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From my family to yours. I hope your day is full of fun! (Modeling would be the Grumpy Princess, isn't she cute in that? lol)
31 October 2010
Happy Halloween & Harvest!
From my family to yours. I hope your day is full of fun! (Modeling would be the Grumpy Princess, isn't she cute in that? lol)
Holiday Doggy Cuteness Is Around The Corner!
OK, I know I am a dork, but I am totally looking forward to the latest Buddies film - I think those doggies are adorable! It's called The Search for Santa Paws, and it looks like it will be hitting the streets on November 23rd. It's going to be a prequel to 2009’s Santa Buddies, and focuses on how the legendary friendship between Santa Claus and Santa Paws began.
Direct link for the feedreaders
C'mon... I can't be the only one wanting puppies around here after watching it. ;)
...of course then I remember the insanity of a new puppy - the teething, the potty training... lol I'll stick to older rescues. ;)
Direct link for the feedreaders
C'mon... I can't be the only one wanting puppies around here after watching it. ;)
...of course then I remember the insanity of a new puppy - the teething, the potty training... lol I'll stick to older rescues. ;)
Time To Shop For Holiday Cards
Tomorrow is November 1st - it's time to get those Christmas cards chosen and ready to go! If you're like us, and send photo cards, don't wait until the last minute! This week, I'm going to try on holiday dresses on my daughter and then try to come up with something that matches for my DH (oh, who am I kidding - he'll end up in all black as usual. lol) for our photos, then get photos scheduled. I waited too long last year and barely got my cards out on time! I think a couple of people end up with New Year's Cards! lol
I just procrastinate too much on photos. It's torture. Plus, I hate having my photo taken anymore. I'd rather wield the camera.
Because so many people in our families speak Spanish, I usually tend to look for Tarjetas De Navidad. When I would purchase just regular boxed Christmas cards, I'd always pick up a box in English and one in Spanish for us to send. Shutterfly has a couple of photo card designs I've got my eyes on, including this one:
and I like these holiday photo cards too:
I like that last one especially because I could do three photos, one with us as a family, one of my daughter, and then maybe one with the dogs. (Yeah, I know, I'm a dork) Last year we did flat vertical ones from Shutterfly (we just used a photo with Santa Claus) for the first time. It was actually my first time sending everyone just a photo card - usually I sent a photo inside a Christmas card. I loved them - they came out wonderful and I was totally pleased, but here's the thing: do you think the photo cards flat like that are too impersonal? Are the traditional folded cards better? What do YOU send? I know some people don't even send cards via the mail anymore, but I have family in other countries that don't really use the Internet, so we'll continue to send cards via overseas snail mail.
By writing this post, I'll be receiving a code to receive photo cards so I can share my experience with y'all. All opinions are my own.
I just procrastinate too much on photos. It's torture. Plus, I hate having my photo taken anymore. I'd rather wield the camera.
Because so many people in our families speak Spanish, I usually tend to look for Tarjetas De Navidad. When I would purchase just regular boxed Christmas cards, I'd always pick up a box in English and one in Spanish for us to send. Shutterfly has a couple of photo card designs I've got my eyes on, including this one:
and I like these holiday photo cards too:
I like that last one especially because I could do three photos, one with us as a family, one of my daughter, and then maybe one with the dogs. (Yeah, I know, I'm a dork) Last year we did flat vertical ones from Shutterfly (we just used a photo with Santa Claus) for the first time. It was actually my first time sending everyone just a photo card - usually I sent a photo inside a Christmas card. I loved them - they came out wonderful and I was totally pleased, but here's the thing: do you think the photo cards flat like that are too impersonal? Are the traditional folded cards better? What do YOU send? I know some people don't even send cards via the mail anymore, but I have family in other countries that don't really use the Internet, so we'll continue to send cards via overseas snail mail.
By writing this post, I'll be receiving a code to receive photo cards so I can share my experience with y'all. All opinions are my own.
30 October 2010
Game Review: Lego Universe (PC/MAC)
My family and I recently had the chance to play the new Lego Universe Massively Multiplayer Online Game. (MMOG) We actually have several other Lego themed games for our other systems (Lego Indiana Jones, Lego Batman), so as you can probably guess, my DH was all over this one.
Lego Universe is a PC/MAC game - you do need the disc in order to install the game and start to play, as well as Internet access. (As with all Internet games, the faster the speed, the better - you can't play with dial-up. DSL is already slow.)
You get to create your own Lego "minifig" character using pre-set choices, and you also get to choose your unique user name. Now this game is set for a younger crowd (rated ages 10 and up), so they do confirm your name before it shows in the game to make sure it's appropriate. Then it's off to start your missions, using your imagination! If missions aren't enough, you also get your very own chunk of Lego Land, where you can create pretty much whatever your heart desires using bricks you've gathered while doing your quests.
There is a TON of stuff to do during this game. You're tracking down stuff, smashing things (hehe), putting together objects... it's hard to get bored. Obviously, there is some cartoon violence - you are breaking apart people, but it's nothing over the top, and nothing to really get worried about in the video game world. It's appropriate to the age range. (Really, kids younger than 10 could play it, I'm quite sure. It doesn't take a rocket scientist. As long as they can read the words on the screen, they should be able to play this)
Note that there is an in game local chat, so do remind your children to be careful what they talk about when playing this game.
For parents that are into MMO's such as WoW (um, that's World of Warcraft for the uninitiated), you'll probably find this a fun way to connect with your kids and well... bring them to the darkside. ;) This is basic MMO play, with quests - not that you are moving from level to level outside of moving along in the story.
Graphics-wise, this definitely gets two thumbs up from me. (To quote my husband, it's awwwwesssooome!) Creative-wise, it also gets two thumbs up from me, although I can't help but wish there was even more options for creating your Lego character. Control-wise, an observation that we both noticed as we were playing the game: using the keyboard as a controller was annoying at times. Granted, I am not the most co-ordinated game player, but I would struggle at times to get through my tasks. At first I thought it was just me, but my DH was complaining the same thing. I was wishing we had installed this on the desktop instead in hopes that we could have used a mouse.
I admit I did initially cringe at the subscription cost since this IS a kid's game - one month is $9.99, 6 months is $49.99, and 12 months is $89.99. (I was thinking more of along the lines of $6.99ish a month) The bright side is that you can have the whole family play for this price - both my DH and I were able to play with separate characters under one umbrella account name. By the way, you'll only get in game trophies if you have the six month or 12 month subscription deal, so take this into consideration when choosing a plan. The disc does come with a one month subscription, so you can see if your kids (or you!) are into it before deciding.
Lego Universe, a PC/MAC game, retails for $39.99. The minimum requirements are Windows XP / Windows Vista / Windows 7 (32- or 64-bit), with the latest Service Packs/ 5 GB free HD space and for MAC: Mac OS X 10.5.3 Leopard or higher, 1 GB RAM, and 5 GB free HD space. Don't forget the necessary disc drive for both of them!
This post is part of my Holiday Gift Guide 2010. To see more great gift ideas, just click it.
I received a copy of this game in order to try out and share my opinions (and my DH's opinions!) of it.
Lego Universe is a PC/MAC game - you do need the disc in order to install the game and start to play, as well as Internet access. (As with all Internet games, the faster the speed, the better - you can't play with dial-up. DSL is already slow.)
You get to create your own Lego "minifig" character using pre-set choices, and you also get to choose your unique user name. Now this game is set for a younger crowd (rated ages 10 and up), so they do confirm your name before it shows in the game to make sure it's appropriate. Then it's off to start your missions, using your imagination! If missions aren't enough, you also get your very own chunk of Lego Land, where you can create pretty much whatever your heart desires using bricks you've gathered while doing your quests.
There is a TON of stuff to do during this game. You're tracking down stuff, smashing things (hehe), putting together objects... it's hard to get bored. Obviously, there is some cartoon violence - you are breaking apart people, but it's nothing over the top, and nothing to really get worried about in the video game world. It's appropriate to the age range. (Really, kids younger than 10 could play it, I'm quite sure. It doesn't take a rocket scientist. As long as they can read the words on the screen, they should be able to play this)
Note that there is an in game local chat, so do remind your children to be careful what they talk about when playing this game.
For parents that are into MMO's such as WoW (um, that's World of Warcraft for the uninitiated), you'll probably find this a fun way to connect with your kids and well... bring them to the darkside. ;) This is basic MMO play, with quests - not that you are moving from level to level outside of moving along in the story.
Graphics-wise, this definitely gets two thumbs up from me. (To quote my husband, it's awwwwesssooome!) Creative-wise, it also gets two thumbs up from me, although I can't help but wish there was even more options for creating your Lego character. Control-wise, an observation that we both noticed as we were playing the game: using the keyboard as a controller was annoying at times. Granted, I am not the most co-ordinated game player, but I would struggle at times to get through my tasks. At first I thought it was just me, but my DH was complaining the same thing. I was wishing we had installed this on the desktop instead in hopes that we could have used a mouse.
I admit I did initially cringe at the subscription cost since this IS a kid's game - one month is $9.99, 6 months is $49.99, and 12 months is $89.99. (I was thinking more of along the lines of $6.99ish a month) The bright side is that you can have the whole family play for this price - both my DH and I were able to play with separate characters under one umbrella account name. By the way, you'll only get in game trophies if you have the six month or 12 month subscription deal, so take this into consideration when choosing a plan. The disc does come with a one month subscription, so you can see if your kids (or you!) are into it before deciding.
Lego Universe, a PC/MAC game, retails for $39.99. The minimum requirements are Windows XP / Windows Vista / Windows 7 (32- or 64-bit), with the latest Service Packs/ 5 GB free HD space and for MAC: Mac OS X 10.5.3 Leopard or higher, 1 GB RAM, and 5 GB free HD space. Don't forget the necessary disc drive for both of them!
This post is part of my Holiday Gift Guide 2010. To see more great gift ideas, just click it.
I received a copy of this game in order to try out and share my opinions (and my DH's opinions!) of it.
Review & Giveaway: PuffPac
PuffPacs allow you to place a gift inside a balloon. Pretty neat idea, right? These are specially manufactured Mylar balloons that are purposely left unsealed along one of the sides. The opening is big enough that you can place a small gift, a gift card (or how about an engagement ring? How cool would that be?)
Now to get them to look like a balloon, you'll seal the open side closed using an iron set at medium heat (this shouldn't hurt the iron). If you don't have an iron, you can always use a foodsaver if you have one. (My iron must be in Texas, because I haven't seen it since last Summer. Sigh!)
The next step is to inflate them using a straw. (This is what husbands are for in my case. lol) The way the balloon is, you can't see what's inside - so there's no peeking! This special balloon will stay inflated for weeks too, so you can prepare the gift ahead of time - or if you need to ship a gift, wouldn't this be perfect? (I wouldn't do that for any packages that might have to go through customs though!!) You can even add some shredded paper to make it fun when it's opened, or if you want noise for when the recipient shakes it, you can use a penny or a jingle bell.
Are you wondering how the gift gets out? Well, there's a sticker on the balloon that says "Gift Inside - Squeeze balloon until it POPS!"
