Random Thoughts Tuesday - Cravings

Yowser, what's up with all the violence? Here we had an 8 year old shot in class, a trooper killed, a park ranger killed - those in the space of 48 hours - and now I see what happened at the school in Ohio. Every day there's so many stories just like that - it breaks my heart. Our world is going crazy. :(

I am stuck in the after surgery lizard phase. I wish someone had bothered to give me a heads up that your skin becomes a mess after surgery. I had no clue what was going on when my face started peeling while still in the hospital.

And the bills are starting to roll in. Why can't they just send it all in one big one, instead of all these smallish ones? (Not that they are really that smallish, but you know what I mean) I'd rather just have the heart attack over all in once.

I am also stuck in cabin fever mode. I want to go hiking. :( I want to go thrifting. :( I'll settle for the grocery store, JUST GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!! lol

I crave sunlight.

I also crave mashed potatoes and gravy.

I've decided that the most over-used word in grocery products is the word "natural". Don't even get me started on how worthless this word has become.

I think I've watched nearly every interesting history related documentary/show on Netflix at this point. They need to get some new stuff on, pronto.

Speaking of Netflix, Dora better hang on to her hat, because Ruby Gloom has been discovered. Yippee!!! So there's not really any learning in it, but it sure is nice to have another show on replay around here.

I keep seeing ads for hotel rooms and I really, really want a night away - someplace warm. Sigh!

Naptime.

Blu-Ray Review: Lady And The Tramp: Diamond Edition

My family and I recently received a copy of the newest release from the Disney vault, Lady And The Tramp: Diamond Edition, to review.


One of my favorite Disney movies of all times, Lady And The Tramp follows the story of Lady, a pampered purebred Cocker Spaniel. One day she meets Tramp, a stray street savvy "mongrel" who lives a different kind of life, and doesn't understand Lady's loyalty to her family - and most importantly, the new baby. Alas, bad guys always cause a bit of trouble and Lady ends up in the pound. Will Tramp save her? And does that mean Tramp will have a new family?

Who can resist the famous spaghetti scene in this movie? Those terrible twin Siamese cats? ;) And let's not forget the fabulous voice of the late Peggy Lee throughout the movie? Getting to watch this movie on Blu-Ray - where it's been cleaned up a little, and the sound even clearer, was AMAZING. I was a little worried that a few moments might be a little too scary for my three year old, but she loved it just as much as I did when I was a little girl. (She now wants to make spaghetti & meatballs for our Corgis, LOL!)

Lady And The Tramp: Diamond Edition is a two disc set that includes the Blu-Ray version of the movie as well as the regular DVD version of the movie. The movie is also available in just the Blu-Ray, but I like these dual sets - they 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!)

Both disc do contain bonus features as well as the movie itself. The regular DVD contains an interview called "Diane Disney Miller: Remembering Dad", where Walt Disney's Daughter talks about her father. The Blu-Ray disc contains the same, as well as a whole host of special features - three never before seen deleted scenes, a never before recorded song called "I'm Free As The Breeze", Disney's Second Screen (picture in picture) audio commentary called "Inside Walt's Story Meetings", "Lady's Pedigree: The Making of Lady And The Tramp", "Finding Lady: The Art of the Storyboard", the original 1943 Storyboard version of the film, a "Bella Notte" music video, a featurette called "PuppyPedia: Going To The Dogs", "The Siamese Cat Song" - Finding A Voice For the Cats, excerpts from "Disneyland" TV Shows, and some trailers.

The discs also contain Fast Play, which is a navigation utility that automatically starts the disc as soon as it's put in the player and pretty much remembers your viewing preferences.

Lady And The Tramp: Diamond Edition is rated G, and safe for all ages - but do remember there are a few scary moments for the younger crowd. As it's an animated Disney movie, you don't really have to worry about there being any questionable scenes in the way of bad language.

Lady And The Tramp: Diamond Edition was released on Tuesday, February 7th, 2012, and will only be available for a limited time, so be sure to snag your copy soon. Rated G, the total running time (not including special features) is 76 minutes long. The suggested retail price for the 2 Disc Blu-Ray Combo is $39.99, but Amazon has it available as of this posting for $24.99.

I received a copy of this DVD in order to view it and share my thoughts on it. All opinions are my own.

Book Review: A Darkly Hidden Truth By Donna Fletcher Crow

I recently received a copy of the book A Darkly Hidden Truth by Donna Fletcher Crow to review as part of a Kregel book blog tour.


