Mark it with a B

Winter Driving - A few tips

2012-01-25T20:02:00.006-06:00

Many parts of the US have virtually been without a winter so far - including MO where we live. And in the meantime many states that usually don't have much of a winter have been hit pretty hard with snow and ice storms recently. I'm sure that makes for unsure drivers on the road so here's a few tips when faced with winter storms.

If the weather is bad or you are unsure - stay home if at all possible. If you must go out...

Make an effort to be prepared. I know this is hard in an area that might get hit with a sudden storm, especially if you live in an area that doesn't see much in the way of winter. But it's always a good thing to keep some provisions in the car whether it's winter or summer. Some things you might consider keeping in the car are blankets, flashlights with spare batteries, granola bars & bottled water {rotate out monthly}, gloves & a hat, and flares {know how to use them} or a triangle. You may never need any of these things but it's extra piece of mind to know that they are there.

Make sure you are using car seats and boosters that match the weight and height of your kids. And consider extended rear facing if you have a toddler/preschooler - it keeps the kids safer longer. An improperly used restraint can be dangerous. Don't start the vehicle until everyone is secure in whatever restraint is proper for their age and size.

It probably goes without saying but, no matter what the law is in your area, don't text and drive! Make sure your cell is charged but consider turning it off while you are driving.

Leave plenty of time to get where you are going as it's probably going to take twice as long. Go slow, don't rush. You might be sure of your winter driving skills but are you sure of the skills of others? Be extremely aware of other vehicles around you.

If you are in an accident, no matter how small, you'll want to have your documents handy. Know ahead of time where your insurance info is and who to call if you need to. This would be good advice for any other insurance you might have also - life, house, etc. Don't wait until you need it to figure out how to use it. We recently shopped around for car insurance and were able to save quite a bit moving to a new company. If you are in the market for new insurance consider learning more at the Esurance website.

Have extra supplies at home so you don't *need* to rush out to get groceries. This is one thing I'm really bad about. Consider making a stockpile. Helpful during the Zombie Apocalypse too. :)

Be cautious and stay safe! {and did I mention just stay home? lol}

You can find out more and get your questions answered on the Esurance Facebook page.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Esurance blogging program for 8,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Goal for it - more than a chore chart {review}

2012-01-07T21:28:00.000-06:00

What are your New Year's Resolutions? Not everyone is making them but everyone has goals for the year. Want to loose weight and or eat healthier? Be more present with your family? Make more time for yourself? or just try to get the kids back on track after a hectic previous year?

Give Goal For It Chore Chart a test run - it just might help.

I don't have kids at home any longer, but I've been trying this new Chore Chart out with my granddaughter, whom I watch two times a week. Even tho' she is only 3 we still have goals on those two days she is with me - we need to get her dressed, eat breakfast, brush her teeth, get her to preschool on time... and she loves being able to mark these things off on her Princess-themed chart with a Mady-chosen sticker! {you can print out the charts or use them online}
These are her "jobs" right now and she is very proud when she accomplishes these things!
This is a great way to teach even the smallest child the beginning of responsibility, and young kids enjoy seeing the patterns, and consistencies, in their days; Your kids too will enjoy the feeling of accomplishment as they check off each chore/goal - and you can designate reward points for each checkmark if you choose.

Goal For It is more than just a chore chart though. It has areas for adding friends and family so you can easily communicate, you can post goals for yourself and your family, keep track of to-do lists - and no longer loose track of them! And yes, even I love to see things crossed off a list :). There is also a Journal section, and more. Consider it your go-to online organizer! It's free and takes only a few simple steps to set up.
I'm going to start using Goal for it to focus my blogging tasks as well as tasks I need to complete for my new Etsy shop, On Woodland Road - I think it will be a very helpful tool. Kids 13 and over can create their own account to keep track of their personal lists and tasks. {The under 18 crowd is kept out of the community searches etc.}

Even if you just want to use the Chore Chart sections they are very versatile and appealing; There are Chore charts geared to kids, and to tweens/teens and they each have several categories: health {food choices, weigh-in reminders, exercise}, chores, and behaviour charts for starters, and you can add your own custom items of course. You can also set up custom email reminders to keep you, and your kids, focused and on-task.

Give Goal For It Chore Chart a spin, remember nothing works forever with kids and you may need to change things up every so often {or at least make it look different by changing the theme} but I think this is a great tool to help you, and your kids, stay focused throughout your day.

I was introduced to Goal For It via a relationship with MomSelect and was compensated for this post. All opinions & experiences, however, are my own & are not reviewed by anyone but me prior to posting.

Family Storybook Treasury Book {Giveaway!}

2011-11-27T11:10:00.000-06:00

This was scheduled to start a few days ago but from me not setting it right or blogger being twitchy... it didn't but here it is now! :)
Read on for the giveaway for this very cool, and huge!, book...

Today's giveaway is for THE FAMILY STORYBOOK TREASURY: Tales of Laughter, Curiosity, and Fun! and TWO of my readers will each win a copy!

Family, friends, your favorite characters - bring them all together at story time! Share the book that is sure to entertain, delight, and make the whole gang laugh. The Family Storybook Treasury is a collection of your most well-loved picture books and poetry, now available in one beautiful keepsake volume with bonus audio CD!

Includes eight complete picture books:
Curious George and the Firefighters by Margret and H. A. Rey
Martha Speaks by Susan Meddaugh
Lyle Walks the Dogs by Bernard Waber, illustrated by Paulis Waber
Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw, illustrated by Margo Apple
Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester, illustrated by Lynn Munsinger
Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow
The Great Doughnut Parade by Rebecca Bond
Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton

A beautiful treasure to give, receive, and pass down.

This really is a lovely book! We've read from this book several times and Mady's favorites so far a Sheep in a Jeep, and her all-time favorite story - Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed {she learned the song at story hour at the library and loved it immediately}. Just beware: since there are 8 stories in this one book it's very easy for the child you are reading to to talk you into "one more story!"

Mady gives the Family Storybook Treasury 5 Princess crowns:

Buy it! You can buy The Family Storybook Treasury here.

Win it! 2 lucky readers will win the Family Storybook Treasury for their little one or a little in their life.

Please post the first mandatory entry as a comment on this blog, all other entries will need to be done on the rafflecopter widget to count. And remember that the mandatory entry must be completed before other entries will count. Thanks!

Winners!

2011-11-21T12:52:00.000-06:00

Our winners are up and are being emailed as I type! Thanks everyone for entering!
Go here to see the 2 winners of the Xia-Xia Pets, and here to see who won the My Memories Suite Scrapbook Software!

I'll have another book review and giveaway up this week - Have a lovely Thanksgiving week everyone!

~ Robin

{Giveaway!} Can you see what I see?

2011-11-15T18:57:00.000-06:00

Mady and I love the I Spy books and this new Can You See What I See book is similar but with a story behind it. It's called The Toyland Express and is fabulous! The book is by Walter Wick and has something for all ages.

Here's a peek:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnrHnmBcnfY
Embed Code:

CAN YOU SEE WHAT I SEE? TOYLAND EXPRESS, the eighth title in the bestselling search-and-find series, follows the life of a toy train from the workshop to the attic, only to be rescued at a yard sale and brought to life once again in a new home. As readers search for more than 250 hidden objects, they will also notice how the train takes on various transformations along its journey.

The text of this page reads:
Can you see what I see? A rocking horse, a rolling hoop, a birthday candle, an ice cream scoop, a wheelbarrow, a cat, a goose, a green race car, a red caboose, a jack, two dice, a hammer, a sword - Now load the train it's time to board!

We enjoyed the story and searching for objects. Some were too challenging for Mady to locate
{she's not yet 4} so I just had her find something else instead. She also enjoyed spotting things for *me* to find. We actually spent quite a bit of time enjoying this book, then looking again to really see how the train changed as the story progressed. The train also gave us the opportunity to talk about shapes and how we can combine them to create something new; like a train! The opportunities for learning are pretty endless with this book - and the cool thing is that the kids are learning while engaged with the book and not just learning by rote memorization.
Mady gives this book 5 Princess crowns.

About the author:
Walter Wick has opened millions of eyes to a world of treasures big and small in his award-winning, bestselling I SPY and CAN YOU SEE WHAT I SEE? picture-puzzle books. Walter discovered his passion for building picture puzzles by accident. One day when cleaning out a drawer, he scattered odds and ends on a glass tabletop and photographed them. The photo appeared in a magazine and caught the eye of Jean Marzollo, editor of Scholastic’s Let’s Find Out. This photo inspired the first I SPY book, with riddles by Jean Marzollo, and led to their long collaboration.

In his more recent CAN YOU SEE WHAT I SEE? series, Walter’s detailed photographs convey subtle hidden stories. Walter meticulously constructs 3-D sets for CAN YOU SEE WHAT I SEE? in his Connecticut studio. For videos and more photos, visit www.walterwick.com or www.facebook.com/walterwick.

Win it!
1 lucky reader will win... A signed copy of Can You See What I See? Toyland Express!
(Prizing courtesy of Scholastic)

Got Pasta?

2011-11-14T20:04:00.002-06:00

I have a love/hate relationship with pasta - I love it but, you know how it is, carbs to straight to my butt. And not in a good way.
Like many of you out there in bloggy-land, I've tried the whole wheat versions - and while I love whole wheat bread the whole wheat pasta wasn't my favorite thing in the world.
Enter Dreamfields Pasta! I received a free box in the goodie box from the promoters of Beth Aldrich's forthcoming book, Real Moms Love to Eat. She has the best sponsors!

Dreamfields Pasta has several advantages over conventional pastas:
* Twice the Fiber of Traditional Pasta – 5 grams per 2 ounce serving
* Very Low Glycemic Index of 13 makes it great for Diabetics
* Naturally Cholesterol free
* 0 grams trans fat
* Dreamfields has the delicious taste of traditional pasta.

If you are in the market for a new and healthier pasta give it try! You can check out the website for info on store locations {or buy online} in your area as well as frequent coupons.

I was sent the goodie box as a promotion for the new book, Real Moms Love to Eat. All opinions are my own. By posting this review I will be entered in a contest.

The RMLtE goodie box! Lookie!

2011-11-13T17:14:00.008-06:00

As you might have noticed I'm working, along with many other bloggers, to help Beth Aldrich promote her awesome new book Real Moms Love to Eat, and earlier this month she sent out a goodie box to her affiliates! And what a great box it was! It was filled with healthful stuff - most of which isn't easily purchased where I live so I was thrilled. :)
I'll be telling you about some of the products that I received in future posts - but I wanted to tell you about my VERY favorite thing in the goodie box:

Now I'm not a huge Peanut butter fan - I like it but can live without it, and I feel the same about chocolate - so I was very surprised when I tried Peanut Butter & Co.'s White Chocolate Wonderful and well... I literally ate the whole jar in 3 days. All.by.myself. With only a spoon. it was amazing!

Peanut Butter & Co. make several products, and 3 other Peanut Butter flavors - and you can order from the website... something that might be a bit dangerously too easy for me. :)

If you are a Peanut Butter lover, lookout. This may just make your day. :)

Update: Acutally found this at the store this afternoon. AND the hubster made me buy a jar - because, you know, he didn't get any of the first jar. :)

Thanks to Peanut Butter & Co. and Beth Aldrich for putting this into the goodie box. :)
You can find them on Facebook too.

{I was provided with free product, but my opinions are totally my own. By reviewing this item I will be entered into a giveaway.}

Real Moms Love to Eat - Book review

2011-11-13T05:39:00.002-06:00

Real Moms Love to Eat is more than just a recipe book that tells you the good, the bad, and the ugly of what we eat. This book helps to work through whatever emotions you have about food. Once your food issues are worked out you can start to enjoy food again without the stress. Beth Aldrich, the author of Real Moms Love to Eat, also guides you into making healthy choices but in a 10 part step-by-step fashion that's easy to follow, allowing you to eat well while eating what you love.

This book isn't a Vegan or Vegetarian book but there are plenty of yummy recipes that I plan to try.

In my own experience I've found that eating healthier is a gradual process and not a "diet" by the definition that you might know it as - but diet as in what you eat as part of your lifestyle - and Real Moms Love to Eat is a great resource for those wanting to make changes to a healthier way of life.

Our food system has changed so much in the past 20 years and there are lots of movements out there to help get the word out that real food is healthier than the toxic processed food many are consuming on a daily basis. This book helps you make those healthier choices without having to give up all the foods you love, and if you are like me and have a few {or more} pounds to loose it might even help you do that too.

You can learn more about Beth Aldrich and her book, Real Moms Love to Eat, on her facebook page and Twitter @RealMomsLuv2Eat
Real Moms Love to Eat is now available by Pre-Order and is scheduled for release in January 2012. Pre-Order now and you can be entered into the Real Moms Love to Eat sweepstakes!
Real Moms Love to Eat will also be available for the Kindle

{I was provided with a complimentary early version of the book to review. All opinions expressed are mine and ymmv. This post contains affiliate links.}

My Memories Suite {Giveaway!}

2011-11-12T16:03:00.001-06:00

Years ago, like many many other moms, I got into scrapbooking. I bought paper, embellishments & archival safe glues & tape - and bunches of other items. This wasn't really a good thing for me because I like to have unfinished projects out in the open where I can finish them. eventually. This was a problem mostly because I tend to have many different types of unfinished projects at any given time and you might be able to imagine how the flat surfaces in my house quickly became cluttered.

Then I stumbled upon DIGITAL scrapbooking! What a lovely thing! lol. You might think that all my problems were solved but... now the problem was that I *love* to collect things like patterns, and well... digital scrapbook kits. :) I have tons but at least things aren't scattered all over the my real life flat surfaces. BUT I have tons of files that weren't getting used for one reason or another - partly because it was a huge time suck to sort through all the kits I have on a hard drive until I found just the right one.

So back to square one right...

Enter My Memories Suite.

My Memories Suite is an easy to use scrapbook software package that makes it easy to create beautiful scrapbook layouts. But you can also create beautiful slideshows {with sound even!}, cards, web graphics, just about anything really.
Once installed the interface is quite intuitive, and if you do get stuck their FB page & website have video tutorials {pdf tutes too!}, and their Facebook group can probably answer any questions you have - it's a very active group that frequently hosts challenges and giveaways. Great community that I've been putting through the paces a bit with questions. lol

The interface also comes preloaded with some templates, background papers, etc. to get you started; after you play with those a bit you might want to purchase other sets and templates in the My Memory Suite shop for resonable amounts - some are even free. You can also import .png/.jpg graphics that you already have into the program quite easily.

{Wedding reception page done with a quickpage from the software. Sweet Baby Girl 12x12 - built in the software}

{Ever After Set.}

{Photos taken by Amy Biggerstaff}

I use, and pretty much know my way around, Photoshop but I'll be honest, I've not even digitally scrapped in years - my granddaughter is 3.75 years old and I've not even put togethter a baby book for her - so you can imagine how far behind I am on my adult daughter's images.
Like many of you, I'm sure, all my photos are stored on hard drives {that could fail} and backed up on flickr. But I think My Memories Suite might be the answer I'm looking for to easily, and quickly, get back into digitally scrapping and put some of these images into a format we can enjoy. You can print your precious pages individually through several printing services, or bind them into a book through MyMemories or other sites.

A note on installing: If you have Hughesnet, 3G hotspot, or dial-up find another connection. As you might expect it's a large download {565mb}.

Buy it:
My Memories Suite is greatly affordable {have you priced Photoshop lately?} at and because I really really like my readers - I hace a unique coupon code that gives my readers $10. off the full price of 39.97! AND, when you purchase My Memories Suite v2 you'll also get a $10. coupon code to buy anything in the My Memories store to get you started! I think you all can do the math on that - what a deal!

To purchase using the code: Click on the image above, or go here then copy and paste STMMMS41062 in the shopping cart page at the My Memories website for your $10 discount. And remember, you'll also get a $10 code, in the welcome email after purchase, to use on kits in the My Memories shop!

Win it:
Anyone want to try My Memories Suite for FREE?? They have generously given me the okay to give one of my lucky readers the My Memories Suite software for free! Just enter using Rafflecopter below. Only the 1st entry requires a comment at the bottom of this post - all other comments will not count.

{My Memories Suite provided me with a copy of the scrapbook software & 2 kits to try out. All opinions are my own and ymmv. Thanks My Memories!}

Real Moms Love to Eat

2011-10-25T08:00:00.002-06:00

I've not shared a lot of personal things on this blog but one thing I've been working on for years is learning more about the food we have available to us. I've learned about GMO food, processed food, REAL food... the list goes on. Most importantly I've learned amazing things about how all food types affect our bodies and, over the past five years, have made some important lifestyle changes in how we eat. We no longer eat much processed food, we eat a vegetarian diet with strong raw diet leanings, and no longer eat white flour, white sugar, or white rice.
After all the research I've done I'm very excited to be able to receive and review a new book from fellow blogger/SocialMom, Beth Aldrich... and keep reading for a chance to win prizes! {Formal review of the book will be coming soon!}

Real Moms Love to Eat will be out in January 2012, and is broken down in three sections, which include a fun and easy-to-follow 10-part plan for moms to implement to make gradual, life-long changes in their approach to food and 21 days of meal suggestions, tips, recipes and lifestyle changes — all to help you continue your love affair with food to look fabulous. Beth’s approach to healthy eating is simple and realistic for busy moms. You’ll learn a lot about the food you eat and how it impacts your body and still have loads of fun experiencing new foods and enjoying your life.

Mark it with a B loves new books by other mom bloggers and of course, free prizes! Please help to celebrate the launch of “Real Moms Love to Eat: How to Conduct a Love Affair with Food, Lose Weight and Feel Fabulous” (New American Library, a Penguin Books Imprint, January, 2012) by author, Beth Aldrich, Certified Health Counselor.
Everyone that participates in this “virtual pre-order launch party” is eligible for randomly drawn prizes. Simply enter the the twice-a-month pre-order book giveaway, hosted by the RealMomsLovetoEat.com site here. You can pre-order the book for one entry AND sign up for Beth’s FREE newsletter for a second entry!
{Winners from this virtual book pre-order party will be chosen on January 3, 2012 through random.org and contacted via email.}

If you are a blogger and want to participate in the Book Tour please check out the information here and consider becoming a "Food Affairiate." All registered Food Affairiates who write a review will receive a digital copy of the book now and then a final paper copy when they come out on January 3rd, a goodie bag filled with swag from their book tour sponsors AND be entered to randomly WIN one of the following: Top of the Line Kitchen Blender, Compact Food Processor, Kitchen bakeware, Kitchen utensil goodie basket, cutting boards and a couple other secret prizes!

image credit: Beth Brown

About the Author: Beth Aldrich was former host and producer of PBS's For Her Information. Though always interested in healthy living, a serious car accident in 2007 started her on a journey to formally study Holistic Health and Nutrition. She believes a happy life comes from both health and pleasure. She wants to share this information with other Moms so they can also enjoy food guilt-free while eating healthy and delicious foods. Find more information, including how to pre-order her book at www.RealMomsLovetoEat.com. ((New American Library, a Penguin Books Imprint, January, 2012)

You can also find Real Moms Love to Eat on Facebook and Twitter.

Disclosures:
I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Beth Aldrich - Real Moms Love to Eat blogging program, for a chance to get 3,000 My SocialMoms Rewards points. For more information on how you can participate, click here.
I was gifted from Restoring Essence Nutrition, LLC-owner of Real Moms Love to Eat, a free copy of the book, “Real Moms Love to Eat” and a Food Affairiate goodie bag for participating in this virtual tour and writing about this book pre-order contest.

Xia-Xia Pets are here! {Giveaway}

2011-10-22T19:49:00.001-06:00

I recently received for review a set of Xia-Xia pets {by Cepia, the makers of Zhu-Zhu Pets}! Keep reading because I have a giveaway too! :)

Xia-Xia pets are from an island far away where they dance the Samba to their favorite song. Open their shells and a little friend waits inside! Their shells are their costumes, polished and bright, watch them parade and skitter scatter all night! So come join the party, a festival of cheer, in the land of Xia-Xia where it's Carnivale all year.

Xia-Xia Pets were recently named Toys 'R Us's Hot Toy for 2011 and I'm sure they will be on many many Kids' Christmas lists this year.

I thought they were cute and their cottage and house are quite whimsical. I wasn't sure what kids would think of them, and I'd not seen the ad on TV yet - so wasn't quite sure what to make of them or how my 3.75 year old granddaughter would feel about them.
So... I gave them to Madysen... and she loved them! I was actually surprised that she played with them for so long {about 45min}, but she was quite taken with them.

Based on a Carnivale theme, Xia-Xias are four collectible, robotic hermit crabs with removable shells that contain a little friend hidden inside. A press of the claw and they are on the move skittering around. And to make them even more fun and collectible you can purchase extra shells that contain not one, but two little friends!

Meet the Xia-Xia crabs!

Bimini with her pink polka-dot & striped shell, she loves to strut her stuff in different shell fashions.

Trinidad with his dazzling, bright orange & yellow swirled shell, he loves to dance. Press his claw and watch him skitter scatter in a fun parade.

Turks is sweet and bubbly, and has a red shell and pretty pink bows, making her a cute companion.

Tobago with his rough-and-tumble blue exterior and happy grin, he's always dancing to the Xia-Xia Samba.

3 playsets are available to round out the fun! Rio de trio Village, Copacabana, and Confetti Cottage.
You can visit www.xia-xiapets.com to learn more.

I, personally, prefer open-ended toys that allow a child to use their imaginations in play, and I think these little hermit crabs will offer that for quite some time.

What did I think about them?
While I'm not a huge fan of plastic toys they are cute and stood up to Madysen. I think they will stand up to normal child play quite well. As mentioned, I do like that they are an open-ended toy and I can see Mady introducing these to her GnomeWorld setup and them fitting in there nicely. The little friends in the shells are tiny and therefor very cute {who doesn't like tiny cuteness?? lol} - they are great to collect and trade. Mady did need some help getting the shells off and on but they do go on easily once they are turned correctly. The playsets were easy to put together and I only needed the instructions for a few pieces on the Copacabana. It's cool that the cottage and the Copacabana can attach together, and you could probably finagle the Village to hook on also. At any rate all the extras make a nice playset with lots of possibilities for hours of fun for the 4+ crowd.

