Random Thoughts Tuesday -

I'm late posting today. I know, what else is new - Storm is always late. Sorry. :(

Yesterday on the way home, we saw so many homes already decorated and lit up! I love all the pretty lights, but I always have a heart attack thinking of the electric bill. lol We've never, ever cracked triple digits in our electric bill - I think I would die if we did!

Did I mention I am still coughing? :( I've tried every idea under the sun, and it just will not go away. I think I am allergic to this state. Or at least this part of the state. I know, you're rolling your eyes, but seriously, I didn't have a single asthma attack in years before I moved here. Now look at me, I come down with a cold every few months that invariably heads straight onto my lungs. It's not the cold weather itself, either, because I did peachy fine while at Ohio State... and I remember some nasty snow storms. (*shudders*)

Maybe I should try the potato diet. Seriously, what gives with them trying to ban potatoes??? Ban the frozen stuff that is caked with who knows how much junk, but the fresh stuff should be left alone. Geez.

It's cookie baking time! I think tomorrow I will do a big batch and try out some new recipes. If they come out good, well, some of you know what your present this year will be. LOL I need to make a Costco run, I've been making do with the little 5 pound bags of flour... it's just that I dread the insanity this time of year. Goodwill was already frightening enough, and when I went to WalMart to pick up my meds, holy smokes! Pffft - I'm normal, others are the psychotic ones. Really!

I'm on the hunt for a good zombie related gift for DH. No more weapons... I contemplated a stocking full of ammo - quit laughing - because at least that was sort of useful. (Well, to us, if you are anti-gun I know you're disagreeing with me right now.) Maybe a GPS so he can get out of town easily? LOL As you can tell, I'd like something functional outside of zombie hunting of possible. LOL

The Giving Tree

This afternoon, we did a little thrift store shopping (snagged two games for us to play when the power is out for 99 cents each!), and then we went in search of a giving tree.


The giving tree is our family tradition. With the economy the way it is, I am sure there are going to be many kids without presents. I know the material path is not what Christmas is about, but most little kids don't understand that. We may not be that well off, but we certainly can make sure that others have something special this year too. Originally I picked up four kids, but I am feeling led that we are needed for more. Tomorrow, we'll stop by and pick up more kids from the giving tree, and then head off to do a little toy shopping. I feel bad though, usually by now I already have several gifts, and we've stayed out of most stores so much that I haven't started the stockpile of gifts.

Menu Planning Monday - Slightly Recycled

Well, with the power loss last week, I didn't make half of that menu, so I'm recycling it back this week! The Chinese restaurant wasn't open on Thanksgiving, so I just picked up a nice roast at Safeway who was open. I rubbed it with brown sugar, then glazed it with an orange sauce and mmmmmmmmm!

Monday: Alfredo Pasta, garlic bread

Tuesday: Mexican Bake

Wednesday: Slow Cooker Potato Soup

Thursday: Slow Cooker Sweet BBQ Chicken

Friday: BBQ Chicken Bake

Saturday: Mozzarella Turkey Angel Hair Pasta

Sunday: recipe of the week

Check out Organizing Junkie for other great Menu Plans!

Take A Stand: Characters Unite

I consider myself to be a rather unique individual. I'm not one to blend in with the scenery, and I never have. ;) My uniqueness got me into trouble a lot when I was in school - dress code? What dress code? ;) What do you mean I can't wear hot pink jelly shoes with my uniform? Said my Wednesday Addams 7 year old self. LOL Yeah... the payback with this kid is going to be wicked. lol

I was contacted on behalf of the Characters Unite campaign. The Characters Unite campaign is a movement committed to combating intolerance, prejudice, discrimination and hate, and to promoting greater acceptance, understanding and mutual respect.

Believe me, when I was a little girl, I knew I was different. Not just in the way I wanted to dress, but because my family - GASP! - was different. (I am first generation American for those who don't know) It wasn't just my fellow students - even the teachers were prejudiced and treated me different. My fourth grade year teacher Mrs. Deacon singled me out time and time again, and insisted I needed speech class because I had an accent - off I was sent with the special ed kids, which was a huge slap in the face back then. I spent my entire six grade year hidden behind a bookcase where I couldn't even see the chalkboard after being "punished" for passing a note to my BFF on day 3 of school that year. And when graduation rolled around, the principal refused to let me walk and receive my diploma, unless I took my nose ring out - I needed to blend in with the scenery. I took it out, then put it right back in before walking to the stage. Oh, he was mad - but I still don't care.

Those are just but a few moments of my battle scars, as I call them. I'm sharing them with you because I hope you'll participate in the campaign. I may be different from you on the outside, but I think I turned out pretty well all things considered, don't you? I'm not a mass murderer, after all! ;) If you'll participate by taking a pledge to stand against discrimination, for every pledge made this month, USA Network will donate $1 to its partners including the Children’s Defense Fund, the National Council of Women’s Organizations, and other nonprofit partners. The pledge is simple:

As a character of the USA, I pledge to stand against intolerance, prejudice, discrimination and hate, and to promote greater understanding and acceptance. I believe life is richer and we are stronger as a country when we see beyond stereotypes and appreciate each other for the characters we are. After all, characters are what make us, USA.”

I pledge... will you? I can't stand the thought of another child feeling the way I did... I just can't. :(

Take the pledge here

Please? For me?

Review & Giveaway: Reverse-A-Purse

Once upon a time, I used to change my purse out often to match my outfit or the occasion. I think I had at least a dozen different purses. Then after I got married and became a mom, it became more and more of a hassle to change out my purse. These days, I really seem to carry everything but the kitchen sink in my purse! (Seriously, every time I ask DH to get something out of my purse for me, it takes him ages while he digs around in there - he calls it the black hole. LOL)

If you are like me, and hate switching the contents out of your purse but long for more variety, there's Reverse-A-Purse. Using a base purse - a solid black, natural, or brown - you can three create different looks with one new purse by removing the reversible decorative cover that simply buttons on. You are not just limited to one style - they actually come in ten different styles of purses, from a clutch to a clubbing style purse as I call them, and even a larger tote style bag. There are also currently fifteen different reversible fabric sets to choose from, and you can even purchase covers separately so you can end up with lots of different style options, all using the same purse!

Why didn't I think of that? Reverse-A-Purse was invented by momtrepreneur Catherine Brehm, and they are also perfect cost-conscious moms who want to stay in style without breaking the bank: instead of spending $100 or more on three new purses, you can get them for just a fraction of the cost, and a whole lot less hassle.

Reverse-A-Purse sent me the Tote Wrap in Parasol. The "base" purse is a solid brown microfiber, and one side of the reversible cover is a brown zebra print, the other a fun purplish swirly print.



It was super easy to switch out the cover, and it took me under two minutes to do so. You just button the cover under the little "wrap" that goes around the purse (some purse styles have the buttons showing when you wear them, but this style has them hidden)


I noticed it's actually faster to get the covers on when the purse is full than it did when it was completely empty, but that could be just be me. The shoulder strap on the Tote Wrap is adjustable, and it was comfortable to wear. Inside are plenty of compartments - there are three, and one is zippered so you don't have to worry about important stuff falling out. Size wise, it's 14" high, 12" wide, and 4 1/2" deep - plenty of room for me and all my stuff, but if you are used to smaller purses, it might be a bit big for you.



