Christmas Break!

Well, Christmas is in 3 days! Only 3 days! I can't believe it's here! I know Jaden is super excited, but I think I'm just as excited! LOL We are going out of town for the holiday weekend so there won't be any blogging until at least Monday. I sincerely hope you all have a wonderful Christmas with your families! I'm going to leave you all with some Christmas laughs!

Merry Christmas Everyone, from my family to yours!

Big Hugs,

Tammy

Create a realistic photo of catching Santa in your home! ICaughtSanta Review/Giveaway

Tomoson.com

 ICaughtSanta is a fun way to provide solid proof that Santa visited your house on Christmas eve! In 3 east steps,  anyone can create their own photo showing Santa in their own living room!

First, you take a picture of wherever you want to "catch" Santa. I personally chose our living room since that's where our Christmas tree is. Then you upload the picture to the website. Then you choose your favorite Santa from the options and insert it on your photo! All that's left to do is add a fun holiday border if you want one, and then email, download, or print your picture. Or you can choose to send your Santa photo over to a store near you for in-store pick up! 1 photo is $9.99 to create! As a bonus for my readers, you can get 25% off your photo by using the code SAVE25 at checkout! What a fun family memory and a great way to keep the magic of  Christmas alive for your children!

As a bonus, 5 lucky readers can win their own free Santa picture! Simply enter to win yours on the Rafflecopter below! Good luck!

Enter to win a Peak Auto Electronic Back-Up System!

Are you still looking for a Christmas gift for a friend or family member and you're drawing a blank? How about a Peak Auto Electronic Back-Up System with color LCD screen? Better yet, how about winning one so you don't have to buy it? LOL Head on over to Raising My 5 Boys and fill out the Rafflecopter! You just may win it! (If I don't that is! LOL) Let them know Lucky Emerald sent ya!

$100 Amazon Twitter Blast!!

This is my very first Twitter Blast and I'm really excited about it!

What is a Twitter Blast? You the blogger can join for free with one account – Twitter. Then we will provide the prize-$100 Amazon card.

Amee from Madame Deals and Jen from all her blogs  (Kobiso, Makobi Scribe, Sason and Pobi, etc) are the sponsors!!

What do you need to do to join? 

• Post about the event with the button linking back to this post. (Right click save the image)
• Fill out this form - sign ups close Dec 14th at 9 AM EST.
• Post the Rafflecopter on your blog and your Facebook page for the event. You can get it here
• Then schedule the giveaway post to go live on Dec 15 11:59 PM EST to Jan 1 12:01
• You can post on every blog you have, one post per twitter account.I will email you on the 14th to remind you.

Giveaway Hop Sign Up for Bloggers: Spring Shoe Runway Event!

It is a perfect time to showcase your favorite Spring Shoes. Kobiso and Jamie’s Precious Peas are proud to present Spring Shoe Runway Event from Feb 24 12:01 PM EST to Feb 29 at 12:01 PM EST and is accepting signups now.

Send $5 (NOT as a gift as a service) admin fee to jamielovesherfamily@gmail.com OR write a post announcing the event signups.



Hugs,

Tammy

The Slice Safety Cutter Review- Great for couponers!

Tomoson.com

I don't know about you, but I am a big fan of the TV show "Extreme Couponing"! Everytime I watch that show it inspires me to get those coupons clipped and try to save as much money as possible! I've done pretty well with  it so far! Last month, I bought 2 sticks of deoderant, 2 full size bottles of shampoo and a large bottle of Scope mouthwash, and I only paid $0.65 for it all! It is possible! The only downside of this extreme couponing thing is cutting the coupons! It seems like it takes forever! Then I got the chance to try out a product to help me with that! It's called The Slice Safety Cutter. It's a very simple tool, with a rubberized non-slip finish and a microscopic ceramic blade that is a easy and safe alternative to scissors!