Yes, kids and those who love to pop bubble wrap will enjoy that part maybe a little too much. ;)
Of course, it's not recyclable like most conventional wrapping paper, and not reuseable like a gift bag, but it does present well for a special gift occasion. If you're interested in ordering, check out the website here.
Win it! Would you like to wrap up a gift in a PuffPac this holiday season? One lucky reader will win a PuffPac (sponsor's choice, I can't guarantee you'll get the same one as mine) thanks to the giveaway sponsor. To enter, tell us what (or who's) present you think you'd want to put into a PuffPac. Easy peasy, right?
As always, you can receive extra entries for:
-Subscribing to my feed OR publicly following my blog
-Blogging about this giveaway with a link back
-Tweeting about this giveaway 1X (leave the link in your comment below or @psychotichouse) example:
Win PuffPacs http://goo.gl/fb/lcGdf ends 11/13 @psychotichouse
That's four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends November 13th at 11:59 PM PST, and please leave your email address in your entry or have it available in your profile. US only, sorry :( Good luck everyone!! :)
I received samples so I could share my opinions and show you how they work. One reader will win the prize stated above, as fulfilled by the giveaway sponsor.
Now to get them to look like a balloon, you'll seal the open side closed using an iron set at medium heat (this shouldn't hurt the iron). If you don't have an iron, you can always use a foodsaver if you have one. (My iron must be in Texas, because I haven't seen it since last Summer. Sigh!)
The next step is to inflate them using a straw. (This is what husbands are for in my case. lol) The way the balloon is, you can't see what's inside - so there's no peeking! This special balloon will stay inflated for weeks too, so you can prepare the gift ahead of time - or if you need to ship a gift, wouldn't this be perfect? (I wouldn't do that for any packages that might have to go through customs though!!) You can even add some shredded paper to make it fun when it's opened, or if you want noise for when the recipient shakes it, you can use a penny or a jingle bell.
Are you wondering how the gift gets out? Well, there's a sticker on the balloon that says "Gift Inside - Squeeze balloon until it POPS!"
Yes, kids and those who love to pop bubble wrap will enjoy that part maybe a little too much. ;)
Of course, it's not recyclable like most conventional wrapping paper, and not reuseable like a gift bag, but it does present well for a special gift occasion. If you're interested in ordering, check out the website here.
Win it! Would you like to wrap up a gift in a PuffPac this holiday season? One lucky reader will win a PuffPac (sponsor's choice, I can't guarantee you'll get the same one as mine) thanks to the giveaway sponsor. To enter, tell us what (or who's) present you think you'd want to put into a PuffPac. Easy peasy, right?
As always, you can receive extra entries for:
-Subscribing to my feed OR publicly following my blog
-Blogging about this giveaway with a link back
-Tweeting about this giveaway 1X (leave the link in your comment below or @psychotichouse) example:
Win PuffPacs http://goo.gl/fb/lcGdf ends 11/13 @psychotichouse
That's four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends November 13th at 11:59 PM PST, and please leave your email address in your entry or have it available in your profile. US only, sorry :( Good luck everyone!! :)
I received samples so I could share my opinions and show you how they work. One reader will win the prize stated above, as fulfilled by the giveaway sponsor.
29 October 2010
Review & Giveaway: Carmex Healing Cream & Lotion
The folks over at Carmex sent over a killer Skin Care set in a great little beauty travel bag. Included in it was two of their new products, the Carmex Healing Cream and the Carmex Healing Lotion.
It's Fall, and that means the weather is starting to do a number on my skin. when these products arrived, I had just started having some dry, itchy skin patches on of all the places, my wrists! I'm guessing maybe it has something to do with my laptop keyboard, but at any rate, it was looking pretty ugly. Who wants to have dry skin on areas where everyone can see them when you go out? (or dry patches in general!) Plus, add into the cleaning, doing dishes... I hate to say it, but boy I've been feeling like I have ugly hands and arms lately.
About two weeks ago, I started using the Carmex Healing Cream on my hands and arms. The cream comes in a 4 ounce tube that's easy to apply from. I used it about 2-3 times a day. It was immediately absorbed into my skin - so I'm thinking I really needed to use it - and it wasn't greasy feeling at all. It definitely made my skin feel soft and smooth after applying it, and it helped with the itchiness. Now the smell... it definitely smells a bit medicated. It's not overwhelming, but it smells a bit like the medicated lip balm they sell. It didn't bother me, but I know some people prefer completely unscented.
Happily, all of Carmex's products are not tested on animals, so when this tube is gone, I'll definitely be replacing it with more!
The Carmex Healing Lotion I used once or twice a day on my legs and feet. (OK, let me admit I totally would beg my DH to rub it on my feet each night!) This one comes in a 5.5 ounce tube, and being a lotion, it's a little thinner than the cream was when applying it. It definitely helped keep my skin soft, and my feet were thanking me for using it. It also has a similar scent to the Healing Cream, so keep this in mind if you avoid scented products. I went back and forth between whether I would prefer this lotion in a pump or with the tube... and I finally decided that the tube was less annoying than unclogging the pump every few days, even if it meant I might get a little more out at times.
If you are trying to choose between both and decide which one you need: if you have just normal, dry skin this winter, stick with Carmex Healing Lotion. If like me, you are having some dry, itchy patches, or your skin is flaking easily, I'd pick up the Carmex Healing Cream.
Both of these new products can be found at your local Walgreens, Walgreens.com, or Drugstore.com. The suggested retail price is $5.99. If you'd like to try them out, you can try your luck at winning a sample on their website. And if you're not feeling lucky, there's a printable coupon you can snag that will save your $2.00 off your purchase at Walgreens. (You'll have to fill out some information in order to print it.)
Just a thought: if you are buying products to ship overseas to our wonderful military folks this holiday season, snag some of these - they will LOVE it! (Don't forget some of the tubes for the lips, too.)
Win it! One lucky reader will win a nifty kit just like the one I received with a value of $52.32 - you'll be able to survive winter with this one for sure! To enter, tell us which Carmex product you can't live without.
As always, you can receive extra entries for:
-Subscribing to my feed OR publicly following my blog
-Blogging about this giveaway with a link back
-Tweeting about this giveaway 1X (leave the link in your comment below or @psychotichouse) example:
Win a Carmex Prize Pack http://goo.gl/fb/q2dW0 ends 11/6 @psychotichouse
That's four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends November 6th at 11:59 PM PST, and please leave your email address in your entry or have it available in your profile. US only, sorry :( Good luck everyone!! :)
I received samples in order to share my opinions as part of the Carmex Blog Squad. All opinions are my own and not that of Carmex. One winner will win the prize stated above, as fulfilled by the giveaway sponsor.
It's Fall, and that means the weather is starting to do a number on my skin. when these products arrived, I had just started having some dry, itchy skin patches on of all the places, my wrists! I'm guessing maybe it has something to do with my laptop keyboard, but at any rate, it was looking pretty ugly. Who wants to have dry skin on areas where everyone can see them when you go out? (or dry patches in general!) Plus, add into the cleaning, doing dishes... I hate to say it, but boy I've been feeling like I have ugly hands and arms lately.
About two weeks ago, I started using the Carmex Healing Cream on my hands and arms. The cream comes in a 4 ounce tube that's easy to apply from. I used it about 2-3 times a day. It was immediately absorbed into my skin - so I'm thinking I really needed to use it - and it wasn't greasy feeling at all. It definitely made my skin feel soft and smooth after applying it, and it helped with the itchiness. Now the smell... it definitely smells a bit medicated. It's not overwhelming, but it smells a bit like the medicated lip balm they sell. It didn't bother me, but I know some people prefer completely unscented.
Happily, all of Carmex's products are not tested on animals, so when this tube is gone, I'll definitely be replacing it with more!
The Carmex Healing Lotion I used once or twice a day on my legs and feet. (OK, let me admit I totally would beg my DH to rub it on my feet each night!) This one comes in a 5.5 ounce tube, and being a lotion, it's a little thinner than the cream was when applying it. It definitely helped keep my skin soft, and my feet were thanking me for using it. It also has a similar scent to the Healing Cream, so keep this in mind if you avoid scented products. I went back and forth between whether I would prefer this lotion in a pump or with the tube... and I finally decided that the tube was less annoying than unclogging the pump every few days, even if it meant I might get a little more out at times.
If you are trying to choose between both and decide which one you need: if you have just normal, dry skin this winter, stick with Carmex Healing Lotion. If like me, you are having some dry, itchy patches, or your skin is flaking easily, I'd pick up the Carmex Healing Cream.
Both of these new products can be found at your local Walgreens, Walgreens.com, or Drugstore.com. The suggested retail price is $5.99. If you'd like to try them out, you can try your luck at winning a sample on their website. And if you're not feeling lucky, there's a printable coupon you can snag that will save your $2.00 off your purchase at Walgreens. (You'll have to fill out some information in order to print it.)
Just a thought: if you are buying products to ship overseas to our wonderful military folks this holiday season, snag some of these - they will LOVE it! (Don't forget some of the tubes for the lips, too.)
Win it! One lucky reader will win a nifty kit just like the one I received with a value of $52.32 - you'll be able to survive winter with this one for sure! To enter, tell us which Carmex product you can't live without.
As always, you can receive extra entries for:
-Subscribing to my feed OR publicly following my blog
-Blogging about this giveaway with a link back
-Tweeting about this giveaway 1X (leave the link in your comment below or @psychotichouse) example:
Win a Carmex Prize Pack http://goo.gl/fb/q2dW0 ends 11/6 @psychotichouse
That's four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends November 6th at 11:59 PM PST, and please leave your email address in your entry or have it available in your profile. US only, sorry :( Good luck everyone!! :)
I received samples in order to share my opinions as part of the Carmex Blog Squad. All opinions are my own and not that of Carmex. One winner will win the prize stated above, as fulfilled by the giveaway sponsor.
Review: iSafe Bags
I have been traveling and living on my own since I was 18, up until my DH and I were married in 2006. Since I don't drive, I've always either walked everywhere I went, or took public transportation. It never bothered me - I actually kind of miss it, I'm not fond of cars other than the fact that it's a lot easier to grocery shop! lol
However, I did have more than one close call safety wise. At one point when I was still working for a clothing store, I had the unfortunate luck to attract a mentally disturbed stalker. My first run in I was actually carrying a life size obvious doll home that I had bought as a gift, and he started calling out that he wanted to hold the baby. If that wasn't creepy enough, he started staking out both the bus stop I took to go to work, as well as the one I would take to come home. I mentioned what was going on to a police officer that would stop in our store from time to time, and what he told me shocked me.
The police couldn't do anything to help me unless this man actually touched me.
Um, yeah. Not comforting. Not comforting at all! Since I worked rather odd hours - sometimes I wouldn't leave until 9 at night, I ended up begging folks for rides sometimes, and trying to change up my schedule as much as I could. I mentally prepared myself for having to drop whatever I was carrying at the time - groceries, my backpack, whatever - and run to safety should this guy ever try something funny. (I think the first rule of surviving zombies could be invoked here: cardio, cardio, cardio.) I could not depend on anyone hearing me scream for help, either, because there really wasn't any foot traffic in parts that I had to cross to get to/from work.
I'm assuming the guy ended up being put away for something, because after a few months I never ran into him again - thankfully! It's a force of habit though, I always scan around me wherever I go now to be safe, even with having my DH by my side.
