Earn Free Prizes and Gift Cards - Swagbucks.com

     Since Swagbucks began, I've been a member.  I remember when I first started, I seriously was just waiting for it to end up being a scam but it never turned out to be and it really surprised me!  I ended up referring a ton of people and earning a lot of freebies.  My favorite reward was the Amazon gift card which back when they first started was 45 SBs.  Now they just changed the value of the swag buck so that the points can be more spread out and they are 450 SBs, still the same though!  

     So anywho, not many people know this but my husband and I won a Baja cruise on there!  We got to take the Rock The Soap Baja Mexico cruise and wow was it amazing.  I think I entered with every single swagbuck I had.  This was before you could get the bulk entries with just one click.  I literally sat there for hours, clicking in each entry until my hands were swollen and my eyes felt like they might dry up and crack.  LOL it was worth it though because we ended up winning and had the adventure of a lifetime!  We don't watch soaps on tv, never have and probably never will but we got to rub elbows with some of the sweetest celebs from those daytime shows, we will never forget it.  

     If you have never been on the cruise I highly suggest you put it on your bucket list, it is so pampering.  We never paid a cent for anything, it was all inclusive including food.  We would literally order anything at all from our room and they would deliver it, we could walk around the many different buffets and just grab whatever!  There was live entertainment, shows, contests, music, swimming, off the ship events once we docked and more.  Hehe it was SO much fun, we will never forget it!  I just had to share this because I get so excited about Swagbucks and people wonder why.  You can seriously win some amazing stuff on there!

Here is the official Swagbucks blog post about our win:

http://blog.swagbucks.com/2009/02/winner-of-the-rock-the-soap-3-day-cruise.html

and then the post after we attended the cruise event:

http://blog.swagbucks.com/2009/03/rock-the-soap-with-swag-nation.html

So what are you waiting for?!  Sign up now and perhaps one day YOU will win something HUGE!

Here is my referral link to sign up under:

http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/Freckles

Just a few pics to share from our trip...ahhh the memories are still so fresh and I hope we get to do something like that again someday!

          

Mud-Pie.com Breast Cancer Survivor Necklace Review - Holiday Gift Idea

     At Mud Pie you'll find innovative gift products, designed with exceptional quality and adorable packaging.  There is so much to be loved on Mud-Pie!  In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness they have a beautiful survivor necklace with a 34" opera length chain.  This is vintage inspired and made with antiqued gold plated metal.  The chain has three charms on it: "STRENGTH", the tree of life and a french saying that reads "Don't count the days, make the days count."  On the clasp there is the mudpie logo in a precious little heart.

     All of our lives have been touched in one way or another by breast cancer.  Early detection is key, and it is quick and easy to schedule a mammogram or clinical breast exam.  Life is so precious, Get screened regularly to lower your chances of losing your life to breast cancer.  This necklace is the perfect gift to give to someone that has beat breast cancer or to wear yourself to promote awareness this coming holiday season.  I myself lost my grandmother to breast cancer years ago and I will be wearing this necklace often in memory of her and to remind myself to get checked and often.

     *A portion of all proceeds will go to the National Breast Cancer Foundation whose mission is to increase awareness and provide assistance for those in need. Help for today... Hope for tomorrow.

http://www.mud-pie.com/

Disclaimer: I did not receive monetary compensation for this review. I was sent the product(s) free of charge by the company or PR representative. It has been used solely for the purpose of this honest review. The views are strictly 100% my own. Receiving the product did not influence me to produce a positive review.  

A New ME - I'm a Nutrisystem Blogger! #nsnation

I've been selected to join the Nutrisystem blogger program for four months!  Losing weight can be intimidating and I have a long journey ahead of me but the Nutrisystem family is there to guide me along the way towards a healthier me so I can take back my life that was stolen by fat!  

The old me in the photos above is my goal, this is me summer of 1999 and May 2000 at 155 lbs (I'm the one in the blue gown).  Back then I was really active, swimming, varsity volleyball and soccer, biking 10 miles a few times a week on hilly country roads.  I had nothing to worry about, I ate a well balanced diet and felt amazing in my fit but curvy body.  See that gorgeous gal in the green?  That is my younger sister Aimee.  She passed away June 5th of 2000 from a very aggressive form of cancer in her brain.  I think a lot of my weight problems started right after she died because it was so sudden.  I know she wouldn't want me to be so unhealthy like I am now, she always told me I was beautiful...I just need to embrace that.
Fast forward several years...

