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CONGRATULATIONS to Michelle Frame!!!  (Check your email)
Thanks to everyone else who participated!  Have a Crafty Christmas!
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I am a very crafty soul. I love to make things from different mediums, especially gifts for the Holidays. One of the most fun places that I get ideas and patterns from is You Can Make This (YCMT), from those talented twins, Kim and Kris.  They are as adorable as the site is inspiring.  If you have not been to their site, you have a treat …

As a child, my dad read this story (along with Luke 2) EVERY year.  And since I heard it EVERY year, and have a good memory (prior to my migraines and children at least) I could recite both ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas and Luke 2 by heart.
Recently I was given a fun opportunity to try the Record a Story Twas the Night Before Christmas book.  At first, I was beginning to think it was not too fun and was going to throw it against the wall you see because …

A book beautifully illustrated by Joy Marie Dock and written by T.J. Mills, The Twelve Blessings of Christmas is a delightful celebration of the season, bringing out the best of blessings that make Christmastime so joyous. Memories, friends, music, faith, kindness, beauty, warmth, love, giving, peace, and faith-each blessing is highlighted with kid-friendly crafts, old-fashion recipes, poems, and music, right up my alley. Sprinkled throughout are tidbits of history behind each blessing adding a richness and appreciation for how …

CONGRATULATIONS KAREN M! You have some serious fun coming your way!!!
Thanks to all who have entered – I truly do appreciate it.  Never fear – something new is always around the bend!
Do you like to do art?  Do your kiddos?  Do you like to do art together?  My 3′ps and I sure do.  This Window Art from Klutz.com is one of our newest additions and we have loved it because all 4 of of us, the 3Ps and I have been able to do it, even P3 at age …

RANDOM.ORG pulled number 3 and number 5…making both the congratulations go to KIM!!! Thanks girls, one and all!!
Do you have a scratchy throat or a cough that won’t quit? Want something sugar free? Need something to boost your immune system?  That’s what was going on around this house lately,  First Brett had it – Actually probably one of the kids but they cannot describe it the same way.  Back to Brett -  and  with the way things are -Migraine City 24/7 – we CANNOT have him down and out, just …

Have you ever thought of what it would feel like to have your very own storybook, written just about you?  Your name on the Title page as they describe the contents therein and that they contain grand tales of none other than, why, you.
As an adult,it might please you, bring a bit of a smile to your face.  As a child, can you IMAGINE??????????  Why, it might be the grandest of grandest things you never wished for but were lucky enough to receive nonetheless!

Custom Made For Kids does precisely that.  …

The best gifts are beautiful and practical. The Baby Bunch is both, making it the perfect present for every new parent. The Baby Bunch is a blossoming selection of infant clothing presented as a bouquet of flowers that makes a unique gift for moms and dads in need of the essentials for baby.
“The Baby Bunch combines practicality with presentation,” says Bryony Boxer, founder of The Baby Bunch along with her husband Simon Martin. “We wanted to create a gift that was attractive yet …

Have you ever gone your children’s bathroom after they have supposedly brushed their teeth and gotten ready for the day.  I have and let me tell you, after I put my bio-hazard suit on, all I can say is ‘eww‘.  I do not know what they do to really make it look like that but I am sure that it should be condemned.  Some how a lot of it seems to revolve around the toothpaste and tooth brush,
Well, that heavens for a creative mom like Fannie LeFlore. She is who …

Having never been a fan of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,when the new version came out, I had mixed feelings due to the fact that I ADORE M.Depp.  When I was recently sent a pretty big box filled with Wonka Exceptionals chocolate bars and fruit candies, I felt like something of a hypocrite for not having watched it.  So,at the net possible time…my hubby being more than happy to oblige as he l-o-v-e-s the movie, we watched Mr.Depp’s version.  I had to say it was about a zillion times …

CONGRATULATIONS TO Wanda! Email me your mailing address asap!
Thanks for reading one and all and get ready for our Merry & Brite Holiday Gift Guide Begining Nov. 1st!!
If you are a Ferengi, then this post is for you.  Or my Chinese daughter.  Or my Husband.  What do those three have in common?  Well, for purposes of this conversation, we will say ears with serious need for excess skin and wax removal.  We all have to clean our ears don’t we?  But some of us need a little extra ear TLC.
Meet …