When I stumbled onto iSafe Bags, I can't tell you how much I wished I had found them years ago! The iSafe bags are backpacks and messenger bags designed with an incredibly LOUD personal alarm system designed to attract lots of attention from folks who can hear it. It's not just for us adults and college age students - if you have kids who are walking to and from school or the bus stop, this can help save their life if someone tries to grab them!
If you take the subway every day, and carry a laptop bag or briefcase - imagine if there was a natural disaster that caused you to be stranded in rubble? What if your laptop bag could help alert someone that you were there? There's a very slim chance this could happen, but what if it did?
iSafe sent me the Laptop Messenger Bag to review. This bag retails for $89.98. It's actually made from ripstop nylon, so it can withstand some serious wear and tear. I remember tearing a backpack years ago when I got it caught on a sharp edge by a bus stop - I really don't think it could happen so easily with this one. (And if it does, iSafe actually will apply 50% of the original purchase price towards a new one)
Here's my DH modeling the bag with my laptop in it so you can get idea of the size of the bag:
Yes, in the spirit of Halloween, there's Zombie Corgi helping out. LOL His dorky face was in all the photos. Sorry folks, but it's a zoo around here.
According to the website, it's just under 3 pounds empty, and it certainly feels that light. Of course there is the area for the laptop that is padded, and there is a pretty nice organizer compartment for all your extras like pens, your iPhone, etc - plus if you want, there is also a side compartment you can slide your cell phone into as well. The shoulder strap is padded and adjustable, and even carrying my laptop and a whole host of other stuff, it still didn't hurt my shoulder. (That's not to say if you walk several miles carrying 15+ pounds you're not going to hurt - but I suppose this padded area would help ease what it could feel like) In all, it has seven different compartments!
It's a solid black, so it matches everything and it looks professional. If you're like me, and well, slightly off beat. ;) you could add a patch or pins, but remember, this could ruin the fabric. (and it probably would allow moisture if it was raining/snowing to get inside, so keep this in mind) Also, you'll want to be very careful, as this messenger bag also has an area that lights up when you set the alarm off - this would come in handy if you are being attacked at night. The "activation switch" to turn the alarm on is easy to get to - you just tug on the cord that's located under a Velcro tab. If you are feeling unsafe (always trust your instincts!), I suggest you walk with your hands right above or under the velcro, so you can grab that cord and pull the pin out. The alarm will actually run for up to two hours constantly on new batteries.
...and my neighbors HATE me because when I tested it, not only did my dogs go nutso, but the surrounding dogs did too. Let me tell, this baby is LOUD. I used to have this portable door alarm that I used when I was in college, it had nothing on this built in alarm. It is not to be messed with! In fact, it even comes with a warning that if it does off indoors, it can harm your hearing. Be sure if you are purchasing this bag for kids, that they understand it's for emergencies ONLY. The alarm system is concealed in the lower section of a pouch that emits two siren signals in opposite directions, away from the user's ears to attract attention all around. This sound will travel, that's for sure!
For those of you who are on the hunt for an emergency "bug out bag", do check out these bags. You'll find that they have a variety of different bags depending on what scenario you may need to escape from, and these will blend easily into the scenery. The rip cord fabric makes it sturdy, but also protects it from water elements.
iSafe Bags also have a 30 day money back guarantee, so if you're not happy with your purchase, you can return it. They also offer free shipping in the continental US.
I can't really come up with a con against this product, other than the cost may seem high to those used to purchasing cheaper backpacks. As sturdy as it is though, this backpack will outlast those other bags and you will get plenty of use out of it. The alarm aside, I've done the cheaper backpacks and messenger bags myself, and those never lasted out a year for me. However, the backpack that I paid nearly $100 for, has lasted over 10 years now and is still going strong - you do the math. I'm pretty confident when I check out the straps and how it's made that this messenger bag is going to last the same.
If you are on the hunt for a practical gift for someone who lives in the city or takes public transportation (or kids, too) this is a great idea!
This post is part of my Holiday Gift Guide 2010. To see more great gift ideas, just click it.
I received a bag in order to share my thoughts on the product. All opinions are my own.
However, I did have more than one close call safety wise. At one point when I was still working for a clothing store, I had the unfortunate luck to attract a mentally disturbed stalker. My first run in I was actually carrying a life size obvious doll home that I had bought as a gift, and he started calling out that he wanted to hold the baby. If that wasn't creepy enough, he started staking out both the bus stop I took to go to work, as well as the one I would take to come home. I mentioned what was going on to a police officer that would stop in our store from time to time, and what he told me shocked me.
The police couldn't do anything to help me unless this man actually touched me.
Um, yeah. Not comforting. Not comforting at all! Since I worked rather odd hours - sometimes I wouldn't leave until 9 at night, I ended up begging folks for rides sometimes, and trying to change up my schedule as much as I could. I mentally prepared myself for having to drop whatever I was carrying at the time - groceries, my backpack, whatever - and run to safety should this guy ever try something funny. (I think the first rule of surviving zombies could be invoked here: cardio, cardio, cardio.) I could not depend on anyone hearing me scream for help, either, because there really wasn't any foot traffic in parts that I had to cross to get to/from work.
I'm assuming the guy ended up being put away for something, because after a few months I never ran into him again - thankfully! It's a force of habit though, I always scan around me wherever I go now to be safe, even with having my DH by my side.
When I stumbled onto iSafe Bags, I can't tell you how much I wished I had found them years ago! The iSafe bags are backpacks and messenger bags designed with an incredibly LOUD personal alarm system designed to attract lots of attention from folks who can hear it. It's not just for us adults and college age students - if you have kids who are walking to and from school or the bus stop, this can help save their life if someone tries to grab them!
If you take the subway every day, and carry a laptop bag or briefcase - imagine if there was a natural disaster that caused you to be stranded in rubble? What if your laptop bag could help alert someone that you were there? There's a very slim chance this could happen, but what if it did?
iSafe sent me the Laptop Messenger Bag to review. This bag retails for $89.98. It's actually made from ripstop nylon, so it can withstand some serious wear and tear. I remember tearing a backpack years ago when I got it caught on a sharp edge by a bus stop - I really don't think it could happen so easily with this one. (And if it does, iSafe actually will apply 50% of the original purchase price towards a new one)
Here's my DH modeling the bag with my laptop in it so you can get idea of the size of the bag:
Yes, in the spirit of Halloween, there's Zombie Corgi helping out. LOL His dorky face was in all the photos. Sorry folks, but it's a zoo around here.
According to the website, it's just under 3 pounds empty, and it certainly feels that light. Of course there is the area for the laptop that is padded, and there is a pretty nice organizer compartment for all your extras like pens, your iPhone, etc - plus if you want, there is also a side compartment you can slide your cell phone into as well. The shoulder strap is padded and adjustable, and even carrying my laptop and a whole host of other stuff, it still didn't hurt my shoulder. (That's not to say if you walk several miles carrying 15+ pounds you're not going to hurt - but I suppose this padded area would help ease what it could feel like) In all, it has seven different compartments!
It's a solid black, so it matches everything and it looks professional. If you're like me, and well, slightly off beat. ;) you could add a patch or pins, but remember, this could ruin the fabric. (and it probably would allow moisture if it was raining/snowing to get inside, so keep this in mind) Also, you'll want to be very careful, as this messenger bag also has an area that lights up when you set the alarm off - this would come in handy if you are being attacked at night. The "activation switch" to turn the alarm on is easy to get to - you just tug on the cord that's located under a Velcro tab. If you are feeling unsafe (always trust your instincts!), I suggest you walk with your hands right above or under the velcro, so you can grab that cord and pull the pin out. The alarm will actually run for up to two hours constantly on new batteries.
...and my neighbors HATE me because when I tested it, not only did my dogs go nutso, but the surrounding dogs did too. Let me tell, this baby is LOUD. I used to have this portable door alarm that I used when I was in college, it had nothing on this built in alarm. It is not to be messed with! In fact, it even comes with a warning that if it does off indoors, it can harm your hearing. Be sure if you are purchasing this bag for kids, that they understand it's for emergencies ONLY. The alarm system is concealed in the lower section of a pouch that emits two siren signals in opposite directions, away from the user's ears to attract attention all around. This sound will travel, that's for sure!
For those of you who are on the hunt for an emergency "bug out bag", do check out these bags. You'll find that they have a variety of different bags depending on what scenario you may need to escape from, and these will blend easily into the scenery. The rip cord fabric makes it sturdy, but also protects it from water elements.
iSafe Bags also have a 30 day money back guarantee, so if you're not happy with your purchase, you can return it. They also offer free shipping in the continental US.
I can't really come up with a con against this product, other than the cost may seem high to those used to purchasing cheaper backpacks. As sturdy as it is though, this backpack will outlast those other bags and you will get plenty of use out of it. The alarm aside, I've done the cheaper backpacks and messenger bags myself, and those never lasted out a year for me. However, the backpack that I paid nearly $100 for, has lasted over 10 years now and is still going strong - you do the math. I'm pretty confident when I check out the straps and how it's made that this messenger bag is going to last the same.
If you are on the hunt for a practical gift for someone who lives in the city or takes public transportation (or kids, too) this is a great idea!
This post is part of my Holiday Gift Guide 2010. To see more great gift ideas, just click it.
I received a bag in order to share my thoughts on the product. All opinions are my own.
Friday's Featured Etsy - The Mouse Market
Welcome to my Friday's Featured post, in which I showcase Etsy stores and small businesses from folks like you and me. Recession, smession! ;)
Our stop on our this week's journey through Etsy land is a store called The Mouse Market.
The Mouse Market specializes in handmade dollhouse miniatures and collectible jewelry using polymer clay and other materials. The creator behind the store combines her love of miniatures with her training as a pastry chef and a graphic designer to create detailed, realistic foods in 1/12 scale. Even if you are not into dollhouses and miniatures, this is one Etsy store you have got to peek at - her creations are amazing! The Mouse Market does take custom requests, so if you are on the hunt for the perfect addition, or gift, just convo the seller! International buyers are also welcome here.
Check out this adorable Breakfast in Bed Tray:
This Stuffed Turkey w/ Squash Rings, Olives and Tomatillos begs to grace the table for Thanksgiving and Holiday feasts, doesn't it? The detail is amazing!
And aren't these Coffee Toffee Macaron Earrings fun?
Stop by The Mouse Market today and have a look around!
This post is part of my Holiday Gift Guide 2010. To see more great gift ideas, just click it.
Our stop on our this week's journey through Etsy land is a store called The Mouse Market.
The Mouse Market specializes in handmade dollhouse miniatures and collectible jewelry using polymer clay and other materials. The creator behind the store combines her love of miniatures with her training as a pastry chef and a graphic designer to create detailed, realistic foods in 1/12 scale. Even if you are not into dollhouses and miniatures, this is one Etsy store you have got to peek at - her creations are amazing! The Mouse Market does take custom requests, so if you are on the hunt for the perfect addition, or gift, just convo the seller! International buyers are also welcome here.
Check out this adorable Breakfast in Bed Tray:
This Stuffed Turkey w/ Squash Rings, Olives and Tomatillos begs to grace the table for Thanksgiving and Holiday feasts, doesn't it? The detail is amazing!
