Slim-Fast's Best Teasting Shakes Ever

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Slim-Fast for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

It is that time of year again that we all begin to think of our New Year's resolution. I don't know the true statistic, but I am sure there are about 80-90% of people that want to lose weight as a resolution. Unfortunately, I am one of those people that need to lose weight and I make that my resolution every year. I don't completely fail because I do lose, but sadly I gain too.

Slim-Fast has come out with some new shakes that will make it easier to lose weight because they taste soooo good! The new flavors include:

 Creamy Milk Chocolate
• French Vanilla
• Rich Chocolate Royale
• Cappuccino Delight
• Strawberries N’ Cream 

I have tried the Cappuccino Delight and the Strawberries N' Cream and all I can say is yummm. With shakes that taste this good it will be hard for some people to drink only one.

Check out Slim-Fast online and get more information on the shakes and the Slim-Fast 3*2*1 Plan. What is the 3*2*1 Plan? Well it is simple...3 snacks, 2 Slim-Fast shakes or meal bars, and 1 balanced meal. There are different snack options, but Slim-Fast has some tasty bars such as Chocolate Mint, Chocolate Nougat, Gone Nuts, and the one I am looking forward to trying Peanut Butter Crunch Time.

Along with the new shake flavors listed above there are some meal bars available too. The Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough looks delicious!

So there are no more excuses! If your New Year's Resolution is to lose weight, then the  Slim-Fast 3*2*1 plan is the way to go. Get more information at Slim-Fast and also be sure to like them on facebook Slim-Fast.

Puppies Vs. Babies! The Ultimate Showdown

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Puppies vs. Babies for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

What is it about puppies and babies that makes everyone go...awwwww, how cute? It is portrayed in movies all the time; a single man will take a puppy or a friend's baby to the park to pick up women. There is just something about those cute little faces that are so adorable.

But, who is cuter? There is an online contest where you can vote for your favorite, either baby or puppy. Check out the contest here Puppies vs. Babies online contest, and cast your vote.

I personally think the babies are the cutest!! In fact, I have a few photos of my babies that would have won if I had entered them in  this contest.  Look at that face...who can resist saying how cute that is??? My son is much cuter than any puppy out there!!

 And my nephew here is more adorable than even the pooh bear he is almost holding.

But what about you?? Are you a puppy or baby person? Puppies vs. Babies Go cast your vote today. Make sure you leave a comment about which one you are voting for. Let's make this fun and see how many votes we get for the puppies and how many we get for the babies.

Slimming down with Shrinkvivor

Well I am a day late with this post, but better late than never, right?

I teamed up with this online weight loss group called The SisterHood of the Shrinking Jeans...and they have this challenge called Shrinkvivor. It started Wednesday, 9/28. I am on Tribe Hobari Gray (Go Team!!).

With this week being the first week, we had to weigh in and get our first challenge. I am really excited about this "adventure" because I have gained some serious weight over the last several months. So, I had the hubby take a before picture of me and when I did my first weigh-in, I took a picture of the scale. Most women would never tell their weight, but I am going to put it out there for the world to see...maybe that will help everyone to motivate me and keep me going. Soooooooo...here are the pictures....

Ginny Owens CD Review/Giveaway

This review is way overdue but I have been really under the weather with inflammation in my chest. But thanks to prayers and steroids I am feeling much better...thank God!!

I received Ginny Owens new CD titled "Get In, I'm Driving", that released on September 13th.

A three-time Dove Award winner, including the Gospel Music Association's 2000 New Artist of the Year recipient, and multiple ASCAP Award winner, Ginny Owens has sold nearly one million albums. A top performer on the Christian radio charts with hits like "If You Want Me To", "free", and "I Wanna Be Moved", among others, Owens' music has impacted mainstream audiences at Lilith Fair, the Sundance Film Festival and the White House. Her music has received widespread film and television placement, including songs on the popular WB series' "Roswell" and "Felicity". Owens was featured on national television, including NBC's "Today" and CNN, for her contribution to help rebuild New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.

Born and raised in Jackson, Miss, Owens was discovering melodies on the piano almost before she could complete a sentence. Songs began to emerge from her fingers as the vision began to leave her eyes. By the age of  three, a degenerative eye condition left Owens completely blind. Despite her physical challenge, Owens pursued a music career. Songs provide a window into a world Owens can't see and an outlet for her to express her thoughts and dreams. Owens' unique musical style and inspiriataional lyrics aontinue to appeal to Christian and mainstream audiences alike.

In 2005 Owens launched The Fingerprint Initiative, and hands-on, non-profit organization designed to "bring hope to the world, one roject and one touch at a time." The organization has partnered with and raised money for groups such as Compassion International, International Justice Mission and Habitat for Humanity.

All of that accomplishment makes me humbled to be able to do this review. It is inspiring to know that there are people out there making a difference in so many ways, and she still has time to record new music for the rest of us to enjoy.

After I received my copy of this new CD, "Get In, I'm Driving", we were on the way to church for family movie night, so it was a perfect time to pop it into the CD player and listen. The very first thing I noticed is there was a great beat to the music. Even with all the kids, and adults too, talking in the background, you can still get into the beat and enjoy the music. I really love any kind of music that I can enjoy listening to even if I can't listen to all the words. When I am at work, I enjoy listening to the radio, even when I can't listen intently.

My favorite song on this CD is Joined At The Heart...."And now you're here with us, Oh the sweet reality, at the end of a hard road, at the close of a long day, we finally hold you in our arms."

Be sure to check out Ginny Owens at the following sites:
Website: http://ginnyowensmusic.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/GinnyOwensMusic
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/GinnyOwens
iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/before-you-fly-single/id442050145

You have the opportunity to get this CD as well with a GIVEAWAY.....If you want to win a copy of this CD and enjoy some good Christian music, here is all you have to do:

For your main entry: Go to Amazon and listen to the samples. Then leave a comment below telling which song is your favorite.

FOR EXTRA ENTRIES do any of the following

1 entry - subscribe to my blog
1 entry - follow with GFC
1 entry - follow me on twitter
1 entry (you can earn an extra entry daily) - tweet about this giveaway. Be sure to leave a link to your tweet in the comment

This giveaway will end on Sunday September 25th and I will draw a winner on Monday. Be sure to leave your email in your comment so I know how to contact you if you win.

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services

mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I
only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255:
"Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

True Random Number Generator




Min: 1

Max: 7

Result: 6

Powered by RANDOM.ORG

So I still cannot figure out how to make the little box show up, but I wanted to show the true random drawing for the DVD...Comment # 6
Cheryl said...



I am following via GFC.

dizzybloom(at)gmail(dot)com

August 25, 2011 12:29 AM

Congrats Cheryl!! I will email you shortly to get your mailing information!!