The Slice is magnetized so I just hung mine on my refrigerator so I can find it easily! It works great for cutting coupons, but it's also great for scrapbooking, cutting newspaper clippings, cutting articles and recipes out of magazines, opening CD's, DVD's and much more! I'm left handed and sometimes it's hard to find tools that are easy to use! This tool can be used easily by right or left handers! It's small so it's easy to carry in your purse so you can cut coupons at the store, and it's safe for children to help mommy out!

If you'd like to buy your own The Slice Safety Cutter, visit their website HERE. They sell for $5.99. They have alot of products  to make life easier, like, Letter openers, pencil sharpeners, and veggie peelers!

I'd like to thank The Slice Inc. for sending me their product for review!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Until next time,

Tammy

How to Catch Happy- A book review

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Lately, I've been thinking about my life in general and asking myself the question, Am I truly happy? Truthfully, the answer is no. Now don't get me wrong, I am not unhappy with my husband or my precious son! Those aspects of my life are fine! I just haven't been happy with the fact that I've lost interest in alot of the activities that used to make me truly happy! I got the opportunity to review the book "How to Catch Happy-A Guide to Reeling in the Biggest Fish of All" by Jim F. Kukral, and I wasn't exactly sure if I would like the book or if I would relate to it in any way.

Jim starts out by explaining that the premise of his book was basically how to pursue what you want in life, whether it be happiness or whatever it is that you are after. He uses alot of fishing metaphors because that's the thing that makes him happy! In the first chapter I started to think that maybe this book would pertain to me more than I thought! Mr. Kukral goes on to say that it took a profound event in his life to open his eyes to the fact that he had been looking for happiness the wrong way. He had been focusing more on making money than doing things that made him happy! He said something in this first chapter that really hit me. He said "According to the Wall Street Journal, millionaires need $7.5 million to feel “wealthy”.
 Is that all? I think the more interesting question would be how much money would they
need to feel happy?" So, money can't buy happiness? That's a darned good thing because half the time I can't afford even a smile! LOL

The author goes on to talk about 3 other men in the final 3 chapters who all come from different walks of life and different circumstances. They all have the same problem though. They were unhappy. They all found their happiness in something as simple as going fishing! Now, I don't fish, never really liked to fish, but the underlying message made alot of sense to me. I need to get back to basics and find my happiness! Activities that I used to love and that made me happy, I've just kind of forgotten about them!

This book was definitely not the kind of book I would normally read, but I'm glad I did! It just goes to show that you really shouldn't judge a book by it's cover! Literally!

If you would like to purchase the book, you can order it from Amazon.com.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com.. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Until next time.

Tammy

Weekend fun!

I love to do activities with my son! I am always looking for things around town or close to home that are fairly cheap or free for us to do. I remember when I was younger, my mom was very creative in finding activities for my sister and I to do, and it definitely made for some good memories and happy times in my childhood. These are the things I'm trying to give my son. I want him to look back fondly on his childhood. I feel that all the things my mom introduced me to made me a more well-rounded adult.

Which brings me to this weekend! This morning, Jaden went to Storytime at the Library. They are doing their Thanksgiving activities and I excited to see what craft project he will bring home to hang on the refrigerator! It may sound silly to some people but I look at all the finger paintings, coloring pages, and construction paper crafts and see a little budding artist! Then at some point today, I thought we would make construction paper chains with fall colors! Yesterday, Jaden and I did a project together that was really fun and also taught Jaden to be giving and caring during the holidays. We wrote letters of encouragement to soldiers in Christmas cards!  We are definitely a family who supports the military since my husband served in the US Navy and Jesse's brother is currently serving our country in the US Navy as well! So when I found a service that accepts and the distributes the cards, I decided it would be a great project for Jaden and I! If you are interested doing this project with your child(ren), here is the info you need.

The American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes are teaming up for the fifth year to distribute greeting cards to members of the US Armed Forces and veterans during the 2011 holiday season. Here's how you can help!

