Must Have More Mom of Four

Attack of the Strep...and a Winner!!

2010-11-29T16:48:00.004-05:00

First, let me apologize for taking so very long to announce the winner of my latest giveaway. Strep showed up at our house in all its glory....and I was the "lucky" one to get it. Wheeee.

Hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving! I know I did...once I could swallow. :)

And now what you've been waiting for!

The winner of the Wanchai Ferry/Macaroni Grill and $25 Visa card giveaway is....

Shelice!!

Congrats!! I will email you the info!! :)

Dining Out Whilst In

2010-11-18T13:08:00.005-05:00

Eating out is one of my favorite things to do. There isn't a meal where, if asked, I'd refuse to go out to eat.

However, it's not often possible to go out to eat. (Being a mom of four might have something to do with it.)

Wanchai Ferry and Macaroni Grill have come up with a simple solution for those times where you are craving restaurant food and can't go out.

They want you to "stay in and go all out!^®"

Basically they've made some of their more popular dishes into boxed meals that you can find at your local supermarket.

All you need to add is a couple of ingredients (a protein, milk, water) and voila! A restaurant quality meal!

Through MyBlogSpark, I received a package with a box of Wanchai Ferry's Orange Chicken and Macaroni Grill's Creamy Basil Chicken. There was also a $25 Visa giftcard that they recommended be used for flowers, candles, etc to 'set the mood.'

So! I got my boxes all ready to go and defrosted my chicken. :) I decided to make both boxes in one night so we could taste both at the same time.

Sent the kids to bed early (gotta do what ya gotta do) and plated the food for Hubby and me.

Here's how it turned out. (Sorry for the yellowness. That's what you get when you have a very 'retro' kitchen.)

When I saw how it turned out, I was quite pleased. It looks very close to how it would if it was on a fancier plate in low lighting at an actual restaurant. :)

As for the taste....

The Creamy Basil Chicken was by far my favorite. The basil wasn't over powering, the noodles were tasty, and the sauce was just right for the noodles and the chicken. The sauce was also nice and smooth, and with the grated cheese on the top it was just right.

The Orange Chicken was Hubby's favorite. :) I left out the dried chilies that came with it because we are not big super-spicy-food people. There was a TON of rice that came with it, enough for us to eat with our chicken and then some. The sauce wasn't too sweet, and it was the right combo of Asian flavor mixed with orange. The only thing I didn't like was the texture of the outside of the chicken. The box came with flavored cornstarch that you coat the chicken in, which I think caused the strange texture. Other than that it was very tasty!

Hubby and I are not big 'flowers and candles' people either, so I opted to get us some yummy ice cream for dessert, as well as some of our favorite soda to go with.

We had so much fun on our 'date night in' that I didn't even think to take a picture. We ended up playing one of our favorite card games and watching part of 'The Ten Commandments.'

And now it's time for another giveaway! That's right!

MyBlogSpark will send one of my lucky readers the same package that I got: a box of Wanchai Ferry, a box of Macaroni Grill, and a $25 Visa gift card.

So!! If you'd like to have your very own stay in and go all out!^® night, please leave a comment with a tip for a successful date night at home.

I will choose a winner via Random.org on Sunday, November 21st at 10 PM EST.

Please leave your email address in the comment so I know how to contact you!

While you wait, visit WanchaiFerryAtHome.com and MacaroniGrillAtHome.com for more information and dinner tips!

Also, here is a coupon to use! Just click here and print!

Good luck!!

iLove

2010-11-18T11:03:00.004-05:00

Is it possible to love a website?? Because if it is, I do. Very much. :)

I have been on Etsy.com multiple times a day. Don't know what Etsy is? On their 'About' section of their website it says:

Our mission is to enable people to make a living making things, and to reconnect makers with buyers.

Our vision is to build a new economy and present a better choice:

Buy, Sell, and Live Handmade.

Lots of shops, tons of fabulous items, and there's even a section called 'Alchemy' where you can make a custom item request. Users will 'bid' on your request and you can choose (or not) someone to make what you need.

Do you see why my infatuation?

When one of my dear friends gave me $20 to spend on Etsy for my birthday, I went looking for a new case for my new iPod.

There are quite a few shops on Etsy that make and sell iPod and other mp3 player cases.