I really like this purse, and I hope to be able to pick up several more of the decorative covers down the road so I can change the look even more. The prices vary depending on the style of purse you prefer, but they range from about $33.95 to $45.95, and the covers range from $23.95 to $25.95. It kind of ends up being around $20 a new "purse" (with one purse and one cover set, which gives you 3 looks) when you look at it that way.

Plus, if space in your home or closet is limited, or you travel a lot, this is a great way to still be fashionable, since the covers fold flat, and are easily slipped into a suitcase or drawer.

If you are interested in picking up a Reverse-A-Purse either for yourself, or as a gift this holiday season, use promo code CPH16 at checkout to receive 20% off your purchase, now through December 31st, 2010!

Win it! The folks over at Reverse-A-Purse would like to give one reader the Luxe purse and 1 reversible cover (retail value $60!). To enter, head on over to the Reverse-A-Purse website, and check out all the fun styles and combinations - come back on over here and tell us your favorite!

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 one time (leave the link in your comment below or @psychotichouse) example:
Win a Reverse-A-Purse! http://goo.gl/fb/PghJi ends 12/11 @psychotichouse

That's four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends December 11th 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 purse to try out and share my opinion of. One winner will win the same prize (in the same style and colors as my personal photos above) as fulfilled by the giveaway sponsor.

The Time Warp...

Yesterday morning didn't start out too well - the kiddo had an accident on the bed. The mattress was fine thanks to the protector, the comforter? Not so much, and it doesn't fit in the washer I have. That meant as soon as DH came home from work it was off for a trip to the laundromat.

When we lived across the bridge in the apartment, of course we had to use the laundromat in the building. I grumbled my way through it, not because it was a laundromat - in fact, a few months into out living there, they upgraded the already nice machines to HE washers - but because people are rotten, and would get impatient and take your stuff out of the washer or dryer as soon as they stopped. I'd put the alarm on my cell phone for a minute before it would be finished; by the time I'd make it down the hall, yep, you guessed it.

Even if the washer and dryer in this house was almost as old as me when we bought it, I did a happy dance. They were MINE. No more nasty hands touching my DH's underwear! LOL No more begging for quarters because there was no change machine nearby - and I can't tell you how many times the bank would tell us they were out of quarter rolls when I would try to get some! What the? You're a bank!

As far as I know, there's only one laundromat nearby so we headed off as soon as DH came home. (This is where having a couple of recent samples of laundry detergent from Tide came in super handy! LOL) I figured while I was at it, I'd freshen up my sleeping bag since the tag recommends you wash it in an oversized commercial washer.

As soon as we stepped into the door, I cringed. I love me some vintage, you know this, but it was circa 1971 - the paint, the signs, the machines. Half of the washers and dryers had out of order signs that had clearly been there for a very long time, and the layer of dirt everywhere made my germophobe self start to scream.

By the time I finally found a working washer that fit more than two t-shirts (no, I am not kidding - RV washers are bigger!) it was $5.75 for a single wash! I had to cram the comforter in there too, because it wasn't very big. My roll of quarters wasn't even enough for doing a second load, so the sleeping bag went back in the car. (sigh)

I refused to sit on one of those nasty chairs so I sent everybody off to McDonald's playland down the street and stood in front of the washer and dryer the whole time trying not to scratch myself with the heebie jeebies. (If only I had thought to take my camera!)

And yes, when I came home, I took a shower. Ick, ick, ick!

Review: Hickory Farms

MomCentral recently asked me if I wanted to be a part of the Hickory Farms Blog Tour.


Nothing says holiday nostalgia like Hickory Farms to me. When I was a little girl, my mother would always order a gift box for our family from them, and we would share it on Christmas Eve before Midnight Mass. It was probably her way of cutting down on the holiday cooking, but us kids loved it. To this day, I still can't resist those little jars of jam and jellies, mustards, and of course, cheese! I've carried the same tradition on with my family now - we always break out the cheeses, sausages, and crackers on Christmas Eve.

Hickory Farms sent on over one of their Signature Offerings boxes, the Home For The Holidays Gift Box to me:


Look at all that snacking holiday goodness! It includes the Signature Beef as well as Italian Recipe Summer Sausage "rolls", 4 different kinds of cheeses, two kinds of mustards: Sweet Hot, Honey Pineapple; and two boxes of Cracked Wheat crackers. There is also four little strawberry flavored hard candies. The total weight of the foods is 3.6 lbs, and it retails for $50.

It ended up being perfect timing on one hand, because everything you see in the box is shelf stable until opened. When we didn't have power earlier this week, guess what was gobbled up? ;) I've always been a big fan of their Honey Pineapple mustard, so I was thrilled that it was included in this box! As you can see in the photo up above, it's presented really well. The box that it comes in is super sturdy, and you can easily reuse it to store holiday related items in if you need to. I stuck all the crinkle paper into a ziplock bag as I will be reusing it for a gift basket. (Waste not, want not, right?) You could also use it as "stuffing" in packages you are shipping. If you have a fireplace, a bit of it stuck into an empty toilet paper roll would probably make a great firestarter, too. (See? My mind is weird. I reuse everything I can. lol)

To get back to Hickory Farms, the Home For The Holidays Gift Box, as well as many of their popular assortments, ship free to any APO/FO military address, no matter where your loved one is stationed. I truly wish all companies would do this for our brave men and women. For the rest of us in search of a deal, right now through November 29th, they have free shipping on all orders over $35 using promo code SHIP10 at checkout. Gifts start at around $16, so there's something in most folks price range.

I wouldn't be me if I didn't mention that from a frugal standpoint, $50 may seem high for what's in the box like what I received. Yes, you probably could make your own gourmet treats gift basket in the same style for a little bit cheaper. However, you'd be hard pressed to find shelf stable cheeses appropriate to stick in the basket, which is important especially if you are shipping a gift vs giving it in person. Many of Hickory Farms' higher priced gifts also arrive in re-usable baskets which make the value even better. (I'm seriously foaming at the mouth over the awesome perfect picnic gift basket!)

By the way, if you're looking for a gift that gives back, Hickory Farms will donate $5 from each Party Planner Gift Box sold (up to $500,000) to Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry Campaign, a national nonprofit that is ending childhood hunger in America.

This post is part of my Holiday Gift Guide 2010. To see more great gift ideas, just click it.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Hickory Farms and received a signature gift box from Hickory Farms to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Friday's Featured Etsy: Spell It Out by Lori Sudler Design

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 Spell It Out by Lori Sudler Design.

Spell It Out by Lori Sudler Design creates unique gifts using pictures of architecturally interesting letters from around the country that are then edited into individual letters that you can use to spell out names or phrases. Choose from over 100 letters to create your own unique piece, choice one of premade framed pieces, or create a custom piece with family photos! Right now for Black Friday, through Cyber Monday, you can save 10% off the entire store. (Price reflects discount)

Check out this Spell It Out 16x20 Custom Family Collage Frame:


And a simple stocking stuffer gift idea is the Spell It Out Initial Charms (You Pick Your Letter):


These Spell It Out LOVE Candle Holders would look wonderful on a fireplace mantel, wouldn't they?


Stop by Spell It Out by Lori Sudler Design 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.

Review: Dinosaur Train All Aboard! Game

Have kids who love the new PBS show from the Henson Company, Dinosaur Train? Looking for an easy to play game the whole family can play this holiday season? Especially one that uses no batteries? ;) I have one for you!

