3 Princes And A Princess 2

Orijen Dog Food Available At Mr.Chewy.com

2012-02-29T20:08:00.002-05:00

Ifyou have kept up with my postings over time (Or just from yesterday) you know I have twofour-legged babies that bring me almost as much joy as my 3 princes and princess.I’ve also mentioned a time or two that my Boxer is an extremely picky eater. Infact last week was her first visit in to the vet in the past three years thatthey actual said she had an average weight of 48lbs and not that she needed to put more on. On the other hand my Pit is above average at 72lbs and growingeveryday.

Ihave no problem introducing healthier brands of foods to Boss ( My pit) butBella turns her nose up at everything but one brand. When Mr. Chewy approachedme about a review of Orijen dog food I was really interested for tworeasons. One, I love Mr.Chewy, I think it’s a great site, reasonable prices,fast shipping and friendly service. The second reason was to let Bella (MyBoxer) have a shot again, at a healthier brand of food. I knew the worst casescenario would be that if she wasn’t willing to try it, Boss surely would – if hewon’t eat it, I definitely can’t back it lol

AboutOrijen:Orijenuses fresh regional ingredients to produce biologically appropriate foods thatpromote peak health in dogs and cats, and peace of mind to the people who lovethem. Different from conventional pet food makers, their Biologically Appropriate focus means our foodsare formulated to nourish dogs and cats in keeping with their evolutionary andanatomical adaptation to protein-rich diets that include a broad variety offresh meats.

Wewere sent a 15lb bag of Orijen Dry Adult Dog Food. As soon as I open the bag ithad a strong odor, it was a slightly fishy odor, Boss came running right on over.I mixed his normal brand together with a cup of Orijen and the bowl was empty before I knew it. Nowcame the real test Bella… I made the same mixture as I did for Boss and shesniffed and walked away. I tried again a time or two more with the same response.I continued feeding the Orijen to Boss as he seemed to really enjoy it. Wellwouldn’t you know it, after a week I found Bella sneaking into Boss’s area andeating the Orijen. I gave her, her own bowl of Orijen and she ate it right up.Take a look!

Sometimes I think she likes to just try and make me crazy – just like my kids!

Overall, I'm happy to have another option and a much healthier option at that, of food that not just one of my dogs will eat, but both of them.

BuyIt: You can Purchase Orijen dog and Cat food directly from Mrchewy.com – Pricesvary by variety and bag size. The 15lb Bag of Adult dry Dog food is $39.99

Wordless Wednesday- Four-Legged Fun With Linky

2012-02-28T19:41:00.000-05:00

SmartSilk Natural Bedding Collection Review & Giveaway

2012-02-28T19:31:00.000-05:00

Unfortunatelymillions of American suffer from allergies, asthma, and other breathing problems. A lot of times this issues are made worse bycommon items found in every household, but imagine what it’s like for thosewhose allergies are made worse by the pillow or bedding they press their faceupon every night!

SmartSilk™ produces an all natural bedding collectionwhich provides all season comfort and the luxury of sleeping in a breathable silkfill along with a soft cotton finish, that is chemical free and all natural. Their full range of bedding products, protect people from dust mite allergens. Their bedding is the first and only allnatural bedding to be certified asthma and allergy friendly by the Asthma andAllergy Foundation of America and the Asthma Society of Canada. SmartSilkoffers the chance at a restful night sleep, for not only allergy sufferers, butthose who chose to live more natural and would like to eliminate the needlesschemicals in their lives.

Smartsilkgave me the opportunity to check out two of their queen sized pillows. Theyarrived vacuumed packed and fluffed up quickly. The cotton outer shell alonewas super soft and held onto the “cold” feeling I crave during these hotFlorida nights.

SmartSilkPillows feature:

·        All natural polyester micro gel fiber filling
·        All natural silk fill liner
·        All natural cotton outer shell
·        Moisture wicking properties help to reduce effects of night sweats
·        Keeps your skin moisturized
·        Water repellent non-woven material
·        Breathable materials: no longer need to flip the pillow aroundlooking for a cool spot
·        Certified asthma & allergy friendly™

These pillows are not overly fluffy but provide the right amount of comfort and don’tmake noise when you adjust your head. Whatreally makes me rest comfortably with SmartSilk is their unique and certifiedtechnology, which offers a scientifically proven barrier from allergens, dustmites and pet dander. Yes, dust mites are a total creep factor for me!

Shoppingthe SmartSilk bedding collection also provides you with the comfort of knowing theirbedding is mold and mildew resistant, does not take on any body odor, is easy caremachine wash and dry and comes with a 10-year risk free warranty.

BuyIt: Purchase The queen sized SmartSilk Pillow for $60 @ http://www.smartsilk.com – prices vary onadditional sizes. SmartSilk also carries a full line of bedding from mattresscovers to complete bedding sets.

