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About Me
- Marybeth I.
I am a working mom of three kiddos - a teen, and 8 year old and a 7 year old. I am a mother first and foremost. I love being a mom and sharing my passion for love of home, family and girlie stuff with other bloggers.
Every Spring and every Winter I like to purchase a new handbag. I am very rough on my purses, so usually I need one also.
I am very into the patina green-turquoise, bright spring colors right now.... this bag is great. I love the size and the quilting detail. There are many more at thetrendypurse.com.
Have fun looking! - you can search by brand, color, price range, etc.
I have been selected to be a Tropicana Juicy Insiders Ambassador!
OK, so maybe you are familiar with Tropicana but have no idea what a Juicy Insider is. I did not either....
Tropicana Juicy Insiders program is a new discount program that rewards you for purchasing Tropicana products as most of you probably already do. (I know that we do!) Tropicana is partnering with bloggers to spread the message about their new TropicanaJuicy Rewards site! On this site you will find discounts on purchases you may have already had in mind, such as a family trip to the zoo or a new pair of running shoes.
Juicy Reward codes are found on the bottom of the caps of select Tropicana products. You simply register with the Juicy rewards site, enter your code(s) and start accumulating points. The points can then be redeemed for special offers and discounts. Each carton of TropicanaOrange Juice is worth up to $15 in savings.
There are different rewards at various point levels ranging from 1 point to 9 point rewards. You can search rewards by area, type of reward or both. There are also icons for various partners at the bottom of the page - if you hover over the partner logo, a reward currently being offered pops up.
I have not redeemed any rewards yet but have been familiarizing myself with the site. The main note of interest regarding navigating the site is when finding rewards in your area or that interest you, it is important to select the various categories. At first I thought that there were not many rewards in my area. After a couple more visits I saw that there were - you just have to click the links and really go through the site. Currently there are over 20,000 rewards nationwide!
Each category lists the number of offers currently available . Find a category you like, click on the corresponding icon and browse through the rewards - Easy!
This weekend I will be selecting rewards for a skating trip with the girls. There is a buy one admission get one free reward on the site that I plan to use. At only one point this is a great deal!
The girls have been asking me for weeks to go. When I finally said we could go it was assumed that I would hang out on the side lines. I mentioned that I may actually skate as well... The girls seemed shocked that I knew how to skate. (You know, us parents don't know how to do anything LOL) I told them that I knew how to roller skate AND ice skate. This weekend, after a 25 year hiatus, I will be hitting the roller skating rink again! I will post and let you know how it goes.
Want to try Juicy Rewards but are not registered yet? Here is a free code to get you started (expiration date unknown): 1. Go to www.tropicana.com 2. Set-up your Tropicana Juicy Rewards account (just take a minute!) 3. Visit the "Enter Codes" page within the site and get started with MOMCE-NTRAL * This one-time use code is valid for new accounts ONLY. Must be entered within 6 hours of creating your account.
You can follow Tropicana on Facebook and Twitter to find out more:
I wrote this review while participating in the Tropicana Juicy Insiders Ambassador program by Mom Central on behalf of Tropicana. I received 12 free Juicy Rewards points and a $50 Visa gift card to use in redemption of the points and to facilitate my review.
Tonight one of Miss N.'s dwarf hamsters "disappeared". It was pretty easy to figure out the culprit. Miss E. will not stay out of Miss N.'s room because of her obsession with the hamsters - Speedy and Peanut. Miss N. is constantly begging her to stay out. We have locked doors, locked the cages, etc, but she keeps finding a way in there.
She is otherwise a good kid but just loves those darn hamsters - and as much as I have not taken to the other pets we have had at one time or another (guinea pigs, gerbils, frogs, etc), I do think these hamsters are the cutest.
Miss N. was distraught because instead of two hamsters in the cage there was only one. Miss E. insisted she put the hamster back and was just as upset as Miss. N. After an hour of tears and an hour of looking - pulling rugs up, couches back, flashlights under tables, dressers, etc,. we finally gave up.