I came across a shop called KapomCrafts. The shop is run by a woman named Pal out of NY, and she makes iPod, iPad, iPhone, Blackberries, and other cell phone cases.

Pal has a HUGE selection of gorgeous fabrics in all kinds of prints and colors.

Each of her cases has a soft fleece inside to keep your gadget from getting scratched.

When I browsed KapomCraft's shop, I found about 4 or 5 cases I wanted. :) When I finally narrowed it down to the one I wanted, I wasn't sure about the color combo.

I sent Pal a message (another great feature of Etsy) to ask if we could change a couple of colors on my case. I also asked if it would fit my iPod, as I have a different version. She was very quick to reply and was very friendly. She agreed to the color change, and said she would make sure my case would fit the dimensions of my iPod. And my case was in the works!

When it arrived about a week later, it was like Christmas! It came packaged in a cute bag, with a handmade tag.

Needless to say my iPod and I are very happy with it's new case.

As you can see, it is very well made. The seams are perfect and the workmanship is flawless. The colors go very well together and the fabric is fantastic.

It makes me wish I had a bunch of other gadgets that need cozy homes! I would order more for sure!

Speaking of ordering...

Pal has agreed to offer a 10% discount in her store to the first 8 of my readers who comment on this post!

This special ends on December 10th so hurry and comment!

The holidays are coming up and I guarantee you can find something perfect for someone on your list in KapomCrafts.

To receive your special discount code, visit Pal's shop on Etsy, and comment here with the name of the fabric that you like the best. Please also include your email if it is not in your profile so I know how to get a hold of you.

If you are one of the first 8, I will let you know how to use your discount code.

Enjoy!!

And the Second Winner Is...

2010-11-17T22:47:00.003-05:00

Congrats, mami2jcn!! You will also receive your t-shirt and gift card in the mail soon!! Watch for an email from milkchica at hotmail dot com!

Remember, dear readers, check back tomorrow!!

And the Winner Is...

2010-11-17T22:37:00.009-05:00

Congrats Lori!! You will receive your t-shirt and gift card in the mail soon!!

THANK YOU to all who entered!

Stay tuned...another giveaway will be posted tomorrow! Same Bat Time, Same Bat Channel!!

A Little Extra

2010-11-16T23:40:00.006-05:00

Do you eat Hamburger Helper in your house? Well...if you do, here is a great coupon for $.35 off!

Hurry and grab it because it expires November 30th and supplies are limited!

Who doesn't love coupons?! :)

CLOSED Giveaway: Hooray!

2010-11-14T22:57:00.014-05:00

You may be surprised to know it, but I can be picky. Really! But only with certain things.

I have a select few things I always buy the same, every time.

One of those things is my dish washing soap. I cannot stand the smell of any type of dish soap except grapefruit. Odd, I know, but that's how I do.

Until now.

Let me start by saying I absolutely and positively adore Gain fabric softener. Gain is one of those things that I never change. In fact, I love the smell of Gain so much, I switched from my old dryer sheets to Gain's dryer sheets just so my clothes would smell even more like Gain.

You may think I'm exaggerating. I'm not. Come see my laundry room and I'll show you! Well...don't. It's messy. :) Just believe me when I say I love my Gain.

Imagine my joy when I was asked to do a product review on Gain's new dish washing soap.

More Gain! Hooray!!

I was skeptical though, because it's not my tried-and-true grapefruit scent.

Gain has proved me wrong! *gasp*

As soon as I opened the bottle, I knew I'd found my new favorite. (Can you hear the angelic choirs singing? So cinematic. ☺)

I even held it open for Hubby to smell. He's one of those who could care less what my dish soap's scent is, but he loved it too. I think we both stood there and took turns sniffing for a minute or so.

Now, I fell in love with the scent but I had to test it out to see if it worked its soapy magic too.

The first thing I tried it on was a day-old oily skillet (don't judge!) I'd used to make home fries. Good test, right?

Yep, Gain passed! The skillet was nice and squeaky clean without any residue from the oil. Yay!

The last test...washing my hands with it. I wanted to see if it dried my hands out like other soaps can do, and it did not! Of course, it's not a moisturizing soap, but there wasn't any feel of 'I just washed my hands with industrial acid' or anything of the sort.