Win It: One Lucky Reader will win two SmartSilk Pillows of their own!

a Rafflecopter giveawayI received above mentioned product(s) for free through the above mentioned company or representing PR agency, for review purpose. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Thank you above company and or PR agency for supplying Review and Giveaway Prize. Prizes shipped by sponsor I hold no responsibility. This giveaway is not affiliated with Facebook in anyway. Gift card and promo codes may or may NOT include shipping

Tooth Fairy 2 Family Fun Printable

2012-02-28T15:24:00.000-05:00

TOOTHFAIRY 2 arrives on Blu-ray and DVD March 6 from Twentieth Century Fox HomeEntertainment. The one man comedy phenomenon, Blue Collar Comedy Tour’s Larrythe Cable Guy (Cars, Cars 2, and History Channel’s Only in America) sinks histeeth into this outrageous follow-up to the 2010 theatrical hit Tooth Fairy.

Inanticipation of the release I would like to share with you a fun printable foryou and your kids to enjoy. Excitedabout TOOTH FAIRY 2? Stay tuned for a fun giveaway!

Birthday Express Review & Giveaway

2012-02-27T18:53:00.003-05:00

Idon’t know about your children but my kids love a themed birthday. I had a lotof fun when they were really small picking out the theme of MY choice anddecorating. However, as they got older, finding some of the character themes theyasked for became increasingly difficult. This is when I first came across Birthday Express and it’s been nothing but love ever since.

BirthdayExpress offers a vast and versatile selection of party themes, favors, gamesand more.
Whatever the theme you needfrom 1^st birthdays to over the hill, Birthday Express and sister site Celebrate express have it all. Ontop of supplying customers with all their party needs, the site is very easy tonavigate. This is an extreme plus when you have a 8 years old leaning over your shoulder trying to decided what “musthaves” he needs for his party.

Thisyear we welcomed Birthday Express back into our home to help celebrate mymiddle sons 10^th birthday, and my baby boys 8^thbirthday. They both had very specificrequests as to the theme they wanted and neither theme was something I couldsimply run up to my local super center for – Angry Birds and Donkey Kong

DonkeyKong Ultimate Party Pack:

"YourDeluxe Pack for 8 includes (8) invitations, dinner plates, cups, forks, spoons,activity placemats, (20) napkins, solid-color tablecover, centerpiece, foilballoon, 18 latex balloons (3 colors), crepe paper rolls (3 colors), curlingribbon (3 colors), confetti and cake candles."

AngryBirds Deluxe Party Pack:

"Thebird is the Word! The Angry Bird, that is! Includes 8 invitations, dinnerplates, cups, forks, spoons, activity placemats, 16 napkins, Angry Birdstablecover, centerpiece, foil balloon, plus 18 latex balloons (3 colors), crepepaper rolls (3 colors), curling ribbon (3 colors), star confetti and cakecandles."

Myyoungest son’s birthday isn’t until next month but last weekend we celebratedmy middle sons 10^th in style, with our goodies from BirthdayExpress. The real special touch was added by the personalized Donkey Kongbirthday banner! These are such well crafted banners and make for wonderfulkeepsakes.

Fouryears ago we purchased a first birthday banner from Birthday Express for mydaughters 1^st birthday. This banner looks just as good today, as itdid four years ago. I can’t wait to break it out on her 16 birthday to remissnessover.

Ican rest easy knowing my sons 8^th birthday will go off without ahitch, with the help of Birthday Express and the awesome Deluxe Angry Birds party pack!

Buy It: Check out all the wonderful themes Birthday Express has to offer at www.birthdayexpress.com

Win It: One lucky winner will receive the Deluxe Party Pack of their choice from Birthday Express!

Giveaway Gala - Come Link Up Your Giveaways!

2012-02-26T20:14:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the Giveaway Gala. A collection offeatured giveaways from 5 blog's including a linky for you to link up yourgiveaways!

This linky will be hosted on 5 blog's givingyou the benefit of reaching all of our combined readers. So feel free to checkout giveaways and link up your giveaways. We only ask you link directly to yourgiveaway, any links to your homepage will be removed.

Week 2/26 Featured Host Giveaways:

Have Sippy Will Travel:

Handheld Camcorder + Coke 3/5

Sneezy Wheezy Day kids book 3/1
Educational Insights Game - Grandma's Trunk ends 2/29

3 Princes and a Princess 2:

Mohawk Home Area Rug Of Choice Up To $399 3/15

Sleep Innovations Gel/Foam Mattress Topper (ARV$240) 3/01
Find It Games 3/05

Closer To Lucy:

Disney Live! TN Area 3/01
Adventures Of Chuck DVD 2/28
Printrunner Custom Printing 2/29

Just Like June:

Pouchee Purse Organizer 3/02
BH Cosmetics 3/09
Zazzle Business Cards 3/03

That’s What She Said

Fashion To Figure *Winners Choice* 3/05

Fairy Tales Hair Care - Bring The Life Back Into Your Childs Hair This Winter

2012-02-26T18:46:00.001-05:00

Mypoor baby girl was born with not a speck of hair and now at four, well, shestill has baby fine hair not nearly as long or thick as most girls her age. She needs very gentle hair care products asher hair gets easily weighed down and greasy looking. I’ve found natural productsto work the best and was thrilled to have the chance to check out Fairy Tales Hair Care.