SIMPLE GIFTS

By Sharen Pearson


As a mother of five and now grandmother of seven, I’ve planned my share of birthday events. I am a creative person, so my problem is “going over the top.” My expectations supersede those of the birthday child. So, I have to step back and say, “Whose birthday is it anyway?” And, therein lies the key to a successful birthday party.



I recently assisted with my grandson, Waylon’s party. He was reaching that big-boy age of 5 years. He knew what theme he wanted: Herbie the Love Bug. He wanted a backyard campfire and a cake with Herbie on it. Simple—Herbie, campfire, cake. Got it! My daughter complied. She invited a few families from church that Waylon knew well and was comfortable around. Since entire families were represented, parents were there to help with crowd control. Bowls of chips and dip provided a place to gather around as people arrived. Children scattered to play in the back yard, parents grouped to watch and chat. Easy, huh? Daddy lit a small fire in the campfire ring in the yard. More talk, more easy playing. The cake was a simple giant chocolate chip cookie with a frosting “Herbie.” Waylon thought it was wonderful.



Mommy announced that it was gift-opening time and everyone pulled up lawn chairs and sat in family groups. Waylon sat in the middle of the circle on the grass and guests watched as he opened each gift and thanked the giver. He received many nice gifts, but to everyone’s delight, a small, inexpensive VW bug toy car was his favorite. He opened it, raised it above his head as if it were a trophy and yelled in delight. Waylon slept with his “Herbie;” woke up and greeted it; placed it on the edge of the tub so he could see it. He had the birthday he wanted. Simple party, simple gift, simple fun!



Some suggestions to consider when planning your party:

•If your child is old enough to have input, allow it.

•For ages 1-5 years, simple is best. Simple decorations, simple food, simple games.

•Invite only one party guest per age of the child. Young children are very intimidated by many children of the same age. Remember, “Whose birthday is it?”

•If guests include family/friends with older children, add activities especially for them.

•Home is the best place for children ages 5 and under. Big party venues are confusing, scary and do not position the “birthday child” as the center of attention as he should be.

Some traps that parents fall into:

•Making the party so complicated that you, as the parent, no longer enjoy it. (Been there, done that.)

•Allowing young party guests to get close to and grab for gifts as as the birthday child is opening them. (Admit it, you’ve seen this haven’t you?)

•Spending too much money. (Guilty as charged.)

•Preparing food for adults and not age-appropriate to the guests. (The only thing to show off today is your wonderful child)

•Engaging in sleepover parties before the age of 9 years. (Children younger than 9 or 10 years often find sleeping at someone else’s home frightening and uncomfortable.)



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Author Bio:

Sharen Pearson’s Goof & Giggle classes and materials continue to provide a quality Mom/Tot interaction. Widely popular, Goof & Giggle’s child-focused play plans are offered in various Arizona communities. She’s also created a variety of Goof Juice DVDs and filmed episodes of Baby D.I.Y. and written workbooks for BabyFirstTV. Arizona Midday (NBC) tapes monthly segments with Sharen to provide their audience with a variety of original and creative “easy to do” activities for babies and preschoolers. Sharen’s creativity reaches a combined audience over 200 million viewers worldwide. Goof & Giggle classes and products encourage green living, repurposing materials from around the house into affordable objects for play and learning. Learn more at: http://sharenpearson.com/





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The above article is loaded at docstoc.com. If for some reason you have difficulty copying or downloading the article, we will be glad to email the article in .pdf or .doc format.

Russ@kathycarltonwillis.com



This article content is provided free of charge by the author through Kathy Carlton Willis Communications. You are welcome to place this article on your site or in your publication as long as 1) it’s used in its entirety, 2) the full bio is also used, and 3) you previously request permission through KCWC at russ@kathycarltonwillis.com.



All other standard copyrights apply.

The Grace Card DVD review/giveaway

Ephesians 2:8 "For it is by grace you have been saved."

One of the things I have learned in church is that grace is getting what you don't deserve and mercy is not getting what you do deserve. Grace is being nice to the person that is not likeable and is not nice to you. Mercy is not treating that person the way he/she has treated you.

What do you get when you team up a black preacher with a white man who is prejudiced and angry with God? You get a lot of hurt, anger and resentment; but you also get a reason to share the grace card. Have you ever noticed how easy it is to love the people that love you? Your family, your friends, and even people you just meet that smile and are nice to you. But what about those people that you meet that are mean and don't love you? You should love them anyway! Easier said than done, right? It is always easier for us to receive grace than it is for us to give it away.

Have you ever met anyone that you couldn't love? I am sure we have all have had someone come into our lives that has made it hard for us to love them. I try to stay away from these people, but sometimes it is not always that easy. That is when we need to pull out the Grace Card and share with them. What is the Grace Card?

THE GRACE CARD

I promise to pray for you everyday,

ask your forgiveness,

grant you the same,

and be your friend always.

About the movie:

After police officer Mac McDonald loses his son in an accident, years of bitterness and pain erode his love for his family and leave him angry with God... and everyone else. Can Mac and his new patrol partner, Sgt. Sam Wright, somehow join forces to help one another when it's impossible to look past their differences - especially the most obvious one? Every day, we have th eopportunity to  rebuild relationships and heal wounds by extending and receiving God's grace. Offer The Grace Card...and never underestimate the power of God's love.

There is power in forgoveness, but it takes a strong person to be able to forgive. And sometimes the person we have to forgive is ourself.

I highly recommend this movie for all families and even church groups. In fact, I have offered my copy of this movie to share with the church at our upcoming family movie night. I watched this movie with my husband and son and by the end of the movie my husband's allergies were really bothering him. He told me I was not allowed to tell anyone he cried so we have to go with the allergy theory.

This movie is out on DVD on Tuesday, August 16th so you need to go out and get it. If you don't want to buy one just yet you can WIN ONE right here!!! Along with the DVD that I was sent to review, the company is holding one for a lucky North Carolina Momma reader for a giveaway!!!

TO ENTER GIVEAWAY:

Visit The Grace Card websitehttp://www.thegracecardmovie.com/ and tell me something about the movie that I did not mention already.

Leave me a comment and make sure your email address is in your comment so if you win I can contact you. To keep from getting spammed you can leave your email like this - gerrie DOT shaeffer AT yahoo DOT com.

For addtional entries: leave a comment for each entry....

• like The Grace Card on facebook
• become a follower of North Carolina Momma with GFC
• Share this giveaway with your friends
• tell me in a comment your all time favorite family-friendly movie

This giveaway will end on August 25th @ midnight.

Disclosure: "I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising."

My Coke Rewards for Schools

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of My Coke Rewards for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Are you familiar with Mycokerewards?  I have been saving those yellow caps for years now and have gotten quite a few nice things from the program.

