Terro Fruit Fly Trap review & Giveaway Ends sept 24

Do you get those annoying little tiny tiny flying fruit flys in your house? I know I get them in my kitchen and downstairs as well. They are so annoying and I have no live plants in my house anymore because when I do I get fruit flys so bad and I have tried every thing to get rid of those darn things. My mom also gets them bad and has tried different sprays and oils and homeopathic recipes and anything she could try also. So when I heard about Terro Fruit Fly Traps I thought I doubt they actually work since I have tried everything.

Now since I don't have any plants right now and my infestation hasn't been too bad just a few from time to time. I let my mom use the trap I received to see if they would get rid of her huge infestation. They are very easy to use all you do is pour this liquid stuff into the trap and it lures the flys in them and they get trapped. I guess hence the name Fruit fly trap ha ha. My mom has been using it for about 1 and 1/2 weeks now and went from seeing hundreds a day to seeing maybe one or two a day now. That is amazing. She is totally sold on it. She loves it! So now I know I can get plants again and now I know what to use if I get the Fruit fly infestation again. All thanks to Terro Fruit Fly Traps!

Overall me and my mom are impressed and would and do recommend them to everyone. So if you have them and cant get rid of them get some Terro Fruit Fly Traps and you will be glad you did. Trust me!! Find out more by check them out on Facebook , Twitter  and their Blog


We are giving away some Terro Fruit Fly Traps to a lucky USA winner. Yay!

To Enter:
1. Go to Terro and tell me what other products they carry

Extra Entries:
2.Follow me
3.sign up for my rss feeds
4.Blog about this giveaway this will count for 4 entries
5.add my button to your site 2 entries
6.link to this page for 4 entries
7.Subscribe to my email feeds
8.follow me on twitter (collyn23) and tweet this contest
9.Enter my other giveaways 1 entry for each entered
10.Follow me on network blogs on sidebar
11.add my blog to your blogroll counts as 3 entries
12.Fav me on technoratti
13.comment on my non giveaway blogs 1 entry for each comment
14. Post this giveaway on any sweepstakes site, Mr Linky, or other networking website-leave the link where I can find it (1 entry each)

"This post was written for Family Review Network & TERRO who provided the complimentary product in exchange for my honest review"

Crazy Day

Do you ever have one of those days when you wish you could just start over? Today was one of those days for me.
I was out of the office this morning for a family/volunteer recruitment event at a local college. It was a good experience and I feel like I was able to make a lot of good contacts. I had a few folks who provided their contact information and requested applications be mailed to them. I was grateful to be able to share with others the details of Habitat for Humanity's home ownership program and encourage them to apply. This was the good part of my day.
It was when I came back to the office that everything seemed to unravel. One challenge was that our receptionist was out sick and our office manger was out of the office for the day. So, when the volunteer coordinator and I were out of the office this meant that staff members who usually don't answer the phones and field phone calls were left to fend for themselves. This is never a good thing. I figured that I would come back to some rather confusing phone messages as has occurred on other days when we have been short staffed in the office, but I was unprepared for the confusion and chaos that seemed to consume the rest of my day.
I had several emails to respond to and then began to try to decipher the phone messages. I had to work at putting out some minor forest fires and try to respond to questions from families and volunteers. I was called into three separate meetings responding to mini-crises that had arisen during the morning while I was out of the office. Then I had to try to do some of the work that I had planned to do in this afternoon. Needless to say, much of this work will be waiting for me when I return in to the office in the morning.
By the end of the day my brain was fried and felt as if I had not really accomplished anything. Instead, I felt as if some of what I had done only made some situations more confusing. I found myself getting really grouchy and not wanting to be in the office. While I really love my job, sometimes the drama of dealing with all of the various constituencies can be a bit overwhelming for me.
I have good intentions and I try to be a good listener but I often fail so miserably. It's in times like this that I recognize how frail and weak and sinful I really am. I do wonder how God puts up with me in the midst of all of this. I can only say that it is a sign of God's amazing grace that I continue to be allowed to do this ministry.
So, tonight I'm tired and feeling somewhat grumpy and I think I'm headed to bed early. Tomorrow is another day. Tomorrow is another chance to serve the God that I love and to do my best to help those in poverty. I'm grateful for the promise and the hope that tomorrow brings.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Ride Against AIDS Finale!!

With 4,474 miles biked and over $50,000 raised, the FACE AIDS 2010 Ride Against AIDS has come to a triumphant close. Sporting their stylish FACE AIDS team jerseys and huge smiles, Claire, Jason, Kirsten, Mike, Sanford, Shane, and Zane made their way into Boston, the Ride's final destination, on August 19.

As they biked their last few miles along the Charles River, they were joined by family, friends, and Partners In Health staff. When they began the ride in June, they symbolically dipped their back bike tires in the Pacific Ocean, and upon reaching the Boston Harbor last week, they marked the end of their journey by dipping their front tires in the Atlantic Ocean.

After much celebration, the team enjoyed a BBQ dinner on Thursday evening with the Partners In Health team, and were welcomed into the Partners In Health office on Friday to talk about their journey with the entire staff over a brown bag lunch.

We are so proud of these students and all that they accomplished this summer. With the funds that they raised, Partners In Health will be able to provide hundreds of thousands of people in rural Rwanda with high quality comprehensive health care. FACE AIDS will be able to provide many of these same individuals with employment and access to savings and credit, helping them to secure a stronger financial future. Moreover, through the conversations these students had with people all across the United States about social justice, global health equity, and the power of young people to make a difference, they have powerfully contributed to our mission to build a veritable movement of people committed to ending the global HIV/AIDS pandemic. To us, these seven students exemplify the leadership and dedication that is needed to change our world for the better.

This ride and the achievements of our students would not have been possible without friends like you. Thank you so much for everything that you did to support the 2010 Ride Against AIDS.

East Coast and Cupcakes!