It’s time for my Purple Crest Pro-Health Complete Rinse Check in!  I’ve been test driving the product for a little over three weeks by replacing any regular mouthwash with it and using Purple Crest Pro-Health Complete into my twice daily dental routine.  You will remember that it is Purple , right?  Ans that this rinse provides six benefits in one, for a more complete way to get better dental checkups vs. just brushing alone.  The benefits include…
* Rebuilds Teeth Enamel
* Helps Prevent Cavities
* Cleans Teeth & …

We Have 2 winners: Jenny and KarenM, winner of 2 kits CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH OF YOU!!
Please get me your addresses as quickly as possible
What little girl doesn’t dream of putting her best Barbie into a fabulous ball gown while her Prince Charming awaits, where he then whisks her off to a wonderous evening.  Of course the Princess must change her gown many, many times throughout the party as all princesses do, each gown more splendid than the last….
Sometimes the only way to get fabulous gowns like those is to make …

Welcome to Call Me Kate, a novel by Molly Roe giving you the chance to meet the Molly Maguires.
‘Molly Roe is the pen name of Mary Garrity Slaby, a veteran language arts & reading teacher at Lake-Lehman Junior Senior High School. Mary holds a Ph.D. in education from Temple University, and Pennsylvania teaching certification in six areas. She has pursued the hobby of genealogy for the past decade. Mary was born in …

When the OutLast Hand Sanitizer arrived, I figured it would be just another hand sanitizer. I mean, I loved the idea of an instant hand sanitizer that continued to work for up to 6 hours, but come on, I had my favorites, why on earth did I need another?  So it arrived and I gave it a try.
Here are the professional results:

Kills 99.99% of germs instantly
Professional strength
Works for up to 6 hours*
Product trusted by doctors
Moisturizing, non-sticky feel

What I got? It was clear, very  thin, like water or alcohol, …

CONGRATULATIONS GO TO WANDA!!!
We appreciate all of you entering and hope you will continue to do so as our giveaways get more fun and exciting every day it seems.  Remember  Merry & Brite Holiday Gift Guide starts on Nov.1st!!
Ever laughed so hard ya’ve tinkled in your panties??  It has happened to most of us(hopefully) at least a time or two.
STRIDE Everyday™ is a revolutionary and fashionable NEW underwear collection that protects to keep you dry and deodorized all day with its patented super-absorbent microfiber technology (OQUOS™) permanently built into the …

CONGRATULATIONS JENNA at FOR LOVE OF BABY!!!!
Thanks guys for playing the trip along on this trip down memory land for some and just good fun for others.  Keep coming back – Merry & Brite Holiday Gift Guide starts Nov. 1st!
Remember back as a kid, making those  pointy triangle thingamajigs made out of paper that you swished back and fourth with your fingers while asking you friends questions?  Some people called them Cootie Catchers. Well if not , I have to tell you that I remember them vividly …

Ahhhh, quelle suprise! mframe won!!!!  Well good for YOU I say!!
Thanks for entering!

***GIVEAWAY DATE CHANGE***
You may recall that P1 got her ears pierced recently so earrings and especially sparkly ones are a big topic around our home these days.  Apparently someone at school had the ‘audacity’ to tell P1 that her 1st pair of earrings were not ‘real’ diamonds.  This was somewhat upsetting to her.:)
So we discussed the word ‘real’.  I asked her where diamonds came from.  She said the jewelry store.  I said that was was one place. I …

I was sent some samples of 4-pack of Sugar-Free Dole Fruit Bowls in Gel to try. See, what they didn’t know is that I little closet of Dole Fruit in Gel Lovers. Have for several years now. Especially the littlest one.  The big one, yeah well, she rebels at the thought of the fruit business so we won’t go there but P2 and P3 see them and go oooooo yuuuummmmmmm!
Now I am gonna let you in on a little decorating secret – Did you realize that if you plop …

This book begins by telling the story of Li’l Eddie’s 3rd birthday party.  One of the best  birthday gifts he received was this wonderful book, How Li’l Eddie Learns to Read.  It is designed to help him and his family help him learn to learn the joy that is reading.  It is set up in a consistent manner with a section for his parents and family, alphabet letters, shapes and numbers outlining the pages and then the opposite pages being pages pictures with words.
It is a delightful and well written …