If you are not familiar with the program, let me share a little about it with you. Any time you buy a Coke product (there are 15 participating brands), there is a code. If you are buying a bottle, the code is under the cap; if you buy a 12-pk or 24-pk of cans, the code is inside the box. Go to www.mycokerewards.com and set up an account, then enter your codes there. The caps are worth 3-pts and the others are 10-pts or more.

But that is not all. You can also donate points to your school through My Coke rewards for schools. It works the exact same way but you will go to mycokerewards.com/schools. Pick your school and then you can donate as many ponts as you would like.

If your school is not yet participating, encourage them to go to mycokerewards.com/schools and click "Register Today".  Then spread the word through newsletters, or meetings and encourage the parents and faculty to donate points.  This is a great way for schools to get some of the supplies they are in need of but can't afford - such as art supplies.

As parents, you can also use the points that you save in your account and get school supplies as well. So what are you waiting for? Drink Coke and help out the school that your children, grandchildren, or neighbors go to.

Also, from July 13 through September 30, Sprite is giving away 25 playgrounds, worth $25,000, to schools and are giving consumers who purchase and enter a code from any package of Sprite/Sprite Zero an entry into the sweepstakes to help their school win. In addition, every three points donated to the school through the Sprite Spark Parks for Schools sweepstakes will give the school additional chances. Any new school that registers will be given a chance to win. 

Monte Carlo - The Must See Summer Movie

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Monte Carlo for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

 Grab your daughter(s) and/or friends and race to the theaters this Friday to check out Monte Carlo!

Movie synopsis: Grace (Selena Gomez) is an ordinary girl who becomes an accidental heiress when a summer trip to Paris turns into the fantasy of a lifetime. On a dream vacation, Grace, along with her best friend and step-sister, discover that the greatest adventure is finding out who they really are. 

Check out the trailer .  You can get tickets ahead of time beginning Wednesday, 6/29, by going to Fandango, then you will be ready for the family date night Friday night when the movie hits theaters!

Be sure to "like" the official Monte Carlo Facebook page. This will be a fun movie for my daughter and I to watch together.  She is a fan of Selena Gomez and I am a fan of Paris! And we are both fans of dreams coming true - or in this case she had a fun time pretending!

It really looks like a great family- friendly movie, and sure to be a hit for moms and daughters everywhere!! Check out Monte Carlo for yourself, and make that date night with your special someone! My family enjoys spending time together and watching good movies. This movie will be one that the guys might not like as much as the girl do so we may have to make a mother/daughter date night and watch this without them. Most girls, like my daughter, likes Selena Gomez and they like the "fairy tale" story. That is what this movie seems to be, a modern-day Cinderella; except the girl in this movie is not stuck home cleaning and being a slave, but happens to look like someone famous and she gets to live the life of that other person for a short time. Wouldn't we all like to go to a place where our "twin" is famous and we accidentally get mistaken for them? I know I would, if nothing but a short time just to see what they other side lives like. Maybe if we all were given that opportunity, we could be grateful for the life we have.

Will you and your daughter have a date night?? Let me know your plans.

Important help from Cryo-Cell for new moms

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of CryoCell International for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

When a woman becomes pregnant she is either excited or scared or a little of both. No mother wants to think about their child not being healthy. In fact, a lot of times you will ask a new parent-to-be what they want, boy or girl, and they will say "It don't matter as long as it is healthy". It would be nice if that could be possible but sometimes the unfortunate happens. That is why it is important to check into cord banking with Cryo-Cell.

Since 1992, Cryo-Cell has helped more than 230,000 clients worldwide preserve their newborn's umbilical cord blood for potential use against many diseases. Along with cord banking, Cryo-Cell Cord Bank is pioneering the way in research, to find more solutions to preserve stem cells in a noncontroversial way. Cord blood is just the first step in new medical advancements.

Cryo-Cell knows that as a new mom, it's hard to find time to exercise. We believe that Cryo-Cell moms really understand the importance of safeguarding the future health and well-being for both their newborns and for themselves. With the award-winning Baby Jogger City Mini stroller, new moms can work out as they enjoy time in the beautiful outdoors with their new baby.

What better way to celebrate the birth of your newborn and get back in shape all at once? enroll today in Cryo-Cell's signature U-Cord service and for a limited-time receive a free Baby Jogger City Mini .

10 Tips for Keeping Your Family Safe on the Road

It is vacation time..YAY!! But with that, comes a little concern about safety and traveling. Safelite auto and SocialMoms has asked for some tips to stay safe...and here is my list to share with you.

1. The very first thing you should do before you ever leave the yard, is make sure everything on your vehicle is like it should be. Check the oil, tire pressure, make sure the wipers work, etc. The last thing you want to do is break down because of something that you could have prevented. It is not safe to stop on the side of the road anyway, but you also never know who may show up to offer "help".
2. Don't carry a lot of cash, but make sure you have some in an emergency. Just say you do break down and a truly nice patron comes along to offer assistance. It would be nice to offer him/her a little money for their help. Also, you never know where you may end up that doesn't take debit / credit cards
3. Beware of pickpocketing. They are unfortunately everywhere so you have to be prepared. Some suggestions for that is...don't have loose money in your pockets. Use a fanny pack or something else that zips so that it is harder to get into. Men~~ don't leave your wallet in your back pocket if it is loose and you cannot feel if someone touches you. Women~~ use a purse that zips and keep it zipped at all times!!
4. This may seem a little elementary, but use the buddy system!! Especially when going into public restrooms. This is safe for adults as well as children. Women get raped inside of public restrooms just like children.
5. Make sure that everyone that has a cell phone, has the ICE phone number listed. This is In Case of  Emergency. That way if you are in a wreck and someone needs to get help, they can easily find a phone number in someones phone. If your kids have cell phones, they may have the parents numbers listed, so in the case of everyone being together on vacation, it may be smart to change them all to the same person/number.
6. Don't look too obvious that you are a tourist or on vacation. Get your maps out at the hotel room to see where you want to sight see and don't pull it out in the street. You don't want to draw attention to the fact that you are a tourist or visitor because this makes you vulnerable to trouble.
7. Carry as little as possible. Don't carry your camera around everywhere you go, or pad your pockets so they look like you have a wad of cash in them. Be smart about what you carry out with you.
8. You also have to be careful in the hotel rooms. Make sure that the hotel you are staying at has a safe inside the room. That way you can lock up any extra cash you have as well as other valuables, while you are out enjoying yourself.
9. Make sure your family has a plan for the "what if's". I am sure everyone remembers the Home Alone movies where the little boy gets left by his family. Make sure your family is prepared and everyone is on the same page in any kind of scenario of getting lost or other scenarios. If you are planning a shopping trip to the mall, where is the meeting place if someone gets missing. Those things are not thought out before hand, but rather parents end up in a panic.
10. And last, but surely not least on my list, always be aware of your surroundings!! If you are going to the ATM, look around to see who is in the area. We all have natural instincts and in some cases you have to rely on them. If something feels weird, then go another route.