A Darkly Hidden Truth follows Felicity, who wants to become a nun. She plans to set out on a mini retreat to several different convents to see if this really is her calling, when Father Antony asks her help in finding the valuable icon, Our Lady of the Transfiguration. As they are attracted to each other, they find other religious icons have gone missing, too. Felicity's mother makes an unwelcome appearance, and Felicity ends up learning more about church history as their search continues and leads them into a path of danger. Will Felicity follow through with becoming a nun, or will she choose Father Antony instead? And will she forgive her mother?

Complete with a glossary of terms for those unfamiliar with some of the religious and medieval terms used in the book, a timeline of important events, and a map to show where some of the places mentioned in the book are, the book has well developed characters, and it's easy to follow along with. You find yourself engrossed in the mystery! Felicity has a bit more spunk than I was expecting when I first read the word "nun" - maybe I just grew up around some boring ones? ;) I liked the more present day world mixed in with medieval moments. If you enjoy mysteries, and don't mind one centered on religion, definitely add this book (and series) to your to-read list!

A Darkly Hidden Truth is the second book in The Monastery Murders series. You don't have to read the first book - A Very Private Grave to follow along in this book, but it might help you pick up on a few things here and there. The third book in the series is called An Unholy Communion, and the first chapter of the book is included in this one.

Donna Fletcher Crow has written more than 35 books. To find out more about the author, and to learn more about this series, visit the author's website here.

A Darkly Hidden Truth by Donna Fletcher Crow is a paperback suspense and mystery book published by Monarch Books. It is 366 pages long. The suggested cover price is $14.99, but Amazon has it available for $10.19 as of this posting. It is also available as an e-book for the Kindle and other e-readers.

I received a copy of this book in order to share my thoughts and participate in the blog tour hosted by Kregel. All opinions are my own, and not that of the author(s) or publisher.

Is February Really Almost Over?

Well, my stitches are gone, and I finally got to have a hot shower a couple of days ago, so that makes the world a bit of a better place! (I still feel like I have hospital ick all over me, though)

When I was sent to the ER, what they say about the full moon and the ER is true - it was a zoo. I was stuck in the waiting area for four hours until they finally took me back. In those four hours, I was convinced the zombie epidemic was starting, lost 10 points off my IQ because the TV was showing the Kardishans' show, and realized the last place I want to be in a viral plague is a hospital. (Not that I didn't already know that last one, but believe me, it was confirmed!)

The house still looks like a hurricane, but it'll live. (Maybe it will give me an excuse to get rid of more junk?) As far as me, well, I can sit up a bit, but if I sit up too long, the pain creeps in, and the exhaustion hits. Thank goodness for Netflix, as it keeps some of the boredom down! I wish I could say I was able to read a ton of books now, but I only last a few pages before the pages start blurring. Phooey. I guess that part will take a few more days.

Winners! (Finally, I Know!)

The winner of the Kisseo e-cards giveaway is:

Aileen R.+1Follow via GFC or Subscribe to Feed

The winner of the Little Caesers giveaway is:

Laura Jacobson said...

I would choose the pepperoni!

The winners of the Cheryl's Cookies giveaway are:

susan1215 said...

Key to My Heart Gift Tin – Cut-outs

Janine said...

I like the chocolate fudge cake with Vday sprinkles! Thanks!

pmj said...

gfc follower

The winner of the Hershey's Valentine's giveaway is:

Rebecca said...

I remember eating cinnamon gummi hearts with my mom.

And the winners of the Popcorn Factory Loves Ya Giveaway are:

katfam95 said...

The Zig Zag Ultimate Tower looks amazing!

Candie L said...

I am an email subscriber. Thank you

Kellie's Camera said...

happy hearts snack assortment!

Congratulations everyone! I am sending out emails right now - remember you have 48 hours to get back to me! Again, I appreciate everyone's patience while I am in recovery mode right now - I am so sorry it took me this long to get winners!

Updating Y'all...

I wanted to get on earlier, but my right shoulder has been hurting from compensating for my right side having been chopped up, and it made trying to get on the computer and type painful all week long.

