Monday, January 31, 2011
Hey y’all, I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend I know I enjoyed mine! Since I usually do “What’s in Misadventurous Mommy’s Diaper Bag?” on Mondays I thought I’d get back to our “With Love” Valentine’s Day feature tomor0w…does that work for y’all?
Great! Now if this is your first time playing you can check out everything you need to know to join in here. So if everyone is ready we’ll get started…feel free to grab the button below and let your friends know all about “What’s In Misadventurous Mommy’s Diaper Bag?” the prizes will get bigger the more people who play!!!! And as always this WIMMDB is sponsored by me, myself, and I!!!
Now let’s get started!
You know how this works…clue #1 is….
Hot-n-Ready!
Have at it…if no one has guessed correctly by tomorrow night I’ll add a 2nd clue!
Good luck!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Hey y’all! I told you yesterday about Misadventures’ “With Love” Valentine's Day gift guide, I also told y’all to grab the button, but I failed to include the button in the post (that is fixed now) blame it on mommy brain. Anyway we’re back today with another great gift idea that is perfect for Valentine’s Day, or any special occasion.
Everyone appreciates receiving something sweet for Valentine's Day and what’s sweeter than cookies? I was recently introduced to SmileyCookie.com and I can’t wait to share this sweet company with all of you. If you’ve never heard of SmileyCookie.com let me introduce you.
From the SmileyCookie.com website…
“It started as a half-baked idea more than 20 years ago — a smiley cookie as the vehicle to communicate the ethos of a restaurant — Eat’n Park, the Place for Smiles. Soon our cookie became not just the signifier of a delightful family dining experience, but a symbol of commitment to community and charitable giving, indeed, the mascot of the company. (Who knew a six-foot walking sugar cookie would have such draw. You have to be cracking a smile by now!)
Today, every child that dines at Eat’n Park receives the surprise of a buttery, rich, delicious smiley cookie, totaling more than 1 million free cookie treats each year. Every day, our cookies are distributed to community, charity and fundraising events. Every year, more than 200,000 smiling cookies are donated to local non-profit organizations. That’s a lot to smile about.”
SmileyCookie.com has a cookie to fit any occasion from Get Well cookie gift baskets to Valentine’s Day cookies, they have a little bit of everything. In addition to cookies sold by the dozen (or two or three dozen) SmileyCookie.com offers a variety of gift baskets perfect for nearly any occasion! They also offer the Make Your Own cookie feature on their website where you can design your own cookie from the cookie shape to the icing colors…very cool for little ones (and big kids at heart).
For my review I was sent a dozen Valentine’s Day Heart Smiley’s. Honestly I was a little worried before my cookies arrived that they might not be as fresh as they would if I had bought them in the bakery, but those worries were for nothing as my cookies arrived fresh and delicious. As soon as my kiddos saw the cookie box (which is adorable) they got excited (it was like they knew what was inside), they barely let me take a few pictures before they were opening the package and grabbing cookies. I have to admit I was very impressed with the cookies I received, they were fresh, buttery, soft, and absolutely delicious. I am seriously considering ordering their Baby Boy mini cookie gift basket for my sister-in-law who is getting ready to have her baby in the next couple of weeks.
If you’re looking for a gift for your Valentine this Valentine’s Day I definitely recommend SmileyCookie.com, their cookies are yummy, their prices are very reasonable, and the idea of receiving a cookie basket for Valentine’s Day brings a smile to my face which is definitely fitting!
I really love the mini smiley cookies!
Make sure you “Like” SmileyCookie on Facebook and follow them on Twitter for all of the latest info. deals and special cookies ,they currently have a Steelers cookie gift baskets…if you’re a fan you have to check them out!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
It’s hard to believe, but Valentine’s Day is a little more than 2 weeks away…where has the time gone? Anyway, as always Misadventures has the best gift ideas for that special someone in your life this Valentine’s Day!!! Make sure you stick around so you don’t miss a minute of the fun, awesome gifts, and great giveaways with Misadventures’ “With Love” Valentine’s Day gift guide…I know y’all are as excited as I am so go ahead and grab the button and spread the love!Alright so let’s just jump straight into it and start with one of my favorite companies ever, K-Y. So as I am sure you have already guessed this post is really for adult eyes only…so make sure you send the kiddos out of the room before we continue….all set? Great!
I’ve had the pleasure (no pun intended) of reviewing products for K-Y before and I loved them, so I was very excited when I found out that K-Y was going to participate in Misadventure’s Valentine’s gift guide “With Love”. K-Y sent me two awesome products to try out and feature in our “With Love” Valentine’s Day gift guide; K-Y Brand Kissable Sensations and K-Y Brand INTENSE for Her. Not familiar with either of these products? No problem check this out (from the K-Y website)…
K-Y Brand Kissable Sensations
For more play during foreplay. Take time to explore and stimulate each other's body. Enjoy the sensual, arousing pleasure of foreplay with decadent chocolate and refreshing strawberry sensations for the body. Together, share a fun, delicious, multi-sensory head to toe experience – enjoy foreplay like never before!