Most of all, have fun on your vacation!!

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

Freschetta by the slice - review & giveaway

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of FRESCHETTA® for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Have you tried the new FRESCHETTA® By the Slice? If not, what are you waiting for?? They have a great variety of flavors and they are good!!

I recently received a coupon for a free FRESCHETTA® By the Slice and also a 6-pc Freschetta storage set. I also have one to give away so keep reading. We LOVE pizza in our house!! So we have tried all kinds of frozen pizzas as well as the pizza chains. I have to say that I did not even know about the FRESCHETTA® By the Slice until I was given the chance to do this review. With my coupon, I went to WalMart and looked and was wowed at the different varieties of such good looking pizza!!  They have a BBQ recipe chicken, Chicken, Spinach & Mushroom, Six Cheese Medley, and Vegetable Medley.

I got the BBQ recipe chicken and I was impressed! I usually want to make sure I can cook my frozen pizza in the oven, but I took this for lunch one day and all I had was the microwave. They have it where you can cook it in the microwave and it comes out crisp like in the oven. My only problem is I only had one slice and was left wanting more. I cannot wait to try out the other flavors as well, and I want you to try them out too if you haven't.

Giveaway:

Mandatory Entry: If you would like to win a coupon for a slice of pizza and a 6pc storage set like I received, visit FRESCHETTA® By the Slice and in a comment, tell me which flavor you would like to try. Make sure your email address is in your comment.

After the mandatory entry you can come back daily and just leave a comment just to say hello, tell me about your day, or anything else! Show me the love in a comment.

This giveaway will end on May 20th and I will draw a winner using random.org. Giveaway is for US only ages 13 and over.

Just in time for Easter - Magdalena: Through Her Eyes from Campus Crusade for Christ. Review & Giveaway

With Easter fast approaching, we alwasy reflect back to the sacrifice that Jesus made for each of us when he came to Earth and then died on the cross. The meaning of Easter has been lost behind Easter bunnies, Easter eggs and other "things". But we must remember that Easter is all about Jesus going to the cross but then rising again in 3 days!! If he had not come back to life, then we would not have anything to truly believe in.

As we read the Bible, we find many accounts of God and Jesus through the eyes of the writers. But how about seeing the story of Jesus through someone else's eyes, Mary Magdalene. The story Magdalena: Through Her Eyes, is the life of Jesus through the eyes of the woman that was once full of demons. When Jesus came by and released her from the bondage of the demons, she began to follow Him.  She is telling the story as the scenes go back to the time she is telling about.

I like the fact that this DVD shows the story of Jesus from someone else's eyes. Each time we read the Bible, it is the same. The word of God never changes. And in this DVD it still does not change, but we can see how the life, and death, of Jesus affected others. This is a great DVD for small study groups or just for families.

I was so grateful to be given the opportunity to review this DVD and also to offer a giveaway.  If you would be interested in receiving this DVD package, please leave a comment below. The first person that says they want this will receive the DVD along with some group study materials.

For more information on this DVD, visit the website http://www.magdalenatoday.com/

And you can also watch a preview

Preview: http://magdalenatoday.com/video/trailer.html?iframe=true&width=640&height=480
 
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this DVD and promotional materials in hopes that I would post a review and/or giveaway on my blog. I was not compensated in any other way and all opinions expressed are 100% mine.

NMEDA - Finding independence again

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of NMEDA for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Do you have a loved one that has a disability that keeps them from being able to get out and about like they would like to? NMEDA is here to help.  This is a non-profit company that helps to educate consumers about buying products from dealers. NMEDA DOES NOT SELL ANYTHING: NMEDA is the only association that promotes safe driving and equipment for disabled people. They are non-profit and their members are required to adhere to the safety standards of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NMEDA dealers (members) are the ones who sell handicap vans and vehicle modifications for disabled people.

No two people have the same needs, so it does not do a whole lot of good to buy  "generic"  products to take care of someone with a disability. That is why NMEDA offers a personalized "in person" evaluation to make sure are getting just what you need.

NMEDA has Dealers AND Quality Assurance Program (QAP) dealers.  The Quality Assurance Program (QAP) is the only nationally recognized accreditation program for the Adaptive Mobility Equipment Industry. It is based on the principle that in order to satisfy customers consistently, companies must have a systematic and documented approach to quality.

Even if you do not know someone that is disabled, how about an aging parent? The people at NMEDA can help you now to decide what kind of assistance you may need to help them out, even if they don't need the help right away. We all enjoy our independence, so why take it away from those we care about?

Memories from Coca-Cola

Coke® is a classic, all-American beverage that always stirs up memories of good times with family and friends no matter where you’re from. These kinds of memories are the glue that bring families and communities together.About Coca-Cola®


Created in Atlanta, Georgia, by Dr. John S. Pemberton, Coca-Cola was first offered as a fountain beverage by mixing Coca-Cola syrup with carbonated water. Coca-Cola was introduced in 1886, patented in 1887, registered as a trademark in 1893 and by 1895 it was being sold in every state and territory in the United States. In 1899, The Coca-Cola Company began franchised bottling operations in the United States.

 I have great memories of Coke from my childhood. I had an uncle that was a manager at the local Coca-Cola plant. Anytime that one of us kids would get sick, he would bring over cases of Coke.  I grew up thinking Coke was some sort of miracle medicine or something.  Recently I met one of my mom's cousins at a funeral and they were reminiscing about their youth days, and he said something about going to another family members house and seeing a garage full of Coke cases and he knew our uncle had been there. He also knew that someone was, or had been, sick. Now when one of my children get sick, I automatically want to get some Coke. I don't know that it makes you feel any better from the sickness, but Coke always makes you feel better when you drink it.

Several years ago after I had both of my children, I was on a weight loss journey. I had a friend that had lost a huge amount of weight by going to Weight Watchers, so I joined up and went to the meetings with her. I did really great, but had to quit near Thanksgiving. Weight Watchers is a great program and I recommend it to anyone that needs to lose weight but can't do it alone. I just wish I could afford to go back myself! But one of my favorite part of WW was the support and the recipes that are shared. I found a recipe on a website one day that my family has fallen in love with. This website, http://www.dwlz.com/ is  from a lady that lost an enormous amount of weight using the WW program, and she shares her success with others. She also has a recipes section that has the points and everything layed out for you. It is a wonderful tool. The recipe I got from her site is called Cola Chicken. Here is the recipe:
Cola Chicken

Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
1 cup ketchup
12 oz can diet Coke

Put chicken in non-stick skillet. Pour catsup and diet cola over the top. Bring to boil.
Cover, reduce heat and cook for 45 minutes. Uncover, turn up the heat and continue to
cook until the sauce becomes thick and adheres to the chicken. It turns into the most
incredible BBQ sauce and it's only 4 points per serving. Yummm!

