Boost Your Buzz Has Begun - Enter To Win $1000

Enter the Boost Your Buzz $1,000 Giveaway! One lucky person is going to win $1000 USD paid via Paypal!

Participants will follow various social media accounts of different companies/blogs (ie. Google Friend Connect,Facebook and Twitter) to gain entry into the giveaway. One entry for each blog/business they follow/like/subscribe, etc. Gain entries in this giveaway by following Heck Of A Bunch by email subscription, following on Twitter, or following on Google Friend Connect.

The giveaway starts August 1st 12 am EST and will run until August 15th 11:59 pm EST and is open worldwide.

$1,000 CASH prize will be delivered via Paypal after the winner has confirmed. The winner has 48 hours to confirm their winning notification. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours of receipt of the winning email a new winner will them be drawn and so on and so forth.

Boost Your Buzz $1,000 Summer Giveaway can be entered on Survey Junkie, Simply Stacie or Little Yaya’s (you only have to enter on one of the sites as the forms will be the same on each).

I received no compensation for this post.  My blog is part of Boost Your Buzz and I paid a fee to be included.  Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services.  Your opinions and results may differ.

John Frieda Frizz-Ease - Free Samples and Giveaway

With John Frieda Frizz-Ease Hair Care products you can achieve flawless, frizz-free hair.  Correct, protect, and prevent frizz with their breakthrough line of shampoos, conditioners, stylers, and serums.  Keep your hair smooth and straight or flawlessly curly.

Right now you have the opportunity to receive free samples of the John Frieda Frizz-Ease Smooth Start Repairing Shampoo & Conditioner and the Frizz-Ease Original Strength Serum.  Just click this free sample link to sign up.  This offer is good while supplies last. 

Win It!

One person will receive a full-sized set of John Frieda Frizz-Ease Smooth Start Repairing Shampoo & Conditioner and Frizz-Ease Original Strength Serum.

Mandatory Entry:

Leave a comment with a John Frieda product you'd like to try.

Extra Entries:

Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect.

Subscribe to my blog via email.

Have my button on your blog.

Blog about this giveaway or enter it in a giveaway linky, +2 entries.

Follow Yes! Yolanda via Google Friend Connect.

Enter my Wallhogs giveaway.

One extra entry per relevant comment for commenting on any NON-GIVEAWAY post. Comments must be made during the duration of this giveaway. Come back here and tell me where you commented.

"Like" John Frieda US on Facebook.

Follow John Frieda US on Twitter, johnfriedaus.

Follow me on Twitter, partymix25.

Tweet about this giveaway, leave a link to the tweet (can be done once daily).

Sign up to receive John Frieda Frizz-Ease free samples.

Leave a separate comment for each entry and include your email address in the comments.  Giveaway is open to residents of the USA.  Giveaway ends 8/13/11 at 8 pm CST.  Winner will be randomly drawn and will have 48 hrs. to respond to email notification or a new winner will be drawn.

I received no compensation for this post.  This post is for informational and giveaway purposes.  Please do you own research before using services or purchasing products.  Your opinions and results may differ.

Sporting Pink To Support Team Court

Not only do I have my God given family, I have people at the campground that I consider family.  With these people, I have the same craziness and drama that I sometimes have with my own but I also have them around to attend our birthday parties and events, give a hug when I'm down, and put up with my goofiness.  I'm blessed to have the extended friends that I consider great enough to be called family. 

Thursday night, a bunch of us got together to support one of our campground girls.  Courtney competed in the local fair pageant and placed 3rd out of fifteen girls.  She also received the Ms. Congeniality award.  Not bad for her first time competing in a pageant!

To show our support, a bunch of people purchased Team Court shirts adorned with her contestant number and a pageant crown.  Oh, and they were BRIGHT pink!  Being a girl, I have no problem sporting pink.  But I was shocked at how many guys wore the shirts to show support.  I've never seen my husband in a pink shirt before.  Not that there's anything wrong with it, but he's kind of a manly man. 

Everywhere I looked at the fair, bright pink shirts were being worn.  I think we outnumbered anyone else there.  I was beginning to wonder if we were going to be mistaken for staff.

Courtney's dad even sported a black and pink bandana.

Even if she didn't win, Courtney is still a queen to us.

Wallhogs - Wall Decals Giveaway

Wallhogs is the pioneer of custom, lifesize, cut-out wall decals. For the past five years and over one million square feet of wall decal material printed, along with thousands of satisfied customers worldwide, Wallhogs has become the premier provider of wall decals for both personal and business use. All of their wall decal prints provide you the following features & benefits:

No Mess: adhesives are easily removable & reusable without leaving any residue or damaging application surfaces

All Wall Decals: produced using digital 6 color printers and are UV, water and scratch resistant

Fast Turnaround: majority of decals produced within 72 business hours (Photo-Tex media requires 5 business days)

FREE Services: offer free background removal and electronic proofing process at no extra charge!

