3 Princes And A Princess 2

Bissell SpotBot Pet Deep Cleaner - Let The SpotBot Do Your Dirty Work

2012-01-29T13:02:00.002-05:00

If you have been a follower of mine you probably have heard me complain more then once about my carpet. When we bought our home I didn't think about the downside to beige carpeting throughout - especially with 4 kids and 2 dogs. I feel like for the past two years it has been a constant battle - Crystal vs the carpet. I typically find myself on the losing side of that battle.

I try and steam clean every other month to keep up, unfortunately within two weeks their is a ring behind my couch, from where the dog "goes" if she doesn't make it out in time, as well as mud and dirt all over. See, each time the dogs or kids come in from outside there is mud tracked everywhere! I can control it with the kids, but since the dogs go out multiple times a day, and my backyard is a virtual pit of sand, dirt and the occasional spot of ~~weeds~~ grass, I give up quickly.

The first few days after the carpets have been cleaned, I run around with my bottle of spray cleaner and a rag, trying to wash away those muddy prints, spilt glass of juice, and even the dreaded "OOPS" left by the dogs. This is where I lose. It's to much for me to keep up with, and I can't even imagine having to drag out the steam cleaner everyday - I don't even have that option though, since we rent ours.

Bissell offered me the chance to check out the SpotBot Pet Deep Cleaner, the perfect addition to any home with kids or dogs. The SpotBot is considerably smaller then a large scale steam cleaner and is made for those "oops" moments. You know, like when your dog squats down right in front of you and just lets it flow, your son goes flying past the coffee table knocking your morning coffee to the ground, and all over your carpet. AH, yes I have many found "stain" moments.

With the SpotBot Pet Deep Cleaner, you can deep clean spots from the bottom up, removing up to 99% of orders and bacteria that may also come with stains **When you use water and the Pet Stain & Oder Formula together.

I find pet urine the worst stain of all. If my dog has an accident over night, sometimes I don't catch it right away and starts to dry up, leaving a kind of water stain in the carpet. At this point, no matter how much scrubbing I do, that stain won't budge. On the other hand, when I do catch it and have the chance to clean it immediately, it's 10 minutes on my hands and knees trying to soak it all up, then an additional 10 minutes scrubbing and deodorizing.

The SpotBot has changed the way I look at stains. Using the Spotbot Pet Deep Cleaner is simple. Simply fill the container with water and solution, there is a solution for pet stains and everyday grim and a extra strength cleaner for things like red wine. There are marks on the water bin showing you how much water to cleaning solution is needed. Pop the water bin back in, place the Spotbot over the stain, select surface clean or set-in mode, push the button and you can walk away. The machine will beep gently when it is through cleaning. I couldn't believe how dirty the water was from one spot - YUCK!

After, cleaning with SpotBot

The Spotbot will do all your dirty work for you! The unique spinning brush lifts dirt and stains, as it sprays, suctions up and dries all in one step. This is obviously a product great for any home, but for those of you with pets, the SpotBot's deep reach technology is really a must. Deep Reach™ Technology, means it cleans your carpet’s fibers from the bottom up. This helps to remove pet stains so your pet is less likely to return to the same location to soil the carpet again.

This cleaner blew my away, not only did it remove those pesky "water marks" but it cleaned muddy prints and spilt juice is seconds. Actually, I had to laugh because instead of dirt spots I was left with clean spots of carpet. Additionally, the SpotBot has Microban® antimicrobial protection which is built in during manufacturing, to help prevent the growth of odor-causing bacteria, mold and mildew in the deep cleaner. For a product cleaning such "yuck" as pet mess, I'm thinking that really is a must.

What I also loved as well, was the attachment and hose built in. Again, with a quick push of a button I could go from stain cleaning to hand cleaning using the hose. This is great for stairs and my couches. I've also used it on my kitchen chair upholstery when my kids spill with dinner - and that only happens like every night ;-)

The SpotBot Pet Deep Cleaner is not only a great time saver for me, but it is a time saver that actually works! If you have kids, pets and carpeting your looking to keep fresh, then this really is the product for you. Lightweight, convenient and it packs a punch, leaving dirt and stains a thing of the past.

Buy It: Purchase the SpotBot Pet Deep Cleaner for $149.99 at local retailers nationwide as well as online at http://www.bissell.com

Keep up with Bissell on Facebook, Twitter and now on Pinterest and Google+ as well.

This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. Products 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

WellnessMats - Anti-fatigue Floor/Kitchen Mats ( Review & Giveaway)

2012-01-27T16:03:00.001-05:00

Sometimes I really feel like I overlook the little things. And what a big difference in your life, those things that seem so simple can really make. Take my kitchen mat for example, simple enough right. I went to the store found a matching set I liked; purchased the little kitchen rug for below my sink, matching towels, pot holders and that was that. Never did I think, is this mat/rug going to be comfortable or supportive while I'm cooking, doing dishes etc - all chores I'm already not a fan of. So, for almost two years I have been standing on, well, just a little piece of decorative rug.

About two weeks ago I came across WellnessMats. I started reading around their website to find out more about these amazing floor mats. Basically, they were deigned for your health and comfort; a anti-fatigue mat that while providing you standing comfort, also eases straining while standing for long periods of time.

I'm one of those people who is constantly complaining of leg and feet aches and pains. I often spend about 2 hours or more a day standing in the kitchen between dishes and cooking for six. I have to say I was really excited to see if WellnessMats would really make a difference.

When it arrived a immediately placed the WellnessMat down in place of my old kitchen mat. WOW, there was no denying there was a huge different in comfort and support. Of course then the rest of the house ran over to try it out as well. I wish I could explain how it feels. It is soft and sorta of forum fitting to your feet, but you can also actually feel the added support it gives you. In fact, I have to keep asking my daughter not to laying down on it, to which she replies "But, it's the most comfortable spot in the house." ... I really don't think I can argue.

Safe, non-toxic, and PVC-free, all WellnessMats are ergonomicallyengineered to provide maximum comfort, safety, relief and well-being while youstand, wherever you stand. Easy-to-clean (and now even easier) with a non-skidbottom, non-slip top, and no-trip beveled edge, WellnessMats are inherentlyanti-microbial by design and are stain, puncture and heat-resistant. WellnessMats will always lay flat; edges willnever curl and are perfect for any area of the home where one is on their feet:the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, home gym, or even shop or garage use. Welcome to a new level of comfort

WellnessMats come in a variety of colors and sizes up to 5' by 4'. They also come in patterns and a Puzzle Collection which features custom runners and a L-shape series made to fit. Wellness Mats also come with a 7 year warranty just in case!

Buy It: Purchase the 3' by 2' Bella Motif WellnessMat for $119.95 at http://www.wellnessmats.com or retailers such as Macy's

Win It: One lucky reader will win a 3' by 2' WellnessMat in their choice of style ( RV $119.95)

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 not shipped by me I hold no responsibility

The Perfect Classroom Valentines

2012-01-26T18:11:00.002-05:00

Ah, the holiday of love is almost upon us. I remember the joy of celebrating any holiday in school, but there was something about Valentines Day; Creating those paper mailboxes and watching them fill up with valentines day cards. I loved to get home and sorting through them, trying to figure out which was my favorite. Of course my parents would always read them as well and try and make me embarrassed if one said something simple like "Be Mine" and it was from a boy! lol

My boys have never been to into the holiday and two of them are over the age where sending them to school with Valentines is now appropriate. My third son is still young enough for a classroom celebration though, but what I really can't wait for, is my daughter to celebrate her first Valentines Day class party next year. My boys never even had a preference about what kind of cards I bought. I must admit though, I never thought of ordering Valentines Day Greeting Cards form a site like Tiny Prints before - now I am even more excited about my daughter handing out Valentines next year.

Have you checked out Tiny Prints Valentines Day selection yet? They have some great choices and guess what?!? They even had a card my youngest son actually requested!!!

Yup, a Batman type card from my Lil' Bat freak himself. What I love is that you can personalize the cards with photos if you wish. I think I'm going to get a head start, and even though my daughter isn't in school yet, since she is so excited about the holiday, I may purchase some Valentines Day photo cards for her to send out to our friends and family.

I absolutely love this card and think maybe I'm just looking for a reason to get it ....

I have never mailed out Valentines Day cards before though. Is this something you do? Have you received similar Valentines in the mail before? Whatever the case if your looking for some unique classroom cards or personal ones for your family or even significant other check out Tiny Prints full line of Valentines Cards.

You can also keep up to date with Tiny Prints via Twitter, Facebook and check out some unique pins by following Tiny Prints on Pinterest.

Kidlandia "Kreetures" Of The Kingdom

2012-01-26T17:39:00.000-05:00

Kidlandia is a enchanted place, a leader in fact of personalized entertainment creating award winning products for kids and families. My daughter even has her very own kingdom and personalized map. Kidlandia has been at it again adding more to it's online adventures, creating a educational and fun place for kids imaginations to come to life.

Kidlandia has introduced, for a limited time, adorable plush Kreetures that come equipped with unique codes, unlocking more magic for online play, in Kidlandia's enchanted kingdom. We were introduced to Thumblebottom one of a few "Kreetures" whom you'll find out and about in Kidlandia.

Thumblebotton comes with a secret code entitling you to 5000 free Kabloons when you sign up for Kidlandia Kingdoms. Kidlandia Kingdoms, are a place for your child to create and have fun online with games, magic stickers and fun activities.

You start off designing your Popkin ( character), then you are given your very own Kingdom to rule and name! You design your land with stickers, collect fun games to play and even take care of magic eggs which eventually hatch to become Kreetures.

Earn more Kabloons (money) by playing games and doing fun activities. With your Kabloons you can purchase more fun stickers to design the ultimate kingdom. You can even invite friends to log on and play with you!

This is a fun game for children and provides and safe setting for them to play online. Both my daughter and even my youngest son had a blast designing their own kingdoms. My daughter tried to do her best to match her Kingdom to her map.

Find Kidlandia Kingdom here and purchase Kreetures available for a limited time at FAO Schawaz for $14.99 each.

Lemon Lime Chicken

2012-01-25T19:13:00.005-05:00

What You Need:

Boneless, skinless chicken breast ( I use two packages = about 8 breasts)
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1 tbsp Margarine
1/2 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 large lemon
1 large lime

Directions:

Heat skillet over medium-high heat & add Margarine. Mix together flour, salt and pepper. Coat chicken with flour mixture. Add chicken to skillet and brown. Cut lemon and lime in half ( or juice) Once the chicken is browned squeeze or pour lemon/lime juice over chicken in skillet add Onion. Cook through until chicken is no longer pink inside. Serve with your choice of sides, I like fresh green beans sauteed in a garlic & olive oil.

Learning Resources Letter Box Activity Set Review & Giveaway

2012-01-25T18:25:00.002-05:00

I absolutely adore Learning Resources, not only is it a site I think every Teacher should have bookmarked but it's one of my favorite place to shop for eductatinal fun, for my own children. I even check there first if my children are struggling with a certain subject, for fun learning tools.

