Review: Me-In-Mind Footwear

As you can probably guess, we're a little alternative around here. ;) I was on the hunt for anything babywise with skulls & crossbones, bats, etc the second I had that BFP. (That's Big Fat Positive, for those not familiar with the Trying-To-Conceive lingo)

Let's visit the time machine, shall we? Me-In-Mind, who I stumbled onto and featured way back in April of 2009, recently contacted me and asked if I would be interested in reviewing some of their goodies. Are you kidding? Of course I would! ;)

Me-In-Mind creates fun socks, funky shoes, and smirk-worthy t-shirts for the punk rocking baby and toddler crowd. Their designs are right up our alley, and I did a little jig that our daughter took after me and is on the small size of scale instead of being like her Daddy! (Yippee!) They sent us over a pair of the Tattoo Slip-On Black/White shoes, and a set of the Girls "Sneaker" Socks 6-Pair Set.

First thing I have got to share with you is the packaging! I'm so thrilled that outside a small plastic viewing window, everything was made of cardboard and fabric, and therefore completely recyclable! Check it out:


It might sound silly to you, but I'm tired of excess packaging and plastic wrappings ended up in our trash because they hardly let us recycle anything around here.


The Girls "Sneaker" Socks set, which retails for $26, contains six pairs of socks in our favorite color schemes around here - pink, black, and white! They are made with organic cotton, and have a non slip top at the ankles so they won't slide down - I can't tell you how much socks that slip down annoy both me and my daughter, who promptly wants to take her socks off. She'd go barefoot in her shoes all the time if I would let her! Some of the socks in this set have skulls & crossbones, and there are a checkered design that looks like checkered lounge shoes, plus sets that look like lace up tennis shoes. The bottom of all the socks have a non-slip grip pattern that varies per sock design, so I don't have to worry so much about her wiping out when she's playing with her shoes off at the mall play area. Plus, she had the coolest socks on the other day next to all the kids - we had a little gloating going on about how much cooler our kiddo was next to the other kids. LOL (We're dorks, what can I say?)

The nifty part about these socks is that Me-In-Mind has a free lost sock replacement program. Simply email the company to request a "lost sock" form, and then mail it in with a self-addressed stamped envelope, and they'll mail you a replacement sock to match, absolutely free! How many companies do that??? Not many!


The Tattoo Slip-On Black/White shoes retail for $24.00, and have a rockabilly look to them, with popular vintage tattoos such as a lucky horseshoe, four leaf clover, swallow, and of course, a swashbucklin' pirate-y skull & crossbones! One of the tattoo hearts is for Mom, and the other is for Dad - and my DH wants me to tell you "THEY ARE AWESOME!!!!" Yes, in capital letters and with all those exclamation points. LOL! The soles in the size we received are flexible and have a non-slip rubber sole, so she can run around outdoors in them. We are using them as her new indoor slippers though, and they are great, because she can run around without slipping on our wooden floors, and while they are easy for her to put on herself since they are slip on, they also don't come off easily when she's playing, thanks to the elastic on the sides. Bonus points in my book is that they are made of vegan construction!

Check out these zebra print flip flops that I have got to get her for Summer! I love that they have adjustable elastic on the back so they'll stay on her feet better!


Please note that I received the product(s) shown above in order to share my thoughts on them. All opinions are my own.

Book Review: The Good Food Cookbook For Dogs By Donna Twichell Roberts

I recently picked up a copy of The Good Food Cookbook For Dogs by Donna Twichell Roberts to read.


As my returning readers know, we feed a home cooked diet for our two rescued Pembroke Welsh Corgis, who are seven. I haven't purchased commercial dog food, outside of rotating emergency supplies and a few odd package of treats, in over a year and a half. Cooking for the dogs really is no problem - I use ingredients I buy for us, anyways, and it's a little extra prep here and there. Some of the dishes I make are actually so interchangeable with our food, that DH has been known to eat their stew!

Now, while I admit I am probably on the further end of the food scale, probably alongside the BARF folks (that's the raw meat and bones diet, for the uninitiated), The Good Food Cookbook For Dogs actually bridges the gap between us and the grocery and pet store foods most people feed their dogs. The author recommends mixing her recipes on top of the usual dry kibble, mostly in place of canned food. Some of the information in the book could be taken with a grain of salt - I certainly don't recommend sharing frozen commercial waffles with your dog every morning for breakfast - but she has some good information in the book, from portion sizes to tips and tricks.

There are 50 different recipes included in The Good Food Cookbook For Dogs, from basic stews, to cookies, to sauces and even "Bowzer's Birthday Cake", which is sure to be your dog's favorite meal, ever. Many of the recipes are easy to make, and several can be easily adapted to cooking your slow cooker, which is how I do things around here. I personally make a big batch of "stew" about once a week, freeze half so it stays good until the second half of the following week, and then rotate the other stew I made last week week that was frozen, into this week, for variety. Time wise, I can't say it adds more than maybe 10-15 minutes a week to my schedule. After all, I'm already chopping vegetables for our meals, so I just chop a little extra to add to their stew. Because I use a slow cooker, many of the meats easily fall apart so all I have to do is just check for bones (if it's meat with bones) and mix well before serving.

While several of the recipes were a little out there for me - I'm not sure I'd make a Tuna Melt for my two, although I have been known to make them an omelet with tuna, cheese, and spinach from time time, it gave even me some news ideas for meals. I was starting to feel in the rut of their menu plan a little, and the dog treat cookies were very welcome - not to mention simple to whip up. (I don't want to admit how quickly they went through the batch of "lil Porkers" included on page 72-73.)

Those with dogs on special diets need not fret as there is a chapter dedicated just for you, with several recipes for diets such as a kidney care diet and an allergy care diet.

Once you start off cooking for your dog, you'll probably want to forgo commercial dog food entirely. Your dog won't miss it, and while I do recommend discussing it with your vet before starting that part of your journey, it CAN be done. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me, even if you are Googling and this post is over a year old when you finally read it. Cost-wise, I actually come out ahead cooking for them, than I would purchasing a large bag of quality dog food.

The Good Food Cookbook For Dogs is the perfect book to start off on a homecooked diet journey with your dogs. I think you'll have fun trying out many of the recipes included in the book, and you'll find your dog to never criticize your cooking! ;) The full color photographs included with many of the recipes make it easy to see if you are doing the recipe correctly, as well as give you ideas for other recipes! (Don't be surprised if you find yourself drooling too!)

The Good Food Cookbook For Dogs by Donna Twichell Roberts is a hardcover cookbook published by Quarry Books. 134 pages long, it is available now at your favorite bookstore. It is also available in paperback edition, with a suggested cover price of $19.99, though Amazon has it available for $14.27 as of this posting.

Please note that I purchased this book out of my own pocket. All opinions are my own, and please discuss any concerns you might have with your dog's veterinarian before changing their diet. All links are for your convenience, they are not referral links.

Free Museum Admissions May 18th 2011!

This is a GREAT freebie coming up, whether you homeschool, or you are just looking for something fun to do as a family. Mark your calendars! On Wednesday, May 18th, 2011, many museums across the country are participating in International Museum Day, an incredible world-wide day of free admission to museums, sponsored by the International Council of Museums.

Museums who will be participating are still rolling in, but you can check out the activities list here. Roam the site for more information. Nearly 30,000 museums have participated in recent years, so if you are unsure about a museum you'd like to visit is participating, just give them a phone call and ask!

Local folks, the Seattle Art Museum will be participating, and you will receive free admission all day long to the SAM! they have a great exhibition which is in it's final month at the SAM, called Nick Cave: Meet Me at the Center of the Earth. (Yes, THAT Nick Cave!)

Help Plant 10,000 Trees

Yesterday's News has teamed up with the Arbor Day Foundation in an effort to plant up to 10,000 trees across the nation. If you plant a tree in their new Trees of Tomorrow virtual forest, the Arbor Day Foundation will plant a real one in your honor! It takes just a few minutes, and it's fun - plus, you can help out our world and it doesn't cost you a cent.

