Freezer Burn --You asked for it.

Well, one of you asked me.. and it's a fairly interesting topic.

Freezer burn, what is it?  How does it get there?  How is it prevented?  Is it safe to eat?

The answer, is that freezer burn is basically water molecules escaping from your food, forming at the top and freezing.  As food is frozen over an extended period of time, it begins to dry out, and that water has to go somewhere, so it basically pools over the top of whatever is being frozen, and freezes there.

The way it is prevented (for a slightly longer period of time anyway), is by ensuring that your food is wrapped really tightly.  This usually means removing it from the store packages and wrapping it in tighter packaging.  I personally find that the double layered freezer bags work best, unless you opt for vacuum packed, which might actually be your best option, though it is considerably more expensive.

The final question, is it safe to eat?  The answer to that is yes, it is safe.  Freezer burn is merely water, so it will cause no harm when consumed, however, you will most likely notice the texture, color and taste might be a little different.

I hope this answers all of your questions.

Remember, I am still accepting participants.  GoHERE to find out how to tell me what YOU want to read about!

Writing Reviews for BzzAgent -- You asked for it :)

As part of my challenge, one of you asked me about writing good reviews.  The particular example that was used, was bzzagent. (Go HERE to check out this site.  It's basically a product review site, but it's awesome, and even kind of fun.)

When writing your reviews, they basically grade you on how well it was, so I was asked about writing reviews, and how to get the best grade (exceptional review).  I will be absolutely honest, I write my reviews on that site, almost identical to the way that I write reviews here, and I always get a "good review" grade.  (which, incidentally is what the person asking me always got on theirs.), so unfortunately, I don't have a great answer about getting a better grade for them.  I will say, though, that when writing your review, there's a link that you can click that says "tips for a better review".  If you're looking to get better grades and scores through them,

But, the question was really how do I write reviews.  So, first of all, feel free to check out a few of my reviews.  But basically, first of all, I will always be honest in my reviews.  I am not ever going to tell you guys that the products that I'm trying are perfect if they aren't.  I will tell you the good things about it, and the not so good things as well.  I try to use the "compliment sandwich" if you will.  I will write a handful of positives, and then, I will write anything that I didn't particularly like about the products, and then the rest of whatever I like.  Now, I will say, also, that I always email the company I'm doing the review for before actually writing the review, to share with them the things that I don't like about the product. I want to make sure that I'm using the product correctly, and that for whatever reason, I'm not wrong about my negatives.  I learned to do this after posting a few reviews with negatives, only to have to edit them later after finding out that I had used the product incorrectly, and that's why it didn't work as well as I had thought.  (I always send the reviews to the companies after posting them, so I've been responded to with an explanation of what I was wrong about)

I also do a little bit of research beyond actually trying the product.  I find out where you can get the product, pricing, sizes, etc.  I also make sure to take note of their Facebook Twitter, and webpages.  I always conclude with these two things after my "compliment sandwich".

Also, I usually pull logos and images of the products off of their website if I'm able to obtain permission to do so (with copyright laws I cannot stress how important this is.), and then I place them in my post wherever they fit.

Now, as I've said, on BzzAgent, I've only ever gotten a "good review" on the reviews I've submitted to them, however, the companies that I do personally for my blog have always been satisfied and pleased with my reviews.




This has been another "you asked for it" post.  I am thoroughly enjoying this challenge. It's challenging me as a blogger, writer, and researcher, and I am loving this.  It also gives me another opportunity to hear from you all and see what it is that you would like to read about and see more of.  Please keep these requests coming.  I have already extended this through the week, and am thinking of making it longer (perhaps permenant?)  because I enjoy it so much (of course the sweepstakes involved will end on Friday).  So, PLEASE head HERE to tell me what YOU want me to write about next!!

Happy Memorial Day

I wanted to take a moment, on behalf of The Mom Show, and my family, to personally express our greatest gratitude to the men and women who are willing to lay down their lives for this wonderful country, and the people in it.  I know, and remember, today, and every day, that because of people like you, there are so many freedoms that we are able to enjoy.  I can publicly thank God, talk, pray to, and worship Him, because of the people that fought for my freedom of religion.  I can write my opinions, or just about anything that I want on this blog, my Facebook page, and in other places, because they fought for my freedom of speech.  There are so many other things that I, and probably most of us take advantage of, that people have died to protect. But the most important of all, is that I can tuck my daughter into bed, and then fall asleep myself, knowing that there are people out there making sure that this country that we are blessed to live in, is safe.

These people, that I believe are so under appreciated by society, sign up for this job, knowing full well, that this job could be what ends up putting them at death's door.  Most of them do it, so that they can do their part in not only ensuring that we are able to keep the rights that we all take for granted (or at least I know I am guilty of this sometimes), but they know that they may end up fighting to help other countries to gain the same rights that we have.  They sign up knowing, that, at any given time, they may have to fight in a battle that they don't personally agree with, but in believing that they are serving the greater good, sign up anyway.

My husband was in the army for almost 8 years, and, as an army wife for most of this time (we were dating when he joined), I have been able to meet a great many of these people, and I have to say that I am honored to know or have known all of them.  I am so proud of my husband and the time that he served, his reasons for doing so, his willingness to do whatever it takes to help this nation.

I just want to ask all of my readers to take some time and reflect and appreciate what this day really means.  Be thankful for all that it means to live in the United States, and to be grateful to the people who have helped to form our home country.

In closing, I want to wish you all an extremely happy, and safe Memorial Day!  Have a great day with your families today, and for those of you, who are like my poor hubby who has to work, I hope that a day comes soon where you are able to enjoy some good quality family time for celebration!

You asked for it -- myfitnesspal.com

I am writing another post that you asked for!

I had posted on facebook an article about knowing the calorie counts in your foods.  Someone posted a comment about a website called myfitnesspal.com.  She challenged me to check it out and write to you all about what I think.

I have to tell you that I absolutely love it.  I will personally be using this every day.  I filled out my account, and told it my current weight and height, and then my goal weight.  They tell you how many calories to allot yourselves and how many you have to burn throughout the week.