For the next three months I will be introducing you to some of their newer products, I thought would fit well into my household. Here is where my confession comes into play, I don't do preschool or Pre-K - whatever you want to call it. I never went, my family members didn't go, so it only seemed natural to me to keep my own children home until Kindergarten. Times have changed though and this has set my children back, since 99% of their Kindergarten class did have some form of schooling prior. Since my daughter will be heading to Kindergarten next year we have been working hard getting her up to the same level.

When I came across the Letter Box Activity Set at Learning Resources, I knew it would be perfect for reinforcing her letters and sounds.

The Letter Box Activity Set is shape like a mail box and can either be hung or attached by it's magnetic strips on the back of the "box". The center slot is open so when placed over a whiteboard you can write. Included in the set are 104 double side alphabet cards with real life photos ,13 double sided letter cards and 8 blanks. There is a slot toward the top, to hold a letter card and larger clear slots toward the bottom for alphabet cards. Additionally, there is a large storage pocket behind the box for the extra cards your not working with.

We have been going over a letter a day, learning to write it, the sound it makes and then I give her three pictures, two of which have the correct beginning sound and one that doesn't. We then play a game of "one of these things doesn't belong". It's fun and of course highly educational. So far this has been an wonderful addition to our daily lesson and an product I would highly recommend.

Buy It: Purchase the Letter Box Activity Set for $34.99 through http://www.learningresources.com

Win It: One lucky reader will win a Letter Box Activity Set of their own!

a Rafflecopter giveaway 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 not shipped by me I hold no responsibility

New Year For A New You - Weight Watchers Digital Scale By Conair Review & Giveaway

2012-01-24T18:44:00.003-05:00

One of the top (if not the top) New Years resolution is of course to lose weight. My husband and I are no exceptions. He has total will power, and control and me I am jealous. I have no will power - never have and I'm afraid I never will. It's the little things that keep me motivated and going for as long as I do. I need to hear praise and see results or I quickly give up. That is why I found the Weight Watchers® by Conair™ Digital Scale a perfect addition to our home for the New Year.

With an easy to read 1.5" digital display and sleek design it will fit nicely in any bathroom. However, what makes this scale truly unique is it's ability to motivate with words of inspiration. Included with the scale are sheets of static cling stickers in both color as well as black & white. These sticker adhere to the scale providing messages like; "I love me", "whatever you believe you can achieve", and much more.

Instead of leaving affirmations on your bathroom mirror, you can leave them on your scale. There is even a blank sticker, for you to write whatever you see fit.

Weight is available in lbs as well as kg up to 400lbs/180kg. Requires one "AAA" battery which is included, as well as a 10 year limited warranty.

Buy It: Purchase The Weight Watchers Conair Scale for about 37.99 @ www.conair-store.com. You can also find this scale at many retailers nationwide such as Kmart

Win It: One lucky reader will win the Weight Watchers^® by Conair™ Digital Scale Model WW58S!

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 not shipped by me I hold no responsibility

Take Over Tuesday Hop - Everything Goes

2012-01-23T22:00:00.006-05:00

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

Stumble Linky

Pinterest Linky

Please be certain to join us again next week for

Take Over Tuesday!

~ Guests welcome ~

To Kill A Mockingbird 50th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray DVD Giveaway

2012-01-23T19:09:00.001-05:00

Win a Blu-ray copy of TOKILL A MOCKINGBIRD

50^THANNIVERSARY EDITION

TOKILL A MOCKINGBIRD: Famous Stories of Innocence Lost

DigitallyRemastered and Fully Restored with Over Three Hours of Bonus MaterialsIncluding Two FullLength Documentaries

On LimitedEdition Collector’s Series Blu-ray™ Combo Pack,

Blu-ray™ ComboPack and DVD

TO KILL AMOCKINGBIRD, one of the screen’s most belovedand critically acclaimed films, celebrates its 50th anniversary with acommemorative Limited Edition Collector’s Series Blu-ray™ Combo Pack as well ason Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD from Universal Studios Home Entertainment onJanuary 31, 2012. The powerful and poignant adaptation of Harper Lee’s PulitzerPrize-winning novel hits the half-century mark, digitally remastered and fullyrestored from high resolution 35MM original film elements, plus more thanthree-and-a-half hours of bonus features chronicling the making of thecinematic masterpiece.

Scout, theheroine of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, lives with her father and brother and isn'tprivy to many positive, female role models who want her to be anything morethan a 'lady' in a nice dress.

To honor therelease of the film on Blu-ray on January 31, we will examine some moreprogressive and forward thinking female role models that Scout could have usedto look up to, including the smart and talented Hermione from the Harry Potter series and Princess Leiafrom Star Wars.

Margo Channingfrom All About Eve

Margo Channing (played by BetteDavis) from the classic film All AboutEve is tough as nails and definitely plays against the stereotype thatwoman are meek and easily led by men. Margo also stands out in comparison tothe manipulative, lying Eve (played by Anne Baxter). Davis was nominated for anAcademy Award for this role, and won the Best Actress Prize at the Cannes FilmFestival.

Princess Leiafrom Star Wars

Princess Leia (played by CarrieFisher) may seem demure at first glance, but she isn’t afraid to stare down cargosmugglers, military commanders, or even Sith Lords. Princess Leia isn’t afraidof getting her hands dirty either, often sporting a laser pistol and jumpinginto battle at a moment’s notice. Aside from being able to defend herself, Leiais always equipped with a one-liner that can put most anyone in their place.

Fa Mulan from Mulan

FaMulan (voiced by Ming-Na) is both strong and honorable. Unwilling to let herelderly father go to war, Mulan poses as a man and goes to the army in herfather’s place. Mulan is able to succeed in training camp (often surpassing theactual men in her camp), and comes up with ingenius ideas that help defeat theHuns.

Erin Brockovichfrom Erin Brockovich

Julia Roberts portrays real life heroErin Brockovich in a biographical film of the same name. Not only is Erin asingle mother to three children (which is a feat in and of itself), but shealso discovers a massive cover up of industrial poisoning by the Pacific Gasand Electric Company, and crusades for justice for those who were affected.

HermioneGranger from Harry Potter

HermioneGranger (played by Emma Watson) has shown an entire generation of girls thatit’s cool to be smart and opinionated. Hermione is well read, extremelyintelligent, logical, quick thinking, cool under pressure and very clever. Shealso has a soft spot for those in need, and often goes out of her way to defendthose people or creatures.

Foryour chance to win a copy of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD 50^THANNIVERSARY EDITION, simply answer the following question via the Rafflecopter Widget

To Kill aMockingbird was written by which Pulitzer-Prize-winning AmericanAuthor?

· HarperLee

· AliceAdams

· IsabelWilkerson

a Rafflecopter giveaway 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 prize will be supplied in exchange for this post. Giveaway prized is not shipped by me I hold no responsibility

Whats Your Number Now Available On Blu-Ray and DVD

2012-01-23T17:41:00.000-05:00

Synopsis:

Ring in the New Year with a fresh and funny tale about dating, relationships and life as Anna Faris (Scary Movie Franchise, The House Bunny) and Chris Evans (Fantastic Four, Captain America) come together in a hilarious quest for “the one” .

After reading a magazine article that insists if a woman has slept with at least 20 people that they have already missed Mr. Right, marketing executive Ally Darling (Anna Faris) begins to panic, thinking that she will be alone forever. With the help of her hunky new neighbor (Chris Evans), Ally starts tracking down all her ex-boyfriends, hoping to find her real true love while she helps him escape his latest fling. Hilarious hijinks and adventure ensues as Ally goes on her wild search for the best “ex” of her life, only to find what she is looking has been right in front of her all along.

Our Take:

This was honestly a nice break from the kid movies we had watched the night before. The plot was easy to follow and kind of typical - I knew right away what was going to happen. However, between the humor and the slightly romantic under-tone it was rather refreshing. There is some nudity, but in a non-typical way. And I guess what I mean by that is it's a lot more male behind and a lot less breast. I'm not saying the male behind is always cute either...lol There is some language as well you may not find suitable for your children but as for a rated R adult flick, What's Your Number? was certainly entertaining, and provided a few good laughs.

If your like me and like your comedies raunchy this one wasn't really in the same category, though it had it's moments. I was also a little taken by Anna Faris as she wasn't the "quirky" funny and she has proven to be in the past.

Buy It: Purchase What's Your Number as of January 10th, 2012 where videos are sold.

U.S.Rating: R

TotalRun Time: 106 minutes

his was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. Products 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

"Protect Infants Now" - Meningococcal Disease

2012-01-23T13:00:00.003-05:00

As Mothers, I believe if there were but one thread that linked us, it would be that we will do anything to protect or children. You even see this to be true with wildlife. From the moment I found out there was a tiny life growing inside me, that protective nature just blossomed within.

Of course there will be many times our life that we will be unable to protect our child. I know I will never be able to protect my daughter from her first broken heart, but I do know, I can and will be there to comfort her. Of course, if there ever was a way for my to take my children's pain, fears or illnesses away, I will be first in line to take it . Until the time comes, when I can reflect all their hurt and sick onto myself, I will do whatever it takes to keep them safe, happy, and healthy. This is the reason why I chose to take part in the Protect Infants Now Campaign (PIN) and help raise awareness about Infant Meningococcal disease.

This was a disease always mentioned in our home from the time I was a child, as my own Mother lost a friend to Meningococcal disease, also known as meningitis.

Meningococcal disease is a sudden and very aggressive illness that can kill a previously healthy child within 24-48 hours of the first symptoms, which typically start out as non-specific and mimic symptoms of the flu. Infants younger than one year old are at a disproportionately higher risk for contracting meningococcal meningitis due to their less sophisticated immune systems. Advanced bacterial meningitis can lead to brain damage, coma, and death. Survivors can suffer long-term complications, including hearing loss, mental retardation, paralysis, and seizures.

Facts About Meningitis
Bacterial meningitis is a serious infection of the fluid in the spinal cord and the fluid that surrounds the brain.
Bacterial meningitis is most commonly caused by one of three types of bacteria: Haemophilus influenzae type b, Neisseria meningitidis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria.
The bacteria are spread by direct close contact with the discharges from the nose or throat of an infected person.
Bacterial meningitis can be treated with antibiotics.
Prevention depends on use of vaccines, rapid diagnosis, and prompt treatment of close personal contacts

Facts provided by Meningitis Angels

As stated above the symptoms can closely mimic the flu and therefore, similar symptoms should be monitored closely as well as evaluated by a doctor. Remember in cases of Meningitis rapid treatment is very important!

What are the signs and symptoms, for those of you less familiar with the disease?

In persons 2 and over, common symptoms are high fever, headache, and stiff neck.Other symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, confusion, and sleepiness. In advanced disease, bruises develop under the skin and spread quickly.

In newborns and infants, the typical symptoms of fever, headache, and neck stiffness may be hard to detect. Other signs in babies might be inactivity, irritability, vomiting, and poor feeding.

As the disease progresses, patients of any age can have seizures.

