Flowers For The Lady

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of 1-800-Flowers. All opinions are 100% mine.

1800 Flowers asked me today - who would I like to send flowers? Of course I immediately think of my husband because I love him so much. Then I realize that he doesn't want flowers, he wants video games. So, then I think of my mom. She loves flowers. My dad gets my mom flowers pretty often. She really does adore them... but she gets them all the time. If I am going to send flowers to someone just because, it would be nice for it to be a special treat for them... Then I thought of the perfect person to send flowers to...

ME! That's right, I said it! I want flowers! I want to send them to myself and I want the card to say, "for all of the hard work you do that goes totally unnoticed by the entire world, day after day." I'll tell ya what else! I want something big, too. Like a huge bouquet of roses, or a nice Summer mix of red, white and blue.

I was going to get myself the biggest, most expensive thing, but then I saw the "Sweet Summer Gardenia Plant" that is planted in the cutest purple pot. Now there is my kind of plant! Gardenias smell so nice and they turn into the biggest prettiest bush. My Aunt Pam has a gardenia bush outside of her front door. Just a few blossoms brought inside smell up the whole front of the house.

Yes, I could just go pick up some flowers at the market, but you haven't heard the whole plan. Nothing is better than getting a flower delivery at work. So I am going to send myself a massive bouquet of flowers, and I am going to receive it at work. Once, a customer sent me some flowers at work because I am fantastic (it's true). It was so nice to get a little something in the middle of my work day.

Now, alright, maybe you aren't the type to send yourself flowers. Maybe you want to send them to someone other than you... someone like me? Oh c'mon, I'm obviously kidding. If you're a guy, then there is no question - send them to your wife. Not your mother, not if it isn't Mother's Day. Send them to your wife. Do it right now. If you're a lady, send them to your mom. Ooh and send them with some super sappy card about how she made you the person that you are today. Gosh, that always makes my mom cry!

You know who else you can send flowers to? Your best friend! Why don't girls do that? Why don't we send flowers to our best friends? My friend Claire sent me flowers once. It was so nice. She lives in Texas, and it meant so much to know that she was thinking of me from so far away.

I would probably send flowers to my sister if she wasn't allergic. Allergies won't stop you if you shop at 1800 Flowers! They have all types of plants, like bonsai trees.

Here is a real winner... The Margarita Time Party Bucket. If you haven't stopped by the website, then you really don't know, do ya? I think they have something for everyone at this place. Cookies, wine, candied apples, and of course flowers and plants. I'm definitely sending my husband a box of cookies to his work this year. I love to draw attention to him by having things delivered to his work. I can just imagine him blushing now!

Unhappy Eyes

My eyeballs are killing me! I was driving to work today and I saw something plastic on the floor mat of the passenger seat. My purse had spilled all over the place a few days ago and each day I have been finding something new after it slides out from under the seat. The little plastic this I spied was my contacts case. I hadn't worn them in a while, so I popped them in my eyes.

Eck. I will NOT be doing that again! It was hard for me to see things close up. I had to keep squinting at everything. They were super dry and my eyes kept making eye boogers. It felt like there was a thick layer of slime all over them.

I took them out of my eyes as soon as I got home, and I am still suffering. It feels like my eyelashes are made of needles and all of them are ingrown. I knew there was a reason that I stopped wearing those blasted things!

Update Your Map

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of NAVTEQ. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have to admit that I am not the best at keeping my car up to snuff. My sister is so hands on with that kind of thing. She changes her own oil, flushes her own transmission, and last weekend I watched her change her brake pads.

I will tell ya what I am good at though. I keep my GPS up to date. A lot of people don't consider updating their GPS to be a part of their car's upkeep routine. True, it doesn't tune up the vehicle itself, but regularly maintaining your GPS is important, and updating it when you work on your car, change your oil, or tune up, is a great way to work it into your routine. http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/post?slot_id=317662&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.updateyourmap.com

I can attest to how important it is to keep your GPS up to date. There have been several new roads and businesses that have opened up since I first got my GPS. If I was looking for Hawkinson Meadows Park on a system that hadn't been updated since I got mine, it wouldn't know what I was talking about. That's because Hawkinson Meadows Park wasn't built until last Summer. Ask a GPS from the Christmas before that to get you there and it won't know where to send you. That could mean you would miss out on the little league game you were trying to make at the baseball diamond there, or you could miss out on the play date with your niece at the playground area. Both are things I have used my GPS to get me to this park for! I can never remember which turn to take to get there, and why risk being late! If I hadn't updated my GPS from when I got it, I wouldn't have had it there for me when I needed it.