I had my first follow up visit with my surgeon yesterday - the good news, all of my incisions look to be healing properly. My infection seems to be clear so I am off antibiotics now too. (Yipee!) The bad news? He feels I am trying to do too much, too soon. *grumble grumble* Apparently, he'd rather I was in bed 23 hours a day I guess. I didn't feel like I was trying to do too much - I've only been trying to supervise things around here sometimes. (OK, OK, Thursday I swiffered because I couldn't take the furballs in the hallway!) Doctor's estimated time of healing? 3 months! *faints* I'm already missing seed starting, my house looks like a nuclear bomb went off in here, and he's saying three months? In another three weeks he says I should be able to be bending over at least, and lifting things up to ten pounds. (Poor Magick, he can't understand why I haven't picked his big fat tush up since I've been home. lol)

So it's going to be slow going around here, but I'll be trying the best I can. And I know, winners, winners - that's my next step. (So sorry!)

And go figure, Thursday DH came home with the insurance packet from work. If only they had been about 2 weeks earlier! :(

Home...

I am back home after having emergency surgery with complications. Very glad to be home!

My time online will be limited over the next few months, as I have a long journey ahead of me, but I will do my best to get some posts up perhaps later this coming week and get winners drawn from the giveaways that have ended. I'm sorry - believe me, I would have rather been on a vacation somewhere special than what I went through!

I'll end this with a little giggle for you. When I came to in the recovery room, the nurses were asking a gentleman how he was doing after his left leg was amputation. The man clearly was upset, and kept saying it was his right left that as supposed to be removed. I could hear the commotion as the nurses were trying to get his files and call over the other nurses in fear that the wrong leg was removed. (While I laid there terrified!) Finally, the guy goes "I was just messing with you ladies"

O_O ZOMG! I didn't touch my breasts for two days in fear one was missing! LOL

Just an FYI

I have been struggling with my health for awhile, and I am not feeling well right now. I am off here in a few, I'll be back blogging as soon as I can. If you need me for something, send me an email with URGENT in the subject line - my DH will try to check daily and let me know.

Sprint 4-Day Sale From 2/5 - 2/8

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sprint. All opinions are 100% mine.

The last time I bought a cell phone for myself, it was before we got married - six years ago! Is it any wonder that poor phone has been on life support for years, between the falls it's taken and a few dunkings? *cringe* I've definitely gotten my money's worth of out my phone, but I admit there are sometimes I have an itchin' to get a new phone, especially so I could surf the net while we are out doing errands and check for prices online.

From 2/5 to 2/8, Sprint has a limited time sale, only online!

You can get the Nexus S™ 4G for FREE when you open a new line of service or add to your account. (Nexus S™ 4G @ FREE online only savings $50 mail in rebate converts to instant + $99.99 web only savings).

Or, choose the HTC EVO™ 3D for only $49.99 when you open a new line of service or add to your account. (HTC EVO™ 3D @ $49.99 online only savings $50 mail in rebate converts to instant + $50 web only savings)

Plus, get waived activation fee for new lines of service and free shipping on sprint.com!

I'm tempted, very tempted!

Printable Arm & Hammer Simply Saline Coupon

Here's a printable coupon to save you $1.00 off your next purchase of Arm & Hammer Simply Saline. As it's cold and flu season, it will probably come in handy!


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!

Giveaway: New Taste Of The Wild Puppy Formula

I confess... both DH and I have secretly been coveting adding a Corgi puppy to our family. We have a name picked out, and have snagged a few puppy things here and there. Course, it will have to wait until we move back home - but we've begun talking to several responsible breeders so when we're ready to make our Corgi duo a trio... or maybe a quadro (LOL) we can get on the list. (A good breeder usually only has one or two litters of puppies a year.)

Puppies (and nursing moms) need a better diet than my two, who will be 8 this month. They are growing quickly - especially bigger breed dogs! - and they need a bit more protein than dogs who are full grown. That's why you should choose the best puppy chow you can afford - free of fillers, with meat as the first ingredient.

Now whenever I start talking about pet food, I always want to be upfront and honest and say for the most part, we make our own dog food around here. I do keep a few small bags and cans (Captain is missing most of his teeth) ready for emergency evacuation purposes - since it's not like I can just fire up a slow cooker at an emergency shelter for the Corgis! lol I know not everyone has the time to make their own food at home though.


Taste of the Wild recently came out with new puppy foods that are grain free just like all other Taste of The Wild varieties. Available in High Prairie Puppy Roasted Venison & Bison, as well as Pacific Stream Puppy Smoked Salmon, the kibble is a little bit smaller than the adult varieties, making it easier for smaller mouths to chew. They are also developed specifically to be more nutritionally beneficial for dogs under the age of 18 months, with a bit more fiber and salmon oil.