Hot on the toy shelves this year is the new Dinosaur Train All Aboard! game! Players choose one of six different character from the TV show – Buddy, Tiny, Shiny, Don, Cory, Tank or Mr. Conductor – and try to move the fastest along the tracks. Kids will learn more about dinosaurs as players travel through the three dinosaur eras: Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous. You can get lucky and speed up - special "Stopwatch" spaces advance players closer to the "nest" and win, while "Dinosaur Crossing" spaces send them back. The first player to reach the nest area in the center of the board wins.

The Dinosaur Train All Aboard! game is meant for 2 to 6 players, and is for ages 4 and up. (which is weird for a game focused to the preschool crowd?) We got around this by "buddy-ing" up on teams so my two year old could "play". It actually kind of made it more fun for us - winner got to have the extra "team" member. However, the parts are small and could be a choking hazard if they go in your kiddo's mouth, so please be careful and keep your eyes on younger children if you go that route! We let our daughter "spin" and then help count with us to move the pieces.

The board itself is kind of neat and folds easily back into the box, but the player pieces are just basic cardboard that you put into little plastic black holders. I do realize the cost would go up, but I'd rather see the pieces be plastic "toy" figurines so the game would last longer. If you have kids that are harder on their toys, this game isn't going to last long, so keep that in mind.

Dinosaur Train All Aboard! game has a suggested retail price of $12.00. It's probably best for kids in the age range of 4 to 6, and while watching the TV show is fun, you don't need to be familiar with the show to play the game.

This post is part of my Holiday Gift Guide 2010. To see more great gift ideas, just click it.

I received the game mentioned above in order to play with my family and share my opinions of it. All opinions are my own.

Review: Enjoy Lighting Flameless Candles

I always loved candles and would have them burning all the time pre-kid. Now between a toddler tornado and the legion of curious cats, I have to be super careful when I do burn them. It's such a hassle that it's now a rare occurrence, which puts a damper on the holiday season. I know when I was younger, my mother always burned candles during the Christmas season.

Enjoy Lighting sent me over some of their Flameless Ivory Smooth Vanilla Scented Wax Candles.


They are meant to look just like real candles, and in fact, they are actually made out of wax! They are also scented just like real candles, and the ones I receive were vanilla scented like I mentioned. (There are all sorts of other scents) They use LED technology to create the light cast. The nice part about these is that they have a timer, so you can set it and forget it - for anyone that like to go to bed to candlelight - wink, wink, nudge nudge - you'll love this option. ;)


The glow they give off does flicker and it really does look like a real candle:


These are great when you loose the power, too. Shortly after they arrived, we had a windstorm we weren't expecting, so when the power started flickering, I turned them on and we were ready when we lost it for good. It was nice not to have to waste our flashlight's battery power, but still have some lights going just before DH and I went to bed that night. I could leave them on like a nightlight and not worry that the cats would knock them off and cause a fire. And they were really nice to have earlier this week when we were without power for over 36 hours. It gave us the same cozy feeling that candles did, but with no worries. Honestly, I didn't see any difference in the light they cast or the effect compared to a real candle.

The one downside is that they use four AA batteries. Batteries are fine, but I wish they only used two. At least you can use rechargeable batteries in them. I have gotten quite a bit of time out of them - they've been on for at least 24 hours total, and I haven't had to change the batteries yet. And I actually didn't know that LED bulbs will last over 100,000 hours! I don't think you'll have to worry about those burning out anytime soon. ;)

If you are interested in purchasing Enjoy Lighting's flameless candles for your home, you can find them in many retail stores, such as Target, or you can purchase online too via several online stores. (check out their website for locations)

I received samples in order to try out and share my opinion.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you are enjoying a wonderful day with your loved ones right now! (and there are no mishaps with the meal! lol)

It Was The Best Of Times....

...it was the worst of times. (snort, giggle, giggle) Wait... PLEASE tell me you know where that comes from?

Our power is on now, our water... still frozen. We did everything we could to prevent the pipes from freezing, but I guess it just is the curse of this house. It was a boring 36+ hours - DH actually ended up stuck at work until yesterday morning since the roads were a mess. When he came home, we all just played board games and stayed around the fire to keep warm.

While this has not exactly been the time of my life, we were incredibly lucky: so many folks here had trees fall on their homes or in their yards, and our trees are just fine. We had heat; when so many people went cold. Our car made it home in one piece; when so many were stranded on the side of the road. And we had plenty of shelf stable food that we could snack on! (Plus I was caught up mostly on laundry so we had plenty of clean, warm clothing!)

Hmmm... I just realized I never posted that review I was going to on the Coleman lantern - I'm posting that later tonight. That lantern is worth it's weight in gold for terrible weather! The light is almost as great as a lamp, and we were able to just use that to do everything around here.

As far as the fridge, well, I'm not going to freak out about it. It is covered under the house insurance, but there's a $500 deductible and we all know I can do better replacing everything than that. The contents of the deep freezer was still completely frozen solid. (I keep it up an extra notch just in case this happens so trust me, everything was like a rock!)

Some of the snow actually started melting a bit during the day yesterday, so I'm pretty sure as it gets warmer over the next few days it will be completely gone. I think the high today is supposed to be 27 (it's 24 right now as I look) so I'm not sure too much will go today, but maybe tomorrow. At least the sun is out! :)

I did learn a lot about our preparedness situation though, and while we were great on lots of things, we still have a lot of holes to fix. We definitely need more batteries for the lantern and flashlights, and I need to store more water for chores - we had plenty of drinking water, but not enough for flushing more than once a day for instance. (Can you say YUCK?) As soon as the water is back on, I'm running straight into the shower and scrubbing - sponge baths just don't cut it!

To all those traveling today, have a safe journey! May you all have a wonderful time spent with your loved ones!

Weathery Technical Difficulties

Our power went out Monday afternoon... as did our pipes freezing. No power + no running water + no Internet = very cranky Storm!

I will get back to posting as soon as the power lets me! As you can probably guess, the contents of our fridge including Thanksgiving will be going the trash. Anyone for Chinese for Thanksgiving?

It's Minion Madness! Giveaway: Despicable Me Prize Pack

Despicable Me is coming to Blu-Ray and DVD this December 14th, just in time to be a stocking stuffer! I'm totally excited, because we didn't get a chance to see it in theaters this past Summer. In case you're not familiar with Despicable Me, it's an animated story where Gru, the bad guy, plans to use three orphan girls as pawns for a grand scheme, only to find that their innocent love is profoundly changing him.


As you celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends, be sure to tune into the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for a Despicable Me themed float during the parade. Why am I telling you this? You have to guess there's a reason, right? ;) Well, Universal Studios Home Entertainment teamed up with Miso to give you a chance to win big, just by watching the parade at home! By visiting http://gomiso.com and "checking into" the parade on Miso, you can earn a special Minion Madness Miso badge and more Minion Madness points, plus you'll be entered for the chance to win a Despicable Me Miso prize pack! (If you're not a TV freak, you may not care so much about Miso... but it's still fun if you do watch stuff)


Win it! I am totally excited, because I get to give one lucky reader a Despicable Me prize pack of my own! (Seriously, I feel like Santa with this one!) Check it out in the photo above - it includes Despicable Me Nintendo DS game, two Little Brown & Namco Despicable Me books, and a super cute minion cap! To enter, let us know if you have seen Despicable Me yet or not, and if it's on yours or someone you love's holiday wish list. Super easy. :)

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 one time (leave the link in your comment below or @psychotichouse) example:
Win Despicable Me Prize Pack http://goo.gl/fb/QNS5G ends 12/4 @psychotichouse

That's four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends December 4th 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!! :)

One winner will win the prize package stated above, as fulfilled by the giveaway sponsor.