Fortunately, there is vaccine out there that could potentially help protect our children, as far too many precious lives have been lost from this disease. However, the vaccines are not currently universally recommended for infants, only those deemed high risk. The FDC is still reviewing whether they should make it part of current vaccination guidelines.

Meningitis Angels, is an organization dedicated to raising awareness about meningitis and other vaccine-preventable diseases. They work hard to fight against meningococcal disease. One step in there fight is "Protect Infants Now" (PIN), a campaign aimed at encouraging the government to recommend the current meningococcal meningitis vaccines be given to infants. Through the online PIN petition, Meningitis Angels wants to encourage the CDC to include meningitis vaccines in the recommended vaccination schedule for infants.

I know not everyone agrees about vaccines. I obviously do. I'm not here to debate the topic though. What I want is to first and foremost help spread the word about Infant Meningitis and raise some awareness to the signs and symptoms for those parents who may not have been aware of the disease or it's seriousness. Second, for parents such as myself who do vaccinate and believe in vaccination I wanted to forward on the Protect Infants Now petition for their consideration.

I know new vaccines are always the scariest. In fact my Mother believed in vaccinating yet refuse to let me have the Chickenpox vaccine as it was "too new". Instead I suffered with the Chickenpox - and nope I won't let her forget it! I am of course kidding, I completely understood where she was coming from. We do have to start someplace though, at one time all vaccines were new. I would love to see this vaccine approved and put on the list of vaccinations for infants. I would be more then happy to one day see it as a apart of my Grandchildren's future vaccination schedule, just like Chickenpox was on my children's.

To learn more about the petition to help get this vaccine approved check out the "PIN" Campaign Petition.

“I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central and Meningitis Angels. This campaign was made possible in part through support provided by Novartis Vaccines. A small donation to a charity of my choice was made in my name from Mom Central as a thank-you for participating. All opinions in this posting are 100% my own."

Giveaway Gala - Giveaway Link Up

2012-01-23T05:15:00.002-05:00

Welcome to the Giveaway Gala. A collection of featured giveaways from 5 blog's, including a linky for you to link up your giveaways! This linky will be hosted on 5 blog's giving you the benefit of reaching all of our combined readers. So feel free to check out giveaways and link up your giveaways. We only ask you link directly to your giveaway, any links to your homepage will be removed.

Just Like June:
Mohawk Home Rug of Choice (up to $149) 1/27
Wellness Mat in choice of design 1/27
Wind & Weather $50 Gift Certificate

Closer To Lucy:
Diamond Candles 1/27
Elite Serum 2/9
Vaultz Storage 1/25

That's What She Said:
JW Pet iSqueak Dog Toy Prize Pack 2/13

Have Sippy Will Travel :
Aquaphor Lip Repair & Lotion 2/14
Winchill Mountain Coffee 2/11
Ocean Spray Fruit Flavored Snacks 2/6

3 Princes and A Princess 2 :
5 boxes of General Mills Cereal 1/30
Pictures on Gold Locket 2/9
Bosch Auto Parts 1/30

Pictures On Gold Review & Giveaway Perfect for Valentines Day

2012-01-20T19:10:00.003-05:00

Looking for a meaning gift this Valentines Day? Well, then I have the answer for you. PicturesOnGold.com creates lasting photo lockets and photo jewelry using only the finest 14k gold, white gold and Sterling Silver.

Using patented technology, Pictures On Gold is able to laser your most precious photos onto a locket, pendent, bracelet, key chain and more. These make for an incredibly personal and meaningful gift. I myself received a sterling silver "sweetheart" photo locket with 18in box chain. I was able to choose two photos, one for each side - I chose one colored photo and one in back and white. I was then able to choose engraving of my choice on the front or back of the locket. Sticking with the Valentines theme, I opted to use photos of my husband and I. My photos DO NOT do this piece any justice. It's a beautiful piece that I truly treasure!

It arrived in a nice box, as do all their pendants, lockets and such

Inside that box is a beautiful gift box...

I had it engraved on the front - you have the choice of either script or block letters

And of course I had the photos placed on the inside, since it was a locket. The locket looks great in person. Unfortunately, I couldn't get my camera to give me and accurate shot with the light reflecting.

My husband almost never poses for photos, so to have a piece of photo jewelry like this, that I can treasure and for the photos to be so clear, really made me happy. I would love to get one made with my children as well. These lockets are such a precious gift.

In fact Picturesongold.com takes such pride in their work they offer a 1 year guarantee on all their photo lockets and pendents, which are all scratch and water resistant. They also do not sell imitations. All their gold pieces are solid gold and all silver is pure sterling silver.

Whatever the occasion you can find a meaningful gift at Pictures On Gold; Mother's Day, birthdays, anniversary's and more are all covered

Buy It: The locket features in this review retails for about $155.85 and can be found at www.picturesongold.com along with many other styles and choices. Additionally you can save 5% of your order by using the code Patty5

Win it: One lucky reader will win a Sterling Silver “Sweetheart” Heart Photo Locket which holds 2 photos. It is sized at ¾ x ¾, and a Sterling Silver 18inch Box Chain - As featured in this review (RV $155.85) *** Perfect for Valentines Day***

Winners week 1-15

2012-01-20T13:47:00.000-05:00

Honeywell - Kelly M
Nu Skin - Enlightened
Aerobie - Jennifer h
Kidtoons Jennifer R
General Mills - Erin

Thank you to all who entered and to the sponsors. Winners have been notified via email and have 48 hrs to reply before a new winner is selected.

Elite Serum - Combat Puffiness, Dark Circles and Wrinkles

2012-01-19T13:32:00.003-05:00

I can't even tell you when the last time I got at least 6 hours of sleep was. I can be dead tired and just lay in bed tossing and turning. I generally don't fall asleep until 2am and have to be up at 5am to get the kids off to school. I've become used to to the lack of sleep but I will never get use to my puffy tired eyes.

At barely 30 I'm not ready for the whole Botox debate with the hubby and haven't done enough research to know how much it will do for the puffiness under my eyes. This has left me searching for less drastic options - and then I came across Elite Serum.

Elite Serum is a needle-free scientific breakthrough in skin care technology helping to reduce eye puffiness, sagging, fine lines and wrinkles.

What are the benefits of Elite Serum?

Formulated with the highest concentration of pharmaceutical-grade ingredients.
Rich seaweed extract base as used by the world's most expensive serums.
Contains scientifically advanced peptides proven to cause DNA rejuvenation.
Delivers a youthful and vibrant appearance around the eyes.
Rapidly brings oxygen and nutrients to the eye area.
Reduces the appearance of dark circles and puffiness.
Diminishes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Works directly under and around the eye area within minutes.
Ultra-lightweight and fast-absorbing application.
No injection needed. It works on areas where the Botox™ solution can not.
A Cooling, hyper toning sensation indicates that the serum is working.
Scientifically designed as hypoallergenic, non-sensitizing and non-irritating.
Can be used safely and beneficially in conjunction with other skin care products.
Ability to work alone as needed as a powerful eye serum.
Manufactured in the USA in an advanced FDA licensed pharmaceutical laboratory.

Elite Serum uses a combination of Peptides along with moisturizes helping women everywhere combat the sizes of ageing in their eye. The eyes always seem to age the fasted so if I can combat my puffiness and start working to reduce the signs of aging I'm all for it.

Buy It: Purchase a syringe of Elite Serum for $89.95 at http://www.skincarebilling.com/-New-Elite-Serum-1p25.htm

Win It: One lucky reader will win a syringe of Elite Serum

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. With this product I give no claims of how it works as I have not finished the recommended usage time. Giveaway prized is not shipped by me I hold no responsibility

Get Your Whole Grain! Win 5 Boxes Of General Mills Cereals

2012-01-18T18:33:00.002-05:00

For the New Year my husband vowed to make the same changes as many others - He wanted to eat and live healthier. I have to admit I am very proud of him because he has been doing incredibly well. I wish I had just half of his will power. His change has however made a big difference in how I shop and has really opened my eyes to products and even packaging as a stroll down the grocery store aisles.

Would you believe the main thing that jumped out at me down the cereal aisle was the big whole grain check mark on General Mills Cereals. I always knew Cheerios were a healthy choice but looked at Lucky Charms as less "good for you". Who knew it had more whole grain then any other ingredient. Oh, and believe me either way, I personally would not have stopped eating it, but it's nice to know I'm getting some much needed whole grain into my diet.

In fact Dietary Guidelines recommend people get at least 48 grams of whole grain in their daily diets. According to Dr. Travis Stork, emergency room physician and host of "The Doctors," identifying whole grain products can be challenging. Shoppers can look for nutritional cues on the front of the box, but they need to read the ingredient list to know if they are getting enough whole grain. Ingredient lists detail ingredients in order of prevalence, and if the words "whole grain" are followed by a grain like wheat or oats, it means the food contains more whole grain than any other single ingredient.

The whole grain markings on packaging was something I took note of walking down the aisles but really had no clue how much whole grain each product contained. Thanks to Dr. Travis Stork, General Mills and Myblogspark I now have some clue. Dr. Stork says it's really quite simple and tells us how to determine if your cereals have whole grain as a first ingredient;

Start Early!
The Dietary Guidelines recommend people get at least 48 grams of whole grain in their daily diets. Get a jump-start on the day´s nutrition by incorporating whole grain into your morning routine. For instance, when choosing cereal make sure whole grain is listed as the first ingredient. One easy choice is cereal with the white check, which have more whole grain than any other single ingredient.
Make Simple Swaps.
Choose whole grain versions of the foods you love. Great options include whole wheat pasta and whole wheat bread or even whole grain crackers. Also, try different types of whole grain. Use brown rice instead of white rice as a side dish at dinner or popcorn, which is a whole grain, for a snack.
Don´t Judge a Food by Its Cover.
The front of food packages provide good nutritional cues, but don´t forget to read the ingredients and check the nutrition label and side labels for additional health information. Cereals with the white check even include the amount of whole grain per serving on packaging.

Pretty simple cues to look for and changes to make right?

We were sent 5 boxes of General Mills brand cereals with whole grain as the top ingredient. Cereal such as; Lucky Charms, Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, Total and Cinnamon Toast Crush. We are a big cereal family and these were some of our favs. My husband claimed the Cheerios and Total and of course my daughter snatch up her Lucky Charms - Come to think of it maybe we should work on "sharing" for the New Year as well ;-)

To help with choosing products with whole grain, General Mills developed "Fast Lane for Whole Grain," an online educational game. Consumers can navigate virtual grocery store aisles and identify products that have whole grain as the first ingredient, with the option to enter a sweepstakes to win one of each of the 50 cereals with the white check. For more information on the importance of whole grain and a chance to enter the "Fast Lane for Whole Grain" sweepstakes, visit www.WholeGrainNation.com.