I have told others about this recipe and they turn their nose up at the thought of Diet Coke making a BBQ sauce but I tell you it is awesome! The first time I made this recipe, I made the chicken and a big pot of macaroni & cheese. I figured the kids would eat the mac-n-cheese and leave my chicken alone...but I was wrong!! They loved it!! I didn't have enough. It is a recipe that is good whether you are dieting or not, but it is great to know you can eat something that tastes so great and still lose weight!

So, do you have any memories of Coke or any great family recipes? If so, please share in the comments. I always enjoy reading the comments of my readers.

More info: http://www.cookingwithcoke.com/
Join Coca-Cola® on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cocacola
Join Coca-Cola® on Twitter: http://twitter.com/cocacola

"I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Coca-Cola® blogging program. If I am one of the first 100 blogs received by SocialsMoms, I will receive a $25 gift card. For more information on the program, click here"

Don't forget to enter these giveaways

I have two giveaways right now that end next week and both have only a few entries:

Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce (ends 4/15)

Rebecca St James Worship CD (ends 4/16)

Favorite PEEPS Moments

It is already April...wow where has the time gone?? That means it is also almost Easter and you know what that means>>>>Candy!! Do you ever notice how candy has become such a big part of so many holidays?? And the fun part is that there are different candies for each holiday so we can always have a variety! My kids get so much candy that we end up throwing away about half of it.  I cannot remember as a child ever getting so much candy. In fact, I had a friend at school that would bring me some of her candy to share. But I can say that the times that I did get candy and other treats, I enjoyed it more than my kids probably do today because of the fact that I did not get it as often.

One of my favorite candy as a child was the Peeps candies. They are so fun to eat and play with. I am the type that when I get any candy, I eat it layer by layer and as slow as I can so that I can enjoy it longer. With the peeps, they are fun to stretch and distort.  Then you have to eat off one ear at the time and pretend it is crying, so you eat the face. Am I the only one that plays with my food this way?? I am not completely crazy, I just enjoy to have fun with my food and everything else too!

Here are some fun facts I bet you didn't know about Peeps:

• In 1953, it took 27 hours to create one PEEPS® Marshmallow Chick. Today, thanks to advances in technology, it takes six minutes.
• Just Born produces enough PEEPS® Brand Marshmallow Candies in one year to circle the earth twice.
• In the late 1950's PEEPS® wings were "clipped" to give them a sleek, modern look.
• PEEPS® Brand Candies have been the #1 non-chocolate brand at Easter for over 20 years*. *Source: IRI Total U.S. FDMx.
• Yellow is America's best selling color of PEEPS® chicks and bunnies.
• Yellow and white PEEPS® chicks and bunnies came first, followed by pink, lavender, blue, green and orange.
• PEEPS® branded products have made celebrity appearances on many programs including: Good Morning America, The Today Show, CBS Sunday Morning, The Early Show, Saturday Night Live, Martha Stewart, Ellen, South Park, and The Daily Show.
• If you had 8,000 PEEPS® bunnies, and you stood them in a straight vertical line, you could reach the top of the Sears Tower in Chicago.
• PEEPS® have become gourmet favorites as fondues, Crème Brulee ingredients and cappuccino toppings!

Wow, did you notice the one about makeing enough Peeps to go around the Earth two times?? That is a lot of Peeps!!  Check the Peeps mobile tour and see if they are coming near you.

Do you need some Peeps for your Easter baskets?? Shop online and use this promo code at checkout - SMSPRING11 for 20% off all of your purchases until 5/4/11!

About PEEPS & COMPANY®

In 2009, Just Born, Inc., maker of PEEPS®, MIKE AND IKE®, HOT TAMALES® and PEANUT CHEWS® opened its first retail store named PEEPS & COMPANY®.

PEEPS & COMPANY® is located at the banks of the Potomac, minutes from Washington D.C. at the very center of National Harbor’s dynamic main plaza. Directly in front of the PEEPS & COMPANY® store is the Seward Johnson’s famous statue, The Awakening, along with sweeping views of the beautiful Potomac River. The store’s location is at a converging point for residents and thousands of visitors arriving by bus, car, and ferries, which dock at the piers in front of the store.

 Keep up to date with our friends at PEEPS and Company:
 http://www.peepsandcompany.com/

PEEPSandCOMPANY.com online store

http://www.facebook.com/PEEPSANDCOMPANY

http://twitter.com/#!/peepsandcompany

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and PEEPS blogging contest, for a chance to get a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Little Switches That Make a Big Difference

Have you noticed how so many times our lives will become so routine that we get bored and want a change? In 2008, when Barack Obama was running for president he used the slogan a lot about time for a change. So many things have changed over the years with technology and other things that we can't even keep up; yet, our lives still seem to be so routine and we become bored.

Well, I am a firm believer that sometimes you can make little switches that can make a big difference. I am not much of a cook, my husband is a great cook so I do not usually break that routine of him cooking dinner. Recently I was given the opportunity to review some Country Bob's all purpose sauce (see my review here). I cooked dinner one night while my husband was working and had dinner on the table for him. And it was wonderful!! I made cheeseburgers and they turned out so juicy and tender all because of a little change I made in an ingredient. But that little thing really made a big difference that night in our home....I now have more confidence in my cooking and am eager to try more new things, and my husband was glad to be able to come home like I do so many nights and just be able to sit and relax.

Another example of little switches with big differences is drinking water. We all have heard of the health benefits that water has on our bodies and we know we need to drink more water, and a lot of people did start drinking a lot more water over the last few years. But unfortunately, we are using way too many plastic bottles. If each person would use reusable water bottles, we could make a huge difference in the amount of waste we have. I have started using the recycle containers they now have at Rite Aid, and I am really surprised at the amount of recycling I have each week that was normally going in with the regular trash. Unfortunately, so many people have the mind-set that they cannot make a difference; but we all need to realize that it is the small things that each of us can do that in the end will result in a big difference.

There are so many areas in our lives that we can make little switches in as well. I would almost make a bet that most of the time when someone in a relationship has an affair, or even thinks about it, it is because their own relationship has become boring. Not that I am saying that makes it alright, but I do feel that we have to do the small things to keep our relationships alive! My husband and I have been married for 13 years, and this year we have gone out on 2 date nights.Those date nights have not been anything extravagant, but yet they have made a big difference in our relationship. All couples need to have time set aside that they can spend together without the kids. If everyone did this, I believe we would have fewer divorces.

