Frugal, Green and Book Nerding Mom of a Shaken Baby Survivor

Just... tired

2011-10-29T18:59:00.000-07:00

I tend to not discuss anything too political or religious on my blog because this is my outlet. My way to... let it out and for the most part, it's about my life. I need to release the thoughts I can not speak. What's interesting is that I can vocalize about religion and politics but what's in my heart, I can not. Only problem is that, sometimes I can't form sentences because my mind will be going much quicker than my speech. I wonder if I have a speech-language pathology problem. Literally, there are times where I will have what is on my mind but what comes out is completely different. It's odd. It might also be my thyroid because I am have serious fatigue, brain fog and weight gain. Also, my throat just feels... full. I am an idiot about my insurance plan at work. All last year, I used my insurance ONCE. Yeah, ONCE. So, I switched to an HSA plan and now I regret it because I think I need more than one visit. Oh well... such is life.

Oh. The point of this blog today. I was thinking about my life. That is something I do quite often. Every time Emma has a procedure, the dust gets stirred and here I am thinking about life. I am so exhausted lately. Is it stress? Is it my health? It's hard being a parent, period. I am so lucky that Emma is really a good, good girl. She is such a trooper and rolls with the punches. I feel so bad that some days I feel like I fail her in letting her be a child. I have so much to do and there just isn't enough time! My weekends are spent doing laundry, doing homeowrk, cleaning and I am so tired that we don't really go anywhere! I need to get her out and about but it's sooo exhausting for me. Just the thought of going to the zoo makes me sleepy! I think it's my weight, too. I have blown up from a size 6 to a... I am not saying! Ha! Just know it's too big. I haven't gone out with my friends in many, many, many years. I need a girls night out! I don't even know how to do my hair anymore! I look sooo frumpy! I did go with my friend, Pat, out for drinks at a small bar (I just had a coke! Boring! LOL) for Show Tune Sundays! and we went out for dinner. He's such an amazing friend to me. He's taking care of his mother who is rapidly declining from Alzheimer's. I also haven't been on a date in... 3 or 4 years. I just don't feel like dealing with men and the whole crap that is the dating world. I feel like I will be single forever and honestly, it doesn't bother me. The only thing that makes me panicky is that I worry about finances. Maybe I should buy a house and convince one of my friends to be my roommate. Sigh... just rambling, I know. I have been trying to workout more. I am only using hte Wii Fit. Getting to the gym is nearly impossible. Shit, I used to be cute. Yes, this is a pity me post. I need this so... bite me. I am an atheist who loves religions. I think the Torah, Qaran, The Bible, the Bhagavad Gita and The Sutras (I know I am missing some... sorry, am tired and rambling) are the most important books in the world. I am serious. They chronicle man's history and I love them.

Last time I went out, 2008. I was able to meet a few moms who have kids who were shaken also (I'm in the teal blue). It was lovely!

*Yawn* I am going to crash. I am fatigued.

Surgery number.... not sure!

2011-10-24T11:15:00.000-07:00

Emma had another surgery last week. As you may recall, two years ago she underwent a cranioplasty to repair her skull from her head injury that allowed her the freedom to live life without a helmet. Let me tell you, talk about being able to exhale as a parent when that huge area that was without bone was closed up! Whoo! Well, anyways, three of the screws from the repair started protruding and bothering her and we elected to remove them. Also, at the same time, she underwent a brain MRI and received her quarterly botox injections in her left arm and leg. Her neurosurgeon, Dr. Shafron, found a small gap in her skull where her brain wasn't protected and called from the OR to see if it was ok if he could try and fill it in with some bone cement. Of course, I said yes! Sadly, the cement didn't take and she still has the gap. She's lived with it this long, I think she will be fine. As long as she doesn't fall and hit that exact spot, of course! He did say we will revisit it in a couple of years. Emma did really well (kids blow me away with their resiliency!) but what was supposed to be an overnight stay, turned into two because she wasn't eating or drinking and was just vomiting. On Friday, she slowly began eating and drinking again (Whew! Thank goodness) and came home. I was starting to get uber stanky. Seriously... I smelled like... well. I won't say anything on THAT. Ha! The really cool part is this was our first time in the brand new Phoenix Children's Hospital Tower! It's beautiful! Private rooms!!!! And of course, the one thing that didn't change: the staff is always top notch! We have been fortunate that since day one of her injury we have had THE BEST doctors and nurses/child play therapists/therapists/etc that we could have wished for. I am dead serious. There is nothing like having people involved in her care that truly care.

Enjoy my beautiful baby's pictures! (Yes, she will ALWAYS be my baby!)

Fresh out of the operating room

We are on the 8th floor

Sleeping beauty:

Puss N Boots makes every good in the world of a child :)

She loved having a dolly to play with (Thank you Child Life!)

Only my Emma would smile like this after surgery!

LOL!! When she saw her reflection for the first time, she said "I'm a vampire! Grrrr!" That's a chocolate pudding face all the way!

We don't need no stinkin' Panda Express Around Here...

2011-10-02T16:42:00.001-07:00

Emma and I are, frankly, addicted to Orange Chicken. We do love Panda Express BUT I have slowly developed an allergy to shrimp. A dangerous allergy, and unfortunately, Panda uses to the same oil they fry their Orange Chicken in with the shrimp they deep fry. I can't risk it. It's too dangerous. I don't understand why, with shellfish allergies as prevelant as they are, restaurants don't have a dedicated fryer/pan/prep area/etc for shellfish. Eh, it would be nice but logistics make it difficult, I am sure. So anyways, Trader Joe's has a wonderful Orange Chicken in their frozen section. I baked those bad boys up, made some jasmine rice with spinach and topped mine with sriracha. The good life! Besides, it's much cheaper than Panda Express!

Warning: Expletives The Life of Raising a Child with a Traumatic Brain Injury

2011-09-18T13:44:00.000-07:00

Raising a child is difficult. Raising a child with special needs is even more difficult. Raising a child who has special needs because of a traumatic brain injury is even more difficult. There is no rhyme or reason to some of Emma's idiosyncrasies. What worked yesterday, won't work today, what worked today, won't work tomorrow. It's a cyclical issue. Emma's brain is misfiring. She explodes. She doesn't mean to. She has no control. She sometimes can't control her impulsiveness. Many educators DO NOT UNDERSTAND brain injuries and that creates frustration for the classroom, for Emma and myself. I bawled. I bawled really hard Friday. I wanted to just run away from everything. I didn't sign up for this! My daughter was born healthy and normal! I DIDN'T DO THIS TO HER! SO WHY AM I SUFFERING THE CONSEQUENCES OF SOMEBODY ELSE'S ACTIONS? I know why... I am her mom. I love her and I just want her to be okay. I can't NOT help her. There are a lot of things going on with Emma and I can't explain them, I don't have the answers. I have been asked if she is on any medications for her mood swings and anger/explosive issues. My answer is: NO. Her issues are NOT psychiatric. Her issues boil down to her brain is not functioning properly! Sure, she can be medicated but it won't do a single thing to help with the problems she has! What she needs is coping skills! She needs to learn how to calm herself BEFORE she explodes. Her teachers need to learn to recognize the signs and symptoms BEFORE she explodes to help her help herself before she escalates. I can't give them answers. I can't see what is going on in the classroom. I can't. She will NEVER behave that way in front of me so I can only give them the best tips that I can.

My heart is broken. I cry for her. I cry for the frustrations she has and the fact that I don't know how to fix it! I just want her to be in control of herself and to have fun at school, at her after school program and other aspects of her life and to not be so angry! Damnit. Why? Why did she have to have this happen to her? WHY US????

All I can say is this: FUCK YOU TOM. FUCK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID TO EMMA! FUCK YOU FOR LEAVING A TRAIL OF DEVASTATION THAT I AM HAVING TO CLEAN UP! FUCK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!! FUCK YOU FOR SHAKING MY DAUGHTER!!!! FUCKYOUFUCKYOUFUCKYOUFUCKYOUFUCKYOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Before being injured:

A couple years after injury:

After years of therapy:

My first attempt at photography and editing

2011-08-30T21:30:00.000-07:00

I am a green amateur photographer. I don't mean green as in ecofriendly but as in novice and uber amateur. My friend is getting married in November. I need to practice my photography skills. I offered to take some engagement shots, family photos and pictures of her son. For free, she's my friend and I am happy to do this but I am noooo professional (although I am aiming to get there!). I studied photojournalism, not creative/art photography so I need the practice to learn to take beautiful photos. You can't get good, if you don't learn from your mistakes. I took a TON of photos and I am sad to say, I went into this thinking I was going to ace it and every shot perfect. I have the perfect subjects! K is beautiful, A is absolutely adorable and I just met S and he's handsome, they are perfect, beautiful subjects and there's no way I can get a bad shot! You have models this beautiful, it's a snap... Nope. It's brutally hot. It's Arizona, the sun is evil and my first thought was direct light! MUST HAVE DIRECT NATURAL LIGHT! /facepalm. Helloooo sweat, hellooooo blindingly bright sun so bad you can't keep your eyes open. Real genius! 500 hundred images and there are some good ones but there are some that would have been GREAT if my skills were on the mark (nothing a little photoshop won't fix!). Hey, you live you learn! It's their big day and I want them to have everything absolutely memorable! I can't do any serious editing until I upgrade my harddrive and processor and install Photoshop (I can't wait!). So, right now these have very basic editing and I had fun. I bought a book to study more photography skills and I am taking a distance course through the New York Institute of Photography. I will be ace soon enough and then I will be ready to take their pictures again but will even more flair and creative shots, and in less time *embarrassed face*. They were such troopers letting a novice like me practice on them. I am excited for their happily-ever-after!

Like I said, they were absolute troopers and I really wish I had nailed every single shutter snap. I am still slowly sifting through the images and editing and cleaning them up.

Enjoy these and tell me what you think!

My thought with this one is: I feel safe, I trust you

I like the look of these edits:

The ring:

A private moment:

Yes!

And of course... a 4 year old doesn't want pictures taken:

I had to bribe him to take pictures by letting HIM take a photo, I think Little Man's gonna be a photog, don't you?

He loves his mom (he has the sweetest face!):

Phineas and Ferb Child's Play Party

2011-08-16T21:05:00.000-07:00

Wow! What an insane last two weeks we have had in my home. Last weekend was Emma's 8th birthday and she really really really wanted a party! However, Friday the 5th was the premiere of Phineas and Ferb's movie and I was chosen by Child's Play Party to host a Disney Channel (First ever!) Phineas and Ferb Movie screening party and how can I pass that up? No way! I figure what timing, I can host the Phineas and Ferb party AND Emma's at the same time. We started her birthday at Peter Piper Pizza for fun and games and gave the kids their Phineas and Ferb packs and then we headed home to watch the big movie! It was absolutely adorable! It was a hit. The kids loved the movie so much that they wanted to watch it again! I definitely recommend to watch it if you haven't!

We had so much fun. The kids were full of pizza, cake, Phineas and Ferb tattoos and all kinds of goodies. For the kids who couldn't make it, I still made sure they received their Phineas and Ferb bags filled with AWESOME goodies. Enjoy the photos!

Big thank you to Child's Play Party for providing the packs for the kids to take home and for allowing me to host this amazing party!

DreamWorks Pictures’ The Help Giveaway

2011-08-09T18:15:00.000-07:00

The Helps starts in theatres beginning August 10 and is based on the best selling book, The Help.

Synopsis (Courtesy of DreamWorks)

Based on one of the most talked about books in years and a #1 New York Times best-selling phenomenon, “The Help” stars Emma Stone (“Easy A”) as Skeeter, Academy Award®–nominated Viola Davis (“Doubt”) as Aibileen and Octavia Spencer as Minny—three very different, extraordinary women in Mississippi during the 1960s, who build an unlikely friendship around a secret writing project that breaks societal rules and puts them all at risk. From their improbable alliance a remarkable sisterhood emerges, instilling all of them with the courage to transcend the lines that define them, and the realization that sometimes those lines are made to be crossed—even if it means bringing everyone in town face-to-face with the changing times.

Deeply moving, filled with poignancy, humor and hope, “The Help” is a timeless and universal story about the ability to create change.

The book was amazing, in my opinion, and I can NOT wait to see the movie!

DreamWorks has graciously offered an amazing prize pack to one lucky winner of my blog in honor of "The Help"!

ITEMS FOR GIVEAWAY:

- THE HELP t-shirt in adult female sizes of S, M, L, XL

- THE HELP pocket jotter & pen

- THE HELP fan

- THE HELP nail file/mirror

Contest is for residents of the US (No PO Boxes, please!) and ends August 22nd.

How to enter?

Answer (with your email address): If you could be the start of a cause or help expand on a cause, what would it be? Myself, I would make Shaken Baby Syndrome Prevention Education available all over the world!

Good luck!

Myblogspark: $25 Walmart Giftcard Giveaway!!!

2011-07-31T21:10:00.001-07:00

It's that time of year again for the kiddos to start heading back to school which means many of us are shopping and getting ready for the exciting new year ahead of us! Also, with the state of uncertainty with our economy and with our schools facing budget cuts, I think it's a good time to start thinking about our schools while we are out shopping. Right now, head over to your local Walmart to find up to 70 participating products that each have 4 Box Tops! Box Tops help raise money for schools by buying what you already buy, clipping the box tops and sending them to your child's school! Easy enough! Shop at Walmart to purchase products from your family’s favorite brands such as Nature Valley, Cheerios, and Yoplait, and earn more cash for the upcoming new school year! You already save money there, so might as well look for those extra Box Tops!

Be sure to check out these websites for more information:
Walmart Website http://bit.ly/WalmartSite
Walmart on Facebook http://on.fb.me/WalmartFbook
Walmart on Twitter http://bit.ly/WalmartTwitter
Box Tops 4 Education http://bit.ly/WalmartBTFE

Now on to my giveaway, ONE lucky winner will win a $25 Walmart Gift Card! How freaking awesome is that??? $25 to spend at Walmart and while you are at it, maybe pick up some Box Tops items?

I have not been one for a lot of rules and regulations for my giveaways, however, when I am hosting a very popular giveaway like this, I like to give you all a chance to earn extra entries to increase your chances of winning! I know we could all use an extra $25 ESPECIALLY NOW with school being back in session!

Here we go:

Mandatory Entry:

Please answer this question WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE COMMENT: Which Box Tops items from General Mills do you plan to purchase?

Extra entries (each worth one):
(Please answer on separate comments and you MUST include your email address)

1) Tweet about this giveaway and post link in your comment (please make it @historyslover with the hashtag #MyBlogSpark)

2) Follow my Facebook fan page (my Facebook badge is in the right sidebar about half way down) and let me know!

3) Follow me on Twitter, @historyslover and let me know!

4) Blog about this giveaway (leave me a link)

5) Post about this giveaway on Facebook (let me know!)

6) Become a new follower via GFC or blogger follow (if you are a long time follower, let me know too!)

I think that's it!

Good luck!

Giveaway ends August 22nd, I will email the winner after being chosen via random.org

Disclosure: The information and $25 gift card to Walmart has been provided by Walmart and General Mills through MyBlogSpark

Let the Panic Begin!

2011-06-26T13:06:00.000-07:00

Sigh.

Once again, le sigh.

Panic is ensuing, again. Ever since Emma was injured nearly 7 years ago, our lives have never been the same. I was unable to work for the first year due to all her needs. Then, I tried to go back to work full time but that wasn't reasonable with all the necessary doctors appointments and therapies she still had. Oh and pending surgeries. So, I went back to work part time. That actually went really well. Part time work, plus college. Then, I thought I could finally transition to work full time. I have been at my place of employment for nearly two years and I love my job, love the company and even my coworkers. However, every single summer I have the same panic: will I have stable care for her? Emma is enrolled in a summer program from 1-5 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. My sister takes care of her a couple of the mornings and she goes to college after. I have a caregiver who works on Wednesdays all day (Emma has therapy). Well, Emma was pulled out of the summer program because she needed a break. She hasn't transitioned very well. The summer program is more hectic and faster paced. She's over stimulated. She's an explosive child with her brain damage and that is a perfect storm. She returns on Monday. The clock will start ticking again. I already KNOW she will have meltdowns. It takes the average person 21 days to create a new habit, what about a kid who has the disabilities my daughter has? Pulling her out upset the entire balance and the clock starts all over again. I already know I will get the call next week that she's not transitioning, she's having meltdowns, etc. Hell! I am ready to have a meltdown myself! She hasn't had a chance to transition to the summer schedule, so yes she's melting down and not having a good run of it. So will they ask me to remove her for the rest of the summer? This uncertainty is causing my to panic because I don't know if I will A) have a stable caregiving situation for her and B) have enough caregiving hours available to cover the rest of the summer.

Some days I just want to quit.

I just need to find a way to be self employed until she's an adult. I could be self employed and finish my degree. I could do photography, house keeping, something! But then we both need insurance. Most importantly, Emma has to have insurance. It's too important for her to not have it.

But even if I were to stop working, go to self employment and finish my degree, and I return back to the working world, I will be past 40 and my job history hasn't been very stable for the last 7 years. Will I be able to return to work????

Sigh... just le sigh....

People... these are the long term repercussions of shaking a baby. See. It doesn't end. The damages trickle all over the place and in different areas.

Oh summer time...

2011-06-17T20:55:00.001-07:00

how I loathe thee.

Most of the country gets to enjoy summer. Not me. Not Emma. Not in Arizona! It's literally HELL here. Holy cow.

I cringe every single June as the signs and symptoms of summer starts showing. Not ready to have my hands burn to touch the steering wheel or the seatbelt. Poor Emma, she has difficult time controlling her body temperature and her seizure meds make her pale, sensitive skin even more sensitive. Thus we hibernate for the summer. Business slows down. Less traffic. Bad time for yard sales. However... 4-5 months of hell makes it worth it for the 7 months of beauty. Oh yeah, and the realllyyyy expensive electricity bills! Haha!!!!

Summer...how I loathe thee...

They killed his n***a, Ned... Game of Thrones fans...

2011-06-14T20:00:00.000-07:00

If you've read the books, raise your hand! *raises both hands!*

We all remember how emotional we were when Lord Eddard Stark was beheaded...

Well, watch this guy. I feel him. His reaction is priceless.

Chili's Good Things Come in 3’s Event/Giveaway!

2011-06-06T15:53:00.000-07:00

Mmmmmmm I love Chili's! Do you? I have to admit my favorite things to eat there are the Southwestern Eggrolls. Black beans, corn, chicken all wrapped up into an eggroll with a ranch-type dipping sauce! Yum yum and more yum! Love it. Emma, of course, just wants a cheeseburger. No pickles. Only ketchup. I like casual dining places to go with her, it makes life easier with it being more relaxed and the food is pretty kid friendly. Only downside, they can be awfully loud which can intensify her sensory overload and due to that, we tend to go when it's slowest (i.e. 2-5 pm). Happier times for all! LOL.

So, we were given a chance to try out the Triple Dipper. Have you heard? Well, the Triple Dipper allows you to pick three appetizers (from the triple dipper section of the menu: Which per chilis.com is: Combine your three favorite appetizers! Served with dipping sauces • NEW! Loaded Potato Skins • NEW! Memphis BBQ Skins • NEW! Honey-Chipotle Shrimp • Big Mouth® Bites • Boneless Buffalo Wings • Southwestern Eggrolls • Chicken Crispers® • Wings Over Buffalo® • Fried Cheese • Hot Spinach & Artichoke Dip). It's great because I almost ALWAYS want to try them all, then I overeat and then I can't eat my meal. It's also a great way to try something you haven't tried without having to throw away $9 on one item. Also great for picky eaters.

