My Two Week Vacation . . .

For anyone that might be wondering where I've been the past week, I was busy celebrating my birthday. I have to say "Thank You!" to everyone that made it so special this year. It has been wonderful!

In addition, this week is Spring Break for my kiddos. As a result I will not be here posting much (if at all) this week either. One of the privileges of being an unpaid, unsponsored, relatively unread blog is that I can take time off whenever I want for however long I want. With my girls getting older, I don't get nearly the time with them that I'd like. This week, when they are both home, I'm taking the opportunity to spoil myself with TONS of girl time.

When I return next week I'll have lots to share though. I've been wanting to write my review of FashionPlaytes.com, update you all on my progress with Sensa, and ask you some questions about if your kids "want" for anything. In additon, I've read a couple of books and watched some movies that I'd like to share my opinions of. I was fortunate enough to receive a Kindle for my birthday and I can't wait to tell you all about it. I'm sure all this time with my kids will inspire some other thoughts as well.

Have a great week!

Protect-A-Bed Winner

Congrats to jillyrh! She said,

"My favorite place to nap is in my bed. And it would be even better with a new mattress cover! LOL"

The DaVinci Decode (A follow up to The DaVinci Code)

As mentioned in my post on The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown, I had received a book that was essentially a Christian rebuttal to it, The DaVinci Decode by Grenville Kent and Philip Rodionoff. I have given my best effort to read this book, but sadly over the past week have only made it to page 48 of 108. While the information in the book was interesting for a while, it became a bit redundant. In addition, I found that a large number of the sources cited in the book were also books of Christian interpretation, many of which appear to have also been written in response to The DaVinci Code. As a result I didn't feel the information was any more or less valid than any other Christian or Anti-Christian propoganda I've read in the past. So, it is with some regret that I must tell you that I will not finish this book. I decided long ago (after reading was necessary for college courses) that I will not read books unless they provide me with some tangible benefit. They can provide me with an escape. They can provide me with valuable or interesting information. They can stimulate deep thought or conversation. I've found that FOR ME this book does not do any of those. Perhaps my quest for spiritual enlightenment just isn't strong enough yet.

Juicy Juice and the Juicy Bunch

As I have mentioned before, I am a member of The Juicy Bunch. The reason I became a member is that when I give the girls juice, I prefer that it is 100% juice. Juicy Juice fits that description well. In addition, I thought that being a member would provide me with a good way to get my thoughts and opinions into the hands of the people that make important decisions at Juicy Juice. I've recently discovered that Juicy Juice is on Facebook and Twitter. Now, you too can share your thoughts and opinions with Juicy Juicy. Do you love a flavor? hate a new product? really want them to try making a new variety of juice? Please check out the sites and give them feedback. I think you'll love some of the articles and information you'll find there.

*CLOSED* National Napping Day with Protect-A-Bed *Giveaway*

To be honest, I had never been much of a napper. I guess I never figured out the art of napping when I was younger. In college most of my friends would take a nap after class when they'd been out late the night before. For some reason, if I tried, I'd feel groggy all day. All that changed with the birth of my children. Long sleepless nights meant that I could and would fall asleep anytime, anyplace. A nap became refreshing and almost necessary to help me get through the day.

Since my kids are now a bit older and sleep through the night just fine, I no longer need a nap, but do love to indulge in one once in a while - especially on a long and frustrating day. As Carrie P. Snow once said, "No day is so bad it can't be fixed with a nap."



As you may or may not know, today is National Napping Day. Protect-A-Bed is celebrating this holiday by offering you, one of my loyal readers, the opportunity to win your very own Queen Size Protect-A-Bed Premium Mattress Cover (retail value $79.99). So, read a bit about National Napping day and Protect-A-Bed, then I'll tell you how you can win.