I suggested that they look in the sun room as a last resort as they were cleaning it earlier. Miss E's eyes sparked up and I knew we were on to something. Sure enough, there was Peanut - a little cold but in the box Miss E. left him in. Both girls were thrilled and I was free to make dinner.
St. Patrick's Day is coming up. The Luck of the Irish should keep drivers safe, but even St. Patty can't protect against drunk drivers. It is up to us - by planning now for a safe and sober way home, we can minimize the risk of someone getting hurt..
Whether you or your loved ones are headed out with friends after work this Wednesday it is important to make sure that you are driving safe. Not driving home from a restaurant or bar? Not be celebrating this St. Patrick's Day? Maybe you will be driving home from extracurricular activities with your family. (that is what I will be doing). In 2008, 1,179 people in other vehicles were killed in crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers.
Regardless of whether or not you are safe, you may be sharing the road with those returning from a fun St. Patrick's Day event. How can you keep yourself and your family safe? Share these useful tips.
Buzzed Driving IS Drunk Driving.
· Designate a sober driver before you head out for the evening..
· Be prepared to take alternate transportation home such as a bus or taxi opr have a friend that you can call. Have the phone number(s) entered in your phone before you leave for the party.
To learn more about the impact buzzed driving can have on a life, please watch this important video about the financial and personal repercussions of getting a DUI: http://buzzeddriving.adcouncil.org/sign.php#video
Remember: Buzzed Driving IS Drunk Driving. Plan ahead and ask your loved ones to do the same.
I was not paid any form of compensation for this post which was done in partnership with Global Influence as part of a public safety campaign. I am eligible to have my name entered in a drawing to thank me for my time. For more information on this blog and my posting practices please refer to the disclosure policy below.
Are you tempted to buy items you see on TV? I have to admit that I am often. I especially like the kitchen items - anything to make my time in the kitchen more efficient.
EZ Cracker™ is an egg cracker AND separator - at just the touch of a button you can easily crack eggs. What is the benefit of this? No more bits of shell mixed in with your food. It is also more hygienic. No more egg dripping off the edge of the bowl or counter from cracking it open on the edge which may increase the risk of salmonella by surface contamination.
Currently retailing at $14.98, this is an affordable investment for your kitchen. This special includes a free bonus attachment that makes separating egg yolks and whites just as easy. Strip shells from hard boiled eggs in seconds! No more spills!
Taylor's Gifts has been in the mail order business since the early 1950's. With over 50 years of providing customers with unique merchandise, Taylor's Gifts is a one stop shop destination for gifts and items for the home.
What are some of the other fun products Taylor Gifts offers?: Gifts and NoveltiesHome DecorHousewaresHome OrganizersKitchenOutdoor and PatioPersonal CareLightingCleaningPetsAutomotiveAnd More! You can shop by room, by category or by price.
Have to purchase a gift for that hard to buy for person? Use the Gift finder! Great suggestions on gifts for Kids, Him, Her, "The Cook", "Pet Lovers" and more.
Sale Shopper? Check out the Clearance section at Taylor's Gifts.
Or if you are the type of person who likes the latest and greatest check out the New Arrivals Section.
Taylor's gifts also guarantees your satisfaction their products! From their website: "if you're not completely satisfied with your merchandise from Taylor Gifts we'll refund the price of the product - even personalized items!" Whether you are searching for yourself, or for someone else, Taylor's Gifts has a wonderful selection of handy products for the home
This post was done in partnership with a sponsor. I was compensated to write a website review but all information posted is my honest opinion. For more information on this blog and my posting practices, please refer to the disclosure policy below.
Anyone deserving of a pick-me-up? My vote is for Moms! - demanding schedules - cooking - cleaning - laundry - taxiing - shopping - sleepless nights - nursing sick kids - everything else
If you're one of the many Moms like me who rely on a caffeine boost to jumpstart your day, you might be familiar with 100% Colombian Coffee.
