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.)



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------





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/





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------









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.