CHICAGO (March 15, 2010) – Napping is an art – an art studies show bolsters health and creativity. History has produced a legion of great nappers. Among them are Leonardo Da Vinci, Thomas Edison and Lord Byron, who after sweet slumbers achieved great feats of art, science and literature.

Is this a coincidence – this combination of greatness and napping? On this Napping Day, we at Protect-A-Bed think not. Napping Day is the first Monday after daylight saving time begins. It’s the day when the majority of us, a bit weary from losing an hour of sleep, desperately long for a short siesta. And, those of us at Protect-A-Bed believe you should cave to that longing.

Studies abound tout the benefits of napping, from enhancing memory and learning, to improving work performance, and increasing mental acuity and overall health. That’s why on the first Monday after daylight saving time begins, it’s fitting to celebrate the benefits of the nap and those who take them.

However, those who nap the best understand a sleeping place needs protection from allergens and dust mites. After all, waking from a nap with the sniffles is no way to wake up at all.

Research shows 10 percent of the general public and as many as 90 percent of people with allergic asthma (depending on the study you read) have an allergy to dust mites. And, dust mites love spoiling our napping refuge, taking up residence in mattresses and pillows. In fact, as many as two million dust mites can thrive in an unprotected mattress.

Besides dust mites, it’s not unusual for other allergy triggers like pollen and pet dander to become trapped within mattresses. By using a mattress protector, allergy sufferers can create an impermeable barrier between themselves and the allergens within their bed. By coupling mattress protection with pillow protectors that seal allergens within pillows, people can create a virtually allergy-free nap space.

So today, harness the creative power that comes from napping, and embrace your inner Da Vinci. And remember, the art of napping needs a canvas, and that canvas comes from Protect-A-Bed.

About Protect-A-Bed

Protect-A-Bed offers consumers a complete line of protective bedding products to create a Healthy Sleep Zone. The unique technology featured in Protect-A-Bed’s mattress and pillow protectors was developed in South Africa in 1980 before the company was officially established in the United States in 2000. Now selling in 27 countries, Protect-A-Bed is a worldwide leader in mattress protection innovation. The company developed the proprietary Miracle Membrane® and patented Bug Lock® and Secure Seal®, which help create a dry, bed bug free, anti-allergy sleep zone for people of all ages. Protect-A-Bed products are listed as a Class 1 Medical Device with the Food and Drug Administration and have received the Good Housekeeping Seal. For more information, visit www.protectabed.com.

Here's how you can win:

• Mandatory Entry - Post a comment telling me your favorite place to nap. Make sure you leave your email address or have it available on your profile so that I can reach you if you win.
  

Bonus Entries (leave a comment for EACH entry to be sure it is counted):

• Follow Protect-A-Bed on Twitter (leave your twitter name in the comment)
  
• Follow me on Twitter (leave your twitter name in the comment)
  
• Tweet about this giveaway (link to your tweet in the comment)

This giveaway ends on Sunday March 21 at 11:59pm ET. A winner will be chosen by random.org and contacted on Monday March 22. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or another will be chosen. Good Luck!

*Disclaimer: All information was provided by Protect-A-Bed and Global Influence. I will be receiving a Protect-A-Bed Mattress cover in exchange for hosting this giveaway.

Lara Adrian's Midnight Breed Series

As I've mentioned before, I read and enjoy a wide variety of books. A friend of mine recently got me hooked on Lara Adrian's Midnight Breed Series. (This is the same friend that introduced me to The Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer.) In fact, I just finished the 7th, and most recent in the Series, "Shades of Midnight" and can't wait for the next book to be released this fall. Lara's books are a very quick and easy read. I can generally finish one within a day or two of only reading at night after the munchkins go to bed. I love how she is able to focus each book on two characters, one member of The Order and one Breedmate, while maintaining the overall story that links each of the books together. I believe that these books are listed under the genre Paranormal Romance, and while there are definitely some "romance" scenes in these books, it isn't so overwhelming that you would be embarrassed to pass it on to family and friends. In fact, I recommended them to my mother after I finished with them. If you are looking for an awesome easy escape read for a day at the beach, a plane trip, or a weekend at home, then I definitely recommend that you check out this series.