By the way, if you have a pet rabbit, I highly recommend using Yesterday's News as your litter of choice instead of other choices like shredded paper, or wood shavings (which are actually bad for your bunny's health!). It's easy to clean up, biodegrable, and the bonus is that the bag is recyclable since it's all paper.

Review: Garlic Gold Oil (Recipe!)

I think one of the most important components in a cook's arsenal are the spices, herbs, and oils you have on hand. You can take a pound of chicken and make it a dozen different ways, thanks to a few herbs and spices.

Garlic Gold is one of my new must-haves in my personal kitchen arsenal. When I say I am in love, I mean I am in LOVE! Garlic Gold Oil is a garlic-infused organic extra-virgin olive oil. The possibilities with it are endless - from roasted potatoes to stir fry veggies to salad dressings to some of the dishes I am about to share with you over the next few days.


I was sent an 8.44 fl. ounces (250 ml) bottle of the Garlic Gold. Upon opening the bottle, I was greeted with a rich garlic-ly scent! When I was cooking with it, my kitchen smelled absolutely INCREDIBLE! Instead of pan toasting up some fresh garlic, it was easy to skip a step and welcomed to save a few minutes in the kitchen - and I didn't feel like I was copping out. (Some of you know me and my tendency to do everything from scratch the old fashioned way) Even my DH commented on how good the kitchen was smelling, and I had literally JUST started dinner! Talk about handing over confidence in the kitchen, lol that was it.

Here is that recipe I was making:


1 pound chicken breast, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
1-2 large tomatoes, diced, or 1 16 ounce can diced tomatoes
14-16 oz fettuccine
1 green pepper, diced
Garlic Gold Oil


Thinly slice one pound of chicken breasts. You'll want to slightly warm up your pan (use a big one) with a 3-4 good sized tablespoons of Garlic Gold. Cook your chicken until it's white. While this is getting started, be sure to start boiling your water for the fettuccine. (I'll skip a photo of the pasta, since I'm pretty sure y'all know what you are doing! lol)


Now, I used two skillets, because I don't really care about dishes over here, but you can cook this all in one skillet. (if you are doing two pans like me, be sure to add more Garlic Gold to this next step!) Next, start stir frying the mushrooms and green peppers.



Add in a little drizzle of Garlic Gold while cooking, and then add in the (drained) tomatoes:


Continue browning your chicken and veggies. Drain your fettuccine, and toss well:


We all gave it two thumbs up, and not to sound smug, but I'm telling you, this dish was better than anything I've had at restaurants, and at a fraction of the cost!

Garlic Gold Oil is available in an 8.44 fl oz bottle for $9.95, as well as a quart size bottle that retails for $29.95. If you purchase a case, you'll receive 20% off, and shipping is free over $45.00! I've already told DH I want a case for Mother's Day, lol. I'd rather do a case of six bottles vs the quart so the oil stays fresh - although it's easy to go through a bottle quickly. I've done four different recipes so far, and still have about half of the bottle or so, so it's on par cost wise with extra virgin olive oils.

Please note I received the product mentioned above in order to try it out in my own kitchen. The recipe and all opinions in this post are my own.

Review & Giveaway: Spongeables

My happy time is my shower time. It's the few moments of sometimes when I am very lucky, quiet time I get all to myself. I love pretty smelling bath products that help me enjoy those, oh, two or three minutes in the shower. LOL

Spongeables are "body wash in a sponge". That's right, they are bath sponges infused with your body wash. No struggling to open a body wash, you can just grab the sponge with a built in buffer on one side, and exfoliate and wash up.


I received the Spongeables Lavender Nectar full size and travel size "scrubby sponges" to review. The full size (3.5 oz) contains about 20 uses, and the travel size (1.2 oz) contains about 5. (Maybe a little more uses, depending on your usage of the product)


On the first use, it was easy to lather up. The lavender scent was strong on the first few uses (keep this in mind if you are anti-scent) and then it faded a little as the days went on. I really loved the scent though - it was relaxing and I love the smell of lavender! I'm used to using a body "pouf" style sponge, so at first I was a little worried about using this style - it's more like a bar of soap. However, it has rounded spots, like waves, on the side that fit your fingers perfectly, and I didn't struggle to use it at all. The buffer on the one side was just perfect for exfoliating the drier skin on my legs and it was easy to just flip it over to do all of my body - unlike switching out multiple products in the shower to get the same experience.

I recommend keeping the Spongeables on one of those bar soap style trays in the shower when you're not using it. After a week's worth of uses for me, the lather is still there and going strong in the full size product.

It's nice to kind of have an "all in one" product in the shower - instead of having a bottle of body wash, a regular bath pouf, and then an exfoliating/buffer pouf, I get the same effect with a product that takes up less space than even just one of those products! This is great if you have a small shower, or especially for college kids taking their bath products from the dorm room to communal showers and for folks camping. The travel size seems perfect for those flying - it fits easily into any carry on and you don't have to worry about the ounce rule!

Spongeables carries other styles, even one in a rubber ducky for kids, and an anti-cellulite body wash which I am starting to think I need these days (sigh!) If you join their Facebook page, you'll receive news of new products and online-store coupons and discounts.

Win it! One lucky reader will win their very own set of Spongeables Lavender Nectar full size and travel size products. To enter, head on over to Spongeables' web site, and tell us what else you'd love to try.

As always, you can receive extra entries for:

-Subscribing to my feed OR 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)
Enter to win Spongeables http://goo.gl/fb/uei18 ends 5/7 @psychotichouse

That's four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends May 7th 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!! :)

Please note that I received the product(s) mentioned above in order to try it out and share my thoughts on the product(s). All opinions are my own and not that of the company involved. One reader will win the prize mentioned above, as fulfilled by the giveaway sponsor.

Signs Of Spring

Finally, there are more and more days where the rain has finally STOPPED and we can get out more! You can laugh, but it took months before we cracked 50 degrees out here - it's been cool and wet all Winter. I think they said it had averaged 10 degrees below normal this year here.

I never knew I could miss the sun until we moved to Washington. Yeah, I hear you snickering. :P

Anyways, it took awhile, but we are finally starting to see signs of Spring on our walks in the woods. Look how pretty:


I wish I had some of these in my yard! The flowers on this vine/tree are just so dainty. I hope you have been getting out and enjoying the scenery in your neck of the words too!

To My Southerners

I hope all of my readers and their friends and family in the devastated area are safe and sound right now! My heart goes out to all of these folks in the tornado ravaged areas. I don't remember any tornado storms this bad in my lifetime, and it scares me to death thinking about it!

For the rest of the country looking in, I urge you to sit down today, and talk over a plan of action with your family. Maybe you're in an area that doesn't have tornadoes but is prone to earthquakes - whatever the natural disaster could happen, just be prepared! The last thing you want is needing to hide in a closet that is so full, you can't get in before the tornado hits!

If you need help getting started, I've written a bunch of posts in the past about preparedness - everything from tornadoes to earthquakes, and a few reviews on must-have prep items.

End Of April Randomness

Alright, my inbox is full of great stuff again this week, and rather than have 5 million new posts for y'all today, here's a bit of contests, coupons, charity news, and fun stuff for you all in one nifty post.

Nine year old Lizzy is trying to raise money for a cure via her Cranes For A Cure website. For every $1 that is donated to the cause, she'll create an origami crane. Her goal is to raise $1,000. Check out her website and help spread the word!

Help O.N.E. Coconut Water Raise $25,000 for Healthy Child Healthy World! Just click "Like" on O.N.E. Coconut Water's Facebook fan page, and $1 will be donated to Healthy Child Healthy World. This is an easy way to help out without costing you a cent!

Head to your local Walgreens through Saturday April 30th, and grab two 7oz. gift boxes of DeMet Turtles for $6! If you use the $1 off printable coupon I told you about last week, you can stack the offer and get two for only $5! With Mother's Day on the horizon, it's a quick gift for any chocolate loving Mom!

