors and styles (there are many other styles to choose from on their website).

Sampling of Happy Chef Uniform aprons.

Though they do specialize in professional wear, they also offer a kids' line that is hard to resist.  Can't you just see your little one in a proper chef coat, hat, and/or apron?  If your child is anything like my kiddo, pretend cooking never gets old. My son goes so far as to be the chef, the waiter, and the restaurant manager, all in one sitting.  And in his Happy Chef Uniform, he looks authentic (and cute too).

Kids Chef Wear items.

The chef hat we selected for review was for my little one, whom I am happy to note, also finally lost that wiggly tooth I've been telling you about!  Here is the latest scene from our cooking adventure, in pictures.

Mom:  "Let me see your missing tooth?"
Chef (in a very stern voice):  "I'm trying to cook here!"

Everyone knows though, that it doesn't take any time at all to convince a 5-year old to act silly, so in no time at all, I got the picture I wanted.  :)

His first lost tooth, woot!

The hat we received is a very high quality (thick cotton blend), with a floppy toque, and an adjustable (velcro) band, which means the hat will grow with him. We selected the white hat w/a red trim (to match the kitchen, of course) and it's been a big hit over here at our place.

Happy Chef Uniforms also offers a variety of linens, skirting, cutlery, and the like, and they have gift certificates for sale (so the chef in your life can pick out his/her own favorites).  To get your shopping started, Happy Chef Uniforms also has a one-time deal of $5.00 off of any order (woot, extra savings on already low prices!).

Take a look at their website to see all of the great items they have for sale.  You can also follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest.

Disclosure:  I received an item for review purposes only.  No other form of compensation took place and all opinions stated were my own.