This year, to celebrate both the “oh-so-romantic” holiday and Warner Brothers’ new movie, “Valentine’s Day,” Ashton Kutcher and some of the all-star cast want you to tell your best and worst Valentine’s Day gift stories!
Now I don't have any really best or worst that standout...sad I know, but at least I don't have a worst. I usually get something decent from the hubby and I did from previous boyfriends....nothing that screams out at me at the moment.
All you have to do is upload a short video to YouTube telling your tale of the best or worst Valentine’s Day gift you’ve ever received or have given. Make sure to tag the video #VDAYGIFT, so we can find all videos and watch them. If your video is chosen, it will be featured in the “Valentine’s Day” movie official YouTube channel. The video response program ends on February 19th and we will then compile the Top 100 Best and Worst videos on The “Valentine’s Day” movie official YouTube channel.
I was asked to spread the news about this, but I wasn't compensated for this post. It's probably because of my excitement to see the Valentine's Day movie when it comes out on Friday, February 12.
Favorite theme is my drink as art mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com
January 31, 2010 7:33 AM
Congrats to Margie!
For those of you who didn't win...don't worry this isn't the first time I've given away a Starbucks card. I'm sure they'll be another Starbucks giveaway in the future. :)
Yeah!!! I tricked convinced my hubby to put up the funds for me to go to my first Blog Conference. It is smaller than the big conventions you've heard about, but for me that is perfect. Too much too fast can be quite overwhelming for me. This Bloggy Boot Camp is put together by Stars and Hearts Media (the creators of SITS - Tiffany and Heather). I joined SITS aka The Secret is in the Sauce many moons ago (really a little over one year ago...I'm a little over-dramatic) when I first started blogging because I jumped out into this big blog world and wanted a little community to be a part of...but when I say little...it really isn't - according to their count 4500 women and growing daily. You can find out more about their awesome little network by clicking on this SITS link. I am looking forward to escaping from Little Monkey getting some time out with adults.
Want to attend the Stars and Hearts Media Bloggy Boot Camp? Check out their website to see if they are coming to a city near you or somewhere you'd like to travel to. http://www.starsandheartsmedia.com
I'd love to peruse the blogs of other bloggers who will be attending the Baltimore Bloggy Boot Camp. If you will be attending the Baltimore Bloggy Boot Camp, please leave your blog title and blog link, so I can get to know you a little before you attend. Thanks! :)
Warning: The Eden Fantasys link will take you to a website that is not suitable for work, children, your parents, grandparents, or other people that you wouldn't feel comfortable picking out sensual gift sets or toys with. Now don't say I didn't warn ya. :)
Valentine's Day isn't celebrated with very much excitement in our house. We exchange chocolates and then go about our day. I have to admit having a clingy almost 3 year old who co-sleeps with us does put a cramp in our style...but we do try to make time and get creative since obviously our bed is out of the question because it is occupied with an adorable toddler. This year I thought I would put a little more effort in for Valentine's Day since it is one of the few days the hubby is pretty hopeful for a good night. I can't say what I am planning with the possiblity of him deciding to read this which is so very highly unlikely, but it is not out of the question since he has read my blog before. Eden Fantasys will be a part of our night and that is all I will divulge.
Eden Fantasys makes it easy to shop with so many products to choose from, discreet shipping, and customer reviews. The customer reviews really is helpful...especially for someone like me who is mostly clueless to most of this stuff. It is great to read reviews to know what others thought about an item. Of course, not everyone is going to agree 100%, but at least you get a better idea instead of blindly making a purchase.
Here are just a few fun Valentine's Day gifts to bring a little excitement to your night:
On Saturday, Jan. 30, @PoshNicole will be announcing a Twitter giveaway with Eden Fantasys - that is just in time for Valentine's Day! The official rules post and details will be posted tomorrow on Pink & Posh.
Now here's a giveaway for my loyal readers:
One Barely Domestic Mama reader will win a $35 electronic gift card to Eden Fantasys just in time for Valentine's Day.
How to Enter (required): Let me know what you would purchase with your Eden Fantasy gift card. (If your email is not visible through your public profile, make sure to leave it in your comment.)
Extra entries(make sure to make separate comments for each): • Follow my blog. If you are already follower, let me know. - 1 entry • Subscribe to my blog via email. Make sure to confirm the subscription before leaving your comment. - 1 entry • Grab my button and put it on your blog. - 1 entry • Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about this contest. "@barelydomestic is giving away a $35 gift card to @EdenFantasys at http://twurl.nl/281g3y!" You can tweet once daily. - 1 entry per tweet • Become a fan of Barely Domestic Mama on Facebook. - 1 entry • Follow @EdenFantasys on Twitter - 1 entry • Fave me on technorati - 1 entry • Blog about my giveaway using the link to Barely Domestic Mama and use the Twitter link for Eden Fantasys. - 3 entries (leave three separate comments saying Blogged about it entry 1, entry 2, and entry 3)
Sorry, but this giveaway is only open to US Residents only. Open to 18 years of age and older. Contest ends on Tues., Feb. 9, 2010 at 11:59pm Eastern Time. Winner will be chosen using the Random.org number generator. Winner will be notified via email and announced on Wed., Feb. 10, 2010. If the prize is not claimed in 24 hours, a new winner will be chosen.
Want to make a purchase now, go to Eden Fantasys and start shopping now for that special night.
Disclosure: Eden Fantasys will be providing me a Random Hearts Gown (and when I receive it I will update this post with a review of it). FYI - I have made purchases with Eden Fantasys before, of course I can't tell you what I bought because that is for me to know and you to never find out. I will continue to shop with Eden Fantasys!
If you have a free giveaway, please add your giveaway to the list. If you have an "adult" giveaway, please be sure to use tasteful wording as little eyes may be reading the list. So start listing away...
ShopRite is busy at work again trying to fight hunger. Here is how you can join the fight:
ShopRite Partners In Caring is asking for your help in fulfilling its mission to increase the awareness of hunger in our community.
ShopRite Partners In Caring, together with General Mills, has launched a video contest, Expressions of Hunger, that challenges everyday people to submit videos using song, poetry, dance or dramatic reading that creatively express the plight of the hungry or offer solutions to the issue of hunger. Up to six grand prize winners will have their stories and photos featured on a special-edition Cheerios box available exclusively at ShopRite stores in September 2010!
