Two Truths and a Lie: Pet Peeves

 You've played this game before, so why not join The Scoop on Poop and CA Girl every Thursday by:
1. Grabbing the handy little button on the sidebar
2. Posting your 2 truths and a lie
3. Link up
4. Reveal your lie the next week!
5. Visit others who link up and leave a comment guessing their lie.

Last Weeks Reveal

1. My favorite flower is fire and ice roses: Love them! Before we were married, my husband got himself in a bit of trouble and so he went all over town to find me some (true F&I are sometimes hard to find).

2. I once hid a piece of half-eaten sushi in my purse: hee hee, yes I did. We were at an all you can eat place, and if you don't finish it you have to pay for it. This piece of fish was so extremely nasty, there was absolutely no way I could swallow. So I stuck in in a napkin and put it in my purse. I am gagging just thinking about it 

3.My favorite color is light pink : Ah BlueViolet....you are right, this is a lie. I really don't know IF I have a favorite color. Depends on my mood, the day, and what the color is for.  

THIS WEEK'S 2 TRUTHS AND A LIE

1. I HATE the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard
2. The sound of anything running down the side of a comb makes me shiver
3. I want to smack people that suck on something when talking on the phone.

When does it change? Pour your Heart Out

If you need more info about Pour Your Heart Out, see THIS post.

But, really, it's anything that YOU consider pouring your heart out.

Be sure to check out some of the links- you will find some amazing stories out there.

Again, just a brief reminder that everyone linking is pouring their hearts out and we should all be respectful in our comments. ;)

Sometimes I think of it as the "good old days". When parents were still in charge. When respect and politeness were the norm rather than a surprise. When cussing in front of your parents was taboo, and sex before marriage, or at the very least college, was not the norm. When sex on T.V. caused parents to change the channel, and Disney movies did not have overly-scary scenes. I am not old, but these WERE my days.

I still don't cuss in front of my parents, except rare occasions when I am REALLY upset. I respect my grandparents, and show up to functions on time and in the appropriate attire. I still think about what they would think about my actions, my decisions. I am still embarrassed when I need my parent's help. I still feel ashamed when I am in any sort of trouble. It may surprise you to know that I have never snuck out at night. That I never even drank until I graduated high school. That the WORST thing I did was smoke cigarettes (which I know is bad....but now this is almost not even an issue at all).

And while we do not spank our kids, we do still believe in all of these values. And there are other consequences. And please and thank-you's and respect are expected. My son already knows that ladies are first.....because it is good manners. They already put their napkins on their laps. They already know what is appropriate and not appropriate to discuss and do in public. And they will not cuss in front of us. I strongly believe that parents need to guide their parents, need to show them what is right. There is a balance between being friends and being a parent. Both ARE possible.

Do I agree with ALL the ways I was raised......no. Will I put all things into my parenting.......absolutely not. And in fact, this isn't even necessarily what this post is about.

Lately my husband and I have come into a bit of a struggle that we can't deal with on our own. We needed help. We needed guidance. We are old enough now to know of our mistakes. We are old enough now to see where things went wrong, to learn our lessons. But what surprised me is the feelings I felt.

I felt things I didn't expect to feel. I felt shame. I felt that if I didn't know how to fix things, my mom might be mad. And I was afraid that if I "failed" they would be disappointed. But, what I thought they might think was a "failure", I didn't necessarily think was such. To me, if my family is together, if we are happy, if we love and care for one another and support one another.....then everything is okay. If I raise my children to be loving and respectful and caring......I did my job. If we fall into one another's arms each night, then I have succeeded. So why do I sometimes still feel like a teenager? Why do I still feel like such a failure? Why am I still SO concerned about what my parents will think? Sometimes I feel like I am still not a parent. That I am still under someone else's guidance. Making someone else's decisions. Doing someone else's parenting.

I worry that it is making me less effective. I fear that it is causing me to make the wrong decisions. That I am choosing my decisions according to appearance rather than what I feel will benefit my family the most. That I will lose support and respect that is important to me because I didn't make the decision others would.

When does it change? When does it stop? When do I become my own parent instead of still making decisions I think others will agree is right? I wish there was some lesson, some morale to this post....but there just isn't. Because I still don't know. I still don't understand why I feel like such a teenager. I don't understand why I can't make a decision without thinking about if people will be upset with me.....even if I feel that decision is right for MY family.

I guess my goal is to find that special line. The line between respect and fear. I want my children to respect, to have morals and honor, to be hard workers and put family above all else. But I also want them to be themselves. To know they can come to me and I will be there. To know that I will support every decision they make.....even if I disagree. But I just can't get there until I can figure out how to be true to myself.

Stepping into my kiddo's shoes

If we haven't heard it at least once, we have probably said it at least once. "Try walking in my shoes"....or at least some variation of it. Through the years, I have learned to at least try to understand my husband's point of view. I try to see where my friends or my parents are coming from. I try to be sympathetic to other people's problems. But lately, I have realized that I don't put myself in those teeny tiny shoes of my children. So today I attempted to do so.

After waking my kid's earlier than they wanted to wake and rushing them to get somewhere on time....

LITTLE MAN: "Why do we have to go at YOUR pace? The only reason I am going to hurry is if  Santa Clause not going to come if we don't rush or something. And it isn't that I don't hear you asking me to go potty for the third time, I just don't want to go. I am busy here. I have to wait until you are off the phone to get a cookie, so you need to wait for me to go potty. Yell all you want, you are the one getting all sweaty, not me.