I want to hear from my readers...What are some ways that you can make little switches that make a big difference? If you really think about it, I bet we can all come up with some great tips. And if we get these tips out to others, then maybe we can all really make a BIG difference!

Cottonell also is making little switches. The Cottonelle brand provides innovative comfort solutions for perineal personal care. Cottonelle toilet paper is available in three forms: Cottonelle Ultra toilet paper, Cottonelle Aloe & E toilet paper, and Cottonelle Premium toilet paper. To help people feel cleaner and fresher than with toilet paper alone, Cottonelle offers Cottonelle Fresh Flushable Moist Wipes and Cottonelle SoothingClean Flushable Moist Wipes enriched with Aloe & E.

More info about the Cottonelle Ultra Switch: http://www.cottonelleultraswitch.com/
Cottonell on Facebook
http://twitter.com/#!/cottonellebrand


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

Rebecca St. James CD review and giveaway

Rebecca St. James charts yet another new course with I Will Praise You, a new collection of worship songs she terms “ her most personal recording to date.” From the opening notes of track one, listeners are offered a welcoming connection with Rebecca’s recognizably authentic vocal warmth and delivery. More than anything, I Will Praise You represents the latest steps in Rebecca’s life long journey towards the presence of God.

I absolutely love to listen to good music, so when I was given the opportunity to do a review of Rebecca St. James' new CD I Will Praise You, I was ecstatic. I was looking forward to the mail arriving each day and when it finally came, I was not disappointed!

I work in an office at an assisted living facility. I am one of only a few Christians that work in this facility so I enjoy having my gospel music going on my radio at all times. I enjoy hearing preaching too, but when I am busy in my office I can't concentrate on what they are saying so it is hard to get into the preaching, so I really enjoy it when I can get a good CD to listen to so I don't have the interruptions. Sometimes I will have clients, staff or even visitors come in and catch me singing along too.

The new CD, I Will Praise You, by Rebecca St. James is great for listening to and singing along with. In only a few days, my daughter and I can sing along with a few of the songs! The songs on this CD are great easy listening, yet wonderful worship songs. And I absolutely love that each song has a Bible scripture that is coincides with. In the insert page, the words to the songs are written out, and at the title there is a Bible scripture.

This CD hits stores TODAY, April 5th!! If you would like to have a great worship CD to listen to at work like I do, or in the car or even at home, you can buy it starting today or you could win one!!

Be sure to check out Rebecca St. James on the web:
Website: http://www.rsjames.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rsjames
YouTube: http://rsjames.com/updates/2011/3/22/video-rebecca-explains-her-song-shine-your-glory-down.html
Amazon: http://amzn.to/gqOroA

On top of getting a CD to review, I have also been given the opportunity to give away a CD to a North Carolina Momma reader!!  If you would like to win a copy just follow the entries below!!

Mandatory Entry:
Go to http://rsjames.com/listeningparty and hear a preview of the songs on this CD, then come back here and tell me what your favorite one is.
That is the only required entry.

Extra Entries:
The extra entries are not required but will give you extra entries and a bigger chance of winning. Please leave a seperate comment for each entry.

• Subscribe to this blog through email or RSS feed (1 entry)
• Follow this blog through GFC (1 entry)
• Follow Southern Mom of 4 blog with GFC (1 entry)
• Follow me on twitter - be sure to leave your twitter name in your comment (1 entry)
• Tweet about this giveaway - be sure to include @shaffermom and a link to this giveaway in your tweet. Leave a link to your post in your comment (1 entry per tweet per day)
• Email a friend about this giveaway - CC me at gerrie.shaeffer(at)yahoo(dot)com (1 entry per person emailed)

Make sure your email address is in your comment. To protect you from SPAM, you may leave the email like this gerrie.shaeffer(at)yahoo(dot)com. This giveaway will end on April 16th and the winner will be chosen on April 17th.

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

SMB Super Miracle Bubbles

Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce --- Review & Giveaway

Well I must start out by saying that I have heard all over the blogosphere about Country Bob's sauces.  I have entered many giveaways trying to win some of this sauce, because if what everyone was saying was true, I wanted to try some! But I also have to say that I am NOT a cook! I am very spoiled and anyone that knows me will tell you that. My husband does most of the cooking in my house, and my mother in law lives with me so she does the cooking when she is not working. Both of them have schedules completely different than mine, so they are able to have dinner on the table by the time I get home from work.

With that said, I was sent two (2) bottles of Country Bob's all purpose sauce.  I was thrilled to finally be able to try this sauce that so many bloggers we already talking about. And I wanted to cook something myself too. So I brain stormed about what a non-cook could cook and use this sauce in.  I decided on hamburgers. Easy enough right!?! The funny thing was that my MIL also picked up stuff for hamburgers the same night. I told her what I wanted to do so she stood back and let me fix the burgers! I thought, if my burgers turn out bad then we can always cook hers up; win, win!

I mixed some of the sauce in with the hamburger and then patted them out into patties. My MIL did not trust me enough so she did the cooking. OK so that is not completely true, she did trust me, but she is a natural in the kitchen so after I put my patties on the griddle she just kind of took over. I was completely OK with that anyway, that way I was not the only blame if the burgers were not good.

When hubby finally got home from work we sat down to eat the absolute best burgers ever!!! The Country Bob's all purpose sauce made them so juicy and tender and also gave them a little bit of a sweet taste. I was thrilled! Everyone loved them!! The only bad thing about these burgers....is now I am the official hamburger maker. But as long as I have Country Bob's, I am good to go!!

One of the best thing, to me, about Country Bob's is the fact that they are a Christian company. Here is a quote from their page "It would be nice if we could claim responsibility for the success of the company, however, credit must be given where credit is due. Proverbs 16:3 says, "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." We have placed true ownership of Country Bob, Inc. in the hands of God. "Christ is our CEO" and He is an Awesome Boss!" 

So, what about you...how would you like to try some of this wonderful sauce?? You can go to their page and order some OR You can win some here!!

I have two (2) bottles of Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce to giveaway to TWO (2) North Carolina Momma readers!!

Mandatory Entry:
Go to Country Bob's  website, and then leave a comment below with something that you learned! That is the first and only required entry to this giveaway.
Be sure to leave your email address in your comment. To avoid spam, leave it like this gerrie.shaeffer(at)yahoo(dot)com. I will not search for an email so please make sure it is included!

Bonus Entries:
Leave a seperate comment for each entry!! If it is worth 2 entries, be sure to leave 2 seperate comments.