The contest is open for submissions from January 1 through March 1, 2010. Please note that contest is only open to residents of NJ, NY, CT, PA, MD and DE.
If you can't participate, spreading the word is just as good. Thanks and Good Luck!
P.S. I am told that I will be receiving a JPEG pic of the mosaic for ShopRite's Blog It Forward. You'll be sure to see it when I do. :)
Seriously?! How many times can one person get sick in three months?! Since November, Little Monkey and I have been sick four times! These aren't 4-5 day colds, but 2-3 week chest colds that come with that nasty cough. I've been so lucky as to see about a week of being healthy before getting slammed with the next cold. I'm beginning to think no matter how long you nurse your child (in his case he was nursed for 18 months) if you don't expose them to lots of germs they are still going to get sick. Eck! Well, at least Little Monkey's first year was cold and virus free. Now he gets sick...I get sick. It has been awful this year because we've spent lots of time around family for the holidays which involves lots of kids. Is this what I am in for when Little Monkey starts school in the future?! I'm sooooo tired of being sick.
I did manage to find a pretty spectacular product to help ease the night time stuffy nose. I found it at Walgreens in the infant aisle since Little Monkey is going to be 3 years old in April and still too young for cold relievers. It is a Vicks Waterless Vaporizer Plug-In!
I usually use the Vicks Vapor Rub, but I find that sometimes I will wake up in the middle of the night or early morning just to apply more. Little Monkey does not enjoy the slathering of Vicks Vapor Rub. I will be taking this Plug-In back with us when we finally head back home from Florida - now I just need to find the refills which I have found online, but I have yet to find in store.
Oh and if anyone has any tips on how to stay sane with a clingy, snotty, germy toddler - I'll take them! :)
Aren't these adorable?! Q-tips® cotton swabs has teamed up with Celebrity Nursery Designer, Wendy Bellissimo, to introduce the newest addition to the Q-tips® family - Q-tips® Baby Packs.
Q-tips® /MomSelect Twitter Party When: Thursday, January 28th, 2010 from 8 p.m. - 9 p.m. EST Where: Use hashtag #QtipsBaby on Twitter Host: @MomTalkRadio (Maria Bailey, Founder of MomSelect and Mom of 4) Get advice on caring for your baby and there will be opportunities during the party to win silver elephant banks & Q-tips® Baby Packs.
If you have a free giveaway, please add your giveaway to the list. If you have an "adult" giveaway, please be sure to use tasteful wording as little eyes may be reading the list. So start listing away...
Join the Twitter party launching the third campaign of Mamavation on January 21st from 5pm to 8pm PST (Mountain Standard Time: 6pm to 9pm, Central Standard Time: 7pm to 10pm, OR Eastern Standard Time: 8pm to 11pm). The results from the Mamavation Mom Finalist Vote will be announced during the party and two new moms will officially get the crown. They will also have giveaway winners EVERY 6 minutes. Use hashtag #mamavation for the party. (You have to be present to win!)
Mamavation is a weight loss campaign and social media experiment brought to you by Earth Footwear, The EA SPORTS Active & Smooth Fitness. The Mamavation campaign is a unique movement in social media. Find out more here.
If you have a free giveaway, please add your giveaway to the list. If you have an "adult" giveaway, please be sure to use tasteful wording as little eyes may be reading the list. So start listing away...
Anyone else enjoying this show as much as I am?! TNT's Men of a Certain Age has definitely been a pleasant surprise. I'll admit it...I adore Scott Bakula since I saw him in Quantum Leap which is why I saw that he would be in this show I thought I should check it out. It certainly is educational to see what the 40s are like from a man's view. It is still developing and I can't wait to see what the future episodes will bring.
Here's a little description of the show from Turner News: Men of a Certain Age explores the unique bonds of male friendship among three men approaching mid-life. Now in their 40s, they have been best friends since college, but they’re finding that life is indeed, as John Lennon once said, “what happens when you’re making other plans.”
Do you have multiple Starbucks gift cards in your wallet or purse with different various amounts on them and you're tired of guessing what amounts are on each? Starbucks allows you to transfer amounts from multiple gift cards, if you have balances of $5 or more you can transfer those amounts onto the card of your choosing. This has been the best perk since I usually receive Starbucks gift cards for Christmas. I was able to take all the amounts I received and transfer them onto my personalized Starbucks gift card. Woo hoo!
Join My Starbucks Rewards and this will automatically enter you into the Welcome Level of the program, which means you’ll receive a free birthday beverage. Extra perk: If your registered gift card gets lost or stolen, Starbucks will replace your registered card with a new card that has the remaining balance on it!
One Barely Domestic Mama reader will win a personalized Starbucks $15 gift card.
How to Enter (required): Being that it is now January 2010 and New Year's Resolutions are in full swing, how do you intend to lighten up the calories in your favorite Starbucks drink - no whip, non-fat milk, no more Venti, switching to Skinny drinks, etc.? You can use the Starbucks drinks nutrition info to see how many calories you cut down on with healthy changes. (If your email is not visible through your public profile, make sure to leave it in your comment.)
Extra entries(make sure to make separate comments for each): • Tell me your favorite personalized Starbucks card theme. - 1 entry • Follow my blog. If you are already follower, let me know. - 1 entry • Subscribe to my blog via email. Make sure to confirm the subscription before leaving your comment. - 1 entry • Grab my button and put it on your blog. - 1 entry • Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about this contest. "@barelydomestic is giving away a $15 gift card to @Starbucks at http://twurl.nl/ui7y2n!" You can tweet once daily. - 1 entry per tweet • Become a fan of Barely Domestic Mama on Facebook. - 1 entry • Follow @Starbucks on Twitter - 1 entry • Fave me on technorati - 1 entry • Blog about my giveaway using the link to Barely Domestic Mama and use the Twitter link for Starbucks. - 3 entries (leave three separate comments saying Blogged about it entry 1, entry 2, and entry 3)
Sorry, but this giveaway is only open to US Residents only. Contest ends on Sun., Jan. 31, 2010 at 11:59pm Eastern Time. Winner will be chosen using the Random.org number generator. Winner will be notified via email and announced on Mon., Feb. 1, 2010. If the prize is not claimed in 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen.