For those living in the Seattle area, check out the MudBay family of stores, or Naturally 4 Paws in Silverdale - both carry the Taste of the Wild family, and can help you decide if it's right for your pet. (They also carry Taste of the Wild for cats, too!)

Win it! Thanks to Taste of the Wild, one lucky puppy owner is going to win a fabulous prize package! It includes samples of the puppy formulations, the book and DVD "My Smart Puppy: Fun, Effective, and Easy Puppy Training" and a $25 gift card to Wag.com, which carries the Taste of the Wild brand. To enter, simply tell us about the new puppy (or dog) in your life!

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)
Win Taste of the Wild Puppy prizes! http://bit.ly/z5iSai ends 2/18 @psychotichouse

That's four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends February 18th 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!! :)

Join The Prescription Savings Club At Walgreens

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens. All opinions are 100% mine.

With the cost of prescription medications rising, it can be hard to find relief, especially if you are without medical insurance. Right now, you can snag a special discount on an annual membership for the Prescription Savings Club at Walgreens. For just $35 a year, you can purchase a family membership that covers everyone in your immediate family, which includes your spouse, dependents 22 and younger, and pets. Even if you have insurance for yourself, you probably don't for your pets, and I can tell you how costly those prescription medications can be for your pets. We spent over $50 a month on just one of Pudgy's medications, and it was the most expensive purchasing it from the vet. It was actually cheaper to purchase either online or from a pharmacy like Walgreens! Don't even get me started on Captain's medications after his last surgery - luckily, he only had to take them for a week.

If you're single, or the only one in your family who needs any prescription medications, the cost to join the Prescription Savings Club is just $20. On top of savings on more than 8,000 brand name and all generic medications, with your membership you'll also receive discounts on flu shots, pet prescriptions, nebulizers and diabetic supplies, as well as bonuses when you purchase Walgreens brand products and photo finishing services.

Find out more, plus sales and deals, by following Walgreens on Twitter or liking Walgreens on Facebook.

Giveaway: The Popcorn Factory Loves Ya!

Did you know Americans consume nearly 16 billion quarts of Popcorn every year? Yowser! That's a LOT of popcorn! Between the Big Game on Sunday, and Valentine's Day next weekend, The Popcorn Factory is celebrating in a big way!

Right now, you can save $10 on all orders over $50 or more using promo code V125W at checkout, and save $20 off all orders over $100 using promo code V122W at checkout, now through February 8th. The Popcorn Factory is made here in the USA with grown in America corn, so you are supporting American made with your purchase!

Check out DJ Sock Pop's "corny" video:


Direct Link for the Feedreaders

And head on over to The Popcorn Factory's page over on Facebook for heads up notices on gift ideas and promotions!


Win it! The Popcorn Factory has a very special - and limited edition - Love Ya gift! Three lucky winners will get one! To enter, head on over to The Popcorn Factory's website, and share with us something you'd love to receive.

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)
Win Popcorn Factory's Love Ya! http://bit.ly/AbjEoV ends 2/11 @psychotichouse

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

Three lucky winners will each win the prize stated above, as fulfilled by the giveaway sponsor.

Friday's Featured Etsy - Bumbershoot Designs

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 Bumbershoot Designs.

Bumbershoot Designs, from here in Seattle, creates elegant jewelry designs featuring beautiful vintage materials such as glass pearls, crystal rhinestones, mother of pearl, antique buttons, and beads. If you need a last minute Valentine's Day gift, they feature same day shipping if payment is received by 10AM, and all jewelry is ready to ship and comes beautifully gift wrapped in small boxes. Sign up for their newsletter, because newsletter subscribers receive one free shipping coupon and special offers every month!

Look at these pretty Emerald Vintage Rhinestone Earrings Swarovski Crystal Earrings in Gold:


This Vintage Pearl Necklace Ivory Grey Sterling Silver Dewdrop is so lovely:


And if bracelets are more your style, check out this Vintage Charm Bracelet Pearls Rhinestones Flowers in Antiqued Brass Rosaline Blossoms


Stop by Bumbershoot Designs today and have a look around! Support handmade!

Thrifty Thursday - Make Your Own Bird Suets

This week for my Thrifty Thursday post, I'm sharing an idea for you to make your own bird suets!