It's official. I'm hooked!

And guess what...there are two other scents to try out: Lavender and Citrus Splash!

Thanks to P&G through MyBlogSpark, I get to provide two of my lucky readers with the chance to try out this fabulous Gain for themselves!

That's right, dear readers, my very first giveaway!!

I have two (yep 2) packs for two lucky winners!

Each winner will receive a $5 Walmart gift card to pick out your own bottle of Gain, and a cute and colorful t-shirt to wear whilst doing it.

To enter, just leave a comment here with the scent you would most like to put under your olfactory organ. :)

I'll choose a winner via Random.org on Wednesday, November 17th at 10:00 PM EST.

Be sure to leave your email addy if it's not in your profile so I know how to get ahold of you!

And while you wait, check out the awesomeness that is Gain at ILoveGain.com.

Good luck!

**This product review was based on using complimentary Gain product provided by P&G through My Blog Spark. Bloggers also received Walmart gift cards and T-shirts to share with their friends at their discretion. P&G does not represent or warrant the accuracy of any statements or product claims made here, nor does it endorse any opinions expressed within this blog site.**

Aliiiive

2010-09-11T00:47:00.003-04:00

Really. I am.

I'd make excuses (new job for Hubby. had a baby. moved to a new town.) but that'd just be lame. So back to the posting. :)

Lunch Love

2010-09-11T00:32:00.003-04:00

My BiggestBoy is in kindergarten this year.

Wow.

So I do the lunch thing every day...as he thinks school lunch is 'boring'.

Now, if I were still in school, I'd hate to have the same thing every day.

I try to be creative with his lunchbox, but sometimes I'm stumped. I admit I resort to PB&J, or sometimes *gasp* PB&H when I can't think of anything else.

And the plethora of baggies! Gracious.

Google and I are great friends, and so I did a search for ... well, who knows exactly what. I am sure it had something to do with "kid" and "lunches".

Up comes something called "bento". Good thing I have said good relationship with Google, so I could figure out what the heck bento is.

Turns out the Japanese have perfected the art of a fun, healthy, and waste-free lunch. Perfect!!

Again with the Googling (is that a word?!), and low and behold...there are lots of places out there with tons of bento info.

Oh dear. I feel a new obsession coming on!!

The prettiest blog I've found on bento so far is called another lunch {it's another kind of lunch...making food fun with bento!} and it's brilliant!

She has beautiful pictures, fun posts, and great info about bento. What more could this mama want?!

I love it. I even said something in my Facebook status about it.

I'm on my way to making lunch less 'boring'. PB&J, I'll be seein' ya.

Series-ly?

2009-09-01T21:00:00.002-04:00

I have no idea why, but I seem to be taken with series books.

It started when I was little, and I blame my mom and grandma entirely. They are the ones who gave me 'Little Women' and the Anne of Green Gables books! Hmphf.

Not that I mind. I truly enjoy following characters on their journeys. (Please don't get me started on 'Twilight' or 'Harry Potter'.)

I found a new series. And I love it so far. It's called The Mortal Instruments series and it is breathtaking.

I literally could barely put it down today. My poor children had fish sticks for dinner, for Pete's sake. Not that there's anything wrong with a good fish stick, but once again, I am not taking the blame! :)

It's all Cassandra Clare's fault. :) She wrote the book!

And not only that, it's another fantasy book. My weakness, I guess. This one's about a teenage girl, Clary, who discovers that she not only has powers and memories she knew nothing about, but that there are many beings, dimensions, wars, etc. that were hidden from her, and the rest of the world. When her mom is taken by one of these beings, a big ole baddie everyone thought was dead, she is thrust into this new life, whether she likes it or not.

And that's what I like about it. Ms. Clare doesn't make it all peaches and cream. She shows the characters flaws, mistakes, snide remarks, etc. It makes for great dialogue between the characters, and for fabulous action scenes. Plus, I'm a sucker for a story that includes vampires.

:)

Whoever 'Holly Black' is (see pic above), I agree completely.

Now, I am going to go finish my fantasy. With a side of fish sticks. ;)

Respect Your Hair! Really!

2009-09-01T20:42:00.003-04:00

As anyone can tell you (or can tell by looking at me), I am very low maintenance person. I don't take hours to get ready. I don't require a buffet of beauty products to be prettified.

