Friday, November 28, 2008
PARENTise
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving
MyHotComments
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Little Man's Favorite Snack and Giveaway
These new snacks combine crunchy Chex pieces, pretzels and peanuts with chewy and indulgent ingredients like caramel and chocolate. And if that´s not enough, they have less than 150 calories per bar and provide at least 8 grams of whole grain per serving (48 grams recommended daily)!
I have received three "Baskets of Indulgence" to giveaway to my readers. These baskets contain a box of tasty Turtle Chex Mix Bars to sample, chocolate candles, caramel lotion and spa essentials like a loofah, hand massager, nail brush and spa towel.
To enter post a comment on if you have tried Chex Mix Bars and your favorite flavor or if you have not tried them just leave a comment. Entries will be accepted through December 7, 2008 and I will pick the winner using Random.org. US readers are only eligible. Make sure you leave an email address in your comment or that you have one accessible on your blog so you can be contacted if you win! I will also list the winner on PRIZEYwinners so if you are a subscriber to PRIZEYwinners you do not need to leave your e-mail address. If you do not send me your mailing address within one week of notice of winning I will give your prize to someone else.
To get extra credit
Bloggers - Blog about this contest and link back to me and leave me the link in your comment.
Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry! Must be a NEW subscription, current subscribers may not sue this as extra credit.
Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Turkey Gravy Recipe
Monday, November 24, 2008
Tales of Tanya
Tales of Tanya
My name is Tanya. I was born in Tacoma Washington. My family on my dad's side are Cherokee Indians and come mostly form Oklahoma. My mom's side comes from England many, many years ago. My great, great, great, great grandfather was a piano teacher and his wife was a music teacher.
My oldest living ancestor that I personally knew was my great grandmother who lived into her late 90's. She made hand painted porcelain items. I have many of her pieces in my home from plates to trinkets containers. All of them are very precious to me and my family.
My other great grandmother lived to her mid-90's. She lived in Bremerton, WA. She passed away when I was about 3-4 months pregnant with my son. In her house they found a baby quilt that she had hand quilted. Today it hangs in our nursery.
My grandparents had 7 children. Her first was given up for adoption. She found me via a genealogy site several years ago. We have kept in touch ever since. My grandmother will not talk about it which is her right. But I was glad to gain an aunt and uncle and a very talented cousin!
They moved quite often because my grandfather was in the Army. My grandmother stayed at home with the children. My mom is the second oldest child.
My mother and father married in October over 20 years ago. I was the first of two children. My mom said if she were to have had my brother first I may have never been born!
Friday, November 21, 2008
National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month
Later diagnosed with Alzheimer’s himself, President Reagan died in 2003.
While there is much we don’t yet know about Alzheimer’s disease, tremendous progress has been made since 1983. The Alzheimer's Association uses National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness month to raise awareness of Alzheimer's disease and to shed light on the importance of finding breakthroughs in diagnosis, prevention, treatments and, eventually, a cure." (from www.alz.org )
Visit the Alzheimer's Association's website for more information on this often devastating disease. Be educated.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
The greatest spoof email!
I'm sure we have all gotten this email at least once! Has anyone ever made them?
Neiman-Marcus, if you don't know already, is a very expensive store; Let's let them have it! THIS IS A TRUE STORY!My daughter and I had just finished a salad at a Neiman-Marcus Cafe In Dallas, and we decided to have a small dessert. Because both of us are such cookie lovers, we decided to try the 'Neiman-Marcus cookie.' It was so excellent that I asked if they would give me the recipe, and the waitress said with a small frown, 'I'm afraid not, but you can buy The Recipe.' Well, I asked how much, and she responded, ' Only two fifty - it's a Great deal!' I agreed to that,and told her to just add it to my Tab.Thirty days later, I received my VISA statement, and the Neiman-Marcus Charge was $285.00! I looked again, and I remembered I had only spent $9.95 for two salads and about $20.00 for a scarf. As I glanced at the bottom of the statement, it said,'Cookie Recipe-$250.00.' That was Outrageous! I called Neiman's Accounting Department and told them the waitress said it was 'two fifty', which clearly does not mean 'two hundred and fifty dollars' by any reasonable interpretation of the phrase. Neiman-Marcus refused to budge. They would not refund my money because, according to them, 'What the waitress told you is not our problem. You have already seen the Recipe. We absolutely will not refund your money at this point.' I explained to the Accounting Department lady the criminal statutes which govern fraud in the State of Texas I threatened to report them to the Better Business Bureau and the Texas Attorney General's office for engaging in fraud. I was basically told, 'Do what you want. Don't bother thinking of how you can get even, and don't bother trying to get any of your money Back.'I just said, Okay, you folks got my $250, and now I'm going to have$250 worth of fun. I told her that I was going to see to it that every Cookie Lover in the United States with an e-mail account has a $250cookie recipe From Neiman-Marcus...for free. She replied, 'I wish you wouldn't do this.' I said, 'Well, perhaps you should have thought of that before you ripped me off!' and slammed down the phone.So here it is!Please, please, please pass it on to everyone you can possibly think of.I paid $250 for this, and I don't want Neiman-Marcus to EVER make another penny off of this recipe!