Win It: Want even more chance to win? One lucky reader of my blog will win 5 boxes of General Mills cereal with the white check!

a Rafflecopter giveawayI received one or more of the products and info mentioned above for free through Myblogspark and General Mills 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 not shipped by me I hold no responsibility

Back to School Again

2012-01-18T17:40:00.007-05:00

The Author of this post is Velma Baird

I have decided to go back to school and pursue a doctorate in education. I have taught the third grade for the last twenty years ( since I got out of undergrad). I went back while I was teaching and got a master’s degree in education, but I feel like my true calling is in teaching administration. To be a administrative teacher you usually have to pursue a doctoral degree. The doctoral program that I got into at the University of Texas is a residential program. So yes, I will be getting another taste of college life. I will also only be teaching part-time. I am determined to save money over the next three years, as my salary is being cut. I made sure to Shop Electric Rates Texas to find the right provider. I am also going to utilize university services that are much cheaper than going to private services. For example, I am using the university gym. I love being back in college!

What Do You Get Him On Valentines Day?

2012-01-18T15:33:00.002-05:00

I'm looking forward to Valentines Day. I know it's one of the holidays you either love or hate, but I am one who loves it. My reason might be a bit selfish though. It's one of the only holidays me and the hubby actually exchange gifts for. Lucky for him I'm a simple girl and a bouquet of Valentines Day Flowers go along way.

However, now a days he does need some reminding and coaching. Before are kids came along, of course it was all about us as a couple, and he was an amazing shopper. He was so thoughtful and I never had to leave any hints - like the catalog open to the gifts for her section. Oh, yes! I try and pull that old trick all the time.

Lucky for him the Internet has made life easier with great sites like Interflora offering many great options for all the holiday's men tend to forget. At Interflora you can order anything from an anniversary gifts to a bottle of wine for a nice romantic evening. They even have some great options for next day delivery.

Even though men are more forgetful, and more likely to find themselves in trouble for forgetting the holiday, I still think they have the Valentine holiday easy; flowers, candy and jewelry are always a great gift option as they seem to be the theme of the day, right? What about for men though? I go through this every year, a box of chocolates and flowers seems so womanly to me - even though I have gone the route before.
This year I came across this cute "Hamper Basket For Him". To me it's seems to fit the tone of the day and has some great stuff in it like cashews and a bottle of Merlot.

This is something I would feel better about getting him... In addition of course, to the fancy boxer short with hearts all over them that he has come to expect...lol

What do you think? What do you get the man in your life for Valentines Day?

* Read my disclosure located here

Goalforit.com - Helping Your Child Reach Their Goals

2012-01-17T19:27:00.001-05:00

With the New Year came a boat load of changes I want to make. In fact I have spent the last two weeks telling you all over and over about them. I think for me it's kind of like if I say enough, I'll actually do it. My kids though, are a whole different animal. It doesn't manner how many times they say it - or I do! They rarely have the motivation to stick with something without me all over them.

There is however an exciting new online resource called "Goal For It", just perfect for motivating kids, tweens and even Teens! Goalforit.com, provides a variety of free solutions for personal success that are easy to use and can help bring more focus, balance and fulfillment into everyday living. In a manner of second you are set up with a personal account where you can help your kids keep track of their goals via chore charts.

Have no fear sign up really is as simple as your email address, gender and zip code. You can then build a profile, or skip that step.

This FREE Chore Chart can help teach kids, tweens & teens many important lessons, including:

Responsibility; A Chore Chart is an ideal way to help your kids feel like they are making a contribution to their family by doing their part around the house.
Understanding right from wrong; Setting behavior goals is an important way to help children strengthen their character and judgment.
Healthy Habits; Teaching good habits involving nutrition and physical activity are the cornerstone of prevent obesity in children and adolescents.
Money Matters; The optional point system teaches children three important lessons for managing money; earning, spending and saving.

Did you catch the word free! Yup, that's right the service is absolutely free for you to use - always a bonus. I do want to mention that these charts aren't just for chores remember, they are also for behavior and creating personal goals.

I started with my older kids and made each of them a Chore Chart mixed with daily responsibilities, motivators and reminders. All things to get them started on the right foot this year. You have the choice of kids or teen charts - For my older two boys I went with a simple chart from the tween charts.

Each day we can log in and mark of what has been completed and a tally shows at the end of the row, if they miss a day the tally resets. With the kids charts this optional feature is called Moolah. Moolah is an added incentive for children, as a child earns moolah for each positive progress in a goal or chore. The Moolah collected can be "spent" on a special reward created by Mom or Dad. Mom & Dad can easily add in what Moolah can be spent on, and how much moolah needs to be earned for a specific reward.

Not to be left out my daughter also requested a chart. I listed the small tasks that are expected of her daily like; picking up toys, going to bed on time, brushing her teeth etc... She was most excited because she got to choose a cute theme for her chart and even which sticker design to use when we mark off a completed task.

What to hear what I thought really made this service really neat!? You can add friends and family members and choose which charts they can see. This way if your like me and work better under pressure you can have someone checking up on you, or relatives can be checking in just to see where their niece, nephew, grandchild etc is at - And maybe offer them an incentive or two as well.

There is also a feature for a" to do list" on goalforit.com. You can create a list for whatever you want. You might even organize a list of to do's for a party, and once again you are given the option to share the list with your friends and family on goalforit.com. It's an easy place to keep up with your must do's and who is in charge of what.

Get your child started on the right foot this year with goalforit.com!

This is was a sponsored post. 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.

Sherry Chicken Salad - Quick, Easy and Good For You Too

2012-01-17T13:37:00.003-05:00

What you Need:

Whole Wheat bread
3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Sherry Cooking Wine
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 Garlic Glove minced
Roasted chicken shredded * no bones - I use our left overs, so I'll say about 2 cups
1/3 cup Red Bell Peppers diced
1 Celery Stalk chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste

In small bowl whisk together Sherry, olive oil and Dijon mustard for dressing. I like the amounts as stated above but my husband prefers it more moist - you can always adjust this part to your liking.

Place chicken, garlic, peppers and celery in a large bowl and toss with dressing. Sprinkle with salt and peeper serve on whole wheat bread for a healthy choice.

Guest Giveaway Post - The Greatest Show On Earth! 4 sets of 4 passes

2012-01-17T13:12:00.009-05:00

Guest Giveaway Post By Closer To Lucy

Step right up! You won't believe your eyes…
aerial acrobatics,human cannonballs, sword swallowing feats, what an exhilarating experience!

There is just something about the circus that keeps us all childlike…

Istill remember school field trips and attending with my mom and big sister.

Ican’t find it but I still have an old Polaroid of my sister and I getting toride a circus elephant...it's one of my most prized moments of childhood.I can smell the air….it’s full of popcorn, hay, animals, and musk. Ahhh, Good times………..vicarious nostalgia.

If you’re like me, the idea of the circus being in towninstantly put a smile on your face.

Well Nashvillians…..go ahead and crack that grin because thecircus is in town!

Not just any circus either. The Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey willroll out the greatest show on earth in Music City’s Bridgestone Arena Jan.26-29.

If you don’t live in the Nashville area….don’t fret because they are coming to you soon and if you don’t have your tickets yet—What are you waiting for?

You need to seriously consider it. It's not called the "Greatest Show on Earth" for nothing, after all!

Check out event locations, dates, times, and make plans now!

For those of you in the Nashville area I hope you’re excited because it gets better -- they’ve got a $12 kids ticket for the Friday 10:30am showing, just use the code KIDS12. It’s available on all $15, $21 and $26 tickets – which is a pretty good deal.

Want a little bit more to get giddy with…how about a giveaway?

That’s right Closer to Lucy’s peeps will have a chance to win a total of 20 tickets! Thanks to the generosity of the peeps over at Ringling Bro. and Barium and Baily, I’ve got 4 sets of 4 passes to the greatest show on earth!

a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveawayI received no prior compensation for this posting, I have been offered tickets to the event but have not decided if I will be attending. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I personally use and believe will be a good match for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with Closer to Lucy's legal disclosure and the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Thank you to Ringling Bro and Barnum and Bailey for supplying the Giveaway Prize. Prizes shipped by sponsor I hold no responsibility. This giveaway is not affiliated with Facebook in anyway.

Take Over Tuesday Hop ( Google + Edition)

2012-01-16T23:33:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Take Over Tuesday, a Facebook,Twitter, and Google+ hop.

Your Hostesses are:

Closer to Lucy

Just Like June (formerly The Thrifty Things)

Have Sippy Will Travel

3 Princes and a Princess 2
That's What She Said

Each week we will have either hop on Twitter, Facebook, G+ Hop.

This week is G+

**Reminder: Because of the pending GFC changes we thought we'd take a proactive approach and run G+ for the next several Tuesdays in order to help boost everyone's G+ buzz**

<a href="http://www.closertolucy.com/"><img src="http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj112/crystalpw/Image2-3.jpg"/></a>

Just leave your Google+ link in the linky and follow your hostesses. We will follow you back.

Follow as many people as you like and leave a comment on their page to let them know you are a fan. Remember, following back is appreciated!

Winchell Mountain Coffee Review & Giveaway

2012-01-16T19:15:00.002-05:00

Let me be honest here, I could not survive a day without coffee! Even more true is the fact that my husband can't survive and hour without coffee. Really, I couldn't even tell you how many pots I make a day and or night. I'm a morning coffee girl and my husband can drink six cups and pass out for then night - go figure.

We were recently introduced to Winchell Mountain Coffee. Now any coffee is a welcome addition in our home, but this coffee was special. They have a wonderful coffee collection by Sandra Boyton. Sandra is a cartoonist and once paired up with boutique coffee pioneer and master roaster Bob Rivkin they came up with a terrific brand of coffee. Coffee that LOOKS as good as it tastes!

How cute are these bags? We were delighted to get the chance to really see if the coffee was as good as the bag looks. We were sent bags of Country Morning, Wide Awake, Beach Blend, and Valentine's Day. I guess you can tell from my photo that Wide Awake and Country Morning were the first two we sampled. We absolutely loved the Wide Awake, in fact it was our favorite,. with a zesty and bold pick me up. Country Morning is described as a leisurely flavor but pack a punch to our taste buds. Definitely good but a little went a long way.

Valentines Day was our second favorite. This limited edition Viennese roast "An Affectionate Blend." would make great gift idea for the coffee fanatic! Beach Blend is a mellow mocha Java and now that I am reflecting on it's taste... maybe this was my favorite! It's hard because they were all different yet equally good.

Here are some quick facts about Winchell Mountain Coffee. Even though the Sandra Boyton collection is super fun, this is still a company serious about their coffee....

They use beans from all around the world and will not accept a shipment until that harvest has been sampled repeatedly, both in its raw green form and in its roasted form.
With these carefully selected beans, they create exclusive blends like the more rare single origin coffees called Yrgacheffe. Yrgacheffe is a region of Ethiopia and rumored to be where the first coffee bean came from.
They roast their coffee in the old old-world tradition, only utilizing heat and hands
They are obsessed with quality and will throw entire roasts away if the beans are not sampled perfectly.
One-way goglio valve bags vacuum pack the beans so consumers are guaranteed the absolute freshness. Using this technology there is no air whatsoever entering the beans to spoil their integrity so the bags have a healthy shelf life of up to six months.