Then, there are also food and exercise diaries where you can input any food that you consumed, including water and drinks.  You don't need to know how many calories are in your foods, or how many calories that you burn exercising.  They have that information already and they tell you.  It's really great for people who don't know.

The person who commented on my facebook, said that she used this program to lose 17 pounds!!!  I am hoping to follow in her footsteps, as I am going to use this program also. 

Remember, you also can tell me what you want me to write about.  This is going on for the rest of today and tomorrow, and I am giving away up to five coupon envelopes (who will be chosen at random if necessary) to people who make suggestions.  Go HERE  to find out how to submit your suggestion.

Buying children's shoes

Okay, so someone asked me to post about cheap places to buy shoes for our kids.  I promised that I was going to write about anything that was requested today, so here are my two cents on this issue.

I have a 3 year old, so she's still young enough where she's going through shoes really quickly.  Now, I am really blessed to have three nieces who are a little bigger than she is, so we are lucky enough to receive a ton of hand me downs.  When I don't have what I need as far as that goes, the first place I look is at Goodwill, the Salvation Army, thrift stores and consignment shops.  I always wash them really good and spray them to make sure that they're clean before she wears them (and I never get sandals, so her feet are never actually touching the shoes.) Because, as I said, she grows out of shoes quickly, there's a great chance that other kids her age are outgrowing shoes before there's too much wear and tear on them, so they are still very good. 

When I can't find what I am looking for in any of those places, I will sometimes go to Wal-Mart or Target.  Again, if she's going to grow through them quickly, I am not going to spend top dollar on them.

I did a little searching, and if you go to shoes.com, you can take 10% off of your order, plus FREE SHIPPING by using the code 10OFF.

If you're shopping online (or even in stores) for any product, I highly suggest researching coupon or discount codes for the particular store that you're shopping at prior to purchasing anything.

Totsy also has shoes for sale. They carry anything from prenatal items all the way up to age seven, and you can get items for much cheaper than retail.

 I hope this post helps to clear up any questions that the reader who asked for it has.  I also hope that it gives you all some good ideas on getting inexpensive shoes for our children. (Seriously, why do shoes at retail for children have to be so expensive??)


And remember, during this Memorial Day weekend (including Monday) I am handing my blog over to you, and writing about whatever you want me to write about.  Go HERE to find out how to make a request!

Challenge for me.. and for you.

I have decided that today, I would like to challenge myself as a blogger and as a writer.  I also want to challenge all of you who read this.

This weekend, I will be checking my email, this post, and my FACEBOOK.  I want you all to give me writing prompts.  Whatever you feel like reading about, I will write about.  I will do my best to write about every topic and idea that is given to me.  You can either comment on this post, write on my FACEBOOK, or email me.  As I said before, I will do my absolute best to follow every suggestion, and it will all be posted about.

That's not all.  I will give away FIVE coupon envelopes that will be chosen at random from the people who suggest things for me to write about.  So whether you want a topic that you can learn something about (I will research diligently if it's not something that I know a lot about) or something that you will find entertaining (I will even attempt to write stories or humorous posts if asked), let me know what you want to read about and you can even try to win in the process!

5/28 update:  Since I am enjoying this so much, I am extending it through the week. You can now continue to challenge my writing and/or researching skills until Friday.  Please do this.  Challenging myself is really a big reason I wanted to do it, and hopefully in the process I can write something entertaining or helpful for you!

Send A Flying Card Review!

I was asked to do a review for Send A Flying Card.  I had never heard of something like this before, so I was a little intrigued, and am now excited to share this with you, in time to perhaps choose this as a Father's Day gift!

It's basically a frisbee "postcard".  They are adorable, and fun!  My family and I spent a while on a few different afternoons just throwing it around our back yard.  Obviously, it's a fun toy.  But what's even cooler, is that you can completely personalize this.




When I was corresponding with the company, I didn't specify what I wanted, (I honestly didn't really know how personal they could be!) so they sent me a golden colored disc, with the header of my blog (just look up at the top.), and it said "We Love The Mom Show, From, sendaflyingcard.com." On the back, there's an address label that looks very much like the back of a post card. Even that pleasantly surprised me because it peels off so easily without leaving behind any of that residue that other stickers and stuff can leave behind on stuff like that.




If you want more information, click HERE to view their website.  The price is fairly reasonable at $9.99 for most of them, and they even offer FREE SHIPPING!..

Like I said before, I was pleased with this product, and know that you would be also!


Disclaimer:  I was offered a free product from sendaflyingcard.com in order to do a product review.  These opinions are honest and my own.  I received no further compensation for positive comments.  I will only do a review on products that I feel my readers might have interest in.

A personal quit update..