Nordicware is hosting three contests including a recipe contest in celebration of their 65th anniversary! For more information, and to enter them, head on over here.

Are you a Legend of Zelda fan? Then listen up, because I have something super cool to share with you! On May 7th, STL Ocarina will be holding a live launch concert for the new Echoes of Gerudo Valley CD release. Fans can help plan the concert play list by voting on their favorite Legend of Zelda songs, and the three most popular Zelda songs will be played at the concert! To vote on your favorite song, click here, and sign up for a free account. Next, look for the voting poll under the News and Updates thread. The deadline is Wednesday, May 4, 2011. To view the concert on Saturday, May 7th at 6pm (Central) just click here.

Two lucky winners, one from the U.S. and one from Canada, will win a one-week trip to Noosa, Australia complete with a gourmet dining experience suitable for serious foodies in the Gourmet Garden Gourmet Adventure Holiday Sweepstakes. You can enter now through June 15th, 2011. For more information, including rules, and to enter, visit Gourmet Garden's website.

Printable Aquafresh Training Toothpaste Coupons

Aquafresh has created oral health training products designed for children ages 3 to 24 months old. If you'd like to learn more, and snag some printable coupons to save $0.75 off the Aquafresh Training Toothpaste and $0.50 off the Aquafresh Training Toothbrush, head on over here. (Scroll to the bottom of the page to snag the coupons!)

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!

2011 Dole California Cook-Off Contest!

Do you or your spouse have a great grilling recipe using Dole products such as their canned fruit or bagged salads? If you do, there's a contest going on that you don't want to miss called the 2011 Dole California Cook-Off with Celebrity Chef Ben Ford!


Three finalists will win 3 days/2 nights in Hollywood to compete for the cook-off champion title and a cash prize of $2,500! Those folks will prepare their Dole dish at celebrity haven The Grove and meet celebrity Chef Ben Ford. Sounds like fun, doesn't it? The contest ends on May 15th, so you still have time to try out some new recipes or perfect your current creations and get a chance for a fun trip! To enter, and to find out more information including the rules, head on over to Dole's page on Facebook.

Good luck if you decide to enter!

Review & Giveaway: Rock 'N Learn Getting Ready For Kindergarten

Rock 'N Learn, purveyors of one of the best educational DVD series out there, recently sent my family the Getting Ready For Kindergarten DVD to check out and review.


Let me tell you about MY first day of kindergarten. I remember it well, because it's one of the more traumatizing days of my life. I didn't know how to tie shoelaces yet, so the teacher wasn't that thrilled about that. I also only knew how to write in capital letters, because that's all my mother had taught me to do. Let's add in the language barrier - when the teacher started talking about taking us all to the "restroom", I seriously thought she meant a room with a bunch of couches for us to hang out on. (Go ahead, laugh! lol) Oh, and at the end of the day, this boy named Mike P. stepped on my hand when I was bending down for something, so I hit him.

By the way, I barely squeaked out of kindergarten because I didn't learn to tie shoelaces until the end of the year. (In all fairness, mary janes made up a huge part of my wardrobe) So I'm gathering you can probably guess why it's so important that my daughter knows everything she needs to know for kindergarten, even if we're planning on homeschooling. Actually, that's one of the reasons I love Rock 'N Learn's products, because they make learning fun!

Getting Ready For Kindergarten is a 45 minute DVD for the ages 3 to 5 crowd that covers basic skills kids need to know to be ready for that first day of school - from getting dressed and that important tying their shoes, to using the restroom, writing their name, and learning left and right. It uses little animated characters named Joey and Jill, alongside kids to help teach the skills included, with plenty of music and songs to help your kids remember the skills. We're in the midst of learning picking up toys and around here, so the "Cleaning My Room" segment was definitely welcomed here! The little characters mixed with the kids seemed to be the right combination, and the songs are catchy. I recommend learning some of the songs yourself, so you can break into the songs at the right time and help your child "remember" the skills from the DVD.

A few things on the DVD may be a little much for the younger crowd, but that's the beauty of owning DVD's - you can watch a little now if you want to, and then rewatch it down the road as your child grows. A three year old might struggle a bit with learning size comparisons, but they can easily learn colors and basic counting, while a five year old getting ready this summer for the first day of kindergarten should have no problem with letter recognition, and perhaps might roll their eyes a bit at zipping their coat.

Here's a short clip from the DVD:


Direct Link for the feed readers

Rock 'N Learn's products have been recommended by teachers, and they've also received the Parenting Seal of Approval, as well as been recognized for a Mom's Best Award for Best Products of 2010. Getting Ready For Kindergarten retails for $19.99, and you can purchase it online, at Barnes & Noble stores, and quality school supply stores. If you'd like to order via Rock 'N Learn's website though, I have a discount code that will save you 25% off your entire purchase! Just use promo code JQ7711 at checkout to have it apply to your order.

Win it! The fabulous folks over at Rock 'N Learn are letting me host a giveaway so that one lucky reader will their choice of DVD or CD to help their children learn too! To enter, just visit the Rock 'n Learn website, and tell us which other series you think would help your child(ren) succeed in school too.

As always, you can receive extra entries for:

-Subscribing to my feed OR 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)
Enter to win Rock N Learn DVDs http://tinyurl.com/64k29yw ends 5/7 @psychotichouse

That's four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends May 7th 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 the DVD mentioned above in order to share my thoughts on it. One winner will receive the DVD or CD of their choosing, as fulfilled by the giveaway sponsor.

Book Review: Patti Pelican And The Gulf Oil Spill

My family and I recently received a copy of the new children's storybook, Patti Pelican and The Gulf Oil Spill written by Lynda Wurster Deniger and illustrated by Paulette Ferguson.


Patti Pelican and The Gulf Oil Spill is the story of Patti Pelican and her friend Sammy Seagull, who spent their days living the life along the Gulf Coast. Fishing was good, and they a had human buddy, Captain Charley who fished with his boat, the Salty Seas. One morning, word gets out that there has been an explosion and oil is leaking in the Gulf. Captain Charley and his fishing friends do all they can to help, but it's not enough - many birds are getting covered in oil when they are fishing to eat, including Patti Pelican and Sammy Seagull. This illustrated book shares the story of the birds, and what was done to help them. The hardcover book also comes with an audio CD that has a little sing along song (the lyrics are at the end of the book).

We read a lot of picture books around here, and as a parent I've read aloud plenty of frou-frou stories that really make no sense. I like to read books that help kids learn a little something here and there while still having fun, because I feel every moment is a chance to learn something new. Patti Pelican and The Gulf Oil Spill was a way for me to explain to my daughter more about the Gulf Oil Spill, with it not being too, shall we say, horrific for her to learn about. You and I, as adults, know that there was a ton of damage done to the wildlife down there, with many birds, turtles, and other animals losing their life needlessly, but that's WAY too much for a small child to hear about.

I appreciated at the end of the book there was a little epilogue, where the author talked about some of the ways kids had helped the birds in the Gulf Oil Spill - one had a lemonade stand that collected over $500 before naptime! These kids helped make a difference, and I feel the book was another way to help show my daughter that every little she can do to help others, makes a difference too. Who knows what wonderful things our children will grow up to do?

The sing a long is cute - she's still singing "Rub-A-Dub, two birds in a tub". lol The illustrations fit perfectly with the story, and all in all, I thought it was a great little book that I hope will be found on many library's shelves. If you'd like to read more about the author and learn more about Patti Pelican and friends, you can visit her website here.

Patti Pelican and The Gulf Oil Spill written by Lynda Wurster Deniger and illustrated by Paulette Ferguson is a hardcover full cover children's storybook published by HIS Publishing. 36 pages long, the suggested cover price is $19.95.

Please note that I received a copy of this book in order to read it and share my thoughts on it. All opinions are my own.

Random Tuesday Thoughts - The Royal Wedding...