Buy It: Purchase Winchell Mountain Coffee online at http://www.winchellmountaincoffee.com/

Win It: In honor of cupids holiday Winchell Mountain Coffee is offering one lucky reader a bag of the limited edition "Valentine's Day: An Affectionate Blend" -- beans or ground, your choice. Winner will also receive a Sandra Boyton Coffee Mug and a 2012 Mom's Family Calender!

a Rafflecopter giveawaya 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 not shipped by me I hold no responsibility

Being Financially Smart In The New Year

2012-01-16T18:53:00.001-05:00

Twoweeks into the New Year and I'm still working hard at making the little changesto help provide for not only myself and husband in the future, but for my childrenas well.

Wewere a young couple, married at 18, our second child on the way before I wastwenty. We have come a long way but I think there were some important lifelessons, at least financially, that we missed out on. We were too young totake into consideration how important being financial responsible was and torealize how much it could, and would, impact are future in the lateryears.

Wegot a first apartment, my husband was doing well, working two jobs and thecredit cards were just rolling in. Sometimes credit can be a blessing, but putinto the wrong hands, and it can be quite dangerous. I am not ashamed to say weracked them right up! Looking back I wish we would have at least made arepurchases on credit worth it, but again, we were young and enjoying what wethought was the freedom of spending and living it up. To us it wasn't abig deal as long as we were making our payments, and we were. As a matterof fact, the more payments we made, the more credit card offers showed up.

Fastforward another year or so. My husband was down to one job as his main employerhad since closed their doors. I was at home with two children and no realexperience in the work force under my belt. In fact, it was going to cost memore than I would have made to even place my kids in daycare. That, however,did stop those credit card bills from rolling in, and we were drowning quickly.Then we got an offer from one of our credit cards companies that soundappealing - "merge your debts onto one card." In our youngminds this sounded great so we started transferring balances from card to card.Eventually we were even using card A to make a payment to card B and so on.Yes, we were headed down a long sticky road!

Aftera few more long months of struggling, we saw an ad for debt consolidation.It seemed like we had exhausted are other options, and we were not financiallystable enough to keep up with our payments as they were. We figured, what harmcould come from finding out a little more about consolidating. Thisactually turned into a great option as we were given a flat balance that wecould afford to pay monthly. It took some time, and a hard lesson learned, butwe finally got help with credit cards and learned a valuable lesson.

Herewe are now in our thirties, and sometimes I think we never learned to budgetcorrectly. I mean our bills are paid on time; we have food in the cabinets butdon't save a dollar. We have always had that "you only live once"motto, so why not spend it while you can. I quickly see us on the road toputting more things on credit, and saying we will worry about it later. Howeveras my children and I age, I realize that we should have been saving all along.Time goes by way to fast. I don't want to worry about finally getting out of debt in my golden years. I don't want to struggle to find away to provide for my kids college education - especially with four of them!

Ihave added a lot to my plate this year to better myself and my family. I knowwith a little hard work and dedication everything will come together. Thisyear, I WILL say goodbye to ALL our credit cards, not just one or two!

* Read my disclosure located here

Giveaway Gala - Giveaway Link Up

2012-01-15T21:00:00.004-05:00

Just Like June:

Mohawk Home Rug of Choice (up to $149) 1/27

Wind & Weather $50 Gift Certificate

Be Known Contest - Ulta Makeup, Starbucks GC and Business Card Holders 1/27

3 Princes and a Princess 2:

Bosch Auto Parts Prize Pack RV $200 1/30

Honeywell ultrasonic Humidifier 1/19

Nu Skin Skin Care System (RV$410) 1/19

Closer To Lucy:

Culver's Mindful Choices Meal (5 Winners) ~ 1/27

Real Steel DVD/Blu-Ray Combo Pack ~ 1/24

Vaultz Locking Storage Products ~ 1/25

Have Sippy Will Travel:

Kidorable Umbrella ends Jan 30

GoGo Babyz Travel Carseat ends Jan 27

Zoobies ends Jan 25

That's What She Said:

JW Pet iSqueak Toy Prize Pack 2/13
Safari LTD Mythical Creatures Prize Pack 1/22
Award Winning Perplexus Puzzle Game 1/22

Ocean Spray Fruit Flavored Snack Goodness (Giveaway)

2012-01-15T15:27:00.002-05:00

One of my kids favorite snacks are fruit snacks. I have no complaints about that but even more excited about Ocean Sprays new fruit flavored snacks!

Available in two delicious varieties, Ocean Spray Fruit Flavored Snacks provide kids with the great tasting snacks they crave and parents with the confidence that they come from a good place. My daughter is one of those kids that likes snacks based not only on taste but looks or designs. She is a cherry and strawberry nut! So, when she seen the Berries & Cherries variety of Ocean Spray Fruit Snacks, she was actually really excited about them!

Ocean Spray Fruit Flavored Snacks are juicy deliciousness, and are:

Made with real fruit juice and natural colors* and flavors.
80 calories, gluten free and contain 100% of the Daily Value of Vitamin C.
Available with year round Double Box Tops.

Ocean Spray Fruit Flavored Snacks are sure to make both Mom and child smile. To help start your New Year on a healthy foot, Ocean Spray is offering a coupon for $1.10 off two boxes of Ocean Spray Fruit Snacks. Click here to download the printable coupon.

Win It: In addition to Ocean Spray sharing the $1.10 printable coupon with you all, they are also offering one lucky winner 6 boxes of Ocean Spray Fruit Snacks - 3 boxes of each variety!

Steak and Pepper Tacos

2012-01-14T15:57:00.002-05:00

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 Teaspoons Taco Seasoning
1 garlic clove, minced
3 ounces steak strips
1 1/2 cups sliced green and red bell peppers
1/2 cup sliced onion
whole-grain tortillas
1/4 cup water
sour cream
Salsa

Directions:In a skillet, saute olive oil, 1 tsp taco seasoning, and garlic for 1 minute over medium heat. Add steak strips and cook about 5 minutes. Add pepper and onion, additional tsp of taco seasoning and water.. cook for another 10 minutes.

Place mixture in tortillas and fold. Add Salsa and Sour cream to taste.

Like this recipe? Check out my easy Chicken Fajitas recipe

Mr. Chewy For All Your Pets Needs

2012-01-14T14:31:00.000-05:00

Well, I am still on an online shopping kick! I've covered everything from craft site to coupon codes with you, and now I would love to share some online shopping of the pet variety. mrchewy.com is an online service dedicated to all your pet care needs, from food, treats and even flea and tick medications.

What I really loved here ( besides once again that I don't have to venture out) were Mr Chewy's prices. With two dogs, one whom will eat anything and seems to still always be hungry, treats and food can be quite pricey. Saving even just $1.00 or 2 especially on specialty treats and food is always a bonus.

With a $50 dollar credit I was able to stock up on all my puppies favorite treats plus some and didn't have to worry about shipping charges!

With 70 popular brands to choose from, no dog or cat has to go without their favorites. Mr Chewy has some great natural brands. I have mentioned before how picky my Boxer is. She will only eat one generic brand of food and I have been wanting to test out a few more healthy varieties with her. I have decided to order a bag a month via Mrchewy.com, until I find something she is happy with. Until then my Pit will be more then happy to eat what she doesn't like and I'm not over paying.

For my dog Boss I pay around $52.00 for a 30lb bag of Blue Buffalo. At Mr Chewy I pay just $46.00 for the same 30lb bag! I noticed the same price difference in their favorite treats as well.

I couldn't post without including a pic or two of my babies enjoying some of their treats from Mr. Chewy.

Boss, is my sweetheart but doesn't share bones well with his "sister" Bella. So I typically keep him crated when they are enjoying bones..or he will try and steal Bella's as well.

Visit Mr Chewy for all your favorite brands of dog food at reasonable prices. You can also keep up with Mr. Chewy via their Facebook page.

This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. Products 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

18 SneakPeeq Winners Plus 2 More!

2012-01-13T20:00:00.000-05:00

I want to start be announcing the winners of the Sneakpeeq giveaway since there were 18 of you! I would also like to mention I DID NOT email you all but the sponsor has your account info as she supplied it to me. I'm not sure if she will email you all on Monday or not but... your accounts should be credit sometime Monday for the amount you won.

The two $50 GC winners are Carmen L and Michelle P

The five winners of a $25 GC are: Grace M, Rita S, Jess P, Michelle D and Kelly Sweeper

The ten $10 GC Winners were: Debbie J, Monique O. R, Jennifer O, Dara N, Sue B Patricia W. C, Julie L, Erin Z, Kathy P, and Ashley B

Any questions feel free to email me :)

Neat-Oh Winners is: Brenda B

Style Me Up! Winner is: Kathryn G. C

These two winners will be notified by me shortly via email. Thank you to all who entered and to the wonderful sponsors.

Craft Supplies Straight To Your Door

2012-01-13T11:56:00.000-05:00

I often take a little time daily to check out all the post you crafty Mama's come up with. I love finding cute craft projects, especially ones I can tackle with my kids. I've been thinking a lot lately about my Grandmother. She was amazing at crafts... any kind of crafts. You name it she could build it, make it, paint it and more. She was very inspiring to me and often got me wrapped up in crafts of my own. Without her around I find my creativity lacking and am scared to hit the craft stores on my own. I don't know where I would begin.

I recently was introduced to Factory Direct Craft, which is an amazing online site featuring all craft related materials. Now you all know how I feel about online shopping - I love it! So for me finding an online craft supply retailer, was such a thrill. My mind kind of boggles when I walk into a craft store. At Factorydirectcraft.com I can shop at my own pace and take time to plan my crafts. Oh, and of course you know the best part for me is that my supplies will be delivered right to my door!

With Valentine's Day coming I'm thinking there is no better time than to jump back into the crafting waters. I wanted to start with something simple, that I could display for everyone to see. I decided since my door is bare for the first time in almost 5 months, that a Valentine wreath would be a great place to start! And guess what Factory Direct Craft has everything I need from a Styrofoam heart base, to the tulle and silk flowers to decorate it with.

I'm pretty excited to get back into crafts; it can be so relaxing and rewarding. I know my children love it as well, and I truly miss all those special projects we would work on together. With Factory Direct Craft there will be no more putting off a craft. I can jump right from checking out a fun craft idea to ordering the supplies - and at reasonable prices I might add.

Do you take on different craft projects? What's your favorite? I love to make fabric photo albums. It's been way to long since I created one. I think after my wreath, it's time for my daughter to get her own special album, like my boys have.

* Read my disclosure located here

Bosch ICON Wiper Blades Take Off With Stormchasers ( $200 Prize Pack Giveaway)

2012-01-12T17:51:00.001-05:00

Becoming a Mother really made me look at everything in a whole new light. Things I would have at one time shown minimal concern with, have grown into big things. For example wind shield wipers. Something you might normally take for granted until you hit the road with your kids in tow and get stuck in one of the afternoon downpours that are typical down here in the summer months. These down pours are so heavy against the windshield visibility is almost zero, and they can hit at any time.