And aren't these Coffee Toffee Macaron Earrings fun?
Stop by The Mouse Market today and have a look around!
This post is part of my Holiday Gift Guide 2010. To see more great gift ideas, just click it.
28 October 2010
I Totally Covet...
Isn't this Day of the Dead Halloween Skull Fascinator with red skull awesome?
I'm in love! I think I want one of everything in her Etsy store. :)
I'm in love! I think I want one of everything in her Etsy store. :)
Mrs. Meyers Printable Coupon
Here's a printable coupon that will save you $1.00 on your next purchase of any Mrs. Meyers Clean Day product! It's so rare you find a coupon for their products, so be sure to snag this one!
While you are here, don't forget to check out my other printable coupons to see if there are other coupons available to help you save on your grocery bill!
Please note: I take the time out of my busy schedule to share coupons that have landed in my email, I am not affiliated with the companies. Some coupons may be only available for a limited amount of time or for a limited amount of prints. If you come across a coupon that is now dead, please let me know, either by leaving a comment or sending me an email so I can fix the post. Thanks!
While you are here, don't forget to check out my other printable coupons to see if there are other coupons available to help you save on your grocery bill!
Please note: I take the time out of my busy schedule to share coupons that have landed in my email, I am not affiliated with the companies. Some coupons may be only available for a limited amount of time or for a limited amount of prints. If you come across a coupon that is now dead, please let me know, either by leaving a comment or sending me an email so I can fix the post. Thanks!
DVD Review: Video Games Live: Level 2
My family and I recently received a copy of the new DVD, Video Games Live: Level 2, to review.
We seem to be a family of video game junkies - we have five different systems, three of which are hooked up all the time. I'm sure we aren't the only ones. ;) As technology advances, not only are the graphics getting absolutely amazing, but the music is too. Sometimes the musical scores for the games are more than what you will find in motion pictures!
Video Games Live: Level 2 features a never before televised music event with video from games like Super Mario Brothers, Halo, my DH's beloved game series God of War, and lots more. While the orchestra is playing, there is footage of the games being played. It's super neat to see how some of the video game footage has evolved. ;) The stage show is a big production, and there are choirs to go alongside the musicians. And it's not just classical, have no fear.
While there has been a CD released before featuring these scores, this is the first DVD release (it's also available on Blu-Ray). It New Orleans this past April in high definition with 5.1 audio surround sound. All together, the concert features the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, a 34-person chorus; a number of soloists including pianist Martin Leung, flautist Laura “Flute Link” Intravia, original vocalists from the games; plus a rock band featuring Tallarico on guitar, lasers and special effects.
Just as a heads up, there are interviews with composers of the original games and other folks in between some of the performances, it doesn't flow entirely as the performance. If you're looking at it from an entirely musical perspective, this might bug you a little - but my gamer husband didn't mind it all. There is also lots of bonus material that includes more information, behind the scenes looks (look for a super cool feature on the guitarist's unique guitars!!!), as well as a whole host of teasers, trailers, and making of some of the games.
Here's the trailer if you are interested in a sneak peek:
Direct Link for the Feedreaders
And here's the total track listing:
Classic Arcade Medley
Halo Montage
Civilization IV: Baba Yetu (Duet Version)
StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty Theme
Sonic the Hedgehog: Staff Credits
Advent Rising Overture
Interactive Guitar Hero: Aerosmith – "Sweet Emotion"
Warcraft Montage
Chrono Cross: Scars of Time
Mass Effect Suite
Megaman Montage
Tribute To Ralph Baer
Myst Suite
The Legend of Zelda Suite
Super Mario Bros. Medley
God of War: Revenge and Redemption
Martin Leung - Mario Solo Piano Medley
Martin Leung - Tetris Solo Piano Medley
World of Warcraft: Lament of the Highborne
Castlevania Rock Overture
If you are looking for a gift for the gamer geek in your life, look no further than Video Games Live: Level 2. My DH was all over this DVD, and I don't think he shut up the entire show. lol Look at that! This is awesome! Oh oh, SONIC! TETRIS! LOL! It's fun for the whole family - I know Halo is more for the adult crowd, but there are lots of kid friendly games included too. By the way, if you have a Blu-Ray player (or Playstation 3), I highly suggest you pick up the Blu-Ray/DVD combo. You'll probably enjoy the sound and pictures even more!
Video Games Live: Level 2 is available now on both DVD as well as Blu-Ray/DVD combo - and even CD, too. It's not rated, but safe for everyone - don't worry about violent footage from some of the games being used, it's safe - and it runs a total of 280 minutes long. The suggested retail price of the DVD is $19.99, though Amazon has it for $15.99 as of this posting (strangely, the BluRay/DVD combo is $14.99 right now, but there is a delay on shipping - not a big deal if it's a holiday present?)
This post is part of my Holiday Gift Guide 2010. To see more great gift ideas, just click it.
I received a copy of this DVD in order to write a review. All opinions are my own.
We seem to be a family of video game junkies - we have five different systems, three of which are hooked up all the time. I'm sure we aren't the only ones. ;) As technology advances, not only are the graphics getting absolutely amazing, but the music is too. Sometimes the musical scores for the games are more than what you will find in motion pictures!
Video Games Live: Level 2 features a never before televised music event with video from games like Super Mario Brothers, Halo, my DH's beloved game series God of War, and lots more. While the orchestra is playing, there is footage of the games being played. It's super neat to see how some of the video game footage has evolved. ;) The stage show is a big production, and there are choirs to go alongside the musicians. And it's not just classical, have no fear.
While there has been a CD released before featuring these scores, this is the first DVD release (it's also available on Blu-Ray). It New Orleans this past April in high definition with 5.1 audio surround sound. All together, the concert features the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, a 34-person chorus; a number of soloists including pianist Martin Leung, flautist Laura “Flute Link” Intravia, original vocalists from the games; plus a rock band featuring Tallarico on guitar, lasers and special effects.
Just as a heads up, there are interviews with composers of the original games and other folks in between some of the performances, it doesn't flow entirely as the performance. If you're looking at it from an entirely musical perspective, this might bug you a little - but my gamer husband didn't mind it all. There is also lots of bonus material that includes more information, behind the scenes looks (look for a super cool feature on the guitarist's unique guitars!!!), as well as a whole host of teasers, trailers, and making of some of the games.
Here's the trailer if you are interested in a sneak peek:
Direct Link for the Feedreaders
And here's the total track listing:
Classic Arcade Medley
Halo Montage
Civilization IV: Baba Yetu (Duet Version)
StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty Theme
Sonic the Hedgehog: Staff Credits
Advent Rising Overture
Interactive Guitar Hero: Aerosmith – "Sweet Emotion"
Warcraft Montage
Chrono Cross: Scars of Time
Mass Effect Suite
Megaman Montage
Tribute To Ralph Baer
Myst Suite
The Legend of Zelda Suite
Super Mario Bros. Medley
God of War: Revenge and Redemption
Martin Leung - Mario Solo Piano Medley
Martin Leung - Tetris Solo Piano Medley
World of Warcraft: Lament of the Highborne
Castlevania Rock Overture
If you are looking for a gift for the gamer geek in your life, look no further than Video Games Live: Level 2. My DH was all over this DVD, and I don't think he shut up the entire show. lol Look at that! This is awesome! Oh oh, SONIC! TETRIS! LOL! It's fun for the whole family - I know Halo is more for the adult crowd, but there are lots of kid friendly games included too. By the way, if you have a Blu-Ray player (or Playstation 3), I highly suggest you pick up the Blu-Ray/DVD combo. You'll probably enjoy the sound and pictures even more!
Video Games Live: Level 2 is available now on both DVD as well as Blu-Ray/DVD combo - and even CD, too. It's not rated, but safe for everyone - don't worry about violent footage from some of the games being used, it's safe - and it runs a total of 280 minutes long. The suggested retail price of the DVD is $19.99, though Amazon has it for $15.99 as of this posting (strangely, the BluRay/DVD combo is $14.99 right now, but there is a delay on shipping - not a big deal if it's a holiday present?)
This post is part of my Holiday Gift Guide 2010. To see more great gift ideas, just click it.
I received a copy of this DVD in order to write a review. All opinions are my own.
Thrifty Thursday - Budget Scrapbooking
This week for my Thrifty Thursday post, I'm talking about scrapbooking on a budget.
Scrapbooking your memories can be a fun hobby, but the costs can add up - perhaps a little too quickly sometimes. Here's some tips and ideas to help keep your costs down.
First of all, you need to make sure you are organizing your supplies properly. It's easy to not only ruin sheets of paper and other cuttings if they aren't kept flat, but it's easier to forget what you have if everything is spread out all over the place. Keep all your supplies in a single safe place, away from dampness or heat, and preferably in an easy to get to place.
Hit up places like your local dollar store for fun papers, ribbons, and stickers. I've noticed Dollar Tree sometimes have some great supplies hidden, such as paper punchers, ribbons, and even papers. Other stores could have fun finds lurking too - just keep your eyes peeled. Don't overlook thrift stores and garage sales - lots of people take up scrapbooking as a hobby and then don't hang in there. You can snag some goodies at a great price! (Stampers and trimming scissors especially - I always seem to come across those!)
Purchase supplies out of season and on clearance. Stock up on holiday themed supplies after the holiday has passed - you can snag deals for up to 90% off! Don't throw away cards and wrappings/ribbons afterwards either - all of those could be turned into DIY supplies! (and you're helping keep stuff out of the landfill, a bonus perk)
Speaking of keeping things out of the landfill, look outside of the box - sometimes packages that products come in can be just the perfect addition to a layout! I've kept ribbons from gift packages, even a piece of gold liner from a box that was just perfect for one of mine.
Your computer and the internet, alongside a good printer, will lead you to a wealth of free paper designs and fonts. Make sure you print on a good quality paper, and you can have lots of fun. (Just remember to add in the cost of ink - while you could end up with some unique designs, the ink price may end up costing you more than if you went to an expensive scrapbooking store)
Sign up for email and mailing lists for craft supply stores like Michaels' and Jo-Anns. If you visit any local small stores, be sure to ask them if they have a mailing list of their own! Often you can land coupons for 30-50% off any item - use these coupons to snag more expensive items that rarely go on sale.
Keep all your scraps, and semi-organize them into a small box. (I use a plastic shoebox that I paid under $1 at WalMart myself). Sometimes these leftover pieces are the perfect trimming for another layout! (and again, no extra cost plus items out of the landfill!)
Scrapbooking your memories can be a fun hobby, but the costs can add up - perhaps a little too quickly sometimes. Here's some tips and ideas to help keep your costs down.
First of all, you need to make sure you are organizing your supplies properly. It's easy to not only ruin sheets of paper and other cuttings if they aren't kept flat, but it's easier to forget what you have if everything is spread out all over the place. Keep all your supplies in a single safe place, away from dampness or heat, and preferably in an easy to get to place.
Hit up places like your local dollar store for fun papers, ribbons, and stickers. I've noticed Dollar Tree sometimes have some great supplies hidden, such as paper punchers, ribbons, and even papers. Other stores could have fun finds lurking too - just keep your eyes peeled. Don't overlook thrift stores and garage sales - lots of people take up scrapbooking as a hobby and then don't hang in there. You can snag some goodies at a great price! (Stampers and trimming scissors especially - I always seem to come across those!)