Well, us girls (Emma and I) chose the Southwestern Eggrolls, the Big Mouth® Bites and the Hot Spinach & Artichoke Dip. I loved the eggrolls and the spinach artichoke dip. I didn't care for the mini burgers (the big mouth bites) because the bread was heavy and stuck to my throat. Emma like them! She didn't company as she dipped in to everything!

Oh... take a peak, here's the grubbage (taken from my Android)

Pretty tasty, I must admit! With a HUGE thank you to Chilis and 2wired2tired.com for hooking us up! Chili's provided a giftcard to be able to try out the Triple Dipper! Yummy!

Be sure to check out The Shout Out to Eat Out Promo by clicking the image, enter for a chance to win a $20 giftcard OR a $333 grand prize!

How would YOU like a chance to win a $20 Chili's Gift Card?

I knew you would! Thanks to Chili's you CAN!

Mandatory Entry, Enter my Blog name here in this form ( Frugal, Green and Book Nerding Mom of a Shaken Baby Survivor)
Loading...

Other ways to enter:

1. Tell me your 3 favorite foods you would like to have all on 1 plate.

2. "Like" Chili's on Facebook

3. Follow @Chilis & @Shoutout2eatout on Twitter

4. Create your terrific trio located on Shoutouttoeatout.com and comment with the URL link

5. Opt-In to Chili's email club here (You'll receive a free appetizer certificate too!)

6. Tweet out this

"At @Chilis Good Things Come In 3's! Check out @2Wired2Tired http://bit.ly/linkyrave for 200 chances to win in the #tripledipper linky rave!”

7. Write a post on your blog about your 3 favorite foods you would like to have all on 1 plate and mention the Shoutout2eatout.com promotion. Then comment with the URL link.

Good luck! Contest ends 6/12/11

disclaimer: Chili's provided the giftcard to try the Triple Dipper, the fact does not change my ability to remain unbiased

Another Diagnosis

2011-05-22T22:40:00.000-07:00

Le sigh.

Life.

Sigh.

My daughter went through a round of neuropsychological testing to figure out some more things about my little Princess.

If you aren't familiar with Neuropsychology here's a description from Barrow Neurological Institute (where she had her testing)

Neuropsychology is the interdisciplinary branch of psychology that deals with the relationship between the nervous system (especially the brain), and mental functions such as language, memory, and perception.

Clinical neuropsychologists have extensive knowledge of the brain; use neuropsychological tests to accurately assess cognitive deficits; and practice the treatment and rehabiliation of brain injured and neurocognitively impaired patients

Pretty much what Dr. Fulton told me was pretty much expected. Emma's strengths are her personality and loving nature and (this is me, not the Dr) her strength and determination. I haven't really been around "normal" 7 year olds. I am not sure WHAT "normal" is for her age group. I know she's delayed but not sure to what extent. I think her speech is awesome (granted, I also went from having a child who barely started speaking at the age of 4) and her vocabulary is amazing. It is. Relative to how it was. She has global delays (speech, fine motor, visual, spatial, overall motor skills) which is not surprising and she is at the functioning level of a child who is 3.5-4 years. Good thing that is what I guessed, huh? He also did give her a diagnosis of "Moderate Mental Retardation". I am also not surprised. Also, the fact that I was pretty much aware of the reality of where she is, it doesn't lessen how much it hurts to hear. I know she's mentally challenged. I know... but... it pisses me off. She WASN'T BORN LIKE THIS! If somebody didn't think they could play judge and jury, my daughter would be FINE. She wouldn't be spending her childhood going through therapy, special education, training programs and a constant barrage of doctors and testing. She would be allowed to be a LITTLE GIRL. She should be going to Girl Scouts! She should be getting into shenanigans with other little girls her age. Instead... she's trying to learn to talk more clear, to walk with her left foot straight and to learn how to make her left arm work...

There are good things out of this. The Dr. will talk to Emma's 3rd grade teachers and discuss her and how to handle her. This will also help carry more weight with keeping the services SHE NEEDS to have in order to reach enough independence in her life and my life. I know she will always be at home with me... I know that. I just need to know she can take care of herself at some point. Ohhhh my little sweetheart. How I wish I could make things alright for you...

Anyways, he also recommended a book to me called the "Explosive Child" by Ross Greene. Can't wait to read it. I ordered it on Amazon.com

Also, I made a pledge to help end the "R" Word. People so flippantly use the word "Retard", "Retarded" and don't realize that you are beating down an entire population that have no control over the fact that they are "MENTALLY RETARDED". That word wasn't always bad. In fact, groups fought to get it included instead of their children being called imbeciles, but now... it's used as an abusive derogatory term. Emma is "moderately mentally retarded". She didn't ask for this. She wants to be accepted and loved. That's it. The fact that society has made it so easy to throw this word around, it makes it easier for people to become desensitized to it and less tolerant towards those who are intellectually challenged. Take the pledge!

http://www.r-word.org/

Here's a GREAT video from the View discussing the "R-Word", which has moved to the level of the "N-word".

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES Giveaway!!!!!!!

2011-05-10T20:30:00.000-07:00

Yo Ho, Yo Ho…..you know what that means! Captain Jack is back and PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES sails into theatres everywhere on May 20th! Here is a brief synopsis of the fourth Pirates adventure:

Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) finds himself on an unexpected journey to the fabled Fountain of Youth when a woman from his past(Penélope Cruz) forces him aboard the Queen Anne’s Revenge, the ship of the formidable pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane).

Check out the official trailer:

Synopsis:

Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Rob Marshall, “Pirates of the Caribbean : On Stranger Tides” captures the fun, adventure and humor that ignited the hit franchise—this time in Disney Digital 3D™. Johnny Depp returns to his iconic role of Captain Jack Sparrow in an action-packed adventure. Crossing paths with the enigmatic Angelica (Penélope Cruz), he’s not sure if it’s love—or if she’s a ruthless con artist who’s using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. When she forces him aboard the “Queen Anne’s Revenge,” the ship of the legendary pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), Jack finds himself on an unexpected adventure in which he doesn’t know whom to fear more: Blackbeard or Angelica, with whom he shares a mysterious past. The international cast includes franchise vets Geoffrey Rush as the vengeful Captain Hector Barbossa and Kevin R. McNally as Captain Jack’s longtime comrade Joshamee Gibbs, plus Sam Claflin as a stalwart missionary and Astrid Bergès-Frisbey as a mysterious mermaid.

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN : ON STRANGER TIDES (In Disney Digital 3D™)

WALT DISNEY PICTURES/JERRY BRUCKHEIMER FILMS

Whoo hoo! I can't wait! I absolutely loved Pirates of the Caribbean and am so excited for this installment. I am really excited because I get to giveaway an AWESOME prize pack! Hooray for you... ONE lucky winner will receive these items:

ITEMS FOR GIVEAWAY:

- PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN : ON STRANGER TIDES in adult sizes of S, M, L, XL

- PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN : ON STRANGER TIDES bandana in black

- PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN : ON STRANGER TIDES temporary tattoo (2 per winner)

Who wants to win this? Cool. Here's what you have to do:

1. No PO Boxes
2. USA or Canada
3. MUST include an email address in your comment...

Ready? Contest will end on May 20th, on the day of the premiere at midnight. I will use random.org to pick the winner. Entries must be on separate comments with your email address with each one or the entry will count as ONE. Normally, I make my giveaways simple. It still will be but I will allow you a chance for extra entries. If you wish.

Mandatory entry:

Do you plan to see this in the movie theatre or are you going to wait for Pay-Per-View/DVD?

Extra entries (only worth one)

Like them on Facebook: Facebook.com/PiratesoftheCaribbean

Follow Disney on Twitter: Twitter.com/DisneyPictures

Follow me on Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/Historyslover

Follow me via GFC

Follow me via Facebook (see my button on the side)

If you tweet this, please make sure it's @disneypictures @historyslover

Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please let me know if you have any questions!

All available press materials can be downloaded at: http://media-file.net/WaltDisneyStudios/ and http://media-file.net/7/onstrangertides/. Visit the official website at: http://www.Disney.com/Pirates.

“Like” PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN on Facebook at: http://www.Facebook.com/PiratesoftheCaribbean

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES sails into theatres May 20th, 2011 in Disney Digital 3D™.

Thanks!

Marshall J

The FULL Wedding

2011-04-30T10:54:00.000-07:00

Just in case you missed it, or mostly cause I really want to post it! LOL

Review: HOODWINKED TOO! HOOD VS. EVIL

2011-04-29T20:24:00.001-07:00

Synopsis:

The good... the bad... the Twitchy. From the team that brought you HOODWINKED, the comedic portrayal of the fairy tale Red Riding Hood, comes the all-new animated family comedy HOODWINKED TOO! HOOD VS. EVIL in 3D. The sequel finds our heroine, Red (Hayden Panettiere), training with a mysterious covert group called the Sisters of the Hood. But Red is forced to cut her training short when she gets an urgent call from Nicky Flippers (David Ogden Stiers), who returns as head of the super-secret Happily Ever After Agency, aka the HEA. A wicked witch (Joan Cusack) has abducted two innocent children, Hansel (Bill Hader) and Gretel (Amy Poehler), and Nicky needs Red for the search-and-rescue mission. Of course, what is a sequel without guest stars from the original? Thankfully, Granny (Glenn Close) and the rest of the HOODWINKED gang—including the ever-clueless Wolf (Patrick Warburton) and his over-caffeinated little partner, Twitchy (Cory Edwards), join Red to solve the forest’s latest caper. Fracturing fairy tales and pop culture with good-natured glee, HOODWINKED TOO! HOOD vs. EVIL in 3D takes viewers on a rollicking rollercoaster ride combining edge-of-the-seat adventure with classic, zany cartoon antics.

HOODWINKED TOO! HOOD VS. EVIL in 3D features the voices of Hayden Panettiere, Glenn Close, Joan Cusack, Bill Hader, Amy Poehler, David Alan Grier, Andy Dick, Brad Garrett, Martin Short, Patrick Warburton, Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong. It is directed by Mike Disa and written by Cory Edwards, Tony Leech, Todd Edwards and Mike Disa. The producers are Maurice Kanbar and Joan Collins Carey.

Emma and I were invited to an advanced screening of Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs Evil last weekend and boy am I glad we were! It's funny because I was thinking I wanted to take Emma to see a movie that weekend and then the invitation came and perfecto! Now, I haven't seen the first Hoodwinked but really, it didn't ruin the ability to enjoy Hoodwinked Too!

We LOVED it! We both laughed alot. I thought the animation was amazing and I really enjoyed the story line from beginning to end. Emma decided Red Riding Hood was her favorite. She likes a strong girl (like herself!) and I really liked Twitchy, maybe it's because I am somewhat of a spaz myself. I really thought that the Sisters of the Hood (Ha! Think "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"/"Kung Fu" in a bakery). The giant on the bridge= awesome. However, the pigs. It was all about the pigs. How could it not be with Cheech and Chong voicing the pigs! Hilarious! Honestly, this really is a movie for all ages and each age group can really appreciate the humor!

Overall, we enjoyed it. The 3D was ok, but honestly, it wasn't necessary but it was fun! I say watch it if you can!

disclaimer: I was invited to an advanced screening, it was provided at no charge to me. My thoughts, however, are mine and mine alone and would be the same whether I paid admission or not. Just sayin'...

Amazon.com has British Fever!

2011-04-28T07:20:00.000-07:00

Every day this week there will be a British Gold Box special on Amazon. Today it's the COMPLETE Robin Hood series. I really like this program and have been finishing it up on Netflix and I will probably buy it, lol. However, for $41.99 this is a STEAL!

disclaimer: Amazon is not sponsoring this post, I am doing this on my own accord. I will, however, receive a tiny commission if you purchase through this link. TINY.

The British (Babes) are Coming! Giveaway!!!!!!!

2011-04-25T18:50:00.000-07:00

Another day of confessions... who's super stoked about the Royal Wedding? I know I am! Kate is a commoner and she snagged her prince. Go girl! I am so goosebumpily excited to see the wedding on the 29th, as is most of you, right? I have been watching all those lovely documentaries on William and Kate, Princess Di, Her Majesty, etc and it's just fun to watch. I think Kate and William are a perfect matchup and the 29th will be a day to watch! Besides, I want to copy cat her style. She's pretty fab. Only one thing that kinda perturbs me are the comparisons done with Princess Di and Kate. I get where they are coming from because Princess Di broke down barriers and was the People's Princess and there are a lot of hopes for Kate. But... she isn't Diana. She's Kate Middleton and will be fabulous on her own without having to walk in Diana's shadows. Go girl! Rooting for you from the misery I like to call home, the desert of Arizona.

It's British Fever!!!

If you haven’t already checked out the Sourcebooks British Babes Book Brigade Facebook Page (where you can participate in giveaways and interact with authors like Elizabeth Chadwick, Jill Mansell, Helen Hollick, Sarah Bower and Phillipa Ashley and more…) then you should before next week because the page is about to go royally mad!!

Check out what's going on over there:

The royal wedding is only a week away and we are going to be celebrating all next week. Starting Monday we will be doing a giveaway every day until the big celebration on Friday. But these are no ordinary giveaways – these are royal wedding prize packs!

3 winners will be randomly picked each day:

- The 1st place winner will get a William & Kate wedding memento (it is top secret for now (just like Kate’s dress J) but check the page out on Monday to find out – oh and they are all different so there will be a different memento each day). Along with that they also get their choice of three books from any of our British Book Babes.

- The 2nd place winner will have their choice of any two books from any of our British Book Babes.

- The 3rd place winner will have their choice of one book from any of our British Book Babes.

Be sure to follow and join in on the fun! The British (Babes) are coming! The British (Babes) are coming! The British (Babes) are coming!

ALSO!!!! Thanks to Sourcebooks, I get to give away TWO SURPRISE titles by Georgette Heyer to TWO lucky readers. I don't have any idea which titles they are, I am just as excited to learn what you get as you are! LOL. I am so jealous of you lucky people! I love Georgette Heyer!

How to enter:
Answer with your email address in a comment: What do YOU love about the UK? Can be books, food, people, movies, television ,style, you name it! For me, it's the accents. I wish I could be British but I can't. Also, British cozy mysteries, the men, BBC, movies, television... ok. Enough. I have said enough! LOL

Rules:

Must be a resident of the US or Canada
NO PO BOXES!
Must be 18 or older
Giveaway ends on April 30th while Kate and William are on their honeymoon...haha

GOOD LUCK!

Ohhhh Hulu what you have just done to me...

2011-04-17T17:15:00.000-07:00

I have a confession to make. I have a very serious problem. I have a guilty pleasure and that my friends, is K-Dramas (Korean Dramas for those not in the know). I already am a sucker for all things Asian and Kawaii (from food, to guys, to stationary, etc) and then a few years ago I learned of a show called Princess Hours/Palace and that is where it all went downhill. K-Dramas are light hearted, beautiful and fun. I haven't watched any for awhile until... *shakes fist in the air like an angry old man* Hulu. Hulu, Hulu, Hulu. I went through REHAB (kidding, guys) over my addiction to K-Dramas. Now... Hulu has a whole battery of K-Dramaas. Everything from Iris to Coffee Prince and all things wonderful in between!

Interested? Hee hee. Yeah... watch this first episode of Coffee Prince and then go here but don't say I didn't warn you...

Skin MD Lotion Review

2011-04-16T12:27:00.000-07:00

From Skinmd:

Full product description:

A shielding lotion does the real work to prevent dry skin in two ways.

First, it assists the inner layers of skin to absorb moisture. The humectant (an ingredient that attracts moisture) used in Skin MD Natural is unique to it and has been laboratory tested to be 6 times more effective than any other you will find in common creams.

Second, a shielding lotion enhances the power of the top layer of the skin to resist environmental irritants while protecting the inner natural moisture.

This can be a big benefit for those who cook, wash dishes and garden because Skin MD Natural helps skin retain its natural moisture and oils in the face of all those irritating soaps and chemicals.

The manufacturer's website www.skinmdnatural.com has hundreds of dermatologist and user reviews including many addressing severe dry skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis. People with sensitive skin -- and those of us who like to live as naturally as possible -- will appreciate that Skin MD Natural is hypoallergenic, free of fragrances, parabens and colorants. It is made with more than 90% natural ingredients and 100% food-grade ingredients that are on the FDA's "most safe" list.

Wow. Wow. More Wow. I was provided with a 4 ounce bottle of SkinMD's Natural Shielding lotion to try out at no cost to me. I have very very dry hands and every morning they are painfully dry, I ALWAYS have some kind of lotion with me to be able to moisturize my hands through out the day. So, I figured, what the heck, let's try it.

First off, the scent. It's very clean and light. Nothing perfumed, just clean and fades once the lotion dries.

The lotion is also very light feeling and a little goes a long ways. Also, NOT GREASY! My hands were not slippery after application. So, 4 ounces may not seem like much but like I said, a little goes a very long ways. In fact, my friend at work and I both used the lotion multiple times a day for an entire week and it barely made a budge in the bottle. Now, my coworker has very sensitive skin and she has a hard time finding a lotion that doesn't irritate her skin plus moisturize it and she's been very impressed with it also. In fact, she's going to order some! LOL. ALSO, my elbows? Not cracked anymore. I am disappointed that I didn't think to take photos for before and after shots. I guess, my word should be good. I am on a computer all day long and it's nice for my hands to not feel tight from dryness. I seriously am saying this is a winner! Also, I did test it on my daughter's skin and she was nicely moisturized and non greasy!

Definitely visit SKINMD,
Main pages of the site:

Information:
http://www.skinmdnatural.com/skin-care/

Main site:
http://www.skinmdnatural.com

Reviews:
http://www.skinmdnatural.com/dry-skin-care/rave-reviews.html

Store Locator:
http://www.skinmdnatural.com/order/store-locator.php

Order:
http://www.skinmdnatural.com/order/

Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/SkinMDNatural

Follow on Twitter
http://twitter.com/#!/skinmdnatural

If you would like a sample, click on the box in the right hand column. FYI, yes I did sign up for the affiliate program and yes, I did so because I really am impressed with this product! Can't hurt to try it, right?

Nutella? Heck yes!

2011-03-27T14:31:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Nutella and Mommyparties, I was given a GREAT opportunity to host a Nutella Party! Whoo hoo! I have always been a huge fan of Nutella and I couldn't pass up the chance to host a party using Nutella.

The uses are endless! I made Cold Nutella Mochas (Sorry guys! I failed at the photos this run! I can't wait to get my new SLR Digital Camera, hopefully this summer! no more point and shoot! Whoo!) I used a recipe I found here: US Masala and boy was it sooo good and such a hit! I was going to make Nutella and Banana Crepes but didn't get around to it but instead I made waffles with pineapple and Nutella and Waffles with bananas and Nutella. Win! Also, something else I did? Nutella Oatmeal! Super good!

We had a lot of fun and my guests enjoyed their goodies! There's nothing like a good brunch with a sugar filled iced Nutella Coffee and nutella filled whole grain waffles! Ahhh that's the good life, my friends!

Nutella products were provided by Nutella through Mommyparties!

CLOSED: Michelle Moran, author of Madam Tussaud, Guest Blog and Giveaway!

2011-03-20T13:32:00.001-07:00

MADAME TUSSAUD: The Woman

When most people hear the name Madame Tussaud, the first thing that comes to mind are the eerily lifelike waxworks which crowd her museums throughout the world. But who was the woman behind the name, and what was she like in the flesh?