According to the American Red Cross website, every 2 seconds someone needs a transfusion.
I'll admit it I've never given blood before...something about needles terrifies me, but this being said I have a tattoo. So I guess needles don't terrify me too much...maybe it's the blood. I've decided that this year I will give blood finally. I've always thought about it, but didn't actually follow through. I really should give blood because up until I went in for blood work when I was pregnant with Little Monkey I had no idea I was Type O Blood. Don't ask negative or positive because I can't remember which, but from what the website says my blood is compatible with everyone. I'm the universal donor...and here I've been selfish with my blood and not donating it!
Happy New Year folks! I know, I know I've been gone for a while...I guess a break of sorts that I needed. I'll explain on Monday...now onto the post.
I am trying out a weekly list of giveaways on Fridays. So if you have a free giveaway, please feel free to add to the list. If you have an "adult" giveaway, please be sure to use tasteful wording as little eyes may be reading the list. So start listing away...
Spirit Jump is a grassroots non-profit organization started by Meaghan Edelstein after she defeated stage 3B cervical cancer. Spirit Jump is a way to provide hope and comfort to those individuals battling cancer - man, woman, or child.
Can't afford the $40 donation that goes to create a holiday care package - that's okay. Please donate whatever you can spare so that it can add up - $5, $10, $25.
Believe me I know the holidays is a tough time to ask people to donate money, but I wouldn't ask if it weren't for a good cause. I donated what I could and plan to donate again before the end of the contest on Dec. 31, 2009.
Interested in becoming a "Spirit Jumper", go to Join Spirit Jump. Know someone who is battling cancer who needs their spirits "jumped", go to Request a Jump.
Things have been a little crazy around here. We sold our house in September and moved into a town home for a temporary solution. In the last three months, we have been to Florida, California, and Michigan. And with all those travels Little Monkey and I got sick twice. We're still getting over something we caught from our last travel. We'll be heading back to Florida the end of this month and by February we will be moving to Calfornia (barring any unforeseen circumstances). So trying to remain calm, cool, and collected has been quite trying. Have you tried entertaining a toddler for a week in a hotel room?! It has been crazy. And now Christmas is almost here...and am I ready? No. So many things changing so quickly and I just don't feel anywhere near ready for it.
I've been following Somer's disappearance on October 19, 2009 since before the official Amber Alert was released. You see little Somer disappeared from my hometown, Orange Park, FL. It is always hard to hear about a child disappearing especially now being a parent myself. It breaks my heart because the pain that you know the family is enduring. I put out the word on Facebook and Twitter for my hometown family and friends and those outside that we had hoped could help to find Somer. We had hoped as a community that little Somer would be found unharmed, but that was not the case. It happened so quickly that my head is still spinning. One minute she was missing, the next her little body had been found in a Georgia landfill. It was so incredibly sad.
Little Somer was laid to rest today. Had I been back in town visiting, I surely would've gone and shown my support for her family. I know that the community has been shook up, but in spite of this horrible tragedy little Somer has brought the community closer.
To see videos of the memorial, go to First Coast videos and search for Somer.
Not only can you find out the most current news, sales, things going on with your friends, but you can connect with your favorite stores, restaurants, and celebrities.
In September, we moved to our new place and switched over to a new cable company. I had a few frustrations with the new cable company. One being that the flighty person that talked to my hubby over the phone told us that our new channels (expanded to receive more kid channels for Little Monkey and Oxygen for me) would be available right away and the other being that we had to join a waiting list for our DVRs. We waited a couple of hours and no new channels. That is when I took my frustration to twitter. Imagine my surprise when I was contacted by customer service rep after-hours on a Friday night! The customer service rep was awesome! She addressed all our issues. Of course, she couldn't solve our lack of DVRs any faster because that is just common issue with our area since DVRs aren't a big selling point so they keep them in stock less. Our channels were up within minutes of her researching the issue. I was so glad that we didn't have to be without those channels for Little Monkey an entire weekend while we were still trying to unpack our new place.
Now I am not advocating that you use Twitter only to put all your gripes and frustrations with companies. I get great feedback from friends whenever I have a question or problem. Twitter has also allowed me to make some really fun Twitter friends.
Instead of packing the day before our Florida trip on September 24th, I spent the day in a bit of a frenzy. You see I was chosen along with a few other mom bloggers (Chicken Nuggets of Wisdom, Hip As I Wanna Be, Optimistic Cynicism, dare to dream, Nanny Goat in Panties, Confessions of a Mom, Peeling an Orange with a Screwdriver, and a few more that I missed their blog names) to be a part of a conference call with Anthony Edwards from the new movie Motherhood with Uma Thurman and Minnie Driver. You can imagine my nervousness as I have only had one other time to be a part of something so cool that you can be certain that I flubbed it up and kicked myself for a few days. And my only other claim to fame was being on a commerical for the City of Jacksonville's (Florida) Humane Society Adopt a Pet Month. And that went over badly with my ex who was convinced I wanted the actor in the scene that I was pretending to hit on...ummmm...yes...he was jealous that on a tv commerical for all of Jacksonville to see I pretended to flirt with guy while he was out walking his dog. Yes - a lame premise for a commerical but whatever you get the point. I was thrown into the situation by my co-worker who coincidentally was seeing the guy I was pretending to hit on. I'll admit I had fun, but I am no Meryl Streep.
Now when I went jumped at the opportunity to be a part of a conference call with Anthony Edwards you can bet I was scared out of my mind of making myself look like the biggest fool. I spent an entire day thinking up three questions to ask and around midnight those questions make great sense, but come sun up the next day my questions seemed pretty lame. By the time we got to the conference call, I wanted to bail. I was so nervous I thought I was going to get sick. Minus my overwhelming nervousness, Anthony Edwards made that conference call quite enjoyable. At the start of our call, he let us know he was a little late because he walking his child's bike down to the bike shop to fix a flat tire. That was definitely a reminder that he still is a human being and a father of 4. Yep, I said it four. Fun tidbit - Anthony Edwards wife is Jeanine Lobell founder of Stila Cosmetics. Anthony Edwards seemed so down to earth, understanding, and just downright...awesome. He seemed to really connect with the script not just be able to pretend to play the father in the movie. It is so great to know that he really understands the character that he brings to life. I dare say I left the conference call with a bit of a crush. How could you not like him?! IMDB has one of his personal quotes as "There's really no point in having children if you're not going to be home enough to father them."