Purchase supplies out of season and on clearance. Stock up on holiday themed supplies after the holiday has passed - you can snag deals for up to 90% off! Don't throw away cards and wrappings/ribbons afterwards either - all of those could be turned into DIY supplies! (and you're helping keep stuff out of the landfill, a bonus perk)
Speaking of keeping things out of the landfill, look outside of the box - sometimes packages that products come in can be just the perfect addition to a layout! I've kept ribbons from gift packages, even a piece of gold liner from a box that was just perfect for one of mine.
Your computer and the internet, alongside a good printer, will lead you to a wealth of free paper designs and fonts. Make sure you print on a good quality paper, and you can have lots of fun. (Just remember to add in the cost of ink - while you could end up with some unique designs, the ink price may end up costing you more than if you went to an expensive scrapbooking store)
Sign up for email and mailing lists for craft supply stores like Michaels' and Jo-Anns. If you visit any local small stores, be sure to ask them if they have a mailing list of their own! Often you can land coupons for 30-50% off any item - use these coupons to snag more expensive items that rarely go on sale.
Keep all your scraps, and semi-organize them into a small box. (I use a plastic shoebox that I paid under $1 at WalMart myself). Sometimes these leftover pieces are the perfect trimming for another layout! (and again, no extra cost plus items out of the landfill!)
Giveaway: Fiber One Cereal & Bars
Pssst! Do you get enough fiber in your diet? Not everyone does. It's okay, it happens to the best of us. ;)
Fiber One has some breakfast choices to help you get some more fiber into your body. Apparently, there is least 35% of your daily value of fiber in every serving of their cereals and bars - which would make it a quick and easy way to get your daily fiber! They also have three new additions to the line of products: Fiber One Honey Clusters, Fiber One Raisin Bran Clusters, and Fiber One Oats & Chocolate Chewy Bars. You can find them at your local Safeway family of stores, or your favorite grocery store of choice.
MyBlogSpark and Fiber One sent us over a prize a package that included free product coupon for any Fiber One cereal, another one for a package of their bars, and a $25 gift card to Safeway. (Good timing on that one, thanks guys!) I happily picked out a box of the Oats & Chocolate bars - which I can tell you are actually super yummy - and I let DH pick out which cereal he wanted. He chose the Shredded Wheat. I don't know what it is about that guy and shredded wheat, but he's almost through that box already. lol
If the cereal and bars aren't your thing, remember that Fiber One also has yogurt, cottage cheese, and baking products - even bread! There's plenty to choose from to vary your breakfasts, too. (Although the pancake mix? Maybe it's just me, but when you just add water - it's kind of eh. Use milk instead. Oh, and top with a bit of fresh fruit. I know, more calories, but your taste buds will thank you.)
If you're interested in picking up some Fiber One on your next shopping trip, right now if you visit their website, your can snag several printable coupons that will save you up to $2.00!
Win it! Thanks to MyBlogSpark and Fiber One, I have a prize pack like what I received - two free product coupons, and $25 Safeway family of stores gift card - to giveaway! To enter, visit Fiber One's website and tell us which Fiber One product you'd like to add to your breakfast line up.
As always, you can receive extra entries for:
-Subscribing to my feed OR publicly following my blog
-Blogging about this giveaway with a link back
-Tweeting about this giveaway 1X (leave the link in your comment below or @psychotichouse) example:
Win Fiber One Prize Pack http://goo.gl/fb/6PUrA ends 11/6 @psychotichouse
That's four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends November 6th at 11:59 PM PST, and please leave your email address in your entry or have it available in your profile. US only, sorry :( Good luck everyone!! :)
Fiber One provided me with the gift card, VIP coupons, and giveaway through MyBlogSpark.
Fiber One has some breakfast choices to help you get some more fiber into your body. Apparently, there is least 35% of your daily value of fiber in every serving of their cereals and bars - which would make it a quick and easy way to get your daily fiber! They also have three new additions to the line of products: Fiber One Honey Clusters, Fiber One Raisin Bran Clusters, and Fiber One Oats & Chocolate Chewy Bars. You can find them at your local Safeway family of stores, or your favorite grocery store of choice.
MyBlogSpark and Fiber One sent us over a prize a package that included free product coupon for any Fiber One cereal, another one for a package of their bars, and a $25 gift card to Safeway. (Good timing on that one, thanks guys!) I happily picked out a box of the Oats & Chocolate bars - which I can tell you are actually super yummy - and I let DH pick out which cereal he wanted. He chose the Shredded Wheat. I don't know what it is about that guy and shredded wheat, but he's almost through that box already. lol
If the cereal and bars aren't your thing, remember that Fiber One also has yogurt, cottage cheese, and baking products - even bread! There's plenty to choose from to vary your breakfasts, too. (Although the pancake mix? Maybe it's just me, but when you just add water - it's kind of eh. Use milk instead. Oh, and top with a bit of fresh fruit. I know, more calories, but your taste buds will thank you.)
If you're interested in picking up some Fiber One on your next shopping trip, right now if you visit their website, your can snag several printable coupons that will save you up to $2.00!
Win it! Thanks to MyBlogSpark and Fiber One, I have a prize pack like what I received - two free product coupons, and $25 Safeway family of stores gift card - to giveaway! To enter, visit Fiber One's website and tell us which Fiber One product you'd like to add to your breakfast line up.
As always, you can receive extra entries for:
-Subscribing to my feed OR publicly following my blog
-Blogging about this giveaway with a link back
-Tweeting about this giveaway 1X (leave the link in your comment below or @psychotichouse) example:
Win Fiber One Prize Pack http://goo.gl/fb/6PUrA ends 11/6 @psychotichouse
That's four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends November 6th at 11:59 PM PST, and please leave your email address in your entry or have it available in your profile. US only, sorry :( Good luck everyone!! :)
Fiber One provided me with the gift card, VIP coupons, and giveaway through MyBlogSpark.
Please Won't You Be, My Winner? :)
The winner of the Yoplait Breast Cancer Awareness giveaway is:
Janna @ Feed Your Pig said...
My mom and Grandma have both had cancer! I walked in the Komen race for them for the first time this year
Awesome contest! Thanks for entering me!
The winner of the Purina Cat Chow Catnap For A Cause giveaway is:
debbie said...
I will spread the word, by wearing a pink ribbon. I also by the bags of purina cat chow that have the pink ribbon on them.
The winners of the Wendy's Pick 2 gift cards are:
brianpiero said...
Tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/brianpiero/status/28565163579
Hollowsins said...
I am an email subscriber
amy16323 said...
BLT Cobb Salad
catnap said...
You're not the only one who doesn't like ranch dressing! I don't either. I'd go for that apple pecan chicken and since I always do "baked" potatoes in the microwave, I'd go for one done in the oven for an hour, just like Mom used to make (before microwaves).
And the winner of the Rock 'N Learn Phonics DVD giveaway is:
Anna said...
I think the colors, shapes, and counting would help mys on. numbers are something he particularly needs to work more on.
Congratulations everyone! I'm sending emails - remember you have 48 hours to get back to me!
27 October 2010
Review: Wild Dill (And Green Toys!)
Wild Dill, a Mom created business, is an online shop that specializes in natural, organic and fair trade toys, bedding and furniture for babies and toddlers that are mostly made in the USA or Europe. Many of the items are created from recycled goods!
Many of the clothing brands that Wild Dill carries range in size from newborn on up to around a size 5. The toys run a similar range, with everything from fun baby rattles, to wooden puzzles, to beautiful crafted dolls.
Wild Dill sent us the Green Toys Chef Set. We've been on the hunt for play kitchen goodies, and this fit the bill perfectly! One of the things I have been cringing at is the amount of toxins and chemicals that could be in play foods, dishes, etc. I don't have to worry about that with Green Toys, because all of the dishes are made with 100% recycled plastic - they are created from 100% curbside collected recycled plastic, the majority of which was recycled milk jugs! Isn't that neat? This five piece set was also made here in the USA, and it's BPA and phthalates free - no need to worry about a recall because of lead content here.
I also wanted to show you that the packaging it arrives in is completely recyclable too - it was all cardboard. Not a single plastic tie to cut off, twistie ties, nada. Just the cardboard! (Trivia: On average, every pound of recycled plastic that Green Toys used to make their toys saves enough energy to run a laptop for a MONTH!)
There are other Green Toys kitchen accessories available, and we'll be adding them to our collection this Christmas. For now though, these are munchkin heaven - she just loves that bright orange frying pan. (I'm seriously waiting for her to learn to conk someone over the head with it LOL!!!) By the way, I don't have to worry about her having tea parties and stuff with these - they are actually completely food safe (unlike other toys!) and they are even dishwasher safe (top rack, of course) too. I couldn't be more pleased!
If you are interested in making a purchase from Wild Dill yourself for this holiday season, use promo code: 15off at checkout to receive 15% off your total! There are a lot of great gift choices from stocking stuffers on up to bigger gifts. (and not just girly stuff either - I know I tend to talk more about girls' items since I have a girl, but they have some adorable boy clothes, and lots of cool toys for boys including even a recycling truck!)
This post is part of my Holiday Gift Guide 2010. To see more great gift ideas, just click it.
I received the product shown above to share my opinion of it. No other compensation was given.
Many of the clothing brands that Wild Dill carries range in size from newborn on up to around a size 5. The toys run a similar range, with everything from fun baby rattles, to wooden puzzles, to beautiful crafted dolls.
Wild Dill sent us the Green Toys Chef Set. We've been on the hunt for play kitchen goodies, and this fit the bill perfectly! One of the things I have been cringing at is the amount of toxins and chemicals that could be in play foods, dishes, etc. I don't have to worry about that with Green Toys, because all of the dishes are made with 100% recycled plastic - they are created from 100% curbside collected recycled plastic, the majority of which was recycled milk jugs! Isn't that neat? This five piece set was also made here in the USA, and it's BPA and phthalates free - no need to worry about a recall because of lead content here.
I also wanted to show you that the packaging it arrives in is completely recyclable too - it was all cardboard. Not a single plastic tie to cut off, twistie ties, nada. Just the cardboard! (Trivia: On average, every pound of recycled plastic that Green Toys used to make their toys saves enough energy to run a laptop for a MONTH!)
There are other Green Toys kitchen accessories available, and we'll be adding them to our collection this Christmas. For now though, these are munchkin heaven - she just loves that bright orange frying pan. (I'm seriously waiting for her to learn to conk someone over the head with it LOL!!!) By the way, I don't have to worry about her having tea parties and stuff with these - they are actually completely food safe (unlike other toys!) and they are even dishwasher safe (top rack, of course) too. I couldn't be more pleased!
If you are interested in making a purchase from Wild Dill yourself for this holiday season, use promo code: 15off at checkout to receive 15% off your total! There are a lot of great gift choices from stocking stuffers on up to bigger gifts. (and not just girly stuff either - I know I tend to talk more about girls' items since I have a girl, but they have some adorable boy clothes, and lots of cool toys for boys including even a recycling truck!)
This post is part of my Holiday Gift Guide 2010. To see more great gift ideas, just click it.