And now for the giveaways! {sorry for the icky photos above - no light & I wanted to get this posted}
The first winner chosen will receive the Rio de trio Village, 2 Collectible Shells, 1 Trinidad + 1 Tobago!
The second winner chosen will receive 2 Collectible Shells, 1 Trinidad + 1 Tobago!
{The Village in the first giveaway, & the 2 crabs in the 2nd giveaway were opened for review purposes but are like new & will include their original boxes; the other crabs are NIB}

This is an easy peasy Rafflecopter Giveaway but the first entry will be to post a comment on this blog post - just scroll down to do that, post your comment, then mark it done on the Rafflecopter widget. The rest of the entries are to be completed on Rafflecopter. If you have any questions just email me: cokelush at gmail
Open to residents of the US. 18+ only please.
Disclaimer: I was sent Xia-Xia pets & playsets to review. All opinions are my own. Your mileage may vary. :)

How do you stay cold & Flu free?

2011-10-05T13:12:00.001-06:00

Today Social Moms and Lysol want to know your tips for staying flu free during the flu season. Will you get a flu shot? Will you start washing your hands more often? Will you use products such as Lysol to disenfect your home and car more often than usual?

Remember, this is just what WE do. I suggest everyone do some research and do, or not do, what you feel is right for YOUR family.

I have several changes that I make during this time:
Most of the time we try to eat healthy - for us that means as little processed foods as possible and never any meat products. I also take a probiotic and eat cultured/fermented foods with my meals. I think this helps tremendously to keep us healthy, even in flu season.
We do wash our hands frequently but never with antibacterial soap - that contains pesticides and soemething I would not want on our hands right before eating especially.
We never get a flu shot and I don't regularly disinfect the kitchen or other areas of the house on a routine basis. I might use a product on the kitchen counters and sink if we were using meat products but since we don't, I don't. We mostly clean the kitchen with water or vinegar which is a natural disenfectant.
The store, however, can be a very germy place. During the big Bird/Swine flu scare especially I always used a baby wipe to open the freezer doors in the frozen foods sections where I get our frozen fruit for smoothies, and on a routine basis I wipe down the cart before taking it.
We try to drink lots of water and stay well hydrated, take extra Vitamin C if I think about it or start feeling a little "off".
We use a very natural approach to our health when well and when sick. And for good measure we definitely try our best to stay away from the doctor's office when we are well unless absolutely necessary! That's where all the sick people and germs are after all. :)

I can't even tell you the last time me or anyone in my family had the flu - in fact it might have been the last time my husband had the flu shot! lol. I used to get the flu every year soon after the military gave out shots.

Now this is Mady's first year in Pre-School and I'm hoping that she won't come down with something since she's not been exposed to lots of germs in her 3.5 years. I have tried to teach her handwashing and to sneeze into her arm when she catches it quick enough but... time will tell.

What are you doing to protect yourself and your family??

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Lysol blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

{Giveaway!} Uprinting 100 postcards

2011-09-12T10:02:00.000-06:00

This is a quickie but... uprinting is a great company to work with and I didn't want to pass up the op for one of my readers to win 100 5x7 custom postcards! The uses for these are endless! Early Christmas cards, Thank-You notes, set your design 2-4 up and cut them apart for tags, small unique business cards, bookmark cards/handouts, mommy playdate cards, or as a postcard with a unique design personal to your family, if you have a sale going on announce it! Great for etsy users, bloggers, mom's & dad's, business owners... and if you just can't think of a use for them contact your local pet rescue & ask if they would like them!
For all your postcard printing needs - look to Uprinting for all your online printing needs.

This giveaway is limited to US residents 18 years old and above only.
Prize claim instructions are sent the month following the giveaway date.
Winners are allowed to win only once over a six-month period.
Prize Details:
100 Postcards for One (1) Winner
5" x 7"
14pt Cardstock Gloss
No Folding
Front Only Printing
2 Business Days Print Turnaround Time

This giveaway is sponsored by UPrinting, no monetary compensation was given and I will receive postcards for hosting.

Now, to make this EASY - just fill in the Rafflecoptor entries of your choosing. Any or all. Facebook is not affiliated with this giveaway at.all. Your email will only be used to notify you if you are a winner - we do not store emails & we do not give them away nor sell them. Comments to this blog post will not count as an entry - altho' if you wish to comment as a way to remember you entered the giveaway, or you just want to say hello, you are welcome to. Winner will be notified on or about 16 Sept. 2011 & will have 2 days to respond to said email with the requested info. If winner does not respond they will forfeit their prize & a new winner will be chosen. Normal stuff, no surprises.
✿◕ ‿ ◕✿ Now go on and enter! And good luck!

{Closed!} Children's Book: Bailey by Harry Bliss

2011-08-21T19:57:00.001-06:00

Winners are Katie Klein, Rhonda Tenderholt and Kathy Palla - congrats!!

I'm excited today to bring you a new giveaway! Today we have Bailey by New York Times best selling author Harry Bliss - and, thanks to Scholastic, I've got THREE copies to giveaway!
This is also my first giveaway using Rafflecoptor! They make entering giveaways SO easy and I've got a gob of ways you can enter so ... let's get to it!

Meet Bailey, a dog who surprises and charms his fellow human classmates with his irrepressible antics.

Follow Bailey the dog as he gets ready and goes to school. Should he wear the red or blue collar? Both are so fashionable! Will he be late? That squirrel is a distraction! And what about Bailey's homework? Would you believe he ate it? That is what dogs do, after all.

In this funny new book from the best selling children's illustrator Harry Bliss, school proves to be an unexpected place for Bailey to do all sorts of things he loves: reading, fetching, painting, digging, singing — and making friends!

Watch the book trailer here!
This book is rated for the age 4-8 crowd.

Mady thought the book was really cute - she loved the ruff-y of course! We've also been talking to her about school recently as this will be her first year of Preschool and they will be in a Junior High School building; she'll see lockers and buses and other things that are in this book.
She also liked telling me her version of what was going on in the illustrations - which I thought was great and the book lends itself well to that sort of thing which *I* love. :)

So we are giving Bailey by Harry Bliss ... 5/5 crowns on the Mady Meter. :)

THREE lucky readers will win a hardbound copy of Bailey by Harry Bliss.
Please choose each entry and read the details, do the thing, and click done. So easy! One note on the mandatory entry: Choose whether you wish to post your entry on Rafflecopter or on this blog post. If you are posting on the blog just write BLOG in the space provided on Rafflecopter so I know to look there. Thanks and good luck!

Your child's individual sense of style

2011-07-27T18:03:00.001-06:00

Social Mom's has been busy! Here's another post from Social Mom's and JC Penney's... Our topic today is... School clothes style! Fun right?!
This is my granddaughter...

She is 3 and I'm sure, judging by this outfit & her personality in general, that she will have her own unique style. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
When her mom was a tween she had pink hair before pink was in style. She wanted her belly button pierced at 14. She was, and still is, a unique individual.
So, Princess Wild Thing will be a force to be reckoned with probably.
The Princess will be going to part-time Pre-school this year and I hope to make some of her dresses, altho' I may check out some thrift stores too for her. Right now her style consists of anything that twirls, preferably in pink or purple and extra points if it has a princess or fairy on it. I do try to stay away from character prints for her but that's just a personal preference - and her mom and dad don't mind such prints. But as a general rule, if it doesn't twirl she won't wear it. And she's not much for separate pieces - like skirts and tops. She'd rather have a full-fledged dress. And this is funny, but she also likes the little undies that I make her - sometimes the unders even match the dress. :) Best of all they don't give wedgies. lol. Luckily she will wear jeans or tights under a dress in winter.

She is also quite the girly-girl and loves to have her nails done.

I just hope that in the future her mommy will remember what she herself wanted as a kid and remember that hair regrows in it's normal color, and that even piercings can heal over. {We did make her wait until she was 18 for a tattoo tho'. lol}

While her clothing choices have been pretty consistent over her first 3 years her hairstyle hasn't. As soon as she had long enough hair to do so I put her in two piggy tails. So cute!! Am I the only one that waiting impatiently for their child or grandchild's hair to be long enough for piggies?? lol. Now she doesn't really want me to style her hair that way - but she pulls the hair clips out and as she is growing out her bang... well, we have to do something!
Either way she is just beyond fun and I look forward to more styling as she grows older and even more opinionated.

What makes your child unique?

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and jcpenney blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Ten tips for making your life easier

2011-07-13T18:09:00.001-06:00

It always seems that everyone is waiting for the summer to start; the kids will be out of school and everyone in the family can take it easy with no school lunches to pack, no extra-curricular after-school activities to run to... and then when summer hits it seems to be just as hectic, if not more so for some. Why is that? Does it have to be that way? I don't think it does! With some pre-planning I think you can have the more care-free summer of your dreams and here are my top 10 tips for doing so...

10 - Keep a list. and a calendar. Most importantly keep them where you will use them. I know this seems like a no-brainer but I hear of people all the time {sometimes myself included} who have lost their list or double booked themselves for a certain day. I've found what works for me is keeping the list on my cell phone - I keep my calendar there too and it can sync up with my calander on the laptop. I've always got my cell phone with me so my list is always handy. Now don't forget to look at said list!

9 - If you find yourself spending too much time shopping then find a map online, or make one next time you are at the store, of the store. You know, what is on which aisles - and then make your shopping list in order by which aisle it's on. Really this saves tons of time looking for that elusive item.

8 - When you get home from shopping, and are putting things away, leave out the produce and go ahead and prep it for how you will use it. I just started doing this and while it took me about an hour to do it has been well worth it. I chopped up some onions, washed everything ect. For a salad all that is required now is to throw it together. Pizza? Grab the items and throw it on the dough of your choice. Need a snack? It's easy to grab a bag of prewashed, pre cut carrots.

7 - Keep some snacks in your car or a "diaper" bag or back pack that you keep by the front door ready to go. Kids and adults get super cranky when they are tired but add huger into the mix and there's usually a very real problem.

6 - And while we are shopping - consider shopping online for things that you might normally head out to the mall to purchase. With programs like ebates, and swagbucks shopping online can be less expensive, and it's certainly less time-consuming and uses less fuel. Use the time instead to relax and do something else you enjoy. Did you pick up that Seattle's Best Iced Latte while you were at the store? Enjoy it! Here's a coupon for your next shopping trip!

5 - Try to schedule at least one night a week where everyone is home at once. You can have game night, or movie night, or your family members might have very varied interests and might not wish to do the same things. That's okay. Just having everyone home is nice and helps everyone recharge.

4 - Ask for help. Start a carpool for the soccer players in your neighborhood so you don't have to drive each time Jr. has practice. Much more efficient and saves fuel as well!

3 - Use sites like the flylady to minimize the housework you need to do everyday and be more efficent and don't be afraid to delegate tasks! You also might consider once a month/week cooking!

2 - This one is tough... turn off facebook. Or whatever sucks your time if you need to be doing something else that might make your life easier. Or your kid needs to be doing something else. Just unplug.

1 - This is a biggie... just say no. The extra activities will be around later for your kids, you can get dinner with a friend at a later date that is better for you.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Seattle’s Best Coffee blogging program for a gift card worth $30. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Ten reasons why you would want to visit Virgina Beach

2011-07-11T18:29:00.002-06:00

I don't know about you but I love to spend my dh's hard earned money :) on experiences instead of things. Like vacations! We go somewhere every 2 years or so and so far there has been one constant - there's a beach somewhere close by.
A prompt from SocialMom's and the Virginia Beach Tourism Department prompted me to look into this area. I grew up on the West Coast but have never been on the East Coast so i learned a lot.

Here's some of the things I thought were pretty cool about the Virginia Beach area:

1. The activities. It goes without saying that where there is an Ocean there are awesome activities and Virginia Beach is no exception! You can snorkle, swim, sail, even go on a charter fishing trip if that's your thing. Surfing? Sure! There's something for everyone at the beach.

2. I've read that the Virginia Aquarium is awesome, but if experiencing sealife in their natural habitat is more your style then a whale watching expidition might be just the thing for you. I know this is one of the things I've always wanted to do - along with swimming with Whale Sharks!

3. Like lounging on the beach? People watching? Fishing off the pier? You can do that too!

4. Of course I think everyone has heard of the great East Coast food! I happen to be a Pescetarian so even I could enjoy the variety of seafood the area has to offer.

5. Family fun on the boardwalk. Lots of things to do! This 3-mile stretch is lined with hotels and restaurants, as well as home to museums and historic sites, an arcade and amusement rides such as a Ferris Wheel. You can walk, bike, or skate this bustling center of activity.

6. Are you a history buff? Loads of history in the Virginia area and DC is only a 4-hour car ride away. Heaven for those of you into US History!

7. Got Kids? Lots for the littles to do from building sandcastles to hitting the aforementioned aquarium. Surf is gentle I'm told so beginning surfer teens can catch the waves to their heart's content. virginia Beach is also home to a unique payground at Grommet Island Beach Park and Playground.

8. Don't forget the Ocean Breeze Water Park and Mini Golf Course!

9. Don't know how to surf? Virginia Beach, with is gentle waves, is a great place to learn.

10. Kayak with the dolphins! Yes please! I'm leary about taking a large boat out but a kayak sounds like a lot of fun!

So where will you go for vacation in the near future??

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Virginia Beach Tourism blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

TT Lip Moisturizer Winner

2011-07-03T18:54:00.000-06:00

Sorry for the delay everyone - Blogger was acting up for a few days so I let the giveaway go a few extra days... Winner is #48 -
Rhonda Tenderholt said...
posted to fb again...is that 12 pm? not sure what mn is.
JUNE 30, 2011 1:27 PM

Thanks for playing everyone!
PS - MN = Midnight. :)

{Closed} 48 hour giveaway - 50 custom Brochures

2011-06-24T19:03:00.001-06:00

Thanks for playing! Random.org says our winner is #3 - Hallie who shared on FB. I'll be contacting you shortly Hallie!
Now everyone head over to the lip moisturizer giveaway and enter to win! :)

Okay readers - this giveaway will be a QUICK one! Deadline for entry is Sunday 26 June 2011 - the winner will need to respond within 24hours or a new winner will be chosen. ALSO, per UPrinting, if you've won a UPrinting brochure giveaway within the past SIX MONTHS please do not enter - If you were to win I'd have to choose another winner.

And onward...
UPrinting has been a leader in the online printing company game for awhile now. I've received several of their printed items from large stickers to business cards, to vinyl banners and have been very pleased with their quality and turn-around time.

This giveaway is for Brochures! 50 to be exact. {see below for the exact specs of the prize}
Not sure what you'd use brochures for? Check out the Brochure Templates for some ideas. You can also ask your favorite charity if they can use 50 Brochures - I know our local Dog Rescue will be happy to get them.

Uprinting is giving one of my readers:

50 pcs Brochure printing
8.5" x 11"
100lb Paper Gloss,
With Folding (Half Fold, Trifold/Letterfold, Z-Fold, Roll Fold, Accordion Fold),
Outside and Inside printing, 2 Business Days Turnaround, *Free shipping
Restriction: Limited to *US residents 18 years old and above only.

IMPORTANT: By entering this giveaway you are letting me know that you have not won a UPrinting Brochure giveaway in the past six months.

Giveaway ends on 26 June 2011 and the winner will have 24 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. In the case of a new winner being chosen said winner will have much less than 24 hours to respond. Sorry!
Winner will be contacted within 30 days with instructions/a link for claiming their prize.

Mandatory Entry: Follow Mark it with a B via Google Friend Connect PUBLICLY. Leave your email addy in this first entry as well please.

Bonus Entries:
Follow Mark it with a B via Networked Blogs {Right menu} & leave your FB ID.
Blog about this giveaway, and/or post on FB and/or Twitter. Leave a seperate comment & link for each thing you do. - you can do this once a day.
Enter my giveaway for Tropical Traditions Lip Moisturizers & lmk by leaving TWO seperate comments.
Tell me what you might do with these Brochures if you win.

Thanks and good luck! Winner will be chosen at 10amCT on 26 June 2011.

Disclaimer:
This giveaway is sponsored by UPrinting, an online printing company. Visit UPrinting.com for more information about brochures and available brochure templates. I was not compensated for this giveaway but will also receive 50 brochures which I'll be giving to our local Dog/Cat Rescue, AnimalFAIR at no cost to them. Support your local Rescues & please Spay & Neuter your pets to save lives! Thanks!

10 time-saving tips for busy moms

2011-06-22T15:01:00.001-06:00

While I'll admit I'm just not that busy now that my kids are grown and off doing their own things, there are several tips that I think I can pass on to this generation's busy moms.
My two girls are fairly close in age and we were plenty busy when they were in school. Keeping organized helped tremendously in making our busy days go smoother - here are some ways we did that.
Keep in mind not everything will work for everyone - don't waste time trying to make something work that just isn't working. Try something else.

Tip 1: We did the binder system for awhile until it was just too hard, or the binder would get misplaced. The idea is to put all info that you need to "keep safe" for easy access into a binder. School notices, permission slips that need to be signed, etc; if you need to do something with it, it goes in the binder. Phone numbers and addresses also. Many people include a calendar with color-coded activities but I don't remember unless said calendar is in front of my face all.the.time so...
Tip 2: Have a great calendar system and use it! Sometimes just using your chosen method is a wee bit time consuming but taking the time to sit down at the end of the week and programing your calendar with the following weeks' activities can save tons of hassles during the week when there are other things going on, and you'll be less likely to double-book yourself or your kids.
Tip 3: Just say no. Sometimes children don't get that they can over-stimulate themselves with too many activities - they just wanna do stuff. It's often good to just say no to the millions of extra-curricular activities out there and save yourselves tons of stress, and often money. Chances are good that that class or sport will be there later.
Tip 4: Find a place for stuff as it comes into the house BEFORE it gets lost forever. Be it a bucket, a basket, or a drawer. Common sense but sometimes the easy fix is the most effective.
Tip 5: Google Calendar will sync with the other calendar users in your family. Whether it's via your phone or your computer - I think it's worth a look. :)
Tip 6: Try to get plenty of rest at least several times a week. Things look much more stressful and mucked-up when you are working on five hours {or less} of sleep.
Tip 7: Ask for help! If you just can't get those five dozen cupcakes baked in time for the bake sale ask for help from someone you know who likes to bake or a teen that would love to bake them for you for a little extra cash.
Tip 8: We never had too much trouble dressing our little ones because we never filled their closets with a million options. Try to purchase seperates that can go together in many different combinations and don't give them a ton of options to choose from in the morning. Less options are easier to choose from.
Tip 9: Get the kids involved in chores around the house; it takes longer to show them how to do chores but in the long run this can save you time. Eventually. You might have to compromise when the towels aren't folded just the way you'd like but hey, they are folded AND put away! Score!
Tip 10: Make a master dinner list of meals that everyone likes and rotate it every few weeks. If you have a matching shopping list shopping becomes a whole lot easier and quicker.
Bonus: Try to relax for a little bit daily - Starbucks just made that a bit easier with their new payment apps for smartphones. You can learn more here.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Starbucks blogging program, for a gift card worth $30. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

{Closed!} Tropical Traditions Lip Moisturizers

2011-06-17T13:43:00.003-06:00

FINALLY! Another giveaway! I know right. Sorry for the delay. I've been talking about these moisturizers for a bit now and ... here we go!

Just in time for summer I received each of the Lip Moisturizer flavors from Tropical Traditions. LOVE these! The flavors I received are:
Unscented, Cinnamon/Peppermint, Tea Tree Oil, Orange/Cinnamon, & Citrus.
Since I don't have particularly troublesome lips I sent off the Orange/Cinnamon flavor to my friend's little girl to review for me since she has a problem with chapped lips. Her review will be forthcoming. :)
But in the meantime I can say that these Lip Moisturizers are top notch. Love the feel, love the fragrance from the Essential Oils AND you don't get that white line ickyness on your lips that you do from products with inferior ingredients - yes!! You know the ones I'm talking about. The Topical Traditions Lip Moisturizers are yummy!

Here are the ingredients:
organic virgin coconut oil, organic beeswax, organic virgin palm oil, and organic essential oils {EOs omitted in the non-scented of course}

Yep, that's it! Way cool.

And Tropical Traditions is giving a Lip Moisturizer set of 5 {1 of each flavor} to one of my readers!
Don't want to wait to see if you are the winner? You can purchase the Tropical Traditions Lip Moisturizers in the following flavors: Unscented, Cinnamon/Peppermint, Tea Tree Oil, Orange/Cinnamon, & Citrus.
As of this writing they are on sale for $2.50-$2.75 ea.! (Normal price is only $3.25-$3.50 ea.)

Want to shop Tropical Traditions' many healthy products? Go HERE. Until 23 June 2011 they have Organic Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil on sale 2/$25.00 - that's 50% off the regular pricing!

BONUS: Any of my followers can receive a free copy of the Virgin Coconut Oil book with your first purchase of any Tropical Traditions product. This book contains info about the healthful benefits of Coconut Oil as well as some yummy recipes.
When you choose “Referred by a Friend” and enter my ID {6341908}, or use my Lip Moisturizer links, on your first online order this book will be automatically added to your order. You can email Tropical Traditions if you need any help placing your web order & scoring the book.

How To Enter:
** Please note that to enter a giveaway you MUST be a PUBLIC GFC Follower **

Mandatory entry: Please visit Tropical Traditions and let me know what else you might be interested in trying. I'll take everyone's comments into consideration when choosing future giveaways. PLEASE leave your email in this comment as well.

BONUS ENTRIES: For each of these activities please leave a seperate comment for your entry - leave your coresponding ID for Networked Blogs/Twitter/FBook also so your participation can be verified.
☆ Tell me what flavor of Tropical Traditions Lip Moisturizer is your favorite
☆ Subscribe to my RSS Feed
☆ Follow me by email {link at bottom of menu on right}
☆ Follow Mark-it-with-a-B via Networked Blogs {If link doesn't work use the widget on the menu to your right}
☆ Follow Mark-it-with-a-B publicly via GFC {this is mandatory}
☆ Blog about this giveaway linking back to Mark it with a B. Please leave an address where I can visit
☆ Put my button on your blog & leave me the URL
☆ Follow me on Twitter
☆ Follow Tropical Traditions on Twitter
☆ Tweet this giveaway & leave the tweet's URL: #Giveaway @cokelush @Troptraditions & #Markitwithab http://bit.ly/l7ZYcN #Win a set of 5 Tropical Traditions Lip Moisturizers!
☆ Follow me on FaceBook
☆ Follow Tropical Traditions on Facebook
☆ Sign up for the Tropical Traditions Newsletter
☆ Facebook about this giveaway - Please leave me your FB ID or the url to your post {make it visible to all} in your comment AND @Robin Phillips-Knotts in your FB post. You can do this 1x per day for an extra daily entry!
That's it! Good luck & thanks for visiting!