Our spirited team of seven is officially on the East Coast, with just one week remaining in their cross-country ride! Characterizing their experience over the last few days are two themes: dessert and conversation.

After leaving the Hegde family in Toledo, OH, our riders continued on to Pittsburgh, PA, where they stayed at the home of wonderfully gracious hosts Adrian and Nicole. The team was treated to great conversation and dinner on the patio, followed by dessert freshly made by the hosts' friend, one of Pittsburgh's best pastry chefs.

The riders then trekked to Delaware where they were hosted by John, a good friend of Partners In Health, and then continued on to our nation's capital.

While in Washington, D.C., they took time to see the sights and also to meet with Ronnie, mother of FACE AIDS co-founder Katie. Their delicious tapas dinner was filled with, of course, wonderful conversation about FACE AIDS' mission and the role of young people in driving social change. The next day, the team gave a presentation to the students, staff, and faculty of the Stanford In Washington House, as well as to Stanford alums in the area. They also had the chance to present at the D.C. Rotary Club.

Most importantly, rider Kirsten Pufahl made sure to take advantage of Washington, D.C.'s cupcake scene, including Hello Cupcake, Baked and Wired, and Georgetown Cupcakes.

Having enjoyed tasty desserts and great conversations with new friends, the Ride Against AIDS team is now passing through Philadelphia, staying at the church of Barbara and Elliott Waters. These lovely hosts even arranged for the team to get free bike tune ups! From Philly, they'll hit Princeton, NYC, Greenwich, Providence, and finally, Boston.

We'll be in touch again soon to announce the team's final fundraising totals (they're currently at $47,625!) and share with you their grand finale into Boston and the Partners In Health office. In the meantime, keep an eye on the team blog and rider Kirsten's blog.

Halfway There!

In the time since our last Ride Against AIDS update, our team of seven crossed the halfway point of their 4,474 mile ride across America! They are currently in Toledo, OH, where they’ve enjoyed some much deserved rest with rider Shane Hegde’s family. In the coming weeks they’ll be traveling through Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Wilmington, Washington DC, New York, and Greenwich, before finishing their journey in Boston on August 19.

Over the last two weeks, the team saw many quiet days of rolling green hills in Iowa. They met up with Angy, a FACE AIDS member from Creighton University, and toured the state capital building in Des Moines, where they stayed at the home of Rick and Dena. A record 120 mile ride to Iowa City followed, full of country roads and wind turbines. Upon entering Illinois, the team rode to Batavia, home to the family of rider Kirsten Pufahl. A local newspaper highlighted Kirsten's journey and her stop at home. A rest day in Chicago gave all the chance to see a Cubs game at Wrigley Field.

All of the riders are safe and healthy. The only minor fiasco of the last two weeks was a frantic search for a misplaced car key, which was eventually found hiding behind a toaster.

Fall Story Times

It's hard to believe that a week from today is the first day of school! Where did the summer go? We had a great one here at the library and hope you did too. If the new school year is here that means that the fall session of Story Times at the library is right around the corner too.

Registration for the Preschool Story Times for children ages 3 to 5 will begin on Tues. Sept. 7th. Classes will be held on Tuesday mornings from 10:15 - 10:45 and Tuesday afternoons from 1:00 - 1:30 and Wednesday mornings from 10:15 - 10:45 and 11:15 - 11:45. The classes begin on Sept. 21st and run for ten weeks.

Toddler Time our eight week lap-sit program for children ages 18 to 36 months and their parents or caregivers will be held on Thursday mornings 10:30 - 10:50 and 11:30 - 11:50 and Friday mornings 10:00 - 10:20. These are drop-in sessions, no registration is required. Classes begin on Sept. 30th.

Mother Goose Time is a lap-sit program for babies, 0-18 months and their parents or caregivers. These sessions are held on Monday mornings at 10:30 and are followed by an open playtime for the babies. These are also drop-in sessions, no registration is required. Classes begin on Sept. 27th.

For further information on these programs or to register stop in or call the library at 924-2637.

What happened

If you follow my blog you may have read a few entries back that I was getting surgery. I did, at the beginning of August and everything was fine. I felt fine. I was up and about, went out of town for a couple of days to perform, it went great. Came home, rehearsed for another project (a one time only performance on August 29th at SLAC) and was ready and excited to perform. Saturday night comes and we're sitting on the couch watching a movie when I start to feel some pain and swelling. I ice it and go to bed thinking it will be gone come morning. I wake up the morning of the performance and the right side of my face is really swollen. I'm in pain from the top of my cheek into my jawbone and neck. My right lymph node is sore and huge. My whole face on that side is sore to the touch. I can't even move the right side of my mouth. My sweetheart calls my Dr. and he calls in antibiotics, he calls the theatre, they call in an actress to replace me.

Missing a performance? Worst. Feeling. Ever. Normally I'd be in tears over it but right now I'm much more concerned that my face can't move and is twice the size as it should be. Panicked.

I spent all of sunday completely out of it. Exhausted, delirious and swollen. When I woke up yesterday the swelling was down a little. I went into the Dr. and he said it's unusual to get an infection at this point. He looks inside my mouth and finds an incision that is not fully closed. It's still red and that's where this infection most likely snuck in. I'm told to stay on my antibiotics, keep rinsing with mouth wash and it should be gone in 7 days. My Dr. is amazing, he takes a lot of time, he knows what I do for a living, he is having me come in next week again unless I need to see him sooner and said he'd even come to me.

*If you have a surgery inside your mouth take such good care of it, don't push it. Baby yourself even more than they say. I really didn't think I pushed anything too soon, I will never understand how this happened. :(

So. Here I am, day three.

Swelling is down again but still not completely. I have a little more energy, as in I don't feel like I'm going to pass out if I walk down the stairs. I still can't move that side of my mouth all the way. It's been painful to chew so I can barely eat right now. The antibiotics are definitely working, but of course I want it to heal me instantly.