BABY GIRL: "Give me my freaking paci. You were the one who stuck a bottle in my mouth for the first year of my life, you were the one who stuck the paci in my mouth to get me to fall asleep at night, and now YOU are the one taking it away. Doesn't work like that momma. Don't you know who is boss in this house? I want it.....this is a warning for you"


During family pictures....and when I say family, I mean Nonnie, Grandma and Grandpa, my sister, niece, 2 nephews, and our family of 4.

LITTLE MAN: "Why is everyone so cranky? And all that boring talk. Let's talk about scary snakes......anyone? Hello, anyone? Why is everyone shushing me? Will anyone pay attention to me? No? Hmmm, I think I feel something in my nose. Gosh that is annoying. I am just going to get it. What mom??? I am smiling! I just have to get my booger first. Ooooh, it is yellow and green! Yummy! What mom? I AM smiling. And no, lady I don't know, that silly monkey trick isn't fooling me. Mom has already tried putting a money on her head to make me laugh. You gotta do better than that. Seriously? A duck? What do you think I am, 2? I'm going to make you work for your money lady!

BABY GIRL: "Who is this scary woman picking me up....listen lady, I don't know you and unless you have a paci, I don't like you. Nope, you have all pissed me off....I warned you once, and here is what you will get. I am going to cry and cry and cry and ruin every single stinking picture. Learn your lesson yet? Give me my stinking paci! What do you mean not yet? Fine, I will scream so loud mommy will turn that bright shade of red, Daddy will shake his head and groan, Big Brother will giggle and everyone will stare. How is THAT? Now who's the boss. That is right.....hand over the paci and no one gets hurt.

This water snob needs her Filtrete Water Pitcher!

My husband calls me a water snob. I wish I could say it weren't true.....but it is. I am a complete and total water snob. The little snot has tried to trick me a few times, too. For a long time he didn't believe that I could truly taste the difference between tap water and filtered water. This man got so sneaky that one time he even made ice with tap water and gave me that instead of the ice from the freezer (filtered). His jaw dropped to the floor when I made "the face" when I tasted my water ten minutes later. I am extremely picky about my water.

Lately, though, our the water from our fridge hasn't been as tasty. We think it has something to do with the fridge being older and the lines needing to be flushed yadda yadda yah. But I want good water NOW. Needless to say I was super-happy when I was chosen to be a part of the Filtrete Blog Tour. The new Filtrete Water Pitcher from 3M is fantastic. It has actually received this water-snob's seal of approval. There are three main things that separate it from filtered pitchers I have used before

• The water is filtered 5 times faster than traditional filter pitchers. 
• The unique shape of the pitcher allows the pitcher to fit in most refrigerator door shelves, a must for me since my fridge is jam packed as it is. 
• The pitcher filters 2 1/2 times more water than traditional filters, and lasts about 3 months.

In addition, Filtrete created Clear Advantages to help busy moms like me. You can register at http://www.filtrete.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/FiltreteUS/Filtrete/Resources/Clear-advantages/ to receive seasonal e-newsletters that have great money-saving offers, filter change reminders, better home living tips and more. (Think frugal, you know there is usually a great coupon somewhere in those newsletters!) You can also follow Filtrete Water Filtration Products on twitter at http://twitter.com/FiltreteWater, and  on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/FiltreteWater
to get tips for healthier living!

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Filtrete and received the water pitcher to facilitate my candid review.”

Dannon "Cup of Hope" Campaign

Like far too many people, someone special to me has been affected by Breast Cancer. In fact, two people have been. Both are survivors, and both are very strong, but both have faced a long road while getting well. Unfortunately, I don't have nearly the money that I would like to donate to the cause. However, there are companies out there that ARE willing to help, not only raise awareness but give back to the community.

Dannon has launched the Cups of Hope campaign to raise money for the cause. Under the lids of specially-marked Dannon products, there will be a unique code to enter on www.cupsofhope.com. For each code entered by November 30, Dannon will donate 10cents to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. The money that is raised will go directly to provide women with free mammograms and support breast cancer research. Dannon has pledged to donate a minimum of $500,000, but their goal is to donate $1.5 million through the codes entered.

The best part is, I am helping by doing something I do anyway! We love yogurt in this house. The kids love the one with fruit on the bottom, and eat it as snacks and breakfast. I love the Dannon light and fit because it fits in perfectly with my daily calorie allowance. I prefer it to some of the other low-calorie snacks because it actually fills me up. Plus it is easy to grab in the morning for a quick breakfast that doesn't sit too heavy in my belly. And my husband (gasp here) learned he enjoys the Activia! Amazing what happens when you try something new!

This is a super simple way to give back. It is easy to notice the pink that is everywhere in October, but it takes a little more to actually DO something to help. Dannon has made it very simple to give back and join the fight. Think about it. If each member of my house has just one cup of yogurt a day, that is
152 codes, which means that our family alone has helped to donate about $15. And we are one small family in a huge country. And all it takes is to buy a specially marked product that many families already eat anyway....and a product that is healthy for everyone!


"I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by  Mom Central on behalf of Dannon. In addition, I received a gift certificate and products to thank me for taking the time to participate."

HappyBABY organic baby food Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

HAPPYBABY's mission is simple. They are committed to making baby food as healthy and delicious as homemade with the essential nutrients needed for optimal growth and development. As a mom, I would love if I could have made all of my babies foods myself....carefully with love as well as good ingredients. But let's face it. I had no idea what those ingredients were, and I definitely didn't know how to make puffs and yogurt bites!

I am always interested in what individual companies consider "organic". For the most part it seems self-explanatory, but not always. HAPPYBABY, though, is definitely in my dictionary of organic and natural baby foods. To start, all products are USDA-certified organic. The products are allergen free and contain no pesticides, no chemical fertilizers, no genetic modification, no preservatives. And they aren't afraid to hide anything....every product is clearly labeled and designed so you know exactly what you are getting!