....Well, confession, really. This is a really personal post for me. As I posted earlier, I slipped yesterday. I smoked a few cigarettes. Today was a new day... right? Well, for most of the day, it was, and I was doing well. Then, I spoke with my husband, who told me he thought it'd be fine if I continued to smoke one or two a day for a while, and then stopped once I was in a new habit. I was pondering this, and actually bought myself more. I know, this was stupid, and I shouldn't have done it. It remained unopened for a few hours, and I was proud of myself. Then, nap time came around for my daughter. She really didn't have any interest in taking her nap. I was getting frustrated, and eventually, ended up yelling.. no.. it might have been closer to screaming at her. She started crying (and understandably so..) I hugged her and told her I was sorry that I yelled, and that I didn't ever want to yell at her like that again, and that mommy made a mistake. I got her calmed down, and, knowing she was tired, she finally fell asleep for her nap. (I don't know if I've posted about this, but my daughter takes a nap late in the day so that she can spend time with my husband before he leaves for work) I felt SO guilty. So overwhelmed by the fact that, in my withdrawal state, that I was unable to control my emotions around my child like that. If I was yelling at almost anyone else, it wouldn't have bothered me as much. Anyone else who might have better understood that I was just going through withdrawals, and that I didn't mean it. But I didn't. I yelled at her. I was able to bring myself back together and became the consoling mother again. I was definitely apologetic. I hate acting like that around her. I don't want to be that kind of mom. I posted before, about how I want to quit because I have an image of how I want to see myself as a wife and mother. Trust me when I say that yelling and screaming isn't in that image either. There will be a lot of posting about different things I want to do to fit the image I want myself to be. Back to the point, however... After she went down for her nap, I felt guilty, and, knowing that the way to control what happened, is to stop the withdrawal, so I smoked. Please don't think that I'm giving up. I felt almost as guilty for doing that, as I did for yelling at my daughter. I am not giving up. I will find a way around this. After coming back inside, I was watching television, and one of those more graphic anti-smoking ads came on television. You know, the one with the lady who gives her "tips on getting ready for the day", where she has to put teeth in, a wig on, and a hands free thing for the hold in her throat. At the end of that commercial the "1-800-quit-now" thing popped up, and I called. After talking to them, they helped me to establish some ways to cope with that angst-like feeling that I get that's associated with the nicotine withdrawal. They also said to taper for a few days, have one or two a day, and then quit for good again on Tuesday. If you want to quit, or if you're even considering it, I highly suggest that you call them. They are so helpful. They will stay on the phone with you for as long, or as short as you keep them there talking and asking questions. It is a national program, all states have this hotline. They help you to make a plan catered to your own needs and wants. They also offer support and advice. So, basically, I'm giving myself a couple of days, I am going to taper and cut way back in those few days, and then I'm going to start fresh, and use the tips that they offered me, and I will probably use them as a source and an outlet. Because I'm realizing that an outlet is basically what I need. (This blog may become a bit of an outlet for me also.) I will continue when I quit, to use the quit tea during my daughter's nap time and after bedtime. Only during times when I can afford to be drowsy, because it causes great drowsiness some of the time. (but it does help with cravings every time I drink it.) I think that I am also going to continue doing this cold turkey (unless you count the Quit Tea). I really do want to end up successful, and smoke free. I also want these posts to ultimately end up being inspirational to other smokers, so this is a big motivation (among other things obviously) for me. Please leave feedback, whether it's good or bad. I want to hear what you all think of my struggles with this.

Homemade Lemonade

One day, my daughter was asking me what lemonade is made of (she is at this age where she has questions about EVERYTHING.  What's it made of, what's in this, what is that, what does that mean).

This particular question has come up more than once, so last time we were in the grocery store, I asked her if she wanted to make lemonade with me.  Of course she thought this idea was AWESOME, so we picked out the best looking lemons and a package of sugar (one thing that we don't have, didn't buy and I would highly recommend, is a juicer of some sort, because using our hands got fairly tiresome...).  We had a half gallon container at home already.

When we got home, I cut all of the lemons in half, and we squeezed each of them.  (If you do this at home, make sure no one's touching their eyes in this process..  My daughter was lucky, but I touched mine, and lemon juice + eyes = ouch!)  put them into that half gallon bottle.  We filled the gallon about a third.  Then, we added about half a cup of sugar (it sounds like a lot.. and it probably is..) then filled the gallon to about 3/4 and put a bunch of ice in to fill msot of the remainder.

Now, this isn't a cost effective project.  There are a lot of things that are cheaper to make from scratch than to buy.  Lemonade is not one of those things.  The lemons alone, cost us about $4.50.  (With coupons, I bought a bottle of lemonade, which is actually where I got the half gallon bottle that I used, for about $0.50).  But it was fun, and showing my child that we can make things that we buy homemade, and have them come out so much better. (This lemonade was delicious and  a big hit for our whole family.)  As far as fun family projects go, it isn't costly though.  I've spent a lot more on projects that my daughter and I have done together.

I am thinking that we will try Orange juice next (but we WILL be buying a juicer first!)

Yesterday, I slipped.

So, yesterday was basically a relapse. As I had said before, I still had a few left, and I smoked them yesterday. I didn't have any real good reason, but I did. I figure, though, that now I have none, so in order for me to do it again, I have to make a conscious effort to acquire them. Today is a fresh start. I am going to do my best to have a mind over matter attitude.. Easy, right? My daughter got up an hour earlier than she usually does this morning. That's an extra hour of "making it through the day" that I have to go through! It can be done!! Anyone else quit with me? How are you doing?? I am basically starting over this morning, but I really refuse to let down anyone who may want to quit or already has, and is reading this.

SavingStar has new Coupons!!

Do you use SavingStar!  It's a really cool savings tool that I started using not too long ago, and LOVE it so far.. Load your store savings cards, and get money that can be used towards gift cards, paypal, or a direct deposit into your bank!  The Payout is only $5!!  Here are the coupons that they have live right now!  Some of them are expiring at the end of the month so go ahead and use them now!!


SavingStar Grocery eCoupons

Buy ANY 3 packages of DOLE Fruit Bowls® All Natural Fruit in 100% Juice, Save $1.00. Expires 6/20/2012.

Buy 1 DOLE Fruit Crisp, Save 50¢. Expires 6/20/2012.

Buy (1) McCain Purely Potatoes®, Save $1.00. Expires 6/20/2012.

Buy 1 issue of Sunset Magazine, Save $1.00. Expires 6/22/2012.

Buy 1 issue of Southern Living Magazine, Save $1.00. Expires 6/22/2012.

Buy ANY 2 packages of DOLE Fruit Parfait, Save 75¢. Expires 6/20/2012.

Buy (1) McCain® Sweet Potato Fries, Save $1.00. Expires 6/20/2012.

Buy any 4 Lean Cuisine® Varieties, Save $1.00. Expires 6/20/2012.

Buy any 1 WholeCare Pet item, Save $1.00. Expires 6/6/2012. (Only at Jewel - Osco)

Spend $20.00 on any Essential EverydayTM items, Save $5.00. Expires 6/6/2012. (Only at Jewel - Osco)

Buy any 1 Carlita® Salsa, Save 50¢. Expires 6/6/2012. (Only at Jewel - Osco)

Buy any 1 WholeCare Pet item, Save $1.00. Expires 6/6/2012. (Only at Shaw's)

Spend $15.00 on any Essential EverydayTM items, Save $3.00. Expires 6/6/2012. (Only at Shaw's)

Buy any 1 Carlita® Salsa, Save 75¢. Expires 6/6/2012. (Only at Shaw's)

Buy any 1 WholeCare Pet item, Save 50¢. Expires 6/6/2012. (Only at ACME Markets)

Spend $10.00 on any Essential EverydayTM items, Save $2.00. Expires 6/6/2012. (Only at ACME Markets)

Buy any 1 Carlita® Salsa, Save $1.00. Expires 6/6/2012. (Only at ACME Markets)

Buy 1 issue of Health Magazine, Save $1.00. Expires 6/22/2012.