K-Y Brand INTENSE for Her
K-Y® Brand INTENSE® is a female arousal gel scientifically proven to intensify female satisfaction. The patent pending gel formula was shown in a clinical study to enhance female arousal and satisfaction. In consumer studies, 75% of women reported heightened arousal, sexual pleasure and sensitivity where it counts most. K-Y® Brand INTENSE® allows a woman to experience a new level of sexual satisfaction and helps her partner enjoy a more intense and pleasurable sexual experience.
You have to admit, those two products could help make any date night special, but they will make a Valentine’s date night one you (and your partner) won’t soon forget. I’ve used K-Y INTENSE in the past and love it, it’s definitely one of those products that you have to try to fully appreciate it! I was excited about trying out the K-Y Brand Kissable Sensations, you know all in the name of product reviews, and I have to admit it was a lot of fun and pretty yummy. The strawberry flavor is really good, but the chocolate wasn’t for me (I do have to say that I dislike chocolate anyway) but I’ll let you decide for yourself which you like most, because you must try these!
So, how can you turn these 2 K-Y products into an awesome Valentine’s Day gift that your man (or lady) will adore? Easy! Some sexy lingerie, luscious smelling candles, K-Y INTENSE and K-Y Kissable Sensations in a gift bag and you’re good to go! Of course, some diamonds in the bag will ensure that your night will rock!
Buy it!
You can purchase both the K-Y INTENSE and the K-Y Kissable Sensations online and everywhere K-Y products are sold!
Now comes the fun part! K-Y has generously offered to give 5 (YES five) MIBR readers an awesome K-Y product to help make your Valentine’s Day more special!
Win it!
To enter this giveaway please visit K-Y’s website and have a look around, come back and leave a comment on this post telling me which K-Y product you would like to try (besides the 2 listed above!) This is mandatory and must be completed before any extra entries are allowed!
Extra Entries!
Please leave separate comments for each extra entry!
1 Extra Entry Each
Follow MIBR on Google Friend Connect
Follow MIBR via RSS
Follow MIBR via Email
2 Extra Entries Each
“Like” MIBR on Facebook
Follow MIBR on Twitter
Join me on MyLikes (and make money via Twitter when you do)
Follow MIBR on Networked Blogs
Grab our new button (if you have the old button please replace the code)
Submit this giveaway to a giveaway site or linky (2 extra entries for every submission…please leave link)
Tweet this giveaway on Twitter (3x per day per length of giveaway…1 extra entry (comment) for each tweet…3 total per day)
Share this giveaway on Facebook (2x per day per length of giveaway…1 extra entry (comment) for each share…2 total per day)
5 Extra Entries
Blog about this giveaway with a link back to this post!
This giveaway ends on February 9, 2011 at 11:59 PM EST. Five winners will be chosen via Random.org and announced in a separate winner’s post. Winner will have 48 hours to claim his prize, failure to do so within 48 hour time-frame will result in winner forfeiting his prize and me choosing a new winner.
US Entries only please!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Thanks to Trop 50 for sponsoring my writing about fabulous bloggers. This year Trop50 is granting 50 fabulous wishes. Click here to enter for a chance to win $1,000 to help grant a friend's wish!
I knew choosing 5 Fabulous Bloggers out of the many, many I visit wouldn’t be easy, but I didn’t think it would be nearly impossible to pick just 5. Over the past few years I’ve had the pleasure of finding some amazing blogs and getting to know a ton of awesome blogger and I’m excited to let y’all know which 5 I chose!
First up is one of my favorite bloggers (Alexis AKA Mom) and her blog Running Away? I’ll Help You Pack. I met Alexis almost as soon as I started my blog and not only does she have an incredible blog, she’s also an incredibly awesome chick who I am fortunate enough to call my friend. If you’ve never been to Alexis’ blog you must check it out; she features recipes (lots of them), product reviews and giveaways, and hilarious stories that all moms can relate to so go check her out and tell her I said hey!
I couldn’t mention my Top 5 Fab bloggers without mentioning this next lady…Dawn at Bee and Rose. Though I don’t get over to Dawn’s blog as much as I used to (or as much as I’d like) I always feel at home when I’m there. Dawn is an amazing writer (I swear this woman should write a book…she’s hilarious) and a pretty cool chick to boot! If you’ve never visited Bee and Rose make sure you do…you will NOT be sorry that you did!
One of my absolute favorite bloggers ever is Cat from 3 Kids and Us. I’ve followed Cat’s blog for a long time now and am always inspired when I visit it. She always seems to be cooking up something that looks fabulous (something I wish I could do) and I’m always tempted to try my hand at baking after I’ve visited her blog…I did say almost tempted, me+baking=not so good. If you haven’t been to 3 Kids and Us (and that’s a big IF cause Cat’s blog is very popular) what are you waiting for?!!!?