Forthose who are less familiar with the brand let me give you a little background:

FairyTales Hair Care was created over 20 years ago in the Fairy Tales Salon inHewlett, NY. For years, parents would ask the stylists what were these productsthat made their children’s hair so soft and manageable. But our stylists justsmiled and said it was our secret recipe! The Fairy Tales Hair Care line waslaunched nationally in 1999 with great success! Within one week of our launch,Rosie O’ Donnell was showing off her bottle of Rosemary Repel Shampoo on hertalk show. Parents and kids love these natural products loadedwith organic herbs to cleanse, condition style and most importantly, help repel hair lice.

FairyTales Hair Care knows how rough winter weather can be on even the littlest ofheads causing; static, tangles and brittle hair. Luckily, Fair Tales Hair Carehas some great products to keep hair in check all season long.

TearFree Conditioning Shampoo, 12 oz - Restores shine and texture with Vitamins E and B.

DetanglingConditioner, 12 oz - Infused with extracts of rosemary, aloe vera, cherry barkand chamomile.

StaticFree Leave-in Detangling Spray, 12 oz - Rehydrates the scalp and enhancesluster with aloe, rose hips, sage and Vitamin B.

Mydaughter is such a girly girl and was of course thrilled to be checking theFairy Tales line – and she of course love the castle on each bottle. Eachproduct worked well to compliment the next.

The Tear Free Shampoo was gentleenough for my daughters fine hair and left no build-up. The detanglingconditioner had a light fragrant smell, while providing a gentle softness.

TheStatic Free Leave-in Detangling Spray was a product I was really excitedabout. See, for the past 2 months statichas been a real issue for our hair, never mind that every time we touch eachother we yell OUCH! This spray worked wonders at keeping her hair down, evenafter removing that dreaded hat. On topof being great on static, it leaves her hair incredibly soft, smooth and tanglefree.

Comeschool time next year I will be making sure we have plenty of Fairy Tale HairCare Rosemary Repel and Static Free Detangler in stock!

BuyIt: Head to Fairytaleshaircare.com to purchase the above mentioned products and more.

Detangling Conditioner $8.95 - Static Free Leave-in Conditioner $8.95 - Tear Free Shampoo $8.95

This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. The product(s) in this review were provided to me free of cost by Team Mom and Fairy Tales Hair Care for review only and in no way influence my opinion. My opinions however are mine and yours may differ. Full disclosure always located in nav bar

Kickin Chicken Chili

2012-02-25T15:12:00.002-05:00

WhatYou Need:

2cans Chicken Broth

2cans Cannellini Beans ( rinsed and drained)

1can Chili Beans ( drained)

1/2a Yellow Onion - chopped

5 Green Onions - chopped

4 JalapenoPeppers

11/2 cup shredded chicken

2 tbspMcCormick Chili Seasoning

1/2tsp Chili Powder

1tsp ground cumin

1garlic clove minced

Directions:

Add 1 cup water and 2 cans of chicken broth to large pot. Add yellow onion, chopped green onions, garlic, chili powder, chili seasoning and groundcumin – stir.

Inblender add ¼ cup water, 1 can Cannellini Beans and Jalapeno Peppers ( withseeds removed) blend on the pulse setting for 40 seconds. Add paste likemixture to pot, add remaining cans of beans (drained) and shredded chicken.Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for about an hour.Serve over rice if desired.

More February Winners!

2012-02-24T19:39:00.000-05:00

Snapfish GC - Sarah L

Yoplait Prize Pack - Kristen

Wellness Kitchen Mat - Heather B

Kidtoons Barbie Prize Pack - Laura

Thank you to all who entered and of course to the sponsors. Winners will be notified shortly via email and have 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be chosen.

And Then They Were Grown...

2012-02-24T19:22:00.003-05:00

TodayI organized, well at least tried to! In the process I came across my boys photoalbums. I can’t believe my oldest will be a teen in just a year, my middle sonjust turned 10 and my baby boy will be 8 in less then a month. It’s enough tosend me into a depression. I can’tpossibly be old enough to have a middle school student. In fact I’m sticking to the story that I’mnot!

A part of me is really excited to watch mychildren grow into adults, and see what life has in store for them. At the sametime the selfish side of me knows that means I will just get older andeventually I will be without my babies – although my youngest son swears he isnever leaving home. If that is true by the time he is my age, 30, I’msure my tune will have changed..lol

Ithink it’s the fact that my daughter heads to Kindergarten next year has justthrown me for a loop. My babies are all grown – well kinda. Now comes the fun stuff. I hope it’s not truethat you get back what you give, or me and my husband are in some serioustrouble!