NEIMAN-MARCUS COOKIES
(Recipe may be halved)
2 cups butter
24 oz. Chocolate chips
4 cups flour
2 cups brown sugar
2 tsp. Soda
1 tsp. Salt
2 cups sugar
1 8 oz. Hershey Bar (grated)
5 cups blended oatmeal
4 eggs
2 tsp. Baking powder
2 tsp. Vanilla
3 cups chopped nuts (your choice)
Measure oatmeal, and blend in a blender to a fine powder. Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda . Add chocolate chips, Hershey bar, and nuts. Roll into balls, and place two inches apart on a cookie Sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees.Makes 112 cookies.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Does Your Bathroom Stink?
Two drops of this liquid deodorizer before you do your business will leave you the smell of Japanese Mint, not stinky bathroom!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
My new iPod
MobiStories is virtual books for kids! Why not we as adults have the Kindle: Amazon's Wireless Reading Device (on my Christmas list this year because the book shelves are just WAY too full). So I was lucky enough to receive $15 off my order. I was able to order 4 virtual books for Little Man that he can listen and see on my iPod Classic! What a great alternative to the DVD player in the car when we don't have that far to go!
but you can play MobiStories on much more than the iPod. The virtual books are also compatible with iPhones, iPods, Computers, DVD's, MP3's, Zunes, iTunes, YouTube, Viddler, Revver, MySpace, and Facebook! They are a great acronym too:
Reading just became more fun!
Even the youngest kids are mobile and digital savvy.
All parents are searching for the next big thing to keep their kids engaged and inspired.
Digital children - digital books. Talking our modern lifestyles to heat, MobiStories was created to instill the love of reading in today's children.
So visit MobiStories today and use the following code to get $10 off your purchase! BSM189A
And you get a free book just for giving them your e-mail address!
Little Man's New Alarm Clock
I often cringe at how independent my Little Man is getting. Then again I think/know I encourage it. Today was the first day my 4-year old used an alarm clock. Yes I know many of you at thinking ALREADY? Yes already. He has "issues" in the morning. We have pushed bedtime to 8pm. I should probably push it to 7:30pm but we don't get to spend that much time together on weeknights as it is. So back to the morning "issues" he does not like to get out of bed, just like his mommy! So I will wake him up when I get up at 6:40am and it takes 5-10 minutes just to get out of bed. Then goes the struggle of getting dressed. Now this struggle is only Tuesdays and Thursdays. Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays he only has to put his clothes in a bag for grandmas. But we still have issues with this.
So I decided to buy him an alarm clock. So I set it for 6:40am and I set mine for 6:45am and told him his goal was to get dressed before mommy came downstairs. It sort of worked this morning. As I came downstairs I was met by a bare naked little boy holding his underpants saying "how do I turn it off, it is annoying!"
LOL, that is the point! So we made a deal that I would set it 5 minutes earlier and that if he was completely dressed OR had his clothes in the bag ready for grandmas then he could watch some TV before we left. We will see how this goes tomorrow!
Monday, November 17, 2008
I love All Small and Mighty!!!!
And the winners are...
I really love the copper metallic donut pendant!
Leah Ferguson said...
I love the Blue Camouflage Donut Shaped Pendant, it's so cute and great for babies! Especially mine every time I seem to check his teeth lately their is another tooth trying to come through!
Anonymous said...
I like ALL of them. I am due in one week!Tammie
Alexia said...
I really like the Blue Camouflage Keychain! And also the donut pendants, but I like about 4 of the colors :)
Jocelyn Drake said...
I absolutely love the donut shaped pendant in Jade... my fav and my nine month old would love it to!!
Monkey's Mom said...