Though I just recently started stalking I mean regularly visiting Following in My Shoes it’s already become one of my favorites. Every single time I visit Rachel’s blog I experience blog envy, you know when you visit a blog that is utterly gorgeous and clean and everything your own blog is not, yeah that. Seriously though between the amazing photos Rachel takes and her posting the absolute easiest to follow “Make Your Own Facebook Landing Page” post ever, Following in My Shoes has a little bit of everything and if you haven’t visit yet…you must!
Last but not least is one of the funniest blogs/bloggers I know…Andie from The Creative Junkie. Andie could make anything funny, seriously she is just a phenomenal writer who also shares my adoration for Anderson Cooper (don’t worry Andie I’m not trying to steal your man). If you need/want/have to laugh The Creative Junkie is your blog, seriously you must visit just don’t blame me if your laptop ends up covered in soda (because you will laugh your ass off).
Y’all really have no clue how hard that was, I read so many fabulous blogs every day, but when it comes down to it these 5 are the ones I find myself going back to as often as possible. So I wanna know what blogs do you read on a daily basis?
Don't forget to enter the 50 Fabulous Wishes contest for a chance to win $1,000 to support a friend's wish. I was selected for this Tropicana Trop50 sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do. I received compensation to use and facilitate my post.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
I must admit, I’m a Britney Spears fan; whether she’s sugary sweet, showing her c-section scar in public, or kicking ass and taking names, there’s just something about Brit Brit that makes you love her (unless you hate her of course).
Britney’s latest single “Hold It Against Me” broke a record previously held by Taylor Swift for the biggest first-week sales tally for a song by a female solo artist. Swift’s “Today Was A Fairytale” sold 325K in its first week and Britney’s “Hold It Against Me” sold 411K digital copies this week…big numbers for an artist who has had her fair share of hits top the charts for over a decade. Spears is one of only 6 artists who debuted at number 1 and have been stars for over a decade; but she’s in great company as others include Whitney Houston, Elton John, Eminem, Michael Jackson, and Aerosmith.
It is overwhelmingly clear that Britney still has “It” so I guess the only other question is will Britney break her own record with her next single…I guess we’ll just have to wait and see!
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
No one was successful in guessing “What’s in Misadventurous Mommy’s Diaper Bag?” on day 1 (yay me for making it a little harder) so I’m back with another clue! If you’re new here and would like to play you can find out all about our little game here.
Now here we go ladies and gents…you ready?
Clue 2 is…barn
Good luck y’all. And remember the first person to guess correctly wins the item in my diaper bag!!!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
It’s time again for another edition of “What’s in Misadventurous Mommy’s Diaper Bag?”! If this is your first time playing you can find out all about the game here.
I’ve realized that my past clues have been way too easy so this time I’ve decided to make it a little more challenging (or at least I hope it is). I’ve also decided to change the graphic because despite everything being matchy, matchy now the diaper bag just looks crazy.
So, here we go.
The first clue is…Breakfast
Now it's your turn...let me hear the guesses...remember the first person to guess the item that's in my diaper bag correctly wins!!! If no one has guessed correctly by tomorrow night I'll put up the 2nd clue!
Good Luck Y'all!
This game is sponsored solely by Misadventurous Mommy…because I love y’all!
Monday, January 17, 2011
This is Lil Diva…she’s all girl…she loves pink, frilly, sparkly things and she loves to dance. Of course, Lil Diva can and will lay the smack down if needed, guess that’s just one of the perils of being the youngest of 5 brothers and sisters. 
Lil Diva has begun to love ballet (due in part to one of her favorite Nickelodeon characters’ love of ballet) so she dances and twirls around the house pretending to be a ballerina…it’s quite a cute sight to see. See the oh-so-adorable raincoat that Lil Diva is modeling well that’s from one of my absolute favorite online stores…Kidorable!
Not familiar with Kidorable? Here’s the lowdown on this awesome company. Kidorable creates fun, fashionable, and functional rain gear for kids. I’ve worked with Kidorable before when I introduced all of you to their English Roses collection, but their new Ballerina collection just takes the cake!
A little more about the Kidorable Ballerina line:
“The ballerina style comes in sweet pinks and purples with friendly ballerinas dancing across each piece. Ruffles and sparkles were added to the umbrella. On the backpack a beautiful ballerina dances across a 3-D stage that girls can play with. Ribbons are raised from the boots just like real Pointe shoes. On the raincoat a tutu hem in alternating pinks and a rose detail on the hood are also a special touch.”
Kidorable sent us a rain coat from the Ballerina collection to review. As you can see from the picture above Lil Diva loves her rain coat and insists on wearing it all.day.every.day! Aside from being absolutely adorable, the ballerina rain coat is functional as well, your little ballerina can wear it while splashing in the puddles this coming spring…it doesn’t get better than that! I especially love the detail and the adorable faux skirt, it makes this rain coat fun, whimsical, and oh-so-very stylish! Lil Diva will be the envy of all of her little friends this spring!