Well. Maybe I do, and I just don't know it. ;)

Anyway. Our playgroup has had some awesome MNO's at a local salon, UnKommen. I decided my mop was getting boring, and went to one.

The owner, Paul, is British (*faint*) and delicious. Not only that, he's a magician. Really!

Every time I get my hair cut, I get the same. boring. cut. Even when I ask for something different, apparently 'different' and 'keep it a little long' = 'the same'.

Paul asked me what I needed and wanted. And then he proceeded to explain the cut he was going to give me and why. He also told me about his line of products, called UfaKtor. He used their hydrating shampoo and conditioner, body balm, and shine serum.

Not only was my hair not 'the same', it was awesome.

I've never quite had a cut like that.

So, I went against my norm and actually bought the products! Wow.

Now, I'm sure little old me doing my hair at home doesn't quite have the same effect as having Paul do it all the time (if only.), but I still really like it.

There is no heaviness, or stickiness, or any other type of -iness that is yucky. And not only that, they smell heavenly! My favorite is the shine serum...can you say chocolate covered raspberries?!

So yeah. I'm a fan. A BIG fan. Respect!!

Oh, and check 'em out on their Facebook page. You can be a literal fan. ;)

Tasty Mission

2009-04-16T21:29:00.006-04:00

You know those Kashi commercials?

The ones where disturbingly cheerful employees of Kashi claim they go about the world looking for interesting ingredients for healthy meals?

I too have seen those. I wondered if they were for real. When I think of 'health food', I often think of food that tastes like cardboard. Or carpet. Or something else similarly tasteless and boring.

So then I saw that Kashi was giving away free frozen entrees. I thought, "Hmm...I like food. I like free food even better!"

Once I got my coupon in the mail, I stuck it in my wallet for my next WalMart shopping trip.

As I passed by the frozen food aisle, I remembered said coupon. I found where the Kashi entrees were kept, and I started reading the titles: 'Chicken Florentine'...'Garden Vegetable Pasta'...'Black Bean Mango'...I almost decided to get their Sweet and Sour Chicken , but then figured I should go out of my comfort zone. The Mayan Harvest Bake appealed briefly since I *heart* plantains...but ultimately the Lemongrass Coconut Chicken won out.

Even though I had to eat it in a hurry while it was almost hot enough to blister my poor mouth, I still really liked it.

I adore coconut, and Kashi did not disappoint. It wasn't overpowering at all as I thought it might be. It went really well with the slight lemongrass taste.

Sometimes when you eat frozen entrees, the veggies are nice and soggy. This time, Kashi did disappoint. The broccoli, peas, and carrots were just how I like 'em.

The only thing I'd ask for is just a little bit more broccoli and chicken to balance out the mass of (tasty) quinoa pilaf.

I'll definitely go back for seconds, even if they're not free. And maybe I'll get that Mayan Bake.

Mover Music

2009-04-10T23:26:00.003-04:00

I have frequent dates with four married guys at my house.

In the morning. With my children present. We sing. We dance. We braaaaainstorm!!

Yes, we watch Imagination Movers. Yes, we like it. Yes, I downloaded their album, Juice Box Heroes, onto my iPod. For the Boys, of course. Mmhhmm.

The Movers are a group of 4 married dads who started a band in New Orleans to make kids' music that adults could appreciate as well.

And I think they succeeded! Their music is catchy, upbeat, and educational...all rolled into one.

As far as their show goes, it's a great concept. The Movers work in the Idea Warehouse where they help customers solve Idea Emergencies.

I like most of the show...except for two things.

The Movers have a friend named Nina, played by Wendy Calio. (She's adorable.) She works for her uncle, Mr. Knit Knots, who likes things Boring. Yes, that's with a capital B. He's an interesting character...but he gets quite annoying sometimes. I mean really...boring orange juice?!

Warehouse Mouse lives in the Warehouse. I know, can you believe his name corresponds with where he lives?! *snerk* You'd think that with the technology available to Disney they'd be able to come up with a resident rodent that is a little bit cuter. Or more verbal. But no.

The Boys are always enthralled by this show, so I guess I can't complain about the minor characters.

