Winner: Carmex Giveaway

Congratulations to commenter #3!!!

CONGRATS to TCC - you are the winner!

I will be contacting you to gather your mailing information!  Enjoy your Carmex Prize package!

If you did not win, you can request to win a sample on their website - check it out here!

Carmex: Review and Giveaway

Recently I was given the opportunity to try out two new lip moisturizers that are made by Carmex: Carmex Lime Twist Stick and Carmex Vanilla Stick.  I did not know what to expect because I have tried Carmex in the past and I found that it actually caused my lips to become chapped!  However, I was willing to put the lip moisturizers to the test and see how my lips responded.

I tried each of the sticks for about one week each and I have to say that I loved the scent of each of them, they moisturized my lips, and I would definitely recommend them to someone who was looking to try a new lip moisturizer.  If I had to choose one as my favorite, it would be the Lime Twist Stick.  I enjoyed the citrus scent a little more than the vanilla, although they were both very nice.

Would you like a chance to try out the lip moisturizers too?  If you do, then you can enter the giveaway on my blog that is sponsored by Carmex!  You will receive everything that is pictured in the photo - the blanket too!

To enter the giveaway, all you need to do is:
1. Leave a comment and tell me what lip balm you currently use.
2. This giveaway will end on Monday, September 5^th at 9pm – so be sure to enter soon!

Update: 100 Books in 100 Days

This summer has definitely turned out different than what I had originally planned back in May.  I completed 2 weeks of the "home camp" ideas that I found over at  "Life as Mom".  I was having so much fun planning the units and working on the projects that the kids and I were doing, but "things" happened this summer and the ideas that I had for the summer had to change a little bit too.  I did not continue the themes that I had planned for about 8 weeks of the summer, and I know that I can continue with those ideas when the timing is right.  One thing that did not change was reading books with the kids.


We LOVE to read in our house.  So, I came up with an idea to complete this summer that I called "100 books and 100 days."  I challenged myself (and Dawson) to read 100 books to our kids - who are 3 and 5 - in 100 days.  Back in May, I had listed 16 of the books that made it on to this list.  I have not blogged too much this summer, so I have not had a chance to update the number of books that we have read...and August 31st, the 100th day, will be here before you know it!


I have to admit...I don't think that every book that we have read to them has made it on to this list, however, every LIBRARY book that we have read together or every book that we listed for our library summer reading has made it on to the list.  


Below is the updated list of books that we have read to our boys this summer:

17. Down by the Bay  by Raffi
18. Puppy Mudge Takes a Bath by Cynthia Rylant
19. Bounce by Doreen Cronin
20. Rainbow Fish by Finds His Way by Marcus Pfister
21. Swimming by Leo Lionni
22. Hungry, Hungry Sharks by Joanna Cole
23. Whales and Dolphins by Peter and Connie Roop
24. Rainbow Fish to the Rescue by Marcus Pfister
25. Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type by Doreen Cronin
26. Giggle, Giggle, Quack by Doreen Cronin
27. Click, Clack, Quackity-Quack by Doreen Cronin
28. A Busy Day at the Farm by Doreen Cronin
29. Thump, Quack, Moo: a Whacky Adventure by Doreen Cronin
30. In the Garden: Who's Been Here? By Lindsay Barrett George
31. Big Chickens by Leslie Helakoski
32. Big Chickens Fly the Coop by Leslie Helakoski
33. Apples to Oregon by Deborah Hopkinson and Nancy Carpenter
34. Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw
35. Funny Farm by Mark Teague
36. Hurry! Hurry! By Eve Bunting
37. The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall
38. Spot Goes to the Farm by Eric Hill
39. The Cow Who Clucked by Denise Fleming
40. On the Farm by David Elliott
41. A Surprise Garden by Disney
42. Tiny on the Farm by Cari Meister
43. Apples by Gail Gibbons
44. Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin
45. Apples by Gail Gibbons
46. Summertime in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
47. A Lion Named Shirley Williamson by Bernard Waber
48. The Berenstein Bears Down on the Farm by Stan and Jan Berenstein
49. The Fish who Cried Wolf by Julia Donaldson
50. Birthday Zoo by Lynn Munsinger
51. The Bear went over the Mountain by Rosemary Wells
52. Grandfather's Dream by Holly Keller
53. My Mommy and Me by Laura Trayser
54. Open Wide by Laurie Keller
55. Finding Nemo
56. Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms by Julia Rawlinson
57. Stop Thief by Robert Kalan
58. A Mother for Choco by Keiko Kasza
59. ABC Safari by Karen Lee
60. Safari Animals by Missy Kavanaugh
61. I Went Walking by Sue Williams
62. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown (we have read this many times...but it still counts!)
63. Ten Apples up on the Top by Dr. Seuss
64. Doggies by Sandra Boynton
65. Bounce Around, Tigger
66. Mama, Mama by Jean Marzollo
67. What did you Say? By Mandy Stanley
68. Can't you sleep, Little Bear? by Martin Waddell
69. I Love you, Little One by Nancy Tafuri
70. Bears in the Forrest by Karen Wallace
71. Buginnings: Colors by Max Lucado
72. The Big Red Blanket
73. The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
74. Coyote and the Laughing Butterfly by Harriet Peck Taylor
75. Henry and Mudge and the Happy Cat by Cynthia Rylant
76. My Dog Talks by Gail Herman
77. Henry and Mudge and the Tumbling Trip by Cynthia Rylant
78. Mr. Putter and Tabby Pick the Pears by Cynthia Rylant
79. Henry and Mudge in the Family Trees by Cynthia Rylant
80. Dinosaur by Peter Sis
81. What Do You Say When a Monkey Acts this Way? By Jane Belk Moncure
82. Mabela the Clever Retold by Margaret Read MacDonald
83. Henry and Mudge and the Funny Lunch by Cynthia Rylant
84. Where's My Teddy? By Jez Alborough

I am really excited to see that we have already read (at least) 84 books to our kids this summer...and this does not include the Bible stories that we read to our kids from the children's Bibles!  We will definitely meet and exceed our goal of 100 books!