Madame Tussaud’s story actually began in 18th century Paris. While most people know her from her famous museum in London, it was in France, on the humble Boulevard du Temple, where Marie first got her start as an apprentice in her uncle’s wax museum, the Salon de Cire. At the time, the Boulevard du Temple was crowded with exhibits of every kind. For just a few sous a passerby might attend the opera, watch a puppet show, or visit Henri Charles’ mystifying exhibition The Invisible Girl. The Boulevard was a difficult place to distinguish yourself as an artist, but as Marie’s talent grew for both sculpting and public relations, the Salon de Cire became one of the most popular attractions around. Suddenly, no one could compete with Marie or her uncle for ingenious publicity stunts, and when the royal family supposedly visited their museum, this only solidified what most showmen in Paris already knew — the Salon was an exhibition to watch out for.

But as the Salon’s popularity grew, so did the unusual requests. Noblemen came asking for wax sculptures of their mistresses, women wanted models of their newborn infants, and – most importantly – the king’s sister herself wanted Marie to come to Versailles to be her wax tutor. While this was, in many ways, a dream come true for Marie, it was also a dangerous time to be associated with the royal family. Men like Robespierre, Marat, and Desmoulins were meeting at Marie’s house to discuss the future of the monarchy, and when the Revolution began, Marie found herself in a precarious position. Ultimately, she was given a choice by France’s new leaders: to preserve the famous victims of Madame Guillotine in wax, or be guillotined herself.

Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution is the story of Marie’s life during one of the most tumultuous times in human history. Her survival was nothing less than astonishing, and how she survived makes for what I hope is a compelling read.

Visit MichelleMoran.com
Check out Michelle's blog at michellemoran.blogspot.com

Yay!!! I am so excited Michelle has taken time out of her busy schedule to provide a guest blog and she is also beyond generous and is offering one of you lucky readers not only a SIGNED copy of her newest book, Madame Tussaud, she is also going to send the winner a pair of these absolutely adorable Marie Antoinette Cupcake Earrings! How beyond adorable are they?

The coolest part is this giveaway is open internationally!!!

To enter:
Answer this question (with your email address, of course!):
Which Celebrity/Famous person would you like to see a wax figure of?

Giveaway ends April 3rd. Winner will be picked via random.org and winner will be emailed.

Redbox!

2011-03-10T20:03:00.001-08:00

Le Sigh...

2011-03-06T19:56:00.000-08:00

My daughter has special needs. A lot of them. She is brain damaged. Her right frontal and right parietal lobes were almost completely removed when she had her surgery, her entire right hemisphere is damaged and quite a bit of the left hemisphere is too. She has impulse control issues. She can go from being sweet and telling you how beautiful you are one second and in a flash start screaming in anger, without provocation. She is 7, almost 8. She is not potty trained. She only started walking two years ago, so she can't master the stairs up or down without full assistance. She can't walk on the grass, gravel, sand, well, really anything that isn't level. You have to be near by just in case she starts to lose her balance and falls and you have to be ready to catch her... because she can't break her own fall. She can't go from standing to sitting down on the ground. She has mastered those skills yet. She still has a lot of problems communicating, especially when she's upset. She is working really really hard on it. This is why programs where people are specially trained to deal with these kind of behaviors is essential, no... vital to my daughter and myself.

See, it took a while to get the Department of Developmental Disabilities to approve an after school Day Treatment and Training program where Emma could attend after school and be around children like her and staff who are trained to handle her. I found a program I adored and it's in Emma's school district and I have been sooo happy! Emma calls it her "Happy School Program". Well, I received bad news. The "Happy School Program" is closing the doors of the location she attends due to not even being able to break even (not enough students attending) and moving the program to their main office. The problem? The main office is out of her school district. School district has vehemently stated the absolutely will not transport her or the other children to the program. They don't have to. I agree. I understand. The problem boils down to... there ISN'T another program in the school district. There are a few just outside the school district but they aren't worth the risks to send her too. I have been told send her to day care. Sure. I would love to. Do you know what it's like to talk to a day care about accepting your child with MULTIPLE special needs? The stutter. They attempt to find their way OUT of accepting your child by charging ridiculous amounts of money that I can NOT afford. Also, would you send your child somewhere that you have to FIGHT to accept your child? They don't want to change a 7 year old's pull up. They won't be able to handle her outbursts. Statistically speaking, our child are at a higher risk for abuse in these settings by other children and teacher. My daughter was abused once. It will NEVER happen to her EVER again. I do everything in my power to protect her. I will never allow another person to harm her again. She suffers every single day as it is, I will not allow her to be mentally, emotionally, physically or sexually abused by anyone.

Now this boils to down to an issue with work. I have clue what I am going to do until I find another place. Emma's therapy center is opening up a program but not until Fall. I am going to talk to my boss about cutting my hours so that I can mostly work within Emma's school hours. If my boss doesn't agree, I will have to give notice. There are plenty of postings for part time positions. We shall see...

Once again... Le Sigh...

Well how about a good laugh to end this?

Giveaway: Yoplait Two Week Tuneup!

2011-03-06T13:32:00.000-08:00

This year, Yoplait Light is giving women a great new way to get ready for special occasions with the launch of the new Two Week Tune Up plan.

Whether it’s for a class reunion, a birthday, or your best friend’s wedding, Yoplait Light’s Two Week Tune Up could help you lose five pounds in two weeks by:

* Replacing your breakfast and lunch with a Yoplait Light yogurt, a whole grain,
and a fruit

* Eating a diet rich in lean protein and non-fat dairy, including a sensible dinner, beverages, and snacks

* Walking 30-40 minutes daily

Please visit Yoplait.com for study and full diet details.

By visiting www.Yoplait.com, consumers can find the full plan details as well as robust online tools to help them lose weight and boost their confidence over two weeks.

To help women look and feel their best, Yoplait Light has provided tips and advice available on Yoplait.com, along with valuable online weight loss tools such as a meal planner, healthy recipes and a daily food and exercise tracker. With 33 delicious flavors of Yoplait Light to choose from, you can switch up your diet menu as often as you like.

Every New Year's most people make some kind of resolution, whether it be to lose weight, get healthy, be more positive, whatever... then comes February and the steam has run out and fell right off the old horse. I do. I did. And have fallen! LOL. I am trying to lose weight, I am at my heaviest. I am also at my unhealthiest. I love Yogurt so I was really really glad to join in on this campaign with Yoplait through Myblogspark. I have been enjoying all the various flavors of Yoplait. I have a horrible sweet tooth so being able to enjoy the sweets without being devastating is wonderful! LOL.

I have been trying very hard, eating Yoplait Light, walking and such. I am getting there. No, I haven't lost a lot of weight but little by little I am losing. I would like to get down to a size 6 and I began at a size 12 and am currently a size 10. Slow and steady is healthy, crash and fad diets are not.

Would you like to win this prize pack from Yoplait via Myblogspark?

I knew you would! Ha!
One of my lucky readers will receive: Included in the prize pack is a coupon for a Yoplait Light Yogurt cup, gym bag, a reflective wrist wallet and a pedometer to keep you moving and motivated.

*This coupon offer for Yoplait Light yogurt is not valid in some states, including California, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, North Dakota and Tennessee.

Please take a moment and follow Yoplait on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/Yoplait and Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/yoplaityogurt. If you do tweet about the Two Week Tune Up, please use the Hashtag #YoplaitLightTWTU

NOW for the contest:

I like to do a simple entry, to enter simply answer this question (and please make sure you include your email address or I can't notify you if you won):

What was your New Year's Resolution or Goal and how is it coming along so far?

If you want to earn extra entries, Tweet this giveaway @Historyslover with the #YoplaitLightTWTU hashtag!
Another entry: Follow my facebook fanpage and let me know you stopped by (Click on Icon to the right to Facebook!)

Giveaway ends April 1st at Midnight, Winner will be notified via email and chosen by Random.org

disclaimer: Free product, information and prize pack were provided by Yoplait through Myblogspark.

Review: Salsa Sensations

2011-03-06T07:46:00.000-08:00

There's nothing like fresh, warm chips and a bowl of salsa to make your stomach happy. Ok, well it makes MY stomach happy! Salsa Sensations is a new product that just hit the shelves in September and is available exclusively in Walmart. The salsa is available in the 48 contiguous states and is bound to be in a Walmart near you! Made with sun ripened tomatoes, chopped onions, garlic, cilantro and jalapeno (or if you like FIRE, habaneros are in the hot salsa!). Available in three heat levels: mild, medium and hot, with only 10 calories per 2 tablespoon serving, is also a fat free and cholesterol free food, and because it's fresh, it's only in the refrigerated aisle in the dairy case.

I was given the opportunity to sample some of this wonderful salsa! Let me tell you, yes! It's WONDERFUL! I tried ALL three flavors but I have to say medium was my favorite. The best part of all of these salsa is how seriously FRESH they taste! Oh my goodness, the freshness just screams at you. Doesn't matter which flavor you try, it tastes like you are sitting in your favorite Mexican food restaurant with a bowl of salsa and chips in front of you. Only thing I had to do, and I do this with MOST salsas- restaurant or not, I throw a few dashes of salt. That's just me, though.

Look how BEAUTIFUL the salsa looks (this is a close up of the medium):

Medium is best with just a good old bag of chips all by them self. Scoop and chomp!

This my dear friends is Mild. She's a mild mannered kind of girl and is best served in recipes or with children or those with weak constitutions... I preferred to make Crockpot Black Bean Cream Cheese Chicken (in the crock throw some chicken, a can of black beans, a can of corn-if you wish and a container of your favorite salsa, cook low for 8 hours and 30 minutes prior to being ready turn to high and throw in a block of cream cheese and serve!). I didn't take photos because well, it's an ugly recipe but look at Mild on a chip!

Now about hot, you ask? Hot is on FIRE! Now this is some wonderful HOT flavored sauce. I didn't think it was tooooo spicy but then I handle spicy food just fine! It will definitely burn your tongue and feel the fire in the pits of your stomach! LOL. I like this one on tacos!

So grab some chips and get some Salsa Sensations! Ole!

Check out some more great Salsa Sensations pages:
Salsa Sensations on Youtube
Salsa Sensations on Facebook
Salsa Sensations on Twitter
Salsa Sensations Blog
Campaign hashtag #salsacraving

I was compensated for publishing this Promotional Blog Post. I received this opportunity through my membership with Mom Spark Media My thoughts are mine and mine allow and the compensation didn't effect my ability to be honest.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Fans???

2011-03-05T08:31:00.000-08:00

Until Midnight tonight, go to Amazon.com and score the COMPLETE SERIES for $69.99!!! That's INSANE and an amazing deal!

Review: I Am The Chosen King by Helen Hollick

2011-02-27T18:42:00.000-08:00

SYNOPSIS: The forgotten story of England’s last Saxon King.

England 1044. Harold Godwineson, a young, respected Earl, falls in love with an ordinary but beautiful woman. He marries Edyth despite her lack of pedigree, pitting him against his turbulent family and his selfish king, Edward. In France, William, the bastard son of a duke, falls in love with power. Brutal and dangerously smart, William sets his sights on England, finding ambition a difficult lust to conquer. With Edward old and dying, England falls vulnerable to the winds of fate – and the stubborn will of these two powerful men. In this beautifully crafted tale, Helen Hollick sets aside the propaganda of the Norman Conquest and brings to life the English version of the story of the last Saxon King, revealing his tender love, determination and proud loyalty, all shattered by the unforgiving needs of a Kingdom. Forced to give up his wife and risk his life for England, the chosen king led his army into the great Battle of Hastings in October 1066 with all the honor and dignity that history remembers of its fallen heroes.

Review: I feel like whenever I read a book by Helen Hollick I feel the need to preface it by saying she has quickly become one of the my favorite historical fiction authors. I was first introduced to her writings with her Pendragon's Banner series. Now, we are taken to 1044 England. I will admit right off the bat I am not well versed in this period of history so I really can't comment on history accuracies but I can say this, with Hollick's amazing ability to tell a story and weave the key characters I felt like I was there. I loved Harold's hand-fast wife, Edyth. I could feel Emma's disgrace of her son King Edward and feel the need to dine with Godwine. The gritty, dark period of this time with so much political upheaval, changes from the Church and a country in turmoil, makes "I Am The Chosen King" a highly engaging and readable tour through this period of English history. One thing I find as a positive about a good historical fiction, it should make the reader WANT to know more about the key characters and the time period and major events. I spent many late nights reading up on King Harold, William The Bastard, Emma of Normandy, and many more. I feel the need to research more!

I definitely recommend reading this book, maybe even twice and be prepared to be sucked back about a thousand years and feel like you are sitting under a thatched roof and supping with the people of the time.

Available March 1st at your favorite bookseller

disclaimer: This ARC was received from the publisher for review. The receipt of this book doesn't affect my ability to remain impartial to my opinion.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

2011-02-20T08:37:00.001-08:00

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. The third week of April is Shaken Baby Syndrome Prevention week. This may not be in the forefront of your thoughts, but child abuse surrounds my life 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Every waking moment we are swallowed up by reminders of child abuse. For the average every day person, they hear the stories and their hearts hurt and feel empowered for one moment to make a change. I am glad. Even if the one month of awareness reminds people to be more vigilant, active, kinder and an advocate, it means our children do not suffer in vain.

I am a single parent. I say that because it's who I am and has shaped my life. I am a single parent of a child abuse survivor who is developmentally delayed. I say that because those facts have rocked the very foundation on which I stand, that foundation crumbled and it has taken many years to build the foundation to a strength on which I can stand up again. I stand proudly. I am a person with a ton of weaknesses and faults. I am weak and admittedly I am so. I have to be a parent with no holds barred even though I don't want to be. I just want to love and cuddle and make excuses but I have to be the parent that says no. Believe me, I say NO a LOT! My daughter is polite and apologizes and addresses adult males as "sir" and adult females as "ma'am" or "lady". I get angry and some days I just don't learn to bite my tongue and I forget that although Emma is chronologically 7 and physically 7, mentally and emotionally she is 3 or 4, I forget she doesn't understand. Maybe it's because of those moments of forgetfulness of her developmental disabilities and the fact I treat her as an equal that she is the way she is: an amazing, bright, witty and charismatic child who doesn't understand she has disabilities and doesn't believe that the world can slow her down. Also, she thinks she is an adult.

I am an exhausted mom. I am overweight. I have so many dreams that I wish to fulfill and so many dreams that can not happen for many years. I am struggling financially but as I hope to finish my education soon enough, I won't be any longer. I know that I have to make something of myself in order to take care of her for the rest of her life. For the rest of her life, she will be dependent upon me financially, emotionally, medically, and all other things which one who has needs depends on. When I gave birth to Emma, I could have no more. She was it. She is forever. I promised her when she was born that if I couldn't take care of her, I would make sure she was taken care of. I made the same promise again when she was lying in a coma from her head injury when she was 11 months old.

We have overcome so much and every single advancement she makes, I lie in bed at night and cry and thank the universe. When she learned to walk a mere two years ago, we were so overjoyed. Emma was so proud of herself. She learned to walk holding a hand and slowly on level surfaces without holding on. She recently graduated from riding in her wheelchair on the bus to riding in the regular seat. She still needs help as she doesn't quite have the balance and strength for the stairs but I know by the end of this school year she will have them mastered.

So, when you hear those stories and your heart breaks, remember our hearts are broken forever. We don't get to talk about it and move on. Child abuse has stolen our lives and remolded them into something that hurts and haunts and strengthens. Things in our lives don't end, it goes on forever. We struggle forever.

In April, do me a favor. Or rather, you don't have to wait til April, do it any day of any month. Remind people it's never ok to shake a baby. It's never ok to abuse a child. NEVER OK. NEVER. Maybe visit a crisis nursery. Maybe volunteer at a child abuse organization. A Children's unit at a hospital. Or even, if you have a pet, maybe volunteer for pet therapy. Or a group home for people with disabilities, help out the disabled. Heck, while we are on it. How about visit a nursing home, too? Our seniors need some love. Just do something kind for someone.

Giveaway: Celebrating Love: Share, Remember, Cherish from 1-800-Flowers.Com Giveaway (Ends 2/21/11)

2011-02-13T20:02:00.001-08:00

Love is in the air!

Tis the time that is Valentine's Day. Roses, candy, candlelight dinners, and just loving to be in love. Sigh... it's all around us right now!

I am extremely stoked to bring a special giveaway to help celebrate this special time of the year, a copy of Celebrating Love: Share, Remember, Cherish follows Celebrating Mom in a new gift series from 1-800-flowers.com and Celebrations.com founder Jim McCann.

Reinforcing the 1-800-flowers.com and Celebrations.com philosophy of helping customers express, connect, and celebrate, McCann balances the practical with the inspirational, and the poignant with the profound, inside this collection of authentic love stories. Full-color drawings illustrate the book throughout and are interspersed with meaningful quotes and little-known facts about love and affection. Divided into four sections based on the distinct seasons of love, Celebrating Love features 150 entries.

1-800-flowers.com is also holding a "Love Note" contest on Facebook Hurry! This ends February 14th 12:00 PM ET, so hurry and post a love note and be entered to win a bouquet!

Purchase on Amazon here

OR! Enter for a chance to win a copy:

Must be 18 or older and be a resident of the US.

Entry? Post a comment sharing with us your most memorable Valentine's Day OR your favorite romantic memory along with your email address. Ends midnight EST on 2/21/11

Good luck!

I received this opportunity through my membership with Mom Spark Media, all thoughts and opinions expressed are mine and mine alone and I am receiving a copy of this book at no cost.

SALSA!!!

2011-02-06T07:14:00.000-08:00

Salsa Sensations that is! Do you or your family love salsa? I know I do! Nothing like fresh, warm chips and a bowl of salsa to make your stomach happy. Ok, well it makes MY stomach happy! Salsa Sensations is a new product that just hit the shelves in September and is available exclusively in Walmart. The salsa is available in the 48 contiguous states and is bound to be in a Walmart near you! Made with sun ripened tomatoes, chopped onions, garlic, cilantro and jalapeno (or if you like FIRE, habaneros are in the hot salsa!). Available in three heat levels: mild, medium and hot, with only 10 calories per 2 tablespoon serving, is also a fat free and cholesterol free food, and because it's fresh, it's only in the refrigerated aisle in the dairy case. So grab some chips and get some Salsa Sensations! Ole!

BUT! That's not all folks (Oh yes, I really am trying to get that tv announcer feel! LOL. At least I am not typing in all caps (aka Billy Mays type!)

Are you creative? Do you love to cook and come up with creative snack ideas? Yes? GREAT news! Salsa Sensations is searching for creative and healthy snack ideas using their flavorful salsas AND with the Salsa Sensations What's Your Craving Contest , you can win a $1,000 gift card to Walmart! Get creative! Show them what you are made of!

Here's what you need to do:

1. Create one video (at least 30 seconds long) demonstrating your creative after school snack using Salsa Sensations

OR

2. Submit at least three original photos showing how to make your creative after school snack using Salsa Sensations.

Pretty Awesome! To enter, go to Salsa Sensations What's Your Craving Contest. Entry deadline is 11:59pm MST On Monday February 21, 2011- so get to it!!!! Upload your recipe today! Public voting goes on from there.

It's Superbowl Sunday, so I KNOW you guys are getting creative today!
Check out some more great Salsa Sensations pages:
Salsa Sensations on Youtube
Salsa Sensations on Facebook
Salsa Sensations on Twitter
Salsa Sensations Blog
Campaign hashtag #salsacraving

I was compensated for publishing this Promotional Blog Post. I received this opportunity through my membership with Mom Spark Media

Introducing the Princess (Costume SuperCenter Review)

2011-01-30T06:52:00.000-08:00

Ladies and Gentleman, announcing the arrival of Princess Cinderella Emma!!!! Whoo hooo!!!