Review & Giveaway: CleenCell Wet Wipes

What do we touch all day long, and chances are, dirtier than your toilet?

Stumped?

It's your cell phone. We take our cell phones with us every where, they get dumped into pockets, purses, and backpacks; left on tables, counters, and furniture; kids grab them and gnaw on them even sometimes - and then they are placed against our ears/face. Can you say bacteria breeding ground? When was the last time you wiped it down?

Geez, I didn't even want to think about it. (shivers)


CleenCell Wet Wipes are for cell phones, and smart phones - as well as other electronics we come in contact with such as netbooks and laptops. They are safe for wiping down screens and keyboards, and the scratch and lint free cloths have a little texturing on them to help clean in the nooks and crannies that are hard to get to, such as between buttons, and along the sides where your hands hold the phone the most. Not only do CleenCell Wet Wipes clean off surface dirt, it also helps remove and prevent virus causing agents and bacteria on your electronics. They have individually wrapped wipes, so you can easily carry some around in your purse, backpack, or briefcase and wipe them down on a regular basis, no matter where you are.

I know my cell phone was in dire need of a clean up. The CleenCell Wet Wipes are thick, and not very damp, so you don't have to worry about excess moisture getting in any part of the phone like you could with a baby wipes, for instance. I just have a basic cell phone, so the screen isn't overly huge, but it sure looked a lot cleaner when I was done. I figured the best way to check the streak free part though, was to attack my laptop screen,

Um, ew. I didn't realize exactly how bad the screen was until I was done wiping and looked at the wipe. Yikes! If you have a bigger screen, you will probably need two depending on how dirty it is, but one wipe took care of my screen and a wipe across the keys. There definitely was no streaking that I could see when I was done.

As soon as my DH walked in the door, I made sure to scrub his phone down too. I don't even want to think about what could be lurking on his phone from work - can you imagine what germs he might be carrying around thanks to where he works? Great... I have the heebie jeebies just typing this out now. lol

CleenCell Wet Wipes are available in a 24 count box of individually wrapped wipes for $12.99. A four count box is available too for $4.99, and this week, they have free shipping!

Win it! Thanks to CleenCell Wet Wipes, one lucky reader is going to receive a box of wipes to clean up their phones! To enter, confess when was the last time you wiped down your phone with anything at all.

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 one time (leave the link in your comment below or @psychotichouse) example:
Win CleenCell Wet Wipes http://goo.gl/fb/IBNGM ends 12/4 @psychotichouse

That's four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends December 4th 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 try the product out. One winner will receive the prize stated above, as fulfilled by the giveaway sponsor.

Invited Hallroom Goodness Inconclusively Winners!

No, I haven't been hacked.... Ever wonder where spammers come up with those weird phrases? They use the Random Phrase Generator! LOL If you need some entertainment, you can waste a few minutes playing with it. ;)

The winner of the PuffPacs Giveaway is:

michtuck said...

I'd put something for my foster daughter in one.

The winner of the YouCanMakeThis.com Holiday Pattern Bundle Giveaway is:

Heather Silver said...

I subscribed to your blog via email.

The winner of the The Canadian Tenors Giveaway is:

karenmed409 said...

tweet-http://twitter.com/karenmed409/status/2915047344971776

The winner of the Frank Zappa DVD Giveaway is:

Matt said...

I tweetered.

http://twitter.com/frinspar/status/4308396408832002

And the winner of the Bee Gees: In Our Own Time Giveaway is:

alw6ys said...

One favorite? Impossible. One of many: Words

Congratulations everyone! I'm sending out emails right now - remember you have 48 hours to get back to me!

Winter Wonderland?

I know it's not that much compared to what many of you see in other areas of the country, but considering last year all we saw was a couple of snowflakes that were gone within the hour - this feels like a major snowstorm! lol It's still coming down, but I don't think it will add anything.

Then again, it is supposed to be 16 degrees overnight... *shivers*

Menu Planning Monday - Thanksgiving Is Here!

It's the big week here in the US - gobble, gobble time! My turkey is still pretty rock hard in the fridge, so I hope it's defrosted on time! I contemplated doing a lot more for the dinner, but all my DH cares about is his turkey and mashed potatoes, so why should I make it any harder on myself? ;)

May each of you have a blessed Thanksgiving with your loved ones!

Monday: Alfredo Pasta, garlic bread

Tuesday: Mexican Bake

Wednesday: breakfast for dinner

Thursday: turkey, mashed potatoes & gravy, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls

Friday: Slow Cooker Mexican Turkey

Saturday: BBQ Turkey Cornbread Pizza

Sunday: recipe of the week using turkey, of course!

Check out Organizing Junkie for other great Menu Plans!

Yep, It's Snowing...

Me no likey. Me no likey at all.

DVD Review: The Search For Santa Paws

My family and I recently received Disney's new direct to DVD movie, The Search For Santa Paws on Blu-Ray/DVD Combo to review.


Santa Paws has visited our home for many years (wink) so you know I was all over this one. The Search For Santa Paws features the adorable talking Buddies puppies that make everyone want a new puppy in their home (don't do that though, unless you're ready - the holidays are really the worst time to adopt a new pet!) The Search For Santa Paws is actually the prequel to last year's holiday hit, Santa Buddies. This new movie shares how the legendary friendship of Santa Claus and Santa Paws actually began!

Santa is given a gift from his old friend Mr. Hucklebuckle : a new friend, Paws! They take a trip to New York City when they realize the children of the world have lost their way to the meaning of the holiday season. (Don't all movies somehow end up in NYC?) Disaster strikes when Santa loses his memory! Paws joins up with an orphan named Quinn, another orphaned little girl named Will (Disney fans will recognize her as The Rock's daughter in The Game Plan), and Eli the Elf to save St Nick and bring the (non-religious) spirit of Christmas back to the world!

I am totally biased, of course, but I love it when Disney releases new animal themed movies. I can't think of a better way to kick off the holiday movie viewing season in my home than with furry cuteness!

Now while this movie is rated G, there are some slightly scary moments. The little girls live in an orphanage (something you may have to explain to your kids), and the lady in charge of the orphanage, well, isn't very nice. There is a no toy policy - if she finds one, she destroys it. (Gulp!) Santa is mugged and nearly dies - well, come on, you know how filmmakers portray New York City - and like my DH said, it's kind of disturbing to see Santa walking around like he has Alzheimer's. (My poor DH, he can't even get away from work while watching TV lol) My personal opinion is to watch this DVD alongside the younger crowd (under 5) and be prepared to hit the fast forward through scenes, or explain things, if necessary.

There are some bonus features available on The Search For Santa Paws: An interactive Animated Pop-Up Book featuring ‘Buddies’ puppy star Rosebud reading a holiday story with friends from The Search For Santa Paws, "Sing Along" mode, where you'll see the words to the songs on the bottom of the screen so you can sing along with the movie, and the newest Disney DVD staple on all their new DVDs, a music video - this one features tween favorite Debby Ryan (Disney Channel’s Suite Life on Deck) in ‘Deck The Halls.’ There are also a few bonus deleted scenes.

The Search For Santa Paws is available as a two disc combo pack. Disc one is the Blu-Ray, and disc two is the regular DVD. This is a good choice if you have portable DVD players etc, that aren't Blu-Ray capable, or if you're about to make the leap to buying a Blu-Ray player, and don't want to buy the same title twice. (and don't forget, this title also contains Disney Movie Rewards points!)