Mom's can definitely feel good with the HAPPYBABY products.

• The baby meals are fresh, frozen organic meals. They come in 15 flavors with a variety of meats, veggies, grains and fruits.
• The probiotic dry cereals have DHA to help with your baby's immunity. 
• The toddler meals cleverly hide veggies and create a balanced nutrition
• The organic puffed grain snacks for babies and toddlers are made with HALF the sugar and NOTHING artificial!
• And the best part....they have organic grab-and-go pouches for baby, tots, tykes and kids. This is seriously a must-have every single time I leave the house.

And if all of this doesn't isn't enough to sell you on the product (though I am guessing you are already sold), for every package you buy, you and HAPPYBABY partner with Project Peanut Butter to feed malnourished kids in Malawi.

Happybellies organic cereals are the only ones with probiotic immune support. It is also the only organic cereal with DHA for brain and eye development, plus iron, vitamins and minerals. The cereals come in three varieties Brown Rice, Multi-grain, and oatmeal.




Happypuffs are the FIRST melt-in-your mouth organic finger food (and this is very important to me as both of my kiddo's tended to choke a bit!) The puffs, that are supplemented with vitamins and minerals, teach your baby tactility and self-feeding. They are made with whole grains and come in three organic flavors (apples, greens, and banana).

Happymelts are the only organic freeze dried yogurt snack on the market, and they have pre and probiotics for baby's optimal digestive health. Happymelts offer a protein rich and low-sugar snack for your kiddo's that are gluten free and contain no preservatives. The melts are available in Banana Mango, Strawberry, and Mixed Berry flavors





Happybites are nutritionally balanced meals for your toddlers and young children! With plenty of options like Salmon Sticks, Mac and Cheese, Fish Bites, Veggie Tots, Chicken Bites and Breakfast Pockets, you have many opportunities to sneak in those hidden veggies! I LOVE the Breakfast Pockets for a quick meal on those school days when it is hard to get my little man going!


BUY IT! HappyBABY products are sold at Whole Foods, SuperTarget, BabiesRus, and Sprouts. The new pouches are available at local Kroger Stores. You can find a store locator at http://www.happybabyfood.com/find-a-store, and if you don't find one nearby, be sure to let customer service know! Not only that, but you can always buy online!

TWO SPECIAL DEALS TO KNOW WHEN YOU BUY!!

FREE SHIPPING! Use the code FRUGALFREE on orders of $49 or more! Please be sure to add state and zip codes as well as coupon discount. Then once coupon code is applied, choose free shipping under shipping options. Expires 11/20
PRENATAL YOGA for Partners WITH JOE KULAK DVD + HAPPYBABY: The Organic Guide to Baby's First 24 Months: When you purchase them together you save $2 and also get free shipping!

WIN IT! One VERY lucky reader is going to win a "Healthy Start for a Happy Baby" Kit, which includes:

• 2 canisters of Happy Bellies
• 2 canisters of Happy Puffs
• 2 bags of Happy Melts 
• vouchers for all of the frozen products (Happy Baby Puree, Happy Bites). 

*note that if you have older kids, the prize will be slightly adjusted to fit your families needs!**

MANDATORY ENTRY: Be a Frugal Mom knows Best follower and then visit Happy Baby and tell me which food you would like to try the most.  

**please note that mandatory entries will be verified and must be completed for additional entries to count! Email address must be visible in order to win**

Additional Entries: Do as many as you wish, just leave a comment for each please! 

• Sign up for the EO newsletter (+2)
• "Like" HappyBABY on facebook! (+3)
• Follow HappyBABY on Twitter (+2)
• Add one of my new buttons to your blog and let me know where to find it! (5 entries!)
•  Subscribe via email
•  Follow Me on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway (1 entry per tweet, can be done 3 times daily)                                                                                                               #GIVEAWAY: Win a @HAPPYBABYFOOD all-organic "Healthy Start for a Happy Baby" Kit! @frugalvicki (Ends11/8)http://www.miniurl.com/52370 
• “Like”Frugal Mom knows Best on Facebook
• Enter any of my other giveaways (3 entries per giveaway)

Giveaway is open to US residents only, and ends on 11/8/2010. Winner will be chosen by random.org and will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. 

All opinions are my true opinions of the product, and no monetary compensation nor product was received. Thanks to Clelia at HappyBABY for the generous giveaway!

Friday Confessional-just a bit of random

I CONFESS........

• That I actually enjoy watching American Choppers with my husband but shhhh don't tell him.
• That I don't have caller-id on my home phone so I just don't answer it half the time. If I am home and want to talk to you, I will pick it up while you are leaving a message. Or I will call back when my children decide to let me have two seconds of free time. 
• That every once in awhile when Baby Girl asks me to change her diaper, I whisper to her to bring a diaper to her daddy. 
• That I when I realized I hadn't washed any skirts, shorts or capris last week I finally looked at my legs and could swear they were my husbands.
• That I secretly enjoy that my side of the bed is the only one to have the egg-foamy things on it. This makes the bed slightly angled, which means when the kids sneak into our bed late at night, they immediately roll onto their daddy's side of the bed. 
• That I am going to go sneak another shot in my drink to help me sleep better! Good night!

Two truths and a lie: Get to know me a bit!

You've played this game before, so why not join The Scoop on Poop and CA Girl every Thursday by:

1. Grabbing the handy little button on the sidebar

2. Posting your 2 truths and a lie

3. Link up

4. Reveal your lie the next week!

5. Visit others who link up and leave a comment guessing their lie.

Last Weeks Reveal


1. I bite my nails all the way down until I can't bite them anymore: Yes, I do. It is in fact almost embarrassing. I try to hand my hands in pictures.
2. I've never been a fan of Christmas Eve: As sad as it is to say, this is also the truth. I used to spend Christmas Eve with the father that I no longer speak to. Still leaves a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. It is, however, getting better with time.
3. My vice is coffee....I even have a little pot on my desk: Nope, I am more of an energy drink junkie.