Oh yes, that is her name. You either address her as Princess Emma or Princess Cinderella Emma. Oh and of course, she has changed my name I am Princess Mommy Belle and her aunt (my sister) is Sleeping Beauty Aunt Thereasa. Freakin' adorable!

For Halloween, Emma picked out a princess costume which was adorable. I paid a lot for it at Spirit (a little over $40!), granted she wore it and loves it and still likes to wear it from time to time. I told myself then I need to buy more girls costumes so she can play dress up! Well, I was so stoked when I was offered the opportunity to review a costume from costumesupercenter.com because when I browsed their site, I was amazed at a. the selection of costumes they have for adults, b. their selection of kids costumes and most importantly: c. their prices!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My goodness, their prices are so freaking low! I wish when I was shopping for costumes for Halloween I would have found this site! The costume Emma wore for Halloween was much less costly on this site than it was at Spirit and it was the exact same costume!

Well, I had Emma go over the site with me and asked her to pick out a costume that she would like to have and she picked out this adorable Kids Gold & Red Queen Costume. Shipping was very speedy. We ordered the costume in a size Medium which is a little too big for her now (she was wearing a size 6 when we ordered it but she just had a MAJOR growth spurt and I now have to seek size 8s for her... sigh) but she fell in love! The velvet is gorgeous! She adores the tiara and scepter and she made me dance with her at "The Ball" in "The Castle" (living room...lol) and I was designated as the Prince. Go figure! The quality of the dress is gorgeous and I am thinking it will be fun for her to wear it to the Renaissance Festival this March (if we go early, it won't be too hot)!

I say super thumbs up and I know where I am ordering costumes from for Halloween 2011!!!! Yay!

disclaimer: I received the costume at no cost from costumesupercenter.com. The fact that I received this at no cost has zero bearing on my ability to be fair with my review. The costume rocked!

Shaken Baby Syndrome...

2011-01-25T20:19:00.000-08:00

I made this video in 2008 and I think it's time to update it. My dear readers, this is our life. We don't have separate lives, Emma and I live one life. It's a difficult road and six and a half years after Emma was brutally shaken, things have calmed down. A lot. The road was bumpy, it hurt every single day to get through each day never knowing what was going to happen. Between medical emergencies, therapies, surgeries, in and out of court, it was an exhausting run in our lives. We no longer have the trial to worry about, it's done. It's now in the past. The person who robbed Emma of a future received five years probation. The person robbed Emma of a life of independence, this person robbed Emma of a life she deserved... this person robbed me of seeing my daughter off to college, of seeing her turn in to a mother, this person robbed me of my daughter and what could have been. I choked up in court and never really launched in to the tirade I wanted to. I was so upset. I remember before stepping up to the podium to speak, I knew. I knew this person will never spend a day in prison, I could feel it and I felt defeated.

We will never be defeated... we still have the future. I have a vision, I love to take photographs (well, except with the camera I have! LOL) and I am going to upgrade soon and I want to create "Beautifully Challenged" and feature the faces of adults and children who are mentally or physically disabled, chronically ill, cancer,senior citizens, homosexual couples, etc, those who are considered in the eyes of "norms" as outcasts, drains of society, scourges, leeches, and show the world... we are all people. Just wanting the right to live, laugh, love and hope...

Well, enjoy my video... I will update it soon!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Within all the ugliness..

2011-01-24T19:14:00.000-08:00

There is still beauty. There are sweet and beautiful moments in life. The evidence?

This video

Everybody deserves these moments of pure and beautiful preciousness. I am not wrong. I am right. This is adorable. This is the product of affection: Joy. What a beautiful family.

After yesterday's emotional day at the nightmare that has become my state, I needed something beautiful and to remind me to look in my daughter's face when I am sad. This precious video reminded me of the little things in life are the most meaningful. A father and daughter singing team. Beautiful.

Today... I am a little emotional and angry and getting on a soapbox

2011-01-23T12:13:00.001-08:00

Want to know what pisses me off? Generalizations. Do NOT blanket me with what you perceive to be fact. Do NOT make an assumption about people in general unless you are the epitome of perfection.

I am a social networking nerd. I love it. I have one too many Facebook apps (Damn you Cityville, Frontierville and the rest of your cursed 'Villes!). I waste too much time that could be used for something much more productive like, oh I don't know... getting up all my review posts and what not and most importantly? My child is still not potty trained but I don't want to dwell on that failure on my part. So bite me.

I despise news article comments. Why? The anger and hatred that is spewed on those message boards scares me. Why? Could Asshole1 be my neighbor and if so, that's how he feels and could he take that angry animosity out on me and my child? *Shudder* So now, I close those comments. I am sorry my child pisses you off because she can't help that she is disabled and needs some help. I am NOT sorry that I chose life when she nearly died and was on life support. I am NOT sorry that I am a single mother who works and does my damn hardest to take care of her. I am NOT sorry I am not you, you hatemonger.

That rant over. There has been a long standing generalization about Tax Leeches. Oh oops. I mean those who receive Medicaid, Food stamps and other government assistance. You know those generalizations: druggies! Baby factory, low life, loser, and so on and so forth. Well, guess what... F THEM and their misconstrued beliefs.

Read this STORY and tell ME if this couple are drug addicts. Oh how about a baby factory? A Drug Addict? No? Well, damn. Blew that fragging theory out the water. How about dying? How about the fact that this young couple is dying. No, they aren't both dying. The husband is. Anybody who has ever been a caregiver for someone knows that the caregiver is in for the ride. How about taking a moment and reading Tashi's blog. No, I don't know her from another person. But my heart broke... badly. This is a lover story, that really in most honesty, won't have a happy ending. They just want time together and to extend his life as long as possible. I want Kevin to beat the cancer. His chances are slim but hey! a chance is a chance and I really hope he gets his chance and those two get another 5, 10, 15, 20 years or more together.

On another note, many of you may remember me posting a review about No Comfort Zone by Marla Handy and my personal bout with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. A mutual friend of Marla and myself posted a thought provoking blog and I think you should read it. When is enough enough?.

The needless shooting in Tucson. Enough said.

I don't know about you... but enough is enough. I am tired. I am drained. I am saddened to see fellow humanity so angry. I am not saying let's have world peace right now but what about just flat out being honest to goodness decent humans?

Just food for though. Chew it thoroughly. Savor each bite. Swallow. And wait.. maybe it will digest, maybe it will regurgitate... but regardless, maybe it will be some nutrition for our souls.

If I start getting nasty comments, I will close comments. Keep it civil, please. This isn't about politics, it's about humanity.

Winter is Coming...

2011-01-23T08:38:00.000-08:00

I honest to goodness have not been this giddy over a tv show coming out since... well, crud, I don't remember! So that's telling you something! Alas! Winter is Coming and HBO is bringing it and I just can't freaking wait for April! I have had cable since 2006 and I am going to order it just because of Game of Thrones. Don't let me down HBO but seeing the trailers and behind the scenes tells me I won't be disappointed. Not crazy over some of the casting, sorry, I don't think Lena Headey is attractive as a blonde and certainly not as attractive as I see Cersei. Eh, as long as they bring the spirit of the character, I am good with that. I love watching the clips because now I know I have been pronouncing some of the names wrong (Catelyn, Tyrion, Cersei, etc). On another note, doesn't Robert Addy look amazing as Robert Baratheon???!!! Insane!

Enjoy

CSN Stores Review Preview!

2011-01-22T08:45:00.000-08:00

I know most everybody here in the blogiverse is familiar with CSN stores and their amazing online selection, if not... boy let me tell you all about it! CSN Stores is an online retail site with over, I am not exaggerating, 200 online stores with everything from modern office furniture to children bedding to cookware!!! Their selection is out of this world and their prices? Phenomenal! If they aren't the lowest price, let them know, they will beat it! The shipping? Lightening quick. I have purchased many items from CSN and am excited to be given another opportunity to work with them.

I am not sure right at this moment what I am going to review, so it will be a surprise!!!! In the meantime, I have been drooling over these lovelies I have found browsing around the many sites... enjoy. A girl can dream, right?

Check out this article about CSN Stores on MSNBC about British interior design styling. Love it!!!!!

My Review

2011-01-09T08:53:00.001-08:00

Originally submitted at CSN Stores

Adorable

By Jaime from Phoenix, AZ on 1/9/2011

This bedding set is absolutely adorable and made a great Christmas present for my daughter. I got her the entire collection. I did knock two stars off because the picture online shows the pink to be brighter on the blanket/pillows but it's more of a faded/light pink. Cute otherwise!

(legalese)

Book Review: No Comfort Zone: Notes on Living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder by Marla Handy

2011-01-01T09:23:00.000-08:00

From Amazon.com:

No Comfort Zone exposes a jagged slice of humanity that is all too present, but often shielded from our view. The author challenges us to see life as she does, so we can understand a bit of what it’s like to live with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). With insight and humor, she describes the fear and unpredictability of growing up in an unstable household, the terror of being raped as a young adult, and the confusion and shame of living with perceptions and reactions that are often so very different from others’. After years of treatment for depression, a diagnosis of PTSD came as a surprise. Isn’t this something that only happens to combat veterans? But it made sense. In writing this highly personal account, Marla Handy helps the rest of us understand what PTSD is and that it happens here at home, too.

What do you think of when you hear of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)? Most commonly people think of War Veterans, or even some people will think of first responders (firefighters, police officers). Sadly, it's not just those demographics who suffer from PTSD, it's every day people like you, myself and Marla Handy. Marla wrote "No Comfort Zone" to share what she lives with each and every day: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Marla is middle America: a caucasion, middle aged woman and has a PhD. She has done some amazing work world wide and has shown what an amazing person she is.

I actually "met" Marla a few years ago on a message board, which is unrelated to PTSD, but through some message board topics and seeing her responses you know she is a wonderful person but you wouldn't know the emotional ramifications she deals with each and every day from living through horrific child abuse, medical procedures and rape. She messaged me one day and asked me if I would be interested in reading and posting a review of her book and when she told me about it, I jumped on it.

Many of you know that in 2004, my daughter was severely injured by being shaken and slammed. She spent 2 months in the hospital, with one of those months being in the PICU. Her injury was the straw that broke the camel's back. About a year after her injury I broke down. Badly. I had been a victim of sexual and child abuse for many years, terrorized by people who were "close" to me, I had two babies pass away at birth, but Emma's injury, that was what it took for me to break all the way down. I was suicidal. I went to a recovery center and the psychiatrist said that I had classic PTSD symptoms. The flashbacks, the jumpiness, the depression, the fascination with dying, and so on and so forth. I was referred for outside counseling and medication. I stuck with it for a short time but insurance problems caused it to cease. I am on my way back! I promise!

That's why I said yes to reading and reviewing No Comfort Zone. This book isn't a clinical book about PTSD. This book isn't a self help guide. This book says "This is me. This is PTSD. This is PTSD and I together, and this is what I go through and understand me". When I read this I felt that "Yes" reaction. Yes, I am right there with you. I understand this! She brought up something that came right back home, she said we aren't allowed to be victims. No more victims of cancer, they are survivors. No more rape victims, but rape survivors. They aren't child abuse victims but they are survivors! Sure it's empowering, when that person gets to that point. Many times "survivor" is for the outsiders to not feel so depressed. I HATE when people say I am strong. I am not. If I was strong, I wouldn't feel the way I do inside. I wouldn't feel so broken half the time. I upset some "friends" of mine a few years ago when I said I hated it when people say I am strong. THEY were offended that I put down their view of me?! WHAT? What's wrong with this picture?
I felt a connection with this book because I understand.

As Marla told me, she wrote this book to help those living with PTSD and those who living, work, and are around those who have PTSD. As she told me, she isn't trying to promote herself as an author, but rather to make this book visible to those who can benefit from it. This book isn't pretty. Rape isn't pretty. Child abuse isn't pretty. Marla's life hasn't been pretty. It isn't supposed to be a pretty book with the girl gets the guy but this is real. Marla does a beautiful job of showing you reality and what it's like through her eyes.

Five stars.

I really think you all should read this. Or tell others about this book. It's worth the time.

Amazon.com Widgets

disclaimer: The author provided this book at no charge for my fair and honest review.

Show Your Helping Hand Blog Spark/Giveaway

2010-12-18T07:55:00.000-08:00

Christmas is officially here, in less than a week, many of us will be waking up, grabbing our mugs of cocoa, coffee, whatever, opening Christmas presents, laughing, joking, and eating. For many of us, we go about our days like normal and just enjoy the time with family. Unfortunately, there are many who don't even get to eat a Christmas meal, let alone exchange Christmas presents. I am beyond grateful to be able to share this fantastic prize pack provided by Hamburger Helper through Myblogspark.

According to Feeding America, approximately 5.7 million different people receive emergency food assistance from the organization in any given week.

To raise awareness about the national issue of hunger, Hamburger Helper® is partnering with GRAMMY® Award-winning singer, songwriter and actor Tim McGraw to help Feeding America deliver millions of meals to local food banks through the Show Your Helping HandTM campaign. McGraw will lend his voice to the campaign through a Public Service Announcement which will be distributed nationwide. Click here to view the PSA.

Support the campaign by submitting codes from specially marked boxes of Hamburger Helper at www.showyourhelpinghand.com or by logging on to make a donation. Hamburger Helper has already donated more than half a million dollars and will contribute up to an additional $100,000 to Feeding America through this program. Don´t think one code will make a difference? The 17 cents Hamburger Helper donates per code is enough for Feeding America to deliver one meal to a local food bank.

How would you love a chance to win this prize pack provided by Hamburger Helper through Myblogspark?

You can! The prize pack includes a box of Hamburger Helper skillet meals, a Hamburger Helper foam "Helping Hand" and a copy of Tim McGraw´s "Southern Voice" CD. In addition, Hamburger Helper will make a $10 donation to the Show Your Helping HandTM campaign on your behalf. I have to tell you I feel really really good about this campaign. When I received my prize pack, I felt my heart expand a bit at the postcard with the contribution made on my behalf. I have been there. I have needed food banks and help. I think most of us at some point have been there. When Emma is older, I hope for us to be able to volunteer together to help those who need our help. The food banks are overwhelmed, even more so with the economy as it is and more and more people who would never think they would need the help are standing in the lines for food. Nobody should ever go hungry.

Also, you can also have a chance to win an autographed copy of Tim McGraw´s "Southern Voice" CD by visiting www.showyourhelpinghand.com.

Alright! On to the giveaway!

Pretty straight forward, what charity touches your heart the most? Please answer it in a post with your email address!

If you want extra chances, go ahead and tweet! (of course, post the link here and make it @historyslover with hash tag "#myblogspark")
Another entry? Fan my Facebook page (link is on the right) and leave me a comment here!

The rules?
Must be in the US & Canada. No PO Boxes.

Easy Peasy!

Giveaway ends on... hmmmm.... how about the day after Christmas? Tis the season, so let's end this on December 26th!

Thank you again and please, be sure to at least share the link above to submit codes and help feed America! Thank you and Good Luck!!!!!!

Guest Blog: Helen Hollick & The Forever Queen Giveaway!

2010-11-29T17:37:00.000-08:00

I am so beyond excited to have Helen Hollick here today as a guest blogger! I have become such a huge fan of hers since I was first introduced to her Pendragon's Banner series and now I am currently in the middle of reading her newest book, The Forever Queen, and let me tell you... a MUST read for any historical fiction fan! Wow! Enough of my rambling, ladies and gents, please welcome Helen Hollick!:

Medieval Holiday Traditions

The earliest known reference dating the festival of the Nativity as December 25th is found in an illuminated manuscript compiled in Rome - the Chronography of 354. In the East, early Christians celebrated the birth of Christ as part of Epiphany (January 6), the date we now celebrate as 12th night. The “Christmas” feast, became more established by about 400. The belief that Christ was actually born on 25th December is, of course, untrue, for one thing, the Bible clearly states lambs being born – this is a Spring event, not one for mid-winter. However, the Pagan celebrations of birth and renewal, of Light, of life triumphing over death were centered around the Winter Solstice (usually 21st December) when the re-birth of the sun was celebrated after the longest night/shortest day. Basically, the Christian Church adapted this Pagan feast to their own needs and incorporated many of the Pagan beliefs. Light, candles, greenery, feasting etc.

Yule or Yuletide was celebrated from late December to early January, a festival of the Germanic peoples and the “Vikings”. There is also a connection with the Roman winter festival of Saturnalia. Bede in about AD 730, recorded that the Anglo-Saxon calendar included the months geola or giuli corresponding with either modern December or December and January. He gave December 25 as the first day of the heathen year and wrote that the Pagan Anglo-Saxons celebrated all night long to honour the divine mother – another connection between the Christian Nativity and Pagan belief - birth and motherhood.

The Ynglinga Saga first mentions a Yule feast in 840 and after 1000, it has become the main feast of the year. The Saga of Hákon the Good credits King Haakon I of Norway (c.935-961) with the Christianization of Norway, as well as placing the date of Yule to coincide with the Nativity. Previously, Yule had been celebrated on midwinter night for three nights. It was a time of feasting, drinking and merry-making. For the Germanic tribes, Odin was associated with Yule, along with the tradition of the Wild Hunt

Burning the Yule log is a custom that was an integral part of the solstice celebration, signifying the rebirth of light at the darkest time of the year. Evergreens were an important symbol; in ancient Rome they were thought to have special powers and were used for decoration promising the return of life in the spring. Holly, ivy and mistletoe were important plants, for it was believed that good spirits lived in the branches of holly and Christians believed that the berries had been white before they were turned red by Christ's blood. Ivy was associated with the Roman god Bacchus, and was not allowed by the Church as decoration until later in the middle ages, when a superstition that it could help recognize witches and protect against the plague arose.
Wassail is the Old English waes hael which means "be well" or "good health." A strong, hot drink (usually a mixture of ale, honey, and spices) would be put in a large bowl and the host would lift it and greet his companions with a loud "waes hael!" to which they would reply "drinc hael!" - "drink and be well."

For entertainment, minstrels played on lyre or harp, and musicians would have pipes, and bagpipes (probably the same as modern “under arm” Irish or Northumbrian pipes, not the Scots bagpipe that is blown) Horns, trumpets, drums and flutes completed the “orchestra” – accompanied by singing of course. Possibly, the lighter lyres and harps were played during the serving of the feast meal, while the louder instruments served for “after dinner entertainment.” There would have been dancing, juggling and jesting. Story telling, and riddle-weaving.

How about this one?

He who struggles with me and strives against my power,
Still persisting in his folly soon finds out that his back must bite earth.
Stripped of strength,
Strident of speech,
Robbed of might,
He can master neither mind, not foot, nor hand.
Find my name,
Who thus by light of day on earth can bind men dulled by blows.
(answer below!)

It is not too much of a leap of imagination to assume that Emma would have donned her finest, brightest garments at Yule Tide and after partaking of Mass in the Minster at Winchester would look forward to enjoying the gaiety of feasting and dancing.

The great hall - something like 80 feet long by 40 feet wide - would be furnished with trestle tables and benches; the high table, at least, having a linen table cloth and napkins. Furs and embroidered and woven hangings would decorate the walls, while garlands of evergreen would be strung from rafter to rafter; the Yule Log dragged in and set afire in the hearth place. Candles and lanterns everywhere flickering a dancing light.