I also wanted to mention a fantastic deal that Kidorable has going on right now...for the week of January 16-23 only you can use the coupon code DANCE5 to receive a free ballerina umbrella with their order over $20…now that is a terrific deal! Make sure you head over to Kidorable and check out all of the fun designs and adorable rain gear!
How would you like to win an umbrella from the Kidorable Ballerina Style Collection? If you have your hand up it’s your lucky day! One Misadventures in Baby Raising reader is going to win a ballerina umbrella from Kidorable! Way cool!
Win it!
To enter this giveaway please head over to Kidorable’s Facebook Page and “Like” them. This is mandatory and must be completed before any extra entries are allowed! Extra Entries!
Please leave separate comments for each extra entry!1 Extra Entry Each
Follow MIBR on Google Friend Connect
Follow MIBR via RSS
Follow MIBR via Email
2 Extra Entries Each
“Like” MIBR on Facebook
Follow MIBR on Twitter
Join me on MyLikes (and make money via Twitter when you do)
Follow MIBR on Networked Blogs
Grab our new button (if you have the old button please replace the code)
Submit this giveaway to a giveaway site or linky (2 extra entries for every submission…please leave link)
Tweet this giveaway on Twitter (3x per day per length of giveaway…1 extra entry (comment) for each tweet…3 total per day)
Share this giveaway on Facebook (2x per day per length of giveaway…1 extra entry (comment) for each share…2 total per day)
5 Extra Entries
Blog about this giveaway with a link back to this post!
This giveaway ends on January 31, 2011 at 11:59 PM EST. One winner will be chosen via Random.org and announced in a separate winner’s post. Winner will have 48 hours to claim his prize, failure to do so within 48 hour time-frame will result in winner forfeiting his prize and me choosing a new winner.
US Entries only please!
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Have you ever daydreamed of being a singer (this was my dream when I was younger)? If so keep reading about this awesome singing competition from Avon Voices!
If you asked ANY mother what her top 5 complaints would be, you would most likely hear something similar to this:
1) I miss alone time!
2) I need a vacation!
3) I don’t feel “pretty” anymore.
4) We never get out of the house.
5) Does anyone even hear me?
If you are woman over 18 with an amazing singing voice, thanks to Avon Voices, your woes can be over.
Avon Voices is Avon’s first-ever global online singing talent search for women and songwriting competition for men and women. A panel of celebrity judges, including Fergie, Natasha Bedingfield, Sheila E., Diane Warren and more are on hand, providing singing tips and helping select our finalists.
And if you are picked as a finalist, you’ll get the chance to TRAVEL (takes care of the vacation) to Hong Kong, Rio de Janiero, Paris, Hollywood, New York or Nashville, plus PHOTO AND VIDEO SHOOTS, a PROFESSIONAL MAKEOVER and coaching (will get you feeling pretty again). The best part is, the winners may get the opportunity record a professionally produced album (the whole world will now hear you).
It takes 30 seconds. Record a video of you singing 30 seconds of a hit song from the approved list that you can do right from your home. It’s a year-long competition but your readers only have until February 13, 2011 to submit a 30-second video clip at www.avonvoices.com. We would love for you to share this with them today. After all, it might be all they need to become the next big singing sensation!
Videos of celebrity judges and other information about Avon Voices can be found on our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/avonvoices.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
I’ll be the first to admit that I went off a little about polygamy with the TLC series Sister Wives, but I find myself unable to miss a second of Big Love! For those of you who have been living under a rock (and y’all already know I love you…rock or no rock) and don’t know all about Big Love is all about I’ll give you the lowdown…
Big Love is the HBO series about a fundamentalist Mormon family from Utah who practice polygamy. The show centers around Bill Hendrickson (played by Bill Paxton) and his 3 wives, Barbara (Jeanne Tripplehorn), Nicki Grant (Chloë Sevigny), and Margene Heffman (Ginnifer Goodwin). Big Love definitely gives you a glimpse into polygamy, but not in the way you might expect, while you do witness of all of the drama that you would expect to find on HBO you also see the intricacies and love within the Hendrickson family, a love that through thick and thin is strong and constant…hey polygamist or not that’s refreshing!
I must admit that I started watching the show because I love Ginnifer Goodwin, she has been one of my absolute favorite actresses since Mona Lisa Smile, but I kept watching because it is just an amazing show that leaves you rooting for the Hendrickson family to do well despite their polygamist lifestyle. I’m telling you, if you haven’t seen the first 4 seasons you must! I SO have to buy Big Love: The Complete Seasons 1-3
So why am I writing this you wonder? Well, Big Love’s 5th and final season starts Sunday (yes, this Sunday January 16th on HBO at 9 pm) and I cannot wait! While I am a little sad that I will have to find a new must-see show when this season of Big Love ends I am excited to see what season 5 has in store for Big Love! You can check out a preview of the season 5 premiere below!
You can get caught up on Big Love over at HBO.com!