In the middle of the interview, I began praying that they wouldn't call on me to ask any of my questions because I thought they were so lame compared to everyone else's great questions.
Thank you, thank you, thank you to Nanny Goats in Panties for writing my question and Anthony Edwards' answer because I just went to listen to the interview and the interview audio file had expired.
My question: "What is one thing that you think dads would like moms to understand better about being the dad?"
Anthony Edwards' answer: "That it's really not intentional that we forgot what you said. There is no intentional passive-aggressiveness in the fact that we forgot."
I had to laugh because I am pretty sure my hubby and I argue about him forgetting what I say on purpose at least once a month. :)
From acclaimed writer/director Katherine Dieckmann comes MOTHERHOOD, starring Uma Thurman, Anthony Edwards and Minnie Driver. Shot entirely on location in New York’s West Village, this bittersweet comedy distills the dilemmas of the maternal state (marriage, work and self, and not necessarily in that order) into the trials and tribulations of one pivotal day. In a unique way, MOTHERHOOD probes exactly what it takes to be a mother, with both wry humor and an acute sense of authenticity.
Anthony Edwards will be running the New York City Marathon on November 1st and his participation will benefit Shoe4Africa and its goal is to build the largest children’s hospital in Africa . Shoe4Africa also seeks “empowerment through sports and education, creating unique health initiatives, and promoting AIDS awareness.”
Tip: If you start the video, then push pause and wait until the bar fills in with red to push play you can watch the video with less pauses.
Things have been a little crazy around here with the internet going down and "The Warden" watching my computer time. Between family visits and friend visits, I haven't had nearly enough time to sit down and blog.
My birthday was relaxing. I got brunch at IHOP. Thanks to the IHOP for me menu...I didn't worry about eating 1000 calories in one meal. :) And dinner was with my BFF and her toddler at Mellow Mushroom - one of my fave places that I have to wait until I am in Florida to visit.
It's my birthday!!! Yeah!!! And Starbucks' birthday present to me is their Starbucks VIA Instant Coffee. Yep, today's the big day for it to be released to the masses. And I am officially an addict already! If you get your Starbucks VIA packets, I really, really suggest getting the tumbler, too, it is such a great way to keep your coffee with you. Here's a great Starbucks VIA gift pack for the Starbucks Lover. Right now they offer the coffee flavors in Italian Roast and Colombian. I love how convenient these little packets are.
Here is my family's favorite recipe to make with the Starbucks VIA Cappuccino (courtesy of Vita-Mix recipes)
3/4 cup of skim milk, hot 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 tbsp. white chocolate chips 1 packet of StarbucksVIA Colombian coffee Sugar to taste, optional (We don't add any extra sugar)
Yields: 1 1/4 cup
Add all ingredients. Start on Variable speed #1. Quickly increase speed to #10; then to High. Run for 10 to 15 seconds. Serve immediately.
I'm going to have to learn how to make this with a regular blender since I'm not lucky enough to have my own Vita-Mix.
I was selected as a Starbucks VIA Ambassador - I'm guessing maybe since they found out my love of Starbucks. Thanks to Starbucks for the Starbucks VIA packets and Tumbler. It is love!
a.k.a. my dad. The warden watches my parenting skills all day long. So here I am in Florida visiting with my familia and feeling the stares of judgmental eyes. I know I'm not going to do everything right...or everything they think I should do. I watch too much tv, I don't get my son to sleep early enough, I don't take my son outside enough, I use the computer too much, I'm not feeding my son right, the list goes on. I love my parents, but staying with them can also bring on a little tension between all of us. It's only Day 2 without the hubby to help me out here, so I feel the full brunt of the responsibility.
So right now I am hiding out in the guest bedroom typing this post because I'm pretty sure if I sat out there right now someone would be timing how long I am spending on this computer checking my email and writing this post.
Honestly I really do love my parents...I just wish I had my own place to go to decompress from spending time with them.
Moxie Mona has been traveling all over the country this week! She stopped by our little town called Hagerstown, Maryland. Our house was just a few miles away from the Antietam Battlefield in Sharpsburg, MD...you know the Bloodiest One Day Battle in American History. I won't bore you with all that history stuff like my hubby does to me. You can go to the website to find out more.
In March 2009, Forbes named Hagerstown #59 for Best Place for Business and Careers!
I'd like to say that Moxie Mona was treated like a queen here during her stay...but with a 2 year old in the house...that's just not going to happen. There were some battles - Moxie Mona being thrown in a fit of anger, Moxie Mona being forced fed a powder donut or more, and the occasional being put away in a dark place that no toddler could get. But she was a true champ! She never even complained.
Here was our little adventure with Moxie Mona...
Moxie Mona and Little Monkey ready for their outing!
Moxie Mona and Little Monkey in front of the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts. I wasn't allowed to take any photos inside the museum, but boy am I glad I went during an off time. Thanks to Little Monkey, Moxie Mona and I had to hear quite a protest against being quiet and staring at art.
City Park...one of our fave places to play at. Not only do they have walking paths and several playgrounds, but they also have the Western Maryland 202 Locomotive Display and Museum and the Hager House and Museum. Moxie Mona also helped us feed the ducks...a powdered munchkin or two...is that bad for the ducks?! They seemed to like it. I broke it up and whatever Little Monkey didn't decide to eat (mind you he's not a fan of the powdered donuts) went to the ducks.
And no trip to Hagerstown is complete without a visit to the Hagerstown Prime Outlets! Ooooh, how I love to shop! I tried to get a shot that showed most of the outlets, but there is no way to get all the stores in one photo! The Harry & David store is my absolute favorite with NY & Co. just opening now being a close runner up. FYI-if you live nearby a Prime Outlets...ask around to see if they have any Halloween events. We scored big last year at the outlets! :)
I know I was exhausted from all this fun. I hope Moxie Mona enjoyed her time with us!