Good manners were expected. It was not considered polite to bolt or gobble your food, nor was it the “done thing” to pick up any morsel that had fallen to the floor and eat it (anyway the dogs or chickens would probably have got there first! Chickens can move pretty fast!) Nor was it polite to pick your nose or scratch your backside and then put your hand into a bowl of food to select, say, a wing of chicken or a succulent piece of roasted pork – crisp with crunchy crackling!

Feast day food was looked forward to and enjoyed, rarer cuts and speciality dishes were expected. Poultry and pork, beef – lamb and sheep not so much, probably because pork and beef fatten more easily. Game, such as venison and hare taken by hunting and fowling were suited for feasting as they were rarer meats. Bread was a standard part of any meal, while a number of festival cakes with enriched dough were known.

Day long feasts were common and it was considered bad practice to leave before the end – the three day feast seems to have been common for the special occasions.
Drink too, was important. Ale, beer, mead, cider and wine.

We do not know if gifts were exchanged: I like to think that Cnut and Emma gave something special to each other on the eve of Christmas though. A brooch perhaps, or a fine-made, carved walrus ivory comb?

waes hael!

(the answer to the riddle is ‘Mead’)

THE FOREVER QUEEN BY HELEN HOLLICK – IN STORES NOVEMBER 2010

What kind of woman becomes the wife of two kings, and the mother of two more?

Saxon England, 1002. Not only is Æthelred a failure as King, but his young bride, Emma of Normandy, soon discovers he is even worse as a husband. When the Danish Vikings, led by Swein Forkbeard and his son, Cnut, cause a maelstrom of chaos, Emma, as Queen, must take control if the Kingdom—and her crown—are to be salvaged. Smarter than history remembers, and stronger than the foreign invaders who threaten England’s shores, Emma risks everything on a gamble that could either fulfill her ambitions and dreams or destroy her completely.

Emma, the Queen of Saxon England, comes to life through the exquisite writing of Helen Hollick, who shows in this epic tale how one of the most compelling and vivid heroines in English history stood tall through a turbulent fifty-year reign of proud determination, tragic despair, and triumph over treachery.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Helen Hollick lives in northeast London with her husband, daughter and a variety of pets, which include several horses, cats and two dogs. She has two major interests: Roman / Saxon Britain and the Golden Age of Piracy--the early eighteenth century. Sourcebooks Landmark will release the next chapter on Helen’s 1066 saga, I Am the Chose King, in Spring 2011. For more information, please visit http://www.helenhollick.net/.

AND There's more!!! With a huge thanks to Danielle at Sourcebooks for a) bringing such an amazing author in to my life and b) for sponsoring a giveaway for TWO copies of "The Forever Queen".

Rules:

US and Canada only!
No PO Boxes
Leave a comment with your email address with an answer to this question:
Reading the holiday traditions of the people during the medieval period, what are your favorite traditions?

Thank you and good luck!

Giveaway ends December 15th, winners will be chosen through random.org and winners will be contacted via email!

***Please note, duplicate entries will be deleted. All comments go into a moderation queue so please do not continue to submit after the first submission, it will go through***

Black Friday deals!

2010-11-25T11:22:00.000-08:00

I am not much of a "Black Friday" sale chaser type of person, but I am a bargain Goddess (or so I like to think!) and am always trying to find amazing deals online. Just a little bit ago I told you about the Mad Men deal I found on Amazon.com here.

Currently another HOT online deal is coming from my favorite clothing story, New York and Company. From now until November 28th, online and in stores EVERYTHING is 50% off! EVERYTHING! Also, if you spend at least $99, enter coupon code 5777 for free shipping online! Hurry! This is only for a limited time only! Visit New York and Company now!

Another great place to find daily deals, especially for Holiday deals is a great website called Cheap Today which finds the latest and great bargains that are cheap today! Go check out the smoking deals!

disclaimer: I am not affiliated with any of the above listed sites nor am I receiving any monetary benefit from posting. However, I am a bzzagent and that is how I have learned about cheaptoday.com

The most SMOKING deal ever!!!!!

2010-11-25T09:16:00.000-08:00

Who out there is a fan of AMC's hit show, Mad Men? I absolutely am infatuated with the show and the characters. I have a bit of an obsession with the late 50s/early 60s fashion as it is and the whole period in regards to the values, the ethics and the changes that happened during those years that have set the foundation for the future (ok, well all generations did but this is my fave as women started pushing ahead and really becoming a force to be reckoned with)

Oh and for fun, here's a parody from Sesame Street! LOL

Anyhow, Amazon.com has an amazing deal on the first 3 seasons of the hit show, for $9.99 a season! EACH! ONLY $9.99!! EVEN BLUERAY!!!!! They are generally anywhere from $29.99-$49.99 a season. This is ridiculously low! The sale ends on November 27th, so go get the deals!!!!

disclaimer: I was not paid by Amazon.com, AMC or Mad Men for this post, I am JUST a fan. HOWEVER, if anybody does click through and purchase through the widget, I get a super tiny commission from Amazon Associates. That's it.

smile.ly—Be Heard. Be Happy.

2010-11-25T07:39:00.000-08:00

smile.ly—Be Heard. Be Happy.

Search and Earn with Swagbucks!

2010-11-21T16:12:00.000-08:00

I don't know who isn't familiar with swagbucks, but for those aren't, check them out! Right now it's the perfect time to search and earn cool prizes. I for one, trade my swagbucks for Amazon.com gift cards, that's the bookie in me!

Sherlock Holmes...

2010-11-07T19:34:00.001-08:00

Benedict Cumberbatch is just hot. I adore him as Sherlock.

Enjoy!

Watch the full episode. See more Masterpiece.

Those Little Things in Life...

2010-11-07T12:24:00.000-08:00

It really and truly is all about those little things in life. That smile just makes my heart smile, it's a pure and honest smile of happiness. She picked out her costume and she doesn't go half way in being a princess, she goes ALL THE WAY!

Every time I see that smile, my heart jumps and I fall in love and realize it's never about me but about giving her what she needs: shelter, clothing, food and love.

Shutterfly!

2010-11-06T08:36:00.000-07:00

It's THAT time of the year again. Yeah, you know what I am talking about. The time of the year that gets us nice and stressed out until the big day(s) come and we look back with reflection and think about how much we love what we do, why we do it and who we love. That's right, it's HOLIDAY season! Haha. Regardless of your beliefs, it's the season that rewards us for all the hard work we do. I don't mean the gifts but our lives. I am a little sentimental this year because I just learned a girl I knew from school recently passed away after being diagnosed with a rare lung disorder and she needed a double lung transplant but the lungs didn't come in time. And also recently, a friend of mine of mine since middle school days took his own life. I am not one to freely throw around the "I love yous" and so on, because I am a typical Capricorn but I am learning. It has taken me to my 30s to be comfortable with just telling my friends and family that I love them. Not "Love ya" but "I love YOU". Of course, with Emma it's easy, but I figured everybody else just knew. Okay, off the soapbox and on to my point. My siblings and I at Christmas time prefer to prepare a nice meal instead of exchanging gifts. I usually can't afford to buy for my family that is out of state but instead holiday photo cards are the way to go! Last year, Emma and I had photos done at JC Penneys but I am not sure I am going to foot the cost this year and have some taken by my sister or somebody with a nice camera with the beautiful Arizona background!

Who's going to make my Christmas cards? That's right, Shutterfly!!!!! Normally, I do postcard style cards but this year, it's going to be all about the folded cards and Shutterfly has such a great selection and I am so excited to save money and share our memories with my loved ones. I have never used Shutterfly before but I am extremely excited to this year!

disclaimer: Shutterfly has compensated me with free product in exchange for my post. This does not effect my ability to remain unbiased and my thoughts are always mine and mine alone!

2010 Holiday Gift Guide!

2010-11-06T08:35:00.001-07:00

Mom Spark Media 2010 Holiday Gift Guide

Bzzzzzzzzzzzz

2010-10-31T11:54:00.000-07:00

A BzzAgent that is!

Check out bzzagent! It's pretty awesome and I love that you can try new products and services at no cost and spread the word of a product you love or loathe!

http://www.bookmans.com/content/pumpkin-patch-halloween-party?mini=event/2010-10/22/all

2010-10-16T12:50:00.000-07:00

http://www.bookmans.com/content/pumpkin-patch-halloween-party?mini=event/2010-10/22/all

Well....You can finally get Ocean Front Property in Arizona!

2010-10-14T21:08:00.000-07:00

I figured it out! LOL. I finally figured out how to merge my two other blogs! Yay. Apparently there is this nifty Import and Export tool under the settings tab! Yay!

Ok! On to the Phoenix Anomaly. We got hail. HAIL! I am from Kansas, I expect a storm like this from Kansas but from Phoenix? NEVER! Isn't it wild? I have been here for 14 years and I have learned to enjoy the monsoon storms but hail? I haven't seen hail in 15 years. It was wild! I loved it! Phoenicians aren't built for this and well, let's just say most people thought their hail riddled cars were totaled! Hahaha. Enjoy the photos!

Oh and while your at it? Click on the Pillsbury photo on the right column and enter the giveaway!

Question...

2010-10-13T07:13:00.000-07:00

Good morning to all you rays of sunshine out there in Blog Land! How are you? I hope everybody is doing fantastic!

I just have a question, I have three blogs. I started them with a vision and well that vision went from clear to blurry to blind, lol. I want to merge the three in to one blog. Do you know how? Is that possible without losing the content?

Thanks in advance!

By the way, I have discovered a GEM! A true GEM! A book of course, it's called Flamingo Fatale by Jimmie Ruth Evans. It's book one of the Trailer Park Mysteries. I am on a cozy mystery binge right now and loving it!

I also just finished Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell and well, it was awesome! I will post my thoughts on it soon!

Upcoming CSN Stores Review!

2010-10-10T10:21:00.001-07:00

Many of you in the blogiverse may or may not already be aware of the amazing CSN stores and their over 200 stores with a stock ranging from kitchenware to bedding to cheap bedroom furniture. Every time I visit one of their sites I am always amazed at #1 the selection and #2 the prices. The prices are amazingly low and they even will meet or beat a competitor's price. Their customer service is outstanding and shipping is generally free. I always love the opportunity to work with CSN Stores!

Check out this GORGEOUS bedroom set. I think this may be something Emma would love for when she gets older and would last for many years. It's timeless! Hmmmm may have to start saving up! LOL

This Christmas is going to be a very difficult one financially for me, and I know to many of you out there it will be a tough one too. Emma turned 7 in August and I am finding she is getting to be increasingly difficult to buy for now. One thing I did learn is that she loves it when I change her bedding and "decorate" her room and I am thinking that will be what I am going to do for her this Christmas: decorate her room with the gift card that CSN is supplying me with will make it easier. Plus at school, she won a $50 gift card to Toys-R-Us from the cookie fundraiser we did (My coworkers ROCK!)

So this is the bedding set I found on CSN that I really think Emma will adore, she is a total girly girl and loves her pink!

I am really excited to decorate her room, thanks to CSN!

Bountiful Baskets Produce Coop!

2010-10-02T18:59:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard of Bountiful Baskets? If not, check them out! BB is a NOT a CSA program but a produce coop and allows you to obtain produce at a substantial savings. Here is the website for more information: http://bountifulbaskets.org/ If you don't see it available in your state, maybe you can set something up! They love to expand!

I normally participate as long as I have another person to go in on it with me as the conventional baskets provide more than Emma and I can consume before going bad! This time I didn't have anybody but I am set on making sure we don't waste anything! Here's my BOUNTY!!!

I purchased the conventional basket which is one basket of fruit and one of vegetables for $15. There are times that they have special add ons available and this week it was an Italian pack for $7.50! Plus $1.50 service charge. All of what you see for $24!! Insane savings!

Pillsbury Sweet Moments Giveaway!

2010-10-02T17:40:00.000-07:00

Winner is:

shirley said...

Follow Pillsbury on twitter@countrynest
supergrand2009@yahoo.com
October 30, 2010 7:54 AM

Thank you to all who entered and keep your eyes open for more giveaways! Winner was picked by random.org and has been emailed!

We all work ourselves to the bone, that's the truth! Sometimes we just need a moment to relax, unwind and spoil ourselves. Whether we are male or female, parents or not, employed or unemployed, we are all exhausted and just need a moment to ourselves.

Well thanks to Pillsbury provided through Myblogspark, I was given the opportunity to pamper myself for a day. Who doesn't love chocolate?! How about ready made brownie bites available in your refrigerator aisle form Pillsbury Sweet Moments? And how about a bubble bath with chocolate scented bath products? I did. I was able to unwind and pamper myself for a night after Emma was asleep. I took a long shower with a chocolate scented body wash and slathered on chocolate scented lotion. Sat down and watched Lark Rise To Candleford (Season 2!) and munched on the Caramel brownie bites! OMG! These are YUMMY!!!!!!

How about the opportunity to pamper yourself, too? Guess what? You can! Pillsbury provided me with the free product, information, and prize pack through MyBlogSpark. Aren't you excited?! I am! This is an amazing prize pack and you will LOVE IT! The prize pack will contain a coupon for a free product of Pillsbury Sweet Moments and the spa set!

Here are the rules!

1) USA Only
2) No PO Boxes

To enter:

Please include your email address with your entry. You need to be a follower of my blog!

If you would like to earn extra entries (I normally don't do this but I have let my blog go stale and need to reestablish myself!):
Please do these on SEPARATE entries or it will only be counted as one entry!

1: Follow Pillsbury on Facebook and reference on their wall that you found them through me!

2: Follow Pillsbury on Twitter and let me know!

3: Tweet this giveaway @historyslover #mbsspark and leave the link!

4: Blog about this giveaway and post the link!

5: Follow my other blogs: http://frugalgreenglutenfreemom.blogspot.com/ and http://strongmomofaspecialneedsdaughter.blogspot.com/

Thank you and GOOD LUCK!

Giveaway will close on Halloween and winner chose November 1 via random.org and will be notified via email!

Grimspace by Ann Aguirre Review

2010-09-14T20:41:00.000-07:00

By all accounts, Sirantha Jax should have burned out years ago…

As the carrier of a rare gene, Jax has the ability to jump ships through grimspace-a talent which cuts into her life expectancy, but makes her a highly prized navigator for the Corp. But then the ship she’s navigating crash-lands, and she’s accused of killing everyone on board. It’s hard for Jax to defend herself: she has no memory of the crash.

Now imprisoned and the subject of a ruthless interrogation, Jax is on the verge of madness. Then a mysterious man breaks into her cell, offering her freedom-for a price. March needs Jax to help his small band of rogue fighters break the Corp monopoly on interstellar travel-and establish a new breed of jumper.

Jax is only good at one thing-grimspace-and it will eventually kill her. So she may as well have some fun in the meantime…

I like SciFi. I really, really like it. Reading it? Eh, depends. I do love Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, cozy mysteries, and really, just across the board when it comes to what I will read. Science Fiction is something I generally WATCH rather than read, I am not sure why, but when it comes to the written form I have a harder time getting in to it but put it on the screen I am hooked! I am a huge fan of Firefly/Serenity, Star Trek, Stargate Franchise and many others.

I came across a copy of Grimspace and thought what the heck? Might as well give it a shot. I am so glad I did! From page one, I was sucked in and the story refused to let me go! Sirantha Jax is a force to be reckoned with a very broken, yet solid female lead and her uniqueness as a Jumper and her history made her a very edgy, yet likable character. March, (a Psi) her pilot and lover, is another broken but very solid character. The dynamics of their relationship and adventures is one of which, as a reader, you hope and need them to succeed. I find that as complicated as it is, it's real and they need each other. Hell, I need March and Jax to succeed!

The Universe that Aguirre creates is amazing. The characters are all outstanding. I love Dina, Doc, and Velith (who although he appears near the end, is one of my favorite key characters in the sequels).

I am currently on the third book, Doubleblind, after finishing Grimspace and Wanderlust (#2) and Jax is staring at me from the cover of Killbox (#4) giving me the look that I better hurry up and read as she has more to tell me. Sigh. I have hooked my coworker on this series. I hope more fall in love with the Jax/March and their Universe.

Disclaimer: This book was purchased by me out of my pocket. Sooooo, no need to disclaim about being honest and impartial. LOL. Except, I do get a small commission (REALLY SMALL) if you click on the amazon.com link and make a purchase. You really should, this is a GREAT series!

Review: Darkest Edge of Dawn - Kelly Gay

2010-09-02T21:31:00.000-07:00

It takes a strong woman to keep the peace in a city of endless night. . . .

Deep beneath Underground, a cunning bid for power and revenge has begun—one that threatens to make Atlanta the new battleground in the ultimate confrontation between good and evil. The powers of hellish Charbydon have the upper hand after plunging the city into primordial night. And under the cover of darkness, a serial killer targets the most powerful Elysians in the city, the angelic Adonai. For Detective Charlie Madigan and her siren partner Hank, tracking deadly predators is all in a day’s work . . . but this case will test the limits of their strength and friendship as it draws them into a deadly world of power plays, ancient myths, explosive secrets, and a race against time that risks all that Charlie holds dear.

A superb follow up to Kelly Gay's first book, Better Part of Darkness (see my review here ), The Darkest Edge of Dawn doesn't let the fans of the first book down.

Charlie Madigan and her siren partner, Hank are back and better than ever. Spicier, deadlier and toss in some necromancy, and you have the recipe for a damn good read. All the characters and story lines of the first book are brought over to the follow up with much more complex and pressing issues and intensity. Charlie is dealing with more emotionally and physically as her body is in a able with her mixed dna, emotions with her daughter, her ex, the spirit living in his body, and so much more. I definitely recommend this series to fans of Dark Urban Fantasy. One big recommendation? Read the first two in a row. Darkest Edge of Dawn is definitely not a stand alone book. I read the first one and it took me a bit to catch up and remember some of the details of The Better Part of Darkness.

The Charlie Madigan series is a MUST read for Dark Urban Fantasy Fans.

disclaimer: This book was provided to me by Simon and Schuster for my true and honest review. The fact that this book was provided to me has no bearing on my ability to remain impartial and honest. I did not receive financial compensation, however, I do receive a TINY, I do mean TINY, commission on any books/CDs/DVDs/etc purchased through an Amazon.com link.

Nakano Prize Package Giveaway & Recipes

2010-08-31T20:21:00.000-07:00

Nakano Prize Package Giveaway & Recipes

My Review of Go Green Glasslock Assorted 6-Piece Food Storage Container Set

2010-08-29T21:09:00.001-07:00

Originally submitted at CSN Stores

Set Includes:

Rectangular 1.75 cup (14 oz.) food storage container with lid
Rectangular 4.25 cup (34 oz.) food storage container with lid
Rectangular 8.5 cup (68 oz.) food storage container with lid
Square 2.13 cup (17 oz...

Ecofriendly and non toxic!

By Jaime from Phoenix, AZ on 8/29/2010

Pros: Air Tight, Resilient

Best Uses: Grains, Transportation, Maintain Freshness, Reheating, Leftovers

Describe Yourself: Avid Cook

After years of using cheap plastic containers and as I am doing everything in power at this juncture in my life to contribute to the sustainability of our planet, I am more conscious about harmful toxins in our diet and plastics, and mine and my daughter's overall health, I thought I would try out these containers. They are wonderful! They are air tight and make bringing my lunch to work convenient. I like the fact that I can microwave in them and not worry about the toxins from plastic leeching in to my food. They are also very easy to clean up. I haven't frozen anything in them yet, but I have a feeling these won't disappoint.