Next time you make ground beef that has extra fat in it, you don't have to waste it. Simply fill a square container with one cup of mixed bird seed, one cup of flour, and one cup of cornmeal, and pour the fat on top. Let it sit on the counter overnight, and you'll have your own suet for much cheaper than in the stores! You can also add fruit, nuts, oatmeal, or even peanut butter to the seed mix before adding in the grease. If you won't be using the suet right away, be sure to freeze it so it doesn't go bad.

Random February News & Information...

Lots of good things have landed in my email one again, and you know the drill - rather than swamp your readers and inboxes with a bunch of posts, I've got them all in one for ya! Maybe you'll save some money, help support a charity, or win something good!

From now until March 31, Wendy’s is calling on all fans to support Wendy’s Wonderful Kids (WWK), the signature program of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, by purchasing retro-style “Where’s the Beef?” T-shirts for $20, with a portion of the proceeds going to WWK. Plus, Wendy’s is looking for creative junkies to create their own retro tee by entering a T-shirt design contest on the Wendy’s Facebook page. Three grand prize winners will have their shirts produced and sold by Wendy’s, with portions of the sales going to WWK!

About.com (www.about.com) has launched Real Recipes, a free app for iPhone and iPod Touch that delivers the recipes and expertise of About.com’s deep catalogue of culinary content in a searchable, easy-to-use display. Real Recipes offers more than 25,000 recipes and countless tools to enhance the user’s cooking experience, including a recipe box, recipe ratings and reviews, and the best advice and tips from the expert food Guides on About.com. This sounds like a great little app to have access to when you need some new recipe ideas!

If you chew Trident or Stride gum, there's a new contest going on called “Chew For The Loot”! Every specially-marked pack of Trident or Stride you chew is a chance for your mouth to earn you an instant $50 - they are giving away $1 million in total. Just open the game piece to find out if you’re the winner.

Tom's of Maine is having an online sale in there store - it's a great way to stock up on products you might be having trouble finding at your favorite store. From now until February 20th, you can save 15% plus getting free shipping using promo code SHOPTOM at checkout.

Now through February 5th, you can save 20% off all boot styles at Eastland, using promo code BOOTMEUP at checkout.

Spice Islands is giving away five sets of two bottles of Spice Islands spices every week, now through December 4th! To enter, like Spice Islands on Facebook, and fill out the entry form. You only have to enter once to be eligible for all the drawings!

Giveaway: Hershey's For Valentine's Day

We're not big on Valentine's Day in our family, but the best part about Valentine's Day is all the chocolate available in the stores! ;) Who doesn't love chocolate as a gift? (OK, I know there are a few of you who don't... but most of us do!)

If you need some quick gift ideas for Valentine's Day, Hershey's has you covered. For faraway family members and friends, you can pick up Hershey’s Kisses Brand Milk Chocolates Picture Box and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Miniatures Picture Boxes and make a special box of goodies to mail to them. Each of these offerings has a picture frame on top of the box, creating a special reminder of home.


As a fun gift for a teacher, there is the Hershey’s Golden Apple and Twizzlers Strawberry Twists Pencil Can. The Twizzlers are individually wrapped, so the teacher can leisurely snack as they wish without worrying if they will go bad, and when they are finished, the container is a pencil holder! And for your co-workers and friends, the packages of Hershey’s variety bags are ready for Valentine’s Exchanges with a “To” and “From” section directly on the packaging!


Head on over to the Celebrate With Hershey's site, where you'll find some fun craft ideas to make with your kids, as well as recipes for yummy treats like Sweetheart Layer Bars and KISSABLES Chocolate Candy Brownie Hearts.

Win it! Thanks to Hershey's, one lucky winner is going to win some Valentine goodies - 1 bag of Hershey’s Kisses and 1 bag of Hershey’s Hugs! To enter, tell us a Valentine's Day memory!

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)
Win Hershey's chocolate! http://bit.ly/xf3Kx1 ends 2/11 @psychotichouse

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

I received Hershey's product in order to write my post. One winner will receive the prize stated above, as fulfilled by the giveaway sponsor.

New Glade® Expressions™ - The Welcoming Scent Of Home

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Triad Retail Media. All opinions are 100% mine.

Nothing smells worse than a stale home with lingering odors, especially when you have company coming over at the last minute! New Glade® Expressions™ can help your home smell more inviting.

The new Glade® Expressions™ fragrance mist is artfully designed and pretty enough to fit nearly any décor, no matter how you style your home. Simply use the squeeze-to-spray activation for easy and comfortable spraying. It is also refillable with your favorite Glade® Expressions™ fragrance.