Iguess I just have to look at the positive side and sit back and enjoy watchingthem turn into young men ( and women). It’s just so scary in today’s world, especiallysince I have a clear memory of everything I did when I was just a bit older themy oldest – yikes! All I can do is sitback and hope I have given them the right tools to make the correct choices andunderstand there still will be plenty of dumb choices they make. Of course Ialso have to eventually give them the freedom to make those dumb choices andlets be real I’m not sure I’ll ever be ready to do that ;-)

I suppose when I get over the feeling of sadness, and realize I will not ever beable to freeze time, I can rejoice in the fact that one day ( a long LONG timefrom now) I can sit back and smile, as I watch them embark on a whole new journeyin life, college, careers, marriage and children.

You can read my disclosure located here

My Wonderful Walls Introduces Monster Town - Giveaway!!

2012-02-23T17:38:00.005-05:00

Someof you may remember a review and awesome giveaway I did for My Wonderful Wallsa few months ago. For those of you not familiar with the company theyspecialize in children's wall murals, wall sticker kits, full-room stencilkits, and color-adjustable canvas art. Being scared to create an absolute messwith paint ( you have to know me and paint to truly understand) I created abeautiful princess themed “mural” in my daughters room using My Wonderful WallsWall stickers!

Iwas so pleased with the outcome and my daughter still loves to show off herroom. Being such a fan of the company and their product, when they approached meabout offering my readers a second giveaway - this time given you a sample oftheir new Monster Town Collection of wall stickers –I could not pass it up. I was/amthrilled to offer one lucky winner the chance to experience how great these monster stickers really are.

MonsterTown by My Wonderful Walls is an imaginative series of giant monster wallstickers for kids' rooms. This a la carte collection includes 11 unique andwacky monsters, monster manor, hut, den, footed trees, happy clouds and shrubs.Pick and choose your favorites and create an original monster theme wall muralin minutes. Just peel and stick. Each piece sells for $29.99. The monsterseries is ideal for boys' rooms, girls' rooms, baby nurseries, playrooms or anyspace you want to spruce up with some artistic silliness. Made from SafeClingTM, an innovative fabricwall sticker material, these monster decals are repositionable, removable, andreusable.

WinIt: One Lucky reader will win ONE of Wonderful Walls, adorable monster wallstickers! Open to the Us and Canada!

a Rafflecopter giveawayI received above mentioned product(s) for free through the above mentioned company or representing PR agency, for review purpose. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Thank you above company and or PR agancy for supplying Review and Giveaway Prize. Prizes shipped by sponsor I hold no responsibility. This giveaway is not affiliated with Facebook in anyway

Guest Giveaway Post - Disney Live Calling TN And Surrounding Area Residents!

2012-02-22T20:41:00.000-05:00

Guest Cross Giveaway Post By Closer To Lucy:

Obviouslyif you’ve spent anytime clicking through my pages you know that little girl isin love with all things Disney. Forher it’s not about the fairytale. It’s about pretty dresses, a happy ending,and sing-song dancing. Ican’t wait to surprise with a night at Disney Live! Featuring, the presentation ofThree Classic Fairy Tales. Theywill be here at Tennessee Performing Arts Center for one day and we will begoing!

Wewill be joining Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy as they bring the timelessfairytale adventures of Cinderella, Beauty and The Beast, and Snow White andthe Seven Dwarfs to life right to us! Featuringdynamic storytelling, award winning music, stunning costumes and glitteringspecial effects, audiences will be captivated by the humor, fun and adventureof these spellbinding stories. Dream with the princesses, cheer for the heroesas they conquer evil villains, and marvel as these classic tales are brought tolife in a theatrical experience that’s pure magic. Iknow she will be ecstatic!

Checkticket sales and locations for your area!

Ifyou live in the GREATER NASHVILLE OR SURROUNDING AREA….I have a surprise foryou!

Onelucky Lucy reader will win tickets for a family of four to attend the 6:30pmshowing on March 4th! Who knows maybe we can all sit together :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Elderly Mom

2012-02-22T19:49:00.000-05:00

Guestwritten by our friend Sergio Chaney

Werecently relocated to Denver to take care of my husband’s elderly mother. Wehave been very happy out here so far. We are from Atlanta so there was a littlelearning curve to life out here but it’s so beautiful that it makes up for thenight life that my husband and I miss from time to time.

Whenwe moved, we challenged ourselves to see how long we could go without TV. Somefriends of ours did it for almost 6 months and said they really didn’t miss itafter the first two weeks. We were surprised at how much time we made for otherthings without the distraction of the TV. That is until we both got out forsummer break (we are both teachers). After about 3 days we were on each other’snerves big time! So we looked into direct tv denver and were ready to sign up!There is only so much yardwork and housework you can do before you want to kickyour feet up and watch something mindless for a little while.

* You can read my disclosure located here

Giani Granite - A Total Counter Makeover (Giveaway)

2012-02-22T19:11:00.001-05:00

Asmany of you know, as I’ve mentioned it one too many times over the past few weeks,we have been making some changes around our home. One of those changes was thenew living room set up that I shared with you a few days ago, another group ofchanges we are making is in the kitchen. We are ripping up the flooring,changing the sink over to a white based sink and replacing the table.