Disney Movie Rewards is offering $10 off The Search for Santa Paws Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack with this printable coupon, so be on the look out for a great deal!

The Search For Santa Paws will be available this Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010. Rated G, I recommend watching it with children (see above). It is wide screen edition, and the total running time is 96 minutes long. The suggested retail price for the Blu-Ray Combo edition is $39.99, but Amazon has it on pre-order for just $23.99 as of this posting.

I received a copy of this DVD in order to share my thoughts. All opinions are mine - your family's viewing habits may be different than ours, so go by your own parenting instinct when it comes to viewing.

CD Review & Giveaway: Bryan Adams: Bare Bones

I was recently asked if I wanted to review the new CD from Bryan Adams, Bare Bones.


I've always been a fan of Bryan Adams - alright, so it took me a little while to forgive him for the butchering of the Canadian National Anthem years ago (Canadians know what I am talking about!) - but I didn't burn my cassettes. (Yes, I said cassettes... gosh I'm old! lol) C'mon - you can't tell me you don't get a smile on your face when you hear "Heaven" or "Summer of '69"?

Bare Bones is an acoustic live performance set featuring all of Bryan Adams hits, inspired from recording “MTV’s Unplugged” in the 90’s. He enjoyed doing that so much, he just ended up doing a bunch of acoustic sets and recording them. All you hear is the acoustic guitar and on a few tracks, the piano. It's stripped down musical goodness. Here's the track listing:

01. "You've Been A Friend To Me"
02. "Here I Am"
03. "I'm Ready"
04. "Night To Remember"
05. "It Ain't A Party (If You Can't Come 'Round)"
06. "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You"
07. "Cuts Like A Knife"
08. "Please Forgive Me"
09. "Summer Of '69"
10. "Walk On By"
11. "Cloud Number 9"
12. "It's Only Love"
13. "Heaven"
14. "Right Place"
15. "The Way You Make Me"
16. "The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You"
17. "You're Still Beautiful To Me"
18. "Straight From The Heart"
19. "I Still Miss You...A Little Bit"
20. "All For Love"

Yes, you see all the biggest hits on there, that's for sure. Did you know Bryan Adams has sold more than 65 million albums worldwide, garnered 21 top ten hits, earned nominations for three Academy Awards and five Golden Globes, received 18 Juno Awards, an American Music Award and five ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards for Most Performed Song from a Motion Picture AND his songs have been featured on more than 40 movie soundtracks?

If you like acoustic, stripped down music - even if you're not a fan of Bryan Adams - I think you'll enjoy this CD. Remember how in college some random guy would pick up a guitar at a party, and everyone would gather 'round and sing along? Yeah, that's what this CD is like. ;) If you know all the songs, I guarantee you'll be singing along too. (and my older fans will probably want to zip out the lighters for "Heaven"... LOL)

Bryan Adams Bare Bones is out now on Decca Records. The suggested retail price is $16.98, but Amazon has it for $15.65 right now. (It's cheaper if you download it through iTunes and skip the physical CD)

Win it! One lucky reader will win a copy of Bare Bones thanks to the record company! To enter, tell us your favorite Bryan Adams song. (easy peasy!) Have you ever seen him live?

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 one time (leave the link in your comment below or @psychotichouse) example:
Win Bryan Adams Bare Bones CD http://goo.gl/fb/YaJFQ ends 12/4 @psychotichouse

That's four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends December 4th 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 a copy of this CD in order to review it. One reader will win the prize stated above thanks to the giveaway sponsor.

Giveaway: AZO Emergency Kit

With the craziness of the holiday season just about to start for us all, it's easy to forget about taking care of you. In fact, us women are more likely to ignore the fact that we're not feeling too well during the holidays, and just say eh... it's nothing much, I'll be fine. Or... I'll stop in at the drugstore when I get a chance in a day or two...

Sound familiar, ladies? (It's not like I have any room to talk - I am the person who coughed my way through a lung infection for six weeks before I finally went to the doctor!)

Did you know that the holiday season is when we women are more likely to wear not only pantyhose, but more uncomfortable undergarments so we look good for holiday parties and church events? Know why I am pointing that out? Because both pantyhose and those sexy nylon Mrs. Claus undies (wink) can be a part in ending up with a yeast infection or urinary tract infection.

Yep. Those uncomfortable womanly problems that bring us misery instead of joy. Blech. Even stress can cause problems, and we all know the next couple of months are stress filled for most of us. Up to 60% of us ladies will experience a UTI in our lifetime and 75% will experience a yeast infection... and you know Murphy's Law, it's bound to happen at a bad time, like the holidays. I believe in a well stocked first aid kit and medicine cabinet because it means I don't have to go out in the middle of the night in search of a 24 hour drugstore when one of us is sick - it also means I don't have to suffer if I get one.


AZO Products are over the counter relief for us ladies with most comprehensive line of products for urinary and vaginal care - there's no worrying that it's the middle of Friday night and the doctor isn't open until Monday morning. You'll still be able to find some relief while waiting to talk to your doctor. AZO carries everything you need, from AZO Test Strips so you can take a UTI test at home in under two minutes and then call your doctor with the results, to AZO Yeast, a fast homeopathic yeast infection symptom treatment to naturally relieve symptoms of a vaginal yeast infection and prevent future recurrences.

...and we all know, the faster the better when itching anywhere, but even more so down there! The complete line of AZO products include Standard Maximum Strength, Cranberry, Test Strips, Yeast, Itch relief Maximum Strength (both analgesic wipes and topical analgesic cream). All of their products can be purchased at drug stores and pharmacies, as well as most grocery stores and big box stores like Target and WalMart. Right now, there's a printable coupon available that will save you $1.00 off your purchase of any AZO product.


AZO sent me on over an AZO emergency kit in a lovely Vera Bradley toiletry bag so I am prepared for anything this holiday season. Since we're about to be hit with bad weather, which means I would possibly be stranded at home while my DH would be stranded at work for several days, I'm happy to have it on hand. Murphy's Law, you know? Really, all women should have a few things on hand to deal with these feminine problems too. Most of us have extra cosmetics bags lying around, keep some AZO products, a few spare tampons and pads, etc in one so you have it all in one spot in case you need it. The bright side is you can just grab it and go if you are traveling, so you don't have to worry about finding a pharmacy in an area you're not familiar with. (Remember, wet bathing suits from hotel swimming pools and hot tubs can cause problems too!)

Win it! AZO would like to give one lucky reader an AZO emergency kit just like the one I received! To enter, visit AZO's website and tell us something you learned, or take the UTI quiz and tell us how many questions you got right!

You can second entry for following AZO on Twitter, or by liking AZO on Facebook.

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 one time (leave the link in your comment below or @psychotichouse) example:
Win an AZO Emergency Kit http://goo.gl/fb/4ptUY ends 12/4 @psychotichouse

That's five (5) possible entries! Giveaway ends December 4th at 11:59 PM PST, and please leave your email address in your entry or have it available in your profile. US and Canada only, sorry :( Good luck everyone!! :)

I received the items mentioned above, and one winner will win the same prize, as fulfilled by the giveaway sponsor. As with all over the counter medications, be sure to speak with your doctor or health care provider about them.