Winner will be chosen on 01 July 2011 at 12mn CST - from qualified comments. Winning comment will be verified. If I can't contact the winner, due to your email not being on a post or not being public on your profile, another winner will be chosen. Winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here, as well as emailed, and will have 36 hours to contact me, or respond to notification requesting name and email addy, or a new winner will be chosen. *This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.*

{This was not a paid post and my honest opinions were posted. These opinions are my own and your mileage may vary. Thank you to Tropical Traditions for supplying me with product in return for hosting this giveaway. This post contains some affiliate links & any purchases you choose to make through said links is greatly appreciated!}

A Mushie Giveaway!

2011-05-18T15:58:00.000-06:00

I'll have a new Tropical Traditions giveaway for you this coming week but in the meantime head over to Janeas World, link up, leave a comment and you could win a meter of this darling mushroom ribbon. Mady would love it! {I want the mug but have no idea where to purchase one lol}

Got Swagbucks?

2011-04-20T11:37:00.006-06:00

Got Swagbucks??
I just wanted to let everyone know that I've updated the Swagbucks Tip page a bit... go here to see how you too can get free stuff!
Right now I'm saving for a knitting book I'm dying to see, and a flour mill so I can grind my own wheatberries to make bread. :) I'm only 1 Amazon card away! See how you too can get Amazon items for FREE just by doing what you do everyday on the internet: searching!

This post and the one being referred to contains affiliate links. By signing up under me I will earn whatever points you earn up to 1K points and I'll be very grateful. :)

Tropical Traditions Lotion Winner!

2011-04-19T23:16:00.000-06:00

And the winner is...
#29 - Reeva! who wants to try the Arnica scent.
Reeva I'll be emailing you shortly.

Thanks everyone for playing and I look forward to the next giveaway coming soon!

Tutorial: GFC + NetworkedBlogs

2011-04-16T15:50:00.000-06:00

{sorry, for some reason my screen caps aren't clear. Hopefully you can still tell enough to compare them with what you are seeing on your own computer}

I've had ~~several~~ 2 people over the past month ask me about how to go about doing some of the requirements for entering my giveaways, and thought there might be more that are confused also - This should help.

{I've never gotten spam nor had anyone hack into any of my accounts because I'm a follower of GFC or NBs - just for the record}

First and foremost read the giveaway requirements carefully!! I always have at least one entry that gets thrown out because the entry didn't meet the requirement.

To enter giveaways on any blog you usually have to be a Google Friend Connect Follower of that blog. You'll usually see the GFC widget on the menu bar or on the bottom of the blog. It looks like this:

To follow you simply click the FOLLOW button and this pops up:

If you have a Gmail email account {Google owns it}, Twitter account, or Yahoo! email account. etc, you can use that to sign in. I'm going to click on Yahoo!

GFC found my Yahoo! email {that is probably bursting at the seams with spam since I've not logged into it in at least a year I'm sure}, so I'm going to click AGREE. {and click continue or whatever if you get a Security Warning}

And now it shows me logged in via Yahoo!
You can choose to follow a blog publicly or privately but most giveaways will require you to follow pubicly. This is so they can easily verify you are indeed a follower. So make sure the radio button for PUBLICLY is checked, click the FOLLOW button, and then click DONE. You can then go and put your entry comment on that blog saying you are following via GFC. :)
You only have to do this once for each blog that you need to follow so next time you were to enter a giveaway on a blog that you already follow - just post your comment that you follow {and anything else the blog requires for entry} and you are entered.

{If you don't actually have a blogger blog I'm not sure where the blogs you follow publicly are listed - all the blogs I follow publicly are listed on my blogger profile. You can see them here.
LINK

The blog page will reload and you should now be able to see your little pic in the GFC widget as such. I'm the first exclamation point on the top row and it says my name above - so I know it worked and I'm all set. :) {You can easily change the icon pic to whatever you want back on the sign up screen before you click follow}

NETWORKED BLOGS is pretty much the same - find the Networked blogs widget on the menu {Mine hasn't been on the blog long so I only have 2 lonely followers - won't you join me??}

and click Follow. Networked blogs is an ap for Facebook so, to my knowledge, you have to have a FBook acct. to follow using it.

After clicking the Follow button... you are following and the pic icon that you use on fb should show up on the blog widget. Now, I was logged into FB when I did this so it found me. If you aren't logged in it might have you put in your log in info for FB so it can find you. After you follow a blog through Networked Blogs every time that blog publishes a new blog post it will show up in your News Feed on FBook.
This is helpful if you want to enter more of their giveaways - you won't have to redo the steps that I've just outlined here. Just go and make your comments per the giveaway instructions and you're good to go!

Hope this helps some of you! :)

What does YOUR dream home look like?

2011-04-08T19:28:00.001-06:00

Many years ago, when dh and I were looking into buying a home in the perfect country setting and after looking at many homes for sale for years, we considered building a home - we had never heard of Ryan Homes but we might have checked them out if we had. We looked at those large home plan books you can find in your local grocery store but could never decide on a style or one specific plan that suited us both. Plus it seemed very complicated and daunting to build. We had friends that built their place, and while they did a lot of the running around for supplies for their builders, it seemed, and was, a very time consuming and sometimes frustrating process.
We never thought of looking into a company that builds homes - but that might have been a great alternative. Thankfully we found our perfect place in the country in 2002! Below you can see our fur-kids enjoying some lounge time on our dock a mere 20 steps from the front door.

If you happen to be relocating, or are looking for new homes in Virginia you might want to check out that link.
Whatever step you might take in finding your new home, please do your homework carefully, whether it be a new property, a new build, or an old home - do some searches into the integrity of your builder or Realtor. Have an existing property inspected before you buy. Ask questions and hopefully you too will be in your dream home!

What are the features of your dream living space?

Disclosure:
This was a paid post. You can see my complete disclosure policy here.

{Closed} Tropical Traditions Moisturizing Lotion

2011-04-05T14:39:00.001-06:00

Again, it's no surprise how much I LOVE Tropical Traditions' products. They have the best Coconut Oil, and the best Raw Honey for sure. Now I can add their Moisturizing Lotion to that list.
I've been using their Baby Silk Moisturizing Lotion for about a week and a half now and LOVE it! When ordering I expected the lotion to smell like other baby lotions, you know with a fresh powder scent - not so. It has a wonderfully light fragrance that's hard for me to describe... so I'll just tell you what's in it. :)

Ingredients: Purified water, organic virgin coconut oil, organic jojoba, emulsifying wax {plant based, no soy}, grapefruit seed extract, organic virgin palm oil, and organic essential oils of lavender, ylang ylang, geranium, roman chamomile, and rose.

Now I am not a fan of rose or lavender scents by themselves, but this mixture is terrific. And if you aren't a fan of coconut scents, I don't detect a coconut scent at all.
It goes on very smooth and only takes a minute to absorb. Once absorbed it doesn't leave you with a greasy feeling - I'm sure many of you have used a lotion product before and after applying felt like you had to use a towel to wipe of the icky slick feeling it left on your hands. I have too and you won't have to do that with this lotion. It also won't leave you with a tight feeling like some lotions.
Can you tell I'm really in love with this lotion? lol

Tropical Traditions Moisturizing Lotion is 100% pure and great for your hands, face and body. There are no alcohols in this lotion so you do need to allow at least one minute for the lotion to absorb into the skin and, like other coconut oil products, if your climate is above 75* the lotion will be slightly thickend, but a good rap on the counter will get it to the top, so you can get the lotion out of the bottle. :) Soooo worth it!
One thing I really love about Tropical Traditions is how they disclose everything that is in their health and body products - many many companies consider fragrance proprietary and don't have to disclose what the ingredients are under that heading. As a result they are free to hide all sorts of nasty chemicals under this heading without having to tell you about it. Tropical Traditions discloses everything so you know exactly what you are putting on your skin.

Tropical Traditions Moisturizing Lotion comes in Lavender, Citrus, Baby Silk, Peppermint, Arnica, and an unscented version for those sensitive to fragrances.

Buy it! Go here to shop for Tropical Traditions Beauty Products. 8oz. bottle of Moisturizing Lotion retails for $14.99-$15.99.

Win it!
Tropical Traditions is giving away an 8oz. bottle to one of my readers!

How to Enter:
Mandatory entry: Follow me via Google Friend Connect publicly {sidebar} or if you already do just lmk, AND and tell me what scent of Lotion you'd like to have if you win {choose wisely as this will be the scent sent to you if you win}. These TWO things are required and must be done before your extra entries count. Please leave your email on this comment. And please remember to follow PUBLICLY so your follow shows up in your profile. If your profile is NOT public please leave your GFC id/name so I can find you. Thx!

Extra Entries (count after the mandatory entry above is done; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted). Please leave your ID for Twitter/FB on your comment. Thx!
1 Extra Entry for each:
☆ Follow me on Twitter.
☆ Follow Tropical Traditions on Twitter
☆ Tweet about this giveaway by copying & pasting the tweet below AND leaving me the link. Tweet 1x daily for an extra entry every day!

GetReady4Summer #Win Tropical Traditions Moisturizing Lotion! @Troptraditions & Mark it with a B - http://bit.ly/e92dwr Ends4.19 #giveaway

☆ Subscribe to my RSS feed.
☆ Follow me by email. Link on the right menu.
☆ Follow me via Networked Blogs - if link doesn't work use the widget on the menu -- TWO ENTRIES!
☆ Follow Tropical Traditions on Facebook.
☆ Sign up for the Tropical Traditions Newsletter.
☆ Visit Tropical Traditions and tell me what item they sell that you would like to try.
☆ Become a PUBLIC follower of my blog live-whole-food. Please leave your GFC ID/name.
☆ If you aren't already using Swagbucks to search & earn $ sign up through this link and tell me you did so in your comment. {only users under me qualify for this entry}
☆ Put my button on your blog. Please leave an address where I can come visit.
☆ Blog about this giveaway linking back to Mark it with a B. Please leave an address where I can visit.
☆ Facebook about this giveaway - Please leave me your first name + last initial{s} in your comment AND @Robin Phillips-Knotts please in your FB post. You can do this 1x per day for an extra daily entry!
☆ Enter any other giveaway I may have going and let me know which one you entered.

That's it! Good luck & thanks for visiting!

Winner will be chosen on 19 April 2011 at 12mn CST - from qualified comments. Winning comment will be verified. If I can't contact the winner, due to your email not being on a post or not being public on your blog, another winner will be chosen. Winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here, as well as emailed, and will have 36 hours to contact me, or respond to notification requesting name and email addy, or a new winner will be chosen. *This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

{This was not a paid post and my honest opinions were posted. These opinions are my own and your mileage may vary. Thank you to Tropical Traditions for supplying me with product in return for hosting this giveaway.}

Winners of Book + Lotion!

2011-03-31T21:18:00.003-06:00

And finally... my winners are...
I just wanna say, it's not rocket science; when a person puts the effort in to throw in the most entries one can do... they are probably going to win. lol.

The winners of LaRue Across America are {drum roll please}
Hallie with comment #22
and
Rhonda with comment #7

And the winner of the Skin MD Natural Lotion is comment #14 - Hermit on the Hill.

Congrats!!! {I'll be emailing you all shortly}

Thanks everyone for playing!!

Look for my next giveaway VERY soon :: Tropical Traditions Moisturizing Lotion! You know I loves me some Tropical Traditions! :)

Have a great weekend!

Easter's on it's way!

2011-03-28T16:06:00.001-06:00

I think. We just had more snow the other day so you wouldn't know it, but real spring weather will arrive at some point. I hope! So today's post is brought to you by our sponsor - Social Moms and the movie HOP. A comedy about the teenaged son of the famous Easter Bunny! And they want to know what your favorite Easter traditions or memories are.
I grew up in California and every Easter we gathered with my grandparents and Aunts {who are close to my age}. Sometimes we had matching outfits which was really cute until we got older. lol. Often we went to church, but really it was all about the hunt! Easter eggs rock. Oh and the candy. :)
So, my favorite things about Easter countdown...
1. Family. Now that we have a granddaughter all holidays are so much more fun and meaningful! We do the Easter Egg hunt at the local park and maybe this year a hunt at our daughter's home. The Easter Bunny is always around for photo ops but she screams when she is near him so that's a no go. lol. I'll have to find a pic.

2. We used to really enjoy coloring eggs, but with no kids in the house we've not done the dying for awhile. We look forward to doing that with our granddaughter. One year, when the girls were smaller, we did Ukrainian Pysanky Eggs and that was really cool.
3. When we had a church to attend Easter Services were very meaningful. The getting up early for sunrise service not so much but... lol
4. FOOD! When we gather with family there is always food - I eat differently now, and it doesn't really matter in the long run what the food is, but food is always a constant at family gatherings - just as the kitchen is always the most popular gathering spot in a home. Actually now that I think about it I don't really remember the food much - just a few things. There was always ham, one of my grandma's always made a bunny cake with coconut and jelly beans and for any gathering there were "grandma's beans" - her canned cow peas and green beans - and her rolls that were famous within the family.
5. The season... I love Spring. It's the rainy season here in the mid-west, which I love. The flowers pop despite my dogs digging the bulbs up, the feed stores are brimming with little chicks... it's just a great time after all the snow and cold. Right now I'm enjoying teaching our granddaughter about seasons and the coming Spring. Now if the weather would just cooperate and get warmer!

What are your Easter Traditions?

About Hop:
Blending state of the art animation with live action, Hop is a comedy about E.B. (voiced by Russell Brand), the teenage son of the Easter Bunny. On the eve of taking over the family business, E.B. leaves for Hollywood in pursuit of his dream of becoming a drummer. Once there, he encounters Fred (James Marsden of the X-Men series, Enchanted), recently fired and determined to pull his life together. Feigning injury, E.B. persuades Fred to take him in, and Fred finds himself living with the world’s worst houseguest. Back on Easter Island, the Easter Bunny’s second in command, an oversized chick named Carlos, seizes E.B.’s disappearance as an opportunity to plot a coup. Ultimately, Fred and E.B. are Easter’s only hope and they find themselves returning to Easter Island, locked in an epic battle to save the beloved holiday. The film is helmed by Tim Hill, director of the blockbuster Alvin and the Chipmunks and produced by Chris Meledandri’s Illumination Entertainment (Despicable Me).

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Hop blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

{Closed} SkinMD Lotion

2011-03-18T12:53:00.001-06:00

I recently received Skin MD Natural Lotion to try out - which was great because my hands are a mess from our cold winter. First here's some info about about Skin MD Natural Lotion:

Skin MD Natural is the lotion goes on easily, absorbs fast and has no greasy
feel at all. It's unique formulation and natural ingredients makes this
shielding lotion far superior to any convention skin cream. Feel as soft a
silk with Skin MD Natural, that's the "wow" factor when you try it. You feel
the results but you don't feel the lotion.

However, behind the softness that you feel, a shielding lotion does the real
work to prevent dry skin in two ways.

First, it assists the inner layers of skin to absorb moisture. The humectant
(an ingredient that attracts moisture) used in Skin MD Natural is unique to
it and has been laboratory tested to be 6 times more effective than any
other you will find in common creams.

Second, a shielding lotion enhances the power of the top layer of the skin
to resist environmental irritants while protecting the inner natural
moisture.

This can be a big benefit for those who cook, wash dishes and garden because
Skin MD Natural helps skin retain its natural moisture and oils in the face
of all those irritating soaps and chemicals.

Skin MD Natural is also an eco-friendly skin care option. Our product is
made in the US using solar power energy. Our lotion is never tested on
animals and contains no animal ingredients making it both vegan and cruelty
free.

Between the cold weather we've been having {and the resulting space heater that's sitting in front of me many days}, dishwashing by hand, handwashing frequently to help keep illness away, plus my knitting and crocheting activities {yarn can be very drying}, my hands are often a mess, especially around the knuckles. I've been using Skin MD Natural Lotion for about a week now and, while it's not a miracle lotion, it does do it's job very well.
It goes on very smoothly without a greasy feeling and leaves a very nice smooth finish which I really like. It's really lovely feeling! I've tried a ton of other lotions and many leave you feeling like you need to wipe off your hands after they've been "absorbed" into your skin. Skin MD Natural Lotion isn't like that. And it has helped a lot with the dry areas on my hands - there were a few spots that were so rough that they were almost bleeding. Ick I know. This is no longer the case since using this lotion. :)
If you are using a make up that is mineral based this would also be a great lotion for you especially - the mineral make up always looks better when applied to a moisturized surface and Skin MD will fit in with your make up routine perfectly.

Skin MD Natural Lotion also comes in a Shielding Lotion + Sunscreen SPF 15 version - great for the summer months ahead! {we are getting summer this year right? lol}

I also really like the fact that a very little goes a long way - so be careful when you are dispensing it onto your skin, or just share the extra with someone. lol.
Skin MD Natural Lotion is, so far, my favorite lotion and you can win a bottle and try it for yourself!

Skin MD Naturals is generously giving one of my readers a full-size bottle of Skin MD Natural Lotion!

Buy it! You can find Skin MD Natural Lotion at many pharmacy locations & possibly your local Health Food Store. OR you can order directly from their website.

How to Enter:
Mandatory entry: Follow me via Google Friend Connect publicly {sidebar} or if you already do just lmk, AND and tell me the store/city where you would be able to purchase Skin MD Natural Lotion in your area. These TWO things are required and must be done before your extra entries count. Please leave your email on this comment. And please remember to follow PUBLICLY so your follow shows up in your profile. If your profile is NOT public please leave your GFC id/name so I can find you. Thx!

Extra Entries (count after the mandatory entry above is done; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).
1 Extra Entry for each:
☆ Follow me on Twitter.
☆ Follow Skin MD on Twitter.
☆ Tweet about this giveaway by copying & pasting the tweet below AND leaving me the link. Tweet 1x daily for an extra entry every day!

Get ur #skin ready 4 summer! #Win Skin MD Natural Lotion @Skinmdnatural & Mark it with a B - http://bit.ly/hiTCZX - 3.30 #giveaway @cokelush

☆ Subscribe to my RSS feed.
☆Sign up for the Skin MD Naturals newsletter.
☆ If you are a follower of Skin MD on Facebook you get a bonus entry.
☆ If you are a follower of Mark it with a B on Facebook you get a bonus entry.
☆ Become a PUBLIC follower of my blog live-whole-food. Please leave your GFC ID/name.
☆ If you aren't already using Swagbucks to search & earn $ sign up through this link and tell me you did so in your comment. {only users under me qualify for this entry}
☆ Put my button on your blog. Please leave an address where I can come visit.
☆ Blog about this giveaway linking back to Mark it with a B. Please leave an address where I can visit.
☆ Facebook about this giveaway - Please leave me your first name + last initial{s} in your comment AND @Robin Phillips-Knotts please in your FB post. You can do this 1x per day for an extra daily entry!
☆ Enter any other giveaway I have going and let me know which one you entered.

That's it! Good luck & thanks for visiting!

Winner will be chosen on 30 March 2011 at 12mn CST - from qualified comments. Winning comment will be verified. If I can't contact the winner, due to your email not being on a post or not being public on your blog, another winner will be chosen. Winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here, as well as emailed, and will have 36 hours to contact me, or respond to notification requesting name and email addy, or a new winner will be chosen. *This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

{This was not a paid post and my honest opinions were posted. These opinions are my own and your mileage may vary. Thank you to Skin MD for supplying me with product in return for hosting this giveaway.}

{Closed} LaRue Across America

2011-03-16T13:18:00.002-06:00

Ike’s plan for a peaceful cruise with Mrs. LaRue are thwarted when their neighbor, Mrs. Hibbins, falls suddenly ill. Mrs. LaRue suggests that she and Ike care for her cats while Mrs. Hibbins is in the hospital, inviting them along on the cruise. But cats aren't allowed, and Mrs. LaRue decides to take them all on a week's vacation of road-tripping. Ike is beside himself and quickly takes up his pen to tell us why!

Join award-winner Mark Teague on this romping road trip across America. Readers can follow along on the maps of the U.S. that span the endpapers. Teague drives us to the story’s satisfying conclusion, and we are left with one profound question: Can cats and dogs really be friends?

Watch the book trailer HERE.

Now, it's probably no secret that Princess Wild Thing is a HUGE woof & meow fan. If the books we look at at the Book House {Library} don't at least have a cat, dog, Princess, or Fairy in them she will generally reject them. She knows what she likes.
The writing style of LaRue Across America is a little over 3 year old Mady's head but, nonetheless, she enjoyed this book - she just made up her own version. It also gave us a chance to point out different aspects of the US - there is a lot to see and talk about in the nicely done illustrations, that also have humorous touches. For little bit older kids this book is a treat. The tone and humor of the dog's postcards home to Mrs. Hibbins {frequently begging Mrs. Hibbins to send money so he can ship her cats back to her lol} is fresh and funny as he laments the annoyingness and interruptions that their feline passengers cause to what would have been a lovely trip on a ship - instead of a seemingly miserable trip across the country by car with the unwanted passengers.
This book gets 5 crowns on the Princess Wild Thing meter - this is a book that will stick around and she'll get different things from it as she grows. And I think adults will find it refreshingly funny as well.

TWO lucky Mark it with a B readers will receive a copy of LaRue Across America!

How to Enter:
Mandatory entry: Follow me via Google Friend Connect publicly {sidebar} or if you already do just lmk, AND and tell me who you'd like to win this book for. These TWO things are required and must be done before your extra entries count. Please leave your email on this comment. And please remember to follow PUBLICLY so your follow shows up in your profile. If your profile is NOT public please leave your GFC id/name so I can find you. Thx!