As it wasall coming together in my mind I could help but think – since the two rooms areopen and connected- how much better it would look if my counter tops were a bitlighter. Immediately, Giani Granite cameto mind.

Ifyou haven’t heard of Giani Granite, it is a easy, affordable, do it yourself, paint on version of granite. Giani Granite is great for upgrading Formica,Laminate, Corian, Ceramic Tile, Butcher Block, Cultured Marble and traditionalGranite countertops and vanities.

Noweven though my counters are Corian, they were pure white Corian, and I hatedthem! It came down to given Giani a shot or new countertops all together – of coursethe hubby thought I should try Giani first. So a little over a year ago, I wentto work with one of the Giani Granite Kits in Chocolate Brown and was reallyhappy with the end result. It was like a mini kitchen makeover for under 100dollars!

It’sheld up for over a year only chipping in a small section where the bar stoolsare located - in the spot where my children repeatedly spin the stools bangingthem into the counter. At any rate, I wondered if I could go with a lighterversion of Giani like the Sicilian Sand kit and match the counter top to my new décor.My husband was a contractor for many year so going on his advice and the adviceof a few men at our local home depot, my husband prepared the countertop to bere-primed and I started with the lighter shade of Giani.

Theprocess is rather simple. You begin with a coat of black primer, allow it todry for 8 hours and then you can start the fun part- creating your “granite”. To create your look you will begin to spongeon the three pre-packaged minerals - in three foot wide sections to allow themto blend while wet. What I love is how much freedom you have tocreate, making the counter darker, lighter, etc Basically you can adjust it to your style and decor

My first round - after it dried I went back and add more light brown and white

Iwanted to cover almost all of the black base, while my husband preferred to keep moreblack coming through. I settled with more black then white, with the knowledge thatbefore I applied the topcoat, I could always go back and add more of a certaincolor.

Thefinal step is of course sealing the countertop with the clear topcoat. Each kitcovers about 35 square feet of counter space.

If your looking for a change in your bathroom, or kitchen but don't want to break the bank, why not check out Giani Granite. It's rather simple and your also provided video instruction. I love my new lighter color but for some reason was more nervous with the lighter color then the dark and am thinking I want to touch up a few areas that I went a little to sparse on - in my own opinion.

Buy It: Purchase Giani Granite for $69.95 at http://gianigranite.com

Win It: One lucky reader will win a Giani Granite Kit in their choice of color

Wordless Wednesday - Happy 10th Birthday w/ Linky

2012-02-22T07:22:00.000-05:00

The big 1-0

Eco-friendly Rooware - A Bio-plastic Line Of Kids Tableware

2012-02-21T19:41:00.001-05:00

Haveyou heard of Rooware? Rooware is aneco-friendly, kid's tableware company that is unique by offering the onlybio-plastic line of kids tableware that features characters! Newly launchedRooware is bringing a whole new theme to your table, made just for your littleones. Now children can enjoy fun character table ware without the risks of Melamine,Formaldehyde or any known carcinogens.

Ofcourse I was intrigued by the fact that not only was this reusable tablewareeco-friendly but a bio-plastic. We have all heard the rumblings over the pastfew years about plastic, so I thought this was a really neat option for my kids –now to see how they felt.

Wereceived an adorable Roobowl, from Rooware, featuring one of the four Roo characters – Lexi

Thisbowl is not just for toddlers as it grows with your child. Once the bowlshandles are no longer necessary you can just snap them right off. The same is true for the Rooplate, the dividerwill pop right off when your child “out-grows it”.

My daughter loved the look andfeel of the bowl, I loved the confidence that the BPA free, Phthalate free, PVCfree, Melamine free bio-plastic gave me.

Thereare a few things to be noted with the line. Since the products are made ofplant-based materials prolonged soaking isn’t recommend. I wasn’t sure if the line wasdishwasher safe, yet it of course made it’s way into the dishwasher andsurvived – more then once. Another thing to note is that it is microwave safeup to 45 seconds. It's possible I should have put together the fact that the lineshould not be soak for a prolonged period along with the fact it can’t be overheated, and denied my daughters request foreasting soup out of her bowl. As soon as I transferred the soup from the pot tothe bowl the character design immediately floated to the top. She was a littlebummed but it was Mom’s fault for not thinking clearly....

Overall, it’s a cute, non-toxic, green way to please your child's want for fun tableware.

BuyIt: Purchase Rooware online at www.rooware.com.The Roobowl sells for $12.95

This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used.Product(s)in this review were provided to me free of cost by manufacturer or Pr agency for review only and in no way influence my opinion. My opinions however are mine and yours may differ. Full disclosure always located in nav bar

Chasing Treasure Jewelry Boxes Review & Giveaway

2012-02-21T19:03:00.003-05:00

Ithink every women should have that special someplace to keep her most treasuredkeepsakes, like their wedding ring, favorite earrings etc. When we made themove from New York to Florida I left my jewelry box behind. It was one of thoselarge armoire types and I figured I could easily replace it when we got settled.Here it is almost five years later, and while all my jewelry I don’t weardaily is neatly packed away, all my daily jewelry, had no place to “rest”. This was a problem because I became quite used totaking it off and placing it loose on the night stand or tossing them in adrawer. I can’t tell you how many times I actually forgot where I took my jewelryoff!