• Become a follower of this blog through GFC - 1 extra entry
• Go to my sister's blog Southern Mom of 4 and become a follower of her blog with GFC - 1 extra entry
• Become an email subscriber of this blog - 1 extra entry
• Share this giveaway on facebook (leave a link with your comment)  you can do this once a day - 1 extra entry each day that you share
• Follow me on twitter (shaeffermom) - 1 extra entry
• Tweet this giveaway - be sure to include a link to this post and add @shaeffermom in your post - you can do this once daily for an extra entry each day
• Like Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce on facebook - 1 extra entry
• Email a friend about this giveaway  - CC me @ gerrie.shaeffer(at)yahoo(dot)com - 1 extra entry for each person you email

This giveaway will go through April 15th. Winners will be drawn on April 16th and notified via email. Winners will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be drawn!

Disclaimer: "I received 2 bottles of Country Bob's all purpose sauce for the purpose of this review/giveaway. I was not asked to make a positive review and I was not compensated for this review in any other way. All opinions expressed in this post are 100% mine and my family"

By Your Grace, For Your Glory

This is my baby girl and a young man from church singing their first duet together! They did a wonderful job...I may be a little biased but I am also a critic!!

10-tips for a fun, distraction-free family vacation

It is hard these days to plan a true distraction-free family vacation, with all the technology out there for us to stay up to date on everything. I have teamed up with the Twitter Mom group and have come up with a list of things that you can do to plan a fun vacation that does not include distractions.

1) Don't let the kids take their portable games. If they have their games in hand they are going to want to play and may not be as involved with the family activities as you would like. If they are left at home, they will have no choice!

2) Only take one cell phone. We all know that we need a cell phone these days in case there is an emergency. But if you use your cell phone for business then you need to leave it home - you are on vacation so business will just have to wait!!

3) Leave laptop computer at home!!! If you take it you will be tempted to work, and how can your family enjoy being with you if you are still working?? There are those neat little messages that you can put on your email that says "I will be on vacation but I will reply as soon as I can when I get back". I suggest using these messages to let others know that you are on vacation and you are not just ignoring them, but also so they won't be tempted to try to continue to contact you.

4)Come up with fun games to play in the car. If the kids don't have their games they are going to be bored but there are lots of fun games that the family can all get involved in during the trip. One that I have always enjoyed is the 50 states license plate game. See who is the first person the see a license plate from each state, or see who sees the most.

5) Nobody wants to go on a vacation where you have so many plans that you are tired and miserable, but you do need to have some plans. If you do not have any idea of what you want to do then you may find yourself bored and possibly arguing over what to do. So make plans before you go, but make sure these are plans that can be changed if needed.

6) Let the entire family (including the kids) help out with the plans for the trip. Get the family together before the trip and look at all the possibilities of things to do, then let each person give their input of what they want to do. The kids will have more fun if they get a part in deciding where to go instead of being "drug" to places they are not interested in.

7) Depending on how far you are traveling, it may help to schedule special stops on the way. Look at the map and search before your trip of some fun and exciting places that the family would love to stop at and explore. This may be just a simple place that has a nice lookout or an old country store, but somewhere that will give everyone a break from the ride and keep the interst up.

8) Make a check list of things that need to be done before you leave home. It would not make for a fun time if you are constantly trying to remember if you turned the coffee pot off, etc. Make your check list ahead of time so that you can have time to think of everything that needs to be done before leaving and check everything on the list before walking out the door.

9) Make sure that you have completed all of your tasks at work. Don't go on vacation thinking about what you needed to do at work but didn't, or think about what you will have to do at work when you get back. Claer your mind from work things so that you can enjoy being away from work.

10) And finally, probably the most important tip I can offer is...make sure there is no tension among the family. If you and your spouse have been in a recent argument, make sure everything has been cleared up before vacation. Clear your mind, clear your schedule, and relax and HAVE FUN!!!

I hope some of these tips will be beneficial to someone as you take your summer vacations this year. I am also interested in some tips that you may have as well.

How I Keep My Family Happy

In 2011 there are so many games, gadgets, and our phones are "smart". We no longer have to read a real book because now we can read it on a device. Our phones can do about as much as a computer. And the gaming systems are so high-tech these days that you can actually play online, download movies and other fun things.

So why is it so hard to make our families happy?

I am a firm believer that "stuff" does not make you happy. And all the things that I described above is proof of that. It starts out with small babies and toddlers. Have you ever noticed that when a small child gets a gift, they would rather play with the box? So it starts when they are small, but we still continue to get them "stuff", which only makes them happy for a short while. They really would love to just have that big box to make a space ship out of it.

Now I am not judging anyone by no means because my family has a lot of these games and gadgets as well. But it is not those items that keeps my family happy. My son is happiest when he can go outside and play with the "scrap pile" and find something to build. Him and my nephew have built a clubhouse, and now they are adding more things to it. They have swing and a slide and each day they look through the scraps to see what else they can come up with. Those are the moments he will treasure the most when he is grown.

My daughter loves to sing. She is happiest when we get together and put in a CD, or plug in the MP3 player in the car, and we sing together. She walks around the house with the MP3 and sings all the songs over and over. She is going to be the next American Idol cause this girl loves to sing!

Farm Rich wants to help you “Keep ‘em Happy” with a selection of tasty and easy-to-prepare snacks! They have great snacks such as cheese sticks, quesidillas, and meatballs. Around my house we love to get together for family movie nights. We love making these kinds of snacks, put them on a big platter, and sit around the t.v. eating and watching. When I was growing up I can always remeber my dad being at work. We did not do many family activities other than family vacations. I appreciate all of the time that my dad spent working for our family, but I do love the fact that my children will have the memories of us having family time together.

So what is it that makes your family happy? Is it food that makes them happy, or something else?  Please share your thoughts about your family in the comments, I would love to read some of your stories!!

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

What is your favorite part of Easter?

Easter is right around the corner and the group from Social Moms wants to know, what is your favorite part of Easter. When I was younger I really enjoyed the Easter egg hunts. We would go to church and the adults would hide the eggs and then the kids would go out and run as hard as we could to find the most eggs. And someone would find a special egg! It was so much fun. And of course on Easter morning, the thrill of getting up to an Easter basket full of goodies. But all that aside, I think my absolute favorite part of Easter was getting a new dress to show off at church.

As I got older, my ideas and favorites changed but stayed the same. I know that statement did not seem to make sense so I will explain. Now that I am a mother, I don't hunt eggs or get an Easter basket, but I love the excitement that they have with these experiences. The fun and excitement they get when it is their turn to hunt eggs is priceless. And although my kids stopped believing in the Easter bunny a long time ago, they still enjoy the surprise of the basket that the bunny leaves for them. It is a wonderful feeling transitioning from the one with all the excitement about Easter traditions, and then making those traditions fun for the next generation.

