Busy Weekend

If you've stopped by this weekend, You noticed I wasn't found!!!
I had such a busy weekend. After being snowed in for two days, I was out and about.
I had a busy Saturday and thought today I would catch up on my reading and get some other things done. Well, I had a headache and lied on the couch... That was all she wrote.... So, I was waken to my husband calling to come pick him up that he had broken something on his truck and needed me to run him to get parts and...
- that took up way more time then I thought and there went the day. I did not get anything done. So, I guess I'll try tomorrow.

Friday Follow

Friday- Yeah!!! The kids are home again today. We had another Snow Day. This is the second day in a row. This makes for a nice long weekend. Too Bad--We are Snowed In!!!This storm didn't seem to miss us this time:( We got it and Good. I'm not postive of the snow totals yet. My husband's out plowing and has been since yesterday morning. He got a break last night but since his last plowing some of his driveways had gotten 18 inches and that doesn't count the other snow that came yesterday morning and all day.
Thanks for stopping by to visit and I will return the favor. It just may take me a bit. I'm Happy that we didn't loose our power. Some towns around us are without electricity and that make things alot harder escpecially in this cold weather.
I'm also lucky, I didn't have plans to go anywheres this morning. My Mom couldn't make it to work today, as she had a problem getting out. The Snow plow hadn't been down our road until 8:15am and she usually is at work before 7am and thats after driving a 1/2 hour to work in good weather. Well, at least she's home safe and warm :) I may try to get out alittle bit later to get some groceries and stuff. We'll see how long it takes me to shovel the porch and stairs off. Have a great weekend!!!

AThousand Words Thursday

On Word:Snow!!!!

No More pictures... Enough is Enough...
This winter has been an odd one for Us. I live in the snowbelt area and I'm used to snow. We have been lucky and missed a few of these winter storms. We've had the most snow between Christmas and New Year's and I was happy because our Florida Family came here to play in the Snow during the Holidays. (And my husband made money plowing for nine days straight) Now, its February and Today's only my children's Second Snow Day off from school. And we are getting this storm. We've already gotten 10 inches of new snow since this morning and We are suppose to get the worst this late afternoon evening with 1-3 inches an hour. Our total snow accumulations for today into tomorrow are suppose to be around 10-18 inches PLUS.... They say plus because we haven't even gotten the storm yet... The weather men are warning us of Power Outages and more Snow!!! This is heavy wet snow... I feel bad for my husband -he's been out plowing since 5am this morning and he told me not to expect him until this is over. Let's just hope we don't lose our power and this storm passes by quickly. Who's looking forward to Spring?

Winner Announcements

Drum Roll Please...

The Winner of Teddy's Pride Pet Oral Care is Ellen...

The Winner of UPrinting 500 Business Cards is Natalie...

Congrats!!!

Thank you to our sponsors :)

Wordless Wednesday

Winter Fun!!!!Sledding...

Do you use Canned Food?

This is a good question? Do you use canned food? Well... I do. I think that Fresh is Best and prefer to use fresh fruits and vegetables but sometimes I use canned or frozen. Mostly, because of the convience and the cost. When Fresh fruits and vegetables are not in season they cost alot more money. I like to grow my own fruits and veggies and sometimes I may freeze or can them myself. And sometimes I buy them at the grocery store. I know... Everyone has their own opinion on using Fresh, Frozen or Canned.
Are you wondering why I'm talking about this? Well, Twittermoms sparked this discussion teaming up with the Canned Food Alliance to bring you a fun blogging contest. So, Of course I thought I would join in this. I watched this video (link below) and learned some interested things.
~Fruits & Vegetables are picked at prime to contain freshness when canned
~Canned tomatoes contain more lycopene then fresh,cooked tomatoes
~Canned corn,beans and pears are high in fiber
~The darker the bean the more antioxidants

Using canned goods is sometimes an easy way to fix dinner. Twittermoms wants to know a favorite recipe using canned goods. Here's a quick one...
Tater Tot Casserole
~Brown 1 lb of hamburger and drain
~Add to a baking dish including
~1 can of Cream of Mushroom Soup
~1/2 can of milk
~1 can string beans
~Top with Tater Tots
Bake until brown (Following directions on Tater Tot Bag)

This recipe is quick and easy... Even my 11 year old can make this for dinner. I'm not saying this is the most nutritious recipe but it does have veggies in it. :)


Watch the Field to Table VideoCanned Food Alliance

About Canned Food Alliance
The Canned Food Alliance is a partnership of the American Iron and Steel Institute’s Steel Packaging Council, the Can Manufacturers Institute, select food processors and affiliate members. The CFA serves as a resource for information on the nutrition, convenience, contemporary appeal and versatility of canned food. The CFA is a proud supporter of the Produce for Better Health Foundation and the Fruits and Veggies More Matters program. For hundreds of mealtime solutions, visit www.mealtime.org.