A new grocery store has opened up in a near by neighborhood. It is equally as far as the one I was going to before, just in another direction. The prices are the same and it would seem that I don't have a real reason to go to one over the other... ah, but I do. Looks like a lot of people haven't been to http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/post?slot_id=317662&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.updateyourmap.com to update their GPS, because they don't even know this grocery store is here! This place has less than half the traffic as the old place. I can get in and find a great parking space. I have never parked more that 3 spaces from the door any time that I have gone. I have never waited in line behind more that one person. The place is new, so its clean. The staff is new, so they are all friendly and in love with their jobs. Everything about it is so nice and neat, and I especially love that I don't have to fight any crowds. Notice that I didn't name the grocery store or the neighborhood. That's because I am keeping this little gem to myself, so unless you update your map - you won't know!

I can't tell ya how many times I have driven past a Walgreens and thought, "when did that get here?" Those things are springing up everywhere. Unless they are on a route you drive everyday, you might miss one opening up near you. That means that you could drive out of your way if you find yourself in need of a pharmacy while you are out and about. Now, I don't know about you, but I cannot afford to waste gas! Having an updated map will allow you to more effectively plan out your daily trips around town running errands. This can save you big bucks in gas by eliminating back tracking.

My mom is notorious for the back track. We always joke that she drives in figure 8's. She has a real aversion to technology. My dad has an updated GPS and he is so much more time efficient. He can plan his errands out by plotting out his course on his GPS. It saves him money in gas and time. He can line up all of his errands and hit them all on a single trip on the way home from work. He also changes his own brake pads. So, I guess my sister gets a little from him and so do I!

HBO!

Somebody help! My free 1 year subscription to HBO is coming to an end! I don't know what I am going to do. This was obviously a part of their plan. Get me hooked on HBO and then start charging me for it. Just like a crack dealer - that's right, I said it.

Now that there is no way that I can live without Larry David and especially True Blood. Just when I was starting to watch new shows, they threaten to take away my HBO. Now I have to try to find a way to get them to give it to me at a discount. I can't live without it but I sure as heck can't afford it. That stuff is expensive!

Or I can find a way to make more money. Should I really start looking for a new job to be able to support my HBO habbit? Oh dear me it IS like a drug.

I can't help myself though, I mean, have you SEEN True Blood. That show is awesome. I have always been a sucker for the Vampire Love Story. I have all of the seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer on DVD and I have the first season of Angel on DVD as well. I knew when I even heard the story line that I was going to love it. Plus, I am originally from Pascagoula, MS. The story being set in the South is another part about it that I really like.

So, I have to find a way to support my HBO addiction. Any ideas?

Mt. Laundry

Work has been so busy lately that it was really started to effect my life. I am spending so much time at work that I am having a hard time keeping up with my house. I have been slowly chipping away at the dishes, and I have been able to keep the bathroom and kitchen clean - thank goodness. I guess over all the house is presentable, but I can't seem to make it any better than that.

There is a lot of deeper cleaning that needs to get done. I need to shampoo the carpets. Caleb's toy room has been ransacked so many times that the toy bins need to be reorganized. I need to dust the living room. If it doesn't stop raining, I will never be able to mow my lawn. You can see how the list goes on and on!

Last weekend I dedicated to LAUNDRY. What I usually do is start a rotation. Fold a load while one is in the dryer and another is in the washer. I think that's how most people do it, right? It seems to make the most sense. Well for SOME reason, that I can't think of now, I switched things up over the weekend. I just started washing and drying and washing and drying. Instead of folding and putting away, I used the time the clothes were in the machines to do other things. I polished the wooden furniture, I scrubbed the bathtub, I scrubbed the stovetop, I cleaned the vent about the oven... you get the idea. I finally started to make progress on all of those little odds and ends things. I was able to declutter and organize.

The problem? Those loads of laundry never got folded. I think I was able to fold about two loads of them and that was it. So now, in my living room, there are about 4 loads of clean laundry that need to be folded and put away. So that is what I am going to do right now. I am going to fold laundry and put it away while I watch Shawn play - guess what - Left 4 Dead 2.

Father's Day - Solved!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Swiss Army. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have been seriously stressing over what to get Shawn for Father's Day. I wanted it to be something he could use everyday, but also something that he would enjoy. How to balance the two? Most things we do everyday, we do at work. And most people don't enjoy work. I mean, think about it... he might like a new tie, he might use it often, but it isn't really going to make him happy.

When I went to Swiss Army's Share the Adventure Facebook Page, I knew I had found my answer. Shawn collects knives, but he also uses them quite a bit when he does work as an ATM Technician. Even though he is in dispatch now, he has still had to go on a few calls to fix or install things. He usually carries two knives and a big tool box with him. I am sure that the Dual Pro X will be able to cut out a lot of those items.