Feeding Penny Pig by author  Jeannine Fox is a short but unique book on teaching children to save money. The grandma in the book, Mimi, is searching for just the right birthday gift for her granddaughter, Laney. When she discoveres a very sad piggy bank, she knows she has found the right gift.
Mimi teaches Laney that to properly care for Penny Pig, she must feed her coins regularly. The book explains saving money in child-friendly terms, but it also discusses ways that children can earn money, …

Climbing a tree sounded like a great idea, but it turns out that getting down is much harder than climbing up! Perched on a branch high up in a tree, a young boy must decide whether to find a way to the ground by himself or wait for his dad. All kinds of animals, from bees to birds to cats, offer him advice on how to get down (Jump! Fly! Climb!), but it’s up to him to figure out if their advice is worth taking.
Sounds …

I was selected to participated in the Crest Pro-Health Complete Rinse Test Drive Program and try out Crest Pro-Health Complete Rinse!  And since my hubby will be using it too, I do not think he turned me into the morning time dragon-breath police either! Ha!:D  Seriously, have you seen this stuff in the stores?  It is PURPLE!  I figured they would go and ruin it, a perfectly wonderful PURPLE mouthwash by making it taste nasty or something.  It even has all sorts of things in it that are g-o-o-d for …

If your daughter loves the Disney Pricesses and she is choosing this book thinking it runs in the same vein, try again.  For roughly ages 7 to 9, it is kind of like a description of different types of Princesses…think a la Charmed just a younger set.  It does not read like a novel but rather like an encyclopedia – or for the computerized genre, a wikipedia.
Some of my favorite princesses were Princess for a Day: Looks somewhat like a Ladybug and is described as, “A member of a special …

Congratulations to Fish-wife!
Thanks to everyone for playing!
Once there was a little boy, who didn’t want anyone to play with any of his toys… As the little boy grows into a man, he only cares about his many material possessions. He meticulously cares for his things and keeps them only for himself. Because of his selfishness, one by one, the things he cares about most begin to leave his life. Soon he finds himself all alone, trapped inside a bubble. The Bubble is a delightful …

Life moves too fast.
There you have the basic tenet of this interesting and helpful book written by Shannon Honeybloom.  She also thinks it’s time to change all that.
She’s a proponent of the Slow Home Movement, which she writes about in her book, “Making a Family Home.” In the book, she explains how to slow down the space you live in.
Anxiety-driven over-parenting has reached a peak, and parents everywhere are yearning to get ‘back to basics’ at home and with their children,” says Honeybloom, a parent and former educator. …

When I was growing up, Trident was the only gum we were really allowed to have.  I was not a major gum fanatic so it was not the end of the world but my Mom and the Dentist were in cahoots and thought that Trident was healthier and had less sugar.
Now that I am the Mom I do have a gum fanatic…lucky me.  Because of early training though, I really like my gum fanatic and her sister (it is still off limits to #3) to chew sugar free gum AKA …

Basically, Oscar is a pig.   He is a very cute little pig.  He is a very cute little pig with a problem – his Mommy is going back to work and he doesn’t really know what that means.  Will she come home?  Will she still love him?  Will she still have time for him?  These concerns and many more roll around in Oscar’s head.
Then he meets Mrs Tutu and his life is never the same. Mrs Tutu makes life everyday so fun and exciting and vivacious (whatever that means) and …

Ever feel like sometimes to really clean you have to do all kinds of tricks including standing on your head?  Well have I got a great product for you then!  Soft Scrub has been a household name in our home for many years, along with several other products to do several other jobs.  Well no more.  This is a one-shot-cleans-most things product baby!  With me being down and out with my migraines so often, our bathrooms have gotten down right n-a-s-t-y, I am sad to say.  Well, all I had …

Fiber-licious.
Yep, I think they should rename them.
Wait, you have not tried them yet?  They are these great tasting high fiber snack bars by General Mills. Made from rolled oats, crispy rice, and then whatever the flavor listed on the box is -
Chocolate Mocha – the newest flavor
Oats & Chocolate
Oats & Peanut Butter
Oats & Caramel
Oats & Strawberries with Almonds
Oats & Apple Streusel
Soft and chewy, they have a sweet and wholesome taste that really satisfies my sweet tooth while they provides 9 grams of fiber, about 35 percent of the Daily …

When I was offered to review an American Greetings PhotoWorks Studio Book that was baby themed, I was so excited. I had been planning to make one yet not just for any baby – for my P3.  As our pictures of her first 10 months are minimal, I felt while it could prove a bit challenging with the typical American shades of pink for baby girls, I wanted to make the most of what we have.  I never want her to feel that she was unloved just because she …