Additional information from http://www.laraadrian.com/series.php

"Part human, part otherworldly, the Breed has lived among humankind for thousands of years, maintaining a tentative peace built on secrecy, power, and the dark justice carried out by the formidable warriors of the Order.

But now, a blood war within the race is set to ignite. Vampires are going Rogue in startling numbers, feeding without discretion, killing humans in the streets. It is up to the Order to stop the spreading threat of Rogue domination--and in so doing, each of the warriors will be forced to confront private demons, darkest secrets, deepest fears. Some will know triumph, some will know loss, but each warrior can count on one thing: Love, when it finds him, will often come at the worst possible moment, with the least likely woman . . . and it will bring each of these powerful males to his knees."

*I was not given any product nor compensation for this review. All opinions are my own.

Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving

Recently I had been browsing online and ran across a post on SmittenKitchen for some fun Chocolate Whiskey and Beer Cupcakes My first thought was, "These would be great to make for St. Patrick's Day!" It was shortly after that thought that I was sent information on the opportunity to post a "Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving" PSA. For some reason I had never realized how intertwined St. Patrick's Day and drinking were. While I have never personally participated in a Kegs and Eggs celebration, nor have I indulged in Green Beer (Oddly, I just can't eat or drink things that are not the "right" color.), I understand that many people do. My only hope in writing this post is to spread the word to people to think before you drink. Go out and have fun. Eat, drink and be merry, if that is how you choose to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Just make sure that you plan ahead so that you don't make this St. Patrick's Day your last . . . or the last for an innocent victim.

St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner, and it's not the luck of the Irish that will keep the roads safe, it's planning now for a safe and sober way home.

Are you headed out with friends after work this Wednesday to celebrate the holiday? No? Well when you and your family are on the road headed to choir practice, a t-ball game, or coming home from school, you may be sharing the road with those returning from a fun St. Patrick's Day event. It's time to spread the word about the dangers of buzzed driving and to remind people that Buzzed Driving IS Drunk Driving, and the best way to stay safe is to plan ahead.

Let's remind everyone about the importance of remembering to:

• Designate a sober driver before you leave for your event.
• Be ready to take alternate transportation such as a bus or taxi. Have the phone number of a taxi service stored in your phone before you leave for the party.

Even if you will not be celebrating this St. Patrick's Day, keep in mind that in 2008, 1,179 people in other vehicles were killed in crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers. And for those who don't plan on over-indulging, a buzzed driving crash looks the same as a drunk driving crash.

Global Influence is working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) and the Ad Council as they continue their efforts with the "Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving" PSA campaign. Buzzed drivers drink and drive, but do not consider themselves a hazard on the roadway because they have had "only a few" drinks. The campaign hopes to educate people that consuming even a few drinks can impair driving and that "Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving."

We need your help in keeping the roads safe for everyone this St. Patrick's Day by spreading the word that buzzed driving is drunk driving.

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.

For more information, visit Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving on Facebook and Twitter (@Buzzeddriving).

Disclaimer: I was not given any compensation for writing this post. All information including and after the image was provided to me by Global Influence for the purpose of spreading the word about this campaign.

The Fire Lord's Lover

Coming Soon: THE FIRE LORD'S LOVER
A darkly delicious new fantasy world of sizzling romance amid the pageantry of Georgian England.
Please visit: http://www.KathryneKennedy.com

*Taken from http://www.kathrynekennedy.com/contest.html

The DaVinci Code

I just finished "The DaVinci Code" by Dan Brown and must say that I LOVED it! It was a well written book that really had me hooked. I love a good thriller and this definitely hit the mark. The introduction was also very intriguing. The last line of the intro said,

"All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals in this novel are accurate."