We have sinced moved from Hagerstown, MD and I actually miss it a little, but I'm glad I could show you our cool little city that we lived in for 4 years.
Want to see more places that Moxie Mona has been to this week?! Click on Moxie Mona's Itinerary. She's been busy!
It's almost my birthday!!! Yeah! I know, I know...really, who gets excited about turning 28? I'm not really thrilled, but surprisingly enough I'm not having a major meltdown. Yes, I am shocked myself. So on Tuesday, September 29, I will turn 28! Yeah...not really. I'm just hoping my parents will watch Little Monkey long enough for me to go out to a peaceful dinner that doesn't include wrangling a toddler.
So in honor of my birthday, I thought I'd giveaway some presents for my readers! These are just some of my fave places ever!
The first prize a $10 Sephora gift card! The second prize a $10 Starbucks gift card! The third prize a $10 Dunkin' Donuts gift card!
I know having Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks together in the list of prizes seems like a big no-no, but I enjoy my Egg and Cheese Wake up wrap and munchkins from Dunkin' Donuts (their iced mocha latte is delicious, too) and I love my flavored coffees from Starbucks (their white chocolate mocha is yummy and I can't wait for the Gingersnap lattes this fall/winter). Hmmm...can we see why I suffer from a spare tire around my mid-section?! :) Food=Love, doesn't it?!
Alright, now onto the details...
How to Enter (required): Tell me your favorite way to celebrate your birthday. (If your email is not visible through your public profile, make sure to leave it in your comment.)
Extra entries(make sure to make separate comments for each): • Follow my blog. If you are already follower, let me know. - 1 entry • Subscribe to my blog via email. Make sure to confirm the subscription before leaving your comment. - 1 entry • Grab my button and put it on your blog. - 1 entry • Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about this contest. "@barelydomestic is giving away gift cards to @Starbucks @Sephora @DunkinDonuts in honor of her birthday http://twurl.nl/dwakfr!" You can tweet once daily. - 1 entry per tweet • Become a fan of Barely Domestic Mama on Facebook. - 1 entry • Follow @Starbucks on Twitter - 1 entry • Follow @Sephora on Twitter - 1 entry • Follow @DunkinDonuts on Twitter - 1 entry • Fave me on technorati - 1 entry • Blog about my giveaway using the link to Barely Domestic Mama and using the Twitter links for the companies. - 3 entries (leave three separate comments saying Blogged about it entry 1, entry 2, and entry 3)
Sorry, but this giveaway is only open to US Residents only. Contest ends on Tues., Sept. 29, 2009 at 11:59pm Eastern Time. Winner will be chosen using the Random.org number generator. Winner will be notified via email and announced on Wed., Sept. 30, 2009. If the prize is not claimed in 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen.
It's that time with summer coming to an end, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy a frozen yogurt - an especially tempting treat for the little ones. Thanks to My Blog Spark I got to try two flavors of the Yoplait Whips! - Key Lime Pie and Strawberry Mist. They were so delicious! I had to hide from Little Monkey to finish my yogurt without his help. :)
Yoplait Whips! are currently available in a variety of delectable flavors Strawberry Mist, Chocolate, Key Lime Pie, Orange Crème, Chocolate Raspberry, Lemon Burst, Peaches 'N Cream and Raspberry Mousse. Also, try Yoplait Whips! newest flavor Vanilla Creme which just hit store shelves!
One Barely Domestic Mama reader will win... "Summer Cool Down" gift bag that includes two free coupons for Yoplait Whips!, cooler tote, popsicle molds and a set of 12 color-changing spoons!
How to Enter (required): Tell me your favorite flavor of Yoplait Whips! This step must be done first before the extra entries. (If your email is not visible through your public profile, make sure to leave it in your comment.)
Extra entries(make sure to make separate comments for each): • Follow my blog. If you are already follower, let me know. - 1 entry • Subscribe to my blog via email. Make sure to confirm the subscription before leaving your comment. - 1 entry • Grab my button and put it on your blog. - 1 entry • Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about this contest. "@BarelyDomestic is giving away a Yoplait Summer Cool Down gift bag at http://twurl.nl/6apx1z" - 1 entry • Become a fan of Barely Domestic Mama on Facebook. - 1 entry • Fave me on technorati - 1 entry • Blog about this giveaway and include a link to Yoplait Whips! and my blog . - 3 entries (leave three separate comments saying entry 1, entry 2, and entry 3)
Sorry, but this giveaway is only open to US Residents only. Contest ends on Thurs., Oct. 1, 2009 at 11:59pm Eastern Time. Winner will be chosen using the Random.org number generator. Winner will be notified via email and announced on Fri., Oct. 2, 2009. If the prize is not claimed in 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen.
Growing up in a Puerto Rican family, it seems we are taught that food is love. If you dare tell my grandmothers you aren't hungry, you have personally offended them and you better take that plate of food that is piled to the sky...even if all you do is pick at the plate. Just smile and say thank you. Whenever we had gatherings growing up, I remember hanging out in the kitchen with my mom, sister, and aunts.
There is just something so comforting about the kitchen to me. I love to eat and I love to feed people good food. The kitchen is the first thing I want to see when we look at a moving into a new place. I have to have a big open kitchen for me to cook and enjoy my kitchen.
For me the heart of my home is my kitchen. I cook and bake my food with love. And I hope that whoever eats it will enjoy every bite. No, not every meal I've ever made has been edible, but you can usually see all the work I put into it. I am still a work in progress. The kitchen and I are bonding more each year. I hope to one day be able to cook without having to read through my recipes, but it works for me right now.
Where is the heart of your home?
Samsung Home Appliances and TwitterMoms have teamed up to offer one mom a new washer and dryer! By writing this post I am entering their contest and hoping to win a much needed washer and dryer. The blogger with the most comments wins. Good luck everyone! The contest ends Oct. 2, 2009.
No, I am not ignoring everyone. These last two weeks have been crazy. We've moved into a new place - not real far from where we were before. The move in date got bumped up at the last minute, so things were kinda crazy. The hubby's job has been a little exciting...to put it nicely. I can't go into details, but let's just say it has been keeping us on our toes. Woo hoo! I've been trying to unpack the house (but ants that have declared battle at our front door/front window sill have been keeping me vacuuming like a lunatic at all hours of the day), helping out the Busy Mom website. the hubby's job constantly coming up with something, and the hubby and I are sharing ONE laptop...I am very, very much in need of a vacation.