(legalese)

My Review of 3 Piece Chef's Knife Set

2010-08-29T21:04:00.001-07:00

Originally submitted at CSN Stores

Features:

Chef Set includes: 8" Chef's knife, 6" Utility knife and 3.5" Paring knife
Tempered and hardened high carbon steel with a tapered ground edge that is designed for perfect cutting performance every time
...

Very nice!

By Jaime from Phoenix,AZ on 8/29/2010

Pros: Stays Sharp, Comfortable Grip, Easy To Clean, Quality Construction

Best Uses: Meat, Veggies

Describe Yourself: Avid Cook

Wow. For being very inexpensive, these are fantastic knives! They have a nice weight, feel great in my hands and so far, have stayed nice and sharp! I love them! I plan to buy more Paula Deen Knives based on my experience with these knives!

(legalese)

To post or not to post?

2010-08-29T13:33:00.000-07:00

Rather, the question is should I set a scheduled posting day?

As I was up last night until 2 am finishing up homework from one class (have another class to start on the homework tonight!) and being easily distracted (cough catching up Pillars of the Earth on Netflix cough cough and darn farms on facebook need tending), I was thinking I need to set a schedule. I wonder if that would make things easier, let alone structured. I need to keep my content up or I will completely FORGET about this blog.

So I wonder if posting on Saturday nights would be best? Oh sheesh, I just outted myself on my lack of a social life! Hahahaha. Or maybe Sunday nights after the child is in bed? Hmmm, don't know.

I am really excited because I did get the opportunity to take on an extra duty at work and that's good! I was starting to get seriously bored, shhhhhh don't tell my bosses! Hahaha!

Decisions, decisions....

What books have you read this week that rocked?

I just finished Georgette Heyer's A Blunt Instrument. It was awesome however definitely NOT as good as A Death in the Stocks, but still good, eccentric and quirky! I did finish the Darkest Edge of Dawn by Kelly Gay, AWESOME!!!! Blog Tour is on September 2nd (so watch for my review to be posted!). I just started Angels' Blood by Nalini Singh. So far, so good!

Oh and the spam filter that blogger said up seems to be working! I haven't had any spam in an Asian language since it was set up! Hooray! WIN!

Upcoming CSN Stores Review

2010-08-15T20:33:00.000-07:00

I am super excited to be hosting another review for CSN stores! As you may know, CSN Stores have OVER 200 online stores where you can find another from Paula Deen Knives to dining room sets to area rugs!

Check out this SUPER cute dining room set, I think it would look perfect in an apartment or for an eat in kitchen.

disclaimer: Please note that CSN stores is giving me a gift card for my time and effort to purchase an item that I will be reviewing with my own independent opinion. The fact that I am given a gift card has ZERO bearing on my ability to give a good, honest and FAIR review. As many of my followers know, I am pretty honest!

Wow... I haven't posted....

2010-08-15T20:23:00.000-07:00

In quite sometime. Frankly the Japanese spammers were seriously getting on my nerves. Every time I came to my blogger dashboard all I saw were comments in Japanese (used google translator) and it was for various ads. I switched to using the Captcha (which I despise) and it had no bearing on the amount of spam comments I received. I became burned at and stayed away from blogger for awhile.

So how is everybody in the blogging world? I hope well! Things have been busy in my life, of course! That's nothing new! Now that blogger has the spam inbox, I hope it helps keep the spammers at bay (or at least DECREASED) and I will find the strong desire to start blogging again.

Oh a positive note: the winners of The Imposter's Daughter giveaway have been emailed! Hooray!

I just started reading The Darkest Edge of Dawn by Kelly Gay, it's #2 of her Charlie Madigan series (the first one is a Better Part of Darkness). So far, fantastic! Dark urban fantasy fans will rejoice! It's good stuff already! Check out my review of her first book here

Join the Swagnation!

2010-06-26T13:53:00.001-07:00

Have you heard of Swagbucks? Swagbucks is a search engine that combines the best of google, ask and various websites into one search engine that allows you to earn swagbucks which you can exchange for prizes. I usually just get the Amazon.com gift cards (I am a book nerd, after all!) but they offer a great selection of prizes, contests and other ways to earn Swag!

Click on the image below and sign up!

The Imposter's Daughter by Laurie Sandell giveaway!!!

2010-06-26T09:20:00.000-07:00

From Hatchette Book Group:

Laurie Sandell grew up in awe (and sometimes in terror) of her larger-than-life father, who told jaw-dropping tales of a privileged childhood in Buenos Aires, academic triumphs, heroism during Vietnam, friendships with Kissinger and the Pope. As a young woman, Laurie unconsciously mirrors her dad, trying on several outsized personalities (Tokyo stripper, lesbian seductress, Ambien addict). Later, she lucks into the perfect job--interviewing celebrities for a top women's magazine. Growing up with her extraordinary father has given Laurie a knack for relating to the stars. But while researching an article on her dad's life, she makes an astonishing discovery: he's not the man he says he is--not even close. Now, Laurie begins to puzzle together three decades of lies and the splintered person that resulted from them--herself.

If you would like an opportunity to win 1 of 5 copies that Hatchette Book Group has been so gracious to allow for a giveaway, keep on reading!

To enter:
Must be a resident of the United States or Canada
No PO Boxes
Answer this question: what would your alter ego be/or if you could be/do anything in the world what would it be? For me, I am going with science fictional, but I would be an explorer on one of the Stargate teams (I am obsessed with Stargate Atlantis!)

Giveaway ends on July 25th, 2010. Winner will be contacted by me (so make sure you have an email address in your comment) and will have three days to reply or another winner will be chosen. Winners will be chosen via random.org

Once again, thanks to Hatchette Book Group for sponsoring this giveaway (and for FTC guidelines, I am not being paid for this nor am I receiving a free book, I just hope to gain a few more readers and hope to find some more great blogs to read!)

Bad Run of Books or Just Being Negative?

2010-06-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

So I have had a recent run of books that have been pretty terrible lately. Really terrible books all being in the Paranormal Romance genre. At first I started thinking, is it me? Am I just burned out and am being negative? OR, I have just had a seriously bad run of books. ESPECIALLY the Paranormal Romance genre. I am at the point I don't want to pick up any again for awhile. Actually, they have killed the entire romance field for me. I have never really been a huge romance/erotica fan anyways but I do like my books to have a strong lead, strong story and plot with some sexual tension and some steamy romance BUT I want those scenes to be part of the story NOT be the weight of the story, like a good herb: it compliments without overpowering.

When I was thinking it was me, I picked up "A Game of Thrones" by George RR Martin and inhaled the nearly 900 pages WITHOUT rolling my eyes ONCE! Then, I began "Mistborn" by Brandon Sanderson and have been inhaling it since then. Then I looked back to some of the books I have read an enjoyed lately : The Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs, The Whole Southern Vampire Series by Charlaine Harris, Doppelgangster by Laura Resnick, Deadtown by Nancy Holzner, Trick of the Light by Rob Thurman by Stieg Larsson, The Better Part of Darkness by Kelly Gay and some recent Georgette Heyer books I read (among many others). Nope it's not me. Especially when I was reading so many great reviews on the books I thought were just weak, weak and more weak and thought Hmmmm. Am I being a snob or are these reviewers even telling the truth? I know, I know... different strokes for different folks.

Here's the issue: Paranormal/Urban Fantasies are flying off the shelves like CRAZY. Authors and publishers are pumping out these books faster then the pumping going on in some of them and feeding the craze without any consideration for plot, character development, dialogue and imagery (except the ABS & PECS on the covers).

A few questions:

What is your observation of the current paranormal genre crazy? Is quantity over quality?

What is your opinion of reviewers who give every book they read a glowing review?

Just some thoughts...

Upcoming Review! CSN Stores!

2010-06-20T06:53:00.000-07:00

As many of you are aware, I adore CSN Stores! When they contacted me with offer to review another product of theirs, I couldn't say NO! They have over 200 stores and offer an insane amount of products and can always find something for everybody! It's amazing what they carry! You can buy anything from a set of chef knives, to a bookcase to even twin beds Speaking of twin beds, how adorable is this one?

I am in the market for a new bed frame for Emma and she loves pretty items!

I will keep it a surprise on what I plan to review so stay tuned for what is coming up!

disclaimer: CSN stores has provided me with a gift certificate to post an upcoming review of one of their products. That will not hinder my ability to be straight forward and honest with my review.

Upcoming Review! CSN Stores!

2010-06-20T06:39:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I adore CSN Stores! They have over 200 stores, so there is definitely something for everybody and chances are, you will find what you are looking for one one of their sites.

When I was contacted by CSN to do another product review, I couldn't say NO! How can I? I am going to keep it as a surprise on what product I am going to review but as I was browsing around on their sites, I came across some cool items. Did you know that they sell everything from kitchen appliances or even a bathroom sink

Check out this super cool sink:

Stay tuned, I can't wait to share a great product review!

disclaimer: CSN stores has provided me with a gift certificate to post an upcoming review of one of their products. That will not hinder my ability to be straight forward and honest with my review.

Masked By Moonlight by Nancy Gideon Review/Blog Tour

2010-06-17T07:04:00.000-07:00

Masked by Moonlight by Nancy Gideon

My rating: 2 of 5 stars
A werewolf! In New Orleans! Organized crime! Ravaged murders! A werewolf in New Orleans as the muscle behind the success of organized crime leader Jimmy Legere. The book begins hard and heavy beginning with a loser leaving his wife to a buddy of his to have fun with for a few dollars so he can gamble and shortly after their savaged bodies are found and the wife and baby are gone. Cue Detective Charlotte "CeeCee" Caissie on the case. Charlotte has a deep seeded hatred towards Legere as he had her and her best friend kidnapped and tortured as a teenager to get to her dad, a detective himself but is later murdered. First stop in the investigation? Legere's. Now cue Max Savoie. Sexy. Lethal. Loyal. A dangerous triad. Now cue love. Sounds like the making of a GREAT story, right? Wrong! The author goes off from what begins as a great story right to a horrible love story and kind of throws the rest in as an after thought. CeeCee who is supposed to be tough, strong, and in control cries. A lot. Entirely too much for a strong woman. Not saying strong women aren't supposed to cry but every other scene (or so it feels is too much) and Max the loyal "dog" that he is, defies his "father" for love at first sight? Oh and let's not forget about STUPID, STUPID, and more STUPID acts by a supposedly intelligent detective who knows HOW she maintains her job while wearing Max's Armani, openly stands up for him at the police department, openly sleeping with him and cohorting at the compound? Come on! Seriously? She is supposedly "trying to get close to him" and not once did the police chief say a thing to her, but her partner does? Really??? It's just a very weak story.

As you can tell, it was extremely underwhelming. I, for one, don't care to read another one in this series. Too many authors are just pumping out fantasy/paranormal romances just to fill the shelves without even "trying". They are just getting the elements in, a weak story line, a cover with a sexy hero/heroine and fill it up with a horrible romance. Sigh. I miss the good old days when there were good story lines! LOL
View all my reviews >>

disclaimer: This book was provided to me at no charge by Pocket Book Group/Simon & Schuster. Receiving this book at no charge does not (obviously!) affect my ability to remain true and honest in my review

Blogger Custom Design or whatever...

2010-06-14T22:05:00.000-07:00

As you can obviously see, I tried out the Blogger Custom Design and screwed up my blog. BOO!!!! Don't like this! LOL. Now I have to play around with this and figure out how to fix this! Be patient!

Oh no! I am THAT person...

2010-06-12T14:20:00.000-07:00

My last post was a rant and rave about the movies that Hollywood has released, remakes from movies that were hits in the 70s/80s. A thought just hit me. Am I being THAT person the "I walked up hills, both ways, in a blizzard when I was a kid" or "These kids have no idea..." person? I hope not! I sure am nostalgic though. I don't mind change, advancements and cool new ideas.

In my moment of nostalgic memories, I was watching some FABULOUS 80s/90s country music videos. Country was less glam, less pop-y-ish then. Yup. I am that person. hahahaha. I don't care! I grew up in DODGE CITY, KANSAS! Hello, Wyatt Earp, Boothill, Rodeos, Bloody Kansas and we loved our rodeos, races and street dancing. Good times! I love all kinds of music but these songs just rock my socks every time I hear them. Enjoy!

Dear Hollywood, Leave my childhood memories alone

2010-06-12T11:46:00.000-07:00

and create NEW ones for this generation.

Karate Kid remake? Really? Come on! The reason the originals did so well was because of the power of the underdog story in the late 70s/early 80s. We loved to see someone like US win! It was the years of deep economic decline and we needed something to pick us up and Daniel-san did! Who doesn't remember Wax on/Wax Off? I do. I also remember standing in my backyard trying to do the Crane. As you can see by the ratings, this new Karate Kid won't do very well. So just STOP!

Another travesty from Hollywood is Nightmare on Elm Street. Come on guys!!!! No one, I repear NO ONE can be Freddy Krueger BUT Robert Englund. He IS Freddy Krueger. I can't look at his normal, non costumed photos without cringing and thinking "1, 2 Freddy's comming after you..."

Weird Science, Top Gun, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Footloose, Red Sonia, Short Circuit, Romancing the Stone, Poltergeist and many, many more.

Listen Hollywood Screenwriters...

the movies from the 80s weren't full of great special effects but they were full of heart. Many have a huge post-successful runs at the box office cult following. Let us keep our memories and get some creative juices flowing and create something NEW. Give these kids some GREAT stuff that blows them away! We are in an economic downturn and have been for sometime, give them something that makes them feel GOOD, but NEW. My movies, yes these are MINE (speaking of my generation), are OUR memories and OUR desires and LEAVE THEM ALONE!!!! I am done with you, Hollywood, until you decide to do something ORIGINAL!

Canyon Bakehouse Gluten Free Breads Review

2010-06-09T08:10:00.000-07:00

I have had some pretty rotten gluten free breads or the ones that are yummy tasting are ridiculously priced.

I was sent some breads from Colorado's Canyon Bakehouse to sample and review and boy oh boy, they didn't play around when it came to trying out there products. I received a large box full of their products.

1 loaf of the San Juan 7 Grain bread
1 loaf of the Mountain White bread
1 loaf of the Cinnamon Raising bread

A package of their Rosemary Focaccia

A four pack of the Cranberry Crunch Muffins

And last but certainly not least, their newly launched whole grain hamburger buns

First thing my daughter and I did? Crack open the muffins. Holy moly these are out of this world!!!! They are moist, sweet (just enough sweetness, not overly at all!), plenty of cranberries and a wonderful crunch. Some of the issues I have had with gluten free muffins is that they are gummy. Yuck. Canyon Bakehouse's muffins definitely do not have a gummy texture. The texture is perfect and the amount of crunch was wonderful! I love the little poppy and pumkin seeds. My picky child loved them too! I heated mine up and spread a bit of Irish butter on it. Yum!

After that, of course, we put our bread in the freezer to maintain their quality. After all, no preservatives!

Yesterday afternoon we had sandwiches for lunch after a trip to our local Trader Joe's. So, we decided to break out with the Mountain White. Emma had a Almond Butter and Apricot Preserves Sammy and I used the Rosemary Apricot Chicken Salad I bought from TJ's.

Emma gave me a thumbs up from her sandwich and I dug in to mine. Oh my goodness! If I didn't know better I would never have thought these were gluten free! No dryness, no crumbles, and flexible! And the taste was lovely! Very muted and a low key flavor and very yummy! Especially after nuking the frozen slices, they taste fresh baked! The slices were just the right size and held up quite nicely for a chicken salad sandwich!

Last one we tried was the whole grain hamburger buns. I decided to have my sister over (non-gluten intolerant) for bison burgers and sweet potato fries. Wow. Between my sister, Emma and I, not a word was said as we happily munched away on our burgers. As you can see from the photo, the size was perfect for the burger. The thickness was perfect (I don't like thin burger buns) and the grains were very obvious!

The taste was outstanding. The texture was like every day whole wheat burger buns, flexibly and tasty!

I still need to try the Rosemary & Thyme Focaccia, San Juan 7-Grain and the Cinnamon Raisin, but I can already tell I will not be disappointed.

Head on over to Canyon Bakehouse's website, read the story behind their decision to create gluten free goods (Josh(one of the owners) wife is a celiac), and see if they are in a store near you and if they aren't, you can order online and I also suggest speaking up to your local health food grocer and ask them to carry their line! Their products are fantastic!

Disclaimer: Thank you to Canyon Bakehouse for providing their products for review. Although these items are complimentary, it didn't affect my ability to give a fair and honest review. I was not given any monetary compensation, just some breads!

Canyon Bakehouse Gluten Free Breads Review

2010-06-09T08:09:00.000-07:00

Get your swagga on!

2010-06-07T20:02:00.000-07:00

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Canyon Bakehouse Gluten Free Breads review

2010-06-06T14:24:00.000-07:00

Review: Strange Neighbors by Ashlyn Chase

2010-06-06T09:59:00.000-07:00

From Goodreads.com:

He's looking for peace, quiet, and a little romance...
There's never a dull moment when hunky all-star pitcher and shapeshifter Jason Falco invests in an old Boston brownstone apartment building full of supernatural creatures. But when Merry MacKenzie moves into the ground floor apartment, the playboy pitcher decides he might just be done playing the field...

A girl just wants to have fun...
Sexy Jason seems like the perfect fling, but newly independent nurse Merry's not sure she's ready to trust him with her heart...especially when the tabloids start trumpeting his playboy lifestyle.

Then pandemonium breaks loose and Merry and Jason will never get it together without a little help from the vampire who lives in the basement and the werewolf from upstairs...

Strange Neighbors was a fun and entertaining read. Not a lot of depth or really much of a story line. I really am not sure WHAT the point of the book was... Jason & Merry's relationship which went from landlord to sex to "I love you" within 4 meetings (rolls eyes), solving the ghost Chad's murder, Merry's biological father coming out of the woodwork (literally), Jason's "secret" or Merry's independance. Still haven't figured it out. There were some funny moments (the witches are phone sex operators) and lots of sex (obviously this writer has written some erotic romance). This was mindless, brain popcorn and I thought Merry was a little odd, Jason obsessed (guess the Falcon in him?), I wanted to know more about Konrad (didn't get enough), Sly was ok in fleeting moments, the witches and Chad were about the only interesting characters, Aunt Dottie was a moron, and the rest were kind of blips on the radar. There was so much potential especially with an apartment building full of preternatural creatures but it fell sort of flat and could have been built upon more strongly and unfortunately it wasn't. Sometimes the first book of a series is clunky and the kinks get smoothed out as it goes along, hopefully that will be the case however, I don't have any interest in carrying on beyond this first book.

In one word to describe this book: Fun. Just a good, fun read. Definitely not one I would re-read but it really was good fun.

Disclaimer: Thank you to Sourcebooks for providing this Advanced Review Copy of Strange Neighbors by Ashlyn Chase. I was given this book at no cost for my true and honest review, I am not receiving any financial compensation for this review. My thoughts are mine and mine alone.

Latest Doctor's Appointment

2010-05-29T21:15:00.000-07:00

Doctors, doctors and more doctors. I guess I really shouldn't complain. Emma is doing great and her follow ups with all her specialists are getting further apart. Still though. I feel whiney. I am allowed to whine, right? Some days I can whine and make it all about me, can't I? Does it mean I am being selfish? Yes. However it helps. It's healing to sit on the pity pot from time to time. I have learned this over the years of trying to heal since Emma's injury.

