Jumpin-Beans

If you love twitter, you are going to love the next phase of the Modern Greetings Second Honeymoon Contest.  As with the last, it is pretty simple... Just tweet your proposal story to Modern Greetings   and use their contest hashtag:  #MGTakeUsAway Then, visit the Modern Greetings Facebook page to complete the contest form. This contest lasts from now (December 28th) until January 3rd!          I don't know about you, but I do not know many people that would turn down a second honeymoon!  We went to New Orleans for our "honeymoon"  (about 7 months after we were married) and I can name several places I would love to go on a honeymoon to now!  What about you?  Where would you like to go? Head on over and enter now! ***** I will be given a gift card to use at Modern Greetings for sharing their contest with you.  All thoughts in this post are my own.  *****

The Internet has been all about 26 Acts of Kindness.  I know that I am very appreciative of all I have and I try to "pay it forward" when I can, but this Connecticut shooting has hit me... Hit me so hard.  I guess as a mom it just hurts more than it would have otherwise... I have cried and prayed... and then cried and prayed more... So, when I saw 26 Acts of Kindness in memory of those at Sandy Hook Elementary, I knew I wanted to participate. So far: 1-  Helped a guy change his windshield wipers in the pouring down rain. 2 -  Walmart gift card to a stranger 3- Walmart Gift card to a stranger 4- Purchased the groceries of a stranger.   (This was done to us one year and I tell you, the feeling of being able to do that... wow...   It was AWESOME!) 5 - Bought the meal for the car behind us in the drive thru 6- Left a big tip for our delivery driver Yeah, I Know I have only done 5, but we plan on doing more.... What makes it easier ...

You know how I told you I like to give the boys a special Christmas ornament each year? This year, I decided that Caleb would be the perfect recipient of the basketball boy ornament that I saw on the Christmas Ornaments website. I went to their website and I had a blast looking at all of the ornaments and thinking of all the people that each one made me think of... Christmas Ornaments website has so many ways that you can search for what you want.  I started by looking at all of the Fairy Tale/ Nursery Rhyme ornaments... then I had to look at all the different occupations that they had listed.  Of course, with all boys, I had to venture over to sports and that was where I found my selection. I will tell you it is a catch 22. I think it is cute... and as soon as Broxton saw it, he immediately asked if it was for Caleb as it looks like his older brother.   BUT - if you look at it all up close (like some people I know do)  you will not be pleased. The paint...

I absolutely love the Chicken Soup for the Soul Christmas Books. Well, I love them all, but these are really great for Christmas gifts!  The Chapters Include: All I Want for Christmas Love Actually Close Encounters of the Santa Kind Deck The Halls It's a Wonderful Life A Few Good Elves I'll Be Home for Christmas Toy Story There Will Be  Family A Christmas Carol Good Gift Hunting The Star of Bethlehem One of the great stories in there was the A Gift Not Wrapped. It gave a positive outlook on the girls grandfather being hospitalized during Christmas.  True, during the ordeal, it was a sad occasion, but looking back, they realized that this might have been best, as the granddaddy was able to spend time individually with each family member, with no chaos! Another good story was How to Survive the Holidays! Now, two lucky readers (US and CAN only) will be able to read and enjoy the Gift Of Christmas. a Rafflecopter giveaway

I know that Thinking Positive will have great results... and I need to try and do it more often. I saw that there are two books currently available from Chicken Soup and up first is: Think Positive for Great Health This book is to help "use your mind to promote your own healing and wellness." The chapters include: Your Mind and Body: Best Friends For Life The Brain Secrets that Healthy People Know Hope for the Best and Expect the Best Connecting with the Right Doctor Brain Strategies for Robust Living Increase Your Health IQ Now Avoid the F- Word - Frustration Tame the Anxiety Beast I really enjoyed flipping through this... One thing I learned... plan to eat at least 3 meals as a family per week. Teens don't mind it, as long as they feel they have a voice.  It helps to have that time together, but it also helps for all to eat healthier and possibly cut down on childhood obesity. Now, two winners will win their own copy! Contest for US and CAN residen...