This thing has several blades, including a smooth one and a serrated one. It also has a screw driver thingy and can openers. Shawn loves little gadgets like this. He also like to have some knives around that he's not afraid to get dirty. When we go camping, Shawn likes to whittle sticks, but he also uses his utility knife to pry things open, cut cords, gut fish, etc. The problem is that resharpening his utility knife will cost over $60 at the knife shop. That means that we end up bringing (and breaking) one of my kitchen knives to do its job! A Swiss Army knife would take care of that problem for the both of us.

If you're having trouble thinking of what to get your dad or husband this Sunday for Father's Day, consider this knife. It's something that a dad can enjoy while he uses it. And every time he uses it, he will think of you... awwww.

Caleb's Day

Caleb had so much fun today! While I was at work, he spent the day with my sister. Caleb calls my sister E-E. It's the ends of the words "Auntie Cindy".

So, Caleb and E-E went to the library today. There is a play time for little kids with toys in the afternoon. The place was apparently full of kids Caleb's age. When he saw them, he said he wanted to go play with his "friends". How cute! E-E let Caleb pick out books to check out and then they played with the other kids for over an hour. They didn't leave until Caleb started piling cushions on the floor saying he was going to take a nap.

After he took at nap at her house, they went to the grocery store. Caleb made friends with the man in front of them in line. He was taking an inventory of everything the guy was putting on the belt. I am told that it was very impressive. At the store the bought, Chocolate cake mix; obviously.

I was sent a picture of the Chocolate Cake excitement. It looks like Caleb had a fantastic day with E-E. When I arrived to pick him up, he didn't want to leave. Of course, that is typical of anytime he hangs out with E-E!

Glidden Testers Do So Much More

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Glidden. All opinions are 100% mine.

Glidden had a great idea when they created their paint testers. The initial idea was to create a way for people to test a paint color on their own wall in their own lighting, next to their real furniture and make sure they liked it. I think the design in fantastic. A little bottle of paint with the brush attached to the inside of the lid. Imagine a giant bottle of fingernail polish.

Each jar contains enough paint to cover 3 square feet of wall, so you can really get a feel for how the color will work in your room. They are inexpensive and easy to carry, so you can get a couple of them at once, and compare colors side by side. Don't worry about missing out on anything. These testers come in come in every single Glidden color - all 282 of them.

These testers aren't hard to find. They are available at any Home Depot, where you can also go to pick up the big jars of paint once you've made up your mind. If you're not sure about the colors that you brought home the first time, you can head back to the store and try out some different tints. I love the concept, and it sounds fun, too.

You can visit the website by clicking here and see the color choices. There is also a virtual room that you can paint with all of the different colors available so you can narrow down which testers you want. You can get paint chips there as well, but I think the testers sound so much more fun!

There are more to these wonderful little testers than meets the eye! Once you decide on a color choice and paint your walls, pick up an extra tester. That way, if you get a scuff, scratch, or a life-sized crayon person on your wall, you're prepared. There is no need to scrub and that crayon person until you have tennis elbow. You don't need to get a quart of paint just to cover a scuff. You won't have to bring your mostly empty gallon of paint back to the store to have it shaken and mixed. Just bust out your Glidden paint tester you smart little cookie! You can use the handy little jar with built in brush to touch up any area on your wall! The built in brush means that you won't have to spend forever cleaning the paint brush that you borrowed from your sister because she insists on being anal retentive about them looking brand new every single time they are used, which is understandable because she spent so much money on them and they actually are very high quality, but still; I mean, c'mon... whew.

Bottom line is; they are very clever, and so are you for using them. Like fox.

I use WeReward!

Hey, I'm not getting paid to write this post. I always tell you when I am writing a sponsored post, so if I don't mention it at the very beginning of my blog, then it's not paid. I just wanted to be very clear that this is not one of them.

I have been using the WeReward app on my iphone that I blogged about earlier today. It's so fantastic! You only make a little bit at first, but the more you frequent places, the points go up. You can claim points for places that you're going to anyway, or you can play scavenger hunt and take pictures of places as you drive by.

I have been having so much fun with this app. While it hasn't made me rich, and I've only accumulated about 60 cents today, I can see this adding up. You can check in about very 15 minutes and can do up to six "brown" check ins a day, but there are other colored coded check-ins available too. I'm not sure if there is a limit to the other colors of check-ins per day because the app didn't outline that, but I haven't been cut off yet, so I am assuming not.

If you have an iPhone and you want to check out this app CLICK HERE to learn more and sign up! I am totally loving it so far! For realies!