Really? How accurate? Does he mean accurate with a bit of creative license or down to a science factual accurate with no room for discussion? The answer to that question depends on who you ask. Obviously, the Catholic Church refutes most of his facts, calling them pure speculation. In fact, there have been several Catholic/Christian rebuttals to Dan Brown's book written by theologians. I received a copy of "The DaVinci Decode" by Grenville Kent and Philip Rodionoff from a friend. While I have not yet read it, I plan to do so shortly and will give my opinion of that as well.

Honestly, I am Catholic (not a very good one), and I can see why church leaders might have been offended by or angered by this book, but I was not. Dan Brown's book is a book of fiction. Are there facts/ideas in the book that I was not aware of? Yes! Did the book make me think about my religion and the beliefs that I hold? Yes! Is that a bad thing? No! People should be encouraged to think, use their brains, and create their own beliefs and ideas. To limit yourself to that which you are told, is to do a huge disservice to yourself as well as society. It is the "thinker" that discovered that the earth was not flat, that designed and built the airplane, and that is creating new inventions as we speak. While I used to think of history as pure fact, the memorization of names and dates, Dan Brown did bring up one important point in his book that I had not considered. History must be written by someone, and none of us are without our own bias whether intentional or not. As they say (don't ask me who they is, it is just something I've heard before), "There are three sides to every story: my side, your side, and the truth."

"Everyone falsifies history even if it is only his own personal history. Sometimes the falsification is deliberate, sometimes unconscious; put always the past is altered to suit the needs of the present. The best we can say of any account is not that it is the real truth at last, but that this is how the story appears now."
~Joseph Freeman

"There's No Better Deal Than . . . " contest

Have you ever heard of nobetterdeal.com? To be perfectly honest, I hadn't either until I found myself on twitter at a nobetterdeal party. Though I didn't win, it was definitely fun and I found myself browsing the site suprised by some of the amazing deals they really do have on their site. While I haven't bought anything yet, I expect to soon (my birthday is coming up!) and can't wait to report back on the quality and service. While I wait for my birthday cash to pour in, I was thrilled to discover that nobetterdeal.com is having a contest where you can win a 32” Flat-Panel Samsung Television. There really would be no better deal than winning a 32" TV for my birthday so I can save up my cash for something else from the site that I'd like. So, wish me luck and head on over to http://nobetterblog.com/contests/nobetterdeal-contest-tv/ to enter for yourself! Good luck!

From the nobetterblog site:

"Come join us in celebrating the Twitter Meme we started in December (“There’s #NoBetterDeal Than____”) and you could win a 32” Television from NoBetterDeal.com!

Let us know what falls under a “NoBetterDeal” for you, and we’ll show you the best deals on the internet! There’s NoBetterDeal than that! Just click above to get to the entry form on NoBetterDeal.com, and we’ll handle the rest.

Want an extra entry? We hoped so – all you have to do is get your creative juices flowing and put your idea in the form of an image or video! Once you get your multimedia witticisms uploaded, point us in the right direction on the entry form so we’ll know it’s yours.

That’s not all:
JOIN US ON MARCH 12TH AT 9PM EST AS WE HOST ANOTHER #NOBETTERDEAL TWITTER PARTY! Show off your wit to the #NoBetterDeal online community AND be entered for even more prizes!

“Theres #nobetterdeal than coming home to bacon/eggs…at 9pm!” – Twitter User
“There’s #nobetterdeal than Lisa! Luvyou!” – Twitter User (awww)
“Theres #nobetterdeal than the one I just gave the [Unnamed Retail Clothing Store]…$85 for jeans????” – Ironic Twitter User"

*Disclaimer - I am posting this blog in the hopes of winning a Wii from nobetterdeal.com. If I can't have the TV, then I'll definitely take the Wii.