Review & Giveaway: Family Talk

Often when we go out to eat, we kind of just sit around all ho-hum while waiting for our food. Sometimes we'll all color together, and a few places we haunt have trivia cards on the table, so we'll pounce on those. It just makes it more fun! That's why I was so excited to discover Family Talk.


Family Talk is a portable game filled with questions to get the whole family talking - from ages 3 on up. It comes on a round carabiner like clip so you won't loose any of the cards, and it is easy to attach it to purses, backpacks, etc. Beth Daniels, the creator of Family Talk grew up with five generations of family around her, so she understands the importance of family conversations. The questions in Family Talk can help families stay connected, as well as help you learn things about older family members that maybe you never knew. There are questions like:

What makes you feel most welcomed when you get home?

What is your favorite messy food?

What was dinner time like when you were growing up?

As you can see, some of the questions might be geared for older family, but there are plenty that younger kids can answer too. Pull out this at Thanksgiving and holiday family get-togethers, and I think you'll agree how much fun it is! It's a great stocking stuffer, as well as a fun travel game to have in the car while visiting family. We had a blast playing with Family Talk when we were eating out yesterday!

Family Talk retails for $9.99, and you can purchase it online, as well as Amazon.com, and small boutique stores throughout the US. If you want more Family Talk, there is also Family Talk 2, as well as bi-lingual games geared for kids like Buddy Talk, and even Grandparent Talk! (Guess what's on my wishlist?) If you're interested in purchasing it from their website, promo code THANKYOU at checkout will save you 20%!

Win it! Want to win a Family Talk game of your own to get the family together this holiday season? To enter, just tell us your answer to one of the three sample questions I shared with you up above! (Easy peasy?)

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 one time (leave the link in your comment below or @psychotichouse) example:
Win a Family Talk game http://goo.gl/fb/iINmE ends 12/4 @psychotichouse

That's four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends December 4th 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 the product mentioned above in order to try out and share my opinion of it.

Let The Holiday Insanity Begin!

We spent the day zipping from store to store on the hunt for deals so we don't have to step out next week, and then cleaning around the house since the weather is supposed to be kind of icky. I'm up to 3 turkeys in the deep freezer for throughout the year so I am happy with that. I took serious advantage of the General Mills cereal deal at Albertsons - if you bought 10, they came down to $1.99 each, and I used 5 $1.00 off 2 boxes coupons. DH is pretty excited because they are all boxes with the codes for the free movie tickets! Normally I stick to not wanting to pay more than $1 for a box after all the deals, but $1.49 for the cereal and half of a movie ticket (It takes two codes for one free ticket) isn't a bad deal right now. We were starting to run low anyways - it's been awhile since I stocked up on cereal.

I stepped into the Dollar Tree and I have to say I was pretty pleasantly surprised at how much STUFF they are stocking for the holidays. I found the big packages of Chex Mix, Vlassic Pickles, Hormel Pepperoni - and for those who you who shun Dollar Tree because there's nothing organic, guess what? I found cans of Muir Gen tomatoes, which even with the $1 off coupon at the grocery still comes out cheaper at DT, and one pound packages of organic flax seeds too! I probably missed lots of other good stuff, but it was really just a quick run for tissues.

And Safeway is a good stop this week for anyone who loves Tillamook cheese - the two 2 lb baby loafs of every flavor except the Extra Sharp are just $3.99, no limit! The dates are good on all the packages I saw for at least six months out, so if you have the space in your fridge, it's definitely a stock up worthy deal! (I did the happy dance - I bought 7 loafs at $3.99, plus a turkey at 29 cents a pound, and came out with just over $32. That's killer for us!

Have you started defrosting your turkey yet? I started to scrub down the fridge and then remembered it always ends up making a CSI worthy mess in mine, so I'll just wait. My oven is cleaned and ready to go though!

By the way, if you are brave enough to face the Black Friday insanity and need a new slow cooker, WalMart will have a really good programable one for just $9!

Thrifty Thursday - Holiday Feast Stockpiling

This week for my Thrifty Thursday post, I'm reminding you about those Thanksgiving deals!

What you see on sale over the next week on items such as stuffing, boxed mashed potatoes, etc - will probably be the lowest price you'll see all year. Snag what you'll need on items you'll be using for your holiday and New Years' dinners and parties too! Most of these boxed and canned items will be good for at least a year, if not longer so take advantage if you have the space and fill up your pantry shelves! Don't forget that many items for baking will be on sale too - stock up for those Christmas cookie exchanges just around the corner.

If you have freezer space, purchasing those frozen turkeys can be a really good stock up deal, especially if you also serve turkey at Easter. Most frozen turkeys can be good for up to a year. (I can vouch for this - we made one last month that we had purchased last Thanksgiving, and it came out so yummy!) More tips on turkeys here

It's great time to expand your food storage right now, so make a list of what you use and stock up!

Review & Giveaway: Carmex Moisture Plus Tints

As a member of the Carmex Blog Squad, Carmex sent me over some of their new Carmex Moisture Plus Ultra Hydrating Lip Balms. I received the Sheer Pink Tint and the Sheer Peach Tint.


Long time readers will know I am a lip gloss junkie. I kind of have to be, because my lips get rather dry thanks to my asthma. 24 hours without something on my lips means they end up cracked and icky, and who wants to look like that? Ew! The Carmex Moisture Plus Tints has Vitamin E, Shea butter, and Aloe for moisturizing protection. They also contain a sunscreen with SPF 15, so your lips can be protected while you're playing outside. If you didn't know, winter is the worst time for sunburned lips, especially if you live in a snowy area. When the sun hits the snow, it bounces right back off it, and you're at risk for more sun exposure. Be honest: how many people wear sunscreen when they are playing in the snow?

I like the new Carmex Moisture Plus Tints because the container they come in look a lot more, department store make up style, and more grown up friendly. They come in a slender, silvery tube that doesn't scream chapped lips. The slanted tip makes it easy to apply, and the color is very, very faint. (depending on how heavy you apply it, I suppose) I honestly didn't notice much of a difference between the Peach and the Pink on me, but it might depend on your skin tone and the natural color of your lips. The tint is also available in clear, so if you want to use it under a lipstick, or if any hint of color is not your thing - hey, I totally understand - you can still try out this product.

Did you know that while our first reflex to our lips feeling dry is to lick them, this actually makes them worse? One way you can help combat dry lips is to keep your body properly hydrated by drinking plenty of water - at least 8 glasses a day - and of course, using a protectant of choice on your lips, like Carmex. If the air in your home is feeling very dry, consider placing a humidifier in the bedrooms to help out.

As a heads up, these new Carmex Moisture Plus Tints are currently only available at Walgreens and Walgreens.com, with a suggested retail price of $2.99 each. (Hopefully they will be available elsewhere in the future?)

Win it! Thanks to Carmex, one lucky winner will win the Sheer Pink Tint and the Sheer Peach Tint Carmex Moisture Plus Tints, just like what I received! To enter, tell us what interests you most about these new Carmex Moisture Plus Tints.

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 Carmex Lip Tints! http://goo.gl/fb/Ky9ZO ends 12/4 @psychotichouse

That's four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends December 4th 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 the products mentioned above in order to share my thoughts. All opinions are my own, and not of Carmex. One lucky reader will win the prize stated above, thanks to the giveaway sponsor.

Giveaway: Lego Universe (PC/MAC)

A few weeks ago, my family had the opportunity to review the new Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG), Lego Universe. You can check out my original review on this game over here. Go on and read it... we can wait. (I'd love ya forever if you would leave a comment on it, too! *hint hint*)


Oh, you're back! Fabulous! Sounds like a fun game the entire family can enjoy playing, right? 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!