THIS WEEK'S 2 TRUTHS AND A LIE
1. My favorite flower is fire and ice roses
2. I once hid a piece of half-eaten sushi in my purse 
3.My favorite color is light pink 

 

Pour Your Heart Out: Fears that live in our hearts

I was rushing to get off a call to go get my son from school. I slammed down the phone and rushed downstairs, grabbed my daughter and headed out the door. I turned back to tell my husband something I had forgotten to tell him. Ten seconds, maybe. Then we got in the car and left.

As I slowed down to take the right to get to my son's school, I saw it. I knew what was about to happen and there was nothing I could do to stop it. It almost became a slow-motion movie. I saw the car drive straight from the street I was going to turn on. Straight into traffic. Two cars ahead of me, the SUV T-Boned the small car. There was no chance to even try to hit the brakes for the poor driver of the SUV. I saw the two of them spin further to the left and hitting another car, and then back right and went up the sidewalk and through the backyard of a fence. I didn't see the driver get pulled from the car. All I know is that when I asked if he would be okay the police officer told me "Well, no one is going to die I don't think, but it is going to be a rough time." The driver was a teenage kid

Most people see an accident at some point. Some of us even see bad ones. Most of us have been, or will be, involved in some sort of accident at some point. Here is the thing with me, though. This is a fear of mine. Car accidents scare me, because they aren't something that I can control. And they are something that can change your life in a heartbeat.

This accident has caused my anxiety to go into over-drive. It replays over and over in my head, especially as I take my son to and from school each day. I felt stupid for quite awhile, thinking that it was ridiculous for me to feel this way.

We spend our days worrying about so many things. Are the kids getting enough sleep? Eating enough veggies? Was that a runny nose I noticed this morning? Will we be able to pay all of the bills this month? Is our job going to be the next victim of the recession? Our minds and hearts can only fit in so many worries, so it is easier to focus on the ones we have some sense of control over. The other ones, the worries that we can't completely control, those are are the ones that become fears. These are the ones that sit in the darkest corners of our hearts and show themselves when we least expect it. And these fears are the reasons we remember to hug and love our families every day. Because there is only so much we can do to protect our families.

In snot and in health-PINT

EO organic Products Review and GIVEAWAY-CLOSED!

CONGRATULATIONS #75
Sophie!!

So, you want to hear pathetic? It has taken me a month and a half to get this review posted. Yes, it really took me a month and a half to get the chance to use the wonderful products EO sent me. And it also only took me one time of testing them to tell my husband I would not wait a month and a half again!

EO Products (Essential Oils) is a fantastic family-owned and operated business. Their products are natural, certified organic, and never tested on animals. Even their packaging is environmentally friendly! In my quest to find a more green way to live, I have found many products for my kiddos, but not many personal products for myself. EO products are now my favorite "mommy needs a time-out" companions.

EO products have over 100 products that contain their signature essential oils blend. Essential oils are steam distilled directly from flowers, leaves, bark and wood without any adulteration or synthetic additives, as it was intended directly from nature, and giving you products that smell amazing. Their product line is quite extensive!

• Hands: Bar soaps, liquid hand soaps, foaming soaps, sanitizers, and creams
• Bath: Salts, bubble bath, bar soap and shower gel
• Hair: Shampoos, conditioners and treatments
• Body: Bar and foaming soaps, body lotion and body oils.
• Shave: Creams and foams
• and more: travel, gifts, holiday, and essential oils.

I was given the lavender serenity bath set, and two limited edition hand soaps, on in Lemon and one Mandarin Spice. I put the Mandarin Spice hand soap in my guest bath, and everyone LOVED it.  I love having something special when guests come over, so that was a perfect touch. Plus, it leaves your hands so soft.


I myself could not get enough of the bubble bath. The scent of french lavender was subtle and relaxing, and the aloe left my skin so soft and smooth, I remembered what my pre-kids pampered skin used to feel like---all in one bath! It was more of a relaxing experience rather than just a bath, and left me feeling refreshed. My Little Man insisted he get a bubble bath too......but I am saving those wonderful silky bath salts to myself!!


The quality of these products is fantastic. The prices are extremely reasonable, and they even have a warehouse sales and bulk/refill section to make them even more wallet-friendly.

BUY IT: This month, EO products is having a 15% off all body lotions sale, and in addition, 15% of all Rose and Chamomile sales go to a Breast Cancer fund.

WIN IT! EO has generously offered one lucky reader the Healthy Hands Gift Set!

The healthy hands gift set includes

• Peppermint & Tea Tree Liquid Hand Soap (12 oz)
• French Lavender Liquid Hand Soap (12 oz)
• Lemon Hand Sanitizer (8 oz)
• French Lavender Hand Sanitizing Spray (2 oz)
• Peppermint Hand Sanitizing Spray (.33 oz)
• Lemon Hand Sanitizer (2 oz)

**please note that mandatory entries will be verified and must be completed for additional entries to count! Email address must be visible in order to win**
 

MANDATORY ENTRY: Follow me via Google Friend Connect and then head on over to http://www.doctorcarey.org/. Come back and tell me what other product you would love to try in the comment section.

Additional Entries: Do as many as you wish, just leave a comment for each please! 