Besides, it gives me enough time to take a shower. If I'm not sitting next to them, singing along.

Nutty Newness

2009-04-10T23:14:00.005-04:00

Look!

It's new!

It's Cheerios!

It's banana nut!

Okay, so I have always been a fan of Cheerios. When I was little, we didn't eat sugary cereal very often, so Cheerios were always present at our breakfast table.

Well, I saw this little yellow box at the store and decided to invite it to the table.

And boy am I glad! I love these things! They are perfectly crunchy, slightly sweet, and perfectly banana-y. Yes, that's a word.

I don't really taste the 'nut' side of the banana nut...but I don't care! I didn't miss it.

The boys like 'em too...which is definitely good!

The only bad thing is that Hubby thinks they're disgusting.

That's okay, more for me! Pass the milk.

Moose Steppin'

2009-04-01T22:44:00.006-04:00

Our movie channels have horrible programmers.

Apparently they think we want to see the same movies over and over again.

Some, I don't mind.

Others...not so much.

One of the channels insists on melting my grey matter with Step Up 2 the Streets. (Hubby insists on 'checking to see what part it's on' whenever we see this title on our cable guide.)

I haven't actually watched the silly thing all the way through, start to finish. And that's ok.

The parts I've seen indicate that I am not missing much.

But, there is some decent dancing. Actually...really cool dancing. :)

And a scene stealer! Meet 'Moose', also known as Adam Sevani. His character in the movie attends the same school as the actual dancers, but isn't enrolled in dance classes himself. However, he is an amazing dancer. You would not expect it from this little geeky guy, but there it is.

Watch the video above that another fan made.

But don't worry about watching the rest of the movie. :)

My New Haven

2009-03-31T14:34:00.006-04:00

I have this bad habit. I have had this bad habit since...well...as long as I can remember. I often convince myself that I'm going to break it, but it hasn't happened yet.

My bad habit is this: I stay up entirely too late reading good books.

The latest addition to this vicious cycle is the Fablehaven series.

I think I read the third book in about 2 days. I'm currently on the fourth book, and will be done either tonight or tomorrow. We bought it on Saturday, and I didn't read it all on Sunday. (I don't know how I refrained!)

I absolutely adore these books. As a Twilighter and a PotterFan, I am all about the recent rage of fantasy based series books. When I read about this series in the Deseret Book catalog, I thought they sounded a little too 'fluffy' for me.

However, in a moment of what I'll call weakness, I bought the first book at Barnes and Noble. And I haven't looked back since!

I would have to say this is my third favorite series.

The writing is very engaging. Written by Brandon Mull, the stories center on the brother/sister duo of Seth and Kendra Sorenson. They are practically forced to visit their grandparents, and little do they know...their grandparents are the caretakers of a refuge for magical creatures. This refuge, Fablehaven, can only been seen through certain methods which you find out about in the first book.

As I have found with several series (Eragon, Artemis Fowl), after reading the first few books, I basically would rather go get my teeth cleaned than finish reading the series.

Not so with Fablehaven. The characters are very well developed. The point of view is varied and makes for a more interesting story. The magic is believeable and just fantastical enough. The plot leaves you wanting to know what happens next.

If you like fantasy stories like Harry Potter, you will like Fablehaven. I can almost guarantee it.

I like it so much, I am even willing to check out his other book, The Candy Shop War.

AND...I just found out that Fablehaven has been optioned to be made into a movie. Yes!!

Now if you'll excuse me, I have a bad habit to perpetuate. It's called 'Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary.'

Nourishing Face?

2009-03-24T16:35:00.002-04:00

I love being a BzzAgent! (More on that later!)

I am in a BzzCampaign right now with Neutrogena makeup.

They sent me the Nourishing Eye Quad (in browns), the Nourishing Eye Liner, the Healthy Volume mascara, and Mineral Sheers concealer.

Now, my job is to try out these cosmetics and see how pretty I look. Oh. No. Wait. It's to see how I like them. :)

Let me start with the Quad and Liner. I don't usually use eye liner, but when I tried this one, it was very smooth, and the color was great. The Quad eyeshadows however, took a little getting used to. The colors are awesome, and the lid even has instructions in case you're not sure where to put which. However, you don't need to use very much eye shadow at all to get a lot of color on your eyelids.