There was a meeting I was supposed to be at tonight having to do with the next play I'm in, next Jan/Feb that I can't be at. I feel terrible missing everything. I will always try to push through. My career is SO important to me. Almost the MOST important. I hate this, I'm so frustrated. It makes me feel so guilty. It's my fault, I'm messing up plans. I always worry that people won't believe me, because when someone gives me an excuse at the last minute I get pissed off and I think they're lying. Maybe now I'll be more sympathetic. I never saw this coming.

I have a hard time saying no. I always tell myself I'm going to start. I need to remember right now that I need to put myself first. But instead I find myself feeling almost sick over the fact that I am bailing on people.

This swollen, unable to move my face infection scared the living crap out of me. Even though it's improving every day, it's still scary. If I can't move my face...I can't act. I cant model. I have a photo shoot friday and two more in September.

So that's what's going on. I didn't really want anyone to know...but because I'm so worried about everything, I decided I did want people to know.

On the bright side...my sweetheart is amazing. He takes unbelievable care of me when I'm sick and look like a monster.

Thanks for all the well wishes on FB and Twitter!

Hopefully I'll be up and at 'em again by the end of the week, fingers crossed!

Deena Marie

Tasty Tuesday

Slow Cooker Upside-Down Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:
1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon instant chopped onion
1 dried bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 jar (18 oz) chicken gravy
2 medium celery stalks, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 1/4 cups Original Bisquick mix
2/3 cup milk
1 bag (12 oz) frozen mixed vegetables

Directions:
1.Place chicken in 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker. Top with onion, bay leaf, pepper and gravy. Place celery on gravy.

2.Cover and cook on Low heat setting 8 to 10 hours.

3.About 30 minutes before serving, make and bake 8 biscuits using Bisquick mix and milk as directed on package.

4.Meanwhile, gently stir frozen vegetables into chicken mixture. Increase heat setting to High. Cover and cook 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

5.For each serving, split biscuit and place in soup bowl or tart pan. Spoon about 3/4 cup chicken mixture on top of biscuit.

Final day of The Back to School Blog Hop- Smart Knit giveaway ends Sept. 19

Kind of sad huh? It is the last day of the Back to School blog hop. The only good thing is all 5 blogs are giving away the same prize today so you all can get lots of chances to win this awesome prize. Why do I say it is awesome? Well here goes. My kids and hubby loses socks like well like there is sock monster in my dryer. Haha well OK they lose so many of them so fast and if they aren't losing them they are putting holes in the heels and toes.  So now I only buy socks that are all the one color and that are very tough to withstand my family. Oh and socks that are reasonable since I need so many. Smart Knit is all that and more.

Smart Knit are great for my younger kids because there is no heels and no seams. This makes putting socks on so much easier for them. My favorite part is I can get the knee high socks and they grow with my kids. How? Well the knee highs turn into crew as they grow and then into ankle socks when they grow even more. Since their is so heels to grow out of they grow with you kids. This saves me tons of money and since I get all the same color so when that nasty little sock monster eats one of each pair , well I have a pair again haha. I love the thickness of them not too thick and not too thin. I love it. They are also very tough and comfortable.

Overall we have been super pleased with them and I have even bought more for my daughter who hates the bunching and seams and she loves them as well and my son loves his. So we will definitely be buying more. So head over and check them out! Smart Knit has exactly what you and you kids need and will love.

We are giving away 3 pairs of socks to one lucky winner yay!

To enter:
1. Go to Smart Knit and tell me your favorite color

Extra Entries:
1. Enter any of The Back to school blog hop giveaways at 3 Boys and a dog , jamericanspice , laughing lindsay ,debbies homeschool corner get 1 entry for each giveaway entered
2.Follow me
3.sign up for my rss feeds
4.Blog about this giveaway this will count for 4 entries
5.add my button to your site 2 entries
6.link to this page for 4 entries
7.Subscribe to my email feeds
8.follow me on twitter (collyn23) and tweet this contest
9.Enter my other giveaways 1 entry for each entered
10.Follow me on network blogs on sidebar
11. If you added my Back to school button early and commented on my early post 2 extra entries
12.add my blog to your blogroll counts as 3 entries
13.Fav me on technoratti
14.comment on my non giveaway blogs 1 entry for each comment
15. Post this giveaway on any sweepstakes site, Mr Linky, or other networking website-leave the link where I can find it (1 entry each)

Bored at home, sick, stuck in bed

Back to school winners

ok got 5 winner to annouce yay!

Barefoot Books giveaway winner is.............
Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

51

Timestamp: 2010-08-31 02:28:08 UTC

nicole / Twitter: BTHM1 said... 51
my daughter would probably love knick knack paddy wack best

_______________________

The winner of the Carolina pad giveaway is........
Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

223

Timestamp: 2010-08-31 02:29:27 UTC

amyd said... 23
I like the eye candy collection
ardelong2@gmail.com
______________________

The Winner of the Snap necklaces giveaway is.....
Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

60

Timestamp: 2010-08-31 02:31:04 UTC

Darcie K. said... 60
 Entered the Barefoot Books giveaway
dmkayes@gmail.com
______________________

The winner of theUneaks giveaway is...
Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

201

Timestamp: 2010-08-31 02:32:39 UTC

Mom2anutball said... 1
Uneaks Twitter follower {mom2anutball}
fineinsanity@live.com
_____________________

The new winner of the Buckley Boo giveaway is...
Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

145

Timestamp: 2010-08-31 02:34:03 UTC

funfunfun said... 145
blogged about it! #4
thefritzs_2000@yahoo.com
____________________
Congrats you have all been emailed and have 48 hours to claim thanks!