If you are anything like me, you have a million pictures on your computer.  Well, let me clarify. I HAD a million pictures on my computer.  Then, my computer died. Know what I needed?  Picture Keeper . It is basically an easy way for ANYONE to back up their photos!  Picture Keepers come in several different sizes. You can choose between the PK4 (holds around 4,000 pictures) all the way up to a PK Pro(holds around 250,000 pictures)  If you have someone in your life like my mom, this would be a great gift. She knows pretty much NOTHING at all about technology, so this would be awesome... To use the picture keeper, you just plug it in to the USB port on your computer. (The picture keeper is small, smaller than a tube of lipstick.  I do like that it comes with a cord on the end, as to keep it from getting lost! )  Then, the picture keeper searches your computer and copies your photo to it.  Don't worry, it does not duplicate and when you ...

I have known people that have dealt with Breast Cancer.  I am really glad that Chicken Soup has released a new book on Hope and Healing for Your Breast Cancer Journey.  I know that this will help many that have personally dealt with this. Included in the book: First You Cry Building Your Healthcare Team Managing Your Support Team Think Positive During and After Treatment Living In Cancer World and the Real World Healing Your Body and Soul A Beautiful Woman Emerges Your Amazing Journey Reflections on Living I really hope that with this book, there are readers that will be able to use this for Hope and Healing. Two Lucky Readers will Each Win a Copy. Contest for US and Canadian Residents Only. a Rafflecopter giveaway

 I love giving gifts that really keep on giving. When I heard of  Monkeez , I knew that this was a great product and I wanted to share. First of all, I love sock monkeys.  They hold a special place in my heart because of my Nana.  I think they are the cutest and had I known that they had sock monkey baby items, I would have totally done Broxton's room that way. Anyways, this Monkeez line. It is a line over 90 plush designs... (From different animals, to different sizes of the animals, it makes up 90 to chose from.) They have animals from sock monkeys to owls, elephants to lions... Now, not only are they absolutely to stinking cute... They also qualify as a gift that keeps on giving. The Monkeez toys come with a tag on each one. Once you purchase the animal of your choice, you then have the option to register it. The tag lets the parent and the child learn more about giving back to your community! The tag opens a door to new adventures, as you get to ...

This book is for sure a must read for everyone in the world today.  With all of the negativity going on, it is something as simple as this book that makes things seem better, if only for a minute. The Chapters: The Power of Liking Yourself The Power of Attitude The Power of Persevering The Power of Relaxing The Power of Gratitude The Power of Giving The Power of Dreaming The Power of Challenging Yourself The Power of Self Improvement The Power of Watching Others The Power of Changing Your Thoughts It is weird... The art of thank you letter writing has seemed to have died... Well, the first story I opened to was about writing a thank you letter! It was talking about how a sunny attitude resulted in a positive experience... To the point that a letter of thanks was written...    See?  Positivity is Powerful! Now, two lucky readers will have the chance to win this book and get to see what I mean... Contest for US and CAN residents only a Ra...

I love the chicken soup books. Each one that I read touches my heart. To know that others can share their stories, it just makes my heart happy! When I saw that I would be receiving Chicken Soup for the Soul: Married Life, I knew that this was one that I was going to want to read soon. Included : How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You Have I Told You Lately That I Love You Because You Loved Me Why Do Fools Fall In Love What's Love Got To Do With It Love Will Keep Us Together Crazy Love Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow I Will Always Love You Circle Of Love I have to admit, reading the titles of the chapters, I immediately had the songs stuck in my head! The book starts with Thanks for the Flowers.  It is from a lady that ran a marriage retreat and shows us how to look at life with a new outlook...  After reading that first story, I knew they would all be great, I mean, come on... It really could only get better from there and that was a huge challen...