Good grief, it's the royal wedding this, the royal wedding that, Kate this... blah blah yada yada! Y'all know I love me some gossip, and I always find the British Royal Family entertaining (hello, the Queen has CORGIS!), but even I am starting to hit the snooze button. You'd think America was still a colony by the way everyone is covering it!

I keep trying to land markdown oops paint for the shed, and I was hoping for a light color for the hallways, but I am going to wave the white flag. After 3 trips to Home Depot, 2 to Lowe's, and 1 to Walmart, I am coming up empty handed. So I have conceded to DH that since we have to pay full price to paint the living room, he can do it Dallas Cowboy colors. It's not like there is a ton of wall for him to paint, and I'd rather get it out of his system in the short term home, than the one we want to spend the rest of our life in. See? Method to my madness! ;)

I read an article online talking about how if you want to avoid cell phone radiation, you should keep your phone at least an inch away from you when you're not talking on it. I guess maybe carrying it around in my bra here at home so I don't loose it isn't such a great idea after all? lol

It just started raining. Again.

We've been using Netflix so much that I hadn't gone through the new TV show releases for the library to add to our wait list in a couple of months... and I was shocked that the library, which usually starts adding shows a couple of months before they are released so folks can join the list, hadn't added any of the new shows. I feel so bad for them, with the economy. :( If you'll remember, last year they had all those books stolen from their kids department - next it was a bunch of CDs and DVDs! They started to make it so the cases were put on the shelves, but the discs were kept behind the counter and you had to request the disc after checking out. It's a pain for everyone involved, but not much else the library can do! It's pretty low when you start stealing from a library. :( I think what would be best is changing things up: borrowing books from the library could always be free, but if you wanted to borrow media, you need to pay a yearly membership. Sometimes I think I'd happily pay $50-100 a year (on top of taxes) to the library if it would mean they could afford to bring in more new titles. As it is, we try to support them by purchasing from their booksales. (I have to remove all the library stickers and black out the library stamps inside, because it's hard explaining to a kiddo the difference between their books and ours. LOL I thought about the whole name plate/stamp inside with ours, but then it bothers me donating books back with our name in it, ya know?)

I couldn't figure out why all of the cats were happily staring out the same window, until I went to look and saw the cable company was next door. Who knew that was kitty entertainment?! I thought there would be a flock of birds or something!

Gas was $4.05 here. Yowser!

And $11.50 for a little to go to the zoo! It's $50 for the 3 of us to go! Seriously?! By the time you add in bridge toll and gas, plus a small treat, you're at $75 for an afternoon, if not more?

Review: BareMinerals Skincare

Bare Escentuals introduced their BareMinerals Skincare line. Each item included in the new line is powered by 100% RareMinerals Active Soil Complex, which is clinically proven to deliver faster cell turnover, noticeable smaller pores, increased luminosity, and softer, smoother, younger looking skin.


Sounds like something a lot of us need, right? As I get older, I am definitely noticing different changes in my skin, and what I used even five years ago, just doesn't seem to be doing much for me anymore. I looked in the mirror a couple of months ago, and I could clearly see my skin was just begging for some new lovin', but I didn't really want to stand around in the skin care aisle at Target and play guess which product might work. Go figure, I'll happily do that for makeup, but when it comes to lotions and creams, I am always terrified I'll choose the one that will turn me into a rock lobster. (Bonus points to anyone who read the end of that line and started singing the song!)

So the last week-ish, I've been having the chance to try out the new bareMinerals Skincare with a 30-day trial skincare set. Included in the kit was the Purifying Facial Cleanser, Purely Nourishing Moisturizer for Combination skin, and the Firming Eye Treatment. (There are other choices in the line, but these three are perfect for me, and what I would have chosen out of the line)

The Purifying Facial Cleanser is a deep cleanser that clears off your make-up and other dirty grime, while re-balancing your skin for a brighter complexion. It contains pineapple, lychee, and guava free enzymes, along with avocado oil and pomegranate extract. I used this both in the morning when I got up, as well as just before going to bed. (If I was trying to stretch a bottle, I'd probably skip the AM use) I liked that it was easy to apply - you know how some of those cleanser bottles can be! - and the scent was pleasant, not overwhelming. (a 6 FL OZ bottle retails for $20)

The Purely Nourishing Moisturizer for Combination Skin is supposed to improve firmness and elasticity to your skin and bring out the brightness, just like the other pieces in the line. It has South African Resurrection Plant, antioxidants such as Licorice, Coffee, and Green tea, as well as some other natural, plant derived emollients. I used this after the facial cleaner, and applied it morning and night. I could definitely feel the tightening in my skin after applying it, and it wasn't greasy - it definitely was lightweight as advertised. I like it when the moisturizers are easy to apply and I'm not waiting for what seems like forever for it to settle into my skin so I can move on to putting on my makeup! Time is short these days! (A 1.7 FL OZ bottle retails for $28)

The Firming Eye Treatment restores firmness while reducing the puffiness around the eye area. It uses marine peptides and marine growth complex, along with Roman Chamomile Flower and other ingredients. I probably don't have to tell you that my eyes have been rather puffy with plenty of dark circles underneath them these days - I think most of us suffer from the same problem! I used it both morning and night, but I'll probably drop to just using it in the AM since I feel silly worrying about dark circles before going to bed at night. I think I need a lot of help in this department, so I'm not going to say it was an instant bullet for me, but I'll definitely keep at it. (I need a better sleep pattern!) The one thing that drove me a little crazy was just with our insanity around here - I wish the cap was a little different, like a fliptop. It had nothing to do with the product itself, just preferential. (a 0.5 FL OZ container retails for $28)

All in all, so far using the BareMinerals Skincare line, I'm pleased - I've had no reactions, which was a fear with trying something new. All of the products I tried contain no synthetic fragrances and no artificial oils. Several of the products are made here in the USA, so that's great, but I could not find out whether the products were tested on animals or not.

What product would you like to try most from the new BareMinerals Skincare line?

Please note I received samples of the product(s) mentioned in this post in order to try out and share my thoughts on it. All opinions are my own, and since each person's skin is unique, your experience with the products may differ from mine.

Free Blockbuster Express DVD Rental 4/25

For those of you who have a Blockbuster Express nearby (it's a kiosk, just like Redbox), you can rent a movie for FREE today, using promo code MONDAYDVD. Remember, the code is only good for the first night's rental, so be sure to return it before Tuesday at 9 PM local time. Click the link to find a location near you, although I know they aren't every where just yet. (Port Orchard folks: there is a kiosk over at Rite Aid on Lund, across from Safeway and Puerto Vallarta)

Enjoy your movie!

Menu Planning Monday - I Want The Sun Back!

Saturday was so gorgeous outside, DH ended up grilling out for the first time this season (yay!) so I'm shifting that day's menu to this week. The Chicken Empadas were YUM, but I made some changes - so next time I make them I'll have to share my version of the recipe (you know me and changing things lol)


Monday: Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches, Seasoned French Fries, salad

Tuesday: Lemon Pepper Slow Cooker Roasted Chicken, veggies, salad

Wednesday: Slow Cooker Simple Beef Stew

Thursday: Semi Homemade Slow Cooker Mac N Cheese

Friday: spicy turkey burgers, rice medley, steamed veggies

Saturday: orange chicken and rice, egg rolls

Sunday: recipe of the week

Check out Organizing Junkie for other great Menu Plans! (You'll find lots of great ideas!)

Happy Easter!

I hope many of you are enjoying a great day with your family - whether you celebrate Easter, or not. Here's a coloring page of an Easter Egg for the kiddos to color while you keep them out of your hair for a few minutes. ;) Because, like I would never do that with my own, right? LOL (Click the picture to get it bigger to print)


Speaking of Easter Eggs, the Seattle School District has given me reason #4,892 while my daughter will NEVER EVER attend public school - they have banned the worlds "Easter Eggs" and replaced it with "Spring Spheres". Enough with all this "PC" junk!

It's Bunny Season...