I received the product shown above to share my opinion of it. No other compensation was given.
Sponsored Post: Gilt Groupe Halloween Best Dressed Photo Contest
Can you believe Halloween is finally almost here? We're so excited! I've been slacking though, as I still haven't taken any costume photos! Actually, today is sunny after it being so dark and dreary the last few days, so I am hoping when DH gets home from work, that we can take some photos! If you've got some cute photos of your kiddos in costume, or if you're like us and getting ready to take some, I've got a Facebook based contest for you that you'll want to enter, sponsored by Gilt! The contest is running through November 8th, so you have time to get that perfect shot! Here's some more information:
Halloween Best Dressed Photo Contest
If you think your child’s costume is the cutest on the block, here’s
your chance to prove it. Post a picture of your kid in his or her
outfit to enter for a chance to win $1,000 Gilt Credit. Visit the
“contests” tab on the Gilt Children Facebook page or click on the
following link to enter to win: http://on.fb.me/GiltHalloween
How the Contest Works
Between October 22 and November 8, 2010, upload a photo of your kid in his or her costume to the Gilt Children page by clicking on the Enter link
above. The 10 most popular entries —as voted on by Gilt Children fans
until November 19 —will become finalists.
Fans can encourage their friends to vote for their the following ways:
1. Invite friends to participate in the contest:
http://apps.facebook.com/contestshq/contests/68665/invites/new?ogn=facebook
2. Post your vote to your Facebook wall my selecting “share on my
wall” when you vote for your favorite photo.
3. Let your friends know that you can vote for each entry once per
day -- so submit your entry early and vote often!
A panel of Gilt Groupe judges will then select five winners based on
the overall quality of the photo and the costume, announcing the
results by November 26 on the Gilt Children page and Twitter account.
Each of the winners will receive a $1000 credit for use on Gilt.com.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ready? Set? Get those cameras going! I would love to know that one of my readers won this contest! If you enter, please feel free to leave your photo information in the comments so we can check out your photo and maybe vote for you! (Be sure to send me a Facebook request too - you can fan my blog page on the side, and then just click on me and send me a request if you'd also like to be friends with me!) Good luck everyone!
You know I'm all about full disclosure on my blog - this was a sponsored post by Gilt Groupe, thanks to the Mom Bloggers Club member program, and yes, I'm being paid for it. All opinions are my own, and you know what? I'd probably have told you about the contest anyways, paid or not. Might as well try to make back some of that costume cost, right? :)
Halloween Best Dressed Photo Contest
If you think your child’s costume is the cutest on the block, here’s
your chance to prove it. Post a picture of your kid in his or her
outfit to enter for a chance to win $1,000 Gilt Credit. Visit the
“contests” tab on the Gilt Children Facebook page or click on the
following link to enter to win: http://on.fb.me/GiltHalloween
How the Contest Works
Between October 22 and November 8, 2010, upload a photo of your kid in his or her costume to the Gilt Children page by clicking on the Enter link
above. The 10 most popular entries —as voted on by Gilt Children fans
until November 19 —will become finalists.
Fans can encourage their friends to vote for their the following ways:
1. Invite friends to participate in the contest:
http://apps.facebook.com/contestshq/contests/68665/invites/new?ogn=facebook
2. Post your vote to your Facebook wall my selecting “share on my
wall” when you vote for your favorite photo.
3. Let your friends know that you can vote for each entry once per
day -- so submit your entry early and vote often!
A panel of Gilt Groupe judges will then select five winners based on
the overall quality of the photo and the costume, announcing the
results by November 26 on the Gilt Children page and Twitter account.
Each of the winners will receive a $1000 credit for use on Gilt.com.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ready? Set? Get those cameras going! I would love to know that one of my readers won this contest! If you enter, please feel free to leave your photo information in the comments so we can check out your photo and maybe vote for you! (Be sure to send me a Facebook request too - you can fan my blog page on the side, and then just click on me and send me a request if you'd also like to be friends with me!) Good luck everyone!
You know I'm all about full disclosure on my blog - this was a sponsored post by Gilt Groupe, thanks to the Mom Bloggers Club member program, and yes, I'm being paid for it. All opinions are my own, and you know what? I'd probably have told you about the contest anyways, paid or not. Might as well try to make back some of that costume cost, right? :)
Book Review: Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol: A Pop Up Book
It's no secret we love books in our family. I was super excited when we were sent Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol: A Pop Up Book illustrated by Chuck Fisher and Paper Engineering by Bruce Foster.
In the world of pop up books, there are pop up books, and then there are pop up books. This is definitely one of the latter, an exquisitely beautiful creation that takes your breath away! Chuck Fisher has illustrated some incredible paintings to go alongside this classic holiday tale. Not only are there some seriously intricate - and I mean intricate - pop-ups, the entire tale of A Christmas Carol is written into five small books that are included through the pop-up pages.
Because the pop-ups are so intricate on this one, it's best to keep the book away from little hands except with adult supervision. It can be a little difficult to close some of the pages, so patience is a must - but trust me when I say that it is totally worth it! It's the perfect addition to your Christmas and holiday decorations, and the whole family can sit down and enjoy this one - with or without kids. It's also a great way to introduce your children to this wonderful classic tale.
Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol: A Pop Up Book illustrated by Chuck Fisher and Paper Engineering by Bruce Foster is a hardcover book, published by Little, Brown and Company. While the book itself is only 12 pages, there are multiple small booklets inside with the story by Charles Dickens. The suggested retail price is $30.00 ($36.99 in Canada), but as of this posting, Amazon has it for just $19.80.
I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher in order to share my opinions of it.
In the world of pop up books, there are pop up books, and then there are pop up books. This is definitely one of the latter, an exquisitely beautiful creation that takes your breath away! Chuck Fisher has illustrated some incredible paintings to go alongside this classic holiday tale. Not only are there some seriously intricate - and I mean intricate - pop-ups, the entire tale of A Christmas Carol is written into five small books that are included through the pop-up pages.
Because the pop-ups are so intricate on this one, it's best to keep the book away from little hands except with adult supervision. It can be a little difficult to close some of the pages, so patience is a must - but trust me when I say that it is totally worth it! It's the perfect addition to your Christmas and holiday decorations, and the whole family can sit down and enjoy this one - with or without kids. It's also a great way to introduce your children to this wonderful classic tale.
Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol: A Pop Up Book illustrated by Chuck Fisher and Paper Engineering by Bruce Foster is a hardcover book, published by Little, Brown and Company. While the book itself is only 12 pages, there are multiple small booklets inside with the story by Charles Dickens. The suggested retail price is $30.00 ($36.99 in Canada), but as of this posting, Amazon has it for just $19.80.
I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher in order to share my opinions of it.
26 October 2010
Review: Moe's Place
The Corgis pretty much go everywhere with us - they love their outings. Because they come in contact with so many people, I love changing their leashes and collars out, and letting them wear bandanas to match the season or occassion! Kids especially love it. Captain just rocks 'em! He is cute as a bug wearing them, so I am always on the hunt for fun designs. The problem with some of the bandanas on the market, is that they just can't stand up for more than one or two wearings - they are cheaply made. Great for a quick photo opportunity, but when you are on the go, it doesn't look so great when the seams are unraveling! Sometimes they can be hard to put on the furkids too.
Meet Moe's Place, creator of premium dog bandanas. Moe stands for Miracle On Earth. They have six different patent pending styles of bandanas, with lots of fun fabric choices to choose from!
We received a bandana in the Innocent Style, with the Dog Park fabric. (How perfect is that for our furkiddos?) It retails for $14.99.
The neat part is that that it is a reversible bandana, so it's a two in one! And if you see that buckle, it makes it super easy to put on your dog. And it's made super sturdy, so it will stand up to the wear and tear.
Now I was hoping to show you a picture of Captain wearing it at the dog park, but with the rain and dreary weather we've had over the last week and a half, that wasn't happening. Even though it is machine washable, I wanted to avoid that our first trip wearing it. These come in different sizes, and if you are trying to gauge which size your dog might need, Captain is wearing the medium, that's for 16" to 20" necks and collars. The sizing goes all the way up to an XL, which I know how hard it is to find cute things in the bigger sizes.
If you're getting ready for holiday photos, they have some really neat Christmas designs that would be perfect! (C'mon, I know some of you take your dogs and cats to get their photo taken with Santa Paws too!) Prices start at just $3.49 for some of the different styles, which is a great price!
Best of all, 10% of all proceeds are donated to animal shelters throughout the United States. Not only are you purchasing something great for your dog, but you can help other dogs out too at the same time. And Moe's Place does not print paper catalogs in order to help the environment - they use CD's instead. The bandanas are made in the USA, too!
I received the sample shown above to try out and share my opinions of. I did not bribe the Corgi for that big smile you see there - he's always that happy. :)
Meet Moe's Place, creator of premium dog bandanas. Moe stands for Miracle On Earth. They have six different patent pending styles of bandanas, with lots of fun fabric choices to choose from!
We received a bandana in the Innocent Style, with the Dog Park fabric. (How perfect is that for our furkiddos?) It retails for $14.99.
The neat part is that that it is a reversible bandana, so it's a two in one! And if you see that buckle, it makes it super easy to put on your dog. And it's made super sturdy, so it will stand up to the wear and tear.
Now I was hoping to show you a picture of Captain wearing it at the dog park, but with the rain and dreary weather we've had over the last week and a half, that wasn't happening. Even though it is machine washable, I wanted to avoid that our first trip wearing it. These come in different sizes, and if you are trying to gauge which size your dog might need, Captain is wearing the medium, that's for 16" to 20" necks and collars. The sizing goes all the way up to an XL, which I know how hard it is to find cute things in the bigger sizes.
If you're getting ready for holiday photos, they have some really neat Christmas designs that would be perfect! (C'mon, I know some of you take your dogs and cats to get their photo taken with Santa Paws too!) Prices start at just $3.49 for some of the different styles, which is a great price!
Best of all, 10% of all proceeds are donated to animal shelters throughout the United States. Not only are you purchasing something great for your dog, but you can help other dogs out too at the same time. And Moe's Place does not print paper catalogs in order to help the environment - they use CD's instead. The bandanas are made in the USA, too!
I received the sample shown above to try out and share my opinions of. I did not bribe the Corgi for that big smile you see there - he's always that happy. :)
Random Thoughts Tuesday - Indoor Dog Parks
So I'm a widow again. Star Wars The Force Unleashed 2 came out last night at midnight, and DH had it on preorder for ages. lol Poor guy saved up all the GameStop gift cards I've cashed out for over the last few months so he could get the special edition or whatever it was that comes with the USB drive. (Thank goodness for MyPoints and E-Rewards!)
It's still raining. It stopped for a few minutes yesterday, so we quickly took the dogs to the dog park so the poor babies could get a quick walk. Which leads me to wonder - how come there is no indoor play gym here for dogs? They probably could make a killing off people like us! I know there's a nice daycare that has an indoor gym in Seattle, and I know Portland has one too that you can just visit by the day, no daycare, but there's nothing here. I'm surprised someone in Gig Harbor hasn't done it already.