Do you read with your kids during the summer?  Do your kids read on their own?  Do you do a little of both?

Grab Your Free Slice of Pizza!

Who wouldn't want a free slice of pizza?  Well, FRESCHETTA® will be giving away thousands of slices of their "By The Slice" pizza in a special live online event.  Although I have not tried one of their pizzas by the slice, I did see it in the frozen section of grocery store last weekend and I would enjoy trying it for free!  The FRESCHETTA® By The Slice pizza will be given away in 5,000 increments every half hour. There will also be fun, interactive contests where you can win additional coupons. 


How can you get in on this deal?  Read on for the details!


Date: August 4th, 2011


What: FREE FRESCHETTA® By The Slice pizza event (while supplies last) 


Where: From the comfort of your own home


Details: visit http://www.freefreschetta.com/ to see if you are able to snag a slice!  


Remember, this event will be going on all day on August 4th - check back every half hour for a chance to win! Good Luck!

A Few Rambling Thoughts...

There are so many things that I could write about - so many things that have been happening lately...so I figured that I would write a little bit about what's been going on...

1. Vacation was great and I should write more about it  :)

2. I have caught up with my laundry this week!  Which is pretty good since we got home last Sunday from an 8 day family vacation!

3. I have a bunch of clothes to put away in storage that are waiting for the younger boy to grow into...and some that are out of season...they are in my bedroom at the moment, and really don't belong there.

4. Dawson and I "found our garage" as my neighbor put it.  We took everything out of our 1 car garage, got rid of a bunch of stuff, put things where they really belong, and we realize that we still don't have room for our car because of the boys' scooters, big wheels and bikes...that kind of makes me laugh.

5. I have started to exercise regularly - meaning daily, and it feels good.

6. I am trying to be more conscious about what I am eating - and that feels good too.

7. Getting to bed earlier has been helping me to wake up earlier and have some time to do things before the boys wake up and that has been amazing...it usually includes starting a load of laundry, exercising, emptying the dish washer, showering and just getting the day started!

Well, there is more that is going on, but I really need to get to bed...so that I can start my day early-ish tomorrow!

Winner of McCormick Recipe Inspirations World Flavor Line Giveaway

Thank you to all who entered the McCormick Recipe Inspirations giveaway sponsored by McCormick Spices!

I used www.random.org to choose a number and comment #2 won....again!  Last time I had a giveaway, it chose #2 also!

CONGRATULATIONS to Nonya who won the McCormick Recipe Inspirations World Flavor Line giveaway!  I will be contacting you soon to get your information!

Have a great weekend!

Giveaway: McCormick Recipe Inspirations World Flavor Line

I was a little skeptical at first.  Buying prepackaged spices that will be used in one meal.  Ummm, I think that I would rather spend that $1.99 on a new bottle of some sort of spice...or at least part of a bottle!  Those were my initial thoughts when I first heard about McCormick Recipe Inspirations.  However, when I was contacted to try out some of these recipes (courtesy of McCormick) I decided to give these little packets a chance.

For $1.99, you receive a packet that has all of the spices measured out that will be used for the specific recipe that is given on the back of the package.  On the back of the package, you can see the whole recipe, what the package includes and what you will need to buy (or have on hand) to make the recipe.  The back of the package is actually a recipe card that will tear off so that you can replicate the recipe again, even if you do not buy the spice packet again (it lists the amounts of each pre-measured spice included).  I really liked that aspect of it.

I was given 6 recipe packets to try out and some fun music to listen to!  So far, I have tried the Chicken Cacciatore.  I did enjoy using the pre-measured spices and the recipe was SO DELICIOUS!!!!  It was the BEST Chicken Cacciatore recipe that I have ever tasted.  I grew up only knowing chicken cacciatore that was made in the slow cooker, and it was not my favorite recipe.  So, would I buy these spices in the store?

In certain circumstances, I would consider purchasing one of the McCormick Recipe Inspirations.  If I had a busy week and needed a quick meal, or if I did not plan for dinner one night and found myself in the grocery store thinking - "WHAT AM I GOING TO MAKE FOR DINNER TONIGHT?!?!?!?,"  I would be happy to easily fine a recipe that sounds delicious, and part of it is already measured out.  I would have to pick up the rest of the ingredients, but since I had the recipe in my hand, I would not forget to pick up an ingredient!

Now, for the giveaway!  Would you like to try out the new McCormick Recipe Inspirations?  If you would like to receive these new packets and some fun music and a world map, then why not enter this giveaway!

Rules of the giveaway:
1. Leave a comment and tell me which herb/spice you like to cook with the most!  (This giveaway is open to all USA residents.)
2. This giveaway will be open until Saturday, June 4th!  At around 9 pm, I will close the comments and randomly choose a winner.  The winner will receive everything that is pictured below, courtesy of McCormick!
3. Be sure that I am able to contact you if you are chosen as my winner!

This box of goodies could be yours!