Red Light,Green Light, Eat Right ~Book Review~

Red Light, Green Light, Eat Right: The Food Solution That Let's Kids Be Kids.
By: Joanne Dolgoff, MD



In her book, Dr. Dolgoff uses the power of play to get more families excited about healthy eating. The book teaches readers how to make healthy choices based on the principles of the traffic light: green light foods are nutritious, yellow light foods are eaten in moderation, and red light foods are occasional treats. Snacks and meals are designed to ensure that children get the nutrients they need to not only lose or maintain weight, but to grow strong, healthy bodies. Dr. Dolgoff also discusses the important issues surrounding child and adolescent weight management and gives tips on how to follow the program while dining out, going to birthday parties, and celebrating the holidays. Complete with sample menus, recipes, 50 fun activities that count as exercise, and an index of more than 1,000 color-coded foods, Red Light, Green Light, Eat Right is great on its own or as a companion to the online program.

Rather than requiring children and parents to constantly track calorie counts and fat content, Dr. Dolgoff has divided over one thousand foods (with appropriate serving sizes) into easily recognizable “green light”, “yellow light”, and “red light” categories and (based upon a child’s height, weight, gender, and age) creates customized plans that determine the number of “colors” that should be consumed at each meal and snack. No food is off-limits and with Dr. Dolgoff’s Weigh, kids are encouraged to be creative with their food selections...and to indulge every now and then!

My Thoughts:
This is a great book for all parents to read. This traffic light system is a fun way for families to learn healthy eating habits. This program offers a kid-friendly approach to help children learn the benefits of healthy food choices and portion control. The lessons taught in this book are ones that will have you and your family living a healthier life today, tomorrow and forever. Whether you are interested in maintaining a healthy weight or encouraging weight loss this book is for you. My family has benefitted for me reading this book.

Want to learn more about this book? You can visit Dr. Dolgoff and purchase this book here.

*Disclosure:I recevied this book complimentary for review purposes, this is my own opinion*

Rainbow Brite ~ Giveaway~

You've probably heard a favorite childhood toy is back!! (After about 25 years) Do you remember Rainbow Brite? I do! Although, I wasn't into playing with dolls much as a kid, I remember having a Green Sprite Stuffed Animal. This was one of my favorites!!! This was one of Rainbow Brite's friends. And I remember just how cute he was.



Rainbow Brite has delighted generations of children with her exciting and imaginative adventures. Among adults who grew up with the original cartoons and dolls, Rainbow Brite has a significant following as a nostalgic property…but her unique brand of sweetly futuristic fantasy – and her sincere message of courage, kindness and hope – make her a true 21st century hero.


Thanks to Momselect and Hallmark I was able to share in this celebration by receiving several Rainbow Brite CD's to review and pass along to my friends. The interactive CD includes:Rainbow Brite animated short video, Games & Puzzles, Rainbow Brite theme song and more fun stuff.
My daughter is eleven and too cool for this, so I decided to check out this CD by myself. I had fun playing the games. I liked the memory game the best. It started out easy and as you mastered it, it kept getting harder and harder. I really liked this feature. (I'm sad to say, I think I need to play this more often to help with my memory. LOL) I played some other games and I think that most younger girls and even some little boys would enjoy this CD. Another great feature is the coloring pages you can print.
I have shared a few of these CD's with my friends younger girls and they all have enjoyed playing the CD's and want to buy the dolls and horses. Luckily, they are out now and can be purchased at Target and Toys R Us.

Would you like to introduce Rainbow Brite and her Friends to the young girls in your life? I am giving away 2 CD's (one to keep and one to share!) to 2 lucky readers!

Mandatory entry: Visit Rainbow Brite and tell me Who is your favorite character? and/or Do you remember Rainbow Brite growing up?