This is me now fall 2011...300 lbs...BIG difference.  I'm married, gave birth to three children and I'm a stay at home mom.  I don't ever bike and I no longer play sports.  Although I try to be active it really isn't enough.  I feel tired a lot, I don't sleep well and nothing fits me in my closet.  Pretty much my wardrobe consists of only a few outfits that look terrible on me...I love fashion but noone would be able to tell by looking at me right now.  My eating habits have been to skip breakfast and lunch, sometimes even skip dinner only to gorge myself late at night because I am starving.  I was eating fairly healthy meals but I think my body thought I was starving and it just started holding onto all the fat that it could...not good.  I'm sure my metabolism slowed down due to age as well, I just turned 30 the end of September.  I do have to add that with each pregnancy I gained about 30 lbs.  Seeing those photos next to each other really helps me to see just what I've done to myself.  I've lost who I was on the outside and I don't like that!  I'm happy to say, my Nutrisystem foods have arrived over the past couple of days and I am ready to start!

Nutrisystem freezer meals above, including ice cream treats!

 The blue are breakfast, the green is lunch and red dinner...easy!

 Desserts are color coded pink and that box you see there is packed full!  I had no idea a diet could look so delicious, I really thought I would have to cut yummy things completely out of my diet and eat something similar to cardboard lol.  I am one happy mama, I get to eat a lot of normal type foods that look delicious.  I will also be filling in the blanks with some fresh fruits and vegetables.  One more thing that surprised me was that I need to add one extra carb to my breakfast and dinner and one fruit to lunch.  I need to eat more because I have over 100 lbs to lose...crazy!  The question is, will I lose weight?  I guess we will find out but I am very confident I will.  I am even going to be helping my body along by walking on my treadmill at least three times per week for 30 minutes., my walking shoes are ready to go!

I received a 32 ounce water bottle in my package from Nutrisystem.  I washed it out and filled it up right away!  I usually drink about 40 ounces of water a day but that was not enough!  Nutrisystem suggests that I drink at least 64 ounces per day.  Me and this bottle are going to become good friends.

Last but certainly not least, in my package of shelf stable foods I received a packet of info.  Inside was an on-the-go planner for when I need to eat something that is not on the plan.  Also included is a meal planner booklet where I can jot down my meals.  I will be using that one online through my Nutrisystem account, I am always online and I'd probably just loose the booklet lol.  I am also using the Mindset Makeover guide online which will walk me through 12 core steps to successful weightloss.  

I will be posting every so often letting you all know how I am doing and a little more about the program so feel free to check my tab under my header marked "Nutrisystem" regularly where I will post links to every post.  I will also be doing a few vlogs so watch out for those!  Keep an eye on my little ticker down there at the bottom too.  If you have any questions please visit the Nutrisystem website link below.

Want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or by visiting the Nutrisystem Website.

http://www.nutrisystem.com/nsblog

Nutrisystem is providing their food and program to me free of charge in exchange for blogging about my experience as part of the Nutrisystem Nation Blogger Program. The opinions above are my own. Others experience may vary.

$89 ARV Seventh Generation Dish Liquid Review & Prize Pack with Le Creuset, Full Circle and Twist #Giveaway Ends 11/12 @ 12:01am EST

The power of scent is remarkable. It can have positive effects on your mood, reduce stress, and even help you sleep better. But not all scents are created equal. The fruit, floral and herbal ingredients used to create the scents in Seventh Generation’s new natural dish liquid come from fields, not factories.

Seventh Generation dish liquid contains only essential oils and botanical extracts, and delivers real cleaning power. Your tableware will be left fresh and ready to serve your next home cooked meal. With authentic ingredients like lavender from the fields of Drome in the foothills of the Alps, clementines from sunny Calabria and lemons from the soils of Sicily, Seventh Generation natural dish liquid is free of unnecessary synthetic colors or chemically engineered scents. Enter the “Nature Makes Perfect Scents” sweepstakes at seventhgeneration.com/scents and you can have the chance to take a trip for two to visit one of the sourcing sites of Seventh Generation natural dish liquid fragrance ingredients. Visit seventhgeneration.com/scents to learn more about each scent’s origin. ~Seventh Generation and MyBlogSpark

Cheap and Simple Home Decor Wall Art Craft - Recycled Toilet Paper Rolls

lol, blurred the background to hide our half remodeled kitchen!

Thanks for checking out my toilet paper roll creation!