Simply upload a digital photo, hi-res or vector graphic, provide Wallhogs with some simple instructions and they'll print your custom wall decal on your choice of reusable vinyl, reusable Photo-Tex or professional glossy poster paper.  You can also shop the Wallhogs Catalog for premade decals to purchase.

Win It!

One person will win a gift certificate from Wallhogs to create their own 48" wall decal.

Mandatory Entry:

Leave a comment with something you learned from the Wallhogs FAQs.

Extra Entries:

Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect.

Subscribe to my blog via email.

Have my button on your blog.

Blog about this giveaway or enter it in a giveaway linky, +2 entries.

Leave a comment with a premade Wallhogs wall decal that you like.

Follow me on Twitter, partymix25.

Follow Wallhogs on Twitter, wallhogs.

Tweet about this giveaway, leave a link to the tweet (can be done once daily).

Follow Yes! Yolanda via Google Friend Connect, +2 entries.

One extra entry per relevant comment for commenting on any NON-GIVEAWAY post. Comments must be made during the duration of this giveaway. Come back here and tell me where you commented.

Enter my Dreamworks "The Help" giveaway.

Leave a separate comment for each entry and include your email address in the comments.  Giveaway is open to residents of the USA.  Giveaway ends 8/13/11 at 8 pm CST.  Winner will be randomly drawn and will have 48 hrs. to respond to email notification or a new winner will be drawn.

I received no compensation for this post.  This post is for informational and giveaway purposes.  Please do your own research before purchasing products.  Your opinions and results may differ.

A Delicious and Easy Barbeque with Hormel Foods

As a Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger, I was given the opportunity to host a delicious barbeque feast for family and friends.  I hosted a get-together at camp a couple of weekends ago and included products from the Hormel Foods line.

At camp, there's always cookouts and barbeques going on.  One night my family might cook a meal and host a gathering for our camp friends to come over and eat grub with us.  The next night, we'll go over to a friend's campsite to eat their food.  It's a way to sample different meals, keep from having to cook every meal, and enjoy time with good friends. 

After doing some research on Hormel Foods, I found that their products are versatile and can be used to fancy up a meal or just throw a quick carryout together.  There are several Hormel Foods recipes that I'm excited to try.  Some are quick and easy while others require more preparation.  For this particular cookout we had recently, we took the easy route and still had a delicious feast.

For the main course my husband grilled Hormel Always Tender pork tenderloins.  Hormel® Always Tender® flavored pork and beef are pre-seasoned with a marinade that guarantees the meat will remain succulent and flavorful, even if you over-cook it.  My husband is a master griller and his food always comes out tasting great.  The tenderloins were no exception.  I had several people comment on how moist and delicious they were.  The tenderloins required no seasoning or marinade because they were already coated with it.  Both were mouthwatering and were not tough at all.

Hormel Real Bacon Bits were used atop individual salads.  The salads also included lettuce, Ranch dressing, and shredded cheese.  I'm a lover of all things bacon and probably could've used the whole jar myself, but I was nice and shared.  Might not next time!

As an appetizer, I purchased some tortilla chips and CHI-CHI'S Salsa.  Guests used individual styrofoam bowls to put their preferred amount of chips and salsa in.

By purchasing a few Hormel Foods products, I was able to host an easy and inexpensive cookout for my campground friends.  Everyone enjoyed the flavors and combination of items together. 

As part of the Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger program, I received compensation to purchase products for my barbeque.  The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way.  Please do your own research before purchasing products.  Your opinions and results may differ.

Two Winners To Announce

Two of my giveaways have ended and the winners have been randomly drawn.  The winners have been emailed and have 48 hrs. to respond to email notification or new winner(s) will be drawn.

The winner of the Blue Bunny giveaway is #210, s8r8l33.

s8r8l33 said... 10

I follow Blue Bunny on Twitter @s8r8l33

July 27, 2011 10:04 PM

The winner of the Foundation for the Future giveaway is #120, marcia goss.

marcia goss said... 120

I follow you on Twitter @mgoss123.

July 29, 2011 6:16 PM

Congrats to the winners and thanks to all who entered.  Be sure to check out my other giveaways, listed at the top left hand side of my blog.  There's no limit to how many you can enter or how many you can win.