Buy any (1) Dean's® Dip 12 oz or larger, Save 55¢. Expires 6/13/2012.

Buy any (1) Dial Complete® Antibacterial Foaming Hand Wash, Save $1.00. Expires 6/13/2012.

Save $1.00 when you buy any TWO (2) Ziploc® brand Bags. Expires 6/13/2012.

Save $1.00 when you buy ONE (1) GHIRARDELLI® STAND-UP BAG. Expires 6/13/2012.

Buy any (1) Dial® Liquid Hand Soap, Save 50¢. Expires 6/13/2012.

Buy 1 RapidLash, Save $10.00. Expires 6/13/2012. (Only at CVS)

Buy 1 RapidLash, Save $10.00. Expires 6/13/2012. (Only at Fred Meyer)

Now through June 13, 2012 get $5.00 back when you spend $35.00 on any HUGGIES® Diapers, Baby Wipes and LITTLE SWIMMERS® Swimpants. Offer does not include GOODNITES® Brand and PULL-UPS® Brand products.. Expires 6/13/2012.

Buy 1 Equaline® Omeprazole 42 ct., Save $6.00. Expires 5/30/2012. (Only at Shaw's)

Buy 1 Equaline® Omeprazole 42 ct., Save $6.00. Expires 5/30/2012. (Only at Jewel - Osco)

Buy any 1 wild harvest® Frozen Pizza, Save $1.50. Expires 5/30/2012. (Only at Jewel - Osco)

Buy any 1 wild harvest® Frozen Pizza, Save $1.50. Expires 5/30/2012. (Only at Shaw's)

Buy 1 Equaline® Omeprazole 42 ct., Save $6.00. Expires 5/30/2012. (Only at ACME Markets)

Buy any 1 wild harvest® Frozen Pizza, Save $1.50. Expires 5/30/2012. (Only at ACME Markets)

Buy any 4 Culinary Circle® items, Save $2.00. Expires 5/30/2012. (Only at Jewel - Osco)

Buy any 2 Baby Basics® items, Save $1.00. Expires 5/30/2012. (Only at Jewel - Osco)

Buy any 4 Culinary Circle® items, Save $2.00. Expires 5/30/2012. (Only at Shaw's)

Buy any 2 Baby Basics® items, Save 20%. Expires 5/30/2012. (Only at Shaw's)

Buy any 4 Culinary Circle® items, Save 25%. Expires 5/30/2012. (Only at ACME Markets)

Buy any 2 Baby Basics® items, Save $2.00. Expires 5/30/2012. (Only at ACME Markets)

Buy any 1 Marie's® Salad Dressing, Save $1.00. Expires 6/6/2012.

Buy any (1) Dry Idea® Invisible Solid, Save $1.00 (Available at CVS). Expires 6/30/2012.

Buy any 2 cartons of one dozen eggs, Save 55¢. Expires 6/24/2012. (Only at Giant Eagle, Harris Teeter Food Markets, Weis Markets)

Buy 1 issue of Cooking Light Magazine, Save $1.00. Expires 6/15/2012.

Buy 1 issue of Real Simple Magazine, Save $1.00. Expires 6/15/2012.

Save $1.00 when you purchase any 2 Scrubbing Bubbles® products. Expires 5/30/2012.

Save 75¢ on one (1) package of Butterball® fresh tray pack turkey product (available in the meat department). Expires 6/30/2012. (Only at Winn-Dixie)

Buy 1 Pompeian® Olive Oil 16 oz. or larger, Save $1.00. Expires 5/31/2012.

Buy 1 Gold 'n Soft®, Save 75¢. Expires 5/30/2012.

Buy 2 Wasa Crispbread Crackers, Save $1.50. Expires 5/30/2012.

Save 50¢ when you buy ONE (1) BOX Trix® Cereal . Expires 5/31/2012. Sold Out.

Save 50¢ when you buy ONE (1) BOX Honey Nut Cheerios® cereal. Expires 5/31/2012. Sold Out.

Save 50¢ when you buy TWO (2) CUPS any flavor Yoplait® Greek Yogurt. Expires 5/31/2012. Sold Out.

Save 75¢ when you buy ONE (1) BOX Fiber One® Cereal listed in the Info button below. Expires 5/31/2012. Sold Out.

Save 75¢ when you buy TWO (2) any flavor Yoplait® products listed in the Info button below. Expires 5/31/2012. Sold Out.

Save 50¢ when you buy TWO (2) any flavor Betty Crocker® Suddenly Salad® Mixes. Expires 5/31/2012. Sold Out.

Save 40¢ when you buy SIX (6) CUPS any variety Yoplait® Cups (Includes Original, Light, Thick & Creamy, OR Whips!®). Expires 5/31/2012. Sold Out.

Save $1.00 when you buy ONE (1) Fisher® Snack Almond Item of any variety, 4 oz. or larger. Expires 5/31/2012. (Only at Jewel - Osco)

Buy 1 Diamond Crystal Salt Sense, Save 35¢. Expires 5/31/2012.

Buy 1 Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, Save 40¢. Expires 5/31/2012.

Buy 1 Diamond Crystal Sea Salt, Save 40¢. Expires 5/31/2012.

Buy 1 POM Wonderful 48 oz. Juice, Save $2.00. Expires 6/25/2012.

Now through the end of May 2012, get $5.00 when you spend $15.00 on any Snyder's of Hanover Pretzels. This offer expires on May 31, 2012.. Expires 5/31/2012.