As an owner of a rescued rabbit, I urge anyone thinking about adopting a rabbit this Easter holiday because they think "it's cute" to please think twice. A domesticated rabbit can live up to 10 years - my Grimmy just turned five last month, and trust me when I say, he's not slowing down one bit. ;) Standard rabbit hutches or cages aren't enough room for them to really live in full time, either. A rabbit does much better in a large living environment. You can almost think of bunnies as cats with a slightly different attitude - they can be litter trained (ours is) and function well running loose in your home just like a cat (beware electric wires, however).

To find out more on having a bunny in your home, please visit Make Mine Chocolate.

Review & Shopping Feature: Organically Grown

All of our friends and family back home have been having girls, so I was super excited when I found out one of our friends was going to have a boy! Finally, some blue! So I've been on the hunt for cute gifts that are practical while still being cute, and yes, a little more environmentally friendly since the couple pays attention to their "carbon footprint".

Did you know that most cotton in the world is grown using TONS of pesticides and chemicals? It also uses a lot of water, and strips our valuable topsoil. Organic cotton is grown without all those chemicals, making it a lot safer for your baby to wear. The problem with organic cotton is that it isn't always budget friendly for a lot of folks.


Organically Grown is a company helping to bridge that gap, with affordable yet stylish organic cotton goods. All of the baby clothes they carry are made of 100% GOTS certified organic cotton. The newest line is their softest ever, and totally adorable! The little bodysuit sets and coveralls If you love jungle and animal themes too, wait until you get a look at some of the pieces included in the L is for Lion collection:




They sent on over the Organic Jungle Friends onesie:


Here's a close up I took of the design:


I am so pleased with how soft this little onesie is! I don't remember any of my daughter's onesies being this soft before being washed! The designs on the little onesie, unlike some brands, is actually embroidered on, so it will last through many washings. If our #2 ever decides to come along, I'll definitely be on the lookout for Organically Grown pieces to add to his/her wardrobe. I'm excited to gift this to our friends, especially since it is their first. (YAY!)

The collection for little girls is just as cute, too. Organically Grown sells clothing for bigger kids and us adults too, as well as home decor. They have some cute little two piece short sets for kids right now, so if you are on the hunt for Summer outfits, you may want to go take a peek. I just wish they had some little sundresses for girls!

Disclosure: I receive an item shown above in order to share my thoughts on the product.

It's Earth Day 2011...

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I don't care for Earth Day - I actually think it should be Earth Day all year round. Doing one little thing once a year is better than nothing in the scheme of things, of course - but there are so many things you can do that are so easy to do, and actually save you money in the long run. I know I sound like a broken record, but the problem with our planet isn't so much overpopulation, as it is overconsumption.

We buy too much. Instead of buying quality items that can last for many years, we choose cheap items that fall apart. One hundred years ago, our grandparents had 2-3 sets of clothes: one for church and special occasions, a set for school if they were lucky, and play/work clothes. That's it. You passed them down to your younger sibling or cousin when you outgrew them if they were still usable. Nowadays? Look at the bulging closets of our kids - mine included. (Granted, at least 50% of her wardrobe is used)

Take books - it used to be the only book most folks had was the Bible, and maybe a few odd books that they scrimped and saved for. These days, there are people who read and throw it straight into the trash! I'm not a fan of e-readers myself - it's yet another electronic device that not only uses power, but there are things in the insides not good for our environment either - but on the bright side, it cuts down on trees being used and chemicals tossed into our water supply. We have a lot of books ourselves, but we purchase many used, and when we are done reading them around here, we either take them to Half Price Books or donate them for the library's book sale.

We watched an episode of The Lazy Environmentalist the other day. The family featured was a family of four living in the suburbs, and the goal was to show them simple ways to be a little more "green". I was all excited, because even though we are a family of 3, my pets probably bring enough recycling and waste that we'll just pretend we're a family of four. ;) I thought for sure we'd end up with some new ways for our family to go green. I was SHOCKED at the amount of weekly trash this family had! The trash cans were overflowing, and part of that was just the family's lazy ways - they choose to eat off paper plates and used disposable silverware for lunch every day and often for dinner.

For us, the recycling bin always has more than our regular trash can. In fact, I think if it wasn't for the empty litter box contents from the cats and the bunny, I don't think we'd have very much trash at all. Wait, the one thing that adds too much to our trash is those silly styrofoam meat trays, and that's a vent for another post. It's not like I even think much about our trash, for me, it's fairly simple - I quickly rinse out any bottles or cans that are recyclable when they are empty, and toss them straight into our inside bin. Menu plannning cuts down on a ton of waste, and the composting - I simply throw it in a bucket and add it to the pile every so often. Yes, we use paper plates when we have a BBQ with lots of people, but it's not like it's a daily thing. and in fact, I even found cheap plastic dishes at Target a few weeks ago and bought a dozen, just for smaller get-togethers. My total cost for the dozen was less than a package of paper plates, so I figured why not?

A later episode of that same show said that residential light bulb use is the highest from 9 to 5 weekdays. Um, excuse me? First of all, unless you live in a dreary state such as Washington, you really should never need the lights on during those hours of the day. Second of all, if so many women are in the workforce now - I mean, I'm always made to feel like such a "freak" for being a SAHM - why are the lights at home all on? Are folks just that lazy that they leave their lights on all the time? And if they are, donations from their paychecks are accepted here, because I can't imagine how much extra money they are wasting every year! Yikes! If you need so badly to have a light on in the house when you come, buy a $10 timer!

So this Earth Day, I urge you to think twice about your habits and make lifelong changes in your consumption habits.

Take Your Dog To An MLB Game!

Well, I'm not sure exactly how easy this works if you have a bigger dog, but 15 different Major League Baseball teams will have designated games this season where you can bring along your furkid to a baseball game!


Folks, if this is something you are happy about, be sure to give your team some feedback - drop them an email, send them a letter, and be sure to show up to the game with your furkid! If you support it, they'll continue to host the event every year!

When attending, remember not everyone at the game will be dog lovers. Bring a travel bowl so your dog can get a drink, as you cannot expect the teams to provide that for your pet, and be sure your dog has it's tags with a current phone number in case you are separated accidentally. Also if your dog is not social, or easily afraid, please be considerate of others and have your furkid stay home. If you are unsure, consider making several trips to the dog park and stores such as Petsmart and Petco to see how they do.

Dear Seattle Mariners,

You disappoint me that you aren't one of the teams involved. It would be a blast to bring the Psychotic Corgis to see a game with us, and considering Seattle has so many dog parks with plenty of support - why aren't we participating?

XOXO,
Storm, the Psychotic Housewife


DH wants his fellow Texas Rangers fans to know that they are participating on May 29th, with their "Bark in the Park" promotion (it also happens to be $1 Blue Bell Ice Cream Sunday, and the first 10,000 fans ages 13 and under will get a free gift, so it's a great day to head on over to the park as a family!)

Printable Brita Bottle Coupon

This Earth day, if your plan is to cut down on the amount of a plastic water bottles you purchase, Brita wants to help! You can print a coupon to save $2.00 off the cost of any Brita bottle here. (You may have to register an account or sign in)


Right now the site also has a printable coupon to save you $1.00 off any two boxes of Ziploc products too!

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!

CD Review: Lovely Baby & Mommy

If you have small children, you know it's a difficult journey to find age appropriate music that doesn't drive you up the wall. You start off looking for sweet lullabies, which is easy enough, and as your child grows, on comes the nursery rhymes and silly songs. There are some great CDs out there, but you have to wade through, well, the musical muck.


We had the opportunity to review Lovely Baby & Mommy, the latest CD from the Lovely Baby series, created by award winning composer and international baby music expert, Raimond Lap. This series was specifically created for babies on up to 36 months (3 years), using carefully crafted arrangements that are optimized for a baby's sensitive ears. Lovely Baby & Mommy is one of only two current titles in the series that includes lyrics - the rest of the series are instrumental only.