EXTRA ENTRIES:
To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED entry. But in addition you can:

■Subscribe via e-mail (1 extra entry)
■Follow me via Google Friend Connect (2 extra entries)
■Add @Shawnmh to your Twitter -Leave me your twitter ID (2 extra entries)
■ Tweet this giveaway on Twitter. Be sure to include a link to this contest page (Leave me the link)(1 extra entry/this may be done daily)
■Add my button to your site AND/OR add me to your blog roll.(1 entry for each)
■Blog about this contest: Add a link to this post (5 extra entries)

This giveaway is open to US residents only. Please leave a seperate comment for each entry.(Please make sure if you are anonymous you leave your email address with your comments.)
This giveaway will end on March 6th at 11:59 pm Est. The winners will be notified and have 48 hours to respond to my email or another winner will be choosen

Chicken Soup for the Soul: True Love ~Review and Giveaway~

Chicken Soup for the Soul: True Love
101 Heartwarming and Humorous stories about Dating, Romance, Love and Marriage By:Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen & Amy Newmark
Foreword by Kristi Yamaguchi and Bret Hedican

Everyone loves a good love story. And we all love stories about how the love started and blossomed. This fun new book about dating, romance, love, and marriage, will make readers laugh and cry, and is guaranteed to inspire a renewed search for that special someone or open the heart a little more to the love already found. Stories of how couples met, when “they knew,” good and bad dates, proposals, maintaining the relationship, second chances, and all the other ups and downs of love, romance, and marriage will entertain, encourage, and warm the hearts of all readers. A great Valentine’s, wedding, or romantic gift!

My Thoughts:
I love this book as I love all of the Chicken Soup for the Soul Books that I have read. These books are so great! I like how you can sit down and read the whole book or if time doesn't allow it, you can read just a few pages at a time. I have found myself laughing and crying as I read this. I love all the stories on how they met, adventures in dating, proposals and weddings,etc. Some of these stories were more touching then others and some brought back memories. I am happy to have read this and I guess we all will find some stories in this book that will touch us more than others.

You can purchase this through amazon
Stop by Chicken Soup for the Soul's website and check out all their great books.

Three of my lucky reader can win this!

MANDATORY/REQUIRED ENTRY:
You need to Follow me and leave a Comment telling me if You've found true love or not.

EXTRA ENTRIES:
To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED entry. But in addition you can:

■Subscribe via e-mail (1 extra entry)
■Add @Shawnmh to your Twitter -Leave me your twitter ID (2 extra entries)
■ Tweet this giveaway on Twitter. Be sure to include a link to this contest page (Leave me the link)(1 extra entry/this may be done daily)
■Add my button to your site AND/OR add me to your blog roll.(1 entry for each)
■Blog about this contest: Add a link to this post (5 extra entries)

This giveaway is open to US and Canada residents only. Please leave a seperate comment for each entry.(Please make sure if you are anonymous you leave your email address with your comments.)
This giveaway will end on March 3rd at 11:59 pm Est. The winners will be notified and have 48 hours to respond to my email or another winner will be choosen

**Disclosure- I received this book for free to review as a member of the Chicken Soup for the Soul blogger network**

Friday Follow

It's Friday Allready. Wow, this week flew right by. The kids have been on winter break and we have had some extra time together. We are looking forward to a Fun Day today. Yesterday we went to the movies and didn't have too good of a time. The movie theater was having technical difficulties and after the movie stopped for the third time in the first 15 minutes of the movie, we decided to leave. The movie theater gave us our money back but we still spent a fortune on popcorn, candy and drinks. I had to be at gymnastics later that evening so we didn't have time to try a different movie or theater. So... We will be doing something fun today. This time of the year, here where we live, there isn't too much to do besides outdoor winter fun. We'll see what the kids pick to do.
Have a Great Weekend. Thanks for stopping by :)
Everyone stopping by from Friday Follow will have an extra chance in my giveaways. (When entering the giveaway,Just write FF in the comments)

UPrinting 500 Business Cards ~Giveaway~

Giveaway now Closed. Congrats to Natalie

My husband was in the need of new business cards. He would have went to a local printing company and had new cards made. Instead I had the opportunity to try and make my business cards online. I was pleased and very happy with the business cards we received from UPrinting.com. The ordering process was simple and easy to use. First you pick a card style, then you can design your own or pick a template, add content, proof and place your order. They have a large variety of designs and a great selection. I love that they offer you a free proof ,so you know exactly how your cards will look before you purchase them. This print online company offers alot of great products. Check them out!!!

Think of all the possibilities... How would you use 500 free Business Cards from UPrinting.com?

Would you use them to spread the news about your new business? Would they help network your blog? Would you use them to promote an upcoming Event?

One of my lucky readers will receive 500 Business Cards from UPrinting.com
Including Free UPS Ground Shipping in the USA
Sizes: 2 x 3.5”, 2 x 3”, 2 x 2” (square card) or 1.5 x 3.5” (skinny card)
Paper:14 pt gloss cardstock,14 pt matte cardstock or 13 pt recycled uncoated cardstock
Specifications: Full Color Both Sides; Offset Press; 3 Business Day Printing

MANDATORY/REQUIRED ENTRY:
You need to Follow me and leave a Comment answering how you will use your business cards?