Wonderful Opportunity

I am really excited. I have shared with you that one of my tasks as the Family Services Coordinator at TriState Habitat for Humanity is to recruit families to apply for our home ownership program. It's surprising, but we have a hard time finding families who qualify for our program. I think many of them de-select themselves before ever requesting an application.
They may think that they wouldn't qualify because they make too much. While we do work with families who have our income guidelines, most often families who apply are rejected for our home ownership program because they don't meet the minimum income requirements. Very few families are rejected because they are over the income guidelines.
A lot of people also think that Habitat builds houses for homeless people which is not true. While some of our families may be homeless because they are currently living with family or friends, most of our applicants are living in some kind of substandard housing that they are renting.
Along with this, I think that a lot of single people and couples with no children don't apply because they think that Habitat only builds homes for families who have young children. However, our definition of a family is one or more people.
I think some people also don't apply because they are worried about their credit. While we ask people to work to pay down their debt and begin repairing their credit, our Habitat affiliate does not turn families down because of low credit scores. In fact, I often tell people who call the Habitat office that if we only built homes for people with perfect credit, we would not be building any homes. Habitat for many families is a second chance. Many of them have had problems with credit in the past and we both hold them accountable and offer them grace in this area of their lives.
So, I was very excited today when I made a huge breakthrough in my recruitment efforts. I received permission from the City of Hamilton Schools to distribute fliers to all of the students in the system. When the person in the administrative office told me that this would be around 9,000 students, I was dumbfounded. What a blessing! We are going to be able to reach 9,000 families who may not know about Habitat. We are going to be able to send fliers home with children who may be living in substandard housing. People who before may have de-selected themselves for one reason or another may give Habitat another thought and take the risk to request an application. We might just be able to plant seeds of hope in the hearts of people living in some pretty awful circumstances.
One reason this is also very exciting is that the City of Hamilton, Ohio is a very good partner with TriState Habitat for Humanity. We are working together to build several new homes in Hamilton and hopefully will be able to partner with the city through the new Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative. This will allow us to possibly transform whole blocks and even neighborhoods.
To think that one of these fliers might be carried home by a child living in poverty to a parent who longs to fulfill a dream of home ownership, is truly humbling to me. Along with this, I continue to be amazed by the doors that God opens to the mission and ministry of TriState Habitat for Humanity. God is definitely up to something good and I am so grateful that I can be a part of it. I ask for your prayers as we prepare to distribute these fliers.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Back to school blog hop day 30

Todays awesome giveaway is over at Debbies Homeschool Corner she is giving away $40 worth of Freckle box products. That is a pretty awesome prize to win so head over and check it out

Cool Tote lunch sacks review & Giveaway ends Sept. 19th

I love finding awesome lunch boxes for my kids especially one they can express themselves with. All my school age kids have a lunch box now so it was time for my Kindergartner to have one as well. So we looked around and found alot she liked but so many were cheaply made or very unearth friendly. I try and find things safe for the earth and my kids that are awesomely made and will last since I do have 6 kids and anything that last more than one child is worth it to me. So when we found Cool tote lunch sacks we knew we found the right one for her and me.

Why Cool tote lunch sacks? Well one they are Earth friendly and are made of fabric. They also contain no lead or PVC. They are lined with nylon and has a heat shield insulation to keep the lunch cool all day. It also come with its own nice fabric covered ice pack. It is a perfect size to pack a lunch for kids of any size which I love. We got the Flower Power design and we both absolutely love it. My oldest envied it as well. My favorite thing is that there is a guarantee of excellence on the lunch bag and if you find any defects for a year they will replace it. This is a very big deal for me knowing they stand behind their product.

So if your looking for cool lunch boxes or bags for your kids or yourself this year you definitely need to head over and check out Cool tote lunch sacks. You will be glad you did. They have a awesome selection of materials to chose from so theirs bound to be one you and your kids will love.

We are giving away a Cool tote lunch sacks to one lucky reader yay!

To enter:
1. Go to Cool tote lunch sacks and tell me your favorite fabric

Extra Entries:
1. Enter any of The Back to school blog hop giveaways at 3 Boys and a dog , jamericanspice , laughing lindsay ,debbies homeschool corner get 1 entry for each giveaway entered
2.Follow me
3.sign up for my rss feeds
4.Blog about this giveaway this will count for 4 entries
5.add my button to your site 2 entries
6.link to this page for 4 entries
7.Subscribe to my email feeds
8.follow me on twitter (collyn23) and tweet this contest
9.Enter my other giveaways 1 entry for each entered
10.Follow me on network blogs on sidebar
11. If you added my Back to school button early and commented on my early post 2 extra entries
12.add my blog to your blogroll counts as 3 entries
13.Fav me on technoratti
14.comment on my non giveaway blogs 1 entry for each comment
15. Post this giveaway on any sweepstakes site, Mr Linky, or other networking website-leave the link where I can find it (1 entry each)

The Tie that Binds

Today in worship we sang this wonderful hymn of the church. The sermon was about a faith that makes a difference. The pastor reminded us that our faith is not just something that we keep to ourselves. Instead, we are called to make a difference in the lives of others. One of the ways we do this is to connect with others in faith and community. Grace draws us together from different backgrounds and life experiences. Grace unites us when nothing else can. Grace pushes us on toward the goal.
Today was a good reminder for me of my need for community. As an introvert, I sometimes find myself living like a hermit. I am not a very social person and yet I need community. I need others who are going to challenge me and support me in this journey. I need people who will hold me accountable and encourage me. I need the gifts that others bring to this world. I need the tie that binds me to others in Christian love.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Back to School? Not Likely.

Back to School? Not Likely.

As a mom, I surely support schooling. As a family, we celebrate the start of a new school year each fall.

We enjoy setting up the new order of life, as school bells beckon us back from the less structured life of summer vacation. Eagerly, we reorganize our desktops and our closets to prepare for the new school year.

Still, here's a curriculum we might just overlook

Day 29 of the back to school blog hop- Charm Factory giveaway ends sept.12

My girls love jewelry. No idea where they got that from (ahem, cough ) lol. So I love getting them some special jewelry for special days like graduation, Dance recital, birthdays, etc. My oldest really love charm bracelets because she can personalize them and make them mean something or represent herself. So when I came across Charm Factory I knew instantly I found a store I will be shopping alot at for my girls.