• Sign up for the EO newsletter (+2)
• "Like" EO on facebook (+3)
• Follow EO on Twitter (+2)
• Add one of my new buttons to your blog and let me know where to find it! (5 entries!)
•  Subscribe via email
•  Follow Me on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway (1 entry per tweet, can be done 3 times daily)                                                                                                               #GIVEAWAY: Win an @EOProducts Organic Healthy Hands gift set, just in time for winter! @frugalvicki (Ends10/231)http://www.miniurl.com/52370 
• “Like”Frugal Mom knows Best on Facebook
• Enter any of my other giveaways (3 entries per giveaway)
• Vote for me on Top mommy blogs (on the far right sidebar!) (1 entry daily)

Giveaway is open to US residents only, and ends on 10/31/2010. Winner will be chosen by random.org and will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. 

All opinions are my true opinions of the product, and no monetary compensation was received. I received a bath/hand soap kit to facilitate my review. Thanks to EO products for their generous giveaway!

Green Works Walk to School Challenge!

My son actually goes to the exact same preschool I went to. When I was little, the school was literally just right up the street and around the corner. And then when I got to Elementary School, there was actually a little path right on my street that led straight up to the school. I loved it. I loved the walk home crunching through the leaves, talking to my sister, and looking at all the fun decorations during the holidays.

Now we live further away from the school and way down a busy street, so walking to school is pretty unreasonable. At least for the whole way. When I heard about the Clorox Green Works Walk to School Challenge I realized it wasn't unreasonable to park the car once we got to the neighborhood and walk the rest of the way. When I first thought about it, I will admit I grumbled and moaned a bit. It seemed kind of inconvenient to not just keep driving. But, October is International Walk to School Month, and we are trying to be a little bit more green....so I thought we could give it a try.

I must say I have kind of enjoyed it! It is making me slow down a bit, and enjoy the walk. When we drive, I am in between focused on driving and asking my son questions, and he is usually too distracted with his toys to give me lengthy answers. But when we walk back to the car, hands swinging together, he tends to open up a little bit more. He and his sister also have fun running a bit ahead of me and stomping through the leaves......just like I used to do.

Through October, Green Works is inviting everyone to take the Walk to School Challenge. Of course, this is a great way to be "green", but you may be surprised at the other benefits of the Challenge. Like being a bit healthier, getting some precious moments with your kids, AND benefiting your school! All you need to do is sign up on the Green Works Facebook page and log your footsteps. You will be competing with other schools for the chance for your child's school to win a $5,000 Green Grant! There are also fun individual prizes the kids have a chance to win by logging their walking and bicycling distances!


This is definitely one of those challenges where you have absolutely nothing to lose! So get out there and make some fun memories.....and good luck winning the prize!

"I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Clorox Green Works and received a $30 Amazon GC as a thank you for my participation."

Trivial Pursuit Steal Card Game-Review and GIVEAWAY-CLOSED!

CONGRATULATIONS #2,10 AND 23!

a49erfan, Grampy, and Jen! I am emailing you now! I love it and I hope you do too!

When my husband and I were engaged and first married, we used to spend many hours playing games. Some games we were more competitive in, and some we were the perfect amount of both competitive and playful. Trivial Pursuit was one of those games. We both enjoyed it quite a bit, and was one we played often. After the kids were born, we just simply didn't have enough time to sit down for a long game-playing session.

Now Hasbro has a new twist on this old favorite of ours. The game is called Trivial Pursuit Steal, and it is a fast-paced card game that is just as fun as the original. The times we played averaged about fifteen minutes each, so it is the perfect game to do while relaxing after dinner, waiting for our son to get out of preschool, or when we simply wanted to have fun and play a quick game.

The game itself is simple to play. Each player (you do need 2 or more) gets dealt five cards. Each card is either a question card or a wedge card (same wedges you know and love!). For their turn, each player both draws and plays a card. When it is another players turn, they will ask you a question. If you get it correct, you get to keep whatever wedge card is in front of you....but if you miss it you have to give up the wedge card in your hand! In addition there is a Buzz card. The Buzz card is always in play. The Buzz card can be used by anyone, and snap it up fast if you know the answer to the question someone else got wrong! But you better be sure you are right or you will lose a wedge card as well! Just like in the traditional game, the first person with all six colors wins. You can make the game even quicker by having the winner be whoever gets six wedge cards regardless of what colors.
The best part is that the game is extremely reasonably priced at just $6.99. A perfect white-elephant gift, stocking stuffer, or just because gift!

WIN IT! THREE-Hasbro has very generously offered THREE of my lucky readers their own Trivial Pursuit Steal games! 

MANDATORY ENTRY: You must follow via GFC to win! Then, Visit Hasbro and leave me a comment telling me which game you think your family would enjoy playing together! Please make sure your email address is visible or your entry will be disqualified.  

Optional Entries: Do as many as you want, but be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry (for multiple entries, please leave appropriate number of comments) 

• Add one of my new buttons to your blog and let me know where to find it! (5 entries!)
•  Subscribe via email
•  Follow Me on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway (1 entry daily)
• #GIVEAWAY: Win a Trivial Pursuit Steal card game! 3 winners! (Ends 10/29) http://www.miniurl.com/52370
• “Like”Frugal Mom knows Best on Facebook
• Enter any of my other giveaways (1entry per giveaway)
• Vote for me on Top mommy blogs (on the far right sidebar!) (1 entry daily)

Giveaway is open to US residents only, and ends on 10/29/2010. Winner will be chosen by random.org and will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. 

All opinions are my true opinions of the product, and no monetary compensation was received. I received a Trivial Pursuit Steal Card Game to facilitate my review and to thank me for my participation.

Two Truths and a Lie! How well do you know me?