Extra Entries (count after the mandatory entry above is done; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).
1 Extra Entry for each:
☆ Follow me on Twitter.
☆ Follow Scholastic on Twitter.
☆ Like Scholastic on Facebook.
☆ Tweet about this giveaway by copying & pasting the tweet below AND leaving me the link. Tweet 1x daily for an extra entry every day!

#Win the book LaRue Across America by Mark Teague - 2 winners! Mark it with a B -
http://bit.ly/g5OBA6 - Ends 3.30 #giveaway

☆ Subscribe to my RSS feed.
☆ Become a PUBLIC follower of my blog live-whole-food. Please leave your GFC ID/name.
☆ If you aren't already using Swagbucks to search & earn $ sign up through this link and tell me you did so in your comment. {only users under me qualify for this entry}
☆ Put my button on your blog. Please leave an address where I can come visit.
☆ Blog about this giveaway linking back to Mark it with a B. Please leave an address where I can visit.
☆ Facebook about this giveaway - Please leave me your first name + last initial{s} in your comment AND @Robin Phillips-Knotts please in your FB post. You can do this 1x per day for an extra daily entry!
☆ Enter any other giveaway I have going and let me know which one you entered.

That's it! Good luck & thanks for visiting!

Winners will be chosen on 30 March 2011 at 12mn CST - from qualified comments. Winning comment will be verified. If I can't contact the winner, due to your email not being on a post or not being public on your blog, another winner will be chosen. Winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here, as well as emailed, and will have 36 hours to contact me, or respond to notification requesting name and email addy, or a new winner will be chosen. *This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

{This was not a paid post and my honest opinions were posted. These opinions are my own and your mileage may vary. Thank you to Big Honcho Media for supplying me with product in return for hosting this giveaway.}

How to win online giveaways

2011-03-10T09:30:00.001-06:00

You won!
To those of us who enter online giveaways, those are the magic words we hope to hear. And every now and then I do. :)
In the past few weeks I've won, out of 159 entries, a Kidorable ballerina umbrella from The Life of Rylie,

A Robby Wash Laundry Ball, out of 250 entries, from Oransi and The Mama Report. I'll have a review coming soon on this little ball - it's really cool!

This cute Scentsy Warmer + fragrances from Oscar Nunez.

AND just now I received an email that I won, out of 695 entries, this Loom from Living Crafts and Harrisville Design - they have a lovely little story that you can read here. Living Crafts is a fab magazine if you have little ones and you are into crafts that use natural materials. I was introduced to it by my good friend Hallie who blogs at Our Broken Road, and if you'd like to read and do activities with her and the girls be sure to check out Books2Bridge Miles.

And that's just in the past week and a half!
So, what's the secret to winning online giveaways? There really isn't one; YOU JUST HAVE TO ENTER!

I know many people don't enter giveaways because there are a lot of entries already and they feel they just can't win. Of course by not entering you are going to be successful at not winning. There are a few helpful tips - but this really is common sense.

1. Enter as many of the bonus entries as you have time for. I know sometimes it gets time consuming entering comments for each thing you do - especially if several entries are good for 10 comments per action ... and then there is a capcha thing so you are having to refresh the page 3x per comment. But enter as many times as you can.
2. I know some people like to spread out their entries on a giveaway so all their comments aren't all bunched up together, but remember, this is random. I don't think it really has a tangible benefit.
3. One thing I have noticed is that most of the time if there are a lot of entries, or you think there will be... don't be one of the first 10 or so comments/entries if you can help it. I'll often bookmark the page and come back later. If there aren't many entries then it's not such a big deal.
4. If they offer you an entry for tweeting daily - do it. Put the page in a folder in your bookmarks and go back daily. It only takes a second.
5. This is important: Read the instructions carefully and comply. I've had to throw out entries before because the entrant just didn't follow the directions even a little bit. :( I always add my email to each entry comment; I want to make it easy for them to notify me if I've won! And there have been several times when I've not caught their email to me on the first notification; so look at your email carefully to catch those winning emails.

I'll have a few new giveaways coming up in the next few weeks from...
Skin MD lotion
A fun children's book and
Possibly a printed something from Uprinting

So stay tuned and I hope everyone has fun with online giveaways!
Please share your winning tips below.

Mars Needs Moms - 10 reasons why

2011-02-28T16:18:00.001-06:00

Mars Needs Moms and SocialMoms asks what I think my kids would most miss about me if I was abducted by Martians:

I've been reading quite a bit lately about how many parents think their kids don't appreciate the things that they do for them and I think I have a different perspective to this age old perception, perhaps than some of the young mom bloggers out there since my kids are young adults now and they DO appreciate the things we, as parents, did for them as they were growing up - and the things we still do for them now... it just takes time for the kids to get there. :) So be patient parents! There are always the exceptions - the kids that never really do "get" it but I think the majority do. Eventually. And I think the old saying, "just wait until you have kids of your own and then you'll understand" pretty much holds true. After having kids of their own a little light bulb turns on and they are forever changed. lol - even if the kids they have have fur. ;)
Here are some of the things my kids would miss now & perhaps when they were younger - if I were abducted by aliens!{in no particular order}
10. My youngest would miss my babysitting time - my granddaughter and I would miss it too!
9. They both might miss my unique been-there perspective on matters they encounter occasionally.
8. My oldest might miss my help with the dog rescue that she's involved with.
7. They would miss how I used to get them from point A to point B before they could drive. Or after they wrecked the car and didn't have a car to drive. several times.
6. They would have missed my being available to take forgotten homework to school for them.
5. They would miss me nurturing them when they were/are sick.
4. They would miss me cheering them on in their pursuits and interests.
3. They would miss me just spending time with them - letting them know that they matter!
2. They would have missed me feeding them - and now going to Main-Squeeze, our favorite Vegetarian restaurant, together!
1. They would have missed me teaching them how to be on their own someday... something we all are still learning. Together. :)
Bonus: And most important of all, they would have missed a mom who loved them, more than anything else in the world, loving them, and respecting them, for the people they were then and the people they are now.

What would YOUR kids miss if YOU were abducted by Aliens? ;)

About Mars Needs Moms
Produced by the team behind “Disney’s A Christmas Carol” and “The Polar Express,” “Mars Needs Moms” showcases nine-year-old Milo’s (Seth Green) quest to save his mom (Joan Cusack) from Martians—a wild adventure in Disney Digital 3D™ and IMAX® 3D that involves stowing away on a spaceship, navigating an elaborate, multi-level planet and taking on the alien nation and their leader (Mindy Sterling).

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

3 Free Elmo Downloads Personalized

2011-02-26T16:43:00.000-06:00

Does the little one in your life love Elmo and/or Sesame Street? You'll want to check this out!
Princess Wild Thing loves to watch Elmo on youtube - especially Elmo's Ducks and the skit with Katy Perry in the now infamous dress. lol.
I just downloaded the 3 free MP3s for her - and they feature her name which is extra cool.
Just go to Children's Personalized Productions and enter the code myelmo. You'll get one free song and 2 other downloads - and the option to purchase more.
They have a ton of names to choose from for personalization but you can only choose one name per email addy - so if you have 2 kids you'll have to sign in with 2 different emails.
Here's how to do it:
Enter your email and the code.
Choose your child's name and listen - if it's okay choose next.
Then choose No Thanks, I just want my free tracks.
Follow directions to download your 3 free tracks!

I choose Mady because we rarely call her by her full name. There seriously were a lot of names to choose from. I remember when I could never find my name on anything personalized. lol.

I will let you know that one download is a song, and the other 2 are dialogues. One is a welcome dialogue and the other a short ref to the Tingalayo song - so if you aren't going to purchase that particular song the dialogue isn't going to make much sense to your child. :) Just a fyi.

Thanks to Deal Wise Mommy for the head's up!

{Review} Cinderella Puzzle & Book Playset

2011-02-26T15:32:00.000-06:00

I just recently learned about Educational Toys Planet and after scanning their site I immediately signed up with them - they have some really cool educational toys!
If you aren't familiar with their company they offer a full range of educational toys for the kids in your life, including big names like Melissa & Doug, Guidecraft and more, as well as a large European-made toy section.
Safe and non-toxic toys are extremely important to me so I was pleased to find that their manufacturers guarantee that all their toys comply with all applicable safety standards and laws, and if you aren't happy with a toy you can easily return it. They also have free shipping specials and free shipping on orders of $75.+ - always a bonus!

A few days ago they sent me the Cinderella Puzzle & Book Playset {pictured above and part of a large assortment of Language Development Toys} for Princess Wild Thing to check out.

Step into your favorite fairy tale! Cinderella Puzzle & Book Playset by Shure gives your children everything they need to transport themselves into the magical story of Cinderella. This activity toy comes with a colorful chunky puzzle and an 8 page book with the complete fairy tale. The wooden chunky puzzle pieces are a half an inch thick, making them easy-to-grasp for even the smallest preschooler’s hands. The large pieces can fit into the puzzle tray or be used as figurines in creative play. The play set includes a sturdy vinyl storage bag with a handle. Educational Toys Planet offers the Cinderella Puzzle & Book Playset as a great toy for home or to take along while traveling. This kids storybook puzzle set introduces children to early language and reading skills, manipulative skills and problem solving. Read a magical story, complete a whimsical puzzle or create a fairy tale game of your own! Sells for $14.97 ages 3+ years. Skills: Imagination, Pretend Play, Classic Story, Concentration, Vocabulary and more.

First I have to say that having toys & manipulatives that relate to the story being read is an awesome concept and something I've gotten into recently. Princess Wild Thing LOVES books and having figures to make the stories come alive for her is even better.
This helps fuel a child's imagination, vocabulary skills, social skills, problem solving skills, and even small/fine motor skills. Whether the figures are puppets, plushies, flannel figures for use on a flannel board, fabric, felt, paper, or in this case, wood - it's all good!

This puzzle playset combo came in a clear vinyl carry case with a handle to keep everything nice and neat. The wood is skillfully painted, smooth, and the pieces fit together nicely in the puzzle base. When the board book is removed for reading it also provides a nice little spot for the wooden pieces to interact.
Princess Wild Thing enjoyed holding the pieces, and letting them interact with each other, while the story was being read, as well as for about 30 minutes afterwards - which is great for the attention span of a 3 year old. She's a real fan of the Disney Princess' so she loved this set! {You can check out other sets too! They have Goldilocks, The 3 Little Pigs, a farm set, a pets set, & a dinosaur set.}

While Princess Wild Thing is familiar with the Cinderella story, she insisted that the Fairy God-Mother was a witch {albeit a good one!}, and that the Princess was Belle because her dress was yellow and not blue. She knows her Princesses! But regardless, she loved the set and it will provide many many hours of fun interactive play for her.

We give this 5 out of 5 Princess Crowns on the Princess Wild Thing Meter!

Disclaimer: Educational Toys Planet sent me free product for review and requested certain links to be used in this review, however, all other content is my own including the tone of the review which was not reviewed by anyone other than me before posting. Thanks Educational Toys Planet!

Winners of the Brilliant Screen Wipes

2011-02-20T23:17:00.000-06:00

And the winners of my third giveaway are:
#19 - SusieQTpies
and
#6 - Brianna

Congratulations! I'll be emailing you shortly.
Thanks for playing everyone!

{Winner!} Tropical Traditions Honey

2011-02-19T11:51:00.000-06:00

And Random Number Generator says the winner of the Tropical Traditions Raw Organic Honey is...
#49 - Heaventaste who said...

I don't think I am (yet) a friend of yours on Facebook! But, I did send you a request and posted your giveaway on my wall! You can see it here:
http://www.facebook.com/robinphillipsknotts#!/marla.schad/posts/109577299118405

Thanks everyone for playing and look for more giveaways in the near future!

Poster Winner

2011-02-18T12:27:00.000-06:00

The winner of my Uprinting poster giveaway is...
#9 - lisad33611 said...
New follower of Live Whole Food (lisad33611).

Congratulations Lisa! I'll be emailing you shortly!
Thanks everyone for playing!

{CLOSED} - Brilliant Screen Cleaning Wipes

2011-02-13T12:41:00.004-06:00

{CLOSED!} - 18x24" Poster from UPrinting

2011-02-07T00:02:00.002-06:00

It's been a little while since I've had a UPrinting giveaway and I'm happy to welcome them back! Today's giveaway is an 18x24" poster - custom printed with whatever you want.
You could use this for event decor, like a birthday or anniversary. You could print a poster of your favorite photograph. You could set it up so there are two images on it and then cut it in half and have 2 smaller posters. If you have a business or favorite cause there are sure to be several uses for a poster. Be creative!

Aren't familiar with UPrinting? I've had many things printed with them over the past year and a half and they've been terrific in all areas; when I've needed help, customer service came through, and their quality is outstanding.
Looking for online printing services for your poster printing needs? Look no further than UPrinting!

Giveaway Prize:
1 (one) 18” x 24” Poster
Semi Gloss / High Gloss on 1 Business Day Turnaround
Restriction: Limited to US residents 18 years old and above only.

How to Enter:
Mandatory entry: Follow me via Google Friend Connect publicly {sidebar} or if you already do just lmk, AND and tell me what you would use the poster for if you win. These TWO things are required and must be done before your extra entries count. Please leave your email on this comment. And please remember to follow PUBLICLY so your follow shows up in your profile. If your profile is NOT public please leave your GFC id/name so I can find you. Thx!

Extra Entries (count after the mandatory entry above is done; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

☆ 1 Extra Entry: follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying & pasting the tweet below AND leaving me the link. Tweet 1x daily for an extra entry every day!

#Win 18x24 custom POSTER from #uprinting! Mark it with a B - http://bit.ly/f1YqTA - Ends 2.17 Great for business or fun! #giveaway

☆ 1 Extra Entry: subscribe to my RSS feed.

☆ 1 Extra Entry: Follow UPrinting on Facebook.

☆ 1 Extra Entry: Visit UPrinting and tell me what item they sell that you would need most.

☆ 1 Extra Entry: become a PUBLIC follower of my other blog live-whole-food. Please leave your GFC ID/name.

☆ 2 Extra Entries: {please leave 2 separate comments}, if you aren't already using Swagbucks to search & earn $ sign up through this link and tell me you did so in your comment. {only users under me qualify for this entry}

☆ 2 Extra Entries: Put my button on your blog. Please leave an address where I can come visit.

☆ 3 Extra Entries: blog about this giveaway linking back to Mark it with a B. Please leave an address where I can visit.

☆ 1 Extra Entry: Facebook about this giveaway - Please leave me your first name + last initial{s} in your comment AND @Robin Phillips-Knotts please in your FB post. You can do this 1x per day for an extra daily entry!

☆ 1 Extra Entry: Enter any other giveaway I have going and let me know which one you entered.

That's it! Good luck & thanks for visiting!

Winner will be chosen on Feb. 17th at 12mn CST - from qualified comments. Winning comment will be verified. If I can't contact the winner, due to your email not being on a post or not being public on your blog, another winner will be chosen. Winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here, as well as emailed, and will have 36 hours to contact me, or respond to notification requesting name and email addy, or a new winner will be chosen. *This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Uprinting will send winner a link from which to order their custom banner.

{This was not a paid post and my honest opinions were posted. These opinions are my own and your mileage may vary. Thank you to Uprinting for supplying me with a blogger appreciation poster in return for hosting this giveaway.}

{CLOSED} Tropical Traditions Organic Raw Honey

2011-02-04T16:45:00.004-06:00

Today's giveaway is, once again, from Tropical Traditions - a company that has become one of my favorite go-to places for good-for-you food! They often have specials and free shipping so be sure to check your email before ordering from them to save a few bucks!

Now, I'll be the first to say I'm not a huge honey fan {or rather, I wasn't}. I usually have some sitting around because I often use it instead of sugar - but normally I purchase the cute little bear container. I like cute. :) I know RAW honey is better but it's hard to find here; even my heath food store rarely carries truly raw honey.
So why did I get Honey to review and giveaway? My friends on Facebook usually choose the next giveaway and well, the people spoke. So, honey it is.
I want to say... this stuff is GOOD! I was so surprised. It has none of the weird after-taste that I always find in the honey that lives in the bear container. Even local honey has this weirdness. NOT the Tropical Traditions Organic Raw Honey. None. DH and I have been eating it out of the jar, when we want a touch of sweet, for the past week. It is kinda solid in the jar because it's quite cold here - but no worries, we just chip it out with a spoon.

A Raw Product from the Wilderness:
Tropical Traditions Organic Raw Honey comes from the frontier areas of Canada, and is only harvested during a 6-week period in the summer. Tropical Traditions is the exclusive source of this premium organic honey in the U.S. Most commercial honeys available on the market today come from bee farms, where the bees are controlled within a certain area and get their pollen from usually only one kind of flower. Many of the plants that produce these flowers (clover, orange blossom, etc.) are grown with pesticides and fertilizers as well. In addition, almost all honeys on the market are pasteurized in high heat and filtered, removing many of the beneficial nutrients and enzymes.

Tropical Traditions Organic Raw Honey has not been subjected to the heat of processing, only warmed enough to flow (same temperatures the honey would see inside the hive). We select only premium honey that is pure, smooth and creamy, with the consistency of soft margarine at harvest. It contains live yeast and enzymes, because it has not been processed. It also contains pollen because it has not been filtered—merely screened.

Fine textured crystals are characteristic of totally pure, unheated, unprocessed, raw honey. Properly crystallized honey has a fine, smooth texture. Crystallized honey preserves natural goodness and doesn’t drip. The more rapidly honey crystallizes the finer the texture will be. It will also turn harder over time as it crystallizes. Truly raw honeys do not deteriorate with age, but like fine wines, continue to age and develop into more complex tastes.

Awesome right?!!! I think so. Over the past few years I've been learning more and more about how important unprocessed foods, enzymes and fermented foods are to our bodies - without these things our body systems just don't work properly. So I'm thrilled to be able to add this food to our kitchen!

So, what can you do with honey? You can use it as a sweetener for just about everything. There are recipes HERE - just search under HONEY.
I just made another loaf of bread with it - to "defrost" it I put the jar into a small pan of hot water until it had softened the amount I needed. Only took a few minutes while I was adding the other ingredients to the bowl.
The bread comes out terribly yummy and I'm addicted to homemade sprouted bread now!

I've reviewed several of the Tropical Traditions products and so far the Raw Honey and the Coconut Oil are my favorites.

Buy it:
You can purchase Tropical Traditions Organic Raw Honey here. It comes in 17.6 oz. glass jar or a 15lb. pail.
BONUS: Any of my followers can receive a free copy of the Virgin Coconut Oil book through the Tropical Traditions Referral Program. This book contains info about the healthful benefits of Coconut Oil as well as recipes.
When you choose “Referred by a Friend” and enter my ID {6341908} on your first online order this book will be automatically added to your order. You can email Tropical Traditions if you need any help placing your web order & scoring the book.

Win it!:
On lucky reader will win a 17.6 oz. glass jar of Raw Organic Honey from Tropical Traditions!

How to Enter:
MANDATORY ENTRY:
Follow me via Google Friend Connect publicly {sidebar} or if you already do just lmk, AND and leave a comment telling me what you would like to try over at Tropical Traditions. These TWO things are required and must be done before your extra entries count. Please leave your email on this comment. And please remember to follow PUBLICLY so your follow shows up in your profile. If your profile is NOT public please leave your GFC id/name so I can find you. Thx!

Extra Entries (count after the mandatory entry above is done; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

☆ 1 Extra Entry: follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying & pasting the tweet below AND leaving me the link. Tweet 1x daily for an extra entry every day!

#Win a jar of Tropical Traditions Organic RAW Honey. {Mark it with a B} http://bit.ly/hD8SkW ends 02/18 #giveaway #TropTraditions RT Please

☆ 1 Extra Entry: Follow Tropical Traditions on Twitter. Leave your ID.

☆ 1 Extra Entry: Subscribe to the Tropical Traditions Newsletter HERE & leave the email you subbed with.

☆ 1 Extra Entry: subscribe to my RSS feed.

☆ 1 Extra Entry: become a PUBLIC follower of my other blog live-whole-food. Please leave your GFC ID/name.

☆ 5 Extra Entries: {please leave 5 separate comments}, if you aren't already using Swagbucks to search & earn $ sign up through this link and tell me you did so in your comment. {only those who sign up under me are eligible for this bonus entry}

☆ 3 Extra Entries: Put my button on your blog. Please leave an address where I can come visit.

☆ 5 Extra Entries: blog about this giveaway linking back to Mark it with a B. Please leave an address where I can visit.

☆ 1 Extra Entry: If you are a friend on Facebook & let others know about this giveaway, you get a bonus entry! - Please leave me your first name + last initial{s} in your comment AND @Robin Phillips-Knotts please in your FB post. You can do this 1x per day for an extra daily entry!

☆ 1 Extra Entry: Follow Tropical Traditions on Facebook {leave me your ID}

☆ 1 Extra Entry: Enter any other giveaway that I have running and let me know which one you entered.

That's it! Good luck & thanks for visiting!

Winner will be chosen on Feb. 18th, 2011 at 12mn CST - from qualified comments. Winning comment will be verified. If I can't contact the winner, due to your email not being on a post or not being public on your blog, another winner will be chosen. Winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here, as well as emailed, and will have 36 hours to contact me, or respond to notification requesting name, address, and email addy, or a new winner will be chosen. *This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

Disclosure: I was provided with a sample of this product, as well as product information, and the opportunity to host a giveaway by Tropical Traditions, whom I happen to love. No other compensation was provided. All opinions are my own. Your mileage may vary.

Planning the perfect summer trip

2011-01-26T14:17:00.001-06:00

With all this snow on the ground still {here in MO anyway!} it's as good a time as any to plan for that perfect summer trip!
I was just talking to one of my daughter's about this an hour ago. She's thinking of a trip {Honeymoon actually} to Alaska. Wildlife and fantastic scenery; what could be better?
I remember many family camping trips to Northern Cali that we took in my childhood; good times! We had a camper first, then upgraded to a small motorhome... and even tho' us kids flew the nest - my parents kept upgrading the motorhome. lol. It would have been nice for us to be able to use the one they have now. :) But the most important memories are the ones of things that we did together. Exploring with dad, and the campfire.
One of the few places in the US I'd love to go visit is Oregon. I'm an ocean lover but also love the beach cliffs and wooded areas - The Oregon coast seems to have all of that and more. I think the area would be a great fit; lots of open-mindedness, veg restaurants, cool little shops... a real community vibe is what I imagine. I'd love to see if my imaginations are really true and share that with my dh.
Washington is another area I'd love to visit, as well as the aforementioned Alaska. Actually, oddly enough, those are the only US states that I really care to visit. We've driven through many of the middle states, and not being a history buff or anything, they just didn't excite me.