So I apologize now for anyone that I have ignored. My inbox is swimming. Please know that I am not ignoring you on purpose, but things have been a little crazy and I'm just barely treading water. Thank goodness mine and Little Monkey's bi-annual Florida vacation is coming up...just in time for my birthday. Nothing better than being home for my birthday...well, it would be better if the hubby could be there, but I understand that he can't just hang out for two weeks in Florida like I plan to do for a sweet 16 party and two babyshowers.
The first few tweets I saw were a little after 8pm, saying "RIP Patrick Swayze." I thought it was a mistake at first since this wouldn't be the first time he was reported dead since he let the world know of his cancer. But sadly it is true, Patrick Swayze died today. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/09/14/entertainment/main5310962.shtml May he rest in peace. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.
My Top 3 Favorite Patrick Swayze movies:
"Dirty Dancing" - the movie that I fell in love with Patrick Swayze.
How cool would it be to be a part of a 21,000 member flash-mob dancing?! On Thursday, September 10, the audience of Oprah's Kickoff show became the biggest flash-mob dancing since Ferris Bueller's Day Off. It's kinda cool because you can see Oprah come out from the side when The Black-Eyed Peas start, but then no one is dancing except the one lone girl, so Oprah seems to slink back to the corner until the some more people in the crowd start to dance. Oprah looked genuinely shocked to see the crowd dancing in sync.
Watch the making behind the flash mob (tip: pause the video as soon as it starts let it upload completely then press play to minimize the break up) The Making of Oprah's Flash Mob Video
I'll admit it. I cried watching the video this morning...whatever, I am a big baby, but it was one of the coolest things I'd seen.
Just when you think Oprah could not be surprised...
Have I mentioned that I am a part of the Maryland Mom Bloggers (MDMB)? It is all still pretty new and downright awesome. There are these fabulous bloggers that got together to form a group not only forming our own blogging community, but putting in face time with those bloggers. It is amazing to meet these bloggers in real life. I don't feel worthy of scraping the gum off of these group of bloggers' feet but I am so honored that I was able to be a part of the first MDMB Girls Night Out (GNO) in Baltimore.
I must admit I tried on at least 6-7 outfits...yes...I am pretty sure women dress to impress other women. I didn't want to look like the bum of the group resorting to showing up in baggy jeans and a too tight top which in most cases is what I might attempt to wear to sort of dress up. Unfortunately for me and my misshapen body (thanks to Little Monkey trying to create his own planet in my womb) I no longer fit in my fashionable pre-pregnancy clothes, so most of those clothing items went to my local Goodwill once I gave up the dream of ever fitting them again and looking hot in them. Fitting in them I could somewhat do...looking hot in them is a whole other story. The last outfit I tried on was not complete until I added my camisole top shapewear to hide the lumpies around my mid-section. Always a confidence booster to know you need support sucking it in. I've got an excuse though I had a c-section and a 9lb. 11oz. baby...what's yours?
For our first MDMB GNO we met up at La Tasca in Baltimore. We ate outdoors which for those of you who have had the experience of wearing one of those shapewear camisoles you know that it can get EXTREMELY hot wearing it on a reasonably warm night...such is a little misfortune for such a grand night. Here we are with a great view overlooking the Baltimore Inner Harbor.
Tapas and sangria...what more could a girl ask for?! Special treatment from the staff...we got that, too! Thanks to Santana (no, not Carlos Santana - the La Tasca manager Santana) and our waiter, Brad, who is waiter by night and a teacher by day. Yes...there is more. We actually got sponsors for our GNO!!! Okay, I can't say I brought in any sponsors (tsk, tsk on me), but I am more than thrilled to give a shout out to all the fabulous sponsors that made our GNO super fab!
I think the first MDMB's GNO went great. I had a fantastic time. And I had a great hostess, Lara at Chicken Nuggets of Wisdom, for letting me hitch a ride from her place and crashing in her spare bedroom since it was a pretty decent haul from my house. It was nice to have her little ones around me since that was the first night I have EVER spent away from Little Monkey. Of course, Little Monkey didn't even notice I was gone because he was so excited to see his grandparents (my in-laws).
Barefoot wines were originally introduced in 1965 by self-taught California winemaker Davis Bynum. After years of making "garage-style" home wines, Bynum opened up a winery in Alameda Davis and released Barefoot Bynum Burgundy for sale in his tasting room only.
In 1986, Michael Houlihan and his partner Bonnie Harvey purchased the brand and set about reviving "the Foot." They launched the new "Barefoot Cellars" with two varietals: Barefoot California Cabernet Sauvignon and Barefoot California Sauvignon Blanc.
Barefoot is involved in thousands of charitable events worldwide.
One Barely Domestic Mama reader will win this fabulous prize below...
Summer fun essentials - a tote bag, wine opener, stemless wine glass, and a big soft beach towel. I know summer is ending, but really who can't appreciate this stuff?!
How to Enter (required): Check out the Barefoot Wine & Bubbly flavors and comment on your favorite flavor and what you would love to eat it with. This step must be done first before the extra entries. (If your email is not visible through your public profile, make sure to leave it in your comment.)
Extra entries(make sure to make separate comments for each): • Follow my blog. If you are already follower, let me know. - 1 entry • Subscribe to my blog via email. Make sure to confirm the subscription before leaving your comment. - 1 entry • Grab my button and put it on your blog. - 1 entry • Follow barefootwine on Twitter. - 1 entry • Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about this contest. "@barelydomestic is giving away an end of summer essentials @barefootwine prize pack at http://twurl.nl/pkji6q" - 1 entry • Become a fan of Barely Domestic Mama on Facebook. - 1 entry • Become a fan of Barefoot Wine & Bubbly on Facebook - 1 entry • Fave me on technorati (leave your username)- 1 entry
• Blog about this giveaway with links back to Barely Domestic Mama and Barefoot Wine - 3 entries ((leave three separate comments saying Blogged about it entry 1, entry 2, and entry 3) • Become a Barefoot Republic member to share stories, recipes, favorite photos, and find out about Barefoot Wine & Bubbly events. - 3 entries ((leave three separate comments saying Barefoot Republic Member entry 1, entry 2, and entry 3) • Use the store locator or find Barefoot Wine in a store (we accidentally came across ours in Super Target), come back here and let me know where you can get your Barefoot Wine at. - 3 entries
Sorry, but this giveaway is only open to US Residents only. Contest ends on Sun., Sept. 20, 2009 at 11:59pm Eastern Time. Winner will be chosen using the Random.org number generator. Winner will be notified via email and announced on Mon., Sept. 21 , 2009. If the prize is not claimed in 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen.