Course, when I think about it... we visit 5 or 6 different off leash dog parks depending on which direction we are going. Out of all of them, the one here in Port Orchard (Howe Farm) is the one that people just let their dogs run free without paying attention to them, or picking up after them. It's nasty! I wouldn't want to have an indoor park and have those kind of people visit, and then never pick up after their dog if they did have an accident.
Then again, because you have to pay for it - maybe that kind of dog owner wouldn't bother and no worries about dog bombs. ;) I just hate irresponsible dog owners - they ruin it for the rest of us.
Speaking of indoor gyms, I see a trip to mall playland and maybe Chuck E Cheese in our future... we still have some tokens from our last visit. I think enough TV has been watched around here the last few days, anyways. I knwo it's a germfest, but it's been a germfest around here too the last few weeks.
I want another kitty... or two... in here for the holidays. Fresh blood. lol I know some of you think I'm insane, others think we're pet hoarders - but it's no trouble at all.
I crave Outback Steakhouse's pumpernickel bread. Yum!
Check out this vintage kitchen photo I found over at Antique Home Style:
I love, love, looove that pantry cabinet! The flooring, not much. I could live without that part. Why is it that kitchens aren't as practical anymore?
Thought Of The Day...
Phillipians 4:6-7 (NKJV)
Aiye yie yie, this has been a tough few weeks for me. I'm sure I am not the only one, either. This is always a rough time of the year for us with insurances due - it never fails, I try to put something away for it and it gets eaten by that car of ours, or some other dramatic occurrence by the time we have to pay it.
The only time I ever have panic attacks - or at least what I call panic attacks - is when I worry about money. It is almost always at night too - I will wake up, upset that I forgot to pay a bill that either doesn't exist (isn't that sad?) or that I have already paid. It is something fairly new the last few years, I never had these fears before I was married.
I always worry, and yet, we are always taken care of. Something will land on my lap; perhaps something as simple as a good deal, perhaps a win off someone else's blog. I need to learn to stop worrying!
25 October 2010
In Search Of A Headboard Solution
As a preferred blogger, CSN Stores came a knockin' on my doorstep again - they know I love them! And like I need an excuse to shop their sites!
I've been begging DH to look for upholstered headboards for our bed - we just have the frame. I am so tired of banging my head against the wall, that I've started using one of the pillow style back rests that you see in dorms and kids rooms, as part of my pile of pillows. I noticed DH has started to use his for the same purpose, so I'm guessing he's about to break down and say go for it. (Bwhahaa) Here's the thing - about two years ago in one of the thrift stores, I came across this absolutely gorgeous vintage red padded headboard that was in perfect shape. They wanted $100 for it. (cringe!)
I know you're saying $100 is a steal compared to the prices in the store these days. But the $100 was killing me (I could have handled $50 I think), and plus - I really wasn't sure how it had been stored even if it did look perfect - I was afraid with my head right by it, my allergies would go haywire, and poof - there goes $100. It looked totally like the Drapers' bed in Mad Men, but red.
So my next idea was to just make one myself. I thought I could pick up an el cheapo piece of boarding from Home Depot, cover it with the leftover padded mattress cover from the smaller bed, and then fabric or a flat sheet using a staple gun. Except... I went to Home Depot, and it was going to cost me $30 for just a thin piece of board! Seriously?
I got mad and put the project on the backburner. I've been sort of stalking Freecycle/Craigslist in hope of finding a cheaper piece of wood, but I haven't put much effort into it. (You don't want to see my pile of to-do projects. I blame the kid - is that a valid excuse? lol)
To go back to original red one I was talking about up there, I really want that one. Or at least one that looks as close as possible to it. Plus, it would match those awesome vintage red chairs we have. But then I saw this Skyline Furniture Tufted High Arch Headboard in Black:
And I kind of fell in love. The only thing is that I am sure it will show every single Corgi hair in the house. (When I say we have a community bed, we really do - all the pets except the rabbit sleep on the bed with us at night, lol) Oh, it's more expensive than I'd want to spend - though tempting.
I kind of like that this one Backdrop Cambria Floral Inflatable Headboard in Red is inflatable, because it means that it's easy to move:
but then again, cat claws. It is a seriously good price though. I like this Skyline Furniture Double Button Tufted Headboard in Red:
Nothing that looks exactly like what I saw though. I hate when I end up kicking myself for walking away from something. There was this adorable pair of knee high boots I saw in a children's store window in NYC almost 10 years ago - I thought they were awesome, wished they were my size, walked away because there was no way I was ever having kids... yeah... about that one. LOL I still think about those boots all the time - even though she has three similar pairs, they just aren't THAT pair.
I'll let you know what I end up choosing to review. Hmmm... maybe a pasta maker? Something for cats? (Another bookshelf? LOL)
I'll be receiving a gift certificate in order to write a review.
I've been begging DH to look for upholstered headboards for our bed - we just have the frame. I am so tired of banging my head against the wall, that I've started using one of the pillow style back rests that you see in dorms and kids rooms, as part of my pile of pillows. I noticed DH has started to use his for the same purpose, so I'm guessing he's about to break down and say go for it. (Bwhahaa) Here's the thing - about two years ago in one of the thrift stores, I came across this absolutely gorgeous vintage red padded headboard that was in perfect shape. They wanted $100 for it. (cringe!)
I know you're saying $100 is a steal compared to the prices in the store these days. But the $100 was killing me (I could have handled $50 I think), and plus - I really wasn't sure how it had been stored even if it did look perfect - I was afraid with my head right by it, my allergies would go haywire, and poof - there goes $100. It looked totally like the Drapers' bed in Mad Men, but red.
So my next idea was to just make one myself. I thought I could pick up an el cheapo piece of boarding from Home Depot, cover it with the leftover padded mattress cover from the smaller bed, and then fabric or a flat sheet using a staple gun. Except... I went to Home Depot, and it was going to cost me $30 for just a thin piece of board! Seriously?
I got mad and put the project on the backburner. I've been sort of stalking Freecycle/Craigslist in hope of finding a cheaper piece of wood, but I haven't put much effort into it. (You don't want to see my pile of to-do projects. I blame the kid - is that a valid excuse? lol)
To go back to original red one I was talking about up there, I really want that one. Or at least one that looks as close as possible to it. Plus, it would match those awesome vintage red chairs we have. But then I saw this Skyline Furniture Tufted High Arch Headboard in Black:
And I kind of fell in love. The only thing is that I am sure it will show every single Corgi hair in the house. (When I say we have a community bed, we really do - all the pets except the rabbit sleep on the bed with us at night, lol) Oh, it's more expensive than I'd want to spend - though tempting.
I kind of like that this one Backdrop Cambria Floral Inflatable Headboard in Red is inflatable, because it means that it's easy to move:
but then again, cat claws. It is a seriously good price though. I like this Skyline Furniture Double Button Tufted Headboard in Red:
Nothing that looks exactly like what I saw though. I hate when I end up kicking myself for walking away from something. There was this adorable pair of knee high boots I saw in a children's store window in NYC almost 10 years ago - I thought they were awesome, wished they were my size, walked away because there was no way I was ever having kids... yeah... about that one. LOL I still think about those boots all the time - even though she has three similar pairs, they just aren't THAT pair.
I'll let you know what I end up choosing to review. Hmmm... maybe a pasta maker? Something for cats? (Another bookshelf? LOL)
I'll be receiving a gift certificate in order to write a review.
It Must be Monday...
...because it's never a good sign when your day starts off with the power going out! Why can't it go out while we are asleep?
I am tired of all this rain and wind we have been having here the last few days. I want the sun! At least I would settle for the rain to be gone, so I wouldn't have to keep trading out towels to deal with the leaks. I'm getting paranoid now - I keep expecting there to be new leaks in areas that are harder to get to, like my cabinets.
I was feeling fine today until I picked up the mail - it wreaked so badly of smoke, my allergies have gone wonky and now I feel like dirt. Grrr!!
Add in the slug I found wandering on the bathroom floor - I am not happy! I HATE THIS HOUSE!!!!
Sorry, I just had to get it out of my system. lol Is it one of those days for you too?
I am tired of all this rain and wind we have been having here the last few days. I want the sun! At least I would settle for the rain to be gone, so I wouldn't have to keep trading out towels to deal with the leaks. I'm getting paranoid now - I keep expecting there to be new leaks in areas that are harder to get to, like my cabinets.
I was feeling fine today until I picked up the mail - it wreaked so badly of smoke, my allergies have gone wonky and now I feel like dirt. Grrr!!
Add in the slug I found wandering on the bathroom floor - I am not happy! I HATE THIS HOUSE!!!!
Sorry, I just had to get it out of my system. lol Is it one of those days for you too?
Menu Planning Monday - Mmm Chili!
Well, I didn't end up making the chili, so I'm recyclying it into this week. I'm very thankful for our food storage again, because it's about to be another tight month - ugh. I did land a super good score of spicy sausage at 99 cents a pound, so with that, my deep freezer is well stocked to make it through this.
Monday: breakfast for dinner (bacon, scrambled eggs, toast)
Tuesday: out to dinner
Wednesday: honey chicken & pineapple
Thursday: Slow Cooker Kickin' Chili
Friday: recipe of the week
Saturday: Mexican Lasagna
Sunday: Cornbread Stuffed Cups
Check out Organizing Junkie for other great Menu Plans!
24 October 2010
Book Review: Lydia's Charm By Wanda E. Brunstetter
I recently received a copy of the book, Lydia's Charm by Wanda E. Brunstetter, to review.
Lydia's Charm is set in the Amish area of Charm, Ohio, where the widow, Lydia, and her young son Josh move to be closer to her mother - who had moved from Wisconsin herself. Lydia had just lost her job and was running out of money, so her mother suggested she could help out by watching Josh - after all, it would probably be easier to find a job with all the tourists who visit Amish country. Her mother could certainly use the help in taking care of her grandfather, too. Of course, when she's out there, her mother hopes Lydia could find a new husband, and once gifts start appearing on the porch, maybe that could happen.
Lydia has two possible suitors: Menno, a widower who owns a furniture store, and has four boys of his own, or Levi, who is also a newcomer to the area, and comes from a slightly unique family - he is the only one in his family not handicapped by dwarfism.
When a horrible accident happens to Josh, Lydia must rely on her faith in God, as well as the Amish community - and will she choose a new husband?
Lydia's Charm has one of those characters that you just help but feel for her - her story isn't easy, and when you think of losing not only your husband, but the possibility of losing your own child as well? You definitely would need your faith to make it through. Having lived in Ohio for awhile, I am familiar with the Amish and always enjoy reading books that include stories of their life. I admire their simplicity and wish I could bring myself to cut the Internet umbilical cord! (Oh, but I learn so much!) The author is actually from here in Washington State too - I found that rather funny. (Well, to me)
If you are looking for a good book to gift this holiday season - or read yourself - Lydia's Charm definitely fits the bill. I found myself getting annoyed that I couldn't read it all in one sitting, because I wanted to know what would happen next. I really loved that at the end of the book, you will find several recipes mentioned in the story! There are also some discussion questions at the end that are great if you decide to read this as part of a book club. As you can probably guess, this one will be staying in my permanent library!
Lydia's Charm by Wanda E. Brunstetter is a Christian Fiction Romance oversized paperback. Published by Barbour Publishing, it has 376 pages. The suggested retail price is $14.99, and as always, I suggest you check with your local Christian bookstore, but Amazon does have it for $10.19 as of this posting. It is also available as an e-book for your Kindle and other e-readers.