Planning a trip? Here are a few tips:
1. We use the web to a great degree in planning. There are many review sites so you can be sure to get the right accommodations to fit your family. I also have hooked up with people, via Facebook mostly, who live in the area that I'm planning to visit. This has helped tremendously!
2. Blogs are the new travel books!
3. If you are driving with children: Put together an activity back pack for them with age/interest appropriate things they can only play with during travel - maybe even theme them to the place you are traveling to. Snacks are great too! We didn't have DVD players in the car when our kids were small and we lived - but if you have a kid that gets motion sickness {like me!} and can't read, or basically look down at anything, while moving - a DVD player might be just the ticket to beat the "Are we there yet?" blues!
4. Make frequent stops. Try to plan your route so there are a few things to stop and check out every day. Much more enjoyable than straight through driving even tho' it will take a bit longer to reach your destination.
5. I love to plan the trip, but find that I don't like an over-planned trip. Leave unscheduled time to just be. Relax. And enjoy your family - because, really, that's what you and your kids will remember most.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Alamo blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Winners!

2011-01-25T10:01:00.000-06:00

Thanks to all who entered my giveaways - and welcome to everyone from Tightwad in Utah! You all came en mass yesterday with your entries! {& I greatly appreciate it!}
Now...
Using Random.org the following winners are:
For the book Shoe LaLa!...

Congratulations to comment #s 55 and 4:
Which is Kristin who said, "following your other blog"
and Hallie who said, "I shouted it out on Facebook too! Gotta love free books!"

And the Xigo winner is...

#41! Bonita12 who said, "PUBLIC follower of other blog live-whole-food."

I'll be emailing everyone today - Thanks for playing everyone!
Next giveaway will be next week - Tropical Traditions Raw Honey!!! Be sure to come back for that one.

{Giveaway} XIGO - Natural Immunity Supplement

2011-01-12T21:27:00.001-06:00

I'm all over natural and homeopathic remedies - as long as they work or at least make some kind of sense.
In early December MomSelect and Xigo sent me a box of Xigo Maximum Immune Defense, and {thankfully} I've not been ill so I haven't actually had a chance to try it. However, my husband has had something going on this week, he's coughing and sneezing, but it seems to be more sinus based - so I'm not convinced it's not allergy related. Even tho' everything here is under about 7" of snow. But I digress.
I received a box of 8 doses {16 chewables} - and dh did try one. Says it was a bit chalky tasting but not bad at all. I don't know that it has helped him any, but as mentioned, I'm not convinced what he has is a "cold".
Like any of the natural products, this product will work best if taken at the first sign of illness. I think it's definitely worth a shot - I mean who has time to be sick?
Here's some more info:
Xigo Health (pronounced: Chee-go ) is a family-focused company that has created a line of products designed to boost your immune system. From daily doses to maximum defense when your body needs it most, Xigo products make the immune system faster, stronger and smarter by detecting challenges in the body, defending against them and deterring repeat offenders. And setting them apart from other similar remedies on the market, Xigo Health products are all-natural and safe for everyday consumption.

Xigo Maximum Immune Defense is a patent pending extra strength blend of L-glutamine, lactoferrin, and beta glucans that is specifically formulated to help your body defend against immune challenges.
And what are the benefits of these things?
* BETA-GLUCANS detect harmful viruses and bacteria while activating the immune system
* L-GLUTAMINE fuels immune cells to better defend the body from attack
* LACTOFERRIN deters future attacks by helping the body remember repeat offenders and responding quickly to prevent viruses from rapidly multiplying.

Products are available through the Xigo Website, where you will also find a great forum for families to share and learn tips to stay healthy, active and enjoy life.
Xigo may also be found at select natural health food stores nationwide. You can find a store near you by using their store locator.

Want to try Xigo?

One reader will win their own box of Xigo!

How to Enter:
MANDATORY ENTRY:
Follow me via Google Friend Connect publicly {sidebar} or if you already do just lmk, AND and leave a comment telling me what you do at the first sign of illness, or a tip for staying cold/flu free this winter. These TWO things are required and must be done before your extra entries count. Please leave your email on this comment. And please remember to follow PUBLICLY so your follow shows up in your profile. If your profile is NOT public please leave your GFC id/name so I can find you. Thx!

Extra Entries (count after the mandatory entry above is done; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

☆ 1 Extra Entry: follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying & pasting the tweet below AND leaving me the link. Tweet 1x daily for an extra entry every day!

#Win a box of triple immune defense Xigo to use at the first sign of illness. {Mark it with a B} http://bit.ly/gRrmrc ends 01/24 #giveaway

☆ 1 Extra Entry: subscribe to my RSS feed.

☆ 1 Extra Entry: become a PUBLIC follower of my other blog live-whole-food. Please leave your GFC ID/name.

☆ 5 Extra Entries: {please leave 2 separate comments}, if you aren't already using Swagbucks to search & earn $ sign up through this link and tell me you did so in your comment.

☆ 3 Extra Entries: Put my button on your blog. Please leave an address where I can come visit.

☆ 5 Extra Entries: blog about this giveaway linking back to Mark it with a B. Please leave an address where I can visit.

☆ 1 Extra Entry: If you are a friend on Facebook & let others know about this giveaway, you get a bonus entry! - Please leave me your first name + last initial{s} in your comment AND @Robin Phillips-Knotts please in your FB post. You can do this 1x per day for an extra daily entry!

☆ 1 Extra Entry: Enter any other current giveaway I have running, and let me know.

That's it! Good luck & thanks for visiting!

Winner will be chosen on Jan. 24th, 2011 at 12mn CST - from qualified comments. Winning comment will be verified. If I can't contact the winner, due to your email not being on a post or not being public on your blog, another winner will be chosen. Winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here, as well as emailed, and will have 36 hours to contact me, or respond to notification requesting name and email addy, or a new winner will be chosen. *This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

Disclosure: I was provided with a sample of this product, as well as product information, and the opportunity to host a giveaway by Xigo, through MomSelect. No other compensation was provided. All opinions are my own. Your mileage may vary.

Winner!!

2011-01-11T18:58:00.001-06:00

Congrats to my winner of the Tropical Traditions Coconut Hair Treatment... #59 Pixie said... I signed up for the tropical traditions newsletter.
:)

{Giveaway} Scholastic Books: Shoe La La

2011-01-10T07:23:00.002-06:00

I have the pleasure of working with Scholastic Books once again, and this time we are giving away our featured book to TWO lucky Mark it with a B readers!

This time around we have Shoe La La!
Join four girls as they shop till they drop, looking for the perfect shoes to match their party dresses.
Emily, Ashley, Katilyn, Claire! Let’s go find the perfect pair!
There are piles of shoes to choose from, and the girls try on every pair in the store, but...
Eeny, meeny, my oh my! Just don’t know which shoes to buy.
What’s a girl to do? With some feathers and glitter, a little bit of glue, and a lof of imagination, the friends come up with the best shoes of all!
Shoe-la-la!

I must say, while my book-loving, almost 3 year old, granddaughter is into Princess' and pretty dresses, this book doesn't have any animals in it {Oh, there is a dog which she quickly pointed out to me!} so I wasn't sure what she'd think... but she LOVES this book - and I bet your little Princess will too!

The story is cute, and while I was afraid it was going to be very pro-consumerism ... it's not. :) Princess Wild Thing's favorite dress toggles between the purple one and the blue. There are lots of things to talk about in the photos too; counting shoes, colors, and more. Older kids could even use the illustrations to tell stories of their own making, making this a great open-ended book. {even if, perhaps, that wasn't really the intent of the authors}

Want to win a copy of Shoe La La!? TWO readers will!

How to Enter:
MANDATORY ENTRY:
Follow me via Google Friend Connect publicly {sidebar} or if you already do just lmk, AND and visit the Scholastic website and tell me the name a book the child in your life might enjoy. These TWO things are required and must be done before your extra entries count. Please leave your email on this comment. And please remember to follow PUBLICLY so your follow shows up in your profile. If your profile is NOT public please leave your GFC id/name so I can find you. Thx!

Extra Entries (count after the mandatory entry above is done; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

☆ 1 Extra Entry: follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying & pasting the tweet below AND leaving me the link. Tweet 1x daily for an extra entry every day!

#Win a copy of Shoe La La! from #Scholastic! 2 winners! {Mark it with a B} http://bit.ly/fNXE24 ends 01/24 #giveaway

☆ 1 Extra Entry: subscribe to my RSS feed.

☆ 1 Extra Entry: become a PUBLIC follower of my other blog live-whole-food. Please leave your GFC ID/name.

☆ 5 Extra Entries: {please leave 2 separate comments}, if you aren't already using Swagbucks to search & earn $ sign up through this link and tell me you did so in your comment.

☆ 3 Extra Entries: Put my button on your blog. Please leave an address where I can come visit.

☆ 5 Extra Entries: blog about this giveaway linking back to Mark it with a B. Please leave an address where I can visit.

☆ 1 Extra Entry: If you are a friend on Facebook & let others know about this giveaway, you get a bonus entry! - Please leave me your first name + last initial{s} in your comment AND @Robin Phillips-Knotts please in your FB post. You can do this 1x per day for an extra daily entry!

☆ 1 Extra Entry: Enter any other current giveaway I have running, and let me know.

That's it! Good luck & thanks for visiting!

Winner will be chosen on Jan. 24th, 2011 at 12mn CST - from qualified comments. Winning comment will be verified. If I can't contact the winner, due to your email not being on a post or not being public on your blog, another winner will be chosen. Winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here, as well as emailed, and will have 36 hours to contact me, or respond to notification requesting name and email addy, or a new winner will be chosen. *This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

Disclaimer: Scholastic provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.{This was not a paid post and my honest opinions were posted. These opinions are my own and your mileage may vary. Thank you to Scholastic for supplying the giveaway & review item.}

{Review} Applied Labels - 5 stars!

2011-01-09T15:49:00.003-06:00

I recently received these really cute labels from Applied Labels. Apply them to anything your kids take out of the house and you are good to go!

I received:
12 Shoe Shields to protect the labels when inside shoes
30 Blank Clothing Backers for attaching the labels to the tags in clothing
60 Printed name labels

I stuck them to a pair of pants, and her coat, using the backing sticker, a sippy cup, her sunglasses, my granddaughter's right shoe using the shoe shield {and might have to stick one to the left too as she prob won't like a sticker in one and not the other - I was trying to teach right from left lol}. All are holding up in their respective places! I think these are great to not only potentially get your stuff back if it gets lost at school, camp, or playgroup, but also for toddler name recognition, and pride in ownership.

The labels stick very well, are easy to apply, durable, and have held on through wearings and washings. {couldn't test them in a dishwasher as we don't have one} - I love that they are free of things like lead, BPA and DEHP.

You can get your child's {or yours!} first and last name if you wish, plus a design feature; as you can see we chose the crown for Princess Wild Thing. She loves it!
I actually couldn't find a thing wrong with these labels! Love them.

Want some for your family?
Head over to the website and check them out!
They have many options for fonts for your info as well as cute little icons. They even have special labels for feeding bottles; great for daycare!

These extraordinarily tough labels are dishwasher and laundry safe.
Lead, BPA and DEHP Free and are made in the USA!

To see the labels in action check out their video.

I'm giving them the Mark it with a B 5/5 stars! :)

You can also keep in touch with Applied Labels LLC through Twitter, and Facebook.

Thanks to Applied Labels LLC for sending me some free for review. This review is entirely based on my own thoughts & experience, your mileage may vary. No other compensation was received by me.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

{Giveaway} Tropical Traditions Coconut Hair Treatment

2010-12-27T00:05:00.002-06:00

It's no huge secret how much I love Tropical Traditions products; they are fabulous! And with research showing over and over how great coconut oil is for us in so many ways, and the fact that this company's harvesting practices are sustainable, well it's a win win situation.
Several weeks ago Tropical Traditions sent me a jar of their Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil for Hair Treatment - it is specially made for hair application. It has a slightly higher amount of protein than their other coconut oils, due to the presence of coconut solids. This Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil is a truly unrefined coconut oil. This coconut oil is made on Mt. Banahaw and surrounding areas from organic coconuts. [read more]

My Experience:
I have been blessed with very thick hair - but it's also very coarse and dry. Even a slight hint of humidity in the air and my hair turns on me and the frizzy monsters come out to play in a big way. I will say this Coconut Oil Treatment hasn't cured me of the frizzies but it has pushed them back a bit. I think with further use I may win the battle!
Suggested Uses:
For dry scalp: Rub into hair and scalp at least 30 minutes before showering, or before bed at night. Wear a shower cap or towel to protect bedding.
As a hair conditioner: Rub into the ends of your hair after washing, while the hair is still wet. Apply as needed, working towards the scalp. It can also be used as a pre-wash hair treatment applying just before showering.
Excellent for ALL hair types!

I've been doing the Pre-wash treatment described above. At first I was wondering... if I wash this out what are the benefits? The benefits turned out to be nice soft hair with a lovely faint scent. :) I can now skip my normal conditioner, and look forward to perhaps trying Tropical Traditions' Shampoo Bar. {Your average hair care products are really not good for your hair - google The Cosmetic Database for more info} - Another bonus is that the Hair Treatment is a great multi-tasker! After washing my face and hands in the evening I lightly dry and apply a tiny bit of the Hair Treatment Oil on my face and hands. My hands get very dry from knitting and every face cream I've ever tried makes me break-out. But the Coconut Oil is perfect and I know exactly what is going on my skin.

And this stuff has got to be the best value in an HBA product! A little goes a long way is an understatement. Love that!

Want to try the Tropical Traditions Coconut Hair Treatment? Tropical Traditions would like to send a jar to one of my lucky readers!
Just follow the steps below to be entered to win and I'll pick a winner at 12mnCT on 10 January 2011! Good luck everyone!

Want to shop Tropical Traditions' many healthy products? Go HERE.
BONUS: Any of my followers can receive a free copy of the Virgin Coconut Oil book through the Tropical Traditions Referral Program. This book contains info about the healthful benefits of Coconut Oil as well as recipes.
When you choose “Referred by a Friend” and enter my ID {6341908} on your first online order this book will be automatically added to your order. You can email Tropical Traditions if you need any help placing your web order & scoring the book.

How to Enter:
MANDATORY ENTRY:
Follow me via Google Friend Connect publicly {sidebar} or if you already do just lmk, AND and visit the Tropical Traditions website and tell me something you learned. These TWO things are required and must be done before your extra entries count. Please leave your email on this comment. And please remember to follow PUBLICLY so your follow shows up in your profile. If your profile is NOT public please leave your GFC id/name so I can find you. Thx!

Extra Entries (count after the mandatory entry above is done; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

☆ 1 Extra Entry: follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying & pasting the tweet below AND leaving me the link. Tweet 1x daily for an extra entry every day!

#Win a jar of Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil Hair Treatment {Mark it with a B} http://bit.ly/iddOwU ends 01/10 #giveaway

☆ 1 Extra Entry: follow Tropical Traditions on Twitter - leave me your Twitter ID.

☆ 5 Extra Entries: Subscribe to the Tropical Traditions Newsletter. -leave me the addy you subbed with.

☆ 1 Extra Entry: subscribe to my RSS feed.

☆ 1 Extra Entry: become a PUBLIC follower of my other blog live-whole-food. Please leave your GFC ID/name.

☆ 5 Extra Entries: {please leave 2 separate comments}, if you aren't already using Swagbucks to search & earn $ sign up through this link and tell me you did so in your comment.

☆ 3 Extra Entries: Put my button on your blog. Please leave an address where I can come visit.

☆ 5 Extra Entries: blog about this giveaway linking back to Mark it with a B. Please leave an address where I can visit.

☆ 1 Extra Entry: If you are a friend on Facebook & let others know about this giveaway, you get a bonus entry! - Please leave me your first name + last initial{s} in your comment AND @Robin Phillips-Knotts please in your FB post. You can do this 1x per day for an extra daily entry!

☆ 1 Extra Entry: Enter any other current giveaway I have running, and let me know.

That's it! Good luck & thanks for visiting!

Winner will be chosen on Jan. 10th, 2011 at 12mn CST - from qualified comments. Winning comment will be verified. If I can't contact the winner, due to your email not being on a post or not being public on your blog, another winner will be chosen. Winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here, as well as emailed, and will have 36 hours to contact me, or respond to notification requesting name and email addy, or a new winner will be chosen. *This giveaway is open to U.S. & Canada residents only. Note for Canadian bloggers: Tropical Traditions is not responsible for customs or duties that Canada may charge if you decide to participate in this Tropical Traditions sponsored blog giveaway.

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.{This was not a paid post and my honest opinions were posted. These opinions are my own and your mileage may vary. Thank you to Tropical Traditions for supplying the giveaway & review item.}

Upcoming Giveaways!

2010-12-26T23:21:00.002-06:00

Hope everyone had a lovely Holiday week!
I'm ready to giveaway some more stuff!! Yay! I hope to get a few started tomorrow and they include...
Coconut Hair Treatment from Tropical Traditions; many of you asked for this one and I'm here to deliver it for one lucky reader!
Then we'll have a natural cold and flu header-offer... just in time for flu season. I hear it's coming on up north here. ick. Hopefully this will help someone!
I've got another book from our favorite book company, Scholastic, coming up! This is a girly fun book; Princess Wild Thing is going to love it!

So, please look forward to all 3 of these starting tomorrow! If you are new here go ahead and Friend me on GFC - it's a requirement for giveaways so you might as well get it over with. Harmless I promise!

And if there is someone out there that is thinking they never win anything... give it a shot. I have won several things just in the past week. Now I didn't win the Princess ZhuZhu set in the previous post unfortunately but I did win 3 other useful things. I'll post when I get them - people really do win!

Happy almost monday everyone and thanks for reading!

It's a giveaway bonanza!

2010-12-20T14:28:00.004-06:00

It's not too often that I blog about other people's giveaways but One Savvy Mom has some exceptional things to giveaway so I just had to tell you about it!
These all may have different entry deadlines, and there are TONS of entry options - so many that you might need a spreadsheet to keep track! :) - but she has amazing items!
Here are the things she has up that I'm entering to win!
Princess Wild Thing would LOVE this Zhu Zhu Princess set and I'd love the Flip!

Then there's this candle from Plow & Hearth, an adorable umbrella from Kidorable, an ERGO baby doll carrier, an Epson AIO printer, a comfy pillow from Protect-a-Bed, the Sky High Scoops game, and {whew!} a Lights & Action building set! And there's even more! Those are just the things I'm interested in {there's "boy" stuff too}!
So, what are you waiting for? Join me over there!

And tomorrow I'll have a review up for Tropical Traditions Coconut Hair Treatment - AND a giveaway for it as well! I love it!

{Closed!} Giveaway! Scholastic Books Prize Pack!

2010-12-07T10:23:00.009-06:00

We have a HUGE prize pack filled with the most popular children’s books in the marketplace to offer one lucky reader! Titles include CAPTAIN SKY BLUE, IT’S CHRISTMAS DAVID, OOK and GLUK as well as TONY BALONEY, ODIOUS OGRE and I SPY CHRISTMAS A CHRISTMAS TREE!

It's no secret that we love books! So I was thrilled when Scholastic sent 2 new hardbound books to us for review. We received It's Christmas David! by David Shannon and Captain Sky Blue by Richard Egielski. At first glance both books seem geared more to boys than girls but Princess Wild Thing really liked them - especially It's Christmas David!

Readers of all ages will vividly remember trying to peek at hidden gift packages; writing scrolls of wish lists to Santa; and struggling to behave at formal Christmas dinner parties. Always in the background, we know Santa Claus is watching, soon to decide if David deserves a shiny new fire truck or a lump of coal under the tree. From playing with delicate ornaments to standing in an endlessly long line for Santa, here are common Christmas activities--but with David's naughty trimmings. A surefire hit that is destined to be an annual classic!
There are a few other No, David! books as well; No, David!, David Gets in Trouble, and David Goes to School. I think Mady would enjoy them as well. She had me read the It's Christmas David! book a few times. lol.

The second book, from Caldecott Medal Winner author Richard Egielski, Captain Sky Blue is a charming story where Santa brings Jack his best toy pal, Captain Sky Blue. Sky speaks in pilot talk - "Roger! Wilco!" {and there is a Pilot Talk page that deciphers the lingo}. After a thunderstorm separates Sky and his buddy {Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!}, Sky is abducted by a whale, then left alone to wander the frigid ocean floor until he chances upon a very special place, a place where he's been before {" Now I'm spooled up!"}. Captain Sky Blue thinks he has finally found an easy way home, but first he must help Santa out on Christmas Eve -- a challenge that puts his pilot skills to the test!
I think the lingo thing was a little much for Mady so I skipped it and improvised but a child who is a little older will love it. It's an imaginative cute story and I suspect next year she'll enjoy it more.

Give the gift of reading to your child this holiday season! Scholastic books make the perfect stocking stuffer for any child on your list.

We have a HUGE prize pack filled with the most popular children’s books in the marketplace to offer one lucky reader! Titles include CAPTAIN SKY BLUE, IT’S CHRISTMAS DAVID, OOK and GLUK as well as TONY BALONEY, ODIOUS OGRE and I SPY CHRISTMAS A CHRISTMAS TREE!

ONE WINNER WILL RECEIVE

A HUGE Scholastic Holiday prize pack featuring:

Captain Sky Blue
It’s Christmas David
Ook and Gluk
Tony Baloney
Odious Ogre
I SPY Christmas
Prize Pack Value $89.75
Giveaways open to US Mailing Addresses only.