I am not a wine critic. This is just my personal opinion. I definitely will be purchasing more Barefoot Wines.
♥ Win a Safety 1st car pack, which includes: a See Baby Soft Mirror, a Secure View Mirror, a Soft Solution Roller Shade, a "Baby on Board" window sign, and a $25 gas gift card at Metropolitan Mama. (Ends 9/6)
Share your September giveaways! Link your giveaways with MckLinky. Be sure to put your blog's name, prize, and deadline. Your URL must link to your giveaway post or else it will be deleted. Thanks!
I record the Today's Show...yes, I record 4 hours of the Today's Show Monday through Friday. Here's my secret...I fast forward through most of it to watch the last hour of Kathie Lee & Hoda.
I can't remember when I have enjoyed a morning show as much as I do now. I remember when I used to watch Kathie Lee on Live with Regis & Kathie Lee many moons ago. I'll be honest, but I don't remember Kathie Lee being as much fun on the Regis & Kathie Lee show. Last week just wasn't the same without her. Glad to know I wasn't alone when Steve Schrippia said that people seemed to have a different impression of her when she was on Regis & Kathie Lee. Kathie Lee just lets whatever it is on her mind fly out. I LOVE it! I love the way Kathie Lee and Hoda play off each other so well. They make a great team. My favorite stand-in co-host for last week was Steve Schrippia. There's just something about him that is so amusing and friendly...my vote let him stand in any time Kathie Lee or Hoda is out of town!
I am planning on purchasing Kathie Lee's new book "Just When I Thought I'd Dropped My Last Egg". She is absolutely hilarious! And who doesn't love her witty and amusing humor...ummm okay...as I wrote that I thought about it I didn't care for her at one point, but I love her now and that's all that matters.
Okay, semi-wordless - This is the hubby and me at Gershwin Theatre in NY March 2006
Edit: Lots of questions on whether I enjoyed this show or not. I LOVED it. I got goosebumps watching it. And surprisingly enough the hubby enjoyed it, too! I tell everyone I can to go see it.
I lost my cellphone this weekend after going to the park on Saturday with Little Monkey and the hubby! Oh how sad I was. Let this be a lesson to you - if you have photos and videos you have put off uploading from your phone, please do it. I thought I had lost videos and pictures of Little Monkey from when he was a little baby forever. I had just assumed that I put my phone in the diaper bag which I always do, but I realized I hadn't seen my phone since the park and started to look for it. No luck! I looked in all of Little Monkey's hiding places, checked my car, and even had the hubby go back to the park to look if it was left behind. It is hard with my phone not always ringing when it should - sometimes it only vibrates...thanks to a certain little person who has dropped or thrown it a few too many times. When I gave in and thought my phone was lost forever, I started to cry thinking about all those pictures and videos gone for good. Little Monkey came up to me and rubbed my face. Then patted my head and told me "All better." And then gave me a kiss. Oh what a sweet boy. As a last ditch effort, I called my friend Heather who was at the park with us, I was hoping that maybe the diaper bag had spilled out some contents in her stroller while I was carrying Little Bear (her nickname for her son) around.
Sunday I got a phone call from my friend, Heather, saying she saw me get in the car with my cellphone after the park because I pointed at it and told her I would pick up my phone if she called since it was charged. Now I was puzzled. We went straight back home after the park. How could I have lost my phone between the park and the house. How aggravating...at that point I was starting to feel crazy. I couldn't think of a different place I would put my phone...I always put it in the same spots - diaper bag, in the armrest of my car, or it is in my pocket. While Heather and I are discussing the "missing" phone - my hubby decides to try to call it again to see if maybe it is still in the house. My hubby starts yelling at me to come help him because he can hear it vibrating somewhere around the sink but can't find it. Horrified I prayed that my cellphone didn't make it into the garbage disposal...that would be very bad and take talent from Little Monkey because we always keep the guard in place...but you never know it could happen! We followed the buzzing sounds to a slim cabinet space next to the sink that I use to store oddly shaped bags like little totes from Bath and Body works, big totes from Old Navy, or over-sized bags from Toys'R'Us...I know I am weird like that. We heard the buzzing and I look down at the Old Navy tote and realized it was glowing at the bottom of the bag. There was my phone! Little Monkey hid my cellphone in this cabinet, inside of the bag!!!
So I'm not crazy...I just have to keep stuff out of his reach...and kitchen counter tops are not included since he has learned to bring his motorized jeep over to the cabinets and climb it to grab whatever is on top - which would be how he got a hold of my cellphone. As I just finish this up, I glanced over to see Little Monkey emptying out the contents of his diaper bag to get to my Godiva chocolate bar. Geesh!
For 1 in 8 Americans, hunger is a reality. I can't imagine what it would be like to not be able to feed my family. As you may already know, I try to help out whenever I can and this is a great opportunity.
Hellmann's® and Best Foods® Mayonnaise has teamed up with musician and actor Billy Ray Cyrus to encourage people of all ages to celebrate their favorite childhood ritual and join the virtual Sandwich Swap 'n' Share program to raise money for Feeding America®, the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity.
Create your perfect sandwich and they'll donate 7 lunches to Feeding America®.
For every friend you swap your sandwich with, they'll donate 7 more.
You'll also get an entry into their sweepstakes for a $250 grocery gift card.
Here's the yummy sandwich I created and swapped called "Potato Chip Turkey Delight".
It is potato chips, mayonnaise, dijonnaise, tomato, cheddar, and turkey all on multgrain slices. Delicious!