Fashion is Fun with Lisa! Lovely Lisa helps younger girls learn the importance of having fun and working hard while earning your way to your own fashion style! Earn Lisa-points by perfecting your beauty skills and techniques, helping out around the house and even learning what it takes to become a successful working girl! Providing a well-rounded approach to beauty and fashion, Lovely Lisa rewards girls with gorgeous accessories, original clothes and fabulous hairstyles and make-up! Prove you’ve got what it takes in …

As part of Hello Kitty’s 35th Anniversary celebration, Majesco Entertainment Company partnered with Barnstorm Games to publish Hello Kitty Party for Nintendo DS. The newest video game featuring the super-cute and irresistible pop-icon, Hello Kitty Party lets players dance, shop, cook, iron and much more in fun games designed for fans and who doesn’t love Hello Kitty?
In this fun new game, the basic gist of the game is that players help Hello Kitty and SANRIO friends plan and throw a super fun party.

More …

What would it be like to have a friend that could turn into a ladder, or a balloon, or even a trampoline?  Well if you are the boy in the Wii game “A Boy and his Blob”, it is very handy.  Trying to get through all the levels this game has to offer requires to turn you blob, using colored jelly beans, into all sorts of useful tools.  That and a keen eye for problem solving will keep you entertained.
“A Boy and his Blob” has 40 levels each more challenging …

This contest has closed and the winners are announced HERE.
Thanks to everyone whoo enjoyed our little inpromptu giveaway!  Watch for our Mother’s Day one in April!
I love to read but rarely have time these days.  However,  32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny: Life Lessons from Teaching was a quick and easy read, written in short, entertaining chapters by someone who knows.  I have seriously laughed and cried the whole way through the book. Written by Phillip Done’, his tales from the elementary trenches are both heartwarming and hilarious at …

Brainy Baby DVD’s are more than just your ABC’s, let me tell you!  Created with the intent of providing something reality-based and intelligent – for both parents and children, Brainy Baby was started in 1995. Their videos now feature multi-ethnic children, toe-tapping original music, nursery rhymes and instrumental classics and their product line now includes over 100 product offerings including videos, CDs, books, games, and toys!
A brand new study found that “The Brainy Baby Company today announced the results of a study conducted at the University of Texas, Austin, which …

Bear Portraits (Little, Brown & Co/ Nov 2009) is a beautiful ‘coffee table’ book full of photographs by Jill Greenberg that you have to see to believe.  The cute guy on the front cover is rather deceiving compared to what you can find inside.
Her previous ‘animal’ book was Monkey Portraits.  In Bear Portraits, Greenberg “…seeks to capture the awe that they inspire…” and capture that she does.
Because these are trained bears, she is able to get up much more close and personal than we would normally be able to see …

The giveaway has ended and the winner has been drawn – Congratulations to #28 Jo!!!!
Thanks to all who participated!!
When people come together for a party, any party, chips and dip are practically a requirement.  Potato chip and  Tortilla chip lovers alike have one thing in common – the search for a great dip. Dean’s® Dip recently gave me some vouchers to try out their dips so that I can share my thoughts with you about them as well as my honest opinion.
For our New Year’s Eve party, we tried their French …

Remember when I shared with you about the Sweet Tomatoes and Souplantation chain of restaurants? Included in the information about the Resaurants and giveaway was information about the crEATe contest  and I thought that you might like to know that voting is now open for the top 10 creations!

If you’d like to see what your fellow diners came up with and vote for the creation that you think looks the best, stop by the crEATe contest .
Voting is open until 12/31 and the grand prize winner will be announced on January 8, 2010. …

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This contest has closed and the winners are announced HERE.
Thanks to everyone whoo enjoyed our little inpromptu giveaway!  Watch for our Mother’s Day one in April!