You know the talking dolls that say Mommy and Momma over and over again? The album starts off with that in the first song, and I almost turned it off right away, I found it that annoying. (Talking baby dolls are banned in our home - she can use her imagination; I don't mind if she says it herself) As the song, "She Is A Mom" continued, the lyrics kicked in, and that part wasn't too bad, but the background baby noises kicked in again... and well...

My daughter even crinkled her nose and made a face, proclaimed it "bowing" (boring). The background music is nice, although nothing special. Here is the official track listing:

1. She Is A Mom
2. Sound Sound Blues
3. Precious Sounds of Nature
4. Baby Communication
5. Baby Impressions
6. My Closest Friend
7. You Can Sing Along
8. Nature's Surprise
9. Our Musical Bond
10. Sleepy Baby, Close Your Eyes

Honestly, I can't classify this as one that wouldn't drive me up the wall because it did. It's possible that since my daughter is towards the end of the range it's meant for, that maybe it just ends up lost on her, and an 8-10 month or so baby would enjoy it more than we did. At any rate, this is one of those "listen to a clip online" CDs before you buy it, and I'm not so sure I'd call it gift-worthy because it's just hit or miss. Perhaps the other CD's in the series are a little more entertaining? If you're interested in hearing some clips from the album, they are available on the website.

Lovely Baby & Mommy has a suggested retail price of $17.75, but you purchase a copy via the website for $14.99, or download the album for $9.99.

Please note that I received a copy of this CD in order to share my thoughts on it. All opinions are my own, and yours may differ from mine.

Free Seedlings At Lowe's This Earth Day 2011!

The Earth Day freebies are starting to roll in! Lowe's is giving away 1,000,000 (yep, ONE MILLION!) tree seedlings this Saturday, April 23rd, 2011. Visit your local Lowe's store early in the day to snag yours! Remember, it's first come, first served, and the million trees is spread out amongst all their stores, so don't get too upset if they are all out when you get there if it's late in the afternoon.


So you've gotten your free tree - now what? It's been my experience that these little seedlings need some TLC before being planted in the ground, or they may not make it - we've found out the hard way ourselves. The tree varieties being given away in this promotion may vary depending on what area of the country you are in. You may want to place your seedling in an extra large pot, and "baby it" over the next year, transplanting it next Spring. Keep the planter it's now in placed in a shady spot, and water it every so often. You won't need any fertilizer, just some good dirt and compost if you have it.

Now if you are planning to place your seedling straight into the ground, this is a little reminder to do some thinking ahead. Before digging, be sure to know where your underground lines might be! Look around your yard, and decide the "right" place for your seedling - you may it away from all power lines above. You'll also want to place it at least six feet from any fencing, and at least ten feet away from your house or any sheds. Remember, when this little plant grows, it's going to be BIG! You don't want to have to worry about the roots uplifting parts of your home, or the branches growing against your siding. If you are in an area that gets large storms, try to keep it planted away from the house so you don't have to worry about branches landing on your house.

This is a gentle reminder to be sure you "mark" your tree after planting, with a vibrant ribbon, or something similar, so it isn't accidentally run over with the lawn mower or with toys!

I really recommend picking up the tree, especially if you have kids, even if you're not big into the whole Earth Day thing - it's a great project to do together, and it helps teach kids a bit more about Planet Earth! If you live in an apartment, you can still take advantage of this and plant it in the big pot, and then gift it next year to a friend that has a garden - your kids could help transplant the tree in it's new home!

Thrifty Thursday - Eco Friendly Thrifty Easter Egg Dye

This week for my Thrifty Thursday post, I'm talking about dying those Easter and Spring eggs on a budget. The twist is that it's also an eco-friendly way to do it, so you don't have to worry about your kids coming into contact with chemicals.


You'll need several jars - you can use empty peanut butter and tomato sauce jars from your recycling if you have them, you just need to be able to leave your project sitting overnight for the dark colors. Rinse your eggs thoroughly before starting your project (especially if using fresh farm eggs) to make sure the color will stick evenly to the eggs. Boil your eggs as usual, and then use the following ideas for coloring:

To make pink eggs, fill a jar 2/3rds full with cranberry or ligonberry juice. Carefully place the egg(s) in the jar, and put the lid on. Leave it overnight for dark pink eggs, a few hours for lighter pink eggs.

For purple or lavender eggs, do the same process with grape juice. For brown eggs, use coffee or tea, and for yellow, use orange or lemon peels steeped in hot water (though, they don't always end up vibrant yellow - several teaspoons of turmeric has been said to make a brighter yellow egg), and allowed to cool before letting your kids put the eggs in it.

To make patterned lines around the eggs, try carefully wrapping a rubberband around the egg, or tying some string.

Now be aware that this can also give fabric stains and color skin, so be sure to take precautions if spills happen.

And if you really want blue or green eggs, and you still happen to have some packets or Kool-Aid lying around, there's your blue and green. ;) Follow with carefully coloring designs using crayons, or placing stickers on the eggs. If you are planning to eat these eggs, be sure to put them in the fridge after placing them in the color jar. None of the ingredients listed above should change the taste of the egg inside, unless there is a crack in the egg that allows the coloring to go inside.

Book Review: Fashioned By Faith by Rachel Lee Carter

I recently received a copy of the new book, Fashioned By Faith by Rachel Lee Carter, to review.


I'm never one for shying away from saying what I think, so beware with this post. (Consider yourself warned) We've gone too far. Yes, the goth girl who loves corsets and funky tights feels we've gone too far. When I go to the grocery store, and I see women bending over, showing much of her rear end thanks to her ill fitting jeans - frankly ladies, I don't want to see it! Or when I see bikinis marketed as "sexy" for teens? What on earth are we teaching our children???

Now, for those of you who may be silently thinking to yourself I'm the pot calling the kettle black, think again. You can dress alternatively while dressing modestly. I don't show a lot of skin myself - I prefer long skirts. If I wear shorter skirts, I wear tights. (or knee high socks) I don't wear sleeveless dresses or tops without wearing a cardigan on top, and I avoid plunging necklines, which it seems is getting harder and harder to do these days. I'm actually more of a believer in dressing feminine - the only pair of jeans I own is for the dog park (only because I had so many dogs jumping and lifting my skirts up) and for when I am in the yard. (it's hard to be doing some chores in skirts!) My daughter's wardrobe consists of dresses, skirts, and well, more dresses with lots of fun leggings to wear under.

Now that we have that out of the way... ;)

Fashioned By Faith was written by the author, an international model herself who had done campaigns for brands such as Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren, to show that you can look fashionable in today's society without revealing a lot of skin. The book is directed to the teen and unmarried young women crowd (very early 20's). While it does have a lot of religious emphasis, and does contain a 45 day Bible study, alongside many Scripture backing up opinions and the book itself, I do think that even non-religious folks could benefit from reading through this book. Most of the fashion information included applies to us all - from everything to purchasing proper fitting undies that were bought this century (*cough*) to makeup application to proper fitting tops and bottoms.

There are "He Says..." written by young men followed by the author's "She Says..." parts, and the author shares with us some of her "tear sheets" (Ah, you'll have to read the book to find out what they are if you don't already know!) and personal photographs in the center of the book, which will even give you some ideas of dressing more modestly. She also discusses self esteem and weight issues. You'll find out more about the difficulties of sticking to your guns, but the author proves it can be done - even in the cutthroat world of modeling.

The most important thing you can come away from reading this book with is that you CAN dress trendy without being immodest. It is all about the cut and the fit - and of course, the fabrics. I highly recommend passing along a copy of this book to any young lady in your life as it may open their eyes and cause them to think a little before getting dressed each morning, even if they don't take all of the advice completely to heart. Youth and young women groups may benefit taking advantage of the Bible study included to do a weekly discussion group together.