So, I can’t be the only Big Love fan around the blogosphere…are y’all as excited as I am for Sunday night?
Friday, January 14, 2011
Having four children means lots of things; take for instance the fact that I almost always have mismatched socks on (apparently my dryer monster has a sense of humor because he finds it necessary to only eat my socks…nice), or that I am always late…for everything, and don’t even get me started on why my children have enough clothes to open their own clothing stores while mommy’s closet looks like someone broke into our house and only stole my clothes. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this mommy needs a makeover…and getting one has been high on my list of resolutions this new year!
Speaking of makeovers, I have a very exciting competition to share with you all! Macy’s just launched the “Macy’s Million Dollar Makeover” with Macy’s Style Expert Clinton Kelly, how awesome is that?!! This makeover competition isn’t just about a wardrobe makeover (though that will definitely be included) Clinton Kelly will also be helping to transform your work, home, and life!
“Macy’s Million Dollar Makeover” will consist of a nationwide call for entries through January 31st, from which eight contestants will be selected for a Clinton Kelly makeover. America will help us decide which of the eight will win the makeover of a lifetime, worth $1 Million!”
“Macy’s Million Dollar Makeover is my typical makeover on steroids,” said Clinton Kelly, style expert for Macy’s and co-host of TLC’s What Not to Wear. “The winner will not only get some quality time with me to update their look, but they will get a truly life-changing experience. From fashion to finances to fitness, they will undergo a complete life transformation.”
Is that not the coolest makeover ever? Are YOU in need of a makeover? Well, what are you waiting for? Entering is easy, simply head over to Macy’s Facebook page and “Like” Macy’s on Facebook to access the contest application then submit either a video or picture, entries will be accepted through January31, 2011.
Following the nationwide entry period, eight contestants will be selected in early February and will undergo a makeover session with Clinton. Each contestant’s personal story and makeover will be filmed and posted to http://on.fb.me/macysmilliondollarmakeover for an open voting period that begins in March. Two videos will be posted each week and the video with the most votes each week will proceed to the semi-finals in April. The top two videos will compete in a finals round – with the victor winning the million dollar makeover.
“Macy’s Million Dollar Makeover” with Clinton Kelly is open to legal residents of the United States who are 18 years of age or older.
One lucky Misadventures in Baby Raising reader is going to win a $50 Macy’s Gift Card!!! To enter all you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling me why you need a makeover! This is mandatory and must be completed to be entered!
Giveaway ends on January 31, 2011 and is open to US residents only! One winner will be chosen by Random.org and emailed immediately following the drawing. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email and claim their prize, failure to claim prize in the given amount of time will mean that the winner forfeits their prize and a new winner will be chosen. m80 will handle the prize fulfillment.
Want more chances to win a $50 Macy’s Gift card? Check out my friends below who all have Macy's GC giveaways going on as well!
Empowering Mommy
The Mom Reviews
Blessings Abound Mommy
Tammy’s Two Cents
Jabbering Jessi
The Night Owl Mama
A Moms Impression
Blommi.com
Experimental Mommy
Disclosure: Gift card provided to winner by m80, no other compensation was given for writing this post. Views and opinions expressed are my own.
Speaking of makeovers, I have a very exciting competition to share with you all! Macy’s just launched the “Macy’s Million Dollar Makeover” with Macy’s Style Expert Clinton Kelly, how awesome is that?!! This makeover competition isn’t just about a wardrobe makeover (though that will definitely be included) Clinton Kelly will also be helping to transform your work, home, and life!
“Macy’s Million Dollar Makeover” will consist of a nationwide call for entries through January 31st, from which eight contestants will be selected for a Clinton Kelly makeover. America will help us decide which of the eight will win the makeover of a lifetime, worth $1 Million!”
“Macy’s Million Dollar Makeover is my typical makeover on steroids,” said Clinton Kelly, style expert for Macy’s and co-host of TLC’s What Not to Wear. “The winner will not only get some quality time with me to update their look, but they will get a truly life-changing experience. From fashion to finances to fitness, they will undergo a complete life transformation.”
Is that not the coolest makeover ever? Are YOU in need of a makeover? Well, what are you waiting for? Entering is easy, simply head over to Macy’s Facebook page and “Like” Macy’s on Facebook to access the contest application then submit either a video or picture, entries will be accepted through January31, 2011.
Following the nationwide entry period, eight contestants will be selected in early February and will undergo a makeover session with Clinton. Each contestant’s personal story and makeover will be filmed and posted to http://on.fb.me/macysmilliondollarmakeover for an open voting period that begins in March. Two videos will be posted each week and the video with the most votes each week will proceed to the semi-finals in April. The top two videos will compete in a finals round – with the victor winning the million dollar makeover.
“Macy’s Million Dollar Makeover” with Clinton Kelly is open to legal residents of the United States who are 18 years of age or older.
Ready to win?