Bosch knows how important keeping the family safe on the road is. They are proud to introduce their new ICON wiper blades. These bracketless wipers are designed without metal or plastic brackets, joints or hinges, which means they’re an improvement over conventional wiper blades. They will make me feel better once attached to our van.

To celebrate the release Bosch is holding a contest where one lucky Facebook fan and a guest will win an experience of a lifetime: an all-expenses-paid, five-night VIP Storm Chasing trip for you and a guest, with Reed Timmer of Discovery Channel’s STORMCHASERS.

Want to check out real accounts with Bosch Wiper Blades? Check out these two clips in a series of Webisodes in which Reed Timmer is documenting his own experience with the Bosch ICON wiper blades! The third episode premiers on 1/23 via the Bosch Facebook page

That isn't all Bosch has in store for you though. To help get the word out about this amazing Facebook contest - I am offering one lucky reader a wonderful prize pack Including:

• A set of Bosch ICON wiper blades ($50 value)

• “Storm Chasers - Season 4” DVD ($55 value)

• A signed copy of Reed Timmer’s book “Into The Storm” ($20 value)

• A Bosch C3 6V/12V Fully Automatic 4-Mode Battery Charger ($70 value

Going Google Thursday

2012-01-11T20:07:00.001-05:00

As many of you noted with the craziness of the holiday's the Thursday Cup Of Joe Hop was put on hold. Then came the news that many blogs would be losing their Google Friend Connect come March. So we have decided to take our weekly hop in a new direction. It all about Going Google Thursday's now. Feel free to link up your GFC for those who are still implementing it and for those of you who are starting a new venture into Google Plus you may link that up as well.

As always 3 Princes and a Princess 2 is happy to once again bring you our Thursday Hop along with Yes, I Have A Coupon and Just Like June ( formally The Thrifty Things).

get the InLinkz code

Advice For A Newbie In The World Of Coupons...???

2012-01-11T13:52:00.002-05:00

So as I'm sure you all know, I have started making small changes to the way I shop for the New Year. One of the things I had done was bookmarked all the top promo code sites, that update often and hold the most valid codes for my online purchases. Starting Sunday, I will try and wrap my brain into in-store couponing and getting stuff together.

I broke out my according style folder that was gifted to me by one of the best coupons I know. Now I just have to start my coupon collection back up and remember to actually buy the paper every week as well as dedicate time weekly, to printing out coupons I find across the web. I have swore for the past three years that I was going to learn to be a smart shopper. I have no idea why matching and pairing up coupons with sales confuses me so much, but I'm really going to try and finally give it my all.

I know there are some fabulous blogs and websites out that will take a lot of the guess work out of my shopping trips for me. Do you have a favorite savings blog? I would love to know where you turn or even more about your own savings site. I have a few friends with fabulous sites but their main focus is geared at one particular store, that I am unable to frequent often.

I know a lot of you readers are some savvy shoppers, so do you have any advice for a newbie like myself? Particularly advice that won't make my head spin.... ;-)

* Read my disclosure located here

Jockey/Purex Review and Giveaway

2012-01-11T13:00:00.002-05:00

What are two things I am guaranteed to do daily? Why, workout and do wash of course. This is why I was pretty excited to take part in the Jockey/Purex promotion going on. As part of this promotion, I was sent not only a bottle of my absolute favorite fabric softener, Purex Crystals, but I was also given the opportunity to check out the new Jockey Tech Terry Sports bra.

The Jockey Tech Terry Sports Bra is designed with moisture wicking technology to keep you dry and your body cool while you work out.

It also has a convenient key pocket, reflective logo on the back, breathable mesh panels as well as a soft bottom band for comfort and support. Look and feel great working out wherever you are in this great new sports bra line!

Now, what does fabric softener have to do with a sports bra you might ask? Well, first of all you want to make sure anything you have worked out in, is not only washed often, but it's always nice to have it smelling good as well. Typically, you are advised against using fabric softener on performance sportswear because the oil content prevents the wicking process. However, Purex Crystals do not contain oil, so they can be safely used on all laundry even children's sleepwear!

Purex Crystals are added directly to the washing machine leaving not only your clothes smelling great but I find my whole laundry room smells great from the Crystals. I also no longer have to worry about the dreaded re-wash ( like I don't spend enough time washing clothes) because Purex Crystals don't leave behind that oily residue you can find on your clothes with liquid or fabric sheet softeners.

Buy It: Purchase Purex Crystal for about 3.99-5.99. Additionally for a limited time you can Save 20% of your next Jockey order by signing up for a promo code via Purex.

Win It: One lucky reader will win a Jockey Tech Terry Sports Bra and bottle of Purex Crystals!
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 not shipped by me I hold no responsibility

What Mattress Do You Recommend?

2012-01-10T13:32:00.000-05:00

When we made our move form New York to Florida a few years ago, we started over fresh and left all our big furnishings behind. I'm still trying to figure out if that was the smart choice to have made. We had so much to buy, that when it came down to a new bed for us, we went the cheap route. After all, we were thinking how much could we sacrifice buying the cheapest mattress in the showroom? Let me tell you how much! Three years later we wake up every morning with severe back pain, I can barely fall asleep at all anymore. In fact my husband has awoke many of nights to find me on the floor - because it actually feels better then our mattress.

Every time we go to purchase a new bed something we deem more important arises. Well this year there will be no stopping us. We don't want, but rather NEED, a new bed. I can't even begin to tell you the pain I woke up in Saturday morning. I have taken to the couch and refuse to come back to bed until we have a new mattress!

After much debate and research I am pretty positive I want to go with a Serta®

Mattress and found one I really liked over at ShopNBC. I trust the name and my oldest son has a Serta® mattress. And well, I love him but wish he would sleep out more often only so I could catch a quick nap in his room! However soon enough I hope to rest soundly in the Perfect Sleeper® "Distinction" Super Pillowtop Queen Mattress Set

I only imagine it will feel like a little slice of heaven compared to our horrible, horrible mattress. Combine with Outlast and Visco Memory Foam, I am really hoping this does the trick especially for my back.

What kind of mattress do you have? Would you recommend Memory foam? I really need to purchase a bed soon, but don't want to be stuck with the wrong mattress again!

*See my full disclosure here

Take Over Tuesday - G+ Edition

2012-01-09T23:42:00.003-05:00

Welcome to Take Over Tuesday, a Facebook,Twitter, and Google+ hop.

Your Hostesses are:

Closer to Lucy

Just Like June (formerly The Thrifty Things)

Have Sippy Will Travel

3 Princes and a Princess 2

Each week we will have either hop on Twitter, Facebook, G+ Hop.

This week is G+

**Reminder: Because of the pending GFC changes we thought we'd take a proactive approach and run G+ for the next several Tuesdays in order to help boost everyone's G+ buzz**

<a href="http://www.closertolucy.com/"><img src="http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj112/crystalpw/Image2-3.jpg"/></a>

Just leave your Google+ link in the linky and follow your hostesses. We will follow you back.

Follow as many people as you like and leave a comment on their page to let them know you are a fan. Remember, following back is appreciated!

Dog Park Publishing Review and Giveaway

2012-01-09T19:24:00.003-05:00

You all know I love my four-legged babies just like any other member of my family. When we added our second dog boss to the mix it almost didn't happen. Why, because he was a Pit Bull. All I could hear in my head was the negative press, the "stories" on what mean dogs they were and the list goes on. However, one look into his puppies eyes and I couldn't resist...

Here we are coming up on his year birthday, and I couldn't be happier. He is protective, loyal, sweet and totally funny! All he wants to do is please us, he is so smart as well. I do call him my monster because he sure does love to chew and eat but hey, we all have our issues right..lol

He has really opened my eyes to this amazing breed.

When I can across Dog Park Publishing I was in love with not only their products but their mission. So much so they got a coveted facebook like form my "personal account." I quickly fell in love with their posts about Farfy (a brindle pit bull/boxer mix) owned by one of the company owners. Of course being the Mom of a Brindle Boxer as well as a Pit Bull...

Farfy had me at first sight. But I'm getting off track, on to their mission...

Dog Park Publishing's mission is to showcase and celebrate the Pit Bull, through calendars and other products, as a majestic, affectionate, and intelligent breed that is sorely misunderstood.They strive to help fight the stereotypes facing Pit Bulls by featuring the Ambassadors of the breed and the organizations that support them. Every dog they feature has been rescued from his or her circumstances by a reputable organization or individual. They also donate a portion of their proceeds from sales of their merchandise to Pit Bull rescue groups.

Dog Park Publishing was nice enough to send my family their Itty Pitty Calendar, For The Love Of Pit Bull Calendar and an atler chew for Boss. I have the calendar proudly displayed right her above my work space and when we have a visitor my daughter takes it down and shows everyone that our Boss was even featured in the calendar. He was not, but their is a beautiful dog featured that looks very similar to ours, so she insists it's him.

Dog Park Publishing has many great items form jewelry, to dog treats. I have to say I really loved ( as did Boss) their Split Elk Antler Chew. Boss, eats through traditional rawhide bones in but minutes! The Antler Chew lasted, and is made up of nutrients that your dog craves: calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, iron, zinc and manganese.

Buy It: Purchase Dog Park Publishing Calendars for $14.95 on sale now for just $10.00. Split Elk Antler Chews are $9.00. check out all Dog Park Publishing has to offer at http://www.dogparkpublishing.com

Win It: One lucky reader will win the Itty Pitty and For The Love Of Pit Bull Calendars - The perfect way to start your New Year!

Online Shopping Savings

2012-01-09T17:53:00.001-05:00

I don't do New Years Resolutions but, I make try and make changes ;-) One of those changes this year was learning to be a smarter shopper. I think I have started on the right foot and hope to continue to see savings.

I have told you all a few times that I am a huge online shopper, I'm just waiting for my local grocery store to start up a delivery service and I will be all over it. With me being originally from New York I never learned to drive. It was a combination of genetics ( my family were all late drivers) and the convenience of public transportation in NY. This is the reason I do most my shopping online - I didn't want you thinking I was that lazy, or addicted to the computer

OK, so maybe I am a touch of both those things as well, but you get my point.

I've spent the last week compiling bookmarks of my favorite coupon sites. Sites for printable in- store coupons as well as online coupon codes. Right now I am taking it slow with in-store couponing. I'm still at the point where it makes my head spin, but I have done quite well with online savings.

My son needed a few pairs a pants for school, he is growing at an alarming rate! So first I searched what I was looking for and found an deal to start of with at Kohl's and JC Penney's. Next, I went on a hunt for JC Penney coupons and Kohl's. I try to find a the best percentage off along with a stackable for free shipping. Sometimes, I get lucky and hit a free shipping with no catches, but most of the time it's a "spend such and amount and get free shipping." Then I have to weigh out my options.

If it's a spend $50 get free shipping and my intention was to spend $5, then I will hope my percentage off will make up the a small bit a the difference and suck up the extra few bucks...Most of the time I'm not going to shop online for only $5 in merchandise, so if my order total is $45 I'll search for something else I can use to get me to the free shipping limit. It just makes more sense to spend on something I could use, then for shipping.