Charm Factory has gorgeous charms and bracelets and necklaces. Now before this site I thought charm bracelets were pretty much the same everywhere with the same old charms and designs. Haha boy was I wrong. Charm Factory has such a huge selection on charms I was blown away by the different kinds they had. I mean they had one for everyone. You could find anything that represents yourself trust me. There was honestly so many charms I wanted just for myself I could fill 50 bracelets. Same goes for my kids. Even my Son seen some he liked haha. They have everything from characters, to jewels to themes to inspirational sayings and lockets. You could get different kids as well like wood ones, sterling silver ones, even crystal ones. They selection is crazy! You can get some for graduations, High school initials, sports and even Twilight ones for the fans out there.

I had such a hard time choosing which charms to get for my oldest. I got her one for her birthday and I wanted to get things that represent her. So I got a locket because she always wants a lockets with our picture in it. I also got her a prayer box because at her age prayers are so helpful, well at any age praying is very helpful. I also got a Rose colored heat because she is my heart. I got her 2 angel charms to watch over heart and let her know she is my angel. I then got her initial M for her name Megan. And then I got her a red, white and blue star because she dance for the 4th of July event each year in Utah, so she is my little Independence star! I also got a Mommies girl little saying one since she is momma's girl! I couldn't wait after I ordered it to see how it turned out!

A week or so later it arrived and I immediately opened it to see if it looked as good as the pictures and I was brought to tears. It was gorgeous. It stood for everything my daughter is. I loved it! I knew my daughter would absolutely fall in love with it. This was way better than any Charm bracelet I have ever seen and trust me with 5 girls I have seen alot. Charm Factory has completely went beyond what I expected from them. The bracelet was made perfectly and it definitely isn't cheaply made. This will be something she will grow old with and cherish forever. Best part is she can always get more charms as she grows to update it and make it new to her.

Overall I would recommend Charm Factory to anyone and everyone. They would be great presents for graduations, first days of school, birthdays, Christmas, even a wedding present or Baby shower present. Gosh even mothers day present because honey I want one too. I would get my prayer box, my kids birthstones and my angels. That would be perfect for me! So head over and check out their gorgeous selection because you will not believe all they have.

We are giving away a charm bracelet from Charm Factory to one lucky reader. Awesome prize!

To Enter:
1. Go to Charm Factory and tell me your favorite charm if you can pick one haha

Extra Entries:
1. Enter any of The Back to school blog hop giveaways at 3 Boys and a dog , jamericanspice , laughing lindsay ,debbies homeschool corner get 1 entry for each giveaway entered
2.Follow me
3.sign up for my rss feeds
4.Blog about this giveaway this will count for 4 entries
5.add my button to your site 2 entries
6.link to this page for 4 entries
7.Subscribe to my email feeds
8.follow me on twitter (collyn23) and tweet this contest
9.Enter my other giveaways 1 entry for each entered
10.Follow me on network blogs on sidebar
11. If you added my Back to school button early and commented on my early post 2 extra entries
12.add my blog to your blogroll counts as 3 entries
13.Fav me on technoratti
14.comment on my non giveaway blogs 1 entry for each comment
15. Post this giveaway on any sweepstakes site, Mr Linky, or other networking website-leave the link where I can find it (1 entry each)

Ketchup Hot Dog Clip Art

Finally a hot dog clip art picture with ketchup! I don't like mustard or relish so all of the other images up until this point have kind of made gag. Ketchup is my condiment of choice, especially on hot dogs.

When I was a kid I used to put ketchup on everything, to the point where my parents would get angry because I was wasting it, and they said I was taking in too much sugar and salt from the ketchup. Nowadays I limit the amount I eat of course, but try getting an 8 year old kid with a sweet tooth to do that!!

Temples of Nature

"No temple made with hands can compare with Yosemite... The grandest of all special temples of Nature."

- John Muir

I've been watching through my Netflix subscription the PBS series about the National Parks. If you haven't seen it, I want to highly recommend it to you. It is marvelous. Of course, anything by director Ken Burns is great. This series is absolutely amazing. Please know that I don't make this recommendation lightly.This recommendation comes to you from a real "indoor boy" who once suggested that the rangers of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park might want to think about pressure washing the moss off the trees in the park to "spruce the place up a bit."

I thought this documentary series was going to be more like a Travel Channel special that shows pretty pictures of the National Parks; however, this series is so much more than that. It's about the development and history of how the National Parks came to be in America. It's also about the struggle between those who would exploit our county's natural resources for personal gain and those who risked much to establish parks so that all Americans could enjoy them.

I love the biographical stories of those who rallied people to protect these lands from development.

The person I was most amazed by was John Muir. I really didn't know that much about this amazing man. I have visited Muir Woods in California and marveled at the mighty Redwoods, but I really didn't know who Muir was. I learned through this documentary series that he was way ahead of his time when it came to protecting our natural resources. He lobbied and badgered and lectured to anyone who would listen and to a lot of people who didn't want to listen. He helped found the Sierra Club, wrote books about conservation, camped with President Theodore Roosevelt, and in many ways single-handedly was responsible for saving Yosemite Valley from development and destruction.

Raised as the son of a strict Christian father who believed that anything that distracted from Bible studies was frivolous. By the time he was eleven years old, he had memorized the entire New Testament and most of the Old Testament. In in later writings, Muir expressed his belief that God was always active in the creation of life and thereby kept the natural order of the world. As a result, Muir styled himself as a John the Baptist whose duty was to immerse in 'mountain baptism' everyone he could. Muir saw nature as a great teacher, "revealing the mind of God."
While some might get the impression that Muir reverted back to some kind of nature worship or new age philosophy, I don't really think this is the case at all. Some of his writings taken out of context might lead some to conclude this, but after watching the documentary, I really saw Muir as echoing the Scriptures that he knew so well in what he wrote, said, and tried to live out. Just as the Psalmist wrote:

Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars.

Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies.
Let them praise the name of the LORD, for he commanded and they were created.
He set them in place for ever and ever; he gave a decree that will never pass away.
Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,
lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding,
you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars,
wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds,
kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth,
young men and maidens, old men and children.
Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.

- Psalm 148:3-14, NIV

For me, Muir is a man who was way ahead of his time. He spoke truth to power and made a difference with his life. He was a man of deep and abiding faith. He was an amazing man whom I would have liked to have walked with through the forests and valleys that he so loved. I'm so grateful I got to journey with him for a short while through this documentary.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Winners

We got 4 lucky winners to annouce this awesome Saturday afternoon. Yay!!

The first winner is for Buckley boo
Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

95

Timestamp: 2010-08-28 17:50:13 UTC

Anonymous said... 95
I love the BuckleyLion!!! :-D
lyisia@gmail.com

_____________________________

The next winner is for Taylor Joelle designs
Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

126

Timestamp: 2010-08-28 17:51:34 UTC

Soggy Cereal Mom said... 126
Entered the Executive Gift Shoppe givewaway
mommieseatsoggycereal@gmail.com

_____________________________

The next winner is for the Junk Ball
Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

12

Timestamp: 2010-08-28 17:52:23 UTC

susan said... 12
You can personalize it with Alex Rodriguez.

___________________________

the last winner is for the Rattles CD
Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

49

28

Timestamp: 2010-08-28 17:53:44 UTC

Darcie K. said... 49
I follow via Google Friend Connect!
dmkayes@gmail.com

gustosa said... 28
entered the Agoo
black11angel@yahoo.com

_____________________________

Congrats to my winner I have emailed you so you have 48 hours to claim or another winner will be chosen thanks and have a awesome day!!!!

fossil of the weekend #78

seems the company that mines ammolite donated a big jewelfied ammonite to the royal british columbia museum too (the first museum i encountered one of these at was the royal tyrrell... maybe only royally appellated institutions get them?)

Air-O-Swiss Digital warm & cool Ultrasonics review & giveaway ends Sept 17

Me and my youngest suffer with severe allergies. My son also battles with Asthma. So there is alot of issues the 3 of deal with that concern the sir we breathe. Until now we only had a cool air vaporizer/humidifier thing which was in my sons room to help with keeping moisture int eh sir for his Asthma.  My youngest though needed a warm air one for her sinuses and we didn't have one so I have been on the looking out for one. So when we cam accrossed Air-O-Swiss I knew I wanted one of theirs.

Why you might ask? Well one reason is because it did everything I needed it for all in one machine. That was important to me because it saved me money , time, and space. The other reason it because I knew from recommendations that their brand was one of the best quality brands and suggested by my doctor. So I got the Air-O-Swiss AOS 7135 Warm & Cool Mist Ultrasonic. I love this one for one it is electronic and is both cool air or warm air for when ever I need either one. It will automatic make sure the temperature is just right or it will heat up or cool down what ever it need to make it perfect. It eliminates the bacteria by heating the water to 176 degrees F and has a Ionic silver stick to prevent any microbes from growing in the tank as well. I love that it is so quiet. Our old one was so loud. This one I can barely tell its on. It is also very energy efficient which is a very good thing for me.

The best part is it is digital. It has a large LCD display screen that is so easy to read for me. It is great as well because it automatically regulates the output to create the most comfortable relative humidity adjusted to the temperature in your room. It also has a timer which my old one did not have. So we can set it for 1 hour or up to 9 hours or you can just have it set to continuous. I love this feature! It is fairly light and so durable.

Overall I am so pleased with this product. Air-O-Swiss has proven to me how great their products are. When my doctor told me to put moisture in the room I am in at home to help with my allergies and my daughters I was scared I would be spending a fortune and not finding something I really like and when he recommended Air-O-Swiss I thought they must be outrageous. Well both thought were totally wrong. I got a product I love and they are fairly reasonable as well especially for something that helps us medically. So if your in the market for a new humidifier/ vaporizer you really should check out what Air-o-Swiss has to offer. Trust me you will love their products as much as I do.

We are giving away a Air-O-Swiss  AOS 7146 Travel Ultrasonic to one lucky USA reader in the 48 continental states. So cool!

To Enter:
1. go to Air-O-Swiss and tell me your favorite product.

Extra Entries:
2.Follow me
3.sign up for my rss feeds
4.Blog about this giveaway this will count for 4 entries
5.add my button to your site 2 entries
6.link to this page for 4 entries
7.Subscribe to my email feeds
8.follow me on twitter (collyn23) and tweet this contest
9.Enter my other giveaways 1 entry for each entered
10.Follow me on network blogs on sidebar
11.add my blog to your blogroll counts as 3 entries
12.Fav me on technoratti
13.comment on my non giveaway blogs 1 entry for each comment
14. Post this giveaway on any sweepstakes site, Mr Linky, or other networking website-leave the link where I can find it (1 entry each)

day 28 of back to school blog hop

only 3 more days left of the back to school blog it has been fun and lots of awesome giveaway so make sure you get those entries in at all five of our blogs since we all have great stuff to give away! Today's awesome giveaway is atLaughing Lindsay/ and she is giving away a $25 Organize.com gift card it Ends September 11th.

Happy Birthday Paul!

I want to wish my nephew Paul a very happy birthday. Today Paul turns eighteen years old. It's hard to believe that time has passed by so fast. I remember the first time I met Paul when he was only twelve years old. He's a lot taller now.
I hope you have a wonderful birthday, Paul. I love you!

Fix it Friday #68

Before my edits

After my Edits

Bolt by Frolicat will keep you cat entertained

Now that my kids are back in school my cat Buddy doesnt have anyone to play with him all day and honestly I just dont have the time. I can finally get things done that I need to without kids. Buddy is still a kitten and would play all day if he could. He is definitely not nocturnal. He sleeps at night thank goodness. So I try to find toys for him to play by himself with. The balls he loses in like 10 minutes. The mouses he doesnt want anything to do with those yet. Now we came across Frolicat and noticed the Bolt. I thought hmm wonder if he would play with this.