EXTRA ENTRIES:
To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED entry. But in addition you can:

■Subscribe via e-mail (1 extra entry)
■Add Shawnmh to your Twitter -Leave me your twitter ID (2 extra entries)
■Add UPrinting to your Twitter -Leave me your twitter ID (1 extra entry
■ Tweet this giveaway on Twitter. Be sure to include a link to this contest page and say: Business Card #GiveAway @UPrinting in your tweet(Leave me the link)(1 extra entry/this may be done daily)
■Add my button to your site AND/OR add me to your blog roll.(1 entry for each)
■Blog about this contest: Add a link to this post and to UPrinting.com (5 extra entries)

This Contest is open to U.S. Residents only and ends February 25th at 12pm(Noon) EST.
The Winner will be notified by e-mail (The winner will have 24 hours to email me back with information needed or another winner will be chosen)
UPrinting.com will email the winner a coupon code by month end.

*I need to disclose that I will be receiving free business cards from UPrinting.com for hosting this giveaway.

A Thousand Words Thursday

Here's another View... This is looking out the front porch. Camera Zoomed in and aimed towards the driveway.

Can you even see the road? It's up behind the pine tree. Did you notice the boat? Yeah... Pete left the boat outside all winter long, luckily he drained the fluids and had it covered, then it was froze And so He decided it would stay there. Luckily we have a large yard and driveway.

Delivery? Digiorno House Party

Does this look like Delivery? Doesn't this look Good? It's Digiorno!!!
This is the Self Rising Crust Pepperoni (and I added a can of mushrooms)

And it was Good!!!! Thanks to House Party and Digiorno I received a party pack containing coupons for Free Digiorno Pizza. We tried many different types. My favorite was the Stuffed Crust and second runner up was the self rising crust. My least favorite was the Garlic Bread Pizza. If you like lots of garlic then this is the pizza for you.



These boys were the coolest guests at the party...Relaxing after eating their fill.




This Cutie is a Believer as was the other guests at my party. It's hard to believe its not Delivery.... It's Digiorno!!!! It's Great Pizza...

Happy One Year!!!!

Wow!!!!
I can't believe that I have been blogging for One Year.
Thank You to all my friends and followers.

Not Me Monday

I'm not lying here, being lazy today. Nope Not me!!! I do not have any house work to do, my house is spotless!!! I am not making the kids clean their rooms, not me.
I am not looking forward to going to the dentist, well actually, I am!!! I have had a killer toothache since Saturday and I can't wait until my appointment at 1:30. Then maybe I can get my house organized and feel like doing something special with the kids this week. They have the whole week off from school for Winter Break. I did not bribe them with helping me do extra cleaning and making sure their rooms were spotless in order to have friends over, Not me!!!

Happy Valentine's Day

Friday Follow

Happy Friday!!! This is my second week joining this. Last week I found some really nice blogs and friends. I'm looking forward to visiting some more this week. If you stop by, please leave me a comment so I can stop by and follow You.
I Hope You all have a great Weekend and Happy Valentine's Day.

A Thousand Words Thursday

This is what my husbands been doing with his extra time...

Ice Fishing ...

Wordless Wednesday

This is the View looking out my window. I had to zoom in to catch my neighbor's house. This is the trail my kids and dogs use to walk up to Gramma's house.
Yes.. My parents are our neighbors. Also, show is the snowmobile trail that runs through our yard. (Yellow signs)

February is National Cancer Prevention Month

February is national Cancer Prevention Month. Some of the most frequent forms of cancer – breast, colon, prostate – are much easier to treat, and in some cases preventable, with routine screenings. Unfortunately, many people do not have access to tests needed. Ultimate Cloth America is dedicated to helping and proceeds from February sales will go to help the disadvantaged receive routine cancer screenings.

I have used the Ultimate Cloth and I love it. Check out my review here.

(Seed) Lotion Review

Grape Seed Enriched Nourishing Body Lotion
In addition to grape seed oil providing natural Vitamin E, it is also rich in linoleic essential fatty acid, which protects the skin and aids in moisturizing. They enhanced the grape seed oil enriched lotion formula using all natural ingredients including green tea extract and shea butter to soothe and condition – so your body can feel the power of nature.

~100% Natural
~Promotes Healthy Skin

My Thoughts:
I love this!!! My hands and feet have been so dry!! I have been using this lotion and wow! I feel such a difference. After using this lotion my hands and feet feel so soft and smooth. This lotion has a great scent too. Even my husband has used this. He would never use any of my other lotions because of the scent but this smell isn't over powering. What eles I love is that this product is 100% natural and promotes healthy skin.