Alright, so we had Emma's follow up with her neurosurgeon on Friday. It was a good appointment. Ok. Well, Emma wasn't behaving in her typical fashion but she is like that at every doctor's appointment (kid with a brain injury who has been traumatized, it's understandable why she is so high strung). She loves Dr. Shafron, gives him hugs as long as she doesn't see the doctor in the OFFICE. It's quite funny. Understandable but funny. Good news is that her shunt looks good, she has plenty of extra tubing so no need to operate on that part anytime soon. So yay! He doesn't know if she really needs it anymore at this point but it's definitely NOT worth the risk to put her under to remove it to either a) find she still has the hydrocephalus b) risk infection and c.) it ain't broke, don't fix it. It's not infected, it has never malfunctioned (knock on wood), so let's leave it be. It's always a relief when her appointments go off with out a hitch. Yay! He is pleased with how her head looks after her cranioplasty last year! Yay! Emma has a whole head! Hooray! When the doc says everything looks great, he can't be any happier and is impressed with all the progress she is making, I can exhale. Which has me thinking, I am always impressed with how great she is doing. I can only imagine how the doctors react when they see her! I mean, my goodness, when Dr Zimmerman (the ER doc who is now a Forensic pediatrician) saw Emma she was unresponsive and without a good prognosis, she was stabilized and sent to the neurosurgeon, Dr. Shafron, who saw a gravely injured baby, performed emergency brain surgery, saved her life and has had the opportunity to see her grow and accomplish things many of us never expected because of the work each and every doctor she had at Phoenix Children's. From the decisions made in the ER to the choices made in neurosurgery to each and every move made in the PICU to the therapies and the medicine in neuro rehabilitation, every move gave me the child I have today. Albeit a very boisterous, intuitive, high energy, and frustrating child, but she's mine. My daughter. My baby. My heart and soul and she is a great girl.

Wow. That was a tangent. I get like this. Especially this time of the year. Whenever she sees her doctors, I get grounded on the fact that Emma has a brain injury. It's not like I don't know it any other day but I grounded to the fact. I am also looking at the calendar and in one month and 10 days it will be six years since the day Emma's life was taken from her, to the day that she died and was reborn, to the day she was permanently shattered, to the day my heart was broken forever, the day I was torn to pieces as I was helpless to protect my child, the day I learned child abuse doesn't just happen to the people you read about, we became THOSE people, and we have healed.

Also, April 3, my daughter Angelique would have been 9 years old. I think about her and how tiny she was. 14.6 ounces and 13 inches long. Tiny, beautiful and fully formed and born at 23 weeks. She had cysts on her brain and cysts in her kidneys. I had her autopsied and she was found to have diffused renal multicystic dysplasia. We thought Polycystic Kidney disease, like my first born, but polycystic kidneys have a 1 in 4 recurrence rate because it's a recessive gene and the cysts are uniform, meaning the same size, but multicystic dysplasia is much more rare and the cysts are not the same size. My first born was born September 18, 2000, sweet Alanna, and she was born at 32 weeks from polycystic kidney disease and due to the size of her kidneys her lungs and heart were to small and she died from a respiratory arrest. She was 4 lbs 6 ounces and 17 inches long. She had a potter's face, meaning her nose was smashed and her ears were low set and floppy. She didn't have a chance of survival and it was already arranged for when she was born to have no resusitation attempts. Then came my sweet beautiful Emma. She was 8 lbs 6 ounces (I just noticed my girls seem to have a 6 at the end of their weights!) and 19 inches long. Just a beautiful, beautiful baby. And a good one. So quiet and so wonderful. Sigh. I miss the baby smells, the baby snores, and the pathetic but sweet baby whimpers. Now that she's six she likes to yell at me and give me tons of 'tude.

She still lets me kiss her. I hope that lasts a little longer than other kids. She is so sweet. I feel naive when I say, I hope her sweetness and loving nature never goes away.

Wow. Went off on another wordy tangent, huh? I would post photos of myself and my first two girls but I don't want to shock anybody because they are deceased in the photos. :(

Oh yeah! Dr. Shafron is having a meeting with the medical director of AP/IPA insurance. They are denying kids for botox. They want the kids to try other, and costly, medications before approving botox. The problem with the other meds is they are systemic which isn't good for kids who are a hemi (like Emma, one side is affected) and have behavioral problems (once again, Emma). So, we hope that at this meeting AP/IPA can listen to the facts and allow our children the botox. Emma needs it badly in her left arm, well primarily her wrist. It's getting very atrophied and she is so sensitive to touch that we aren't able to get much accomplished. Obviously I can touch her left arm but that doesn't help at school or in therapies. I have a lot of faith that the medical director will listen to fact and reason. It would cost much more to put a child like Emma on baclofen. Th ecost of the meds, more doctors appointments, more costly to the school district, more therapies, etc to help offset the problems it will cause. Doesn't make sense to increase problems, does it?

Review: Hamilton Beach Handheld Mixer from CSN Stores

2010-05-29T17:08:00.002-07:00

I was given a fantastic opportunity from CSN Stores to review a product and I chose the Hamilton Beach handheld mixer. I needed a mixer very desperately after my last one broke in the middle of mixing a cake. I was sad because #1 it was garbage and #2 I had mix BY HAND! Yuck!

I thought this one seemed like a good fit for me as it has the snap on case that holds the attachments (the two beaters and I loved the WHISK!) and you can easily tuck away the cord and keep everything all nice and tidy without losing the pieces! The shipping was lightening fast, fast shipping creates a happy customer!

I decided to test this new mixer out with a new recipe, Gluten Free Crepes. I used the whisk attachment and on the lowest speed setting, the speed was there and you can definitely feel the power of the mixer and that tells me, the next time I bake a cake, this bad boy isn't falling apart! Definitely check out the CSN store websites!. Highly recommended! A huge thank you to CSN for the review opportunity!

Now on to the crepes.

What a freaking disaster! Seriously! I used to make the classic version and have never had an issue but now I need to have them gluten free thus attempting to make a gluten free version. I know this is going to take some tweaking and getting used to but wowza! This, I believe, is my worst cooking disaster to date! I planned to make a pomegranate cream cheese sauce with this, but glad I didn't waste making it. Well, I might still as I purchased some of Bob's Red Mill mixes at Sprout's at 25% off and will make gluten free pancakes in the morning.

Here's the recipe and the disastrous photos:

Ingredients:
2/3 cup milk (I used rice milk)
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 egg
2 teaspoons olive oil or melted butter (I used Olive oil)
pinch of salt

Directions:

1.Mix all ingredients until very well blended.

2.Spritz a pan (small, nonstick) with olive oil (I used butter). Preheat the pan over medium-high heat.

3.Pour 2 Tablespoons of batter into the pan while swirling the pan.

4.Continue to swirl the pan – OFF the heat! – until the batter begins to bubble and there is no longer excess batter to swirl.

5.Cook for 20-40 seconds (the first crepe takes the longest… this time is for the quicker crepes) or until steam is puffing out the sides.

6.Quickly and with some care, flip the crepe and cook and additional 15-20 seconds.

7.Continue until all the batter is used. (Depending upon your pan, you may not have to spritz it with oil between crepes.)

Bust. Enjoy the photos:

Ugly #1

Ugly #2

And the least ugly of them all:

Hope you get a kick out of this disaster as much as I did!

disclaimer: CSN provided me with a product to review however they did not pay me. My opinion is mine and mine alone.

Review: Hamilton Beach Handheld Mixer from CSN Stores

2010-05-29T17:08:00.001-07:00

Review: Hamilton Beach Handheld Mixer from CSN Stores

2010-05-29T16:46:00.000-07:00

So proud!

2010-05-22T17:28:00.000-07:00

St Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix Arizona is well known for being a leader in the field of neurological disorders, injuries, etc with thanks to Barrow Neurological Institute. My opinion however, is not as praising. I adore Phoenix Children's Hospital. I will ALWAYS have a huge place in my heart because without the doctors, nurses, and staff, Emma would not be alive today. Now, due to insurance and I am sure, convenience to the Rehab Services clinic, Emma's imaging studies are done at St. Joe's. Not a fan. Frankly, neither is my daughter. Last month she had an ABR test (An Auditory Brain Stem Response test, which came back NORMAL, thank the gods!) under sedation. She was, understandbly upset. She despises the mask, the way she feels afterward and feels like I betrayed her. She is starting to get to where she shakes when she gets to the hospital and starts getting extremely anxious. Her parting words the last time, slurred from the after effects of the sedation, were "I HATE that hospital". Honestly, I can't blame her. I do too.

The last time she had a CT scan there (routine, not when she has come by the ambulance after a surgery), the CT techs were rushed and didn't really want to try. The copped out and she had to go under sedation. I was pissed. I know she can lay still. Well, on Wednesday of this past week, she needed another routine CT Scan and Shunt series (to look at her shunt that is on her brain and goes to her stomach to keep the fluid off of her brain) and I told the nurse and techs that I demand they give her the extra time she needs to feel comfortable and not rush her. If that means SCHEDULING her longer than 20 minutes, SO BE IT. I promised Emma she will not see the doctor with the gas mask. And I held up my promise and I am so so so proud of her! She did need extra time to get on the CT Scanner. The tech was AWESOME and allowed her to play with the buttons and move table. She put her doll through the scanner and even me too! She was such a big girl and laid so still and didn't cry! I wanted to cry just out of seeing her being such a big girl! She was so proud of herself, rightly so! and walked around telling everybody she "Is a Good Job!". Then she got her Xrays and saw her skeleton and was so excited! Heck, I was so excited to see it. I haven't seen her skull since surgery and it's beautiful. I am so beyond proud of my sweet, beautiful daughter.

She is amazing! Each and every day she amazes me with her spunk, spark and happiness! I told the tech, Emma isn't stupid and oblivious, speak to her and explain to HER what we are doing. Do not talk over my daughter. It will make her upset.

Le sigh. She is growing up. I am getting old. She is getting to where she doesn't want to hold my hand anymore. Thankfully she still loves hugs and kisses and saying I love you. I cherish each day. Each hug. Each kiss. Each I Love You. and Each moment.

Batteries not included...

2010-05-22T17:12:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of FoodNetwork.com

Sigh.

I really, really, REALLY need to pick up batteries for my camera. Why I haven't? Who knows. Maybe just being really lazy. I just wish it had a wall charger just like our cells phone, mp3 players, etc do.

Anywho. I am really sad about now picking up batteries because today we made a trip to the Farmer's Market. We being my sister, Emma and myself. It was so awesome! I found a recipe in the Food Network's Magazine that I really want to make. It's a Watermelon Cucumber Salad. I am in Arizona. The thermostat is rising and a watermelon cucumber salad will be so satisfying! Yum! The thing I really like about hitting the market is that the produce is local and when it's getting close to closing time, the vendors love to clearance their items out. Also, I love finding the unique and interesting items. I bought watermelon, mint, peaches, apples, tarragon, zucchini, cucumbers, pomegranate jam, vanilla almond butter,the most amazing goat cheese... EVER!, some tamales, corn tortillas, apple cider, and can't remember what else. I spent more than this frugal girl realized but that's ok. I really did get everything that I needed for the week. Then went to Costco to buy my usual container of Chamba Chai Latte mix and then didn't have any and I wanted to fall down and cry like a baby. I will have to have them look up which locations are going to carry it. It's $8.99 and makes a ton! My last one lasted my nearly 6 months and saved me tons of money! That's ok because I did pick up wild sock eye salmon (choke! $25.99!!!) and chicken breasts. My freezer is stocked!

I want to share with you the recipe for the Watermelon Salad, courtesy of the Food Network:

Soak 1/2 thinly sliced red onion in cold water. Pat dry 4 cups diced watermelon and 1 seeded and sliced cucumber; toss with a handful of thinly sliced mint. Drain the onion, squeeze dry and add to the salad along with some chopped cashews. Add 1/4 cup olive oil and the juice of 1/2 lemon; season with salt and toss. Top with crumbled goat cheese.

Trailing Tuesdays Friends

2010-05-18T19:33:00.000-07:00

I can't wait to get to meet all you bloggers out there. I have been blogging for over a year (see my profile page for my other two blogs!) but this particular blog is a new venture!

Leave a comment with your link so I can come by and say hi!

Delish! Spicy Thai Basil Chicken!

2010-05-16T08:59:00.000-07:00

Anybody who knows me, knows I am an Asian food fanatic. I can be extremely snobbish when it comes to Asian food. There are times when I would get a jonesing for Orange Chicken (can't anymore though! Unless I get it unbreaded!) but we all know that is NOT real Asian food. It's Americanized. Well, in junior high I became best friends with a girl from Laos who had come to the United States as refugees and came via Thailand to the United States. She introduced me to the savory, mouth watering and fresh dishes of Laos and Thailand. Both cuisines are very similar but different. I adore Som Thom (Green papaya salad), sticky rice, hot sauce and beef jerky. I could eat until my tongue falls off and my belly is beyond full.

On to my point. Really! I do have one! I ate Spicy Basil Chicken at a Thai restaurant in Scottsdale called Swadee. It was out of this world delicious! Holy cow. The flavors, the spice.. absolutely DIVINE. I have been making REAL Thai and Laos food since junior high and I KNOW I could make this with no problem. I found a recipe on Thaitable.com and ran with it! Once again, my camera still doesn't have batteries but that's ok. I found a picture on rasamalaysia.com that looks similar to my finished product (Please email me if you need me to remove the photo!). I SWEAR this week sometime I will, I repeat, I will buy batteries! LOL.

Here's the recipe from ThaiTable.com:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4-7 Thai chili pepper, minced (I only used three!)
1 tablespoon sugar
1-2 packages holy basil (I used one package of Thai Sweet Basil)
1/2 lb ground chicken
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
3 tablespoons fish sauce

Mince garlic and chili pepper together. Clean and pick gra-pow leaves from their stem. It may appear like a lot of leaves, but the leaves will shrink when cooked and this dish's flavor comes from the leaves.

Fry the garlic and chili pepper in oil over high heat. When garlic starts to turn brown, drop the ground chicken in. Stir constantly. The juice will start to come out. Keep stirring until all the juice is gone. It might take a couple of minutes. Add sugar and fish sauce. Then add Thai basil. Quickly turn it over a few times to mix the leaves with the meat and then remove from the fire and put the gai pad gra pow in the serving plate or dishes. Serve hot with rice.

If you can find Holy Basil, go for it. We have a large Asian market here called Lee Lee's and I could only find Thai Sweet basil but the dish was ridiculously yummy and tasted, if I must say so myself, better than Swadee's. Sorry Swadee! I will toot my horn without any shame at all!

I served this with Jasmine Rice and passed out from pure bliss!

Not only did this taste BETTER, it cost much less. The dish at the restaurant was $10.95. The package of ground chicken was $3.00 (I only used half!), the package of chiles were $1.34 (I only needed three out of like 70 that were in there!), the Thai Basil was only $1.44. I already had the fish sauce, sugar, garlic and Jasmine Rice.

Gluten Free deliciousness!

So Delicious Coconut Milk Review

2010-05-15T08:42:00.000-07:00

Thru June 2nd, 2010, Sprouts Farmer's Markets are having a 25% off sale on all tagged items that are Gluten Free. If you donate $10 or more towards Autism research, you receive their special Autism reusable grocery tote. It's really cute, too! Send $10 to a good cause!

I stopped to see what goodies were on sale, I spotted in the dairy case, So Delicous Coconut Milk. Hmmmm. I love coconut like you would NOT believe. I am also a Thai food fanatic which uses coconut milk in the can for curries. I purchased a container of the Vanilla flavored Coconut Milk for a little under $3.

First things first, no coconutty flavor. At all. It is however, rich and decadent. I used it to make Chai lattes and for Emma's breakfast cereal. It definitely made my Chai lattes heavy. (By the way, I use the Chamba Chai mix from Costco for $8.99 a container. I REFUSE to spend $4 a cup at Starbucks, Dutch Bros, etc). I definitely won't use it for my lattes again. Well, maybe I will try the original? However, the texture and creaminess will be GREAT to use in recipes! It is really tasty! I think for my drinks, back to almond milk!

disclaimer: I bought the milk. Out of my pocket. I was not given this. This is my true honest review. Not paid for by anybody other than myself. I lost money, instead of gaining anything monetarily.

African Pineapple Peanut Stew

2010-05-12T06:29:00.000-07:00

In my first post I told you I was going to make the African Pineapple Peanut Stew recipe from a blog I found called The Way The Cookie Crumbles. My camera was dead, so I borrowed the photo from The Way the Cookie Crumbles, I hope the blog owner doesn't mind, if so PLEASE let me know, I will be glad to take it down!

I did make it Monday night and it was YUMMY! Easy and my daughter ate it... ALL! The recipe is vegan, gluten free and delish. I am not vegan but for any vegan friends out there, this is a good recipe. I thought it was a little sweet and "missing" something, so when I ate mine, I added a dash of wheat free soy sauce. Perfect! Here's the recipe:

African Pineapple Peanut Stew (adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home)

4 servings

I used natural, chunky peanut butter, coconut oil, swiss chard and spinach I picked up at the Downtown Phoenix Public Market Farmer's Market, and sambal oelek. I suggest to not skip garnishing with green onions, cilantro and peanuts! I served over Jasmine rice

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion, diced
salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch kale or Swiss chard, large stems discarded, leaves chopped coarse
1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained
½ cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup peanuts, chopped
1 scallion, sliced

1. Heat the oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until just browned at the edges, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2. Add pineapple to the pot and bring to a simmer; add the greens, cover, and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until just tender. Stir in the peanut butter and hot sauce and simmer for another 5 minutes, until the flavors are blended. Stir in the cilantro just before serving and add salt if necessary. Serve over rice or couscous, garnishing each serving with the peanuts and scallions.

Since I had left overs and some thawing chicken, I made thai rice stick noodles (found them at Trader Joe's for $1.59 and they are only made with rice flour and water), chicken and added the peanut stew and made a great peanut chicken noodles for lunch at work today.

It's not been finalized..

2010-05-09T21:25:00.000-07:00

However, Tribune has dropped from making a third season of Legend of The Seeker. I love that show! I love it the same as I love a few other EXCELLENT cancelled shows... Dead Like Me, Firefly, Jeremiah, Jericho, etc...

hereStart a Petitiononline petition

There's even a site called www.saveourseeker.com that has raised $10,000 to raise advertising to keep Legend of the Seeker going. If you are a fan, I am sure you may be sad to hear that season 3 has not been given the green light.

Check this out!

2010-05-09T16:40:00.000-07:00

Guess what? School is out for the summer. Over the past few months I have been dealing with some health problems which has translated in to other problems for me. I need to go gluten free. My body is at war when I eat gluten products. I am also trying to use more produce and meat from farmer's markets, transitioning to a green living all while being FRUGAL!

If you are interested in reading along, please follow me! I would love your feedback, recipe ideas, green tips, etc!

Click here to visit with me at Frugal, Green and Gluten Free Mom.

Here We Are Again...

2010-05-09T16:21:00.000-07:00

I have two other blogs, one which chronicles (sort of) my life raising my beautiful daughter, Emma, who is 6 1/2 years old who lives with long term physical, behavioral, emotional and cognitive effects from being the victim of shaken baby syndrome and my other blog began as a hobby book reviewing blog and has morphed into a giveaway (multiple products) and book reviews and news. However, I have been so busy lately with school and work (I am also a single parent) and raising my daughter, I have sort of slacked on my book blog responsibilities (see my profile and you can see my other blogs! Please?).