I do wish the author had been photographed on the cover wearing a skirt instead of jeans. Sigh! I'll be honest too - since the book itself is geared towards teens, I think the plain white blouse she is wearing is going to cause some girls to snub the book. I would have, when I was a teen. The outfit she is wearing is well, plain. You can't come off looking like a suburban soccer mom, and that's how she looks in that shot. (just my opinion)

Fashioned By Faith by Rachel Lee Carter is a juvenile nonfiction/religious paperback book. Published by Thomas Nelson, it is 203 pages long. It has a cover price of $13.99, but Amazon has it available for $10.63. It is also available as an e-book for the Kindle and other e-readers.

Please note: I received a copy of this book in order to read it, and share my thoughts on it. All opinions are my own, and you may not agree with them.

Yanni Winner Announcment

The winner of the Yanni Touch of Truth CD giveaway is:

Stacey said...

tweeted here - http://twitter.com/#!/gr8savingstacey/status/59390115516121089

Congratulations! I'm sending you an email right now - remember, you have 48 hours to get back to me!

I'm excited to let y'all know I will be doing an upcoming review on Yanni's live performance next month! My mother is going to be green with jealousy! ;)

Buy One, Get One MiLB Ticket Offer From Kraft

Kraft Singles is teaming up with Minor League Baseball to take your family out to the ballgame at a good price. This special offer is valid at every Tuesday home game through September 6th, and it's fairly easy to take advantage of it: simply bring a KRAFT Singles package wrapper to the ballpark box office on any Tuesday home game for your local MiLB team. There's no forms to mail in or extra UPC's to keep track of - all you need is the wrapper from any size or variety! For more information, check out the website.

(As a heads up, not every team is participating, sadly, so be sure to check the list before heading out. Local folks, our team in Tacoma is one of the teams who are sitting this deal out - phooey!)

Random Thoughts Tuesday - The Short Late Edition

The trash did not get put out on time this morning.

Our neighborhood was also crawling with uniforms this morning. I have no idea what happened, I'm afraid to ask around - who knows what happened now!

And to add to the trifecto, I checked the bank account and DH had "bought snacks" at the gas station yet again. If you heard a thwapping sound, that was me, missing his head with the frying pan. I was LIVID. There are so many snacks at home for him to pack with his lunch every day - we've actually even had chips around here for him to take. There's just no excuse to pay gas station prices!

Oh, and part of the reason I am so livid is he just got a pay cut at work this week. It's better than no job, don't get me wrong, but we had a conversation on being super careful so we could make it until things get better... and yeah, you can see how well that worked.

THWAP!

At least today was an absolutely gorgeous day outside. Lots of sun, and almost short sleeve weather! Yay!

I've had a bunch of icky housewife search terms again. I mean ICK ones. Some people need help! *shivers*

Blu-Ray Review: Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure

My family and I recently received a copy of Disney's newest release, Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure, to review.


Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure is from the producers of High School Musical, and is an all-new movie featuring Ashley Tisdale continuing in the role of Sharpay Evans from the High School Musical movie series. In this movie, Sharpay is spotted by a talent scout when she is at a charity event with her dog, Boi. Sharpay and her pampered pooch head off to NYC to pursue her acting dreams against her father's wishes, convinced everything will be handed to her on a silver platter - or in this case, designer bag. wink, wink. She has 30 days to hit it big, she promises, or she'll come back home - but that just couldn't happen. Things aren't quite as easy as Sharpay thought they would be - Boi lands a job first, and she runs into another pampered pooch named Countess and her devious owner, along with a scheming Broadway starlet who also wants to be on top, and makes Sharpay's life miserable. Sharpay meets Peyton, a student filmmaker, who happens to help out by cheering her own, and helping her find a studio apartment in his building. Will romance bloom between Sharpay and Peyton? And will her dreams of becoming a famous starlet come true?

The movie is a pink glitzy little girl's dream come true - after all, so many little girls dream of becoming a singer or actress. Throw in some adorable little dogs, a few fun songs (although it's not so much a musical as the previous movie's where Sharpay's character comes from), and it's a recipe for another great Disney movie. Parents may roll their eyes at moments, but 'tween girls will love this one. Here's a short clip from the movie:



(Sorry feedreaders, you'll have to click over to my site to view the clip)

The DVD contains a little bit of special features - some bloopers featuring the cast of the movie, and "Austin Cam", where the actor that plays Peyton takes his camera for a behind the scenes look at the fun between takes. The Blu-Ray edition contains both of those bonus features, as well as a short featurette, "The Evolution of Sharpay", where Ashley Tisdale shares how her character has grown from the High School Musical movies to this new movie.

Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure is a two disc combo set featuring the Blu-Ray version of the movie as well as the DVD version. While they cost just about $10 more than just buying the regular DVD, you end up saving money in the long run because you won't have to re-buy the same title in the Blu-Ray format down the road if you don't already have a Blu-Ray player or PlayStation 3. Plus, if you have a computer/laptop with DVD playing capability or portable DVD players, you can play the regular DVD disk on those. It's a win-win situation. (Plus, with all the deals out there, you can often find these combo packs for the same price as buying the regular DVD version!) There is also a special three disc set available that features a limited edition pink clutch! Or use the code found inside of the two disc combo pack to order the clutch for just $6, including shipping & handling!

This titles also qualifies as part of the Disney Movie Rewards program, so be sure to enter the code inside the box to get your reward points. If you are interested in purchasing this title for your home move collection, there is a printable coupon currently available that will save you $8 off the combo packs, now through April 26th. Pair it with some of the grocery store deals that offer freebies with purchase, and you can end up with this movie for much less than two tickets to most movie theaters.

The official soundtrack to Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure is also available now.

Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure was released today, and is available at your favorite place to purchase DVDs. This widescreen live action film is 89 minutes long and rated G, safe for all ages with no bad language or questionable moments. The suggested retail price is $39.99 for the combo pack, and $29.99 for the Blu-Ray edition. Amazon has it available as of this posting for just $19.99 for the two disc combo set, so it's a great deal if you'd like it shipped to your door.

You know the drill: I received a copy of this DVD in order to share my thoughts on it - all opinions are my own.

DVD Review: Captain Planet And The Planeteers Season One

Earth! Fire! Wind! Water! Heart! By your powers combined, I am Captain Planet!

My family and I recently received a copy of the new DVD Captain Planet And The Planeteers Season One to review.


My fellow late 80's/early 90's fans can rejoice, Captain Planet And The Planeteers Season One is finally available on DVD so we enjoy our favorite environmental superhero show again! For those unfamiliar with the show, Captain Planet centers around an eco-friendly superhero and five "Planeteers" - who have the power of Earth, Fire, Water, Wind, and Heart - who are fighting against eco-villains and helping to save the planet with Gaia, the spirit of Earth. Long before recycling and conserving water was the normal thing to do, this show was helping to introduce Earth-friendly measures to the younger generation as each episode ended with a short thought on what you as the viewer can do to help. My DH will tell you it was one of the top five shows back in the early 90s for boys - and considering some of the shows around that time, that's a pretty good thumbs up!

The show is mostly geared towards boys and girls, ages 5 to 10, though it's not to say the younger crowd won't enjoy it too. It's free of most questionable content, with very little cartoon violence, and of course no bad language, etc. It had a lot of guest stars doing character voices, including Meg Ryan, Sting, Dean Stockwell, and even LeVar Burton of Reading Rainbow fame.

Captain Planet And The Planeteers Season One arrives on a four disc boxed set with 26 episodes. In the vein of the show, the boxed set is 100% recycled fibers with an average of 60% post consumer recyclable paper. It's also compostable and recyclable again. The only plastic is the DVD's themselves! I really wish ALL DVD's would become like this - it would be so much more environmentally friendly.

The set containers several bonus features including "Your Powers Combined: The Story of Captain Planet", and original concept art gallery, and animated storyboards.

Captain Planet And The Planeteers Season One is available today at your favorite DVD store. The total running time is just about 10 hours long, and it's not rated, but I'd rate it in the "G" range. It's full screen edition. The set has a suggested retail of $29.93, but Amazon has it available for $18.99 as of this posting. (Netflix users: you can add this title to your queue to have it sent when it's available)

I received a copy of this DVD in order to view and share my thoughts on it. All opinions are my own, and all links are for your convenience; they are not referral links.