To Enter:
Lets make this easy; For your mandatory entry head over to Scholastic and leave the name a book the child in your life might enjoy. REMEMBER you must be a GFC Follower to enter giveaways. {please leave an email in one of your comments too}

Bonus Entries: leave a separate comment for each thing you do:
Put my button on your blog
follow me on Twitter
Follow me on Facebook
Tweet this giveaway {get an entry 1x per day}:
#win Give the gift of reading - Win a #Scholastic Prize Pack! Ends 18Dec10 @cokelush http://bit.ly/fciR1x

That's it! Good luck everyone and thanks for playing!

Scholastic and Big Honcho Media provided me with the 2 free books, to read with my granddaughter, and is sponsoring this giveaway. All comments & opinions are my own. Giveaway ends 12mn on 18 December 2010 and winner will be announced on the blog & emailed. Winner will have 36 hours to respond to email with the required info or another winner will be chosen. All entries will be verified & winner will be chosen by Random.org or by choosing a name out of a "hat" from verified entries.

Giveaways coming this week!

2010-12-03T17:47:00.005-06:00

Just a heads up for you. This coming week we should have a few giveaways ready for you.
The first one up will probably be from our friends at Tropical Traditions, the Coconut Oil people! This time I'll be reviewing and giving away something that will keep your hair healthy and shiny!
The second giveaway will be for a pair of books from Scholastic - I've got a review coming on that one as well.
And maybe one more surprise for you all!
Keep in mind all giveaways are only open to my Google Friend Connect Followers so if you've found your way here, but aren't yet a follower... I'd love to have you join us! Just click "Follow" on the widget on the right toolbar.
Thanks and have a great weekend!

Five helpful tips for holiday tech shopping

2010-11-30T20:32:00.004-06:00

Hope everyone's Christmas shopping is going well! I'm sure Tech-gadgets are going to be on many people's lists this holiday season, and there are many new gadgets out there this year; from the iPad to the new gaming console offerings ... here's five tips that might help you out a bit.
1. Shop through a portal. Might as well earn a few extra bucks for that big buck purchase right? I love eBates.com - if you aren't familiar with them, all you need to do is sign up and then go to your site of choice through their link and you earn a percentage back on your purchase; very easy. Also look for rebates at many stores - just be sure to collect all the items that you need for the rebate; receipts, bar codes, etc. and put them somewhere safe.
2. Compare prices {fatwallet.com is a great place to do this}. This probably goes without saying but you'd be amazed at the amount of people who feel they don't have time to comparison shop. Tech is a competitive market. While you are checking prices, look at reviews from users on sites such as Amazon also.
3. Don't assume all the good pricing is gone for the season with Black Friday and Cyber Monday behind us. There are still good prices to be had - as people have cut their gift-giving budgets many stores are still struggling to get out of the red and into the black. There will be discounts, rebates, and some retailers are ready to move out older models and make room for the new. At the VERY least you should be able to score free shipping at most web retailers. Get on the retailers emailing list to be the first to hear of sales.
4. Do some homework into what your recipient is really looking for – have they really looked into what they are asking for to make sure it will fit their needs? Looking for an eReader? Make sure you get the right one; some eReaders won't read the ePub format, for instance. If your recipient isn't going to be borrowing from an online library this won't matter; but if they are it will. Some stores even have gadgets on display that you can test drive. Staples has a display of the Kindle for instance. Test drive if you can and look over the specs. If your family member is asking for an iPad is that really what they want? Or would a netbook be a better fit? Ask some questions if you can.
5. Sometimes gift certificates are the best answer even if it’s not as fun. :) Let your little techy get exactly what they want, and sometimes the after-Christmas sales are even better than the before sales; this allows your money to go even further!

Happy shopping everyone!

Did you know Staples wasn't just about office supplies and ink cartridges? Staples, the world's largest office products company, is committed to making it easy for customers to buy a wide range of office products and services. Our broad selection of office supplies, electronics, technology and office furniture as well as business services, including computer repair and copying and printing, helps our customers run their offices efficiently. With 2009 sales of $24 billion and 91,000 associates worldwide, Staples operates in 26 countries throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia serving businesses of all sizes and consumers. Staples invented the office superstore concept in 1986 and today ranks second worldwide in e-commerce sales. The company is headquartered outside Boston.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Staples blogging program, making me eligible for a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Win a Raccoon!

2010-11-29T18:08:00.005-06:00

That might not sound too appealing to some but... I love raccoons and this one won't even get into the cat food, scraps, trash etc. And he's adorable!
Meet MamaRoots. Her real name is Chris and she handcrafts a wonderful assortment of open-ended non-toxic beings for just about everyone on your gift list, young and young at heart. Many of her critters have a tie-in with books which makes them even better! AND she's having a giveaway over at the Herbal Roots 'Zine for this cutie. Herbal Roots 'Zine is worth checking out while you are over there too - fab activities delivered to your inbox every month.
Anyway, I've been trying to win one of the MamaRoots critters for.ever. so... I've got everything crossed that this little guy will be mine, but I'm sure whomever he ends up will give him a good home.
Good luck everyone!

The Mitten: The book

2010-11-29T10:44:00.004-06:00

I'm way later than I wanted to be getting this in... but I think I mentioned before about a cool new blog on the block: Books2BridgeMiles was started by a friend of mine and promises fun, book-centered activities throughout the year. And the extra fun part is everyone who participates with their littles can choose to share what they did. You don't have to do the activities that are on the blog {altho' that makes it really easy!}. There are always extra links and encouragement to find what activities suit your family best.
And I know for a fact there are some cool things on the horizon!
So... Princess Wild Thing and I worked on The Mitten by Jan Brett. This was one of my my girls' fav books when they were small. Anything by Jan Brett got read often actually; have you seen the illustrations? Amazing. And they loved the mostly animal centric stories. So we went looking for The Mitten and The Hat from the library.
We read The Hat but didn't do an activity from it - she loved the animals and seeing them take the clothing tho'. lol.
For The Mitten we made a felt board. I was unsure what I wanted to use for a board but knew I wanted it to stand up by itself and that I could easily tuck it away when not in use. Now I'm not going to do a tutorial or anything since not many of you will have an old flush-printed wedding album sitting around lol. But basically I gutted the book except for 1 signature, covered that signature with felt, and glued it down. This basically makes the pages of the book a felt board. I love the idea that this is a book and will be used for book activities. lol.
Anyway, it still needs work; I'll cover the front and back covers, put pockets in the front {where that side of the board isn't glued down} to hold story pieces... it's a work in progress.
I printed out The Mitten characters from the Jan Brett site, glued them to the pages that I tore out of the wedding album for sturdiness, and had PWT color them. We did put velcro on the backs so they would stick to the felt but the velcro came off the critters when we tried to remove them from the felt. So, better glue or something is in order there. Or do you use the loopy/softer side of the velcro? or just put a bit of felt on the back? Hmmmm... I'll have to experiment with that.
Anyway, PWT liked putting the critters on the board as the story unfolded and then rearranging them in the glove. She also loved matching the critter to the ones in the book, especially matching the critter that would come along next {featured on the right pane of the page}. This is also fun because there are often critters that a 2 year old wouldn't know anything about: The badger, the mole, and the Hedgie specifically. The Hedgie being the favorite of course!
We'll do more of this kind of thing and look forward to reading more with Books2BridgeMiles!

No well-loved wedding books were harmed in this project. The wedding book in question was a flawed printing from a photographer I knew. :) And sorry for the crappy cell phone pic. Next time I'll get action pics.

Hats, Pods, & Photo Props!

2010-11-19T07:00:00.000-06:00

Just wanted to let everyone know that Kayleigh's Kloset is now over at the Weeping Willow Hyena Cart Congo. There's some knit and crocheted hats, a newborn Pod photo prop, more hats lol, some spa cloths... and more to come! So if your looking for photo props or hats to keep your little one's head warm this winter head on over and check out the shop! I've also got 2 custom Hudson Hat spots - these are such popular hats! I plan to put some ready to ship ones in the shop in the near future so bookmark the shop if you are interested in Hudsons... they tend to go quickly.
Shop opens at noon today - but you can get a preview now -happy shopping!

Get 2 free books!

2010-11-17T14:25:00.006-06:00

Mark it with a B is proud to sponsor Children’s Literacy with a new {and FREE} offer for you and your family.
Story Time for Me is a new company with a grand idea; make affordable children's books accessible online, and fun! Everything is on the computer these days and while I firmly believe normal books have their place in the lives of children, I also believe in variety and these books might just offer that for your family. Why not try them out and see? They make great gifts too!
If you have not yet received your 2 FREE online, animated, multimedia children’s books, please click below to get your no strings attached, no obligation, books.

Disclosure: This is an affiliate link. By becoming a member of STfY you too can have an affiliate link of your very own to share. HOWEVER, there is no obligation - you get 2 free books to try for FREE.

10 Holiday Survival Tips!

2010-11-11T18:26:00.004-06:00

Oddly enough I was a better Holiday planner when the kids were smaller. I know. Weird right? I guess back then I figured that I only had thiiissss much time to plan and get organized so I did it. Now that they are grown... I figure I have all the time in the world, and anyone who knows me knows that I'm the BIGGEST procrastinator around when it comes to planning things so... you guessed it. I'm one of the last minute people. ick.
However, that said, I do actually know what needs to be done and how to get it done earlier - now if I could just implement my own 10 tips I'd be a happy camper. Maybe next year. lol.

Tip 1: If your people are pretty easy to buy gifts for, purchase gifts throughout the year in order to save money and be prepared. At the very least start knitting Aunt Sue that sweater BEFORE November. :)

Tip 2: Don't think that everyone is out to get you if you are last-minute shopping during the holidays because you didn't implement tip #1. They aren't. {well, they probably aren't} - they are just as frazzled as you are. Send a smile their way it will make you both feel better.

Tip 3: Make lists! and then don't loose them! If you need to coordinate with others consider using one of the online sharing sites so everyone can see what's going on. If you have A LOT of people consider using the yahoo list feature. lol.

Tip 4: Plan meals ahead of time and go heavy on the items that can be prepared ahead of time also. I know that's a no-brainer but sometimes easy gets lost. Make it as easy as possible. Holidays are about sharing with family and friends not about who spent the most time in the kitchen.

Tip 5: I actually haven't sent out Holiday cards in years, but when I did I tried to have them completely stamped, and addressed before Thanksgiving. Tiny Prints Christmas Cards* has some darling cards {even tri-folds which I LOVE!}. Just remember, if you are having your family photos done by a pro photographer be sure to find out if it's legal to upload your chosen photo to a site such as Tiny Prints - unless your photog gives you permission it's a copyright violation.

Tip 6: This won't save you any time but, consider making cloth drawstring bags instead of using wrapping paper! They can be re-used each year and I think kids would love seeing "their" bags under the tree year after year. Very young children LOVE ripping paper off tho' so use paper for them. And lots of bows. lol.

Tip 7: Shop online if you can - soooo much easier and many shops have free shipping for the holidays. Also consider shopping etsy - support arts and crafts, re-purposing, and work at home moms.

Tip 8: Find out what people on your gift lists really need. I'll admit it was easier when we just purchased a sweater for that hard to buy for person on our list but if what he/she really needs is undies... then that person is getting undies this year. lol. Find out what it is that your person just doesn't think to purchase for themselves but could really use.

Tip 9: Don't forget the critters in your lives. We have some special critters that live with us, our daughter, and my parents. They would love some organic treats, or a new bed.

Tip 10: And the most important of all: Keep it simple. It's not this, that, and the other thing that you and your family will remember. It's the unplanned simple things that happen on their own that you will look back and laugh about later. Like the burned turkey. Or the time the dog ate the packaging off Aunt Sue's gift.

What is your favorite Holiday activity to do with your family?

* Tiny Prints provides stylish, modern and unique stationery from photo cards to personalized greeting cards to thank you cards and business cards. Offering exclusive designs from the nation’s top designers, easy card personalization, a powerful preview engine and top-notch customer service and paper quality, their designs have been lauded by numerous television networks, publications and celebrities. With Tiny Prints by your side the Holidays will be a cinch! They offer adorable Thanksgiving Cards, Christmas Cards, Hanukkah Cards, and even New Years Cards. All fully customizable and personalizable.

Disclaimer:
I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Tiny Prints blogging program, making me eligible to get a $75 Tiny Prints gift certificate! For more information on how you can participate, click here.
As usual, all content is my own. Good or bad. :)

Supercuts Ranked #1 Hair Care Franchise

2010-11-11T14:14:00.004-06:00

Ever thought of working for yourself and thought owning a franchise might be the answer you were looking for but you really weren't sure where to start or which franchise to look at?
Think about looking at Supercuts! Supercuts, one of the largest and most iconic salon brands in the country, has been ranked the number one hair-care franchise in the U.S. and the fifth best franchise opportunity overall in Entrepreneur magazine's annual "Franchise 500" issue. The Regis Corporation, parent company of Supercuts, is the authority on franchise business ownership in the hair care industry and offers a time-tested business model for anyone looking to start building a business of their own - no prior business or hair-care experience necessary. Supercuts will train you to run the business, and how to hire the right professional stylists to perform the actual services. If you are a professional considering business ownership, inquire about opening a hair care franchise with Supercuts!

Why Choose the Hair Care Industry?
The success of any franchise is dependent on the nature of the business. Unlike food service franchises with perishable inventory, round the clock hours, and unskilled labor, hair care is an industry worthy of consideration because it:

* Is fundamental service in any community and any economic climate.
* Most people choose not to ‘do it themselves’
* Resists technological obsolescence
* Is staffed by professionals – employees are educated, certified and trained
* Has low, non-perishable inventory requirements.
* Cannot be outsourced
* Is about making people look and feel good about themselves.

Hair care is a high-demand, high-repeat cash business that serves a fragmented and local market. Supercuts can take the guess work out of setting up a successful operation of your own; one where successful national advertising creates brand recognition and value for each salon.

Why Supercuts?
A strong relationship between franchiser and franchisee is imperative to the success of any franchise, as well as the capability of your franchisor -- their financial health and their ability to keep products, services, and marketing current and relevant. Supercuts is owned by Regis Corporation. Regis is the global leader in hair care service. They are a Fortune 1000 company with almost 13,000 salon locations among 60 brands in hair care services, products, and education. Supercuts is Regis Corporation’s flagship franchise brand. Since 1922, Regis’s success has stemmed from their continued ability to innovate according to demand. Even in 2009’s economic uncertainty, Supercuts provided franchisees with the knowledge and confidence to open eighty new Supercuts across the country, bringing the franchise to over 2,100 locations throughout North America.

To foster a symbiotic relationship with franchisees, Regis uses total transparency to provide learning opportunities and offer access to the latest information and best practices on financial performance, incremental revenue opportunities, operational improvements, marketing, hiring, retention and business growth strategies. Regis is equally as invested in the success of franchised salons as their franchisees are.

Gary Grace, president of the Supercuts Franchise Association and a multi-unit franchisee himself, attributes the salon brand's success to the excellent working relationship that franchisees have with Regis Corporation. "This franchise has a tremendous, built-in support system that is hard to create on your own," Grace said. "We have strong leadership, attend conferences, share best practices and even have an online community bulletin board where we post questions, help each other out, and offer advice. Overall, this recognition reflects how well we all work together – from each Supercuts stylist to our franchisee network to Regis Corporation and their support."

How Can I Franchise a Supercuts?
Just like any other business, a franchise business will take sufficient capital to run while you’re getting to profitability as well as a willingness to be part of team, tenacity, making sound decisions, leadership and execution.

A potential franchisee must have the following qualifications:

* $150K net worth minimum
* Some business experience
* Willing to open multiple units (Minimum of 3)

Have questions about opening a Supercuts franchise or want to learn tips from current business owners? Visit http://www.RegisFranchise.com or contact Melissa Aquino at melissa@stjacques.com for more info about becoming a franchisee, Regis Corporation, and blogging opportunities.

Want to stay connected with Supercuts?
* Twitter - follow @MySuperCuts, tweet (click here)
* Facebook - check out the lineup at www.facebook.com/Supercuts

About Supercuts
Supercuts is part of the Regis Franchise family of brands. With over 2,100 locations across North America, Supercuts provides hair-care services to men, women and children at convenient locations with reasonable prices and no appointments necessary. Supercuts offers a broad selection of professional hair care products including Paul Mitchell, American Crew, Nioxin, Tigi, Redken, Biolage and more.

Wanna win a hat?

2010-11-10T08:59:00.004-06:00

or rather a kit to make a CUTE autumn hat?
Well, a good friend of mine is having a giveaway on her blog - Our Broken Road for this cute hat kit as a promo for her new blog Books 2 Bridge Miles.
What's cool about this new blog is that she and a friend are choosing several books each month and you can choose to read along with them with your little one! The first books are The Mitten and The Hat by Jan Brett, and also The Night Before Thanksgiving and There Was an Old Lady that Swallowed a Pie along with Pumpkin Soup. Each week there is a different book or two. And the REALLY cool thing is you don't have to scour the interwebz looking for activities to match the book; Hallie and Jackie have done that for you and list links and activities in posts throughout the month AND you can link up and share what you and your little one{s} did with the books.
I know Princess Wild Thing and I will be participating - she loves books!
So head over to Our Broken Road and sign up for the hat kit giveaway {& if your little one doesn't happen to need a hat - I bet you know someone else who would be very thankful for one.} - and go over to Books 2 Bridge Miles to check out the November activities! See you there!

I'm back!

2010-11-06T16:15:00.004-06:00

It's been awhile since I was on the blog - but it's for a special reason. :)
Dh and I went to Cali to begin Phase I of moving my parents and their fur-kid, Goldie, out here to the mid-west. When this is done they will live a mere 15 min. from me!
This makes me very happy as we've not lived in the same state since 1994.
But moving 40 years of your life half way across the US is a large undertaking. Now that we've got half of their belongings at the new house... well the real work begins. They have had the pool rebuilt and the exterior painted, but new carpet still needs to be laid, bathroom furniture needs to be installed, some tile work needs done, and interior walls need paint for starters. Not to mention the rest of the packing and selling the house! But hopefully sometime this year they will be in their new home. Anyone wanna buy a home with a pool in SoCal? :)

Anyway, in the works are a few more giveaways, because who doesn't like a giveaway?! and some more reviews.
One company I'm working with once more is CSN - fab company with everything for your Christmas/Holiday shopping.

So, I'll be back shortly with all this and more! Thanks for hanging in there. :)

Oh, and the photo above? That beauty belonged to my dad's grandfather - my dh gets to restore it. :)

And the winner is...

2010-11-01T21:25:00.002-06:00

Thanks everyone for being patient on getting the winner of the Tropical Traditions Coconut PNut Butter drawn.
We've been moving my folks, then playing catch up, creating a Halloween costume for Princess Wild Thing that I'll show you in a few days...
But our winner is #17...

Edmund who said...
Tweeted.
http://twitter.com/edmundwu/status/27795629468
edm728@gmail.com

Thanks everyone for playing and I'll be back with more giveaways real soon!

{CLOSED!} Tropical Traditions Coconut-Peanut Butter

2010-10-11T19:16:00.003-06:00

I just received this Coconut Peanut Butter in the mail from my favorite place - Tropical Traditions! They have the best coconut stuff.

Peanut Butter and Coconut was just meant to be together! Yum!
Here's one of the recipes I'm using:
Maci's "Banana Peanut Butter Lover" Kefir Shake
by Cultured Food Life
1/2 Cup of plain Kefir
1/2 of a Banana (I put banana's in most of my smoothies. I find it cuts the sourness just enough that I don't need to add a sweetener)
1/4 cup of Milk (preferrably raw)
1 and 1/2 TBSP of peanut butter
Top with cinnamon and a few peanuts!
Truvia or Stevia (If needed)

Yum! And instead of plain Peanut Butter I used Tropical Tradition's Coconut Peanut Butter. You could also sub out the Kefir with yogurt. And I use Rice Milk instead of Raw. lol. Just changed it up a bit. :)

You can find other yummy recipes here at the Tropical Traditions Recipe site... like this Chai Smoothie! or this Coconut Peanut Butter Cup Hot Cocoa! Great for the cooler nights.
And there's a ton more recipes on that site!

ONE LUCKY READER WILL WIN A JAR OF ORGANIC COCONUT PEANUT BUTTER FROM TROPICAL TRADITIONS!

I've got a ton to do today so I'm going to make this one easy to enter. The form will be coming back but I don't have time to set it up today so... Please enter one comment for ea. thing you do. MANDATORY entry is to be a follower through Google Friend Connect. After that you get bonus entries for any or all of the following: REMEMBER - leave a comment for each and leave an email where I can reach you.

Put my button on your blog
follow me on Twitter
Follow me on Facebook
Follow Tropical Traditions on Twitter
Follow Tropical Traditions on Facebook
Visit the Tropical Traditions store & let me know what you like
Visit the recipe site & tell me what sounds yum!
Tweet this giveaway {get an entry 1x per day}:
#win Tropical Traditions Coconut Peanut Butter! Ends 31Oct10 @cokelush http://bit.ly/aU87aQ

Thanks for playing and a winner will be announced on Halloween!

Tropical Traditions provided me with a free jar of Coconut Peanut Butter to try out and is sponsoring this giveaway. All comments & opinions are my own. Giveaway ends 12mn on 31 October 2010 and winner will be announced on the blog & emailed. Winner will have 36 hours to respond to email with the required info or another winner will be chosen. All entries will be verified & winner will be chosen by Random.org or by choosing a name out of a "hat" from verified entries.

A handmade giveaway

2010-10-05T10:55:00.003-06:00

My good friend Hallie is having a giveaway over on her blog, Our Broken Road. Altho' I suspect that with this recent move to another state that road may be on the mend - I think WA state is a great fit for them - not to mention that it's one of the few states that I've wanted to visit myself so... we'll let them get settled and in a few years hopefully we'll get to come and visit! :)
She's giving away a set of handcrafted potholders - perfect for everyday and all the holiday baking that is coming up! She always finds the coolest stuff at thrifts, so head over and enter to win some handcrafted goodness! And tell her I sent you. ;)

TGIF! It's blog party time!

2010-09-30T21:00:00.010-06:00

Welcome everyone from the Friday Blog Parties and An Island Life's Aloha Friday!

Feel free to enter one or both of my current giveaways and have a look around; I'm glad your here. Follow me, if you want, and I'll follow you back - promise. It might take me a day or two but I'll get it done.