I love the donut pendant in mother of pearl. Beautiful!!
kaylee8 said...
My favorite is the Bronze Teething Bling Pendant - perfect for the holidays!
Please email me your mailing address no later than December 1, 2008. If I do not hear from you by then I will choose another winner. Be sure to check our my new give-a-way Window Wedges!
peila (at) harbornet (dot) com
Friday, November 14, 2008
Little Man's NEW Bed and Window Safety
- About 18 children ages 10 and under die annually from falls from windows. Another 4,700 children ages 14 and under will require treatment each year for window fall-related injuries. (from http://www.childrensnyp.org/)
- Toddlers tend to fall from windows. (from http://www.childrensnyp.org/)
- Boys are twice as likely to die from fall-related injuries than girls. (from http://www.childrensnyp.org/)
- The majority of falls (more than 80 percent) among children ages 4 and under occur in the home. (from www.schneiderchildrenshospital.org)
- Falls from windows tend to be the most severe or fatal. (from www.schneiderchildrenshospital.org)
- Preschoolers are at greatest risk for falls. (from www.schneiderchildrenshospital.org)
- Most often, children who fall from windows are boys under the age of 5 who are playing unsupervised. (from www.schneiderchildrenshospital.org)
So I found this GREAT product called the Window Wedge. It is made by Randy and Marge of Cresci Products, Inc. Randy is a retired NYPD Detective who remembers responding to many incidents of children falling from windows. This is why he designed the Window Wedge.
Each Wedge is made of durable ABS plastic. They are installed with a easy hook and loop installation method. No tools, no screws, no nails, no window damage. This installation method ensures the safety and security of the window opening (which you control) as well as makes it removable for emergency situations.Randy suggests that for children's windows you make the opening no more than 4".
Don't have kids? You can still use the Window Wedge to ease you nerves and add some home security. The product is a big deterrent to criminals. The harder they push, the tighter the Window Wedge engages.
So my new friends Randy and Marge were nice enough to send me 4 packages of Window Wedges to give a way to my readers. (Well the actually sent me 6 packs but I used two packs on 4 windows, yes that is correct you only need ONE wedge per window and there are TWO wedges per pack!) I originally thought I only needed the wedge for one window but with another little on the way I started looking at the other windows in our house and which ones the kids have access to, so I used more!
So here is the giveaway. Four lucky winners will receive one pack (two wedges per pack). Here's how to enter.
To enter post a comment why you need Window Wedges in your home. Entries will be accepted through November 30, 2008 and I will pick the winner using Random.org. US readers are only eligible. Make sure you leave an email address in your comment or that you have one accessible on your blog so you can be contacted if you win! I will also list the winner on PRIZEYwinners so if you are a subscriber to PRIZEYwinners you do not need to leave your e-mail address. If you do not send me your mailing address within one week of notice of winning I will give your prize to someone else.
To get extra credit
Bloggers - Blog about this contest and link back to me and leave me the link in your comment.
Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry! Must be a NEW subscription, current subscribers may not sue this as extra credit.
Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Prenatal Education System
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
The Constantly Tipping Booster Seat!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
This will bring tears to your eyes
I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight. "I'm glad I have a good book to read. Perhaps I will get a short nap," I thought. Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to start a conversation. "Where are you headed?" I asked the soldier seated nearest to me. "Chicago - to Great Lakes Base. We'll be there for two weeks for special training, and then we're being deployed to Iraq." After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours before we reached Chicago, and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time. As I reached for my wallet, I overheard a soldier ask his buddy if he planned to buy lunch. "No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch. Probably wouldn't be worth five bucks. I'll wait till we get to Chicago."His friend agreed. I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty dollar bill. "Take a lunch to all those soldiers." She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me. "My son was a soldier in Iraq; it's almost like you are doing it for him." Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were seated. She stopped at my seat and asked, "Which do you like best - beef or chicken?""Chicken," I replied, wondering why she asked. She turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from first class. "This is your thanks." After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the rest room. A man stopped me. "I saw what you did. I want to be part of it. Here, take this." He handed me twenty-five dollars. Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand, an said, "I want to shake your hand." Quickly unfastening my seatbelt I stood and took the Captain's hand. With a booming voice he said, "I was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot." I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers. Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A man who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand, wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm. When we landed in Chicago I gathered my belongings and started to deplane. Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word. Another twenty-five dollars! Soon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base. I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars. "It will take you some time to reach the base. It will be about time for a sandwich. God Bless You." Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow travelers. As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our country. I could only give them a couple of meals. It seemed so little... A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America " for an amount of "up to and including my life." That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it."