The new Glade® Expressions™ oil diffuser has a no-spill design that also fits with nearly any décor in your home. It too has a long lasting fragrance that can change the mood of any room, or quickly get rid of the pesky smell leftover from dinner last night. It lasts 30 days and doesn’t require electricity, so you can use it anywhere in your home - no need to be close to an outlet. (Which means it's great to cover up musty smells in RV's and travel trailers!)

Glade® Expressions™ are available in Pineapple & Mangosteen, Cotton & Italian Mandarin (only available in Fragrance Mist form), Fuji Apple & Cardamom, and Spice Lavender & Juniper Berry, so there are scents to fit almost any mood. If you're interested in trying them out, you can print this coupon to save $1.50 on your purchase of any new Glade® Expressions™ at any Walmart store.

Both the Glade® Expressions™ Fragrance Mist and the Glade® Expressions™ Oil Diffuser come with a 30 day money back guarantee. If you're not happy with the way they work in your home, simply fill out the form here. I like it when a product offers a money back guarantee!

Which scent would you like to try the most? I haven't purchased these kinds of products myself in years, but the Fuji Apple & Cardamom scent sounds really nice! So does the Pineapple & Mangosteen! If you try any of the Glade® Expressions™ out, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Giveaway: Cheryl’s Valentine’s Day Hug Bugs

Valentine's Day is two weeks away! If you are looking for an inexpensive gift to brighten some one's day, Cheryl’s Valentine’s Day Hug Bugs are absolutely perfect! These adorable little ladybug cookies are a fun gift to have land in the mailbox, and at just $5 (shipping included!), won't break the bank. (At the price of store bought greeting cards, this comes in about the same - and the recipient gets a sweet treat!)


Don't forget to like Cheryl’s on Facebook, and check out all of the Valentine’s Day treats! They have free shipping right now on all Valentine's Day gifts using promo code VALSHIP.

Win it! Thanks to Cheryl's, three lucky winners are going to receive a Cheryl’s Valentine’s Day Hug Bug! (You can send it to yourself, or send it to someone special!) To enter, head on over to the website and tell us which Valentine's Day gift you'd love to receive.

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)
Win Cheryl's Hugs! http://bit.ly/z361kY ends 2/4 @psychotichouse

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

Three lucky winners will each win the prize stated above, as fulfilled by the giveaway sponsor.

Review & Giveaway: Old Orchard Cranberry Naturals

I've almost kicked my caffeine habit! I was drinking about the equivalent of two 2 litres of diet soda at my highest consumption years ago, to being down to about a glass a day. Water can get boring, so trying new juice drinks has been a little fun. The thing with many of those juice drinks is that they are loaded with sugar - or even worse, high fructose corn syrup. I have to be careful and read the labels!


Old Orchard recently introduced Cranberry Naturals. They contain 40% less sugar than other brands, with no high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Instead, they are sweetened with Truvia, a natural zero calorie sweetener that comes from the Stevia plant, not a lab dish. It's the first reduced calorie cranberry juice to be 100% natural, contains 30% real cranberry juice, and 70 calories per 8 ounce serving.

Course, I'd love the juice content to be even higher, but it would be super tart then probably. I love cranberry juice - it's a treat for me! - so I was excited to try this out. I was sent a bottle of the Cranberry Blueberry and the Cranberry Raspberry to try out. Lucky me, everyone else turns up their nose at the word "cranberry", so these bottles were mine, all mine! (insert evil laugh here!) I enjoyed them both, but if I *had* to choose between them, I think I'd lean towards the Cranberry Blueberry being my favorite. Having a glass first thing in the morning really helped with the boredom of water.

The nice part about these bottles is that they are shelf stable, so I can stock up when there's a deal. A 64 ounce bottle of Cranberry Naturals retails for about $2.99 in the grocery store, but keep your eyes peeled for sales! You can also follow Old Orchard on Twitter, or like them on Facebook, for promotions and other information.

Win it! Thanks to Old Orchard Cranberry Naturals, one lucky winner is going to win two free product coupons to try out the flavor(s) of their choice! To enter, visit the website and tell us which flavor you'd try first.


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)
Win Cranberry Naturals! http://bit.ly/y3k3ED ends 2/18 @psychotichouse

That's four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends February 18th 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 of the product shown above in order to try it out and share my thoughts on it. All opinions are my own. One winner will receive the prize stated above, thanks to the giveaway sponsor.