I’velooked around for jewelry boxes for women a few times, but I couldn’t findanything that stood out to me. I wanted to go a different route a get somethinga bit smaller, with a classic look. Most of all, I ~~wanted~~ needed some place to rest my everydayjewelry, safely at night... That is when Ifound Chasing Treasures.

Chasingtreasure.comoffers one of the largest and most unique collections of jewelry boxes online.Whether your looking for a classic wood jewelry box, or a large floor armiore,they have it – and so much more. I was really impressed with their largeassortment and various styles. I knew the perfect jewelry box for me was there, just waiting for me to discover it!

Thereit was the small burl wood jewelry box, crafted in an elegant octagon shape fromsolid wood with a high gloss piano burl finish. I didn’t realize how perfect itwas until it arrived at my home. I was worried that even though I wantedsomething small, something to hold just my daily favorites and most treasured pieces, I might have went a bit too small. This was not the case at all. I waspleasantly surprised by the actual size, it was exactly what I was lookingfor.

It is equipped with space for my rings and earrings on the spilt top tray which lifted for under storageof my necklace and bracelets. The lining is tarnish resistant, while the outsidehas that beautiful high gloss piano Burl finish, for a classic look and feel.

If your looking for that perfect jewelry box note that Chasingtreasure.comoffers you some of the best options in jewelry boxes online for not just women, but, men andchildren as well!

BuyIt: Purchase the small burlwood jewelry box * also available in mahogany for$54.95 at Chasingtreasure.com

WinIt: One lucky reader will win their own small burlwood jewelry box from ChasingTreasure!

Take Over Tuesday Hop - Everything Goes

2012-02-21T05:44:00.001-05:00

Welcome to
Take Over Tuesday Social Media Hop
Gain Friends and Followers
In All The Right Places

Your Hostesses are:
Closer to Lucy
Have Sippy Will Travel
3 Princes and a Princess 2
Just Like June (formerly The Thrifty Things)
That's What She Said

<a href="http://www.3PrincesandaPrincess2.com/"><img src="http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j62/crystalnjoe1105/Image2-3-1.jpg"/></a>

Add your link to any or all of the Social Media Follow Groups below! Follow as many people as you would like and be certain to leave a comment on their page to let them know you are a fan!

Please be certain to follow your hostesses. Your presence and participation is appreciated and we will always follow you back!

We'd love for you to grab the Take Over Tuesday button to display on your site!

The more the merrier!

Google + Linky

Facebook Linky

Twitter Linky

Pinterest Linky

GFC Linky

Please be certain to join us again next week for

Take Over Tuesday!

~ Guests welcome ~

Hot Cajun Chicken & Rice

2012-02-20T18:38:00.001-05:00

WhatYou Need:

1lbschicken breast
DryCajun seasoning
2tsp olive oil
3garlic cloves, chopped
1 chopped yellow onion
2 green bell pepper, diced
1/3cup tablespoons tomato paste * or one of the small size cans
About4 cups precooked brown rice or 4 bags of brown boil in the bag
Tabascosauce

Directions:

SprinkleCajun seasoning on chicken and bake at 375 degrees until it is nolonger pink inside and any juice runs clear. Add oil to skillet; saute garlic,onion, bell pepper and tomato paste for 3 minutes. Add rice and saute for 5more minutes adding Tabasco to taste.

Mohawk Home Area Rugs Review & Giveaway

2012-02-20T13:59:00.003-05:00

Thishas been a crazy few weeks. We have been doing some home improvements and ithas been so overwhelming. The first place we started was the living room. Iwanted a new look without any major work, so we decided on a new living roomset and some added color. I found a set I loved, with a rug I could purchase separatethat had some nice pop to it, to integrated some more color into the room.However, while at the showroom I was not impressed with the quality of the rugand couldn’t help but compare quality with that of the Mohawk rugsalready in my home. With that I decided with all the rugs Mohawk Home has tooffer I could certainly find something just as colorful, yet built to stand upto my kids and dogs. It didn’t take long for me to come across the Mohawk Home 8' x 11' Brown Patton Area Rug.

What I loved was the brown, which has been the base color for my living room forthe past two years, mixed with some vibrant colors. It is fade and stainresistant which is perfect for my living room as this is not only the most “used”room of the house, but also where my dogs come in and out of the yard from. Letme tell you those paws enter this house with more mud on them, then you canimagine. It’s very important that whatever rug is placed in this area can holdup well and be easily wiped clean. As with our previous Mohawk Home Area Rug we had inthe living room, the rug cleans and vacuums beautifully. It always looks asgood as the day it was laid down. Areold Mohawk rug is a year old and shows no signs of wear, it looks so greatwe have transferred it to our front room. Trust me when I tell you that rug was really put to the test, with dirt, grim, juice and more!