I am 32 years old. I was 26 when Emma was injured. I have been noticing some changes in my body, my mental health, my desires and weight (eh, I guess that should be encompassed in my body). I have battled depression over the years but now my body is taking a turn that I am not liking. I have began feeling fatigued, not your regular old fashioned tired, but more like I could fall asleep while walking to the mailbox tired, pressure in my rib cage, burping although my stomach is empty, severe nausea, indigestion, gas and such. I know it's not because of lactose because I have gotten rid of that in our lives (we use almond, soy, rice, hemp and coconut milk). The tipping point was the pain. My body hurt. My lower back. My joints but the scariest pain was in my hips. I started freaking out. I really thought I had Ovarian Cancer (classic symptoms!)and went to an urgent care. My blood test was normal, even negative for h. pylori. Luckily I work for a radiology company, because I went through a ton of imaging studies and all normal. The PA that I saw that day suggested I get rid of gluten, add digestive enzymes and see how I feel. Well, I am already familiar with the GFCF diet which is extremely popular in the Autism community (which is AWESOME!) but extreme for me and my lifestyle. I looked into LIMITING gluten for my daughter. She doesn't have autism but the brain damage and cerebral palsy causes digestive problems. I wasn't strict on it with her but now I need to be! As this will be more strict for both of overall health and wellbeing. Thankfully we love rice! Rice noodles, brown rice, white rice, etc.

However, I am shocked at all the hidden gluten in food! Because of that fact, I need to be more diligent in cooking whole foods and maintaining our health. Besides, we live in tumultous times. Bad economy, our environment is awful and who knows what is in our food! I look around and am in fear. In fear of my daughter's future. I feel that it's important to be as green as possible. I am learning about living green and trying very very hard and at the same time I am frugal. I can't afford a lot so I need to be careful about wastefulness. So, although I would love to not use papertowels, well I have a ton in my cabinet and so I will be PHASING what I have out. I have a few bottles of detergant, when they're gone,... well, on to eco friendly versions! I have fallen in love with Farmer's Markets and buying locally. I am a carnivore, not a big time one, but still one nonetheless but I don't want my daughter and I eating slaughterhouse, feedlot, chicken crammed in to tiny cages meat. Thus, Farmer's Markets! Meat is much more expensive there soooo that means we eat less meat!

As I go through this transition, I want to chronicle and share. I hope you have feedback and ideas for me, too! I would love recipes, product ideas, and so on!

Tonight I am eating left overs but tomorrow, I am making an African Pineapple Peanut Stew that I found the recipe for on a blog called The Way The Cookie Crumbles. Doesn't that look FANTASTIC???

Hope to hear some feedback soon and please, introduce yourselves!

Absolutely, positively beyond...

2010-05-08T16:48:00.000-07:00

My daughter is nearing her seventh birthday. Huge!!! However, out of all the years of parenting her, I am at my peak of frustrationg. I never had those sleepless nights or frustration that I have now. Maybe I am expecting too much from her but jeez-Louise, help me help me help whatever deities are out there! She is at the stage of not wanting to listen, she is very vocal and very intuitive, and she is not potty trained. I sat down last night and cried for two hours. I am about ready to start crying again. I feel like maybe this is ME. My inability to parent. Maybe I am not meant to be a mother? Why in the world is my child who is very smart but is nearly 7 still not potty trained? I have been trying for nearly 5 years to get her potty trained! What am I doing wrong? I am wondering if there is something deeper going on with her. Two days in a row she has gone number two and it's all over the place. She either can't feel this or she doesn't care. She is on a potty schedule, she gets praised, rewarded and all the things we are told to do but not working! She RARELY voids on the potty! I know that potty training is one of the hardest things to do but nearly FIVE years and we are doing no better now than it was five years ago.

Blah. I just need to vent. Maybe I need a glass of Chocovine after Emma's asleep tonight. Watch a movie. Bawl. Whatever. Poo.

Oh and off to yell at the Children's Rehab Services Referrals person for scheduling my daughter's CT with SEDATION WITHOUT consulting me. This pisses me off. The nurse knows I don't want her sedated and if I can't make head way with referrals, then I will call the nurse. The nurse who works in the neurosurgeon and physical rehab department is wonderful and will help me. ALSO, I left several messages with radiology and with referrals without a return call as I have been trying to get this scheduled because I need to be able to request time off with enough notice to my supervisor. I work in Radiology myself. I know protocols and so on but honestly, if you are in Phoenix and need medical care for your child, don't use St. Joseph's Hospital. They really really really suck. The last time she had CT imaging there, the techs were just asses and pretty much refused to really TRY taking her images. Then said "Whoops! Already radiated her three times, send her to the ER and let them sedate her!" So every time it turns in to a flipping debacle. EVERY FLIPPING TIME. The issue is that that hospital is not dedicated to children so the techs aren't dedicated to any one department. The last time we had a CT for her, she was willing and ready but they pulled the bed through the gantry while she was answering me when I was explaining that she has to hold still. Three times they did that. However, I guess this boils down to an insurance issue as to why we have to go to that piece of shit hospital. I like the doctors we see at the CRS clinic but St. Joe's flat out SUCKS. Skip the bullshit and take your child to Phoenix Children's Hospital. They rock. Except when we were there the last time for her surgery, I thought General Pediatrics looked ghetto and dirty. Big difference in 5 years time. Medical care was great. Had a nurse though on the General Peds floor that only wanted to talking about becoming a Nurse Practitioner while Emma was vomiting from pain from her vein blowing out. Oh and the secretaries were a little pissy. But much better than St. Joe's. Maybe I am just in a bad mood and just want to complain. Boooo!

It's been a bad week.

My stomach is killing me every day. My hips hurt. My back hurts. I am fatigued. I am depressed. I am irritable. My blood work is coming up normal. No h. pylori. No signs of infection. My imaging studies are all normal. Boo. My doctor. No. Change that. My doctor sucks. The PA that works with my doctor thinks I need to go gluten free. I have been working on limiting the gluten in our diet for Emma and already don't use cow's milk, rather we drink Almond, Rice or Coconut milk (not the kind you cook with!). So, I am ridding my cabinets of all items that contain gluten. I need to get wheat/gluten free soy sauce. I can't imagine life without soy sauce. Good thing I love rice and all kinds of Asian food (I make most of ours! big pat on my own back!) and not a huge Italian food fan, huh?

Ok. I am done bitching.

Safeway and Betty Crocker Sweet Spring Treats Spark and Giveaway!

2010-05-08T14:35:00.001-07:00

I was given the great chance to participate in the Betty Crocker & Safeway's Sweet Spring Treats Spark. With this participation I received a prize pack and a vip coupon for a Betty Crocker Mix. In the prize pack was a metal mixing bowl, a Betty Crocker mixing spoon, a Wilton silicone baking pan, a red oven mitt and a $25 gift card to Safeway. The coupon and prize pack was provided by Safeway and Betty Crocker through MyBlogSpark™!

I love to cook but a baker I am not! I love to buy mixes and just add some creativity so it can be a little more than just a "boxed mix". I have always been a fan of Betty Crocker so this Spark was an easy one for me to participate in, bring it on!

For great spring recipe ideas, visit BakeSweetMemories.com today. Bake Sweet Memories has delicious recipes for fun desserts using your Betty Crocker favorites, including Easter Bunny Cakes and even morning brunches, like the Impossibly Easy Breakfast Bake, which are sure to brighten any morning!

If you would like an opportunity to win one prize pack containing the items mentioned in the first paragraph, please leave your name and email address and winner will be picked May 30th! Please note that US Addresses only! Sorry! This giveaway was provided by Safeway and Betty Crocker through MyBlogSpark™!

Thanks and Good luck!

disclaimer: I am a blogger. I do this as a hobby whenever the wind blows, I post reviews of items. Many times free, yes, but I do not get paid for my review regardless of whether it's positive or not.

Upcoming review!

2010-04-18T15:16:00.000-07:00

I am super excited about my upcoming review for a product from CSN Stores. I am definitely pleasantly surprised at the diverse selection of products that CSN carries! I was already aware of their furniture and office supplies, they carry everything from corner tv stands to cookware to children's items! I didn't realize that they actually are a group of over 200 stores! Holy cow! How cool is that?

I decided that I want to review a hand mixer and I picked this Hamilton Beach hand mixer with clip on case. I am super excited especially since the last one I owned was so cheap it broke in the middle of mixing a cake! Hopefully this one goes above and beyond and does what I need it to do!

So keep your eyes peeled and I will give you all my feedback!

Upcoming review!

2010-04-18T15:07:00.000-07:00

The Host by Stephenie Meyer Giveaway!

2010-04-18T13:35:00.000-07:00

From Hatchette Book Group:

Now available in the trade paperback edition: New Bonus Chapter and Reading Group Guide, including Stephenie Meyer's Annotated Playlist for the book

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, didn't expect to find its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

As Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she's never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love.

Featuring one of the most unusual love triangles in literature, THE HOST is a riveting and unforgettable novel about the persistence of love and the essence of what it means to be human.

THE HOST debuted at #1 on The New York Times hardcover fiction bestseller list and remained there for more than a year. Meyer’s first adult novel was not only a huge commercial success with more than 2 million copies sold, it also brought a whole new audience of readers to Stephenie Meyer. Featuring one of the most unusual love triangles in literature, THE HOST, appeals to rabid Twilight Saga fans and readers of classic literary suspense alike.

Movie rights to THE HOST have been optioned by Nick Wechsler and Steve and Paula Mae Schwartz, the team that produced the film of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road. Andrew Niccol of Gattaca and The Truman Show will write the script and direct

This is Stephenie Meyer's first book written towards the adult audience. I am not a fan of her Twilight series but this sounds very promising and personally, I can't wait to give it a chance!

Thanks to Hatchette Book Group, I have the opportunity to giveaway 3 copies of this book to 3 lucky readers!

Rules:

No P.O. Boxes
USA & Canada only

MUST comment with an email address!

Contest ends May 10th!

Good luck!

Sirantha Jax #4!! Killbox by Ann Aguirre

2010-04-18T12:27:00.000-07:00

To be release August 23, 2010 and I can't wait! I have been wondering if anything more was going to happen in the world of Sirantha Jax. If you are not familiar with the series, check it out! Book #1 is Grimspace, #2 is Wanderlust, #3 is Doubleblind and now, #4 is Killbox. I know there are more to follow from the author's site, annaguirre.com, looks like #5 is titled Aftermath and #6 will be Endgame. I totally stoked. I fell in love with Grimspace and inhaled the trilogy over a weekend. If you like Space Operas, you will love this series!

From the author's site, the blurb:

TALK IS CHEAP WHEN LIVES ARE IN JEOPARDY

Sirantha Jax is a “Jumper,” a woman who possesses the unique genetic makeup needed to navigate faster than light ships through grimspace. With no tolerance for political diplomacy, she quits her ambassador post so she can get back to saving the universe the way she does best—by mouthing off and kicking butt.

And her tactics are needed more than ever. Flesh-eating aliens are attacking stations on the outskirts of space, and for many people, the Conglomerate’s forces are arriving too late to serve and protect them.

Now, Jax must take matters into her own hands by recruiting a militia to defend the frontiers—out of the worst criminals, mercenaries, and raiders that ever traveled through grimspace…

If you would like to read an excerpt, be sure to visit http://www.annaguirre.com/books/jax-series/Killbox/

Nourish Your Inner Goddess Spark and Giveaway!

2010-04-18T11:03:00.000-07:00

A remake of the classic (and campy!) "Clash of the Titans" has been unleashed. Visually this looks amazing, I haven't seen it yet but I totally want it!

Thanks to MyBlogSpark™ and Yoplait, I was given a chance to be a part of this AWESOME Spark and not only that, YOU get a chance also! Yoplait has a fantastic Greek Style yogurt (high in protein and a great variety of perfect flavors!) and I have two favorite ways to eat it:

#1 make Tzaziki Sauce
This is my version, I don't measure but it comes out PERFECT!!!

Shred a cucumber (like with a cheese grater) and put it in a colander and sprinkle salt on it. The cukes won't be salty but most of the water will be pulled out and decrease a watery sauce!

Mix with Greek Style Yogurt (Plain and can be Yoplait's if you like, which I thought was really yummy!), garlic (minced or even garlic powder), some fresh lemon juice, olive oil, and dill (fresh or dried) and I like to make it the day before so that way the flavors are perfect the next day. Yummy with just pita bread or maybe pita and make some Chicken Souvlaki, gyros or even lamb kebobs!

The other way, plain greek yogurt (or even Vanilla!) with honey and walnuts! PERFECT!

See the picture below? That's the prize pack! Looks great doesn't it?

The prize pack contains a towel, slippers, some pamper yourself goodies and two coupons* for FREE Yoplait Greek Style Yogurt! Awesome, huh? All thanks to Yoplait and MyBlogSpark™, I can give away ONE prize pack!

*This coupon offer for a free cup of Yoplait Greek yogurt is not valid in some states, including California, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Dakota, and Tennessee

To enter please tell me: How do YOU nourish your inner goddess?

Leave email (I can't contact you any other way!) and giveaway is limited to residents of the U.S.

Good luck and contest ends on May 5th and winners will be announced and emailed. Winners will be picked via random.org

Review: Watermark, a Novel of the Middle Ages by Vanitha Sankaran

2010-04-13T19:21:00.000-07:00

From Goodreads.com:

The daughter of a paper-maker in a small French village in the year 1320 — mute from birth and forced to shun normal society — young Auda finds solace and escape in the wonder of the written word. Believed to be cursed by those who embrace ignorance and superstition, Auda's very survival is a testament to the strength of her spirit.
But this is an age of Inquisition and intolerance, when difference and defiance are punishable "sins" and new ideas are considered damnable heresy. When darkness descends upon her world, Auda — newly grown to womanhood — is forced to flee, setting off on a remarkable quest to discover love and a new sense of self . . . and to reclaim her heritage and the small glory of her father's art.

In a time when women had few opportunities, let alone a young girl who is born albino and due to being albino, had her tongue cut out and rendered mute, Auda is trying to thrive. The book begins with her birth in 1300, Auda's mother dies from a rough child birth where Auda had to be birthed by a crude cesearean section and she is born a "white witch" and she was deformed due to her unfortunate birth. Then "Watermark" jumps to 1320, when Auda is a grown woman, her sister is off and married and she is at home helping her father with his papermaking business. She reads adn writes and has dreams, skills that are a necessity for someone who is mute. During a time of the Inquisitions, Burnings of witches and Heretics, and the Crusades against Jews and Infidels, being something "different" is a curse.

Through Auda's trials and tribulations, the author takes you through her journey of survival, love and the art of papermaking.

I am not sure how I feel about this book. I felt absolutely ZERO connection with Auda. Generally, I fall for the underdog and cheer them on. With this story, I just didn't care as much as I would normally. I didn't want anything bad to befall her but I didn't feel that strong pull that a reader should feel. I thought the historical aspect of the story was amazing and especially the art of papermaking was extremely interesting. I felt the dialogue was underwhelming. There is definitely SOMETHING there, but I feel that something was missing. That "spark" was gone. I just wasn't wowed but I also didn't despise it. It was readable but not re-readable for me.

This book was provided for me from TLC Book tours (http://tlcbooktours.com) for a fair and honest review at no charge. Receiving a complimentary book does not affect my ability to be fair and honest. I am just a hobby reviewer who adores books!

Inaugural, Important, Pivotal and Life Changing...

2010-04-03T19:59:00.000-07:00

This morning Emma and I had the honor of being amongst many wonderful people this morning at the Phoenix Zoo. Why was this an honor? It was the FIRST ANNUAL CHILDREN'S MARCH AGAINST CHILD ABUSE for Phoenix Children's Hospital. The turnout was phenomonal and I can't wait for many more marches to come. The entire month of April is Child Abuse Awareness Month. Please make a promise, any promise for Child Abuse Prevention. What promise will you make? I promise to continue reminding all people that it's NEVER ok to shake a baby. NEVER.

It was a glorious morning, a little chilly at first, but as the sun rose it turned into quite a fantastic morning for such an event and then we spent the day enjoying the Zoo.

The first photo is from the press conference on March 3 at Phoenix Children's Hospital and the second is from this morning!

Frugal, Green and Book Nerding Mom of a Shaken Baby Survivor

Just... tired

Surgery number.... not sure!

We don't need no stinkin' Panda Express Around Here...

*Warning: Expletives* The Life of Raising a Child with a Traumatic Brain Injury

My first attempt at photography and editing

Phineas and Ferb Child's Play Party

DreamWorks Pictures’ The Help Giveaway

Myblogspark: $25 Walmart Giftcard Giveaway!!!

Let the Panic Begin!

Oh summer time...

They killed his n***a, Ned... Game of Thrones fans...

Chili's Good Things Come in 3’s Event/Giveaway!

Another Diagnosis

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES Giveaway!!!!!!!

The FULL Wedding

Review: HOODWINKED TOO! HOOD VS. EVIL

Amazon.com has British Fever!

The British (Babes) are Coming! Giveaway!!!!!!!

Ohhhh Hulu what you have just done to me...

Skin MD Lotion Review

Nutella? Heck yes!

CLOSED: Michelle Moran, author of Madam Tussaud, Guest Blog and Giveaway!

Redbox!

Le Sigh...

Giveaway: Yoplait Two Week Tuneup!

Review: Salsa Sensations

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Fans???

Review: I Am The Chosen King by Helen Hollick

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

Giveaway: Celebrating Love: Share, Remember, Cherish from 1-800-Flowers.Com Giveaway (Ends 2/21/11)

SALSA!!!

Introducing the Princess (Costume SuperCenter Review)

Shaken Baby Syndrome...

Within all the ugliness..

Today... I am a little emotional and angry and getting on a soapbox

Winter is Coming...

CSN Stores Review Preview!

My Review

Book Review: No Comfort Zone: Notes on Living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder by Marla Handy

Show Your Helping Hand Blog Spark/Giveaway

Guest Blog: Helen Hollick & The Forever Queen Giveaway!

Black Friday deals!

The most SMOKING deal ever!!!!!

smile.ly—Be Heard. Be Happy.

Search and Earn with Swagbucks!

Sherlock Holmes...

Those Little Things in Life...

Shutterfly!

2010 Holiday Gift Guide!

Bzzzzzzzzzzzz

http://www.bookmans.com/content/pumpkin-patch-halloween-party?mini=event/2010-10/22/all

Well....You can finally get Ocean Front Property in Arizona!

Question...

Upcoming CSN Stores Review!

Bountiful Baskets Produce Coop!

Pillsbury Sweet Moments Giveaway!

Grimspace by Ann Aguirre Review

Review: Darkest Edge of Dawn - Kelly Gay

Nakano Prize Package Giveaway & Recipes

My Review of Go Green Glasslock Assorted 6-Piece Food Storage Container Set

My Review of 3 Piece Chef's Knife Set

To post or not to post?

Upcoming CSN Stores Review

Wow... I haven't posted....

Join the Swagnation!

The Imposter's Daughter by Laurie Sandell giveaway!!!

Bad Run of Books or Just Being Negative?

Upcoming Review! CSN Stores!

Upcoming Review! CSN Stores!

Masked By Moonlight by Nancy Gideon Review/Blog Tour

Blogger Custom Design or whatever...

Oh no! I am THAT person...

Dear Hollywood, Leave my childhood memories alone

Canyon Bakehouse Gluten Free Breads Review

Canyon Bakehouse Gluten Free Breads Review

Get your swagga on!

Canyon Bakehouse Gluten Free Breads review

Review: Strange Neighbors by Ashlyn Chase

Latest Doctor's Appointment

Warning: Expletives The Life of Raising a Child with a Traumatic Brain Injury