You've played this game before, so why not join The Scoop on Poop and CA Girl every Thursday by:

1. Grabbing the handy little button on the sidebar

2. Posting your 2 truths and a lie

3. Link up

4. Reveal your lie the next week!

5. Visit others who link up and leave a comment guessing their lie.

Last Weeks RevealTHIS WEEKS TRUTH AND LIE

1. I was once a screamer in a Haunted House: This is the lie....I screamed a lot in Haunted Houses but was not paid to do so.
2. I once hid in a corner during a haunted house: Yes, yes I did. As a matter of fact, I was a T.V. that year, so I tucked myself into my t.v. box like a little turtle and just stayed where I was
3. We used to play "Bloody Mary" in my garage: Yep. Never worked, though. Thank God




1. I bite my nails all the way down until I can't bite them anymore
2. I've never been a fan of Christmas Eve
3. My vice is coffee....I even have a little pot on my desk

 

I wonder what the car behind us was thinking.......

My two little pumpkin heads after a fun day at the Jack-O-Launch!!

We aren't alone....as long as we are there for each other.

We are all aware that everyone has their own struggles. Everyone has their own challenges. And everyone has their own worries. I try to remind myself of this when I watch wistfully from the outside.....not seeing any evidence that the grass isn't REALLY greener over on that other side of the fence. So and so has enough money to make the bills AND save some as well. He and She always has such positive, bubbly and sickeningly happy facebook posts that they can never possibly see a bad day. Sometimes it gets frustrating, and sometimes, when you are struggling, it can make you feel so very lonely.

Recently, I have learned more about two special conditions I had never heard of before. One in which a little girl has sensory problems, and her parents struggle to know how to help her. It was even hard to listen to....how children such as her might absolutely hated loud noises and loud lights, but enjoyed a hard pressure on her arms. I can't imagine the confusion. And another story of a little boy who has a rare condition that makes his bones continue to grow tumors for as long as he grows. Hopefully, it will be barely noticeable. But the pain can be severe. So many things out there, so many worries, so many conditions, and so many different problems we would never even think about.


In the past week, Drama Mama at "The Scoop on Poop" had invited multiple bloggers with special needs children to write guest posts on their special situations. I sat down and read each of them individually, with both respect and tears in my heart. I can't imagine what they must struggle through each and every day. I would like to invite everyone to take a moment if you have one, and read one or all of those posts. And instead of spending the whole day worrying, spend one moment of the day being grateful for what you DON'T have to struggle with, and more importantly what your children don't have to struggle with.
 
In addition, Super Mommy to the Rescue is joining up with Autism Learning Felt to host a special needs blog hop. If you have a child or loved one with special needs, or you simply want to show your support, the blog hop will be each Thursday at both blogs. You can find out more HERE.

We all struggle. As I tell my son, someone else's problem may be different but it doesn't make it any less important to them-even if it seems easier to us. And each of us has a moment when we feel overwhelmed and alone. But if we were able to really see in each other's hearts, we would know we are far from alone.

Baby Diner Review and PROMO CODE!

What is it with kids and throwing their plates? It was bad enough when they were younger, but even still my almost-2 year old still enjoys throwing her plate on the floor in defiance, or as a grand show when she is done eating. Or, more often than not, the plate gets accidentally knocked down as she is reaching for her drink. Poor thing was super-confused the first time I put our new Baby Diner on the table.

Baby Diner attaches to ANY smooth table top (think restaurants, too!). No special plates or bowls need to be bought, any smooth bottom sided plate, bowl or any other dishware. The product suction cups to the table and then the plate suction cups to the product.

I must say that I really like it! My son investigated it for quite a bit, and he REALLY tried to get it off. He couldn't. But, I was able to get it off pretty easily with the little tricks that the instructions provided.

Blogger followers get 50% off Baby Diner!

MSRP of the Baby Diner is $14.99, but is available for 50% off to you! The “Free Baby Diner” promotion is for blogger followers and you will receive 50% off by visiting http://www.babydiner.net/choosequantity.html.

If you don't believe me...check out www.BabyDiner.net for more information and videos!

This Product Was a Free Giveaway

Get moving with the new PlayStation Move!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of PlayStation MOVE. All opinions are 100% mine.

Christmas is coming up, so I am constantly keeping my eyes out for something new and fun for my family. I have been hearing quite a bit about the PlayStation Move motion gaming for PlayStation 3. We already have a PlayStation 3, so this would just be an extension to the system we already have, AND the PlayStation Move bundle can be adding onto existing PlayStation 3's for only $99! You can even update some of the games you already own to become PlayStation Move Compatible for free!

PlayStation Move uses a simple, ergonomically designed, easy-to-use controller to offer a full range of motion giving the user ultimate control.  It is great for all ranges of gamers from the beginner to the experienced! Plus, there is a game for everyone! The games include sports, action, party, family, and shooters.

I would much prefer have a fun family "game night" than for all of us to just sit in front of a mindless t.v. show. The Move games would get us up and moving (and in turn exercising!) and simply having fun together!

I checked out the games online, and I saw a few "stocking stuffers" for the family. My husband would LOVE the newest Tiger Woods game, the kiddo's would get a kick out of having a little pet with the Eyepet game, and I think the TV Superstars would be hilarious! Just something to think about for the Holidays ;).

Two truths and a lie: Halloween

You've played this game before, so why not join The Scoop on Poop and CA Girl every Thursday by:

1. Grabbing the handy little button on the sidebar

2. Posting your 2 truths and a lie

3. Link up

4. Reveal your lie the next week!

5. Visit others who link up and leave a comment guessing their lie.

THIS WEEKS TRUTH AND LIE (last weeks reveal is below!)
1. I was once a screamer in a Haunted House
2. I once hid in a corner during a haunted house.
3. We used to play "Bloody Mary" in my garage

 Last Weeks Reveal
1. My first kiss was with a little boy name BoBo: True and BoBo used to pull the legs off of grasshoppers.
2. In middle school I was "depantsed": Unfortunately this is too true. A boy na
med Rob pulled my pants down in the middle of the orchestra room. 
3. I was on the volleyball team in highschool: Nope, I sucked.