The mascara is fantastic! I am VERY particular about my mascara. I think I've been using the same kind for about 2 years now. The Neutrogena mascara is smooth, non-clumping (wahoo!) and the color is just right. I would buy this again for sure.

Now, the concealer. I have mixed feelings on this. The color is great, and it covers up even the scariest of dark circles or bumps. However...it is really thick and sticky. It too doesn't take very much to do the job. And it comes with this translucent powder that you're supposed to put on over the concealer. I can't see any difference the powder makes.

All in all, I'd probably just go with the mascara and maybe the Quad again.

But I did feel pretty. :)

A Book With Heart

2009-03-24T15:34:00.003-04:00

I love reading series books (and movies, but that's a different post). I am not sure why they appeal to me as much as they do, but I adore them.

I saw the trailers for Inkheart the movie and decided it looked interesting. I *heart* Brendan Fraser and his movies. Welll, most of them. :)

When I found out that Inkheart is a book (by Cornelia Funke), and not only that, the first in the Inkworld trilogy, well...of course, I had to read it! I bought it at Sam's and began the journey.

Basically it's about a father (Mo) and daughter (Meggie) whose lives revolve around books. Mo, to put it very plainly, repairs books and - get this - has the magical ability to read aloud and bring characters and objects out of books.

That's all I'll tell you for now.

I was very unsure of this story at first. It drags for quite a while in the beginning...sometimes in the middle...not as much at the end. :) I am not sure if that's the writing or if it's because it's been translated from German, but either way, once it picks up, it's very engaging.

The writing seems a little bland in parts. I wish that Ms. Funke would've done a better job at describing the way her characters were feeling. There were times when I just couldn't identify with Meggie, and I so dearly wanted to.

Other than that, I enjoyed it. It is a very unique idea, and I am ready for the next one.

Inkspell, anyone? And maybe Brendan Fraser will star again. :)

Hungry for More

2009-03-24T15:16:00.003-04:00

I joined a book group with my sisters, a couple cousins, and a few other people.

We have a sort of lottery system for choosing books from suggestions that people make.

This was our selection for March.

I picked it up and I think I finished it in about 3 days. I LOVED this book!!

It was written in first person, which in itself is unique. But the narrator is also a girl! I love it.

The book is set in the future, in an America that has dissolved and been reformed as the nation of Panem. Panem is run by 'The Capitol' ... and every year they have the Hunger Games.

There are quite a few reasons I liked this story.

First of all, it is very well written. I made Hubby read it too, so I'd have someone in person to talk to about it. He pointed out that the author made a few grammatical errors. The story was so good, I didn't even notice. :) The author knows how to draw you in and make you worry about, care about, and even despise the characters. She is descriptive without being overly wordy *cough*Tolkien*cough*. She makes the story move along quickly enough that you don't want to put it down.

Second of all, the subject is new! I haven't read a story with a similar plotline before, so I really enjoyed that. I am sure there is probably one out there that is close, but I haven't crossed paths with it yet. :)

Last of all...she makes you want more. This is supposedly going to be a trilogy, with the next book coming out in September. And of course the movie is going to be made soon too.

Yes please, I'll take 'em.

Shaun the Sheep = Sho Shweet!

2009-03-16T22:47:00.002-04:00

So my boys love to watch Disney channel.

In between shows, Disney puts on little mini shows.

My absolute favorite is Shaun the Sheep -- a stop-motion show from the people who do 'Wallace and Gromit' about a flock of sheep who are 'guarded' by a dog, enemies with the pigs, and owned by a completely oblivious farmer.

Shaun is sometimes the ringleader, sometimes the peacemaker, but always hilarious. No matter what crazy situation the sheep manage to get in, he always figures out how to get them out of it.

There is no spoken dialogue, even with The Farmer, but you don't need it. The sheeps' faces say it all.

Sheeps? Is that the plural? :)

Clean and Smooth?

2009-03-13T14:26:00.006-04:00

I so dearly want to be obsessed with certain things sometimes.

I see it (or them!) and think, "Man, I could LOVE that!".

But then I get disappointed. And unfortunately, we have come to a point in my blog where I have to mention two things that I don't love. *sigh*

And I had such high hopes!