Buy 1 GUM® PerioShield®, Save $3.00. Expires 5/30/2012. (Only at CVS)

Buy 1 GUM® Crayola Kids® or Star Wars Kids Toothbrush, Save 75¢. Expires 5/30/2012.

Buy 1 GUM® Canker-X®, Save $1.00. Expires 5/30/2012. (Only at CVS, Rite Aid)

Buy 1 GUM® Eez-Thru Flosser®, Save 75¢. Expires 5/30/2012.

Buy 1 GUM® PerioBalance®, Save $5.00. Expires 5/30/2012. (Only at CVS, Rite Aid)

Buy 1 GUM® Go-Betweens®, Save 75¢. Expires 5/30/2012.

Buy any 1 My Essentials Cereal, Save 75¢. Expires 5/31/2012. (Only at Food Lion)

Buy any 1 My Essentials 24 oz. Syrup, Save 50¢. Expires 5/31/2012. (Only at Food Lion)

Buy any 1 My Essentials Frozen Waffles, Save 40¢. Expires 5/31/2012. (Only at Food Lion)

Buy any 1 My Essentials Fresh Orange Juice, Save 50¢. Expires 5/31/2012. (Only at Food Lion)

Who couldn't use $50,000 Try to win here!

If you're like me, when you hear about sweepstakes like this, you're already presumptuously  thinking about all of the things you'd LOVE to use this money for.  I would pay off our debts, get my husband a riding lawn mower, and then we'd do something super fun as a family with the rest of the money, or I could dump a bunch of it on the mortgage for the house, or ......

Unfortunately, we haven't won yet, and I don't typically play the lottery, so I can't win that, so this is all pretty preemptive, but hey, can't hurt to dream right?  Anyway, sign up here to win the $50,000 sweepstakes!  Entering here to win also means joining the American Family community! See your name on Who's Doing What, cash in points for cool stuff, save your favorite recipes or games, and lots more.

Bon Mimi! Great sales every day!

Bon Mimi is a private sale site dedicated to little ones and the adults that love them! Bon Mimi features brands, large and small, that they feel have the best products on the market at member-only prices. Your favorite brands at up to 70% off! Exciting must-haves for ages 0-5 and they have FREE membership, and New sales every weekday!!  Check them out!

68 Hours Since my Last Cigarette.....

And I am SO tempted.. My suggestion to you, is when you quit, make sure that you actually get rid of your cigarettes.  I didn't do that, so knowing that I have some sitting in my garage is making it hard for me at this moment.  But they've been there this whole time and I haven't had any yet.

I have been drinking my Quit Tea in the late afternoon and early evening, as it does, indeed make me tired.  It really does help with the cravings, but I can't be drowsy during the day while I'm taking care of my daughter and family.  So I wait until I can just relax for a while.  The first day I took it, I had my husband home with me all day so, when I drank three cups, and when I dozed off and on through the day he was here to pick up the slack.  It's still great, and I still really recommend it, but make sure that you either have some coffee after, or are doing it when you can just relax.  

I also believe that products like this affect people differently.  So I suggest that you try it.  It does exactly what it says it's going to, but the extent that it does for you might be different than it was for me.

I just had a big dinner though, and I don't have the opportunity to just relax just yet.. I am really tempted right now.  We'll see, this feeling will probably pass pretty soon... Until the next!

Butt Bench Giveaway!

I had the opportunity to do a review of Butt Bench!  I love it and was thrilled to have the opportunity to do this.  (Go HERE to read that review, and all of the AWESOME things I had to say about this product.)  I was able to do so many great and awesome things with this.

 

 Not only was I able to get one and review it, but this company has also been gracious enough to allow me to give one away. I am so excited to be offering this to you now!   This will go on until May 31st at midnight!  Best of luck to all of you!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Organic Gardenin with Whitney Farms

This post brought to you by Whitney Farms. All opinions are 100% mine.

 

As I've posted about a lot, this year, we are living in our new home.  One of the things that excites me about this, is the fact that next year, I am going to plant my first garden.  Unfortunately, we weren't able to set it up for this year, and I'm bummed about that, but we already have the space in our back yard all picked out for a vegetable garden, and a spot in the front yard for a flower garden.  (We're also going to do some lilac bushes also, which is my absolute FAVORITE flower, so obviously I'm excited!) 

 

Now, my husband knows a lot more about these things than I do, so I've been doing research in the mean time to learn more about everything having to do with gardening.  I really want the veggie garden to be my baby.  Speaking of a baby, I am going to be feeding mine the vegetables from my garden, so I want to make sure that what I'm feeding her is as healthy as possible, which is why I want to make my garden organic.  Which is why I will most likely purchase some Whitney Farms organic plant food.

 

They have over 25 years in gardening experience and have used that time to improve their products.

 

Some Great things about their product:

 

*Little to no dust

*No manure smell

*Really easy to use

 

 

Those are really important to me.  As well as the fact that it contains helpful ingredients to nurture the plants in my garden, without any chemicals.

 

Click Here: Whitney Farms®, to get a $3 coupon!!!

Whitney Farms®

organic soil

organic plant food

 

(Disclaimer:  The images were taken from a Bing Clip art site, and are not my own images.)

Get your Winter Boots now and save 74%!

I know that it is the end of May, and that the weather is not making you think about Winter Boots AT ALL, however, if you buy some NOW from ShoeScandal, you can save 74%!!  I would NEVER pay $100 for a pair of boots (because I am incredibly cheap..) But I would ABSOLUTELY pay $26 for a pair of $100 boots!!  Which is exactly the deal that they're offering!!

Check it out!!




Hurry up and Grab these while they last!!!

12 Hours Nicotine-less

So, at about 9 pm, last night, I had my last cigarette.  This morning was a little rough, but I've made it so far.  I haven't used any other form of nicotine as of yet.  I want to see if I can survive the 72 hours it takes for nicotine to leave your system.  I have patches on hand, however in case I feel it necessary to use them.