You can purchase this lotion, the bodybar or shampoo bar on Amazon

**Disclosure: I received complimentary seed products for review purposes. These are my own thoughts and opinion**

Top 10 Family Vacation Tips

Remember When?....
Remember when family vacations were simple, fun and free from all of life's modern distractions?

Now...
The kids are playing video games in the car...
Dad is on the phone or his laptop secretly working...
Mom is tweeting away on her phone or writing her blog ...

Back then...
Vacations were all about the vacation. How can we bring back the simplicity to create magical memories for your family? This is the Question...?????

TwitterMoms is launching a brand new travel channel--and to help get the content rolling, our friends at Alamo have graciously sponsored a blogging contest open to the TwitterMoms community.
So, I'm participating...
How do you plan a family vacation that's all about family togetherness and fun, where everyday distractions don't get in the way?

Here's my Top 10:

#1 Good Planning: Pick a date for your vacation that won't interfer with work or hobbies.

#2 Family Involvement: Try to have the whole family plan a special vacation. Try to do something that all of you will enjoy.

#3 Allow extra time: Make a plan and always allow extra travel times. You never know when you are going to run into bad weather conditions, or heavy traffic. #

#4 Bring a Friend: Have each child bring a friend. This will give them someone to talk and play with to keep them busy and avoid fighting with their brother or sister.

#5 Music makes the ride fun. Bring a variety of CD's and types of music to chance things uo. Or Sing... The kids love this.

#6 Play travel games like "I Spy" this will keep you all involved and help you be aware of the surrondings. Another fun one is counting flags or looking for different states lincense plates.

#7 Take Books. Adults and children like to read.

#8 Bring Drinks and snacks. I always like to pack healthy snacks and drinks. This will avoid some stops and save you money.

#9 Bring Coloring Books and crayons or Paper to draw. This is fun and passes the time. Kids can also play Tic Tac Tow or Hangman. Or they can write in a journal.

#10 Have the kids pack a "fun Bag" This should include cards,games,toys, and things to keep them busy.

Remember to Have Fun!!!
Take pictures and make a scrapbook. This is great to look back at and remember all the fun and good times you had. You can do this as a family project after your great vacation.

Make Memories: I have alot of great childhood memories. We were lucky enough to go on family vacations every year. Thanks Mom and Dad.

If money is the issue: You can still do family vacations,instead of going to Disney World try Camping. We love to go camping. Just Remember the Marshmellows. Making Smores is a Bonus to Camping.

Travel Tips for Moms & FamiliesReserve Now | Quicksilver | Online Check-in | Pre-pay & Save | Self-Service Kiosk

Not Me Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Not Me... I did not go back to bed this morning after getting my son on the bus. I did not feel lazy and do absolutely nothing all morning. Not Me!!!
I do not have a messy house right now that I do not feel like cleaning.
Not me....

Having a Superbowl Party?

Are You having a Superbowl Party? Are you rooting for the Colts ? or the Saints? Do You plan on Drinking ?

If So.... Please Be Safe !!!



When you're heading out to a party or hosting guests, remember to always plan ahead:

~Designate a sober driver or be prepared to find a safe ride home for your guests

~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.

~In 2008, 11,773 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes.


I'm sharing this news from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Ad Council as they continue their efforts with the "Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving" PSA campaign. Buzzed drivers are those who drink and drive, but do not consider themselves a hazard on the roadway because "only a few" drinks are consumed. The campaign hopes to educate people that consuming even one drink too many can impair driving and remember that "Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving." So even if you are planning on staying home Super Bowl weekend, please remind your loved ones 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)

Friday Follow

Happy Friday!!!
It's my First Time Participating in this Friday Follow Fun. I'm looking forward to meeting Lots of new friends.

Winner Announcement

Drum Roll Please...

The Winners of the Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce are Nancy and Carol.

Congrats!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Do you think they look alike?
This is my Mom and my Daughter
Wondering if she looks like her grandma? I always thought she looked like my Husband's Family

Did Phil See His Shadow?

Happy Ground Hog Day. Did You make a prediction? Will Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow? Or Not? Is there going to be More Winter? Or an Early Spring?
My children like to participate in this poll at their school. This is just some of the fun they are having.



Well Phil saw his shadow. Was Your prediction Right?
Either way... This is just fun.

Winner Announcement

DrumRoll Please...

The Winners of Denise's Daily Dozen (Book) are Jason, Mary, Pam, Sheila and Heather. Congrats!!!!