1. Make or purchase the cards you'd like to send. Up to 15 for individuals, up to 50 for a school/classroom project. Consider making your cards non-denominational to take into account the varying beliefs of service men and women. You do not need to write "Any Soldier" on the outside of the card envelope.
2. Bundle your cards or place them in a large envelope.
3. Mail the cards to:   Holiday Mail for Heroes   PO Box 5456,   Capitol Heights, MD   20791-5456
4. Postmark your cards by December 10. If your cards are not postmarked by the date, they will not be delivered to soldiers.

Jaden and I wrote a short thank you in each card, included a patriotic sticker, and Jaden signed his own name to make it as personal as possible. I went to the post office and got a large flat rate envelope, put our bundle of 15 cards in it, and paid the flat-rate of $4.95 to send it.

It was a fun but also educational project! And we did it together! Now I need to plan out our next project!

Until next time,

Tammy

Bryton Pick review! Don't worry Mom, I'm flossing!

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For as long as I can remember, I have always taken my oral hygiene very seriously. My mom always made sure I made it to the dentist every six months for my cleaning and fluoride treatments. I have always taken great pride in the fact that I've never required braces since my teeth have been so straight and I've only had 1 cavity in my 37 years on this earth! So when I heard about the Bryton Pick flosser, I couldn't wait to try it out! The Bryton Pick is a small, very portable plastic tool with a flexible stainless steel piece at each end. The stainless steel is rounded and blunt to reduce the risk of injuring your gums, dental work, and teeth. Here is a photo so you have an idea of what I'm talking about.

The Bryton Pick is so easy to use and so convenient for us moms on-the-go all the time! I've been using mine for almost a week now and I've "flossed" in the car, after a meal at a restaurant, just about anywhere! Each Bryton Pick is reusable for 30 days so I just stuck one in my purse to use while I'm out and left the other one in my bathroom to use after I brush my teeth. As you can see in the photo above, the red one is in it's carrying case. The case is a little smaller than a credit card so it's very convenient to take anywhere! It's been rather difficult to floss my 4 year old son's teeth, but now he can actually floss himself with the Bryton Pick and loves doing it!

The Bryton Pick is a quick solution when there is no time or place to floss! It reduces plaque and bacteria build-up, it prevents bad breath, and it stimulates proper oral hygiene! Please check out their website at Bryton Pick. You can also pick them up at Meijer, Kinney Drugs, A&P, Superfresh, and DK Drug Co. and online at Drugstore.com, Amazon.com, Dentist.net, BrytonPick.com, CVS.com, and Walgreens.com. You can also order by phone at 877-427-9866.




I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.tomoson.com/?code=BOTTOMde5cc52339933a49b44fa6dfbd1e6cc5">Tomoson.com</a>. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

I want to sincerely thank Toothguard Dental Instruments for providing me the Bryton Pick to try!

Until next time...

Tammy

A visit to Natural Valley Ranch!

I love October! Halloween is definitely one of my favorite holidays because of the wonderful crisp, cool air of October! My sister was lucky enough to be born at the end of October so her birthday parties are always either Halloween themed, or fall themed in general. This year, she decided she wanted to have her party at Natural Valley Ranch, a horse farm and boarding facility in Brownsburg Indiana. They were hosting their Fall Family Fun Night tonight where the kids could ride the horses all they wanted, there were goats, ducks, chickens, and a Llama to pet, you could take a spooky hayride through the woods, and make a bonfire to cook your own hotdogs and eat at their picnic tables.

The kids couldn't wait to get on the horses of course so that's what we did first! They had several horses out in the arena of all colors and sizes with one of their workers leading each one. They also provided helmets for the children's safety.

The kids were having so much fun on the horses, we almost weren't able to get them off long enough to do or see anything else! LOL Once we got them away from the horses, we went to see the other animals! There was one little grey pony tethered to a round pen that the kids wanted to groom so they were all given brushes. That little pony was so patient with all those kids around! LOL Poor thing!

My Jaden especially liked the chickens and the duck! He was allowed to hold one of their Silky chickens and he was so proud of himself! Look at this grin!