Help! I've fallen and I can't get up!! Wordless Wednesday

Are you ready? Winter is on it's way!

GIVEAWAY! Need the Perfect Present? How about $50 to the Anniversary Rose-CLOSED

CONGRATULATIONS #48!!

Mom2anutball said... 48

Facebook Fan! (Sheila Hickmon) fineinsanity {at} live {dot} com

October 18, 2010 8:55 PM

Quick, what is the traditional 10-year anniversary gift? Yeah, I don't know either. All I do know is I never know what to get my husband for our anniversary much less anyone else. I like sentimental gifts, but I don't want to spend a ton of money, either. And wedding gifts get boring after you buy the same thing over and over.

The Anniversary Rose is a cute website that solves these dilemmas for you. There are a ton of cute items. My favorite couples gift

My favorite anniversary gift for her

My favorite anniversary gift for him

There is even a great page that guides you on what gifts you should buy for each year, and the tradition behind it!

ABOUT THE COMPANY:

"We started in a spare bedroom about 5 years ago more as a part time hobby than a business with The Anniversary Rose making roses for the traditional anniversary gifts (i.e. 1st year paper, 2nd year cotton, 5th year wood etc) cutting rose petals by hand with scissors.  It quickly grew from a part time hobby to a full time business, adding help and equipment to keep up. Then, we started expanding into personalized anniversary gifts.  We started getting many requests from our customers for personalized wedding, Mother’s & Father's Day and Christmas gifts etc.  That's when we started Dakota's Personalized Gifts. Soon the business took over a second bedroom and the garage, the following year it occupying two bedrooms, the garage & a full basement. With no room left to expand we were forced to move into a commercial location in 2009.  We continue to expand with new products and updated equipment all the time which allows us to produce most of the personalized items in house."   

The Anniversary Rose has a little of something for everyone! And, to show my readers just how much they have to offer, they have generously offered to give one lucky reader a $50 to use towards anything they wish at The Anniversary Rose!

MANDATORY ENTRY: Subscribe via GFC and visit The Anniversary Rose and tell me what you think you would spend the $50 on! (Must be completed for other entries to count!)

Optional Entries: Do as many as you want, just be sure to leave a separate comment for each!

• Grab one of my new buttons and tell me where to find it! (+3)
• Follow me on facebook
• Follow me on Twitter
• Tweet about this giveaway (once daily)
• Win a $50 GC to The Anniversary Rose online personalized gift store -#GIVEAWAY!@frugalvicki http://miniurl.com/57805
• Enter the Jumpstart.com giveaway (you will love it-well, your kids will!) (+3)
• Vote for me using the top mommy blogs button (once daily)

Giveaway is open to US residents only, and ends on 10/20/2010. Winner will be chosen by random.org and will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. 

All opinions are my true opinions of the product, and no compensation was received. 

We finally got to go to the Circus!

Big elephants. Teeny tiny wires. Silly clowns. A full-grown adult folded into a teeny box. What do all of these have in common? Well, the Circus of course!

I was super excited to be able to take my kids to the Circus for their first time this year. We each had our favorites. My daughter just couldn't wait for the elephants to come out again and again (and even made me buy her a tiny one!), my son loved the animals and the motorcyles, my husband couldn't look away from anything motorcycle related, and I LOVED the pirate part and the trapeze. It was fun. The looks of awe and amazement on my children's faces was priceless!

This year the Circus was even BIGGER! With 130 performers from six continents,  almost 100,000 pounds of performing pachyderms, 13 athletes on a Russian Bar, seven riders in a Globe of Steel, and more clowns than you can see with two eyes celebrating the birth of and inspired by the spirit of one P. T. Barnum, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents Barnum’s FUNundrum!SM, is a super-sized spectacle so massive it took 200 years to arrive!
And, the sweetest, was a cute little baby elephant. My baby girl just couldn't get enough!


And possibly the best part is the Ringling Bros.^® Animal Open House^SM . The Animal Open House is FREE to all ticket holders and provides each guest the opportunity to see the amazing animals up close, to ask questions and to speak with the animal staff.

I don't remember my parents taking me to the Circus, and when I asked them about it, I was surprised to find that my mom is against the Circus. I dug a little further and learned she thought they were mean to animals. I had a hard time believing that a 200 year tradition would still be going if this were the case.

When we got to the Circus, I was surprised to find that there were protestors. I don't know why I was surprised, no one else seemed to be. I became angry at what they were saying. To each his own, and I am not going to say anyone is not allowed to have their opinions, but I found it cruel the words that they were shouting to young children. I found it horrible the "cartoons" that they were showing, the "coloring books" that they were handing out. I put them in quotations because these things were far from appropriate for children.

After all of this, I decided to do some searching. Ringling Brothers was more than happy to provide me with the website of the Center for Elephant Conservation. Over the past fifteen years, there have been 23 births that are helping to sustain the Asian elephant species, and research that is done at the Center benefits the survival of the species both here and in Asia. The Center is not a tourist attraction, but rather a conservation, research, and retirement facility for the elephants. A portion of every single Ringling Bros. show ticket sold goes to supporting the center.