Working From Home on the Go

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

Everyone knows that my ultimate goal is to work from home in some way or another. I have looked into several different ways to earn money from home. That is why you will see some paid posts and ads on my blog. This is just one way that I am trying to earn a little extra money and stay home with my kid. I have looked into other opportunities, but not all of them can be done during nap time!

My interest in working from home caused this new iPhone app to catch my eye, espeically with a release of the new iPhone 4 on 6/24. Within about 3 seconds after seeing an ad for WeReward.com, I was already on my iphone to Download the App.

I went to the website to learn more and watched this youtube video. Before the video was even over the app was on my iphone and all set up.I have been spending money on this iphone for a couple of months now, and I am happy to see a way for it to pay me back!

The coolest thing about this app is that I don't really have to do anything different, I only need to do them differently. I already go places, and once I am there, I already tweet and facebook about it. It seems like most places are only willing to give a small amount of points per post, but that's okay because it's sure to add up.

I am looking at the places that are on this list and I could have already made a couple of bucks today! I wish I would have downloaded this app earlier in the day! Most places want a picture of the business in your post. That's fine with me! I am sure I can find something wonderful and witty to say about every one of these places. I haven't seen a business yet that requires you to actually consume their product. That's cool! I'll take a snap shot driving by and post it to facebook, I don't care! At 5 cents a pop, my love comes cheap, but just wait til I am cashing in!

The bottom line is that this is a fast, easy, and effective way to make a little money for doing things that I already do. I have also already learned about some businesses in my neighborhood that I otherwise wouldn't have known existed. I can see how the businesses get a lot out of this, and why shouldn't I get a little something too? I have been posting things on FB for years, being a billboard for businesses I frequent, and they haven't rewarded me with anything yet. Until now!

AT&T Netbook

You probably know that Shawn got me a little netbook for my birthday this year. I love it and I take it everywhere with me. The only problem is that it only has wifi and no mobile network. So while I take the computer with me everywhere, I don't take the internet with me.

Another problem is that Shawn just got xbox live and is playing Left 4 Dead all night long. We don't have a wifi set up in our house and that means he is using the TV and the WEB! Boo! I am left looking at the back of his head because he moved out chair directly in front of the TV

My perfect solution is a netbook with wireless 3G internet from AT&T. I have been using it for a couple of days and I love it. There is a counter on the communication manager so you can track how much usage you have. We are on the plan for 5 gigs of usage a month and so far we haven't come close to that. There is also a plan for 200 mb of usage, but I can blow through that in a couple of hours.

I don't think this would be a solution for everyone because the overages can be spendy. If I were to stream music or download a movie on netflix, I am sure we would start to go over our 5 gigs in no time flat. When I am blogging or just surfing the web and checking emails, this thing is great and 5 gigs is perfect.

This product and plan gets a big thumbs up from me!

Where Am I?

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of NAVTEQ. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have been spending so much time in the car lately, that my mom insisted I start using my Bluetooth while driving. It seems like no matter what I am doing, I am doing it while driving. This Summer, Caleb is going to be taking swimming lessons, my grandma and aunt will be in town, and I am sure I will be in the car even more than I am now!

When my grandma and aunt come to visit we like to take them site seeing. Although we have lived here for almost 25 years, some of the places are new to us as well. I find myself getting lost a little... okay a lot. Sometimes I need to pull off of the road to find a gas station because I don't know when the next rest stop or gas station will be.

I've been using mapquest and google maps to find directions, but they aren't always convenient. A picture map or written directions can only do so much for you when you have taken a wrong turn. They can be even less help when you are looking for a place to take a potty break.

When we were in California, my dad used his GPS. It was great! We were able to find anything that we needed. You can look things up by type of business or more specifically, by the business name or address. One trick is that you have to make sure that your map is up to date! http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/post?slot_id=304392&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.updateyourmap.com The only time he got lost was when he tried to make up his own directions to a restaurant. Don't ask me why, maybe he was looking for an adventure.

As for me, I prefer to be more time efficient. With a GPS you're able to map out a big trip, but you can also more efficiently plan your errands for the day. Instead of running all over town, you can streamline your trip and make it faster. Another advantage is using less gas because you don't have to turn around and back track. If there is anything out there that saves you both time and money then you know that you can count me in!

If your map isn't up to date, then you could be missing out on some alternative routes to get you to your destination faster. Also, there are always new businesses and points of interest popping up. Having the latest map on your GPS will ensure that you are being the most efficient with your time and your checkbook! You can visit http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/post?slot_id=304392&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.updateyourmap.com to learn more about updating your GPS map.