Takea look at the transformation – I still need to hang are photos and décor

Thisis the old set up:

Andthis is the new set up:

Onceagain Mohawk Home knocked it out of the park for me with this beautiful rugthat pulled the whole room together. The Brown Patton Area Rug also features; superiorweaves which lasts longer, and is made in the USA with 100% olefin. The Olefin is naturally stain resistant but it is not advised that you use a steam cleaner on the rug, a simple spot clean will work just as well.

I just love this rug. It’sincredibly soft, it's the type of rug where you can see your foot print as yourfeet sink into the softness... Ifyour looking for quality and a large selection of area rugs to suit any décor, in awide range of sizes, then I would recommend Mohawk Home as your first stop. Anarea or accent room really adds a little something to an otherwise drab room.

BuyIt: Mohawks Rugs can be purchased from any of these fine retailers. The BrownPatton Area Rug, as featured above can be purchase at Lowes.com for $248.00 in the8 by 11 size.

WinIt: One lucky winner may choose any Mohawk Home rug up to size 5x8 and under$400 value at any of these retailers.

Find It Games Review & Giveaway

2012-02-16T18:32:00.001-05:00

Ilove hidden object games in magazines, I might even get more into them then mychildren. I usually let them find what they can and then they come to me forthe rest. We have so much fun. I have even bought magazines that only featurehidden object games for us to tackle together and have a whole book of reallyhard versions made for adults. Not only are they stimulating but they keep thekids occupied, and are great for travel.

Ifyou’ve heard of Find It Games then you know they are right up my families ally.Find It Games features fun hide and seek games wrapped up in a cylinder,featuring bright colors and hidden pieces. Find It Games are perfect foron-the-go. With all the pieces contained inside the cylinder, there is nothingto lose and can be past from child to child. Whether your in the car, on aplane or killing some time in the waiting room your child (and you) can keepentertained with Find It Games.

Newfor 2012, Find It Games has introduced a fun new theme to the find itcollection - On The Farm

OnThe Farm features 42 farm themed objects locked inside a cylinder with a silolook to it. Shake, twist and turn the cylinder to try and reveal the objectshidden within brightly colored pellets. Play alone or with the family and usethe checklist to keep track of which items you found! As an added twist a penny has been placed in every find it game. Each penny is hand picked and tracked by year. I can not find this penny and it's driving me insane! At the same time though, I love the added challenge and will one day be able to have my name added to the " I found the penny" list.

Thisgame is recommended for ages 8-98 but even my four year old had no problemgrasping the concept and spotting objects. There are also no small piece toworry about if you have younger children in the home.

FindIt Games has one more exciting announcement to make for the New Year. Not onlycan you now purchase the new On The Farm game but they have widen their rangeand introduced new 300-piece puzzles!

Thepuzzle series, Pieces of History, targets a significant event familiar to bothchildren and adults.

Once thepieces are put in place, the history-themed puzzles offer an instant lesson tochildren and adults as they read the parchment-like list of hidden items. Inthe Pharaoh’s Egypt puzzle, one item to uncover is the Eye of Horus. The itemis explained at an age-appropriate level as, “belonging to the falcon god,Horus, this symbol was thought to bring prosperity and protection.” In theParade of Animals, descriptions of Gold Dust Day Gecko, Smooth Green Snake andSugar Glider expose children to the wider world and may entice them to learnmore on their own!

BuyIt: Purchase On The Farm for $23.00 and find the puzzles for $13.00 at www.finditgames.com

WinIt: One lucky reader will win their choice of the On The Farm Game or theirchoice of one of the four new Jigsaw puzzles!

a Rafflecopter giveawayI received one or more of the products mentioned above for free through the above mentioned company or representing PR agency for review purposes. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Giveaway prized is shipped by company or PR agency, I hold no responsibility. Giveaways are not affiliated with Facebook

PVC Do It Yourself Rack

2012-02-16T17:20:00.001-05:00

Well,some of you may have noticed I’ve been a little neglectful of my online "duties" the past week or so, which is because of some home improvements we have beendoing. We’re not even close to done and now I have even more on my plate in thefoam of garbage. You know what they say one man’s trash, is another man’s treasure. I have so manyclothes that are practically brand new between the boys and my daughter, that I’mthinking a yard sale is in order – especially since I could use the money onnew clothes for them.

Thewhole yard sale thing got my mind going and reminded me of a easy "DIY" project Iplan on tackling while the hubby finishes up the kitchen improvements – A PVCclothing rack.

Source

Thisis a great project for anyone who needs some extra hanging space or a nice wayto display clothing for yard sales and such. As an added bonus you can even disassemble the rack by removing the PVC fittings for re-use of thematerials.

Sohow do you build your own Clothing Rack? It’s rather simple. I f I can do it,trust me so can you!