Your Aloha Friday question:
I rarely go to the theater to see movies but enjoy them on DVD - what was your favorite summer movie? I might just check it out. :)
Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!

{Giveaway} $35 Gift Card from CSNstores!

2010-09-29T21:19:00.009-06:00

Giveaway #2 is from... CSNstores!! As one of their Preferred Bloggers I get to joyfully give one of my readers a $35. gift certificate to one of the over 200 CSNstores.com stores!
If you aren't familiar with CSNstores by now ... you must live under a larger rock than I do. :)
They have tons of stuff, reasonable pricing, and their customer service is the best. Oh, and many items even have free shipping! Gotta love that!
For instance I was looking at dining chairs...
This one is awesome and reminds me of a set that was in a home that was for sale recently. We were looking at homes for my parents and, while the home was nice, the furniture in it was to die for! lol.

I also like the simpleness of this:
but the sassy-ness of this:
This is why shopping is not my favorite activity. :)

Looking for critter friendly ideas? or need a headstart on bookcase headboard shopping? Check out this and this.

Looking for the giveaway? ;) Look no further!
One of my readers will win a $35. gift certificate to ANY of the CSNstores - and there are a bunch!

HOW TO ENTER:
I'm trying out a new entry method - please let me know if you like it or not. If for some reason the form doesn't work for you just say so in a comment and put your entries there and I'll count them.
The requirements are the same for this giveaway as they are for the Uprinting Business Card Giveaway.

Here is a Tweet you can use for Twitter:
#win a $35. gift card from Mark it with a B at bit.ly/aeMase from #CSNstores. #Giveaway ends 13 October 2010.

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Winner will be chosen on October 13th, 2010 at 12mn CST - from qualified comments. Winning comment will be verified. If I can't contact the winner, due to your email not being on a post or not being public on your blog, another winner will be chosen. Winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here, as well as emailed, and will have 36 hours to contact me, or respond to notification requesting name and email addy, or a new winner will be chosen. *This giveaway is open to U.S. & Canada residents only.

This post was sponsored by CSNstores.com, who provided the first link in the post. Content after that is entirely my own as are all opinions. I was provided with a gift card to use in any of their online stores in exchange for writing this post. Thanks CSNstores!

{Giveaway!} 250 Die-cut Business Cards

2010-09-28T17:11:00.005-06:00

Congratulations to our winner:
Ronda said...
I follow you with GFC. I would use these for our small business.
rrudnick@netnet.net
October 13, 2010 3:25 PM
I'll be emailing you in min.
*********************************************

Well readers it's that time again - another round of giveaways is coming! First up we have 250 Die-cut Business Cards from the very generous UPrinting!

Now, UPrinting has everything to satisfy your printing needs and great pricing too. Need banners? Cards? Yep, they've got them. Quality, pricing you can live with, and fast turn-around. What more could you ask for?

One of my readers is going to get the chance to try them out by winning these cool business cards!

250 Die Cut Business Cards for One (1) Winner
2 x 3.5”, 2 x 2” (square card) or 1.75 x 3.5” (slim card)
Die cutting options available: Rounded Corners, Leaf, Rounded One-Corner, Half-Circle Side, Circle
Paper Type: 14pt Cardstock Gloss, Matte, or High Gloss; 13pt Cardstock Uncoated
Color: 4Color Front, Blank Back; 4Color Front, Black Back; 4Color Both Sides
Limited to US residents only 18 years old and above

Use them for designer cards, blogger cards, mommy cards, and so much more… From marketing materials to personal cards, business cards have developed from the plain boring to the more modern with rounded corners, square shapes or slim cards. Awesome! You can check out all the options HERE.

HOW TO ENTER:
Mandatory entry: Follow me via Google Friend Connect publicly {sidebar} or if you already do just lmk, AND tell me what you would do with the cards if you won. These TWO things are required and must be done before your extra entries count. Please leave your email on this comment. And please remember to follow PUBLICLY so your follow shows up in your profile. If your profile is NOT public please leave your GFC id/name so I can find you. Thx!

Extra Entries (count after the mandatory entry above is done; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

☆ Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying & pasting the tweet below AND leaving me the link. Tweet 1x daily for an extra entry every day!

RT #Win 250 Die-Cut Business cards from #UPrinting! Ends 10.13.10 {Mark it with a B} - http://bit.ly/9KLKZE #giveaway #cokelush

☆ Follow UPrinting on Twitter - leave me your Twitter ID.

☆ Subscribe to my RSS feed.

☆ Become a PUBLIC follower of my other blog live-whole-food. Please leave your GFC ID/name.

☆ Put my button on your blog. Please leave an address where I can come visit.

☆ Blog about this giveaway linking back to Mark it with a B. Please leave an address where I can visit.

☆ If you are a friend on Facebook & let others know about this giveaway, you get a bonus entry! - Please leave me your first name + last initial{s} in your comment AND @Robin Phillips-Knotts please in your FB post. You can do this 1x per day for an extra daily entry!

☆ Comment on any other post, here or on Live Whole Food, and let me know where you commented/which post.

That's it! Good luck & thanks for visiting!

Winner will be chosen on October 13th, 2010 at 12mn CST - from qualified comments. Winning comment will be verified. If I can't contact the winner, due to your email not being on a post or not being public on your blog, another winner will be chosen. Winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here, as well as emailed, and will have 36 hours to contact me, or respond to notification requesting name and email addy, or a new winner will be chosen. *This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

All opinions are my own, links, image, and info are provided by UPrinting.com and I will be receiving 250 Die Cut Business Cards from UPrinting.com for hosting this giveaway. Thanks UPrinting!

Tired of your ToXiC pans?

2010-09-24T19:51:00.006-06:00

Try THESE! Seriously, I just received my order from CSNstores for a 8" skillet and a larger griddle.
CSNstores.com never disappoints; top notch shipping, service & products. Love them!

I was looking for something to replace my totally trashed skillet; something that eggs wouldn't stick to and something I could make these in. This was a more complicated task than I ever imagined! Once I started looking closer into nonstick cookware to replace mine - all I found was how toxic it all is. I know right?! Ick. But the alternatives just didn't seem to be non-stick enough for what I needed. I mean eggs tend to stick. badly. And dh likes his over-easy... you know, not scrambled? There was no way that was going to happen in my old pans - we were cooking eggs in a tiny saucepan because it was the only pan that had it's nonstick surface, toxins and all, intact. So... CSNstores to the rescue! I looked over their site and the EarthPan™ II cookware jumped out at me.
Their claims:
* SandFlow™ nonstick coating will outlast all other ceramic-based, eco-friendly
cookware 3 to 1
* Aluminum construction heats up quickly and helps reduce "hot spots"
* Dual riveted silicone enhanced handle is comfortable to hold and provides a
confident grip
* High-heat performance - can be heated to 600*f, 25% higher than traditional
nonstick pans.
* Reduced greenhouse gasses - lower carbon footprint during production
* No toxic fumes, NO PTFE or PFOA
* Dishwasher safe.
I don't have any way to judge the accuracy of many of these claims - but the pan works! It's like my food was on a glass surface. Now, maybe all non-stick pans are like that at first, I'll report back on how they hold up... but the non-toxic thing? LOVE THAT. The Eco-Friendly production? Love that too!
I don't usually routinely look to Consumer Reports, but if you do you might be pleased to know that the EarthPan™ II was their Top Pick for cookware. You can read more about that here.

And yes, that first bullet item said SAND: The foundation of this EarthPan™ II griddle is the exclusive eco-friendly SandFlow™ nonstick coating. This unique nonstick originates from sand and is formulated to provide excellent food release and easy cleanup. Based on industry lab tests, SandFlow™ nonstick food releasing performance will outlast all other ceramic-based, eco-friendly cookware 3 to 1.

Cool huh? {Since I live in Limited Bandwidth Land I'm not sure this video will work but thought I might try it. Lmkk. Thx.}

The SandFlow™ EarthPan™ II comes in ~~Brown~~ Espresso and Terra Cotta right now - maybe other cool colors will show up in the future but it works so well that I don't care what color it is. :) And with the 8" Skillet being sold for $19.95 and the 11" Griddle coming in at $29.95 - how can you not try it?
{The offer free shipping on a whole set! Lookie here}

Admittedly I just received this pan today. And have cooked in it once. But I'll report back and let you know how it holds up.
Happy cooking!

I purchased these 2 pans with credits I received from CSN for a previous blog post. I was not required {or even asked} to post this review, these opinions are my own & not reviewed by anyone before going live. Your mileage may vary on the blogged about product. Thanks for reading!

Overstock - 10% off discount code!

2010-09-24T10:49:00.008-06:00

In the market for... well just about anything? I was just shopping around as my daughter is looking for a shorter/fatter dresser for her daughter - Princess Wild Thing has started climbing her tall dresser drawers and they are afraid it will tip on her. They are also looking for a nicer TV stand for her TV in her room that also holds her small fish tank.
So I headed to Overstock.com this morning to see what they had:
This stand could work if the fishies were relocated to the dresser...
This dresser over in the bedroom furniture area looks untippable & classic...

Then I meandered around in the Children's Clothing section because I'm random like that {I didn't even realize Overstock had clothing!} and Princess Wild Thing would LOVE this...

ANYWAY, I better get busy and do something around here to make it look like I did something... dh is off work soon. :)
Happy shopping and please feel free to use this discount code to get 10% off all your Overstock.com purchases! Code: 121728

All the ideas and opinions expressed are my own. No monetary compensation was received for doing this post, however, I was provided with a discount code.

Review: Neutrogena UltraSheer® Liquid Daily Sunblock

2010-09-22T16:22:00.003-06:00

Nearly all dermatologists (93%) note that skin cancer most often develops on the face, more than any other place on the body. That is likely why 100% of dermatologists recommend their patients put sunscreen on their face daily or whenever they are going to be exposed to the sun.

Nice huh? I am probably one of the worst at putting on sunscreen at all - I need to do better.

The people at Tidal Labs sent me a bottle of Neutrogena UltraSheer® Liquid Daily Sunblock to try this summer.

This product is reported to go on easily, and wear invisibly under make-up. As I rarely wear make-up I'll have to test that out at a later date. It does, however, wear really well with no make-up too. :) It has a light pleasant scent - not heavy like some sunscreens, and goes on smoothly and easily for a nice matte, non-greasy finish; since I didn't wear make-up over it I was pleased to find that this product didn't give my face that oily "shine" that some sunscreens can.

I don't spend a ton of time in direct sunlight but like to go out to get some VitD exposure daily and this sunscreen fit in nicely with my routine. When out I prefer to get my VitD through sun exposure on my arms and not the more skin-cancer prone and sensitive areas such as my face. I am also concerned about what goes in and on my body so I like that it is waterproof, sweatproof, non-comedogenic, oil free and PABA free.

Neutrogena UltraSheer® Liquid Daily Sunblock is available in a 1.4oz. bottle for approx. $12. at your favorite store {a little goes a long way!}. AND you can get $2. off your purchase by using the coupon found here:

http://www.neutrogena.com/suncoupon.

Thanks to Neutrogena & Tidal Labs for supplying me with the reviewed product. All opinions are my own & are not influenced by Neutrogena &/or Tidal Labs.

Would you like to review UltraSheer®, too? Then go to Then go to http://www.giantwavepool.com/ultrasheer!

Or get $2 off your UltraSheer® purchase at http://www.neutrogena.com/suncoupon.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the product mentioned above for free for review purposes from Tidal Labs. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Flu season - will you or won't you?

2010-09-17T12:57:00.003-06:00

I was just talking with my daughter about the flu shot and the coming "flu season"... and I thought I'd post something here about how one might weather the "season" without compromising their health with the flu shot... but Sorta Cruncy beat me to it so, I hope she doesn't mind, but rather than reinvent the wheel, I'm going to link you to her post which is 100% my feelings too. So, please feel free to go over here and read. :)

And stay tuned for another giveaway coming in a day or two! This time for die cut business cards via UPrinting, of course! The mandatory entry will require you to be a Google Friends Follower so if you aren't already go ahead and sign up. You know you wanna. :)

Have a great weekend! Oh, and if you are here from the Friday Follow thing - welcome! and thanks for visiting!

Barbie A Fashion Fairytale {Review}

2010-09-14T18:49:00.004-06:00

Monday the new Barbie DVD arrived thanks to MomSelect - and good timing too as mondays are one of the days that my granddaughter is here. She grabbed the video as soon as I unpackaged it saying, "Princess" and "Princess Dress" - well, she loved the cover, that's a good start! :) Madysen is all about Princess' these days.

She immediately took the DVD to the player so we watched the movie right away. For the younger set it is a little long, and there aren't near enough "Princess" moments but she loved the Flair-ies, and the fashion show and it held her interest as much as anything does. I don't let her watch too much TV while here but she did like it enough to ask me to play it again for her. lol. Older kids, 5+ will love this movie! There is mild relationship drama, modern references to texting, tweeting, the internet, and blogging, catchy music girls will love dancing to, and messages like following your dreams, looking to your strengths, and just believing in yourself. I find it tragic that little girls need such reminders but...
All in all this DVD was a hit with our little Princess!

You can check out the Magical Fashion games at Barbie.com and keep an eye out for the Barbie toy line that your little princess is sure to love.

Here's more info:
Join Barbie™ in a colorful, modern-day fairytale filled with fashion, friends and fun! Barbie™ and her dog, Sequin™, jet off to visit her aunt’s amazing fashion house in Paris, and much to her surprise it’s about to be shut down forever. After she discovers three enchanting Flairies™ with sparkle-magic powers, Barbie™ comes up with a brilliant idea to save the business. She even inspires Alice, a shy fashion designer, and together they create a dazzling runway fashion show. Barbie™ shows that magic happens when you believe in yourself.

Retail:$19.99
Release date: September 14, 2010
Running time:90 minutes
Available at Amazon for $14.99

Thanks to MomSelect for giving me the chance to review this DVD. I received the DVD free for review; no other compensation was received. All opinions are my own. Well, Mady chimed in but... all opinions are ours. :)

Just something I whipped up...

2010-09-13T08:00:00.000-06:00

I've been working on some things for the Princess this week but not all of them are done yet. I've been loving the Euro look for little girls - bright colors, lots of ruffles, and lots of different fabric designs sewn together. Very eclectic and that's my middle name.
They are also combining crochet and other textures within the sewn garments and I'm really liking that too - but of course their crochet looks different than what I'd seen here in the US... then I stumbled upon 2 ebooks from Farbenmix out of Germany. The result is in the pic above. I just grabbed some yarn {altho' I love pink and green} so these aren't the bright color mixes I spoke of above but I'm loving the techniques. It's the same crochet just used in a bit different way within the design than I'd seen here before. I'll definitely be working some of this in as flowers or medallions on some of the Princess' skirts and tops!
I have another German ebook with instructions on a summer sleeveless top with a crocheted neckline - very cute! I've not tackled that one yet. :)

This post is part of Just Something I Whipped Up {Monday} hosted by TheGirlCreative.

Something I whipped up...

2010-08-30T00:00:00.002-06:00

This will be a part of if I remember to go over and link up. lol.
Every time we go to the local everything store SweetPea all but pulls bolts of fabric off the shelves. Sometimes it's the Princesses, once it was Tinkerbell, and the most recent was Ariel. Now, can I say I was surprised that they are still printing Ariel? The Little Mermaid was ages ago. I mean my girls are 23 and 25 and we took them to see it when it was in theaters. They aren't printing Monsters Inc. fabric unfortunately {SweetPea's favorite movie} but... she liked Ariel. So, Ariel it was.
And yesterday I made this - I hope it's twirly enough for her. :) Later I'll embellish some jeans or make her some pants of the same fabrics... or maybe some knit leggings. We'll see if it still fits when the weather cools off.
Thanks for looking and don't forget to check out the other participants in the Something I whipped up blog party!

5 Things for healthy teeth for kids

2010-08-26T15:28:00.003-06:00

I was surprised to learn recently that more than 51 million school hours are lost as a result of problems related to tooth decay, the most common chronic childhood disease in America [1]? In fact, tooth decay affects approximately half of all second graders and nearly 80 percent of 17-year-olds[2].

Trident® has partnered with Smiles Across America® to help underprivileged children get the dental care they need.

We all know good and bad habits can be easily started early in your child's life - same goes for habits to keep your kids' teeth healthy. No one likes to go to the dentist... here are 5 tips that might help keep those dentist appointments happy!
1. Get kids used to brushing while they are very young; even before they have teeth. And after teeth come in, start them in good flossing habits too - very important. Make these things part of your child's bedtime ritual, somewhere between a bath and a bedtime story perhaps.
2. As your children are growing brush with them at least 2x a day. Let the little ones see you brushing too! Model behaviors you want to see in your kids.
3. Let them choose a toothbrush in their favorite color or with their favorite cartoon character on it. You can also let them pick their favorite flavor of toothpaste but remember a good rule of thumb is use no more than a pea-size amount of fluoride toothpaste - just don't let them swallow it as fluoride can be toxic in excessive amounts - and your water is probably treated with it as well.
4. Get twice yearly check-ups starting at 2-3 years of age; this not only checks for trouble spots but lets them get used to going to the dentist so it's not such a scary place later.
5. Can't brush after a meal? Xylitol, a sugar free sweetener in Trident and many other chewing gum, has been shown to loosen plaque - Trident is available in 11 great flavors so kids have lots to choose from!. This tip is obviously for older kids and gum should only be chewed with supervision depending on the age of your child.
Bonus: Eat well-balanced meals. Healthy eating can go a long way towards healthy teeth and gums.

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Trident blogging program, making me eligible to get a $25 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

New way to display your treasured photos!

2010-08-24T16:40:00.005-06:00

I just got an alert on this from Twittermoms and wanted to share it with you. I'm a former photographer so have heard and seen lots of products but this one seems new {altho' I've been out of the loop for a few years} - I'd love to check it out... and if this post is one of the first 100 posts to tell the interwebs about this new product I will receive the product and then really get to tell you all about it!

So, what is this cool product that is claiming to change the way you display photos in your home and office?

Its a new one-piece picture and frame made from printed glass that mounts to directly to your wall quickly and easily. Cool huh? We now have a contemporary, affordable, and practical way to show off all your favorite family pictures -- and it's called Fracture. Fracture is the fastest, easiest, best way to get your pictures from your camera to your wall.

Fracture's introductory product lets you print your digital pictures right onto glass! There's no paper, film or anything involved. Simply ink and glass. We have effectively combined printing, framing, and mounting into one simple process. You upload your photo to FractureMe.com, we print it on glass, and send it on it's way with everything you need to mount and display. It's a one-stop, complete photo decor solution.

Sounds exciting and I hope that I get to review it!

“I wrote this blog post in response to a TwitterMoms RAMBO alert, making me eligible to get a Fracture picture frame for review. You can learn more about Fracture at http://www.fractureme.com.”

CLOSED {GIVEAWAY!} Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil

2010-08-24T10:54:00.011-06:00

Thanks to everyone who entered my giveaway! The winner today is #8 - Kayleigh who said...
I am a google follower!
I learned that Coconuts are used fresh within 24-48 hours of harvest. Very interesting site!
kayleighdsb(at)gmail(dot)com
August 25, 2010 4:01 PM

Thanks again and keep an eye out for the next giveaway!

I'm extremely pleased to be able to offer this next giveaway - Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil! Seriously, I use this exclusively now on everything from rice, potatoes, sauteed veggies, scrambled eggs, even spread on my sprouted bread - and I thought I loved my Olive Oil! lol.
Tropical Traditions isn't just about the Coconuts either - check out their site. They have grass finished beef products and even eggs! They also have health and beauty items. AND they have recipes!
If you are interested in digging a little deeper into the company there is an interview with Tropical Traditions' founder HERE. Tropical Traditions sent me a jar of this same Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil about a month ago to review - I loved it then and I love it more now. I use it for everything and it's still about half full - a little goes a long way and I love that!

BONUS: Any of my followers can receive a free copy of the Virgin Coconut Oil book through the Tropical Traditions Referral Program.
When you choose “Referred by a Friend” and enter my ID {6341908} on your first online order this book will be automatically added to your order. You can email Tropical Traditions if you need any help placing your web order & scoring the book.

Buy it: Buy Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil. {scroll down}

And one of my readers is going to win their very own jar of 32oz. Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Olive Oil! Valued at $27.50.

Mandatory entry: Follow me via Google Friend Connect publicly {sidebar} or if you already do just lmk, AND and visit the Tropical Traditions website and tell me something you learned. These TWO things are required and must be done before your extra entries count. Please leave your email on this comment. And please remember to follow PUBLICLY so your follow shows up in your profile. If your profile is NOT public please leave your GFC id/name so I can find you. Thx!

Extra Entries (count after the mandatory entry above is done; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

☆ 1 Extra Entry: follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying & pasting the tweet below AND leaving me the link. Tweet 1x daily for an extra entry every day!

#Win a 32 oz jar of Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil {Mark it with a B} - http://bit.ly/aBkana ends 9/08 #giveaway

☆ 1 Extra Entry: follow Tropical Traditions on Twitter - leave me your Twitter ID.

☆ 1 Extra Entry: Subscribe to the Tropical Traditions Newsletter. -leave me the addy you subbed with.

☆ 1 Extra Entry: subscribe to my RSS feed.

☆ 1 Extra Entry: become a PUBLIC follower of my other blog live-whole-food. Please leave your GFC ID/name.

☆ 2 Extra Entries: {please leave 2 separate comments}, if you aren't already using Swagbucks to search & earn $ sign up through this link and tell me you did so in your comment.

☆ 2 Extra Entries: Put my button on your blog. Please leave an address where I can come visit.

☆ 3 Extra Entries: blog about this giveaway linking back to Mark it with a B. Please leave an address where I can visit.

☆ 1 Extra Entry: If you are a friend on Facebook & let others know about this giveaway, you get a bonus entry! - Please leave me your first name + last initial{s} in your comment AND @Robin Phillips-Knotts please in your FB post. You can do this 1x per day for an extra daily entry!

☆ 1 Extra Entry: Enter my Yoplait Whips! giveaway and let me know.

☆ 1 Extra Entry: Enter my Vinyl Banner giveaway and let me know.

That's it! Good luck & thanks for visiting!