The bolt is a toy that you can sit on the table, floor, or counter and it shines out a little red laser light that moves in a pattern for the cat to chase. You can even hold it and make your own fun patterns for your kitty to chase.It provides hours of fun for your cat and yourself. Best part it has a automatic timer that with shut off after 15 minutes. This is a great battery saver.

My overall opinion is this is a fun toy and definitely keeps my Buddy boy occupied. It also keeps my kids entertained as well they spent like a hour chasing the light. It was quite amusing haha. The only thing that I disliked was some of the patterns are too slow and others are just way crazy going up the walls and huge circles. But I must say my cat didnt seem to mind it. He loves playing with it. I see this toy being his favorite for many years to come. So if you have a cat or a dog that loves chasing things then Frolicat's Bolt is definitely what you need. So head over and check it out.

Here is a video of my Buddy playing with it


We are giving one lucky reader a bolt for you cat or dog or child or whatever you want it for haha!

To enter:
1. Go to Frolicat and tell me something you liked or learned on the site

Extra Entries:
2.Follow me
3.sign up for my rss feeds
4.Blog about this giveaway this will count for 4 entries
5.add my button to your site 2 entries
6.link to this page for 4 entries
7.Subscribe to my email feeds
8.follow me on twitter (collyn23) and tweet this contest
9.Enter my other giveaways 1 entry for each entered
10.Follow me on network blogs on sidebar
11.add my blog to your blogroll counts as 3 entries
12.Fav me on technoratti
13.comment on my non giveaway blogs 1 entry for each comment
14. Post this giveaway on any sweepstakes site, Mr Linky, or other networking website-leave the link where I can find it (1 entry each)

Feeling Better

I am feeling better today. I went to work and made it through the whole day. I tried to get a little sympathy from my co-workers but they mostly just stared at me wondering how in the world I have survived this long in life. It amazes me sometimes as well.
I've got a lot on my plate for tomorrow at the office. I'm orienting a new volunteer. I've got some applications for Habitat's home ownership program to process. Tomorrow is also the day I send out a monthly e-newsletter about our family services program. Beyond that, got to make up for my lost day of work and try to play catch-up.
This is my last week of ten hour days. Next week I'll be back on a normal schedule. The good thing is I'm taking next Friday off. I am going to head to Indiana for Labor Day weekend. I'm looking forward to connecting with friends. I am hoping for cooler weather for that weekend as it's supposed to warm up again here in Cincinnati in the next few days.
I am a bit tired tonight so I think I'm off to bed. Thanks for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

caught between a tyrannosaur and a ceratopsian...

oh man...

to say that the dinosaur winter games had not been going my way, was becoming THE understatement of the year!

they were potentially bankrupting me, keeping me stuck in canada (i've got things to get back to in new zealand... it feels like i've been away for AGES!), and worst of all were humiliating me in front of the whole world. not once, but twice!

the latest of those was the hockey match. it was not only a bad game, but it was now having some major effects on my life beyond the rink too...

team canada had gotten creamed. we totally lost to team china. the worst part, i was probably the big cause of it all!

well okay, while i'm known to try and take the blame for everything (i am a canadian t-rex after all!), but some of the blame really does deserve to goto my special talent agent peter bond...

despite knowing that i couldn't skate, he fielded me on the ice in the first place. his logic at the time was that if some of his dinosaurs couldn't skate, other teams would have that problem too... so much for that idea. i was the only dinosaur (so far anyway... team gondwana hasn't played yet) who can't skate in the whole OH-lympics!

what a great way to make me the star of the games!?! he even made me buy my own team canada jersey. making me the only dinosaur to wear a uniform... though as a side note i can't figure out why everyone makes fun of the back of it?

you'd think this isolation and humiliation would be the most of my problems. well it does suck, but there was an even bigger problem to team canada's defeat. my team itself!

you see, lillian albertosaurus and norman a. centrosaur hadn't been all that keen about being on the same team in the first place. with the really public (and talked about) defeat of the home team they were REALLY not getting along now!

leaving the stadium after the game, the two weren't keeping their contempt for each other contained...

it got so bad that the police had to keep the public at a safe distance.

not that i want to have to say bad things about the girl of my dreams, but in fairness to norman, it was lillian who was the true instigator. she ripped into him for being a "stupid" "open skulled" ceratopsian (while it is sort of true the norman's frill is in a sense open, in that it hoad two hollows way up to reduce his head's weight... this doesn't mean his skull is substandard and thus making him stupid or something... as lillian was trying to get at).

norman didn't help matters though by insulting lillian back about being conceited and full of herself...

of course the news picked up the whole fight... which is probably only going to make matters worse later on. ugh.

it is times like this i realized why vivus dinosaurs have such a bad spot in the modern world.

at the end of the very public (potentially embarrassing) fight they both stormed off even more furious with the other. peter was still up in the boardcast booth doing our game's post game coverage, and was oblivious to the whole incident. leaving me all by myself to try and clean up the whole mess.

why did i stick my snout into all this? the smart thing to do would have been to stay out frankly. though when have i ever been known for being the smartest guy around?

well we still had more OH-lympic events to go, and team canada needed to stay a team to keep competing or we'd have to drop out (and possibly lose me all my money that peter had invested in these dumb games in the first place). more to the point they were both my friends, and good friends at that...

i'd known norman since i was a hatchling. we went way back. i wanted lillian to be my mate someday. it tore me up that these two really important dinosaurs in my life weren't getting along. there just had to be a way i could get them to like each other, and the various parts of my life would combine into a really happy whole...

why do i always have these impossibly noble intentions?

i ran into lillian first. she was angerily pacing outside the stadium.

i greeted her, and tried to innocently ask her how she was feeling...

this was my first big mistake of the day (after the game anyways). lillian might be a more progressive thinking tyrannosaurid than our relatives in the pack of the primordial pack, but not by that much more (compared to me). her full, albertosaur sized, temper suddenly zoned in on me.