Left 4 Dead

Shawn borrowed the Xbox game, Left 4 Dead from my brother a couple of days ago. This is a zombie killing game that you can play online or offline. I thought it was a game where you get a light gun to shoot at the screen like Duck Hunt, but it's not. It's done in the FPS style and you just use the regular controller. Since Shawn has borrowed the game, he is on it non stop.

He played it all weekend. He plays every night until about 4 am. He plays all day long, only taking breaks to eat and go potty. He even moved the furniture in our living room so that there is a chair directly in front of the TV.

Since he is playing on Xbox live, he has been talking to his team mates on the headset, or as my dad calls it, "The Game Phone". I can hear him late at night, and even now as I type this. He is instructing his team members on how to best carry on their resistance to the Zombies that have taken over the world. He is using military tactics. If only his teammates knew they were playing with a United States Marine!

Hampton Hotels Give Away

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hampton Hotels. All opinions are 100% mine.

I've said it before and I will say it again: I need a vacation. Don't get me wrong, my trip to Sacramento was nice, but there was so much family stuff going on that I didn't get a lot of relaxation time. Plus, our hotel wasn't exactly... how do I say this... accommodating. That lead to some stress.

I'm going to enter the Hampton Chain of Friends Sweepstakes, and hopefully, my next hotel stay will be a prize. Oh, maybe I am not being clear. I don't mean that you win a weekend stay in a hotel room... oh no. You win a weekend stay in the HOTEL. 100 rooms for 2 nights.

With 100 rooms for the weekend, you can invite all your friends. You can invite your friends' friends. You can invite the people that you meet where ever you decide to go. You can even invite a frenemy or two. 100 rooms, now there's a party!

Where would you take 100+ of your favorite people? I know exactly where I would go. I would go to the one place where you can really make a 2 night stay count. I would go to Vegas baby! I'd take all of my friends to Vegas and live it up! Without having to pay for our hotel stay, everyone would have so much more time and money to spend enjoying our weekend vacation.

I'd a few family members - the ones who know how to party! I would bring some coworkers, because I think we all need a vacation. I would invite my out of state family members like cousins, aunts and uncles, because I don't get to see them often and I miss them (awww). I'd invite some friends who live less than 20 miles away, yet I never seem to get to spend any time with them. I'm sure that no one will turn down free room and board in Las Vegas.

To enter you go to the Hampton Chain of Friends Sweepstakes website and click on "enter now". Sounds simple? It is. You have nothing to lose except the chance to win! Oh, and if you DO win, don't forget to invite me for telling you about it!

Shrek 4

Last weekend, Shawn and I took Caleb to see the new Shrek movie. Shawn normally doesn't like kid's movies, but made the exception for Shrek. We both really enjoyed the first one, and that was even before we had Caleb!

While Shawn wasn't very impressed with Shrek Forever After, Caleb loved it. He talked about it for days after. "Shrek was funny!" "Shrek is an ogre!" "I want to go to the movie store and watch Shrek!" It was so cute that Caleb called the theater "the movie store". I guess he just didn't know what else to call it!

Caleb sat through the whole movie very well. He got a little wiggly at the end, but that was better than I expected. He was so well behaved that I think we will probably go see bigger movies before they get to the $3 theater. My little man is growing up!

Say Ahhhhh

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Dove Ice Cream. All opinions are 100% mine.

Everyone has that moment. The moment of ahhhhhhh. The moment that you take for yourself. As a mom, I don't get that moment very often, but I try to take a little time each day for myself.

I'm not the only mom setting aside some "me" time. According to a survey done by Dove Ice Cream, 70% of moms take a little time for themselves each day. It's in honor of these hard working women that Dove has launched the "My Mini Moment" contest.

This contest promotes Dove's ice cream miniatures. It seems as if these absolutely delicious treats were made with moms in mind. They are only 70 calories a piece and they come in the most fantastic flavors. My personal favorite are the Java Chip and Cappuccino Flavors. I love coffee flavored ice cream!

To enter this contest, you submit a photo and a short essay sharing your own mini moment of escape. In other words, you ahhhhh moment. Head to http://doveicecream.com/myminimoment/ soon because the contest ends July 7th. One lucky lady could win one of three prizes: a mini-getaway to Napa Valley, Spa services for a year or a mini-home makeover. I can't pick which one I would love more!

So, I am trying to decide which moment I want to write about for the contest. I have pedicure time. I normally go alone, so I can relax and don't have to talk to anyone. I also have my gardening time. I love being outside taking care of my peaceful little vegetable garden. And then there is nap time. Oh how fantastic it is when your 2 year old's nap time comes around!