Winner will be chosen on Sept. 08th, 2010 at 12mn CST - from qualified comments. Winning comment will be verified. If I can't contact the winner, due to your email not being on a post or not being public on your blog, another winner will be chosen. Winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here, as well as emailed, and will have 36 hours to contact me, or respond to notification requesting name and email addy, or a new winner will be chosen. *This giveaway is open to U.S. & Canada residents only.

{This was not a paid post and my honest opinions were posted. These opinions are my own and your mileage may vary. Thank you to Tropical Traditions for supplying the giveaway item.}

Fostering saves LIVES!

2010-08-21T14:26:00.005-06:00

Today is National Homeless Dog Day. It's sad we even need a day for Homeless Doggies but...
I know many people have often wondered how they can help dogs in shelters, or dogs wandering streets.
If you are one of those people, thank you!, and keep reading.
We live in a transient world these days with many people having to move unexpectedly for various reasons; jobs, family concerns, or maybe you just don't want to commit long-term to being responsible for a cat or dog. Have I got a job for you!
Fostering!
Many people have never heard of fostering so let me explain. There are eleventy billion dogs and cats currently in shelters. Seriously. TONS. Many of them will not make it out unfortunately for a variety of reasons - the most common being the shelter runs out of room and pets get "put to sleep" to make room for new pets. {we pray for it to be that gentle but often it's not} MANY shelters do not have the manpower to adopt to the public and will only adopt to a Rescue. Rescues work on very limited funds and do not have unlimited space - and here's where you come in. :)

Many of the dogs in Rescues have have come from shelters where they were frightened and given very little exercise - bad for doggie temperaments. They may need to relearn to trust people {usually this happens quite quickly thankfully!} and relearn some manners. Many many dogs {especially in MO} come from puppy mills or irresponsible breeders - these dogs have most likely lived in small cages all their lives with no human love or attention. Many come into the Rescue's care matted, dirty, and having never touched the ground. Understandably they are scared and confused. Thankfully these dogs come around also.

Here's how you can help:

1. Find a Rescue in your area. Talk to them. Visit them. Ask how you can help. Many would love for you to come once a week and walk the dogs, clean kennels, do office type work, or help at an adoption event. Most people have many talents that a Rescue would love to use!
2. Most all Rescues have a FOSTER program. Check with the Rescue in your area - Most Rescues do not have a lot of space and DEPEND on their fosters to save the dogs and cats. Often the Rescues will provide food as well as vet expenses and the Rescue's dogs/cats will have been fully vetted and, most often, spayed or neutered.
This is a great way for a dog to get house trained {if it's not already} and you can be of great help in letting a potential adopter know all about the dog/cat. And, of course, the pets are so thankful to be loved and taken care of until a forever home is found for them - sometimes a home is found quickly but sometimes it takes a bit longer. This is a great way to allow a pet into your family, but not have total responsibility for the monetary and long-term commitments that adding a permanent pet to your family incurs.
3. If you have pets - spay or neuter them! This is so important. Many of the pets that end up in shelters are there because they are from a litter that was unplanned or the people thought they could sell the pups and later found it was harder than it had seemed to do so. Remember what happens when a shelter becomes full? They start putting dogs/cats down for space for more. Please don't contribute to this situation.

4. Don't purchase your pets from irresponsible breeders or a pet store that buys their animals from puppy mills - and most pets stores do acquire their pups this way. I won't go into it here but if you don't know what happens in a puppy mill google it. I'm guessing many pet stores will tell you that they don't get puppy mill dogs but I'd be willing to bet that they do. These dogs are often sick and not well behaved. Adopt from a rescue - the foster parents can tell you all about the pet! or even a shelter; many shelters are now doing temperament tests on their dogs and that can help you decide if that pet is right for your family. Just be aware that a shelter is very stressful on a dog and his temperament test might reflect that, so use common sense. Also, if you are looking for a purebred - MANY purebred dogs are in shelters. If you find your pet in a shelter that isn't near you transports can often be arranged to get your new family member to you. Contact your local Rescue for help in transports or contact me and I'll see what I can do to help.

Thanks for reading! And remember: Adopt DON'T shop!
Have a peaceful week!

{Closed} Vinyl Banner Giveaway from UPrinting.com!

2010-08-18T18:31:00.009-06:00

Update: I never heard back from our winner mentioned below, so another winner was chosen: #7 Kathy! Start designing your banner & thanks for entering!

~~Thanks for the entries! Our winner is #3 Katrina! I'll be emailing you in a minute Katrina. Congrats and thanks for entering!~~

Hot on the heels of my other giveaway below is another fun item - a 24x36 Vinyl Banner w/ Grommets for whatever creative endevour you might have going on in the near future. This would be great for a birthday party, even a yardsale! Anyone having a family reunion? Even just as a cool way to display a photo. :)

If you've never done business with UPrinting I think you'll be in for a pleasant experience. They have many promotional items for your business or event and all for great prices! Need business cards? They've got them in several sizes and shapes. Need vinyl banners cheap? They can hook you up.

And now for the prize:
1 custom 24x36 Vinyl Banner w/ Grommets.
Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above please.

Enter to win!
One winner will be chosen on 08.29.2010 and will receive the prize pictured above. US residents 18+ years only please.

Mandatory entry: Follow me via Google Friend Connect publicly {sidebar} or if you already do just lmk, AND and tell me what you would use the banner for if you win. These TWO things are required and must be done before your extra entries count. Please leave your email on this comment. And please remember to follow PUBLICLY so your follow shows up in your profile. If your profile is NOT public please leave your GFC id/name so I can find you. Thx!

Extra Entries (count after the mandatory entry above is done; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

☆ 1 Extra Entry: follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying & pasting the tweet below AND leaving me the link. Tweet 1x daily for an extra entry every day!

Win 24x36 Vinyl Banner from #uprinting! Mark it with a B - http://bit.ly/9JCU3O - Ends 8.29 @cokelush Great for business or fun! #giveaway

☆ 1 Extra Entry: subscribe to my RSS feed.

☆ 1 Extra Entry: request a sample of Nuriche through mynuriche.com/moreenergy OR if you are already one of my customers enter another time letting me know. {to request sample: go to provided link >products>Live on right>Live on left>scroll down to Samples. Shipping will apply}

☆ 1 Extra Entry: become a PUBLIC follower of my other blog live-whole-food. Please leave your GFC ID/name.

☆ 2 Extra Entries: {please leave 2 separate comments}, if you aren't already using Swagbucks to search & earn $ sign up through this link and tell me you did so in your comment.

☆ 2 Extra Entries: Put my button on your blog. Please leave an address where I can come visit.

☆ 3 Extra Entries: blog about this giveaway linking back to Mark it with a B. Please leave an address where I can visit.

☆ 1 Extra Entry: Facebook about this giveaway - Please leave me your first name + last initial{s} in your comment AND @Robin Phillips-Knotts please in your FB post. You can do this 1x per day for an extra daily entry!

☆ 1 Extra Entry: Enter my Yoplait Whips! giveaway and let me know.

That's it! Good luck & thanks for visiting!

Winner will be chosen on August 29th at 12mn CST - from qualified comments. Winning comment will be verified. If I can't contact the winner, due to your email not being on a post or not being public on your blog, another winner will be chosen. Winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here, as well as emailed, and will have 36 hours to contact me, or respond to notification requesting name and email addy, or a new winner will be chosen. *This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Uprinting will send winner a link from which to order their custom banner.

{This was not a paid post and my honest opinions were posted. These opinions are my own and your mileage may vary. Thank you to Uprinting for supplying me with a blogger appreciation banner in return for hosting this giveaway.}

Five Lessons Every Kid Should Learn

2010-08-17T14:24:00.002-06:00

1. Use Please, Thank You, and Sorry always.
2. Practice Peace, Love, and Understanding.
3. Question many things. And learn from the questions as well as the answers.
4. Explore your world and learn all you can from others about theirs.
5. Be kind.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Nanny McPhee Returns blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Welcome to Trailing Tuesdays!

2010-08-17T11:12:00.007-06:00

As usual I'm a bit late... but I'll be bouncing around friending some of the TTuesday participants, as well as the other Tues. bloghops going on {see links at bottom of this post} and meeting some new people. Always a good time.
Welcome to those of you who have found your way here!
Feel free to look around, I have a Yoplait giveaway you can join in on about 2 posts down and will have a Uprinting Print giveaway up sometime this week if you'd like to return and get in on that as well. Your entries are always very much appreciated!
Again, thanks for visiting and I'd be happy to visit you back - Just leave your url in your comment!
Happy hopping!

Want to learn more about Trailing Tuesdays? Head over here. :)

Need more Tuesday blog love in your world? Check out these hops as well!

To The Top Tuesday
Tuesday Train
Tuesday Tag-A-Long
Follow Me Back Tuesday

Tommee Tippee in the US!

2010-08-15T08:23:00.000-06:00

I recently received 2 - 11oz./325ml sippy cups from Tommee Tippee and they are fab! I chose the pink and purple colors for my granddaughter who is 30mo. While she still uses sippy cups she is a bit old for this version according to the packaging perhaps but... she loves them and they are great for use when a regular cup would be a disaster - like when she's in her carseat.

These 2 cups are part of the Tommee Tippee Explora line and claim to be a "truly spill-proof cup". How many times have you bought a sippy cup only to have your toddler be able to shake the contents out of the cup? Or worse, have the contents spill out just from the cup tipping over? These Tommee Tippee cups rock - and, true to their claim, we've had no spills! The cups I received are "stage 2 for 9mo+" cups for an easy transition from bottle to cup and feature a unique soft-flex spout that protect gums and advance-flo technology* for easy drinking. And they are BPA free! LOVE that. They also have a non-slip rubber material on the cup itself so little hands can grab and hold onto the cups easily.

These sippy cups also feature a spout cover that is attached to the cup and, when not covering the spout, the cover fits into a depression in the lid - I love a well-designed product and these cups are just that. SweetPea also likes to play with the cover, flipping it to the spout and then off the spout. Kept her entertained for a few minutes. lol.

The Explora line of sippy cups includes:
A handled Trainer Cup for 6mo+
The pictured Sippy Cup for 9mo+
A Straw Cup for 12mo+
A Water Bottle for 18mo+
and a Drinking Cup for 24mo+
And all are spill-proof!

Tommee Tippee has been a household name in the UK for ages and hopefully they will be here in the US as well. I look forward to shopping for their more advanced cups down the line for SweetPea - but for now she loves the sippies!
You can check out their website, tommeetippee.com, for other items your baby or toddler will love!

*Advance-Flo Technology: Unlike other valve systems, our active sensor valve is designed by a physicist to be both so sensitive that liquid flows on demand, yet truly spill and leak proof.

This review was brought to you by Tommee Tippee and TwitterMoms. Tommee Tippee sent me 2 sippy cups to review free of charge; no other compensation was received & I was not required to post this review. This review consists of my own opinion, and experiences, regarding the product. Thanks Tommee Tippee for a great product!

{Closed} Yoplait Whips Prize Pack!

2010-08-14T11:30:00.007-06:00

Congrats to Janelle! Number 27 is the winner of this giveaway. Thanks everyone for entering!

It's been a looong 2 weeks people! Yes, I've been MIA because our internet has been out for 2 weeks. Ick doesn't even begin... but I'm back now and have several reviews I'm now behind on and have been itching to get this giveaway up because it's a good one!

I don't know about everywhere else but it's been soooooo darn hot here but... the summer heat is no match for a frozen Yoplait Whips! yogurt – the same whipped yogurt that’s so unbelievably fluffy and light when enjoyed right from the refrigerator. Simply place your favorite Whips! yogurt cup in the freezer overnight and you will have a chilled yogurt indulgence without the calories of regular ice cream. So, this summer, before you head outside for fun in the sun, don’t forget to stock your freezer with Yoplait Whips! (We suggest removing the Yoplait Whips! from the freezer for 5-10 minutes before enjoying).

Yoplait Whips! yogurt is currently available in nine delectable flavors – Chocolate Mousse, Chocolate Raspberry, Key Lime Pie, Lemon Burst, Orange Créme, Peaches ‘N Cream, Raspberry Mousse, Strawberry Mist, and Vanilla Créme.

MyBlogSpark and Yoplait Whips was kind enough to provide me and one of my readers with this way cool prize pack that includes a VIP Coupon for a free sample of Yoplait Whips! yogurt, a canvas cooler bag and a set of four ice cream cone shaped popsicle molds!
The cooler is the perfect size for DH's lunch for work, and I love the popsicle molds! I put some Yoplait Whips! yogurt in them, stuck them in the freezer overnight and they were gobbled up the next day. Love them!

Now if we could just get Yoplait to stop using High Fructose Corn Syrup and chemical sugars I'd be a happier camper. :)

See below for the various ways to enter to win this great prize pack!

In addition, you can visit http://www.myblogspark.com/uc/main/332b/ to download a printable coupon for $0.55 towards the purchase of any (2) cups of Yoplait Whips! yogurt today!

*This coupon offer, included in the prize pack, for free Yoplait Whips! yogurt is not valid in some states, including California, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, North Dakota and Tennessee. Sorry!

Don’t forget to visit Yoplait on Facebook or Yoplait on Twitter and “Like” or “Follow” the brand to keep up with their latest and greatest products.
If you do one or both of these leave a comment below for another bonus entry. :)
{please leave ID info so I can check your entry. Thx!}

Enter to win!
One winner will be chosen on 08.26.2010 and will receive the prize pictured above. US residents 18+ years only please.

Mandatory entry: Follow me via Google Friend Connect publicly {sidebar} or if you already do just lmk, AND and tell me what flavor Yoplait Whips! you would use the free coupon for if you win. These TWO things are required and must be done before your extra entries count. Please leave your email on this comment. And please remember to follow PUBLICLY so your follow shows up in your profile. If your profile is NOT public please leave your GFC id/name so I can find you. Thx!

Extra Entries (count after the mandatory entry above is done; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

☆ 1 Extra Entry: follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying & pasting the tweet below AND leaving me the link. Tweet 1x daily for an extra entry every day!

Win Yoplait Whips! prize pk from @cokelush http://bit.ly/aL28b4 Lunch Cooler, coupon,& icecream molds! Ends 8.25 #myblogspark #yoplaityogurt

☆ 1 Extra Entry: subscribe to my RSS feed.

☆ 1 Extra Entry: request a sample of Nuriche through mynuriche.com/moreenergy OR if you are already one of my customers enter another time letting me know. {to request sample: go to provided link >products>Live on right>Live on left>scroll down to Samples. Shipping will apply}

☆ 1 Extra Entry: become a PUBLIC follower of my other blog live-whole-food. Please leave your GFC ID/name.

☆ 2 Extra Entries: {please leave 2 separate comments}, if you aren't already using Swagbucks to search & earn $ sign up through this link and tell me you did so in your comment.

☆ 2 Extra Entries: Put my button on your blog. Please leave an address where I can come visit.

☆ 3 Extra Entries: blog about this giveaway linking back to Mark it with a B. Please leave an address where I can visit.

☆ 1 Extra Entry: Facebook about this giveaway - Please leave me your first name + last initial{s} in your comment AND @Robin Phillips-Knotts please in your FB post. You can do this 1x per day for an extra daily entry!

That's it! Good luck & thanks for visiting!

Winner will be chosen on August 25th at 12mn CST - from qualified comments. Winning comment will be verified. If I can't contact the winner, due to your email not being on a post or not being public on your blog, another winner will be chosen. Winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here, as well as emailed, and will have 36 hours to contact me, or respond to notification requesting name and mailing address, or a new winner will be chosen. *This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. MyBlogSpark will send winner the pictured prize package.

{This was not a paid post and my honest opinions were posted. These opinions are my own and your mileage may vary. Thank you to Yoplait Whips! and MyBlogSpark for supplying me with the sample prize pack and for hosting this giveaway.}

Wordless Wednesday

2010-08-08T00:01:00.000-06:00

She was playing quietly {rut-roh} and this is what I found. She'd gotten into the winter stuff by the front door. Her "leggings" are my long arm warmers and my newly finished cable fingerless mitts. lol. We took the fingerless glove that's in her mouth, put it on her hand and folded the fingers down {I plan to make her fingerless gloves that actually fit sometime in the near future. hopefully} to fit better. She wasn't real interested in the headband after this pic was taken. lol.

I know that wasn't "wordless" but... :)
Want to play along? Go HERE or HERE and link up!

Ten Tips for Ensuring a Healthy, Safe and Successful School Year

2010-07-20T18:51:00.003-06:00

My kids have been out of school for awhile but I'm hearing friends talk about the big Back To School Shopping trips already! It seems like school just got out. Never-the-less getting ready for another school year is always a big deal.

Twittermoms and Airwear have asked us to post our Ten Tips for Ensuring a Healthy, Safe and Successful School Year. This is in promotion of Airwear’s essay contest at www.LighterSaferGreener.com. Airwear and fellow TwitterMom, Beth Aldrich, are sponsoring an essay contest for consumers, encouraging parents and care-givers to share how they plan to help their kids live a healthy, safe and successful school year. Families can submit their thoughts by visiting LighterSaferGreener.com. One grand prize winner will be awarded $1,000, while 10 first prize winners will receive vouchers for Airwear lenses valued up to $400. On LighterSaferGreener.com can learn more about Airwear’s eco-friendly practices and view more of Aldrich’s tips to ensure kids have a healthy, safe and successful school year.

Here are 10 tips for a safe and happy school year:
1. Have a pre-designated place for your child to put paperwork that needs to be completed by you. The amount of paperwork the kids bring home that must be returned has grown lately it seems. Medical forms, info sheets, release forms... being prepared for these will stop the "omg I forgot to have you fill this 10 page form out and I need it now!"
2. Purchase a decent backpack. The amount of heavy books kids are lugging around these days is amazing. Teach your kids to wear both straps on the backpack so they aren't straining one side or the other. Evenly distribute that weight!
3. Review bus safety and schedules with your child. Drive the route if you can and have a new bus rider so they feel more confidant.
4. Start having your children go to bed earlier a week or so before school starts.
5. Starting a new school? Be sure to participate in any open house activities or tour the school, meet teachers, etc.
6. If you've been slacking off on breakfast because of getting up later; get back on track. Breakfast is very important.
7. Get vision screenings. Vision problems may not be obvious but can still affect learning tremendously.
8. Get hearing screenings for the same reasons above.
9. Hit those back to school sales for all the stuff on your child's school list. Remember that many supplies get thrown into a "pool" and that your child may not get her/his own purchases. Save the cute stuff for their own use at home.
10. Talk to your child about any concerns he/she may have about a new school year.

Airwear would like to remind everyone of the importance of having your child’s eyes examined regularly and equally important is selecting safe, impact-resistant lenses made of polycarbonate. Learning is visual, so eye care is critical! Twenty-five percent of kids struggle with vision problems that impact learning. Eighty percent of everything a child learns in his first 12 years comes through his eyes. If corrective lenses are needed, select lighter, stronger and safer lenses such as Airwear. Airwear lenses offer safe, durable lenses for children, those who like to play sports and those who push their lenses to the limit.

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Airwear blogging program, making me eligible to get a $25 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, visit http://airwear.twittermoms.com/about.

Welcome Tag-a-longers!

2010-07-20T07:00:00.001-06:00

Welcome to Tag-A-Long Tuesday!
If you've stumbled here and don't know what TALTuesday is just head over here and learn all about the Blog-Hop. Even if you know all about Blog-Hopping I would like to encourage you to visit TweePoppets to find even more fun & interesting blogs!
PLEASE put your blog link on your comment. Sometimes it's difficult to find your blog via profiles - I WILL follow everyone back but it may take me a few days. Thx!
Thanks for visiting and have fun!

Tropical Traditions - yum!

2010-07-16T11:47:00.005-06:00

I've had some time to cook with the Coconut Oil that was generously sent to me by Tropical Traditions and wow. I have to say I love it! I've not been doing anything cullinarily special because, well, I'm just not that great of a cook and believe in not cooking some foods for greater health benefits. However, this stuff rocks! I've been using the Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil in place of my Olive Oil and it's been great in everything. I added a little to my scrambled eggs and it gives it just a hint of flavor. I've sauteed onions and shrimp with it - yum! I make some of the food that my dogs eat and I've added the Coconut Oil to that too and they loved it. I've had someone ask, "what if you don't like coconut?"... I'll have to let you know. My dad doesn't like coconut and I'll try it on him in October.

Another cool thing? You know when you scoop a solid oil up with a spoon and add it to the pan... there is always a bit left on the spoon? Put that on your hands - it makes a great lotion. :) {Tropical Traditions also has a line of skin care products - check them out!}

The bottom line is: I am seriously thinking about not going back to Olive Oil. Coconut oil doesn't smoke like I've found olive oil to often do. It's mild taste is fabulous, and the health benefits are many...
Virgin Coconut Oil is a food, and is one of the best cooking oils you can use. It has been a staple cooking oil for thousands of years in tropical climates. As a cooking oil, its chemical structure is kept in tact and therefore is resistant to mutations of fatty acid chains even when used in higher cooking temperatures, unlike most vegetable oils. Research shows that the medium chain fatty acids found in coconut oil boosts the body’s metabolism, raises body temperatures, and helps provide greater energy which can lead to weight loss.
Virgin Coconut oil is rich in lauric acid, a nutrient that supports the body’s immune system. Lauric acid is also found in human mother’s milk. Dr. Mary Enig suggests the average adult include about 3.5 tablespoons of coconut oil per day in their diet to take in an equivalent amount of lauric acid that a nursing infant would receive from breast milk. Read more in their FAQ.

Buy it: Want to try it yourself? Head over to Tropical Traditions and order up a jar. A 16oz jar will set you back $19.95 BUT they have a buy one get one free deal going on until 22 July 2010 which is a fabulous deal. Even without the deal - it's a great product. Quality, sustainable, good for you, organic... to me that's worth it. Oh, and it lasts forever! I've been using the heck out of my jar and have only scratched the surface.

This quality product gets 5+ stars from me. :)

Want more ideas for using Coconut Oil? Click the banner below. Happy cooking!

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a 32oz. jar of Coconut Oil to try. All copy on this post are my thoughts & opinions and your mileage may vary. It really is good stuff!