Looking for stocking stuffers? Arm and Hammer has you covered!!! We found out that Arm and Hammer had a tooth brush called, Tooth Tunes . Well, as soon as we learned that the song played "We Will Rock You" I knew that it was something Broxton would love!  As soon as it came, we had to go brush our teeth! It is a kids toothbrush that plays 2 minutes of a song for you to brush your teeth.  They have 9 songs to pick from, so I am sure they will have one to get you going. Broxton has LOVED brushing his teeth with the new toothbrush, although we normally have to brush more than once, since he does get sidetracked singing and dancing!  We even had to take it for show and tell to school.  No, I did not let him take it... I took it in, IN A ZIP LOCK BAG when I picked him up and we "showed" his friends...  It made a lasting impression, as when I went to get him the other day, they were asking if I brought the tooth brush back again! Not wanting to leave mom out, ...

If you have ever taken medicine or had to give medicine to someone, you might be like me and have   a hard time knowing when you gave them something last.  I know that there have been times when I could totally not remember if I ever actually took the medicine, so I resulted in trying to remember to write it down.  Well, seems that I am not the only one, as there is a company that has decided to come to the rescue! Timer Cap . Timer Cap comes in two different sizes, small and large.  It seems as though they fit all medicine bottle tops.  The purpose of a Timer Cap?  Once you open it, the timer in the cap starts, letting you know when you last took your medicine.  I was worried that it would be a normal lid, but I was happy to see that you do have the child safety feature of having to push down to open it. If you have a hard time remembering when you last took your medicine, or if you have an elderly person that tends to forget, this would be...

Imagine this: Marc goes and downloads this crazy app that has a cat that repeats what you say. He shows it to Broxton and that is the end of quiet in this house. They laugh.. they talk and listen to the cat repeat. Over and Over.. Then, Broxton found out he could play with the cat! He can slap it, scare it, make it have a pie in its face and so much more... I thought that was pretty cool, until I learned that you can now purchase a physical toy of the Talking Tom.  Yes!!!! You can now buy a Talking Tom TOY!!!! We received it for review,  but will be holding on to it to give to Broxton as part of his Christmas gifts.  I will admit, Marc and I took it out and played with it first... Talking Tom has 3 sensors, his head, his hand and his foot. Yes, he repeats what you say. It is kinda creepy how his mouth moves, it looks like an old toothless grandparent, but truthfully, it will just add to the fun for Broxton.  I know he will love hitting the sensors...

Okay, if anyone out there has $25 that they are just dying to spend on me... Let me tell you the PERFECT gift... This Friday, December 21st... You can purchase the 45 year Anniversary Set of The Sound of Music. Yes, From the 21st through the 24th... The 45 Anniversary set is on sale for only $25. To help celebrate this great deal... . Here are a few fun facts about The Sound Of Music that you might not have known: At the end of THE SOUND OF MUSIC, the von Trapp family climbs over the mountains to freedom into neighboring Switzerland. In reality, Salzburg does not border Switzerland; it borders Germany. If the real von Trapp family had actually climbed over the Obersalzberg Mountain, as they do in the film version, they would have found themselves face to face with Hitler’s mountain retreat, Eagle's Nest at Berchtesgaden. The first shot of Maria on the mountain was done the last day of THE SOUND OF MUSIC filming, because of bad weather! Bing Crosby, Sean Connery, Rex ...

I can luckily say that I do not remember having acne bad as a teen.  I know I had some, but I don't think it was anything major. Once I was pregnant with Broxton, people made comments about how I would start to get breakouts then.  Again, I had a little, but nothing major.  You know when I started noticing breakouts?  Whenever Marc gets a pimple, I comment on it... and then I normally get one the same place on my face.  No lie.. It is so weird.  To the point that I can start to get one on my face and he can be out of town working, I will mention it and he will have the same one on him when he gets home.  IS THAT NORMAL?  A couple weeks ago, I noticed that I was getting breakouts on my face. Nothing major at first... but then I started getting pimples all along my hair line.  At first it was just one little one. But then it turned into a couple HUGE MOUNTAINS.  Rocky Mountains... Mount Everest... I am for real... HUGE. A...