Youwill need three sections of 3ft long PVC pipe, four sections of 18in-longPVC and two sections of 5ft long PVC pipe. Regular PVC pipe and fittingswill work fine - Knowing the differencebetween CPVC fittings and pipe and PVC doesn’t manner unless you’re a plumber. Youare also going to need six elbow connectors and two T-shaped connectors. Againfor those of you who haven’t worked with PVC before, you can go cheap. There isno need for Schedule 80 Fittings in a home project like this. These fittingsonly a professional needs to know about.

Nowyou want to place a elbow connector at the end of each 3ft PVC pipe. Join the 5ft sections to each end of a single 3ftpipe to form a large U. To complete thebase you want to insert the four 18in PVC sections into each end of theT-joint. Join the T-joint sections tothe remaining 3ft sections at the elbow joints to form a large square. Make surethe T-joint faces up. Insert the ends of the U section into the open T-jointand viola you have a clothing rack perfect for storage or display.

Myhusband is replacing our sink and garbage disposal this weekend and needs somenew piping so I don’t see why he can’t grab some for me ;-) You can really getcreative with PVC. If your into Pinterest, search PVC. I can’t wait to try outsome of the awesome "DYI" projects listed.

* You can read my disclosure located here

What Makes You Smile? Share For Your Chance To Win A Trip To NYC

2012-02-15T19:05:00.001-05:00

Itcertainly is true that smiling is contagious. In fact nothing has ever made mesmile brighter then those early smiles my children gave me…

Ialso can never pass up smile back at a stranger kind enough to make my day alittle brighter by sharing a smile.

Rightnow TopDentist.com has a really fun contest going on, they want to see whatmakes you smile. Right now you have the chance to win a grand prizeall-exspence paid trip to my favorite city (and home state) NYC! The winner willalso receive $1000 in spending cash, a professional photo shoot, and a teethwhitening makeover!

Sohow do you win? It’s simple to be in the running you must head over toTopdentisit.com, upload a photo of yourself with the person that makes yousmile and add a brief description and or caption for the photo. The five entries with the most votes will beeligible to win the grand prize! So, be sure to tell your friends and family tostop by and vote for you. Additionally, the top three entries within 100 milesof Troy, MI; Philadelphia, PA; Aventura, FL; Austin, TX; and Beverly Hills, CA,will be judged for the five regional prizes.

Thecontest is open now so go ahead and head over, just remember voting will end onFebruary 24 and all winners will be announced on March 16,th 2012 – Good Luck!

P.S If you enter let me know! I would be happy to vote for you. I think this is such a sweet contest and would love to see what makes you smile.

* You can read my disclosure located here

Finding Myself Again

2012-02-15T18:14:00.005-05:00

Haveyou ever been in a rut? I'm not sure if it's just that I haven't been feelingwell lately or I'm just "stuck" but I have lost all motivation foranything and everything. Now let me say I am not depressed at all, I just feelI have come to a cross road.

Iput a few goals on my shoulders for the new year, things like; leading a morehealthy lifestyle, organizing my time better, and overall figuring out in whatdirection I really want to go in. What I mean by that is, I have been aSAHM again for the past 2 years. As rewarding as it has been being able tospend extra time with my children, my youngest starts school next year and I’mnot sure where that leaves me. Would you believe in 12 years I have not spent one day alone – in fact I don’t think I have spent more then an hour alone. This has me thinking. Would I be better off getting back into thework force or should I take some time for me?

I’vediscussed with friends and family both my fears and goals for the future, yetfind advice from those close to me sometimes annoying. I really don't want that to sound mean. It's just sometime advice from loved ones just feels forced, or it's pretty useless.

While I am someone whoneeds positive reinforcement and advice to guide me through, I’m also someonewho would rather that advice from a stranger, or coming from someone with alittle knowledge on a topic.

Forexample I would love to start a home based business and have tons of ideas butno one knowledgeable ( in the business sense) around me to help get me on track, and lead me down the right path. I thought aboutfinding someone like a Miami Life Coach. In that case I could find someone knowledgeable, who is there just to help motivate me and steer me in the rightdirection. I also wouldn't feel as awkward as I do asking advice from close friends orfamily members - nor would I feel the advice was "forced".

Ijust need a push I guess, either that or I need to take that gel mattress padoff my bed, because seriously I haven’t wanted to get out of bed since I boughtit..lol

Eitherway I’m sure I’ll update. Maybe I just a little me time, or to find that “thing”that sparks something inside me. Don't get me wrong, I love being Mom, Wife and of course Blogger. Nevertheless, now that I am going to be all alone for more then a few hours a day, I needto find me again, find what drives me....

I’mcurious. How did you Moms adjust when all the kids were finally off to school?

* You can read my disclosure located here

Early February Winners

2012-02-14T18:43:00.000-05:00

PicturesOn Gold - Amber

SwissColony - Huston S

ToKill A Mocking Bird - Tammy

ConairScale - Desiree D

LearningResources - Holly

Congratsand Happy Valentines Day! All winners will be notified shortly via email andhave 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be picked.

ABig thank you to all who entered and to the sponsors!