Protect Your Skin with Atopalm and Smart Girls Who Surf - Review

As a review blogger, I get the opportunity to try products and give my impression.  Two companies, Atopalm and Smart Girls Who Surf, recently allowed me to sample some of their products.  Both carry commodities that are beneficial to your skin.

ATOPALM is a line of products formulated specfically for dry,sensitive and sun damaged skin. The unique,paraben free, patented MLE-Multi Lamellar Emulsion formulas containing plant derived ingredients,mimic the structure of the natural skin lipids and provide the ultimate in revitalizing the skins' moisture through the restoration of the skin's protective moisture barrier system. This enables it to successfully moisturize, soothe and calm skin that is experiencing agitation from allergies, rosacea and other conditions related to dry and sensitive skin. These products are perfect for those who are ready for serious skin treatment with a unique combination of effective ingredients designed to be gentle enough to be used on sensitive skin.

I was able to try the Intensive Moisturizing Cream and the Daytime Undermakeup Moisture Cream from ATOPALM.  I have very dry skin that required constant maintenance.  I've been applying both creams to my skin and they've been favorable to the areas that are especially dry.  When I'm getting ready for work, I apply the Daytime Undermakeup Moisture Cream to my face before applying makeup.  When I'm getting ready for bed, I apply the Intensive Moisturizing Cream.  Using both of these daily has given my face a more youthful feel.  I like the tube application of the Undermakeup Moisture Cream more so than the jar application of the Intensive Moisturizing Cream.

Smart Girls Who Surf has three brands under their name, one of them being Smart Kids Who Play.  They know that skin cancer doesn't discriminate and they carry products that entice and simply a safe skin care regimen. 

My youngest girl was happy to try the Smart Kids Who Play SPF15 Sunscreen Lip Balm.  She's outside in the sun alot and burns easy without proper sunscreen.  With a cute purple packaging and grape flavor, this lip balm is made from all natural ingredients.  It keeps your lips hydrated and protected.  Emma wears it everytime she's going to be out in the sun for a long period of time.  She says the flavor tastes nice and she can wear it for a long time before having to put more on.


 

I received products for review.  The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way.  Please do your own research before purchasing products.  Your opinions and results may differ.

Dreamworks 'The Help' - Giveaway

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 as Skeeter, Viola Davis 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, installing 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.

The Help Fun Facts

The film is based on the phenomenal New York Times best-selling book by Kathryn Stockett.  With three million copies in print, "The Help" remained on the NYT best-seller list for 103 weeks, six of which were at No. 1.

The film was shot on location in and around Greenwood, Mississippi, and the citizens of Greenwood willingly pitched in to find period props for the film by digging around in their attics and basements.  Many even played extras in "The Help".  Even producer Brunson Green's grandmother's dress wound up in wardrobe.

Local chefs were brought in to make sure foods used in the scenes, from fried chicken to congealed salads, were regionally correct and also correct for the times, and a conscious effort was made to make it all look homemade - not fancy or store-bought - to add to the authenticity of the film.

Cast members spent a whole day in a ballroom learning how to do period dances, including the bunny hop - taught by Sissy Spacek.

Due to the intense summer heat in Mississippi, the filmmakers adjusted the schedule to shoot only indoors in the middle of the day.  Exteriors were shot in the early mornings and late afternoons.

Win It!

One person will win "The Help" movie prize pack that includes:

The Help t-shirt in adult female size (choice of S, M, L, XL)

The Help pocket jotter and pen

The Help fan

The Help nail file/mirror

Mandatory Entry:

Leave a comment with who you'd like to see this movie with.

Extra Entries:

Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect.

Subscribe to my blog via email.

Have my button on your blog.

"Like" The Help on Facebook.

Enter my Favor Affair giveaway.

One extra entry per relevant comment for commenting on any NON-GIVEAWAY post. Comments must be made during the duration of this giveaway. Come back here and tell me where you commented.

Follow Yes! Yolanda via Google Friend Connect, +2 entries.

Blog about this giveaway or enter it in a giveaway linky, +2 entries.

Follow me on Twitter, partymix25.

Follow The Help Movie on Twitter, helpmovie.

Tweet about this giveaway, leave a link to the tweet (can be done once daily).

Leave a separate comment for each entry and include your email address in the comments.  Giveaway is open to residents of the USA and Canada.  Giveaway ends 8/13/11 at 8 pm CST.  Winner will be randomly drawn and will have 48 hrs. to respond to email notification or a new winner will be drawn.

I received no compensation for this post.  This post is for giveaway and informational purposes.  Please do your own research before purchasing products.  Your opinions and results may differ.