One lucky Misadventures in Baby Raising reader is going to win a $50 Macy’s Gift Card!!! To enter all you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling me why you need a makeover! This is mandatory and must be completed to be entered!
Giveaway ends on January 31, 2011 and is open to US residents only! One winner will be chosen by Random.org and emailed immediately following the drawing. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email and claim their prize, failure to claim prize in the given amount of time will mean that the winner forfeits their prize and a new winner will be chosen. m80 will handle the prize fulfillment.
Want more chances to win a $50 Macy’s Gift card? Check out my friends below who all have Macy's GC giveaways going on as well!
Empowering Mommy
The Mom Reviews
Blessings Abound Mommy
Tammy’s Two Cents
Jabbering Jessi
The Night Owl Mama
A Moms Impression
Blommi.com
Experimental Mommy
Disclosure: Gift card provided to winner by m80, no other compensation was given for writing this post. Views and opinions expressed are my own.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Monday started yet another semester of college for me and while I am excited to be that much closer to graduation I am not at all happy about how stressful this semester will be or how much it will cost.
I've been a college student for a while now and though I know that each new semester will bring a tuition bill that makes me ill, it never ceases to amaze me how much it all costs. Never mind the insane tuition, or the fact that my university offers the Communications degree I am working toward completely online (which is amazing, but also a pain in the ass) what really upsets me is that my classes cost almost two times more per credit hour than the same classes taught on campus...it's crazy.
What's even more insane than the tuition bill is the price of our text books...complete insanity! Last semester my books for four classes were nearly $400 (all new) and that was cheap. This semester the books for my 4 classes are almost $600 at the campus bookstore so I decided to do some comparison shopping and found some great places to find cheap college text books and wanted to share them with all of you!
Instead of just telling you how much money you can save I decided to also show you. First you’ll see my book list and the prices from my campus bookstore and then I’ve included a list of 3 great places to check out if you’re looking for textbooks this semester (or maybe know someone who is) and how much money can be saved at each.
Amazon.com
I had never ordered text books from Amazon until this semester and when I saw the price of my books I decided to give them a try. Amazon had ALL of the books I needed for my classes this semester, all of them where in-stock and ALL of them were cheaper (both new and used) than my campus bookstore!
Total of 4 books on Amazon: $344.65 (price reflects all 4 books in new conditions including standard shipping)
Savings of over $112 compared to my campus bookstore
BarnesandNobel.com
I like Barnes&Nobel for much the same reason I like Amazon; they have a great selection (all of my text books were in-stock (new and used) and I really love that you can rent textbooks from BarnesandNoble.com, something I did not realize until I went in search of cheaper textbooks this semester. I also like that Barnes & Nobel (at least the online version, I’m not sure about in store) also offers NookStudy eTextbooks from Barnes & Noble are read with the NOOKstudy eReader for your PC and Mac. Like Amazon shipping can be costly unless all textbooks ship from the same retailer…something to keep in mind.
Total of 4 books on B&N.com: $333.30 (price reflects all 4 books in new conditions including standard shipping)
Savings of over $124 compared to my campus bookstore
BookRentalSource.com
I just learned about this place earlier today (thanks Tiff)and it’s the best priced rental option that I’ve seen so far. Book Rental Source offer students the option of renting their textbooks (and trust me when I say this saves a TON of money). What’s unique about Book Rental Source though is that they offer varying rental periods depending upon your needs (from 30 days up to 145 days) they also sell used books. BookRentalSource.com has a huge selection of over 5 million textbooks and you can write and highlight in all of them…which is a huge plus for college students!
While I cannot compare the prices of new books at Book Rental Source (since they do not sell them new) I can tell you how much a 125 day (entire semester) rental costs…and even I was surprised by how little it was!
Total 125 day rental cost for 4 books (including standard shipping) $165.43
Savings of over $292 compared to my campus bookstore
So this semester (or next, or even the next) before you shell out hundreds of dollars at the campus bookstore, make sure you check out some of the online suggestions above…you’ll save a ton of money!
I've been a college student for a while now and though I know that each new semester will bring a tuition bill that makes me ill, it never ceases to amaze me how much it all costs. Never mind the insane tuition, or the fact that my university offers the Communications degree I am working toward completely online (which is amazing, but also a pain in the ass) what really upsets me is that my classes cost almost two times more per credit hour than the same classes taught on campus...it's crazy.
What's even more insane than the tuition bill is the price of our text books...complete insanity! Last semester my books for four classes were nearly $400 (all new) and that was cheap. This semester the books for my 4 classes are almost $600 at the campus bookstore so I decided to do some comparison shopping and found some great places to find cheap college text books and wanted to share them with all of you!
Instead of just telling you how much money you can save I decided to also show you. First you’ll see my book list and the prices from my campus bookstore and then I’ve included a list of 3 great places to check out if you’re looking for textbooks this semester (or maybe know someone who is) and how much money can be saved at each.