Everyone was getting pretty hungry by this time so we all went to our picnic area to roast some hotdogs. We had an area with a firepit and a few picnic tables all to ourselves away from the other guests. After dinner, we sang Happy Birthday to my sister and had some cake. Then we headed back out to go on a hayride!

My niece M loves tractors so before we went on our hayride, she hopped up in the driver's seat!

When it got dark, we went on our hayride. It was pretty darn spooky! We went way out on a trail through the woods! I think my husband was more freaked out than the kids were! LOL Sorry honey! It wasn't a short ride either, we were gone about 20 minutes I'd say!

Once we returned to the ranch, it was time to go. Jaden wanted to know where the horses were, so I told him that they had gone to bed. He then wanted to see where they slept so we all went to the barn so Jaden could say goodnight. He went to each stall and asked what the horse's name was and said goodnight to each one calling them by name. It was very cute! 

We all had a lot of fun at Natural Valley Ranch! There was so much to see and do, it wore Jaden out. He fell fast asleep on the ride home.

If you'd like to plan a visit to Natural Valley Ranch, please visit their website http://naturalvalleyranch.com/ to see everything they offer. 

Until next time...

Hugs,

Tammy

Giveaway: Playful Threads Lingerie & Costumes $30 Gift Card

Rachel's Giveaways and Reviews is hosting a giveaway for Playful Threads on her blog! She is giving away a $30 gift card to www.playfulthreads.com where they have lingerie, sexy Halloween costumes, and clubwear! They have plus size too! If that's not really your cup of tea, they have jewelry, swimwear, and more! If you'd like to enter, head on over to Rachel's Giveaways and Reviews (http://rachelsgiveaways.com/2011/10/giveaway-playful-threads-lingerie-costumes-gift-card/) and fill out the rafflecopter form! Please let her know that Lucky Emerald's Reviews sent ya!

Hugs,

Tammy

Spooky Story Time at the Public Library!

This morning, Jaden went to Spooky Story Time at our local public library. I had signed him up for it about a week ago. At 10:00am we joined about 10 other children in the art room at the library. There were 2 ladies running the group, Ms. Peggy and Ms. Lori. The children put on paint smocks and sat down to do a craft. They had a small paper plate, some orange paint, a paint brush, and several construction paper cutout pieces. They were making Jack-O-Lanterns.

Once the children finished their Jack-O-Lanterns, they could go play with toys on the storytime mat.

While the children were playing, Ms. Lori made some homemade playdough in an electric skillet. After it cooled, she put a ball of it at each child's place at the table. There were small rolling pins and Halloween themed cookie cutters on each table.

Then the children were called to the storytime mat for some reading time. Ms. Peggy read aloud 3 different books. Pumpkiin Jack, Five Little Pumpkins, and The Hallo-Weener. The children were all captivated by the way Ms. Peggy was so energetic, using different voices for different characters and asking questions about the pictures in the story. 

After storytime, it was snack time! Jaden's favorite part! LOL They were having cupcakes and orange colored lemonade. The cupcakes were premade but the children were able to ice their own and add sprinkles! 

Spooky story time lasted a little over an hour, but it seemed longer since they did so many activities! It wasn't rushed though, just very organized and well thought out. Jaden had a lot of fun and definitely wants to go back for November's story times. I was able to sign him up while we were at the library. They have 3 dates set up for November and I signed Jaden up for all 3!  

Here's a very happy Jaden with his Jack-O-Lantern he made and his playdough they let him bring home! If you have children, please check with your local library to see if they have similar children's programs. I think these programs are so beneficial and help instill a love of reading in children. I know Jaden loves me to read to him. I read him a bedtime story every night and most days, I read to him 2 or 3 times during the day! We visit the library at least once a week to check out new books and return the old ones. I got Jaden his own library card last year and he is so proud of it! Having that card also makes him want to get involved at the library.  It's such a cheap and easy way to get your child interested in reading! If you other moms are anything like me, you really like the educational aspect while your child is just having fun! 