Win it! Well, thanks to the fabulous folks behind Lego Universe, one lucky reader is going to win this game! (in case you missed it, the boxed game comes with one month free of the online play) To enter, tell us what you like best about this game.

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 LEGO) Universe Game! http://goo.gl/fb/87Ujp ends 12/4 @psychotichouse

That's four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends December 4th 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!! :)

One reader will win the prize stated above, as fulfilled by the giveaway sponsor.

Book Review: Barkonomics: Tips For Frugal Fidos by Paris Permenter and John Bigley

Having seven pets running around my home means at least seven vet visits a year. It also means a lot of money is spent on pet supplies! Even though the cats outnumber the dogs around here, I know we spend far more on the Corgis - we spoil them rotten. ;) I look for ways to cut our costs without cutting care, so I was happy to check out and review the new book, Barkonomics: Tips For Frugal Fidos by Paris Permenter and John Bigley.


Barkonomics: Tips For Frugal Fidos is chock full of frugal common sense and money saving ideas. Even if you're not a new pet owner, there are still plenty of dog tips available in this book that could help you out. (and many could apply to cat owners as well) A lot of them we already subscribe to in our family - such as checking out the thrift stores, yard sales and Craigslist/Freecycle whenever we need supplies. Several of our pet crates came to us that way in GREAT shape for less a quarter of what they cost new. The same thing with our large cat perches - one of them I scored at a thrift store for just $7.99 - I would have paid over $100 new at Petsmart!

Some of the tips are common sense of course, such as signing up for discount cards at places like Petco and Petsmart, but other ideas are more out of the box - and there's even a recipe for homemade dog treats. Tips range from saving on food, to vet care, to saving on toys and other doggy related goodies. I totally recommend checking out this book! (The Corgis give Barkonomics two paws up!) If you're interested in even more, the authors run a website called DogTipper. Every quarter, 20 percent of the proceeds donated to pet non-profit selected by DogTipper readers - if you visit the website, you can have a hand in deciding which non-profit is chosen too!

Barkonomics: Tips For Frugal Fidos by Paris Permenter and John Bigley is available now. It's a softcover edition with 168 pages. The cover price is $13.95, but as of this posting, Amazon has it for just $9.95.

[Product review & giveaway disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."]

Wordless Wednesday - Hurry Up Already!

Recipe: Polish Sausage & Pierogies (Giveaway!)

Let me confess that I have never ever made pierogies before, frozen or from scratch. I have vague recollections of having one years and years ago, and totally hating it. I didn't even know what section of the frozen foods to look in to buy these, lol. Weirdly, Albertsons only had one brand available - what's up with that one?


Anyways, this latest recipe Johnsonville sent over is super easy to make. The original recipe that's posted below uses two boxes of frozen pierogies; I only used one box. I sauteed the pierogies, you may want to bake or fry them - I was just trying to keep dirty dishes to a minimum! lol ;)

2 boxes frozen pierogies (or 2 pounds made from scratch)
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter
1 package Johnsonville Polish Sausage
chopped fresh parsley, if desired

My suggested add ins:
fresh mushrooms, 1 red or green pepper, thinly sliced (had I thought of it before preparing the dish, they'd be in there!)

Melt the butter on high and add in the onion, thinly sliced. I decided to only use half an onion because mine was really big!


Prepare the pierogies as the box directs.

slice the Johnsonville Polish Sausage into 1" pieces (smaller if desired) and cook until the onions are browned and sausage is completely heated.


Serve with pierogies and sprinkle with parsley.


Quick Tip: To keep parsley fresh for several days after purchasing it, use an empty can or cup halfway filled with water, and stand the parsley in it in a cool, dry place.

I was so-so on this one - I think we were disappointed that the pierogies that said they had cheese didn't have more. LOL

I received Johnsonville product in order to help make this recipe - all other items included were purchased out of my own pocket.

Win it! Did you read this far? Johnsonville would like to give one lucky reader four free Johnsonville product coupons so you can try out this recipe, or create your own! To enter, visit Johnsonville's recipe section on their website and tell us which one looks good to you!

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 Johnsonville Sausage http://goo.gl/fb/RY9vf ends 12/4 @psychotichouse

That's four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends December 4th 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!! :)

DVD Review: Handy Manny: Big Construction Job

My family and I recently received a copy of the new animated Disney preschool DVD, Handy Manny: Big Construction Job, to review.


In Handy Manny: Big Construction Job,a full length cartoon adventure, Manny and the tool crew get the opportunity to work on a new construction project over in Concrete Falls, and although Manny is a little hesitant at first, he heads on out. Back home in Sheet Rock Hills though, disaster is looming, because the man left in charge - Mr. Lopart - just isn't as good at fixing things as Manny is, even though he tries his best. Will Sheet Rock fall apart before Manny comes back? Well, you'll have to watch this DVD in order to find out! ;) Two new characters are introduced on this one: Spinner the Drill and Jack the Jack Hammer.

This actually was our first foray into the Handy Manny world around here, and I had NO idea that Manny was bilingual. (and that it was Fez from That 70's Show doing his voice!) Where have I been? Oh, that's right, I have a girl - who now thinks Manny is the bomb. lol

Handy Manny: Big Construction Job is one of the first titles compatible with the Mickey Mote. The DVD is of course viewable without the Mickey Mote - like the other I just reviewed, it's almost nicer to watch the DVD the first time through and THEN use the Discovery Mode/Mickey Mote. Level one simply asks questions about colors, shapes, and sizes as you go through the stories as is more appropriate for kids who already understand colors and shapes. It will help them learn a bit, but if they are still new to the color concept, you might want to wait before introducing the Mickey Mote option. Level 2 is a bit harder and has more options - it's still asking questions, but more in depth - and it's the mode of choice for ages 4 and up (You know your child best though)

Disney is on a roll here - there is one bonus episode on the disc: "Good Fences/Butterflies". As of this posting, the only way to see the episode is on this DVD! This disc also uses Disney's Fast Play, a navigation utility that automatically starts the disc as soon as it's put in the player and pretty much remembers your viewing preferences.

Handy Manny: Big Construction Job is available today, and is rated TV-Y. It's full screen edition, with a total running time of 67 minutes (not including bonus features). Packaged with the Mickey Mote, the suggested retail price is $29.99, or $26.99 without the MM, but Amazon has the DVD only for $19.99 as of this posting.

You know the drill by now: I received the items mentioned above in order to write a review.

DVD Review: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Numbers Roundup

My family and I recently received a copy of the new animated Disney preschool DVD, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Numbers Roundup, to review.


Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Numbers Roundup is one of the first titles compatible with the Mickey Mote. It contains four episodes: "Mickey's Roundup", "Daisy Bo-Peep", "Mickey's Big Surprise", and "Super Goof's Super Puzzle". As you can tell by the titles, the emphasis on this one is learning numbers and puzzles, where kids can "help" the characters "solve" problems. All the Disney Clubhouse favorite characters are on this one, including Goofy, Daisy, Minnie Mouse, and of course, Mickey Mouse.