My Book List
Organizational Communication: Approaches and Processes
Intercultural Communication in Contexts
Introducing Communication Theory
Persuasion: Social Influence & Compliance Gaining
Campus Bookstores:
Total for all 4 books: $457.45 (prices reflect all 4 books in new condition with shipping NOT included)
I had never ordered text books from Amazon until this semester and when I saw the price of my books I decided to give them a try. Amazon had ALL of the books I needed for my classes this semester, all of them where in-stock and ALL of them were cheaper (both new and used) than my campus bookstore!
Total of 4 books on Amazon: $344.65 (price reflects all 4 books in new conditions including standard shipping)
Savings of over $112 compared to my campus bookstore
BarnesandNobel.com
I like Barnes&Nobel for much the same reason I like Amazon; they have a great selection (all of my text books were in-stock (new and used) and I really love that you can rent textbooks from BarnesandNoble.com, something I did not realize until I went in search of cheaper textbooks this semester. I also like that Barnes & Nobel (at least the online version, I’m not sure about in store) also offers NookStudy eTextbooks from Barnes & Noble are read with the NOOKstudy eReader for your PC and Mac. Like Amazon shipping can be costly unless all textbooks ship from the same retailer…something to keep in mind.
Total of 4 books on B&N.com: $333.30 (price reflects all 4 books in new conditions including standard shipping)
Savings of over $124 compared to my campus bookstore
BookRentalSource.com
I just learned about this place earlier today (thanks Tiff)and it’s the best priced rental option that I’ve seen so far. Book Rental Source offer students the option of renting their textbooks (and trust me when I say this saves a TON of money). What’s unique about Book Rental Source though is that they offer varying rental periods depending upon your needs (from 30 days up to 145 days) they also sell used books. BookRentalSource.com has a huge selection of over 5 million textbooks and you can write and highlight in all of them…which is a huge plus for college students!
While I cannot compare the prices of new books at Book Rental Source (since they do not sell them new) I can tell you how much a 125 day (entire semester) rental costs…and even I was surprised by how little it was!
Total 125 day rental cost for 4 books (including standard shipping) $165.43
Savings of over $292 compared to my campus bookstore
So this semester (or next, or even the next) before you shell out hundreds of dollars at the campus bookstore, make sure you check out some of the online suggestions above…you’ll save a ton of money!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
My son loves Spiderman...he has since I can remember, actually now that I think about it he pretty much came outta the womb shooting webs! I indulge his love for all things Spiderman because it's cute, he loves it, and he's only 3, but lately I'm beginning to wonder if he isn't taking the whole Spider-man thing a little too seriously. Take for instance the conversation that Lil Man and I had last week...
Me: Hey Lil Man (of course I used his real name) dinner's ready.
Lil Man: (looking irritated that I bothered him in the middle of his web climbing) Mom I not Lil Man.
Me: Um, ok then, who are you?
Lil Man: (annoyed...again) I'm Peter Mom.
Me: (confused) Peter who?
Lil Man: Peter Partner ( he cannot say Parker) mom...duh!
And this child is 3...3 years old and has already changed his name to a fictional superhero spider and he uses the word 'duh"...when the hell did my son become grown enough to "duh" me?
Aside from the name change associated with his hero worship Lil Man, I mean Peter Parker, now insists that we play along with him as members of the Avengers so we can fight bad guys and climb on the couches while wearing cool costumes without getting into trouble. I was fortunate enough to catch this one on video (oh the blackmail this video will provide me in the future) but since my husband threatened bodily harm if I posted it you'll just have to settle for some photos of Lil Man and even Lil Diva get in on the Spider-man act!
Please tell me my son (and daughter) are not the only ones obsessed with comic book heroes?
Lil Man climbing on his web (aka Lil Diva's crib) and shooting webs at the camera
Lil Man: (looking irritated that I bothered him in the middle of his web climbing) Mom I not Lil Man.
Me: Um, ok then, who are you?
Lil Man: (annoyed...again) I'm Peter Mom.
Me: (confused) Peter who?
Lil Man: Peter Partner ( he cannot say Parker) mom...duh!
And this child is 3...3 years old and has already changed his name to a fictional superhero spider and he uses the word 'duh"...when the hell did my son become grown enough to "duh" me?
Aside from the name change associated with his hero worship Lil Man, I mean Peter Parker, now insists that we play along with him as members of the Avengers so we can fight bad guys and climb on the couches while wearing cool costumes without getting into trouble. I was fortunate enough to catch this one on video (oh the blackmail this video will provide me in the future) but since my husband threatened bodily harm if I posted it you'll just have to settle for some photos of Lil Man and even Lil Diva get in on the Spider-man act!
Monday, January 10, 2011
In case you're not familiar with the game you can check out the rules and how it all goes down here! Alright, are we good? Great...let's get this party started!
So the first clue is..."hot drinks for cold days"! (Thanks J!)
Now it's your turn...let me hear the guesses...remember the first person to guess the item that's in my diaper bag correctly wins!!! If no one has guessed correctly by tomorrow night I'll put up the 2nd clue!