Back in August I adopted a military personnel to be my pen pal. I have not heard from him yet but I do not get his letters and packages back. So I know he gets them. This is the case with many of the pen pals but not all. Many of them have little time to write letters and start with their families, which I completely understand. I hope I am making a difference in some very small way in this man's life. I know he and many other men and women are making a difference in ours. My son loves seeing "army men" in the store. Last time we saw one in Walmart I told him we should thank him. When he asked why I explained that they keep us safe. "Safe from what" he asked. In a very non-descriptive way I told him there are bad people in this world far far away from us but that these Army Men and Women keep them from hurting us. He now thanks them when he sees them and is very excited to even talk to them!
If you are interested in adopting a military pen pal please sign up at Reagan Round Up.
Today is Veteran's Day. What have you done for your soldiers?
Monday, November 10, 2008
Sadie loves sour cream!
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Halloween Pics
This one was at preschool earlier in the day.
Before the sugar!
After the sugar! See why he does not get it?
Friday, November 7, 2008
Week 20
For the last week I have been stuck at home with bronchitis. Not fun! No voice and feeling like poop. I have been on antibiotics so we will see how this goes!
Thursday, November 6, 2008
A Jesse Tree
Last week a fellow blogger, Simple MOM blogged about the Jesse Tree. So I did some research and found this great site all about them, Jesse-Trees.com
So what is a Jesse Tree?
It is a way to teach our children about Christ and what a better time to show them than the Advent Season.
Each day of the Advent Season a special ornament is hung on a tree, branch, banner, etc and a short Bible reading tells the meaning of the ornament.
You can create the ornaments or purchase them. You can reuse them year after year.
If you make one, e-mail a photo! I would love to see it!
peila[at]harbornet[dot]com
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Question of the Day?
I wore mine for the first time last week and got so many comments on how cute it was and so simple yet so sheek!
So if you are expecting or know someone who is what better way to show it off than with these stylish yet subtle necklaces. Visit Go Belly Go today!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Rock The Vote
A great organization called Rock The Vote uses music, culture and technology to engage and persuade young people to vote. They give young people the tools to learn about the issues that will affect them and the information to make their own decision on how to vote.
achieve progressive change in our country.
Rock the Vote uses music, popular culture and new technologies to engage and incite young
people to register and vote in every election. And we give young people the tools to identify,
learn about, and take action on the issues that affect their lives, and leverage their power in the
political process.
We are creative, effective, and controlled by nobody’s agenda but our own – we tell it like it is
and pride ourselves on being a trusted source for information on politics. We empower the 45
million young people in America who want to step up, claim their voice in the political process,
and change the way politics is done.
As 2008 shapes up to be one of the most exciting election years in history, Rock the Vote will
work with the millions of young people across the country to amplify their voices in the political
process.
This year Rock the Vote will forge the largest youth voter registration drive in history,
registering 2 million young people. Together with our partners, we are charged and excited to
harness our combined power to make our voices heard. 2008 is clearly the year of the youth vote and Rock the Vote will be there every step of the way.
Our goals for 2008:
Register, educate, and turnout young voters at record levels to increase voter registration.
Educate young people and the political community on the power of young people, and
give both communities the tools to take action.
Fight for the rights of young people in the voting process and for the issues that affect
their lives.
Lay the foundation for a sustainable organization that can continue to leverage the power
of young people for long-term political and social change." (from rockthevote.com)
Monday, November 3, 2008
Stockings for Soliders
Items SUGGESTED for the Stockings should be, but not limited to the below list.
If you want to put something special in yours feel free to do so. Remember all items MUST BE NEW!
Dice
Cards
Personal hygiene items such as
razors
tooth brushes
tooth paste
combs (black only)
shaving cream
after shave
socks/slippers
nail clippers
breath mints
candy of all kinds
pens/pencils
paper to write letters
envelopes
personal coffee mug
Christmas card signed by your family
(your address is welcome in these cards in case someone wants to thank you)
Phone cards
disposable cameras
batteries (AA most needed)
hand held electronic games
music CD's
IPOD gift cards
DVD's
Please let me know as soon as possible if you are interested and how many stockings you would like to fill (partial fillers okay too!) so I know how many to make. These will be mailed out on December 1st to ensure they arrive in time.