I don't know about your house,  but this house loves music.  Although, If Marc is in the car, he totally radio hogs on us...   When it is Broxton and I, we listen to a little of this and a little of that... when I saw the song list for Kidz Bop 22 , I knew Broxton and I would love to listen to this!  (Glad You Came AND Call Me Maybe?!  We would have a blast!)     1- Stronger 2- Call Me Maybe 3- Starships 4- Domino 5- Payphone 6- Wild Ones 7- Glad You Came 8- Drive By 9- Part of Me 10- What Makes You Beautiful 11- Dance Again 12- Boyfriend 13- Feel So Close 14- Somebody That I Used to ... 15- Tonight is the Night 16- Set Fire to the Rain 17-  Back Home 18- Rumour Has It 19- So good 20- Lights Broxton's class has a Christmas party before they get out for their break.  I plan on taking this CD in for the kids to enjoy!  I think Kidz Bop Christmas would be great for background music! 1. All I Wan...

Have you ever gone to enjoy a bowl of soup or something but it is just too entirely hot to enjoy? Or, have you gone to eat and your kid is asking you to blow their food to cool it down?   Well, there is a solution in site! Yes, Kool Spoon to the rescue! Kool Spoon is this really cool gadget that makes eating easier!  It is a spoon that has this freezer gel in it that cools food so you can get to eating faster! We were sent one for a review (and 3 lucky readers will win one as well!) and we had to put it to the test.  We tried it and although I wanted immediate results, it just did not happen.   Let me try and explain.  I placed the spoon in the soup and wanted it to immediately be cold.  Not gonna happen.  What did happen was that we stirred it for a few minutes and then it was good to go. Not scalding your mouth, but not luke warm either.  For me, the real test was Broxton wanting noodles the other night.  I nor...

If you are trying to finish up your Christmas shopping, head on over to Bed, Bath and Beyond and grab something from the Twiztt by Joan Lunden line.  We were sent the 8 inch fry pan.  (They also come in 10 and 12 inch fry pans too.) FEATURES Thermolon™ healthy ceramic non-stick coating for maximum convenience. QUALITY Extra thick base with aluminum core for even heat distribution. Suitable for all cook tops, including INDUCTION and oven safe. Handwash is recommended. I used ours and was very impressed with how the heat seemed to be evenly dispersed throughout the whole pan.  Although tonight it was just for meat, I can tell you that I am really excited to try my hand at some eggs in there this upcoming holiday!!!! As I said, need a last minute idea? The foodie in your life (or newly wed) would love this frying pan! FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representi...

Being a military wife that has had her husband deployed during the holidays, I get emotional when watching the WWE Tribute to the Troops each year.  Tonight, I was happy to have the chance to watch it with My Hero. I just wanted to take this time to personally thank the WWE for doing this.  Tonight (December 19th) marked 10 years of the wwe doing this.  It makes me feel good to see people thanking my husband and his brothers and sisters of the military.  I asked Marc if it was wrong of me to take pride when a celebrity thanks them for their service.  I mean, honestly, our military is often forgotten for all that they do.  Not to mention that they don't get paid anywhere near what they should... The celebrities... Well, we know they are paid well... and it saddens me when people put celebrities on pedestals because of them being in a movie.  No, I don't have a problem with celebrities, but it does make me proud when THEY thank the military.... because ...

If you love cooking... (and it seems like everyone BUT ME is cooking and baking for the holidays... ) I have something to tell you about. Diamond Nuts is finalizing the 100th year celebration of 2012 with a contest that is sure to get an entry out of most!  If you cook (or bake, I guess there is a difference, as I know some people love to cook, but hate to bake)  then head on over to the Diamond Nuts Facebook page. The contest requires that you need to enter a contest that includes...NUTS! The contest ends on December 21st and there are all sorts of prizes!  Gift Cards, Electrolux Appliances and many more are items that are up for grabs!!! Here is a recipe I found on the Diamond Nuts site: (You can search based on keyword or even nut type.) This walnut-apple pie has a streusel topping that makes this dessert extraordinary. Serve alone or accompanied with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a sliver of aged cheddar. Ingredients ...