The DVD is of course viewable without the Mickey Mote - in fact, it's almost nicer to watch the DVD the first time through and THEN use the Discovery Mode/Mickey Mote. Level one simply asks questions about colors, shapes, and sizes as you go through the stories as is more appropriate for kids who already understand colors and shapes. It will help them learn a bit, but if they are still new to the color concept, you might want to wait before introducing the Mickey Mote option. Level 2 is a bit harder and has more options - it's still asking questions, but more in depth - and it's the mode of choice for ages 4 and up (You know your child best though)

There is one bonus episode on the disc: "Mickey's Show and Tell". As of this posting, the only way to see the episode is on the DVD! This disc also uses Disney's Fast Play, a navigation utility that automatically starts the disc as soon as it's put in the player and pretty much remembers your viewing preferences.

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Numbers Roundup is available today, and is rated TV-Y. (really geared for ages 2-5) It's full screen edition, with a total running time of 96 minutes (not including bonus features). Packaged with the Mickey Mote, the suggested retail price is $29.99, or $26.99 without the MM, but Amazon has the set for $23.49 as of this posting.

You know the drill by now: I received the items mentioned above in order to write a review.

Review: Mickey Mote

Kids are drawn to remote controls and game controllers well... like flies to honey. I am always reminding my husband to make sure the remotes and the controllers get put away on the shelf next to the TV - not that he always listens. The Wii remotes are the ones that get the most abuse here - maybe because they are white when everything is black and they just stand out more? Who knows!

Disney has come out with a child-friendly remote control - adorably shaped like Mickey ears! Check it out:


Isn't it fun? I can tell you the Mickey Mote attracts kids like flies, haha! It has just four simple buttons on it that are color coded. Now this doesn't work like a regular remote control, almost more like a game controller. As you will probably guess next, this means it only works with select Disney preschool titles that happen to include Discovery Mode. It's super easy to use though: Parents do need to set up the remote control the first time it's used (it takes about 3-5 minutes), and then throughout the DVD, questions will be asked that kids pick a color button on the Mickey Mote. There's actually two levels of play, easy which really only uses two of the buttons, and one that's a little more in depth for as your child grows. (If you have the DVD, but not Mickey Mote - like if you're at Grandma's and forgot it - have no fear, you can still use any remote control) Two year olds still need help, but 3-5 year olds should have no problem zipping along with this.

The first two titles hitting the stores today that are packaged with a Mickey Mote (and without, so you don't end up with two Motes if you don't need them) are Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey's Number Round Up and Handy Manny: Big Construction Job. Both appeal to boys and girls. There are lots of other titles planned, including more Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Handy Mandy, and Winnie the Pooh too. And you don't have to watch the DVD with the Mickey Mote mode enabled - you can turn it off.

Is the Mickey Mote gimicky? Yes, but aren't all toys? When I first heard "remote" I really thought it would control the whole shebang on the DVD player, and that meant I no longer had to worry about our remotes. Phooey.

Bonus points though that the battery cover screws in instead of just popping out like regular remotes. Alright, I have to dig around in search of a mini screwdriver when it's time to change the batteries, but at least I don't have to worry about batteries becoming a projectile or a choking hazard.

The suggested retail price for the Mickey Mote packaged with one of the above titles is $29.99, but as it's prime time toy season, you're sure to find plenty of deals. There are coupons on the front of the titles to instantly save $8 on any two Mickey Mote titles, or if you look inside the DVD boxes, you will find another coupon for $3 off of a single title, so it can end up being a really good deal paired with sales! If you're interested, here is the trailer for the new Mickey Mote ad:



(Sorry, feedreaders, you'll have to click through on this one because there's no direct link)

I received the products mentioned above in order to try out and share my family's opinions.

Random Thoughts Tuesday

Please ignore my bad spelling and grammar issues of late. Apparently, my brain cells have turned to mush. Really, I swear I am more intelligent than that.

I need a nap. The phone kept ringing all night for DH because the power was out and everyone was like freaking Henny Penny. This also means I have the motivation of a snail today. Yipppeee Yie yay.

Two year olds are like little alcoholics who suffer from multiple personalities. One moment everything is hysterically funny, and then BAM! you feel like you should be begging for an exorcism.

Unless you're my husband who thinks temper tantrums are funny.

And who thinks that teaching them to say Welcome To The Thunderdome is funny. Not that it comes out sounding like that - more like vecome to se sundason.

DH thinks this should be a great gift from Santa:


Zombie fighting training starts early here. *rolls her eyes*

I am still coughing and all stuffy. Every time I leave the sanctuary of the bedroom where the Electrolux is, my coughing gets even worse. Co-inky-dink? I think not. It's got to be environmental.

The Corgis are happily chewing on what's called Texas Toothpicks. You can always tell when there has been a couple days straight of rain around here, because it looks like a dinosaur graveyard with all the bones and body parts. (Ick)

DH was talking to one of his best friends back home last night - gas is fifty cents cheaper there. Grrr. No fair.

Speaking of gas, we've been looking at trucks on Craigslist so I can get an idea of the price range and haggle by brains out. It's not as bad as I thought, so long as DH stops thinking of brand new overpriced drug cartel style trucks. I go along (and enjoy) the whole zombie thing, but I'm not sure now is the time to be buying vehicles with the zombie apocalypse in mind. Someone was selling a 70's fire truck. Guess what he wants now? I can see it now.

God, grant me the patience to not thwap my husband up the head with a frying pan.

Review & Giveaway: Popchips

MomCentral recently asked me if I was interested in joining their Popchips Blog Tour - um, yeah? My DH loves his snacks! lol


PopChips are a crunchy snack without all the calories - and mess - of potato chips. A single-serve bag of popchips containing nearly 20 crave-crushing chips is only around 100 calories and 3.5 grams of fat. Sounds promising, doesn't it? The thing is, a snack can be the healthiest in the world, but if it doesn't taste good, it's not really satisfying, right?



A "Get Popped" taste test box was sent our way with a bunch of different flavors, a chip clip, and coupons for our next purchase. DH was all excited because the bags were single serve size, and perfect for taking to work. I don't normally purchase single serve bags of chips in our home because I think they are overpriced bags of calories, so you know he was thrilled. lol We were duking it out on which ones he could have vs which ones I wanted to snack on!

Popchips are aren't fried or baked - they are popped! How do you pop a chip you ask? Using what amounts to grains of rice or kernels of corn - but made of potatoes - they add a little heat and pressure, and you guessed it - pop! They come in Original Potato, Barbeque Potato, Sour Cream & Onion Potato, Cheddar Potato, Sea Salt & Vinegar Potato, Salt & Pepper Potato, and Parmesan Garlic Potato. Our favorites ended up being the barbecue, cheddar, and sour cream & onion. The salt & pepper weren't my thing, and DH says he took over three hours just to eat the sea salt & vinegar because he didn't like it but didn't want to waste. LOL If you normally like either of those flavors in a potato chip though, you will probably like it, but for us, our tastes usually run elsewhere.

Popchips are all natural, with no preservatives, fake flavors or coloring, and they are transfat free. They are also non-gmo, and the Original flavor is vegan. You can snag them at places like Whole Foods, Safeway, Jamba Juice, Target - and I just snagged a bag at Albertsons here too. If you're on Facebook, you can “like” popchips page on Facebook, and find out about deals, giveaways, new flavors first!

Win it! Thanks to MomCentral and PopChips, one lucky reader is going to win a Get Popped box of their own! To enter, visit PopChips and tell us which flavor you think will be your favorite.

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 PopChips! http://goo.gl/fb/TByk2 ends 11/27 @psychotichouse

That's four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends November 27th 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 wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of popchips and received a “Get Popped” box of popchips and a $30 gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.