This morning, I had my first cup of Quit Tea.  I have to tell you, it doesn't taste wonderful, but it is a lot better with sugar and a little bit of cream.    I was almost done with it, and still had that jittery anxious feeling you get when your body is wanting to smoke, so I was about to write it off as something that might not work as well as I had hoped.  Then, all of a sudden, right before taking my last sip, it just all of a sudden kicked in.  For a few minutes, I felt calm, almost to the point of feeling a little.. fuzzy.  Luckily, that feeling only lasted for a few minutes.   Now, about ten minutes later, I have the urge to just smoke and then go to sleep (hey, Rome wasn't built in a day!) which, at 10 am, is a little inconvenient, but I'm hoping that throwing a little caffeine in might curb that feeling.  (the fact that it's a dreary, rainy day, makes it a lot easier to not want to go outside to smoke. However, it also leaves me not doing some of the things that we would normally do today if it were nice outside, which leaves me more time to think about smoking,

Well, I just wanted to update, as I told you all that I would post here to let you all know when I have officially qiut.  Thank you again for being here, and showing interest in this journey.  Now I have to drink some coffee, as that tea has made me a little drowsy, and I just typed about a quarter of this post with my eyes closed.. (So, can I just say, it will be great to take this before bed time.)

So, I must know, has anyone else stopped smoking today?  There's still time to make that decision!!  I have, and while I must say, I may not be loving it right now, I know that eventually, sooner or later (hopefully sooner....?) I will be glad that I made this decision.

Tomorrow is it!!

Tomorrow is it.... my last day as a smoker.  I have 12 cigarettes left, and tomorrow, as soon as I have finished them, when they are gone, I am done.  I have my tea ready to make, and I have patches, though I am still not 100% sure that I'm going to use them.  I am going to go at least a day without to see if it is necessary.  Professionals say that it ups your chances of being successful, but I'm wondering if the withdrawals will get easier, a little faster if all of the nicotine is out of my system faster.  Please feel free to weigh in on your opinion of this.

What I am most looking forward to, is the money I will save.  In addition to all of the obvious medical and health benefits that no longer smoking will provide me.  I am thinking about taking the money that I usually spend on cigarettes, and setting it aside.  Then I want to pick a way to reward myself, and save up for it with my smoking money.  This will give me a "if I can just make it until..." mindset, and, at least at first, I think this will really help me.

Is anyone else quitting with me tomorrow? Be on the lookout tomorrow for my official "I am done" post.

My Yard Sale Day

My husband really knows the way to this woman's heart. He came home from work this morning, and told me that there were TONS of yard sales today. Then he said "why don't you go ahead and get some cash from the ATM and see if you can get anything cool." He knows that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE going to yard sales, thrift stores, and flea markets. I love being able to go crazy shopping without spending a ton of money. 

Let me just say, Whew he was really right!! Today was a GREAT yard sale day here in my town. I probably hit up over a dozen (including a huge flea market at a local church!), within 7-8 miles of my own house and scored at almost every single one! Then, as I was running out of time, and realizing that I had to go home, I noticed 2-3 along the way that I missed!

 I spent a total of about $85. I got a LOT of high value stuff. I am so proud of my day. 

As some of you know, we moved into our first house, out of an apartment about 6 months ago. Having both a family room, and a living room as opposed to the small living room we used to have in our apartment, I had a living room with NO furniture in it.. A few weeks ago, we were given a display case that was the only thing in that room before this afternoon. I found a BEAUTIFUL love seat, complete with throw pillows that we scored for only $50!!! When we showed up at this particular house, he had JUST marked it down from $150 down to $75. Now, I only drive a sedan, and my husband, who drives a manual (that I don't know how to drive) Dodge Ram worked last night so he was sleeping. He told me that if I saw any good furniture or anything that was large, to wake him up about an hour early and we'd go together to get it. Knowing this, I told the man selling this couch, that if he still had it in a few hours to call me and I'd wake my husband up to go look at it. When he called me, I asked him if he'd be willing to go down to $50. He said yes! (It really pays to haggle at yard sales in case you weren't aware. Most of the time when they're having a yard sale, they want to just get rid of it almost as bad as they want the money, if not more, so it does pay to ask.) 

 The rest of what I bought was: 

3 different paintings for only $6 TOTAL.

Four ceramic canisters for flour, sugar, coffee and tea for my kitchen. They are adorable. All four of them together only cost $3 

A small chainsaw for only $10! (this was missing a battery, but getting a new battery will only cost us $40, and the saw itself retails for over $120!)

Three lighthouse tea lights for $5 total. (these are pretty big and they are beautiful!) 

Ten childrens books (including a huge "learn your letters" work book) for $2. 

A HUGE bag of children's sand and water toys (probably about 15 toys total) $2. 

An aerobic stability ball $2

 A mirror, butterfly wall hanging, and Dora Step Stool $2 total.

The rest of what I bought were small toys and little things (mainly to entertain my daughter through the duration of our time at these yard sales, that were paid with in change from my wallet. 

The point is, this was a BLAST, and I got some really nice stuff for my home and my family. We had fun, met a lot of different, and interesting people. It actually really tired out my little one also. She fell asleep in the car on the way home and she's napping again now. 

If you're into hitting up yard sales on the weekends, feel free to comment. I would LOVE to know what your best find has been!

Boogie Wipes Review and Giveaway

I got the opportunity to do a review of Boogie Wipes!  For those of you who aren't aware of this product, they're wipes for your children's nose!!  My daughter gets a kick out of them because of the colorful packaging and the fact that they wipe her allergic little nose without hurting at all.



 


Part of what is so great about these wipes, is that they contain saline and aloe.  They are very soothing.  Our whole family has been using them since we received them. (Turns out allergy season is really a perfect time to do a review of this kind of product!!)

They are moist, which my daughter thought was a little strange at first (because she assumed they were just like tissues, since I was about to use them to wipe her nose.  Once she knew that they were going to wipe her nose without making it sore or red, she agreed to try them out.  Then, once she saw that I was right, and that wiping her nose actually felt refreshing, instead of painful (you know how tissues feel after you use about a dozen of them on your nose..), she was hooked.  Not only that, but they really make your nose look and feel clean in a way that tissues really don't. 

Boogie Wipes actually has a lot of cool stuff going on right now too.