Looking for a great gift for the technological person in your family? Or maybe for the one that already has it all? Look no further, you need to purchase them the Ultimate Screen Care Kit today! It is basically an all in one for whoever receives it!   I will say this, I originally saw this and thought that it would be a great product to get Marc, since he is always cleaning his tablet and his smart phone. That was until it arrived.  Once it arrived, I knew I had just given myself a great gift! The Ultimate Screen Care Kit really is ULTIMATE!!!! The Kit includes: 1 – 50ml Screen Spray 1 – Screen Shammy for use on various devices 1 – Plasma Screen Cloth 1 – CD/DVD Cloth for media disks 1 – Sweep mobile cleaning pad.    What I love about it, besides the fact that it basically has all of the items you will need is the fact that it comes in this little hard zippered case.  I have used it to clean and it gives everything the loo...

I am not sure how we missed the "How to Train Your Dragon" bandwagon.. But yep, it seems we did..  Until now!!!  We watched it a couple weeks ago and I tell you, I was just as into watching it as Broxton was!  When I had the chance to review Dragons: Riders of Berk, you know I jumped on that one! Not sure if it was more for Broxton or for myself... but we will say it was for "the family!"  Broxton and I watched the other day and I thought it was pretty funny.  To the point that I turned it on and had it going for Marc to watch with Broxton once!  I kept hearing a chuckle coming from Marc, so it is not only for kids, its also amusing to adults as well!   Little did I know that the "How to Train Your Dragon" movie is actually a TV series now, called... Dragons: Raiders of Berk. This DVD is a short one, with only 4 episodes, but the great thing is now knowing that there are more available to watch online. If you have a "dragons" fan, I high...

The holidays bring about all sorts of gifts... From toys and books to clothes and cooking utensils.  Another gift you can give?  Anything from the site, Auric Blends .  I was sent an early Christmas present of a couple of their products and I was very pleased. Not to mention, impressed!  The scent of the Egyptian Goddess was wonderful to me.  I did not think that it was that strong, so as I wrapped Christmas presents, I gave a nice spray for me to enjoy one day.  Little did I know that the scent would not agree with Marc.  He immediately came in sneezing and asking what I sprayed that had him allergic.  (If you remember, he has a very sensitive nose, so I should have been prepared.) The Egyptian Goddess fragrance is described as soft florals, light powder and musk. I am not sure what had him sneezing, but he ended up asking me to take a shower, as it was really bothering him.  I on the other hand thought it smelled wonderfu...

I have had horrible ears my whole life.   When I was a child, my ear drum burst and I am not partially deaf in one ear.  I have had tubes numerous times as well... As recently as my adult years.  When I saw the Wax Vac , I wanted to see if it was really all that.  I feel as though I can not really give a true review on this as far as if it works or not.  We received the Wax Vac for review and I quickly wanted to try it out.  I put it in my ears, but nothing came out.  I do not know if it is because there was nothing there or if it was because it doesn't really work.   At that point, I went to the kitchen and put a few chip crumbs on the counter... The Wax Vac did pick them up..  so, I am thinking that maybe it does indeed work, but I just had nothing in my ears that needed removal.  I will admit, I do use cotton swabs out of habit and I have not been able to break the habit.  One thing that I did like about the W...

Remember how I told you that Broxton has decided that he is a big Scooby doo fan?  Well, he is going to be getting a couple Scooby doo gifts for Christmas from my parents...  and now, I have learned of the great Scooby Mystery Workshop !   It is a great website for kids to go and click to make a "wish list" for what all they want for Christmas that is Scooby Related. I had to head over and check out the website.  We are already finished Christmas shopping, but Broxton does have a birthday in February, so we can plan ahead!  I had NO CLUE what all they had as far as Scooby Doo Products!!! I figured they would have the plush toys, but I had no clue all the other items! The Mystery Workshop actually has 50 items that kids can click on and add to their wish list. (Plush toys to ornaments, figurines to bedding!!!!) Then, you just let them click and add them to the list.. After that, you can choose to print the list... Or you can email it! What a great wa...