Printable Sensodyne ProNamel Fresh Wave Coupon

Here's a Sensodyne ProNamel Fresh Wave printable coupon to save $1.00 on your next purchase. (You can actually use it on any of their ProNamel toothpastes) You'll need to create a profile or sign in to be able to print the coupon.


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!

Great Emergency Prep Item At Dollar Tree!

So I have been working on upgrading our emergency kits around the home over the last few weeks, and trying to make sure our "three day kits" are easy to carry and have the appropriate things in there, while still staying in our budget. DH has carried his version of an emergency backpack to work for years, so there wasn't much to be added to it. Mine too, because hey, I'm a Mom living in the land of Murphy's Law and I already carry everything but the kitchen sink in there.

Now creating a kiddo one was were I was getting a little stuck. We picked up a cute small backpack at Goodwill, wanting to make one for her so she could have a little fun and carry a few things that lightened our load (DH's was really HEAVY thanks to things he needs for work) We added a "stuffy" toy, a change of undies & socks, a tiny first aid kit, a whistle, an emergency blanket (the foil tiny ones you can find that fold to the size of a deck of cards), a small ziploc with a mini juice box and snack, and I really wanted to add a small flashlight. The cheap ones were too big and bulky to go in it, and I didn't want to spend $10 on one of those small ones at Lowe's that probably will only get used to play with. I had a EUREKA! moment the other day when I was reading an article suggesting those glow sticks from the dollar store.

DUH, Storm, cheap and light, and I know they have the fun necklaces and jewelry ones at the Dollar Tree. So we stopped in today, and imagine my giddy surprise when I found these babies:


They are made by Life Gear, and they are an eco-friendly glow flasher stick that is non toxic, water proof, and runs for up to 200 hours on flasher mode. They are in red, blue, or green, and batteries are included. They already had me at non-toxic, but waterproof? Seriously, be still my emergency preparedness heart! I bought a stack and have stashed them everywhere! For a buck, I might pop one out of the package and we'll play with it later, lol.

If you're on the hunt for emergency candles, I noticed they had a six pack of emergency taper candles that burn for five plus hours at just $1 a box, too. It's really easy to take $5 here and there and build up a good stash of preparedness items at these dollar stores!

Review & Giveaway: Lovable Labels Address Labels

I'm a Love Bug for Lovable Labels, and they have a great new product out - address labels!


Lovable Labels' new address labels come in seven different designs currently for you to choose from, with several fun ones perfect for Spring. I don't go through as many labels as I used to, now that I do so much online, so I was shocked a few weeks ago when I was sending out a thank you note and realized I was on my last sheet of address labels - oops! (It's always like that, isn't it?) I choose the candy dots design, and when they arrived, they were even cuter than I thought they would be! This is what the design looks like:


They were perfect to use on Easter greetings to older family members. (I'd show a picture of mine, but for privacy reasons, I obviously don't want my address splashed all over the Internet! lol) I was totally pleased! 240 return address labels cost $18.50 CDN, and you can have up to four lines on most of the labels.

Lovable Labels also carries stationary notes too, so if you need some small thank you notes for your kiddos to send out to grandparents and other gifters, you can easily combine your order! If you don't already, be sure to follow Lovable Labels over on Facebook or Twitter to find out about special deals and free shipping offers. Right now they have a great offer for Facebook Fans, where you can get FREE outdoor bin labels with a purchase of $25 or more. Head on over to the Facebook page and like them to find out more!

Win it! Lovable Labels is letting me give away a set of address labels, winner's choice, to one lucky reader! To enter, head on over to Lovable Labels' website, and let us know which address label design you'd choose if you won! (Side note: you can change your mind if you win. Winner will be notified, confirmed that the email address is correct, and then Lovable Labels will send an email to the winner to assist in your design choice - you'll have 48 hours from when the email is sent to reply back to them)

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 Lovable Labels Addy Labels http://tinyurl.com/3g3olql ends 4/30 @psychotichouse

That's four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends April 30th 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!!

Please note that I received product in order to share my thoughts on this product, and opinions are my own. One winner will receive the prize stated above, as fulfilled by the giveaway sponsor.

Menu Planning Monday - Are You Sure?

It's Monday already? The time is really flying! It doesn't feel like a Monday at all. The Buffalo Chicken from last week was totally YUM! It's one we'll definitely make again.

I need to organize my pantry - we took advantage of a couple of deals the last week or so ($1 cereals last week at QFC, now $1 peanut butter at QFC), and I need to organize my shelves better.

For anyone else that uses a lot of rice, Cash & Carry restaurant supply here in the NW has a killer deal on rice this month - for under $15 you can snag a 50 pound bag of rice! That's a lot of homemade side dishes and yummy meals.

Monday: recipe for review - check back to see it!

Tuesday: Chicken Empadas

Wednesday: Taco Turkey Roll Ups

Thursday: Mexican Bake

Friday: veggie burgers, baked tater tots, rice

Saturday: Lemon Pepper Slow Cooker Roasted Chicken, veggies, salad

Sunday: recipe of the week

Check out Organizing Junkie for other great Menu Plans!

Review: Peeled Snacks

The bright side about Earth Day being celebrated is that it brings forth lots of good, sustainable companies into the limelight. Peeled Snacks is one of those companies.

Peeled Snacks are all USDA organic fruits grown on sustainable farms here in North America. (I really love seeing products that say Made In The USA on them!) Their snacks have no sugar or oil added - just wholesome organic dried fruit, that's it. Each of the single serve packages contain one serving of fruit in them, making them an excellent choice to pack for lunches and picnics this Earth Day, and well, every day. The names are fun too: Cherry-go-round, Banan-a-peel, much-ado-about-Mango, pine-4-Pineapple, Apricot-a-lot, and Apple-2-the-core.


We received Cherry-go-round and Apple-2-the-core in the single serve bags, and the Farmer's market trio resealable pouch, which contains cherries, apples, and raisins (dried grapes):


I'm not new to the world of dried and dehydrated fruits - I even do some myself - but it's rare to find commerically made dried fruits snacks that doesn't have anything added to them. As a Mom, and even as a sort-of-tree-hugger, I'm always pleased to find anything that isn't treated with a million different chemicals not only while it's growing, but while it's being processed and packaged for me. We started off with the Farmer's Market Trio:


And the three serving bag didn't even make it until Daddy came home! lol The cherries and raisins were sweet, and the apples were perfect. The cherries were definitely the kiddo's favorite as she polished off the Cherry-go-round single serve by herself the next day. (Is it bad I was actually kind of hoping there might be some leftovers?) Even the bunny happily gobbled up a piece of the apple!

Of course, these fruit snacks are naturally gluten free, and a great natural source of fiber. 10% of the profit from sales of the Organic American Farms Sampler is donated to American Farmland Trust to help them in their cause for sustainable farming. You are helping to support sustainable farming by not only purchasing these products and making a market for them, but by supporting a company that gives a portion of their profits right back to the sustainable farming world!

If you are interested in giving Peeled Snacks a try, you can find them at your local Starbucks and Whole Foods, or you can order online. If you choose the later, they have $7 flat rate shipping, or free shipping on all orders over $65 - but I have a free shipping code for you, good on ALL purchases - use promo code ecosnacks at checkout to receive the discount. (I vote you try out those cherries!) In celebration of Earth Day, they currently have 15% off the Organic American Farms Sampler, so now might be a good time to try it.

Peeled Snacks are over on Twitter, or you can "like" their page over on Facebook too - both will give you a head's up on sales and free shipping promos, as well as letting you know first about new fruit snacks in the future.

By the way, since Peeled Snacks are shelf stable dried fruit, I think they make an excellent addition to any emergency and preparedness kit. The packaging doesn't take up a lot of room and they are easy open - just be sure to rotate them by the date on the package.

I received samples of this product in order for my family to try out and share my thoughts on it. All opinions are my own.