Here are some fun facts about how much those Circus favorites are fed:

Elephants are herbivores with a staple diet of 150 - 200 pounds of hay per day with additional grains, fruits and vegetables. Elephants are also given fresh browse when available as a regular part of their diet. (It is a myth that elephants love to eat peanuts.) They also drink large quantities of water, between 30 and 50 gallons a day.

Food stores and vegetables are purchased locally and shipped directly to the arena before the arrival of Ringling Bros. in each city to ensure fresh, first-quality food for our animals. An average weekly shopping list for the 52 elephants cared for by Ringling Bros. includes:

• 4,000 pounds or 30 cases of red apples;
• 3,000 pounds or 60 bags of carrots;
• 700 pounds or 18 cases of bananas;
• 38,000 pounds or 700 bales of hay;
• 2,500 pounds of sweet feed;
• 700 loaves of whole wheat bread, and much more.

 

In addition, Feld Entertainment did their research as well and this is the information that I received from them

 

• We believe that circuses, such as Ringling Bros., entertain and provide unique opportunities for families and communities to learn about people and animals from cultures around the world. We are proud to support one of the most cherished forms of family entertainment.

 

• Ringling Bros. is committed to the highest standards of animal care and provides its animals with veterinary care, nutritious meals, and a clean and safe home. The animals have regular social interaction with each other, playtime, and the chance to use their physical and mental skills every day.

 

• Independent studies have shown that the public display of animals contributes to the heightened public awareness of the animals and humans responsibility for their well-being and protection. We are pleased to support Ringling Bros. as a longtime leader in the care and well-being of domestic and exotic animals.

 

• Before promoting this show, we researched Ringling Bros. animal care policies and procedures. We discovered that Ringling Bros. is a leader in caring for animals and that their animal care teams provide the animals with a high level of animal care.

I completely understand and respect that everyone has their own opinion on the Circus. But I had such a great time, and I wanted to take a moment to share what I have learned about Ringling Brothers. 

In any case, it truly is The Greatest Show On Earth!

Some things just won't be forgotten.....

I love scary movies. Well, I used to love scary movies. Back when I was a young girl of something like ten, my dad used to let us watch scary movies. Back then, watching Freddy Krueger would leave me with shivers down my spine as I ran across the street to my friend's house. But no movie was a match for what happened to this poor ten-year old girl.

My mom didn't approve much of my dad's cool-factor of letting us watch scary movies. She often told us that movies like that allowed "evil" into the house. Scoff, huff whatever. PUHLEAAASSSEE Mom! But, as mom's advice often does, while I ignore her those words still lingered in my head.

My sister and I carefully chose the movie "Dolls: They Walk, They Talk, They Kill". Yeah, I know. Anycrazydoll, I was unable to watch the movie with my beloved dolls. And I was a little freaked for a few days. But, eventually the movie was slightly forgotten and I pulled out my old friends again.

After playing with my doll Hookameela (I was WAY too cool for names like Susie and Sally!), I sat her down gently on the chair and headed to the bathroom. When I came back, my doll was turned around. My heart raced and my palms started sweating, but I figured that it was just a mistake of some sort. So we kept playing.....carefully. Not much longer I took my doll into my room.....and ALL of my stuffed animals were turned around on my bed, some were on my floor, and a few were waiting to scare me from the closet. I threw poor Hookameela at the wall and ran out of the room, and then made my dad remove all of the offending horror actors.

Needless to say I hid those damn things. And it wasn't until years later that I dug out some of those toys. One of which is now a doll of my daughter's. And I won't lie. I don't like to be alone in a room with that doll. Creepy little doll.

And the Mastermind behind the evil dolls with ill-intent? Well, big sister......Revenge this late only means that it has had 20 years to be perfected.

Mommy in blogland

There was once a mommy in blogland,
Whose busy weekend kept her in quite the quicksand.

Three days were spent behind a table in a vendor booth,
Smiling, chatting and wondering if lunch was stuck in her tooth.

After those long and tiring days were done,
She just wanted to cuddle with her daughter and son.

She tried to ignore the messy house and bills piling up,
and made a quick dinner and poured some wine in her cup.

After kissing her tykes and tucking them tightly in bed,
she grabbed another glass of wine and shook the sleepiness from her head.

She logged into her blog and stared at the empty screen pondering,
But the handyman on Desperate Housewives kept her eyes wandering.

After hours of writing and erasing crappy S*&%
She finally said, whatever-I'm going to bed so F*&% it!

Just listen people....seriously! Friday Confessional!

I confess

• That I am overbooked. No really. So overbooked that I know that I yelled at my husband for stupid stuff. And so overbooked that I know the forgetful husband wouldn't remember I needed to eat dinner in the car. Rather than reminding him I drooled over the thought of a Wendy's burger. 
• That I am a horrible blogger, lately. I am actually reading your blogs, but I am so freaking tired the thought of lifting my fingers to the keyboard to comment is too much. So instead I think out what I would say instead. Is it really my fault you don't communicate through mental-telepathy? I know I know....I will get better!

And finally, I am going to have a freaking aneurism one of these days at work. There are only so many cuss-words you can say within your head. Seriously. One day they are going to sneak out of my nose if not my mouth. Is it really that freaking hard to listen? Do not say yes if you mean no. If I am verifying how to spell your name, don't say mmmhmmmm and then get mad later when it is misspelled. And if I say I need your apple number, don't say "oh, here is my orange number, is that what you are talking about?" Ummm, nope. Talking about the apple number. Like I said the first time. Is it really that hard?? Think about it. If you told your Dr. you were there for a strep test and he gave you a pap smear instead.....you'd be pretty mad. One word is completely different from the other.

FREAKIN LISTEN TO ME PEOPLE!!!!!
YOU DON'T KNOW AS MUCH AS YOU THINK YOU DO...

I must confess that felt really really good.