 They are in the middle of a Facebook contest right now.  Take a video or snap a photo of one of your (obviously cute) sneezes and post it to your Facebook wall with a Boogie Wipes tag.  This contest ends on June 30th, but with all of the allergies around right now, surely you will be able to catch one before then.

Target is supposed to start selling 45 count FRESH scent Boogie Wipes!

Most major retailers are now also selling 90 count canisters!

They offer a lot of different products.  Go to their WEBSITE to check them out!

Luckily for all of us, Boogie Wipes has also been gracious enough to offer one lucky Mom Show reader the opportunity to win two packages of Boogie Wipes!!  Enter on the Rafflecopter below!!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer:  I was given free product in order to do a product review.  I received no further compensation and my thoughts and opinions on the products are my own.  I only give positive reviews on products that I feel will be a good match for my readers.

I am going to be SO busy!

Hey guys, I just wanted you all to know, once again, that I have some super things coming up in the coming weeks!   I have over TEN products on their way for reviews and/or giveaways.  There's going to be a butt bench giveaway coming up.  I am going to be updating you all on my journey toward quitting smoking.  There are other things that I am going to start working on also that I want to keep you updated on. 

I am also going to be doing a GREAT Father's Day giveaway also!  I am SO excited about this!

I want to help us all to better ourselves, our lives and our families!  I am SO excited to be able to do it!  

As a side note, I just want to thank those of you whom have  contacted me regarding my upcoming journey to quit smoking.  The outpouring of comments and emails I have received have truly touched me, and it is definitely appreciated.  I am SO happy that I am able to share this journey with you, and am hoping that in doing so, if I can help to inspire at least one of you to quit smoking with me, than it's going to be so worth sharing with you.  

My quit date is approaching quickly!!

So, as many of you know, I have decided to quit smoking.  In doing so, I have partnered up with Quit Tea.  (You can read about that HERE.)  But I know, that tea isn't going to be the cure all that makes quitting smoking magically easy.  To tell you the truth, I am nervous.  I am at that stage where I'm saying things like "Do I really want to quit?  Am I going to be able to do it this time??"

This is why I need a plan.  This is why I've been thinking about how I'm going to do this.  I have tried this plan thing in the past and yet, I am still smoking.  I am desperately hoping that the tea will indeed at least give me an edge in this regard.

One of the big reasons that I am quitting (besides all of the obvious of course) is money.  We have been talking about ways that we can cut back on our finances and the money we spend.  I have never wanted to say it out loud, but I am easily spending $80-$100 a month on this habit.  Do you realize that's more than I pay to use the internet to write to you guys?!  This is a motivating factor for me.  I have complained a bit about how I never spend money on myself.. Well... Here is that money.  I have been spending it on myself.  Negatively.  I could get 3-4 haircuts in a month with my smoking money, or 3-4 manicures or pedicures.  I could buy one or two new outfits a month.  We could go out to dinner as a family at least twice.  I could save it all and take my family on a rockin' vacation in a year!  

But anyway, I digress.  I said I had a plan, so maybe I should share it with you guys right?  I'm going to wake up in the morning, and have a cup of quit tea after my coffee.  Then, it's going to be business as usual, minus smoking.  I am going to spend more time blogging, cleaning, playing with my daughter.  I am not going to worry about smelling like smoke.  

When my daughter goes down for her nap, that is typically a big smoke break for me.  I go smoke, blog and clean for a while, smoke again, watch tv for a while, and smoke again.  Instead of going out for that smoke when she goes down, I am going to work out and exercise.  I figure that in doing this, I can kill two birds with one stone, as I REALLY need to lose weight as well.  I am going to attempt to do both at once.  I am going to begin drinking only water in an effort to help flush and cleanse my system of the nicotine and the nasty stuff that comes with it.  (I drink a LOT of diet cola typically, so this is going to help my budget also!  water is free!!) 

Basically, my plan is to keep busy as best as possible.   Try not to think about it..  Reach out for support when I need it, and do my best to stay calm..  This is my biggest challenge.  The coughing, and withdrawing suck, but lashing out at the people I love more than anything has always been what's caused me to pick up cigarettes again.  This is what I have to fix.  And I will!

So again, I would like to call out to all of you to challenge yourselves, and let's do this together.  Let's support each other.  Another plus side to this is that writing about it will hold me accountable.  You have my word that my writing about this will always be honest.  If I slip up, I'm going to tell you.  If I'm doing great, I'm going to tell you.  

So tell me.  Are you with me??

Skoy Cloths Review and Giveaway

 

I was given the opportunity to do a review for Skoy Cloths.  They are cloths that are supposed to act very similarly to paper towels, only in an earth and cost friendly way.

I have spoken to others who have said that they absolutely love this product.  I wasn't completely crazy about them.  I found them not to be as absorbent as I had thought that they would be.  Because you have to wet them for them to be useful, when I used cleaners on my counters there were streaks from the water. When I was wiping up water, it never completely dried everything.  These are the only two problems that I had with the product.  I use them with cleaners and water to clean my bathrooms and parts of my kitchen, and it works very well in these aspects.

A really good thing about these products is the fact that they are cost effective.  You can use these instead of paper towels.  They are reusable!  You can even wash them in either your washing machine or dish washer.  If you just want to quickly disinfect them, you can just throw them into your microwave!

They are also compostable, so between that, and the fact that you're saving paper by not using paper towels, these are also very good for the environment.

Like I said, at first, I really wasn't crazy about this product, (and it's still not quite as great as I initially thought that it would be) but there are a lot of good uses, and great points about them, and as I've also said before, everyone else that I have talked to absolutely loved them.

I am editing this to add, that my husband used these products to clean up this morning.  This is the first time he has tried them, and he absolutely LOVED them!! He said they were great, he liked how they helped him to get everything clean! 

Also, the company was gracious enough to offer me an additional package of these wipes to giveaway for you to try for yourselves! Just enter on the rafflecopter below!  This contest will end One week from today (May 23rd at 12:01 am)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 Disclaimer:  I was given a free product to review and giveaway.  I wasn't offered any financial compensation or told what to say.  These opinions are my own and honest.  