If you were here yesterday, you read about Broxton and Daddy enjoying the Lowe's Build and Grow where they built the sled from Rise of the Guardians. Well, today... I just have to share about Broxton and his adventure with his Papa. We took Broxton to the Build and Grow where we live and Broxton had a good time with his daddy, so when I saw there was a workshop going on that weekend we were visiting my parents, I knew they would have fun.  Little did I plan into the fact that my dad is not a "builder"  as in when we go to visit, my mom has a "honey do list" for MARC... and leaves comments about if you do this, you are helping out your father in law!  lol...  My dad is one that will get someone to fix it... He isn't going to.  He's a numbers and paperwork guy, just not a builder and fixer!! So, we get to the Lowes and there are about 100 kids in there... My dad says, " I think we have just walked in to Santa's Workshop!  There are all the elv...

If that picture doesn't just suck you in, I am not sure what will!!!! Live Clean Baby is now available at Walgreens and I am a happy lady!! I know that I don't technically have a "baby" anymore... But, we want another and Broxton will always be my baby!  Yep, I am pulling terms my mom has used that I said I would never use...  We were just sent the cute line of Live Clean (Baby) and let me tell you... the packaging is adorable with the simple white with blue accents and an adorable duck on it... It looks like products that you would purchase from one of those baby boutiques.... but they are sold at Walgreens (and the price reflects that of Walgreens and not the pricey boutiques!) We were sent the whole Live Clean Baby Collection (shampoo, wash, lotion, non-petroleum jelly, bar soap and diaper ointment) and as much as I love lotion, I didn't worry about not having a baby here, I used it for myself... Yes, I then used it on Broxton, but I loved how it so...

I have a product to tell you about and I am sure that some of you have been looking for this!  I was recently made aware of a company called Peggy Bank and I have to say, it is pretty cool. Peggy Bank takes the time to scan all of your photographs for you and upload them to an online vault for you to enjoy. When you sign up for Peggy Bank they immediately email you a Welcome email telling you how Peggy Bank works.  Basically, they will send you a box that has everything in it that you need to prepare to move the print photo's to digital.  In that email, you will also get a link to click and set up your own Peggy Bank account.  If you are one that doesn't want to have to lug a big box around, you can take comfort in knowing that home pick up from Fed-Ex is included in your price!  After you set up your account, you wait for your box to arrive (shipped Fed-Ex)  then you put in whatever you are wanting to have go online... Then you log into your acco...

 I have not had the time to read this yet, but I do plan on reading it as soon as I have time to get involved in a book.  Most of my days are spent trying to sneak in a page or two of a magazine.  I do have a very strong willed child, so I thin that this is going to come in handy.  For more than ten years, author, educator, and parent Cynthia Tobias in You Can’t Make Me (But I can Be Persuaded)  has been helping exasperated parents with proven techniques to motivate, discipline, and communicate with even the most frustrating strong-willed child. This updated revised paperback is now packed with even more incredibly practical and immediately useful strategies for bringing out the best in strong-willed children, from toddlers to teens. Difficult to discipline and at times impossible to motivate, strong-willed children present unique, frustrating, and often exhausting challenges to those who care for them. But now, the miracle parents long for can happen....

My friend Melissa at Frugal Creativity has a great giveaway going on.... and it is also telling you about a great organization, World Vision. Head on over and enter, you can win your choice of: Fair Trade Coffee Set Eco Cold Cup Hand Carved Serving Spoons Head on over and enter now...

We have a walking trail near us that I keep saying I am going to work on walking on it and trying to get in shape.  I have good intentions, but then every time you turn around,  I can find an excuse.  That is really a bad thing, but my excuses are valid... Not just like, I don't want to do it.. but rather such and such needs to be done during that time.. I have never made New Years Resolutions before, but Marc and I have talked about it... and we have HIGH HOPES for this new year... One of the main things is walking.  I have to start somewhere, so we plan for us to start using that walking track this year!  I am excited about it because I have a new product that is going to make me happy. I was sent a " handana " for review and I tell you what, not exercising yet... but it is comfy! What exactly is a handana?  It is a sweatband that is so much more... It is a must have for anyone that sweats.. If you are running, biking, participating in Zumba or an...