Award Winning Moscato - flipflop wines "to each, their own" Review

     Flipflop's moscato wine...yummmm.  Simply bursting with the flavors of a light grapefruity flavor, honey and a slight musky aroma.  Take a sip and relax, this is simply divine.  Moscato is a variety of the Muscat Grape, which is used for wine-making, raisins and for table grapes.  It has a sweet flavor, low tannins and the color can vary greatly.  It is grown throughout the world and ranges from region to region.  Apparently the Muscat grapes, and their wines possess high concentrations of flavonoids, the little antioxidants that promote health.  There are almost as many flavonoids in Muscat, as there are in red wine, so if you like to drink Moscato, you could argue that it is good for you.  Moscato is not usually loved by wine snobs simply because it is not a dry wine, but who cares?!  Moscato is by far my favorite wine and you will always find a bottle in my fridge.  It's low alcohol level of 10% and light sweetness lends itself to many different types of foods whether sweet or savory.  My favorite side kick was hot & spicy peanuts but this wine really does best all on its own, no need to eat anything with it.

Investment?

Only $7 per bottle, making this very affordable and an excellent gift idea.  Find this online or in a store near you.

Flip Flop Moscato Awards:

• PLATINUM, Best of Varietal, Best of Class 2011 New World International Wine Competition
• GOLD Best of Class — 2011 Pacific Rim Wine Competition
• SILVER 2011 Riverside Wine Competition
• SILVER 2011 Tasters Guild
• SILVER 2011 Florida State Fair International Wine Competition
• SILVER 2011 The Dallas Morning News & TexSom Wine Competition
• SILVER 2011 Hilton Head Island Wine
• SILVER 2011 Consumer Wine Awards in Lodi

Follow FlipFlop Wines

Facebook or Twitter

Website

http://www.flipflopwines.com/

Disclaimer: I did not receive monetary compensation for this review. I was sent the product(s) free of charge by the company or PR representative. It has been used solely for the purpose of this honest review. The views are strictly 100% my own. Receiving the product did not influence me to produce a positive review.

MeGiant "small things, giant style" Clothing Review

What is Me Giant?

me – me, myself and I ( especially in the mind of a child)
giant – a person or thing of unusually great size, power or importance.

Who is Me Giant?

Me Giant is a team of illustrators, cartoonist, graphic artist, order takers, order shippers, floor sweepers and joke makers that are lead by chief keeper upper Shelia Butler.

After spending seven year successfully co-owning and running Aidan Gray Home, Inc., a wholesale decor and furniture business, Butler made the decision to change paths and focus on Children’s design and decor. This decision was not surprising as through the gift of adoption, her home welcomed 2 little giants within an 11 month period. Talk about a change of lifestyle.

The only thing Butler desires more than a full night of uninterrupted sleep is happy customers which Me Giant strives to provide by offering products that are fun, simple, quirky, different and sometime old (she love vintage finds). She and her team are committed to exceptional customer service, safe products and pursuit of happy little giants.

Our Review

    From the day that our 10 lb son was born, we have always called him "Bubba".  The MeGiant tee BUBBA could not have been more fitting!  I also love the "Twinkle Stinkle" tee, it makes me crack up every time I see it or think of it.  There is just so many cute designs to choose from, I seriously had a hard time picking out just two.

     Shelia Butler, owner and busy mom to two boys is keeping it real with designs that say exactly what you or baby are thinking.  Let it be known to the world, you call your little giant "Bubba" or "Silly Goose"!

     There are countless designs to tickle your fancy and they are available in size 3 months to 4T.  Pick your favorites from hats, creepers, bibs or tees.  There are several tees that combine an animal drawing with another animal sound that quite frankly have nothing to do with each other.  It seems perfect to me though since half of the sayings that come out of our children's mouths make just about as much sense lol.

     The two tee's we received were packaged in that sweet metal lunchbox you see in the above photos.  My son K loved carrying his new little case around, opening and closing it and putting little random toys into it.  The t-shirts are high quality, made from 100% cotton and have survived many messes from my little giant.  Wash after wash and our MeGiant t-shirts have come out looking like new.  The graphics do not shrink up or flake off, they stay put and that's how we like it.       MeGiant is the perfect gift for that special expecting mama or newly born baby.  Just think, you could get a whole stack of MeGiant items and tie them up all cute with a big ribbon!  You just have to go and check out MeGiant's bibs, hats, creepers and t-shirts!  Oh the cuteness that is in store for your little babe, you will want one of everything.  

Buy some MeGiant:

http://www.megiant.com/

Follow on Twitter or Facebook.

Check it out, a 25% coupon code <here>!

 What MeGiant designs will you pick?

Disclaimer: I did not receive monetary compensation for this review. I was sent the product(s) free of charge by the company or PR representative. It has been used solely for the purpose of this honest review. The views are strictly 100% my own. Receiving the product did not influence me to produce a positive review.

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