100% Colombian Coffee supports and promotes quality java-found in numerous brands of coffee. Why? Because consumers the world over are aware of the importance of its origin and demanding premium coffee for various reasons. Taste. Quality. Fair trade (many brands). Next time you are shopping for coffee, look for the 100% Colombian Coffee logo "the "richest coffee in the world." Find out more at http://www.whatsbehindthebest.com
Whether or not you are a Coffee drinker or not, don't want to miss out on the 100% Colombian Coffee "See What's Behind the Best" sweepstakes. By visiting , you'll have the opportunity to learn about the philosophy behind 100% Colombian Coffee and enter to win great prizes, including a grand prize of $10,000! I just entered myself :)
I was not paid any form of compensation for this post which was done in partnership with MomSelect. I am eligible to have my name entered in a drawing to thank me for my time. For more information on this blog and my posting practices please refer to the disclosure policy below.
Making sure the family sits together at the dinner table at least once a week is important. Family time and familiar dinners give kids both stability and a base for memories that will carry them through their lives. It is not always easy to do this but I do try to make it a priority. I generally eat with my girls every night unless I am not eating dinner. Family time with the five of us is more rare because of work, school and and extracurricular activities.
Ragú® offers moms and dads hundreds of nutritious, convenient, delicious and affordable meal ideas- perfect for busy families on the go. Ragú® understands our hectic lifestyles and desires to feed your families quality meals at a great value.
Ragu wants you to feed your kids well! Browse through the various recipes posted on their website for ideas and motivation.
Good Start contest Ragú® is teaming up with actress and mom Molly Ringwald to promote the Recipe for a Good Start Contest. They are asking moms to share their recipes for a good start for a chance to win a $5,000 college scholarship.
By visiting , you'll have a chance to submit your recipe for a good start in life and your original Ragú® recipe that has the family running to the dinner table!
Three first prize winners will be awarded a family trip to New York City where they will compete in a nationally televised Ragú® Recipe Challenge for the chance to win the ultimate prize of a $5,000 college scholarship.
I am going to enter a modified version of my wonderful baked pasta recipe - a staple dinner meal in our home.
Want to find out more? Visit the Good Start Contest link above. You can also follow ragu on twitter at @ragusauce or fan on facebook.
I was not paid any form of compensation for this post which was done in partnership with MomSelect. I am eligible to have my name entered in a drawing to thank me for my time. For more information on this blog and my posting practices please refer to the disclosure policy below.
Can you believe it is mid March already? I can't! March means spring is around the corner. It is also my anniversary month.
Friday night my husband, the girls and I went out to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary. My husband is know for surprising me with things. 1) I don't like surprises 2) these surprises are usually significantly out of our budget
We were going out for a very expensive dinner. My in laws had given us a very generous gift, but it only covered half of the dinner.
So what was the surprise? My DH thought it would be fun to get a limo. Needless to say I did NOT appreciate it. I know that sounds unappreciative, but it added another $400 on to our night which we really cannot afford right now.
A limo trip would have not even made it to the top 100 things I would do with $400. I am not sure it would have even made it to the top 1000. If my husband had saved up and set money aside for this I probably would have reacted a little differently.
It kind of ruined the night for me but I did still enjoy dinner - it was one of the best steak dinners I ever received. Also, the girls did really enjoy the limo so I tried not to be a party pooper. "Tried" being the key word.
I was thrilled to see that I have 400 followers and over 500 subscribers. I am throwing a quick 24 hour giveaway for my readers. Remember my review for Heaven's Alchemy? I have a box, identical to the one I reviewed. I will select one US or Canadian winner.
Current followers and new followers are eligible to enter but you MUST be a follower. Respond to this post and you are entered!@ I will draw a winner tomorrow night.
One extra entry for re-tweeting. Please post 1x for each entry
My latest passion is teas - black tea, herbal tea, red tea, green tea, rooibos tea, tea blends, plain tea, etc.. So many different varieties! It is easy to become addicted. Besides being a treat for the palate, tea has numerous healthy perks - This website has some great information on the benefits of tea.