Thanks for taking the time to read this! I hope everyone gets involved in library events! It may just be in my genes since my mom is an elementary school librarian! LOL  Until next time...

Hugs,

Tammy

Our trip to Exploration Acres- A review!

This past Sunday my family, including myself, husband, son, my mom and dad, my sister, brother-in-law, and their children, my niece and my nephew, went to a place called Exploration Acres. It's located about 5 miles South of Lafayette, Indiana. Exploration Acres is primarily a pumpkin patch where you can go to pick your pumpkins for Halloween! They also boast about 7 miles worth of corn mazes broken up into 5 different areas. There is also a Country Store where you can buy local jams and jellies, honey, home decor, and souvenir t-shirts. The kids were most excited about the kids area we read about on their website, http://www.explorationacres.com.  Admission is $9.00 for adults(13+), $7.00 for Seniors(65+), $6.00 for children(ages 6-12), and Free for children 5 and under. They are open from August 26-October 30 every year on Fridays 6pm-11pm, Saturdays 10am-11pm, and Sundays 12pm-7pm. There are $2.00 off admission coupons available at the Lafayette Visitors Bureau. If you give them a call at (765) 447-9999 they will mail you as many coupons as you need!



Pay no attention to the timestamps on these pictures! LOL I obviously didn't update my camera before we left!

This is my son J at the entrance to Exploration Acres! He was so excited to be here!



My nephew T and my son J climbing on a giant haystack. This was in the children's area, and the boys and my niece played on this, jumping in the hay and burying each other for quite awhile! They had a blast!



My brother-in-law took my niece M on a pedal cart ride! These are the big carts for the adults to ride. There are also tricycle pedal carts for the little ones!



My husband and my son shooting off the corn cannon. There was a target about 50 yards away, and if you hit the target you would win a 2-liter of Root Beer. Whereas all the other activities were included in the admission price, the corn cannon cost $1.00 for 3 shots.



This is my mom,  my son, nephew, and my dad (in the background) walking through one of the shorter corn mazes. We were given a map and a punch card, and were told to find numbered checkpoints throughout the maze. Once you found a checkpoint, there was a hole-puncher to punch your card in the designated numbered area. Once you were done, you turned your punch card in at the General Store to receive coupons for local businesses based on the number of punches you had. I got coupons for free kid's meals at Bob Evans and buy one get one free coupons for Dairy Queen.



My son J out in the pumpkin patch looking for just the right pumpkin for him!



3 exhausted kids, dirty faces and all, after a long fun-filled day at Exploration Acres!

If you have any questions before visiting Exploration Acres, give them a call during business hours at 765.296.2863 or email them at mary@explorationacres.com.

I hope you have as much fun as we did!




Hugs,


Tammy H.

Hello!

I'd like to welcome you to my blog and thank you for stopping in! This blog is geared towards women with children, stay-at-home moms, working at home mom, and basically just moms in general! I like to blog about what I know, and that is a woman's life being revolved around her children!

I personally have one child, a 4 year old son Jaden. I have been a stay-at-home mom since he was born, but before that, I worked in Home Health Care as a CNA for over 6 years. I also have a history of working with children since I worked as a preschool teacher, at a Children's Home for orphans, and also as a guard in a youth detention center. I still don't feel like it all prepared me to become a parent! LOL

The purpose of this blog is to talk about my family life, fun things we've done, exciting places we've been and reviewing products and services that pertain to everyday life as a wife and mother. I love giving my honest opinion about my successes and failures with household products, hygiene products, and children's items so I'm excited that I now have a place to do that!

This is a PR friendly blog. I look forward to reviewing products and services honestly for my readers! If you have a product or service that you would like me to review, please feel free to contact me at daisies0999@yahoo.com. I would love to work with you to benefit both your customers and my readers!

As I said before, thanks for stopping by! Please become a follower! I look forward to getting to know my readers through your comments, so feel free to let me know what you think!

Until next time...

Hugs,

Tammy