K'NEX Kicks Off 2012 K'NEXpert Search

K’NEX is inviting kids to design a creative, original model made entirely from K’NEX parts. Three imaginative children – one from each of the three age groups: 5 to 6-year-olds; 7 to 8-year-olds; and, 9 to 12-year-olds - will each win a $20,000 savings bond for college. The winning builders will represent K’NEX as K’NEXperts during 2012, the company’s 20th anniversary year. The models made entirely of K’NEX pieces are judged on creativity, uniqueness and detail.

In addition to $20,000 for college (the largest award K’NEX has ever offered in this contest), the three grand prize winners will also receive a trip for three to K'NEX headquarters near Philadelphia, PA for the K’NEXpert Award Ceremony, where they can meet each other and discover, through company designers and a factory tour, how K’NEX is made. This fun video follows last year’s three grand prize winners through their day at K’NEX. Additionally, seven finalists will each receive $1,000 savings bonds and all ten winners will receive $250 worth of free K’NEX Building Sets, and their very own photo gallery page at www.knex.com.

The 2012 K’NEXpert Search will run through September 6, 2011. Parents and children can enter at http://www.knex.com/News_and_Events/2012-KNEXpert.php.

The K’NEXpert Search is open to U.S. and Canadian residents and there is no purchase necessary. For more information on K’NEX, the contest and previous winners, visit www.knex.com.

USEFUL LINKS:

K’NEX website – www.knex.com

K’NEXpert dedicated page - http://www.knex.com/News_and_Events/2012-KNEXpert.php

2012 K’NEXpert Rules & Details - http://www.knex.com/News_and_Events/2012-KNEXpert-rules.php

K’NEXpert Photo Gallery - http://www.knex.com/club/knexperts.php

Meet the 2011 K’NEXpert Grand Prize Winners Video - http://www.youtube.com/user/knexteam#p/u/1/eBsnV2v2mqI

In exchange for this post, I have the opportunity to win a gift.  Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services.  Your opinions and results may differ.

Favor Affair - Party Favors Giveaway

Favor Affair is a company that's being featured for the Heck Of A Celebration blog event I'm hosting.  During the event I will be featuring companies that offer products suitable for birthday parties.

Favor Affair is “where parties go from how to wow!” Their primary mission is to provide elegant, whimsical and unique favors for weddings, bridal showers, baby showers and other celebrations! Party hosts are always looking for a unique way to thank guests for attending their special event, and Favor Affair has an amazing selection of favors to do just that.

Favor Affair knows there’s more to party planning than choosing favors, so their second goal is to provide you with tips, ideas, tools and great recipes for hosting parties that people can’t wait to attend and buzz about long after! Their holiday- and event-specific i-Host series of party-planning e-guides covers all the essentials for popping the cork on the perfect New Year’s Eve party, celebrating National Hamburger Day, kicking off a super Superbowl party, going green for St. Patrick’s Day, planning the ultimate baby shower and many other uplifting, enjoyable moments in our lives. You can access their ever-expanding collection of e-guides by clicking the i-Host icon at the top of their homepage to sign up.

Their extraordinary favors are of the highest quality and purchased from manufacturers and artists around the world. Favor Affair combines top-of-the-line product with unparalleled support. Favor Affair offers live support to answer all of your questions about your unique favors.  In fact, they're available Mon-Fri 9am-8pm EST to help you make the best choices for your event.

Win It!

One person will win a $25 Favor Affair Gift Certificate.

Mandatory Entry:

Leave a comment with your favorite birthday party favors from their birthday party favors collection.

Extra Entries:

Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect.

Subscribe to my blog via email.

Have my button on your blog.

Have my Heck Of A Celebration button on your blog, +3 entries.

Blog about this giveaway or enter it in a giveaway linky, +2 entries.

One extra entry per relevant comment for commenting on any NON-GIVEAWAY post. Comments must be made during the duration of this giveaway. Come back here and tell me where you commented.

"Like" Favor Affair on Facebook.

Follow Favor Affair on Twitter, favoraffair.

Follow me on Twitter, partymix25.

Tweet about this giveaway, leave a link to the tweet (can be done once daily).

Leave a separate comment for each entry and include your email address in the comments.  Giveaway is open to residents of the USA.  Giveaway ends 8/13/11 at 8 pm CST.  Winner will be randomly drawn and will have 48 hrs. to respond to email notification or a new winner will be drawn.

I received no compensation for this post.  This post is for informational and giveaway purposes.  Please do your own research before purchasing products.  Your opinions and results may differ.

The Children's Place and Vitafusion Winners Are...

Two of my giveaways have ended and the winners have been randomly drawn.  The winners have 48 hrs. to respond to email notification or new winner(s) will be drawn.