I received a copy of this book in order to read and review it. All opinions are mine.
Lydia's Charm is set in the Amish area of Charm, Ohio, where the widow, Lydia, and her young son Josh move to be closer to her mother - who had moved from Wisconsin herself. Lydia had just lost her job and was running out of money, so her mother suggested she could help out by watching Josh - after all, it would probably be easier to find a job with all the tourists who visit Amish country. Her mother could certainly use the help in taking care of her grandfather, too. Of course, when she's out there, her mother hopes Lydia could find a new husband, and once gifts start appearing on the porch, maybe that could happen.
Lydia has two possible suitors: Menno, a widower who owns a furniture store, and has four boys of his own, or Levi, who is also a newcomer to the area, and comes from a slightly unique family - he is the only one in his family not handicapped by dwarfism.
When a horrible accident happens to Josh, Lydia must rely on her faith in God, as well as the Amish community - and will she choose a new husband?
Lydia's Charm has one of those characters that you just help but feel for her - her story isn't easy, and when you think of losing not only your husband, but the possibility of losing your own child as well? You definitely would need your faith to make it through. Having lived in Ohio for awhile, I am familiar with the Amish and always enjoy reading books that include stories of their life. I admire their simplicity and wish I could bring myself to cut the Internet umbilical cord! (Oh, but I learn so much!) The author is actually from here in Washington State too - I found that rather funny. (Well, to me)
If you are looking for a good book to gift this holiday season - or read yourself - Lydia's Charm definitely fits the bill. I found myself getting annoyed that I couldn't read it all in one sitting, because I wanted to know what would happen next. I really loved that at the end of the book, you will find several recipes mentioned in the story! There are also some discussion questions at the end that are great if you decide to read this as part of a book club. As you can probably guess, this one will be staying in my permanent library!
Lydia's Charm by Wanda E. Brunstetter is a Christian Fiction Romance oversized paperback. Published by Barbour Publishing, it has 376 pages. The suggested retail price is $14.99, and as always, I suggest you check with your local Christian bookstore, but Amazon does have it for $10.19 as of this posting. It is also available as an e-book for your Kindle and other e-readers.
I received a copy of this book in order to read and review it. All opinions are mine.
Giveaway: PakNak
I've mentioned PakNak on my blog in the past, but for those who haven't heard of them, PakNak's are soft, rubbery 3D decorations that you can personalize just about everything with - from backpacks to coats! They pretty much stick to everything, and are soft and flexible so they won't break easily. You could even decorate lockers, mirrors, etc with them.
They are made with a super strong adhesive, and they also have customized Velcro so you can change them in and out as you please. Tired of one design today? Switch it out to another fun design tomorrow! Your kids can easily change them, and they are easy to install. No pins are necessary so it's not a danger to them, and since they are waterproof, no worries about them getting wet in the rain and ruined. (they do suggest you wait 24 hours after applying the velcro before removing/changing out designs)
Even better, PakNak is a Mom made business.
Each PakNak retails for about $3.99 each, and there are over 40 designs to collect. There are plenty of designs for boys or girls, and each are around 2"-3" big. They are just the perfect size to be a stocking stuffer! (Heads up - PakNaks are recommended for ages 4 and up, so be careful if giving to smaller children as they could be a choking hazard)
For the holidays, meet Snickerdoodle the Reindeer:
And Tan N. Baum the tree:
They are both limited editions! Isn't Snickerdoodle just adorable? I'm thinking these would be so much fun on little scarves for the Corgis too! If you'd like to snag a PakNak or two as a gift, use promo code Pak20 at checkout to receive 20% off!
Win it! Thanks to PakNaks, one lucky reader is going to win a Snickerdoodle and Tan N. Baum of their very own! To enter, visit PakNak and tell us what your favorite one is.
As always, you can receive extra entries for:
-Subscribing to my feed OR publicly following my blog
-Blogging about this giveaway with a link back
-Tweeting about this giveaway 1X (leave the link in your comment below or @psychotichouse) example:
Win PakNaks http://goo.gl/fb/7oNub ends 11/6 @psychotichouse
That's four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends November 6th at 11:59 PM PST, and please leave your email address in your entry or have it available in your profile. US only, sorry :( Good luck everyone!! :)
This post is part of my Holiday Gift Guide 2010. To see more great gift ideas, just click it.
I received a sample of the product mentioned above in order to share my opinions. One reader will win the prize stated above, thanks to the giveaway sponsor.
They are made with a super strong adhesive, and they also have customized Velcro so you can change them in and out as you please. Tired of one design today? Switch it out to another fun design tomorrow! Your kids can easily change them, and they are easy to install. No pins are necessary so it's not a danger to them, and since they are waterproof, no worries about them getting wet in the rain and ruined. (they do suggest you wait 24 hours after applying the velcro before removing/changing out designs)
Even better, PakNak is a Mom made business.
Each PakNak retails for about $3.99 each, and there are over 40 designs to collect. There are plenty of designs for boys or girls, and each are around 2"-3" big. They are just the perfect size to be a stocking stuffer! (Heads up - PakNaks are recommended for ages 4 and up, so be careful if giving to smaller children as they could be a choking hazard)
For the holidays, meet Snickerdoodle the Reindeer:
And Tan N. Baum the tree:
They are both limited editions! Isn't Snickerdoodle just adorable? I'm thinking these would be so much fun on little scarves for the Corgis too! If you'd like to snag a PakNak or two as a gift, use promo code Pak20 at checkout to receive 20% off!
Win it! Thanks to PakNaks, one lucky reader is going to win a Snickerdoodle and Tan N. Baum of their very own! To enter, visit PakNak and tell us what your favorite one is.
As always, you can receive extra entries for:
-Subscribing to my feed OR publicly following my blog
-Blogging about this giveaway with a link back
-Tweeting about this giveaway 1X (leave the link in your comment below or @psychotichouse) example:
Win PakNaks http://goo.gl/fb/7oNub ends 11/6 @psychotichouse
That's four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends November 6th at 11:59 PM PST, and please leave your email address in your entry or have it available in your profile. US only, sorry :( Good luck everyone!! :)
This post is part of my Holiday Gift Guide 2010. To see more great gift ideas, just click it.
I received a sample of the product mentioned above in order to share my opinions. One reader will win the prize stated above, thanks to the giveaway sponsor.
Review: Surf Sweets
Surf Sweets recently sent my family over a few samples of their candy to try.
Surf Sweets are made with organic fruit juice and sweeteners, and they are natural colors and flavors - no questionable artificial coloring in these! They are also free of corn syrup and GMOs, another really good thing. For those who have to watch what they eat due to food allergies, Surf Sweets are also gluten and dairy free, as well as being made in a nut fee facility. (They are safe from wheat, dairy, soy, eggs, tree nuts, nuts, fish, and shellfish) And the best of all? These USDA organic treats are proudly made right in in the USA!
We were able to try the Gummy Swirls, Gummy Bears, Jelly Beans, and the Sour Berry Bears. My favorite was definitely the Sour Berry Bears, and DH was all over the Gummy swirls - both of which are vegan. If you're looking for a better treat to hide in stockings this holiday season, Surf Sweets definitely fits the bill! You can purchase them online, or at places like Whole Foods Market and Giant.
I received samples of the products mentioned above in order to share my opinions. No other compensation was given, yada yada - you know the drill by now! :)
Surf Sweets are made with organic fruit juice and sweeteners, and they are natural colors and flavors - no questionable artificial coloring in these! They are also free of corn syrup and GMOs, another really good thing. For those who have to watch what they eat due to food allergies, Surf Sweets are also gluten and dairy free, as well as being made in a nut fee facility. (They are safe from wheat, dairy, soy, eggs, tree nuts, nuts, fish, and shellfish) And the best of all? These USDA organic treats are proudly made right in in the USA!
We were able to try the Gummy Swirls, Gummy Bears, Jelly Beans, and the Sour Berry Bears. My favorite was definitely the Sour Berry Bears, and DH was all over the Gummy swirls - both of which are vegan. If you're looking for a better treat to hide in stockings this holiday season, Surf Sweets definitely fits the bill! You can purchase them online, or at places like Whole Foods Market and Giant.
I received samples of the products mentioned above in order to share my opinions. No other compensation was given, yada yada - you know the drill by now! :)
Review: Sanük Outlaw Lumberjack
Shoe shopping with my DH is a royal headache. I mean it! He wants shoes that are completely flat soled, and they have to be a certainly way - good grief! He tries on more pairs of shoes than me or any woman I know! LOL As you know, we have wooden flooring throughout most of our home, so slippers are a must. I made the mistake of buying a pair of slippers from Target last winter for him, and they didn't even last a month before they were tearing. Why? Because he kept wearing them outdoors on the deck to take the dogs out! (Insert me wanting to whack him over the head with a frying pan here!)
I've spent most of the Summer on the hunt for a decent pair of indoor/outdoor shoes that are comfortable enough to be slippers, but survive trips outdoors with the dogs too. Enter Sanük showing up on my radar.
Sanuk is a brand of sandals that has been around since 1997 when Jeff Kelley started making sandals out of inner tubes and indoor-outdoor carpet. (I was reminded of a pair of sandals I had about that time in college that was made out of recycled tires and hemp fabric. They rocked, but they were super heavy!) All of Sanük's shoes have soles that are made from recycled tires that are sourced within 100 km of the factory in China. Unlike those sandals I had, these shoes end up being a lot lighter! Other items used to make the shoes are also low impact - hemp, jute, cork, etc. Can you say love at first read? ;)
We choose the Outlaw Lumberjack from the Sidewalk Surfers collection that come in a dark red plaid, and retail for $65.00. They are lined in a soft furry material called the synthetic "chill" liner, the bottom of course is perfect for going outdoors, but they fit the bill as being comfy enough for slippers. My main worry was whether or not he'd wear them.
It's been cooler lately at night - in the mid 30s, and these did keep his feet toasty warm both inside, and standing out on the deck waiting for the dogs too. DH wanted me to point out that you may notice on the side is a little bit of elastic to make these super easy to get on and off too, which is good for anyone who has a bit of back problems - you don't have to bend over too much, and they don't fall off easily while walking too, so you don't have to worry about tripping over your shoes like some pairs of slippers. They also felt true to size - he wears an 11, and these were perfect.
DH did make one mention of them looking like clown shoes when he first tried them on LOL but I notice he is always wearing them when he is at home now. Speaking of being environmentally friendly, the bag they are shipped in to the store (Yep, no box!) is completely biodegradable! It's made of corn:
and you can compost it, reuse it to carry things in, and if you're done with it - it can be tossed into your yard waste bin! Total two thumbs up! I'm reusing it for now, but it will end it's lifespan in our compost pile.
Sanük also carries women's sandals (and boots!) as well as children's styles. And for those who love flip flops and knee high socks as much as I do - check out their tubeflops. You can combine both now! :)
Oh, and if you're wondering what the word Sanük means, it is from the Thai word for "fun".
This post is part of my Holiday Gift Guide 2010. To see more great gift ideas, just click it.
I received the item mentioned above in order to try it out and share my opinions.
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