But Easter would not be worth celebrating at all if we did not mention, or celebrate the true meaning of Easter which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. My family enjoys the Easter egg hunts, and getting the Easter baskets, but our top priority is going to church and participating in the Easter program. If it were not for the resurrection, there would be no reason to celebrate so we make sure that is the most important part of our celebrating. And I love that our church has a different program each year. We have a program for the kids and one with the adults. They become very thought provoking and inspirational.

So, I ask you...what is your favorite part of Easter? Do you have some traditions or favorite activities? Share your favorite Easter activities in the comments. I would love to read some of your ideas. To make new memories, make sure to take your family out to see the movie Hop. It looks like it is going to be hilarious!

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

Make Money Monday

When I began this blog, I never really imagined the possibilities to make extra money. Now I have not made enough that I can quit my job and stay home full time, but I have made enough to take care of birthdays and other holidays. So I decided that each week I would share some of those "money makers" with you.  Some readers may be like me, and work full time but need extra money on the side; or you may be a stay-at-home mom and need a way to make some extra money. Either way, I hope you can have success in some, if not all, of these ideas from each week.

For the first one, I want to share SwagBucks. SwagBucks is a site that offers different ways to earn "Bucks". These "Bucks" can be used to get different items from the swagstore such as gift cards, gift items, or even cash put into your paypal account. I love getting the Amazon gift cards, and I usually earn enough to get about 2 a month (@ $5.00 each). So, how do you earn swagbucks?? Well let me tell you!!

Click on this link SwagBucks and sign up. Then use swagbucks to search the internet. Periodically you will get rewarded with Swagbucks! You can also earn swagbucks by playing games, watching videos on Swagbucks TV, and so many other ways.

This is not one of those sites that will make you an instant millionaire, but if you want something to do, and want to earn "swagbucks" to trade in for stuff, then sign up and have fun!

Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products

This is a compensated post written by me on behalf of Walgreens. All opinions are 100% mine.

Do you take vitamins on a regular basis? I have known for a while that I need to take vitamins but they seem to be so expensive. With gas prices on the rise still, and everything else going up as well, I put vitamins on the way back burner. But like I said, I know I have needed them because I am always tired! In fact, my doctor recommended prenatal vitamins because they have extra iron that is good for energy. But to get prenatal vitamins, you still need money or a pregnant friend that don't take theirs. I have neither.

But there is good news; I recently found out about Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products. They are just as good as the "name brands" that we are so used to, but the cost is so much better. I received a sample of the Walgreens Brand vitamin A to Z. It is comparable to Centrum but at only a fraction of the cost. If you can get the same benefit at a lower cost, why would you not? I am asking myself that now wondering why I went so long without taking vitamins. You really feel better, or at least I have.

 

Another great thing I learned about Walgreens is the Walgreens Way to Well Fund™.  Purchase of every Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Product supports bringing preventive wellness services to local communities through the Walgreens Way to Well Fund™.

a. Walgreens will contribute up to $3 million annually to the Walgreens Way to Well Fund™.

b. The Walgreens Way to Well Fund™ will provide free preventive health tests as well as other health and wellness services and education to local communities. Some of those services will include preventive health tests through the National Urban League Health & Wellness Tour and vouchers redeemable in select stores.

c. For details, visit walgreens.com/waytowell.

So, the next time you need any Health and/or Wellness products, check out Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products and help the community through the Walgreens Way to Well Fund™.

Dive into the season's sexiest swimwear

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Express for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Spring is upon us! With that comes warmer weather, which means swimsuit season is fastly approaching as well.  Express has some new women's swimwear for this spring season. Since I have a very ugly c-section scar, I can't wear the two piece swimwear or bikinis, but they have a great selection of swim suits that we all can wear and feel sexy in. My favorite piece is this pretty one piece.

 Right now if you sign up for Express e-mail, you will have a chance at winning  one of ten $200 Express gift cards! Check out the sweepstakes rules for more information. The sweepstakes ends 4/21/11 @ 11:59 p.m. EST so sign up now!

Shop Our Newest Arrivals in the Express Spring 2011 Swim Collection!

* Available in our always-popular monokini, sexiest string bikini and must-have strapless and halter bikini styles.
* Shop bright solids, on-trend graphic prints, the essential reversible style, nautical-inspired striped and sleek metallic styles.
* Designer details include flirty ruffles, sexy self-tie sides, glam beaded embellishments and polished metal hardware.
* Removable padding in tops.
* Bottoms fit smaller to size for moderate back coverage.
* Swim shorts available for men.
* Accessorize with Express spring essentials including sandals, tote bags, sunglasses and hats For Him and For Her.

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**HOT** AMF Bowling coupn

Does your family do date nights?? Do you enjoy bowling?? AMF Bowling is offering $20 off four people. Go here to sign up for the eClub and get your coupon, then make a family date night!

What makes you feel lucky?

Are you a superstitious kind of person? Do you carry a four-leaf clover, rabbit's foot, or something else that is supposed to have "luck"? I have felt like a lucky person most of my life. I have always had the ability to walk by a clover patch and find the one that has four leaves.

Whether you are lucky or not, Redbox has a promotion for everyone. The only thing better than $1 a night movies – free movies! Lucky you, redbox is giving everyone the chance to score free movie credits now through St. Patrick’s Day during the redbox Lucky to Have Friends Like You promotion. Each fan receives a unique web address. Every time someone rents from your address through March 17, you get a free movie credit. Rental credits are valid for ten (10) days after they’ve been deposited into your account. Spread the word, and lucky you could be rolling in free movies this March.

We own over 600 DVD's...yes, we are a small Blockbuster! I have never personally used the Redbox rental but with this promotion, I think I may just have to break out of my comfort zone and try something new. It is not that I won't use the box, but I don't always think about it when I am going to rent a movie. Plus, like I said, we own a lot of movies so I go to where I can buy the movies I want to see. But with the Redbox promotion, I can watch a movie to see if I like it, then go somewhere else to buy the ones I want to see again and again.

My family will tell you that I LOVE anything that is FREE!! And we all love to watch movies, so this promotion is perfect for all of us. I feel not only lucky but blessed to have everything that I have in my life. Pretty good health, a husband that works hard and takes care of me...in fact, I have to stop here and just share that I am SPOILED! My husband does the cooking (unless he is on night shift then I stop somewhere and pick up something for me and the kid), he does most of the house cleaning (he made the mistake of criticizing my efforts - they were not good enough for him so now he has to do it). And about a year ago I learned about blogging and I have been really lucky in getting opportunities such as this one to share with the world.

So please share with us, what makes you feel lucky? Redbox is making it easy for anyone to feel lucky by helping us score FREE movie rentals! Be sure to check out this promotion and score some movies for your next family movie night.


Disclaimer:“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and redbox blogging program, for a $25 Walmart gift card from redbox. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”