Good Luck Y'all!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Haven't seen Season 1 of V yet? No worries, head on over to http://bit.ly/e6ABTG to pick up the complete first season DVD set and catch up! Waiting for the next episode of V? Make sure you check it out this coming Tuesday January 11th at 9/8c on ABC... I know I'll be watching!
"I have been hired by Warner Bros. WBWord division to promote V: The Complete First Season on DVD. You can purchase a copy here: http://bit.ly/e6ABTG.”
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Handing one of the boxes of Zhu Zhu Pets off to the Hometown Christmas chairperson Kay Marshall!
About a month ago I was informed that I was chosen by Cepia (the amazing company who makes the ever popular Zhu Zhu Pets) as one of the bloggers to participate in their “Random Acts of Zhu”. Random Acts of Zhu was established last year by Cepia as a way to provide toys to children in need. Each blogger chosen received 104 Zhu Zhu Pet toys to donate to a charity of his or her choice. Perhaps the best thing about the Random Acts of Zhu is the fact that it allows the chosen bloggers to make an impact at the local level and I was very excited about that!
One of the children who attended our Hometown Christmas celebration proudly displaying her new Zhu Zhu Pet!
The town that I live in is a very small, country town (it's actually, officially called a village) we have one stop light, 2 nationally recognizable restaurants, 3 gas stations, and a Dollar General Store; no grocery stores, no Wal Mart...nothing. I was born and raised here and have lived within a one block radius nearly my entire life. I live on the same street that my mother grew up on, two houses down from my the house my great grandparents lived in when I was a baby...this town has history for me. From the time I was very little I always dreamed of having my own children one day and raising them here, but our town has gone downhill fast and is only a shadow of what it was when I was younger. Drugs have taken hold of our town in the worst way; from having friends that I've known since I was in diapers OD on drugs to seeing people that I went to school with wasting away from drugs...it's gotten extremely bad. Add to that the fact that the majority of the residents in our town have an income well below the poverty line and you start to see the picture I see daily. Though the situations that the adults find themselves in are sad what's worse are the children who are subjected to all of the things that go on here on a daily basis, it breaks my heart to look at a child and know that his or her life is pure hell. When I found out that I would be participating in Random Acts of Zhu I knew exactly where my donation would go, to our town's annual Hometown Christmas celebration! For the past 20 years Kay Marshall has been orchestrating our Hometown Christmas and bringing holiday happiness to so many deserving families in not only our town, but the surrounding towns as well. Aberdeen's Hometown Christmas is held annually, usually the second Saturday in December, and is a much anticipated highlight for the children of our town. Each person in attendance is asked to bring a canned food donated for our local food bank, but no one is turned away for being unable to contribute. In addition to the lighting of the town Christmas tree and carols there is a chili supper complete with chili, hot dogs, cookies, and drinks all generously donated and free to everyone. One of the highlights of the evening is the visit from Santa, children (and their parents) line up eagerly anticipating their visit with Santa. After having a chance to talk to Santa each child is given a bag of goodies (usually including some fruits and candy) and a toy or two (all donated by local businesses and individuals). While Santa is for sure a big cause of excitement the undisputed highlight of the night for the kids is the opportunity to receive a toy or two. Sadly our Hometown Christmas is as close as some of the children in attendance get to a real Christmas, and knowing that through my blog I helped to bring smiles to so many little faces that night warmed my heart! Thanks to Cepia I was able to donate 104 Zhu Zhu Pet toys to our Hometown Christmas celebration, having the chance to bring a little Christmas joy to so many deserving children is what the holidays are all about to me. I hope that by being there and seeing all of the little faces light up with their new toys, my own children were inspired to give and give big whenever possible!
I'd like to take this chance to thank Cepia on behalf of the children of Aberdeen, you have no idea how much of a difference you made with a few small toys...thank you!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Hey y'all I have a few winner's announcements to get to tonight...y'all ready? Here we go! Oh and don't forget that the Coffee-mate giveaway ends tomorrow night (January 5th) so enter now!
First up we have the Macy's Believe giveaway!
Winning number is:
Winning commenter is:
First up we have the Macy's Believe giveaway!
Winning number is:
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:55Timestamp: 2011-01-05 06:45:35 UTC
Winning commenter is:
I follow you via GFC as dwellenstein.
dwellenstein at cox dot net
Next up is the Tyson Any'tizers Giveaway!
Winning numbers are:
Winning commenter's are:
dwellenstein at cox dot net
Next up is the Tyson Any'tizers Giveaway!
Winning numbers are:
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:212 263Timestamp: 2011-01-05 06:48:37 UTC
Winning commenter's are:
follow via gfc #2
AND
AND
I think the Fajita Chicken sounds yummy! Thanks so much! pamelashockley(AT)aol(DOT)com
Congrats to all of the winners and thanks to everyone who entered!
Congrats to all of the winners and thanks to everyone who entered!
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