Constant Comment by Bigelow is a favorite and a staple in my tea drawer. I have long been a fan of Yogi Teas and keep a nice supply on hand. I also like loose teas (SBS Teas has a wonderful selection, including some decadent blends). Recently I have become addicted to Wissotzky Tea that I received in a beverage swap at OLS. I received a wonderful cherry wood box filled with Wissotzky teas. Well my favorites are almost gone (or ARE gone) and I am trying to figure out how to order my four favorites. It seems like some stores carry one or two and another store will carry the other one or two.
I love the following teas The first two our out of stock and the last one I cannot find anywhere:
It looks like I may just need to order another large assortment box (in the wooden tea chest). It is on sale for $20.99 and I can give the extra box to Miss E. who loved the first one. It is probably easiest to do that but when I run out I run into the restocking issue again.... I have tried various stores but no one store carries all four flavors. These are imported from Israel - apparently these are Kosher teas. I am not really knowledgeable about kosher foods - all I do know is that I love this tea and apparently a lot of other people do too!
Another favorite is the Bentley Green Teas my mother-in-law purchased for my husband. Well he received it in July and has not tried any to this day so I started drinking it and love it. We still have plenty of this so I have not started researching replenishing options yet.
And finally Yogi Teas. I purchase these from VitaCost because the price is right but you can find Yogi Tea at other retailers. I have also ordered directly from the Yogi Tea website. My favorite Yogi Teas are Egyptian Licorice Mint, Mexican (or Aztec) Sweet Chili, Bedtime, and Mayan Cocoa Spice. These are very unique blends with different benefits
I still need to try flowering teas, and ginseng tea. I have tried white tea but the flavor is a little too delicate for my palate. I prefer a little kick in my cup.
Feel free to share your beverage of choice!
This was not a sponsored post and all information presented is my honest opinion. I do not claim to be a tea expert and I am not promoting any specific brand or retailer.For more information on this blog and my posting practices, please refer to the disclosure policy below at the bottom of the page.
I came across Layla Grace's story by accident. I was a follower of Baby Wears Prada. One visit I was dismayed to read a post by Shanna Marsh, the website owner, stating that her youngest daughter had been diagonosed with Neuroblastoma, a very rare and aggressive form of cancer.
I started following thge progress of Layla Grace and truly expected that she would be fine. Layla Grace spent months fighting cancer - hospitals, treatment and all that goes a long with it After a lengthy and corageous battle the outcome is not what was expected at all. Sadly Layla Grace passed away today, March 9th, 2010 .
Layla Grace's parents openly shared with us things I had never before thought about.
They shared their daily lives in their fight against this disease - the frustrations of dealing with a sick child and the corresponding range of emotions. Despair. Optimism. Anger. Love. Fear. Hope. What was shared with us was both heartbreaking and inspirational.
They shared what it would be like to put my life on hold when dealing with cancer
They shared the impact that having a sick child has on siblings
They shared what it was like to see your child in pain
They shared how important it is to cherish every moment with our children
They shared pictures, stories, feelings, frustrations and fears
They shared what it is like when parents become caregivers and help their child leave this world in peace and comfort.
They shared their faith
They shared Layla.
In every picture of Layla Grace, even the ones where it is so evident she is not feeling well, you can still see her happiness of being surrounded by loved ones and of being loved. Speaks volumes of Layla's family, friends and caregivers. Below is my favorite picture of Layla Grace and her daddy that I "borrowed" from her blog.
Between the time that I started following her when there were less than 1000 followers on twitter, and today, when there are over 45,000, it is obvious to see how many lives Layla Grace has touched. Layla Grace has given Neuroblastoma a "face" for the countless other children who have been victims of this horrific disease.
What can you do?
* Make a purchase from one of the many buisinesses donating a portion of their proceeds (or ALL proceeds) to the Marsh family's medical expenses AND Texas Children's Cancer Center this week.
* Educate others about Neuroblastoma - blog, tweet or share on facebook.
We have one less light on earth but we have one new star in the sky. For Layla Grayce - you have touched us all. You are always loved and never forgotten.