First...the Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower Cleaner. I got this product from being a BzzAgent (more on that later), and I am darn glad it was free.

I have seen the commercials, you know...the ones where there are about 4 maids are all up in the shower cleaning it from top to bottom. Supposedly this wonderful, battery draining, cleaner guzzling machine will clean your shower just as well as these women! Whee!

Nope. On the instructions it says that you don't have to have a clean shower to start using it. After some time, your shower will not get any dirtier! Again with the whee!

Then tell me why, after I have followd the instructions so diligently, am I seeing dirt on my shower floor? And is that MORE dirt on my shower shelf? Ew.

Normally I love me some Scrubbing Bubbles. Their foam cleaner is fantastic. I think that's why I was so disappointed to see that this product doesn't work.

From now on, it's foam all the way for me.

Now, like most women I know, shaving my legs is a chore. Then I saw the commercial for... *insert fanfare music here* Smooth Away!!

Can you just imagine?! ALL you have to do is rub this little thing in circles on your body and *poof!* your hair is G-O-N-E gone!

In a moment of weakness at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, I was looking at the Smooth Away display. Another lady came up to look. We both wondered aloud if it really works.

"I'll buy one if you buy one!" she says to me.
"Okay! I'll do it!" and we both walk away with a box of promised hair free-dom in our baskets.

I get home, affix the crystal sticky thing to the pink holder, and begin buffing in circles. And I buff, and I buff, and I buff.

No luck. Now, it says in the instructions that hair has to be shorter that 1/4 of an inch. I give myself (and my lack of shaving) the benefit of the doubt and head off to use my (well...Ian's!) electric razor. I figure I'll try again when my leg hairs aren't quite so forest-y.

Few days later, I try again. Leg hairs definitely not longer than a quarter of an inch. Commence buffing. And buffing. And buffing.

After a few minutes of very vigorous circles, the hair on the one spot on my leg is no longer visible. And the crystal sticky thing is no longer crystal-y. And my leg is NOT smooth.

So I figure, for all that time and effort, I'll just stick with my (well...Ian's!) electric razor, with an occasional foray into Venus razor-land.

I wonder how my Bed, Bath, and Beyond friend did?

Good Luna Love

2009-03-12T22:59:00.004-04:00

So I'm on a Harry Potter kick. Don't blame me if the movie channels like to show the movies. :)

'Order of the Phoenix' was on the other night...another scene stealer! Evanna Lynch plays Luna Lovegood...one of the quirkiest characters in the whole Harry Potter series. This girl wears funny glasses and earrings, thinks that Nargles live in mistletoe, and reads magazines upside down.

When I read the books, I (like all other HP fans) pictured the characters in my own little brain in my own little way.

Some of the actors fit those ideals I had, some didn't.

Evanna is PERFECT. And from what I've read about her personally, she's even a little like Luna in real life! Joy!

Her 'mum' originally said she couldn't audition for the part of Luna because she didn't think Evanna would get it. However, when she told her Dad that she wanted to go try out, he told her she should go and flew her to London.

I for one am glad that her Dad had that thought. Maybe the Nargles gave it to him?

Cripy Goodness

2009-03-10T16:44:00.004-04:00

I am constantly in search of tasty, healthy snacks that aren't boring.

THESE are not boring.

I have always loved Triscuits. In fact, I have a very vivid memory from when I was about 3 of eating Triscuits with some friends of our family in Colorado.

But when they introduced Thin Crisps, I think I about croaked.

All the yumminess of Triscuits in the shape of a triangle and easier to eat?! Good grief.

AND they introduced flavors!

Today I am eating the Quattro Formaggio flavor.

Yum-o.

Filching

2009-03-09T23:06:00.006-04:00

I am watching 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' and decided that I adore David Bradley , who plays Argus Filch.

This man is an absolute scene stealer! I love when they show him.

I think he's the perfect person to play Filch.

Especially when he runs into the Great Hall in 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'.

Hilarious. More please!

And the welcome goes to...

2009-03-09T22:44:00.000-04:00

...you!

Welcome!

As I go throughout my days, I find myself intensely loving.

Not only my family and friends, but inanimate objects, movies, books, etc.

So I figured I'd share!

If you agree, tell me why.

If you don't, tell me that too!

Enjoy!!