I've been doing pretty well but have become so addicted to finding the best deals and codes, I think I'm shopping more often! So I'm not sure how my savings is doing overall but at least I am putting that best foot forward for the new year (wink, wink).

*See my full disclosure here

Giveaway Gala - Come Link Up

2012-01-08T21:42:00.003-05:00

Welcome to the Giveaway Gala. A collection of featured giveaways from 4 blogs, including a linky for you to link up your giveaways! This linky will be hosted on 4 blogs giving you the benefit of reaching all of our combined readers. So feel free to check out giveaways and link up your giveaways. We only ask you link directly to your giveaway, any links to your homepage will be removed.

Have Sippy Will Travel:

Kidorable Umbrella ends Jan 30

GoGo Babyz Travel Carseat ends Jan 27

Zoobies ends Jan 25

3 Princes and a Princess 2:

Honeywell ultrasonic Humidifier 1/19

$325 dollars worth of Gift Cards to sneakpeeq multiple winners 01/13

The Superior Nut Company $25 GC 1/23

Closer To Lucy:

Blessed Elements Sculptured Necklace ~ 1/21

Just Like June:

Weaver Chicken Nuggets 1/13

Oransi Fridge Air Purifier 1/20

A Turtles Take: Sammy's Adventures 1/20

Superior Nut Company Giveaway

2012-01-06T19:12:00.000-05:00

Planning a wedding or party? I remember how much time and effort I put into my wedding and coordinating my colors in my decor, cake and center pieces. I really wish the Internet offered as much as they do today at the time, or at least that I knew how to access the Internet for more then just chat 12 years ago.

I was recently approached by Superior Nut, New England's most popular source of quality nuts, dried fruit and candies since 1929. Superior Nut is a wonderful site not only for gifts, or your own personal pleasure ( if you a nut lover, like myself) but for their new addition of colored themed candy.

Take my own wedding for example, my colors were silver and purple I would have loved the option of purchasing classic wedding candy such as Jordan Almonds in color or better yet some classic candy or snacks in matching colors.

I'm a fanatic about themes and making things match so I found this feature of Superior Nuts not only perfect for weddings but my kids birthday parties. I mean just look at how beautiful gumballs look when colored gold.. What a beautiful addition to a party.

As the name suggests Superior Nuts also has an amazing selection of nuts, from hazelnuts to pine nuts and much more! They even have some great gift baskets. I think gift baskets like these are great for office parties or when I am stuck for a gift for a friend or relative out of state. They are so convenient and always appreciated.

Check out Superior Nuts to see everything they have to offer!

Win It: One lucky reader will win a $25 GC to Superior Nuts
(Tax/shipping is not included in the coupon code, but you can find over 40 items in the ship free selection, (http://www.superiornutstore.com/gifts-with-free-shipping.html)

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 not shipped by me I hold no responsibility

Couponchief.com Saving You Money, And Making You Money!

2012-01-06T18:09:00.008-05:00

Unless I am shopping for groceries, I am typically an online shopper. I prefer the convenience and comfort of shopping from home rather then going out an fighting the crowds. However, I don't feel I should have to miss out on any savings by shopping online, especially when I might also be incurring an additional fee for having the product shipped to me.

When I sit down to do my online shopping, I start by scouting the best prices on the product I'm looking to purchase. Once I have determined which store I will be shopping at, I start scouring the web for online coupons or promo codes. It's worth it in the end, but can be quite time consuming and even a bit frustrating when you run across tons of expired codes. I prefer to turn to a site such as Coupon Chief.

At CouponChief.com they have all the coupon codes I need in one convenient site - and they are actually still valid! Like today for example, to be honest I was in desperate need of some new bra's and found some great prices and Kohl's, but am always looking to save more. I headed to Coupon Chief Searched Kohl's and was able to bring up tons of coupon codes. I then decided which code would work best for my purchase and I saved an additional 8 dollars and change! Thanks Coupon Chief.

Besides being a premier site for coupon codes, Coupon Chief also offers a great "Pays 2 Share" service. What is Pay 2 Share exactly? When you go to CouponChief.com you can sign up for the Pays 2 Share service, then upload coupons to share with fellow bargain hunters. Once your coupons are uploaded you can track them through your account. Every time someone uploads one of your coupons, Coupon Chief gives you 2% of the sales!! This makes Coupon Chief much more then just a site to find digital coupons on, it's a site that not only saves you money but "gains" you money as well!

Fan CouponChief.com on Facebook!

Read my disclosure located in my navigation bar

DaGeGar Nintendo DS Review

2012-01-05T19:35:00.000-05:00

It's become increasingly hard for me to find games for the DS that hold my boys interest. I knew they enjoyed the toy DaGeGar, so I was really hoping they would find the video game just as exciting, and they did!

DaGeDar by Gamemill Entertainment is a competitive game in which you race ball like spheres, otherwise known as DaGeDar. As in any race based game, your goal is to be the first across the finish line. Each race consists of five courses, the winner being the one to win three out of five. I think it's my boys competitive nature ( between one another) that really hooked them.

Each course is unique and you encounter many obstacles to jump, dodge etc. I gave this game a try and have to admit, as much as I love racing games and am typically really good... I was no match for the game of DaGeDar. I think it was it's faced pace play.

The game modes consist of not just multi-player but Championship Mode and Time Attacks. You can unlock additional DaGeDar by winning against DaGeDar in Championship Mode or beating the target time in time attack! Of course you are given 10 DaGeDar to start with, each baring different stats.

Overall the action-packed world of DaGeDar will keep you hungry for more racing, collecting and conquering of evil spirits in a unique 33rd dimension world. This is great for younger boys and has really occupied my own kids.

Buy It:
Rated E for Everyone
SRP: $19.99

This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. Products 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

First Winners Of The New Year!

2012-01-05T16:24:00.000-05:00

Applebee's GC's - Kerry G & Sarah W

Bleacher Creatures - Daisy

BABW- Sammy

Prince Lionheart Newborn bundle - Brynn

Dremel ( re-pick) - Robin

Congrats to the winners and Thank you to the Sponsors! Winners have 48 hours to reply to an email notification of a new winner will be picked.

Honeywell Easy-to-Care for Cool Moisture Humidifier ( Review & Giveaway)

2012-01-04T16:02:00.002-05:00

Living with children, a humidifier became a must with all the colds and respiratory bugs they would pick up. The longer we used a humidifier for the more I started to see the benefit in using one myself.

There are two main types of humidifiers cool and warm, both preforming basically the same function which a few differences that break down to your preference. Cool mist humidifiers tend to make the air cool, as warm mist humidifiers make the air warmer. Depending on the time of year you may prefer one over the other. Also warm steam humidifiers allow you to add certain medication, but remember they use hot steam and heating elements which you may not want in your child's room. This is why I have always opted for cool mist.

Honeywell sent us the Honeywell Easy-to-Care Cool Moisture Humidifier. The humidifier is designed to silently provide visible cool moisture to the air and are a effective way to humidify your home and relieve congestion, dry throats and skin. Really a great product in the winter months when the dry indoor heating causes all kinds of sinus issues ( at least for me).

The Easy-to-Care for Cool Moisture Humidifier is perfect for someone like me with not a ton of time on their hands. You fill the unit with water directly from the top, there are no filters to replace, and my favorite feature is that it is dishwasher safe. That's right with it's removable parts I can let my dishwasher do the dirty part and the outside of the unit can also be easily wiped down.

It also runs quietly so it's great for a small to medium sized child's room. I will note though that I think the pump needed time to warm-up. The first time I ran the unit it was noisy for about 15 minutes and then suddenly went silent. It's worked like a dream ever since.

Buy It: Purchase the Honeywell Easy-to-Care for Cool Moisture Humidifier for 54.99 at Honeywellcomfort.com as well as select drug stores and retailers nationwide.

Win It: One lucky winner will receive the Honeywell Easy-to-Care for Cool Moisture Humidifier thanks to Honeywell!

Cardpool - Buy, Sell And Exchange Gift Cards Without Risk

2012-01-03T19:39:00.001-05:00

Now that the holidays are over I'm pretty sure many of you, like myself, were gifted a gift card or two. However, what do you do when you really have no use for that gift card? To be honest I myself have simply given away three gift cards over the past month, because they were to places not in my area or simply just for a place I don't shop at.

I would have loved to have sold them but I wasn't aware that was an option. The only place I could think to list them was an online auction site, and I personally would never buy a gift card off one of those sites.

Well, I was just introduced to what might just become one of my new favorite websites - Cardpool.com! This site is amazing, especially for bloggers who seem to rack up those gift cards. So what is Cardpool all about? Cardpool is basically a gift card exchange site. You can sell gift cards that aren't of use to you for cash, buy discounted gift cards or exchange gift cards for Amazon gift cards. Pretty awesome right?

Now I mentioned how I wouldn't buy a gift card for an auction site. The reason I would never do such a thing, is out of fear I was buying an "empty" gift card. Well, Cardpool.com puts all your fears to rest in two ways! First, they have a purchase guarantee program which basically guarantees a buyer that if they are unhappy with their gift card purchase for any reason, they get a full refund when they return their unused gift card. They also guarantee your card will be valid. That brings me to reason two you can purchase with no fear from Cardpool.com - You are purchasing not form another member but from Cardpool themselves. So you are always buying and selling directly to Cardpool.

Cardpool takes all the guess work out of your purchase by purchasing the cards from the buyer directly and verifying them before they are sold to you. Come on tell me this isn't an great site! I know at one point or another we have all been stuck with a gift card that we really appreciated but had no use for, or just honestly could use the cash for instead of a meal at a local restaurant.

Head over to Cardpool.com and check out the site for yourself, I'm pretty sure you love it as much as I do!

Read my full disclosure located in my navigation bar

Nu Skin ageLOC Giveaway

2012-01-03T13:57:00.001-05:00

I'm at that age where I am now constantly thinking about my skin and wishing I would have took better care of it all along. Starting a good skin care routine now, is of course better then continuing on the road I was on, especially since I think I've hit that peek where my skin will start going down hill fast from here.

I have been trying all kinds of skin care but my favorite has always been Tru Face Essence Ultra by Nu Skin. These tiny capsules have done wonders for my skin. I was excited to see what else Nu Skin has to offer and became very interested in the ageLOC collection.

*AGELOC SCIENCE
Nu Skin is taking the science of anti-aging to a completely new level by studying the genetic origins of how and why we age. Developed by Nu Skin in collaboration with leading scientists, ageLOC science is based on the discovery of internal sources of aging that contribute to an aging appearance, what Nu Skin calls age-related super markers, or arSuperMarkers. Nu Skin’s exclusive ageLOC science targets these arSuperMarkers—the ultimate sources of aging that can influence how we age.

Based on this discovery, Nu Skin is able to identify critical arSuperMarkers called Youth Gene ,Clusters, which are functional groups of genes that regulate how we appear to age. Only ageLOC’s proprietary science understands how to reset these Youth Gene Clusters to their youthful patterns of activity. This revolutionary discovery is based upon Nu Skin’s exclusive collaborations with leading scientists around the globe, millions of dollars in development, and years of combined anti-aging and genetic research.