To Party or Not To Party . . . That is the Question

You can call me lazy, unkind, smart, frugal, crazy, or any number of things, but my girls are 4 and 5 and have never had an official birthday party. Don't get me wrong, we do get together with immediate family to celebrate the occasion, but we don't do themes, friends, giftbags, etc. Up until now I have never thought it was necessary. When the girls were younger, they wouldn't have known the difference. As they got a little older, I didn't want to set expectations for them that were too high. This year is the first year that I am considering it. With Peanut in Kindergarten, she now has friends that she sees all day every day . . . more often than she sees me! She has gotten invited to several parties and has now started to mention who she wants to invite to her party when she has one. She isn't assuming that she is going to have one this year (I asked), but she figures she'll have one eventually and wants to be prepared. (She's quite a little planner!) As Doc and I have begun to discuss the pros and cons of an event like this, we've remained undecided. Some of the thoughts we've had so far are:

Pros

• Peanut is quite shy and a party where she is the guest of honor might be beneficial to her developing social skills.
• It might be an easy way to meet some of her school friends and their parents.
• If we give her a budget and let her make some of the plans it could help with her understanding of money and finances. Cost benefit analysis is important even at her age.

Cons

• Stress - What if no one comes? What if everyone comes? Planning, prepping and supervising are never that easy.
• Setting up expectations. If we do a bounce house this year will she expect an amusement park next time?

In terms of expectations, one thing that I think Doc and I agree on is the fact that a party will not be a yearly event. As a child I had a party with friends when I turned 10 and when I turned 16 - milestone years. I think that limiting parties to significant milestones is a good idea, but I also think that 6 could be a milestone year as well. This is her first year of school! :o) Luckily, we have until May to decide, but I am curious . . . What are your thoughts?

Do you like to read? Order a book and win a nook!

Shiloh Walker has a new book coming out today. Learn more about this book as well as others here http://shilohwalker.com/excerpt_broken.htm.

*All information below has been taken from http://shilohwalker.wordpress.com/

Shattered

Quinn Rafferty is working as a bounty hunter and bail bondsman in St. Louis when a new neighbor catches his eye. He’s tempted by her beauty—but he knows from experience that anyone desperate enough to live in his building is damaged goods. Besides, he has his own soul to mend before he can worry about anyone else.

Desperate

Sara Davis is on the run, but not for the usual reasons a woman goes on the lam. She’s not an abused wife, and she’s not a criminal. But she does have a plan for her future. And as much as she finds herself attracted to her gruff, tough neighbor, she can’t risk telling him the secrets she’s hiding. There’s just too much at stake.

Driven to desire…

But Quinn must get closer to Sara when she turns out to be the target of his new missing persons case, and he discovers that there is something more complex and dangerous to her than he thought. Now, both Quinn and Sara will have to expose their true feelings—as well as their fragile hearts—if they hope their love will survive…

EXCERPT

He opened the door—

And stopped dead in his tracks as somebody all but fell into his arms. Somebody…a woman. And not Theresa.

He caught her just above her elbows, automatically steadying her.

“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice soft and low.

Then she lifted her face and Quinn found himself gazing into the biggest, brownest eyes he’d ever seen in his life. Feeling a little dazed, he studied her face while she stammered out another apology.

Quinn barely heard it.

He was too busy staring at her mouth. A very pretty mouth, a cupid’s bow mouth slicked with deep, vibrant red. Under his hands, he could feel silken smooth skin and unable to resist, he stroked a thumb along her inner arm.

Her skin was soft, soft and warm. He was also pretty sure she had the creamiest, most flawless skin imaginable. Her shoulder-length hair was a shade caught between blonde and brown, nondescript, but for some reason, he found himself thinking about tangling his fingers in that hair and holding her head still while he kissed that red-slicked mouth.

Well, hello…

*Note: I am writing this post in the hopes of winning a Nook. Those of you that follow my blog know that I really want one and also know that I am an avid reader. I have not yet read this book, but can honestly say that it has been added to my list. I will post a review after I do read it though.