Have fun creating sandwiches for a good cause and the opportunity to win a $250 grocery gift card. Disclaimer: This post makes me eligible to win a $250 grocery store gift certificate and a 6-months supply of Hellmann's®/ Best Foods® mayonnaise - now that's a lot of great sandwiches! Thanks MomSelect!
Disclaimer: Yes, this is a slight vent, but more importantly it is from someone out there to learn from our mistakes. No, my life isn't perfect. I don't often put our spats out here for everyone to see, but again I hope someone out there gets something out of this. :)
Yesterday I woke up to a mess I would never again like to wake up to unless there was a family emergency. My hubby managed to use every pot and bowl preparing dinner and left every dish possible on the countertops. Not only that but he stashed dirty dishes without rinsing them or putting them in the correctly (just piled them in) inside our dishwasher at some point because that was how he cleaned up for a showing of our house! So it was going to take me twice as long to get everything cleaned...and let me not go on about how I found the hubby that night playing his XBox360in the mess of toys and donut crumbs Little Monkey made...the mess was still there in the morning. That is what I get for trying to take a day of rest since I wasn't feeling well. When I got up in the morning and came down the stairs to see the mess awaiting me, I went from tears to fuming in all of five minutes. I spent the entire morning cleaning and cursing my hubby out in my head which I admit is a rare occasion.
So when the hubby got home he and I had an interesting conversation...which may or may not have started with "I'm going to throw your XBox360 out the window if I have to clean up another mess like I did this morning." Ummmm...yes, I know patience is a virtue I need to work on. Once I got that threat out of the way, it was odd how our conversation came down to how I feel unappreciated and he feels unappreciated...and we thought we were showing how appreciated each other, but in our own way or "language"- if you have ever read The Five Love Languages you would understand. For some reason, years after we've read this book (for our pre-marital counseling) we still managed to forget that we speak different "languages". Once we sat down and explained how the other was feeling we realized that we were just missing each other's act of appreciation...so I'm glad we talked...even if I may have started that conversation off on the wrong foot. I plan on reading the book again because, clearly, we need to work on understanding each other's language.
Oh how I have slacked on working out this week and weekend! Bad Jo! I just can't seem to motivate myself to exercise when the hubby is home. Gotta get back on the wagon this week. Just 8 more pounds until I reach my goal...can't stop now!
Someone please explain to me why I got Similac Formula in my mailbox? Do they know something I don't? I know I'm definitely not expecting...so why the formula? Not to mention I only did mix feedings (breastfeeding and formula feeding) for the first month of Little Monkey's life and breastfed until he 18 months old...sooooo what's the deal with the formula now?
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE watching the TLC's show "Cake Boss". But every time I watch it, I start craving sugary foods. The hubby actually enjoys the show...don't tell him I told you. He said it's like watching The Sopranos baking (sans cursing and violence).
How impressive is this 99% edible cake?!
(Photo: TLC)
There is a lot of yelling, but that is because it is a family bakery - there's a rule that out there somewhere that you can yell at your family and friends of the family because in the end they know you love them. I have actually talked the hubby into considering a trip to Hoboken, NJ to go see the bakery and get a taste. Okay, Hoboken not the ideal place to take a weekend trip, but, hey, NY is hop, skip, and jump away. And anyone that knows me knows that I LOVE the city! So we'll see...maybe sometime next year we'll get to take that trip.
Ugh! Today is going to be rough. Little Monkey just was not ready to sleep last night. He was having a blast watching football with dada downstairs and occasionally checking up on me upstairs. Little Monkey loves tote bags. He likes to fill them up and carry them around. Yes - it does frighten his daddy, but I just laugh because I think it is cute and he is a toddler. Carrying around a tote bag at 2 years old is not going to make a life changing decision for him at this age! Anyways, so he found a Bath & Body Works tote bag yesterday that he became very attached to. When it was time to go to sleep, Little Monkey had a major meltdown over not being able to bring his bag in the bed with us. We attributed this to Little Monkey being overtired by that point.
Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who commented on my Fight Hunger post. I really, really appreciate it! I realized this morning that I had more time to get the comments in since I read the dates wrong. Better safe than sorry. Please help my friend Heather at Adventures Across a Sea of Blue get her 30 comments so that 30 cereal boxes can be donated to fight hunger. Thanks!!!
I am now 8 pounds away from my goal when I started trying to lose weight. I started at 197 pounds back at the end of May...eck! I know especially for a girl who 5'5"...it's not a cute look. I am now 178 and stuck. Alright I know the weight would probably fall off faster if I'd quit slacking on my workouts, but it is so hard to make that a normal habit...especially for someone who detests exercise. I need a workout buddy or at least someone who is going through the same thing with me so that I can be accountable to someone other than myself.
If you have a August giveaway you want to link up or you want to find giveaways around the blogosphere for the month of August, go to August Giveaways from Around the Blogosphere.
ShopRite - oh I how I remember those days of going shopping for groceries with my mom at ShopRite when we lived in New Jersey. Whenever I see the ShopRite logo, I get a little nostalgic.
ShopRite Partners In Caring is a year-round, community-based, hunger-fighting initiative that works with more than 50 food industry manufacturers to provide $2 million annually to qualified charitable agencies in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Since its founding in 1999, ShopRite Partners In Caring has donated $20 million to more than 1,400 charities, including emergency food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, child care centers, battered women's shelters, senior citizen programs, drug rehab centers, programs for the mentally and physically disabled, after-school programs and other organizations that aid those in need.
Here's how the Partners in Caring works: Every time you buy an item marked with the special ShopRite Partners In Caring shelf tag , you’re supporting one of the 50-plus partner companies whose donations help more than 1,400 hunger-fighting charities in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware and Pennsylvania. It’s that simple.
With the support of more than 50 companies whose products range from cereal to salad dressings, toothpaste to tamales, pasta to pantyhose and just about everything in between, contributions add up quickly. And, because each of the 200 ShopRite uses its share of funds raised to support local charities, your purchases benefit the needy in your own community.
I need your help - General Mills and ShopRite will donate one box of cereal to a food bank in ShopRite’s trading area for the first 30 people who comment on my post. Please leave a comment so that I can help fight off hunger! Thanks!
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