Thanks to Nu Skin I was able to check out the ageLOC Transformation Premium Package. This set featured a lineup of four ageLOC products, making it Nu Skins most powerful anti aging system.

Included in the set is ageLOC™ Gentle Cleanse & Tone, Future Serum, Radiant Day Cream, and Transforming Night Cream. These products are to be used both day and night, starting with the tone and cleanse. You cleanse your face both morning and night, then before applying the moisturizer, you will massage in a few pumps of future serum on your face and neck in an upward, outward motion. Lastly, you will finish with either the day or night cream - note the day cream is SPF 22 protecting your face for UV damage.

I'm so excited to be using this product and really looking forward to seeing how it transforms my skin in the day to come. If you looking to see some results after about 90 days using ageLOC products, you can check out the Nu Skin before and after photos!

Buy It: Purchase the ageLOC Transformation Premium Package for $410.40 at https://www.nuskin.com/

Win It: One lucky reader will win the ageLOC collection featured in this review (RV $410)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 puposes. 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 not shipped by me I hold no responsibility

New Pet Products For A New Year!

2012-01-02T15:03:00.002-05:00

I have been lucky enough to work with Loving Pets before and had a wonderful experience. I said last time I'm a little uneasy about reviewing pet products (as far as food and treats go) because I have one dog who will eat anything, and one who is REALLY picky. However, since picky Miss Bella loved her Barkster Treats from Loving Pets, I was excited to let her try their Gourmet Meat Sticks.

Gourmet meat Sticks by Loving Pets come in 5 great varieties including lamb, pork, chicken,beef and even duck! They are a soft chew perfect for younger, or elder dogs, but even my monster boss, who busts a hard bone in half in a manner of seconds enjoyed their taste.

These are great because they are pure meat, they contain no fillers, byproducts or chemicals. They also have Glucosamine and chondroitin are added to promote joint health, which is again perfect for my big guy and doesn't hurt Miss Picky either. In fact they both really enjoyed these healthy, gluten free dog treats.

Boss Giving his Meat Stick a test sniff

Another great maker of pet products is the Quaker Pet Group. From them we received: HEAR DOGGY! an ultrasonic dog toy, a rain collar, and the Silver Tails Vet Tech Dental Care System.

I keep mentioned how my Boss (AKA the monster) tears through bones, so as you can imagine he does the same with toys. Bella is much better as far as bones and toys go, she knows how to make them last. Therefore, I had intended for Bella to have the Hear Doggy toy.

HEAR DOGGY! Is a brand new Ultrasonic dog toy. The squeaker is tuned to a pitch outside of the human audible frequency range. Thus, dogs can enjoy a "noisy" toy without disturbing their human companions! You can fine them at www.jefferspet.com

Even though I did get to test the fact that it was squeak free, I unfortunately also got to test the fact that it was stuffing free...Sigh. My daughter gave it to Boss and well he had it ripped apart in seconds. This is definitely a great product but one for a small dog, or perhaps one who is a bit gentler with his or her play things.

The Dog Rain Collar was another cute idea, especially if you have a dog like mine who hates to get wet! Can you imagine what bath time is like here! They come in multiple sizes and attach to your dogs collar. When needed you can "unpack" it from the pouch on the collar, giving your dog a water proof full sized rain coat.

We received a medium good for dogs 14- 15in. A little too tiny for my big guy and girl.

Lastly we have the Sliver Tails Vet Tech System. This system allows you to easily clean your pets teeth and gums. The system includes: two kinds of disposable micro-fiber heads, a polishing head and cleaning solution.

It's pain free and easy to remove tarter build-up, food particles and debris much in the same way we brush our own teeth. I wasn't sticking this in Bosses mouth for fear he would try and eat it lol, but Bella did just great. I really thought she would have some anxiety about me trying the product with her but she was awesome! And is on her way to more healthy teeth and gums :)

Buy It: Purchase Gourmet Meat Sticks from Lovingpets.com and check out The Quaker Pet Group for more info on he above products and to find a retailer near you!

You can also keep up to date with Loving Pets via their Facebook page and checkout Silver Tails ( part of the Qauker Pet Group) on Facebook as well!

This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. Products 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

Aerobie Megatop Giveaway

2012-01-02T13:56:00.001-05:00

Since 1984, Aerobie brand sport toys have been known to provide exciting performance while encouraging physical activity involving skill and exercise. You might remember my review of the Aerobie Sprint flying ring which flies twice as far a regular disc, or my review of the Skylighter Disc making for some fun night play!

This time Aerobie is bringing the fun indoors with the Aerobie Megatop, a ultra high performance spinning top.

Features:

Perimeter weighted and precision crafted for amazingly long spins
Quick launch accelerator easily achieves 3000+ RPM spin rates
Tricks and Games for hours of fun and competition
Catching plate for catching, throwing, and balancing tricks
Spin booster for almost unlimited spin times
Made in the U.S.A.

My oldest son has been enjoying this and I have to say he is pretty good at doing tricks etc. I myself can't even get the top to spin - is this a sign I am getting old?? Whatever the case it's fun to watch my son, he is great with the catch plate and seeing the rotation this top brings, topping off and 3000+ RPM per second, is simply amazing! Aerobie really brings forth fun with a classic toy twist in every product they sell.

Buy It: Purchase The Aerobie Megatop for just $9.99 on amazon.com and other toy retailers.

Win It: One Lucky Reader will win a Aerobie Megatop - Open to Us & Canada

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 puposes. 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 not shipped by me I hold no responsibility

My BFF & My Twinn Dolls - Truly Unique Creations

2012-01-01T16:48:00.002-05:00

Dolls hold a very special place in the hearts of most girls. Can you imagine having the ability to customize and create your very own, unique doll. Well at Mybffdoll.com you can do just that. You can choose your dolls eye color, face shape, skin tone, hair color, style, clothing and more!

My BFF Doll was created by the famous My Twinn site which give the user the ability to create a doll that looks just like you. Somehow in the process of this review I directed back to MyTwinn.com and built a doll using the features on their site verses Mybffdoll.com and didn't even realized it until today. Man, the holidays really messed with my brain.

In any case both sites features are basically the same, only My BFF seem a little easier to navigate you choices through. With Mybffdoll.com you randomly place freckles ( if chosen) as well as a face shape, as opposed to submitting a photo on My Twinn for them to create a similar shape pattern. Also on My Twinn you must submit a pattern on how you would like the freckles placed, truly making the doll your child's twin.

My daughter helped me design her Twin and named her Sam. Sam was beautiful packaged and created. She is double the size of your average doll and her body is fully flexible.

We picked shoulder length hair in a pony tail with the color being strawberry blonde. My daughters hair on film comes out very red but in real life she is fairly blonde with some beautiful red highlights. I am always amazed at the difference between her hair color in photos and when I look at her in person. In any case, I probably would have been better off choosing red as the dolls hair color. The strawberry blonde looked more like a dirty blonde to me and was far off from my daughter's hair color. Other then that this doll was amazing. The freckle placement was perfect, and of course my daughter choose the Disney Princess dress as her dolls main attire, but the doll also came with a PJ set. A soft white Cami and shorts with pink trim.

My BFF Dolls and My Twinn Dolls make for an amazing gift. They are so unique and unlike any other doll. Their hands, feet and head are a hard plastic yet their bodies are a soft yet heavy material, giving them some weight and the ability to be so flexible unlike other dolls.

Buy It: Purchase My Twinn or My BFF Dolls for about $149.99 at http://www.mybffdoll.com

I received above mentioned product(s) for free through the above mentioned company via Team Mom, 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

2 Chix Maternity Clothes Review

2011-12-30T19:26:00.001-05:00

I feel like I spend my entire 20's pregnant and looking frumpy. I don't know why I was never able to find cute or fashionable maternity wear, I swear all the cute stuff was created after I gave birth to my daughter. My cousin is now pregnant and I swore I would help her find only the cutest maternity wear. I have been scouring the web since she first announced she was expecting.

2 Chix presents a fresh and fun selection of maternity clothing that is hip, trendy, and funny. I think cute maternity tees with simple statements like 2 Chix " With Bump Not Plump" shirt are a staple in pregnancy. Every pregnant women should own at least one t-shirt expressing to the world there "excitement". Now would you believe throughout four pregnancies I never owned one! The main reason being all the ones I did find were ugly, cheap looking and possibly a little dumb.

With this being my cousin's first I was excited to introduce her to 2 Chix and let her judge for herself not only their fashionable styles, but a classic expression tee What's Kickin' ...

This shirt is 100% cotton making it extra comfortable and soft against the belly. It's also has a vintage look and best of all is pre-shrunk to fit most bellies ( Pre-pregnancy sizes 2-12). What I liked about the one size fits most, is that they can be passed down. I know most women donate or pass their maternity clothes down to friends, relatives, etc. I know I did. Unfortunately we all know not all women are the same size or carry the same. So my size maternity clothes wouldn't necessarily fit my best friend or visa versa. But with one size fits most, there is no comparing yourself to anyone else.

Besides cute tees 2 Chix also carries some really stylish maternity clothes. I wish I would have known about this site when I was looking for something nice to where to work that actually fit my belly!

2 Chix even let's Daddy take some credit with Daddy Tees.. One of my personal favorites is the Yes, it's Mine Tee. Come on you know it's funny!

Buy It: Purchase the What's Kickin' Tee for $38.00 or check out what else 2 Chix has to offer at http://www.2chix.com

Day 5 Of The Bijoux Blitz Sale

2011-12-30T12:09:00.000-05:00

Guess what today is? That's right it is Day 5 of the Guy and Eva Bijoux Blitz Sale. The Bijoux Blitz Sale started on 12/26 and ends on the 1/2/12.

Start your new year right with some fabulous jewelery marked down 80% during the Bijoux Sale event! Shop their gorgeous pieces now at www.guyandeva.com/shop

See my disclosure here

New Frosted Toast Crunch Prize Pack Giveaway

2011-12-29T15:24:00.002-05:00

My two youngest children LOVE Cinnamon Toast Crush Cereal. In fact it's one of two cereals that find their way onto my shopping list weekly. Even I love to sneak the box into my room for a late night snack...shhh
When I was given the opportunity via Myblogspark and General Mills to try the new Frosted Toast Crunch, I was excited to see what my kids thought.

Each crunch square found in a box of the NEW Frost Toast Crunch is baked with the delightful taste of frosted vanilla (coating is artificially flavored) and dusted with a delicious dash of cinnamon.

With 11 grams of whole grain, 9 grams of sugar and a good source of calcium, Frosted Toast Crunch offers a good start to the day. They were really good. I can't definitely see them finding their way into my shopping cart when they hit store shelves in January. They went over great with the kids and I love these just as much as the original variety, as a late night fix.

Win It: One lucky reader will win a Prize Pack including:

Spilt milk bowl
Lickety spoon
Frosted pitcher
Frosted Toast Crunch cereal

a Rafflecopter giveawayI received above mentioned product(s) for free through myblogspark via general mills, 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 shippin

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