"how am i feeling!?!" she growled. "how else do you think i'd feel after you and that open skull humiliated me in front of the whole world!!!"

"so not good," i answered automatically.

i was answered with a full on angry albertosaur howl... not exactly a settling sound, i must say.

"i'll take the full blame for the game, lillian," i tried to be selfless, and take one for the team. "norman played almost as good as you did." you know that was a good move on my part. complementing lillian with that, while at the same time playing up norman. if only lillian saw it that way...

"yes you were rather pathetic weren't you!" lillian agreed, but in a far more cutting way than i'd thought. "however the fact that i, a former world class attraction, was shamed by a runt like you and a ceratopsian. i can't even put into words how disgusted that makes me feel. of all thing,s a gutless open skull."

her words shouldn't have surprised me. in fact what she said about me slipped right off. i'd been insulted worse, by her and others. more to the point i was chalking this up to her theropod temper (we have slightly uncontrollable boiling points we meat eating dinosaurs). yet it was how she was putting down my friend norman that got me upset. she didn't even know him, that alone take the time to get to know him.

"i'll have you know that 'gutless' centrosaur has stuck his neck out a few times to help me out!" i countered forcefully. the second after i said it, i realized it had been a mistake.

"yes that is right, you are even worse aren't you," she insulted. "you lower yourself to being the equal of a prey animal!" yeah so when i said she wasn't as progressive as me, i'd forgotten by what a margin. lillian may have abandoned all notions of carrying on our ancestors' cretaceous ways, but she still held a fairly typical theropod mindset. especially about non-theropods.

"how does that make me a worse dinosaur?" i challenged. "at least it shows i'm strong enough to adapt to our present situation. those 'prey animals' are some of the few living things that know what we are going through. only someone cowardly and backwards would hold on the the notion we are somehow..." oops i really shouldn't have said cowardly. especially to a female tyrannosaurid!

lillian didn't say anything. she just charged at me with a challenge roar. i knew better than stay in the path of an on coming raging albertosaur. so i high tailed it out of there.

great. now i'd really urked the girl of my dreams. i knew much of what she'd said and done was just her mesozoic instincts taking over. yet in some ways i found lillians attitude really bothered me... i'd set about my life to try and combat the tyrannosaur sterotype. did i really want to spend my life with someone who embodied that very thing?

no i didn't. yet lillian was not beyond saving i decided. she'd said no to the pack, and in essence our ancient ways that they represented. if she could do that, than i was sure i could get her to come around on non-theropods...

though for the timing being i'd really ticked her off. oh man.

i wasn't going to make things any better in a second either!

i managed to track norman down fairly quickly after that. the good news about norman's kind being one of my "prey" in the olden days, was that my nose was pretty attuned to picking up his scent.

"how you holding up?" i asked my childhood friend.

"let's just say i've had better days," norman replied frankly.

"yeah the game was pretty rough," i thankful agreed. phew! he wasn't going to try and divide my loyalties... at least that's what i'd hoped.

"the game could have gone better," norman agree, but than clarified what he'd meant a moment earlier. "no, i meant having to put up with that stuck up albertosaur you think is so pretty."

"she's not that stuck up," i tried to counter. than had clarify myself. "okay she can be when she's angry. that's the only time though. honest. i've seen her nice many times."

"listen to yourself, traum," norman pleaded with me. "you're trying to defend a typical self important tyrant. everything you hate about your own kind! you seriously don't still have that silly crush on her, do you?!?"

"so what if i do?" i answered back definitely. though in my heart i wasn't sure at moment.

"traum, seriously, speaking as a friend, you can do better," norman said as sincerely as he could. the statement hurt for some reason. it really shouldn't have, yet it ran me over almost as bad as lillian's charge would have.

"what do you know? how can you be sure there is a tyrannosaurid who is better?!?" i found myself countering angrily... not that i'd wanted to snap. just with all the stress of lillian and now norman questioning my affection for the other, my own tyrannosaur temper had snapped.

norman just rolled his eyes. "what i do know traumador, is that deep down your better than all of your kind put together," he stated. "but as long as you're hung up on that carnivore throw back, you'll never live up to your potential."

i didn't say anything, i was desperately fighting off my own theropod temper tantrum...

"just look at yourself man," norman instructed me. "you're a step away from pulling a larry on me here. all because of lillian."

i still didn't say anything, i was literally biting my lips to keep from howling in anger myself. though i'm pretty sure i was throwing a pretty good death glare at him.

"seriously traum, she might be the only one of your 'kind' not to be in the pack, but she isn't that much better than them," norman concluded. "if it were me, i'd be glad to be alone, than mated to something that held me back as much as she would you. you are a one of kind tyrannosaur, my old friend. until you realize you deserve a one of a kind mate to match you, you'll never be happy."

norman started to walk off. "please think about it traumador. is she trying to impress you? or is it still like always you trying to impress her... because these days what does she have that you don't?"

once norman was out of sight, i let off my rage. for the next few minutes i was a trembling huffing mess.

than as my nerves calmed and my temper calmed i had a good think about what he'd said. you know he was right...

norman had always been good at analyzing us vivus dinosaurs, and the roles we tried to play in the modern world (despite the fact we were displaced from these roles by tens of millions of years). in some ways he was right. not just about lillian's discriminations, but how i'd always been trying to impress her.

really these days she was as homeless, displaced, and without purpose as me. only i wasn't so lonely. lillian was so busy trying to be a strong independent albertosaur, that she'd driven away all the potential allies she could have now. the only reason lillian was getting anywhere these days was because of me... i was her only friend, but she certainly wasn't my only one these days!

so the question was should i lose my crush on her, like norman suggested? or was she redeemable? could i make her see the error of her ways, and the benefits of not "being" a tyrannosaur? or was she a lost cause, no better than a member of the pack?

what do you think people of the web wide world?