My Mother's Day

I love hearing about other's Mother's Day (*cough*cough*comments*cough*cough*comment on my post with what you did for mother's day*cough*cough*) so I figured I might tell you about mine!

My day started out pretty basic, as my husband did have to work the night before (as I've written before, he works overnight, but I was lucky enough to have him home yesterday and that was awesome!) so when he came home, he basically asked me if I'd like him to stay up, but I told him no, because I knew he was tired. Bt before he went to bed, he took my three year old aside and told her all about Mother's Day.  Then she ran into the kitchen screaming "HAPPY MOMMY DAY!!" Then I got hugs from both of them!  While he was sleeping, her and I went to church, came home and played for a while,and then daddy got up, and we went out for dinner and ice cream. After that, we went to the lake (this has become one of our favorite places to hang out as a family) and we went fishing.  Between my husband and I, we caught SEVEN fish.  We have been having a friendly competition to see who could catch more fish for the season, and I'm happy to report that I am currently in the lead. I am beating him by two!!  Anyway, I had a really simple day yesterday, with lots of time with my family. The days when the three of us are doing fun things together, no matter where we are, or what we're actually doing, as long as we're together and smiling, then it's a wonderful day!  

I have seen a lot of people on my personal facebook talking about the gifts that they received, some of them were homemade, and some store bought.  Some Flowers, and some jewelry.  My husband is going to give me the gift of a little bit of time to myself, he's setting it up for me.  For those of you who stay home with your kids, you know how hard it can be to just get some time, so to me, this is a perfect gift.

I would love to hear about your Mother's Day!  Please share in the comments!

Free Custom Grocery Bag from Ink Garden!!

Get a FREE customized grocery bag, valued at $8.99. You only pay shipping ($4.99). Click on the picture, or you can click HERE. Use code FREEBAG. This offer ends on May 31st so hurry and get yours fast! Ink Garden does great work!! I love using them for fun stuff like this. This might be a great gift for someone who does the shopping, or for yourself! You're bound to get complements from cashiers, baggers and fellow shoppers when you put an adorable picture of your loved ones on one of these bags!

Free Graduation Invites and Announcements!

If you have a child or know someone who is graduating, take advantage of this offer! FREE graduation invites and announcements, just pay shipping!! ($3.99)  Click on the picture and use code GRAD50. This expires 5/31 so hurry and snag this deal up ASAP!! HERE!

Happy Mother's Day!

I just wanted to take this opportunity to wish everyone who reads The Mom Show a very Happy Mother's Day!!!

Whether you are pregnant, have an infant, toddler, child, teenager, grandchildren, or don't have children, but have a Mother, this is a day to appreciate you.  You are helping to mold the society of our future.  You are a caregiver, doctor, chef, chauffeur, tutor, friend, enemy, listener, enforcer, preacher, teacher, and so much more.  And if you're not hearing this as often as you should (which would be every day, probably numerous times), you are SO IMPORTANT! 

  I truly hope that each and every one of you has someone showing you love and appreciation every day, but on this day in particular, I hope that the fact that you're an awesome mother is being honored.

A lot of people talk about this day as being a "Hallmark Holiday", and I guess, in theory, they may be correct, but who cares??  It is a day to honor all we do as moms!!  How often do you have a day that's all about you?!  (I feel exactly the same way about Father's Day for what it's worth... My husband works very hard, and is an excellent father.  He deserves his day most definitely!  There will be another post about that in about a month though.)

The point of this, though is to genuinely wish each and every one of you a wonderful and Happy Mother's Day!    I hope you're pampered and taken care of.  Even if you have to do it yourself, make sure you're having a great day!!

Butt Bench Product Review!

I was given an opportunity to review an absolutely awesome product!  It's called a Butt Bench!

It's basically a bench that basically sits on the edges of your bathtub for you to sit on, adding a comfortable seat to your bathtub.

Here's the one that I have in my bathroom:  It's the cedar one.  

 

When I first began talking with Bill, from this company, I figured that I would try this, and talk about how it made shaving my legs easier, and would make a shower safer for elderly or disabled people.  But once I  got it in my bathroom, I found SO many great things to share with you all.  This has changed my bathroom so much!  One day, I took a bath, and then, colored my hair, put scented bath salt in the tub, and had kind of a spa/sauna type of experience.  I also used it, and some foot soak to give myself a pedicure using my bath tub!!  One day, my husband was suffering terribly with his allergies, so he sat on our Butt Bench, and ran the really hot water so he could sit in the steam.  Can I also say that it really, REALLY, REALLY does make shaving my legs a whole new and easier world for me!

It also makes a great shelf!

 

They also have them in pine, white and pink, so you're sure to find one that will go with your bathroom!

 

I also feel the need to point out that it is EXTREMELY easy to install!  You literally just use suction cups on the back to attach it to the wall, and the rest just sits on the lips of your tub!

I would highly suggest checking out their website to learn about the Butt Bench.  They also offer other products so I would check those out too!  If you want to hear more about how people feel about the Butt Bench, I highly suggest liking them on Facebook!

Now, I will be offering a giveaway in a few days, but if you want to try to get one for free, I wanted to also let you know, that if you check out their Facebook page, and their website, you will see a lot of pictures of people using their products.  They are always looking for people to use their products and take pictures of themselves using them.  I am told that they are not fussy about looks, they just want people who are willing to show themselves (robed or in a towel of course) using these awesome benches.  If this is something that interests you, comment on this post or message me on my Facebook page, and I will help you work this out!

Disclaimer:  I was given a Butt Bench by this company for review.  The opinions expressed here are my own, and I received no further financial compensation.  My review is honest, and I will never review something that I don't use first, and will not recommend something that I don't feel to be a good match for my readers.

Quiznos Coupons!!

Have you ever been to Quiznos? They have some really DELICIOUS sandwiches and salads.  And now, if you haven't tried them before, you can try them now with some coupons!! 

Free Regular Fountain Drink With Purchase of any sub, large salad, large grilled flatbread, or choose 2. and $1 off a regular Sub or Large Salad or $2 off a Large Sub.

Would you like some coupons today?

How about some Friday coupon printing/clipping?