Yes, I realize that November has passed and thus ended  National Adoption Month but I have a few additional things I want to share.
One of the things we did not go over is Foster Care.  I received the following information from one of the great PR reps I work with, Wendy Will from Wilks Communications.
“As the government looks to next year’s budget to determine …

Holiday shopping season is here again and the Global Influence network has some great gift ideas for you, tried and tested by real moms. Click on the links to check out what our team of reviewers had to say about each of these gift ideas, and then take a moment to enter our fun giveaway and take a chance at winning some of these fabulous products.
Featured Reviews Pouchees -
Busy moms need all the help they can get to stay organized and keep life as simple as possible. …

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This Giveaway is closed.  Congratulations to #120 Colette!
Thanks to everyone who participated!  Watch for more great products in 2010!
One of the most important decisions you can make for the …

To go along with National Adoption Month, I have come across a wonderful book, written by an adoptive mom.  Her name is  Andrea Nepa and she is the author of Red in the Flower Bed: An Illustrated Children’s Story about Interracial Adoption.
Red in the Flower Bed is about:

The journey of adoption is beautifully depicted with the comforting imagery of a poppy flower who is welcomed into a garden family. It is a charming story of seeds being planted in the perfect place – exactly where they belong. Children and …

This Giveaway is now CLOSED.
Congratulations to:
~Nicolle B. from BabeeLove!~

There are 112 Sweet Tomatoes and Souplantation restaurants in 15 states across the US so you may not be familiar with them but they have some delicious sounding food. All of them offer an all-you-care-to-eat, fixed-price dining experience where the food is made with fresh, high-quality ingredients, from scratch no less on a daily basis. My mouth is watering right now thinking about it.  And with this type of arrangement, I can take my whole family, picky eaters and all, and feel …

Well, welcome to this week’s edition of the 3Ps in a Pod Goody Roundup! So sorry it is late…darned ol’ Flu bug!
Anywho, time to go win some stuff, right? Right!
I am going to try and have them in a more organized fashion for you so bear with me and feel free to leave me a comment or two of what you like and what you don’t.  Remember, if you would like your giveaways listed here, just leave a link. Make sure this link is to the giveaway post itself and …

Well, welcome to this week’s edition of the 3Ps in a Pod Goody Roundup!
Time to go win some stuff, right? Right!
I am going to try and have them in a more organized fashion for you so bear with me and feel free to leave me a comment or two of what you like and what you don’t.  Remember, if you would like your giveaways listed here, just leave a link. Make sure this link is to the giveaway post itself and not just the blog or it will be deleted. …

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS CLOSED.
Congratulations to ~ Lolli!!
In a word ~ yummy.
His voice, his songs, oh and yes, his face.  Definitely a package deal.
Harry Connick Jr’s new CD – Your Songs is being released today, October 12th and I think it is the perfect album to to relax to. Those cute girls over at One2One Network sent me an early copy to listen too and I have really enjoyed getting acquainted with it.  His voice and song choices are usually pretty jazz/blues – not my typical taste – but he has …

Well, at least we have their answer now.  If you haven’t yet, go ahead and read it then tell me what you think in the comments.  I am curious.

For Release: 10/05/2009
FTC Publishes Final Guides Governing Endorsements, Testimonials
Changes Affect Testimonial Advertisements, Bloggers, Celebrity Endorsements
The Federal Trade Commission today announced that it has approved final revisions to the guidance it gives to advertisers on how to keep their endorsement and testimonial ads in line with the FTC Act.
The notice incorporates several changes to the FTC’s Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and …

Welcome to my Weekly Roundup GOODY Roundup! Time to go win some stuff, right? Right!
Here is the deal: If you are hosting a giveaway or have a post about someone’s giveaway, just leave a link. Make sure this link is to the giveaway post itself and not just the blog or it will be deleted. If you listed it last week but your giveaway is still open, by all means, list it again! Also, if you wish to send in your contest listing, feel free.  This post goes up each …

My bologna has a first name
It’s O-S-C-A-R
My bologna has a second name
It’s M-A-Y-E-R
Oh I love to eat it everyday
And if you ask me why I’ll sayyyy
Cause Oscar Mayer has a way
With B-O-L-O-G-N-A.
Oh I wish I were Oscar Mayer Wiener.
That is what I’d truly like to be.
‘Cause if I were Oscar Mayer Wiener,
Everyone would be in love with me.

So how many of you grew up with these songs running through your mind?  I know I did so when Mom Central wrote and told me they had an Oscar Mayer Lunchables blog …

Have you noticed where you live that the mornings and evenings are a bit cooler?  I have and I am loving it!  Fall is my favorite season of all.  Maybe that is because my birthday and Halloween, two of my favorite things are in October.  Halloween was such fun as a child and now that I have kids of my own, it is fun all over again.  We like to plan ahead for our costumes too.  This year I am trying to sell ALL three of them on our …