The two winners of The Children's Place giveaway are #117 malika and #143 Angie.

malika said... 117

tweet

http://twitter.com/#!/sweetmaple123/status/95229942161350657

July 24, 2011 3:33 PM

Angie said... 143

Love the baby girl tiered print tank top!

July 27, 2011 12:15 AM

The winner of the Vitafusion giveaway is #89 BeautyToLove.

BeautyToLove said... 89

I added your Button to my Blog (Left Side)

http://beautytolove.blogspot.com


THANK YOU!! :)

July 27, 2011 3:25 PM

Congrats to the winners and thanks to all who entered.  If you haven't already, be sure to check out my other giveaways listed at the top left hand side of my blog.  There's no limit to how many you can enter or how many you can win.

Keepin' Company Thursdays - Week 54

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If you'd like to participate in Keepin' Company Thursdays, please follow these guidelines:

* Create a Keepin' Company Thursday post. Please include the Keepin' Company Button in your post.

* Follow the first two blogs, which are the hostesses: Heck of a Bunch and Traci66.

* Follow any of the other blogs you choose to and let them know you found them via Keepin' Company Thursday.

* If you get a follow via Keepin' Company Thursday please follow them back.

* Add your blog name and the URL to your Keepin' Company Post to the link below. There is no need to add your link twice. You can do so either on my blog or at Traci66. It will show up at both regardless.

* You can also grab the blog hop code to add to your post if you want the thumbnails to appear in your post.

* If you add the Keepin' Company button to your sidebar and leave either of the hosteses, Heck of a Bunch or Traci66, a comment letting us know where to find it we will randomly draw a blog to be in the #3 spot next week. This week's #3 spot goes to Thrifty Ninja.

My Child's Sense of Style

I have a big family with six kids.  Each child has their own personality and their own style.  I used to be able to pick each child's outfit for the day, but they've since grown their own personality for what they like to wear.  Back-to-school shopping will be starting soon and it's time to think about purchasing their supplies and clothing.

Emma - She's big into tie dye and peace signs.  She must've been a hippie in a past life.  She'll throw on a dress one day and look like a tomboy the next.  Headbands are her must-have hair accessory.

Shelby - Her sense of style is always changing.  It mostly depends on what her group of friends at the time are wearing.  For example, she went through a phase where she wore gym shorts and workout shirts when she had a friend who was into fitness.  Once that friendship ended, she latched onto a new style.  She loves accessories and it shows with her jewelry boxes of necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.  She was into dolling up all the time, but now wears tank tops and shorts due to the heat.  Once school starts back up, I think she'll be dressing up again.  Her closet could clothe a small country.

Allyson - She's a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl.  You won't find a dress on her.  In fact, that's why she won't go to any of the school dances, because they require dresses to be worn.  She's been wearing the feather clip-ons in her hair and likes to paint her nails different colors. 

Juliann - She likes hoodies in the winter and tank tops in the summer.  She's not much into caring what styles are in right now.  It's all about comfort.  Tie-dye clothing is her favorite.  During the warmer weather, her tank tops are plain in color while the shorts speak loudly.

Logan - As long as it fits, he'll wear it.  His clothes don't have to match.  His favorite shirts are the ones he's gotten from participating in 5K walk/runs.

Adam - Just in the last year, he's gotten into caring what he wears.  Plaid shorts are his fave in the summer and he wears zip-up hoodies all fall and winter long. 

Both boys used to share a wardrobe because they didn't care that they wore and they were the same size.  Within the last year, that has changed and each has emerged with their own sense of style.  Adam is heavier than Logan and has a more preppy look than his brother.
What's your child's sense of style?

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and jcpenney blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.  The opinions within this post are of my own.  Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services.  Your opinions and results may differ.

Cisco - As In The Dog, Not The Singer

I mentioned Tuesday that we got a new dog. Thought I'd debut pics of our new family addition, Cisco.  I'm not the biggest animal lover, but I've known Cisco for some time now and always enjoyed being around him.  He is seven years old and belonged to a co-worker of mine. 

He's so darn mild-mannered and has adjusted well to his new home.  His previous owner was kind enough to type up a two-page cheat sheet for us describing everything from his likes and dislikes to his quirks and feeding times.

Cisco has won over the hearts of our family.  Other than the fact that he wants petted every 2.5 seconds and he destroys his chew toys in 10.2 seconds, he's a dream dog.

Hapari Swimwear Model Contest

Hapari Swimwear makes modest swimwear and tankinis that are stylish and comfortable for all body types.  From now until September 20th, you can enter the Hapari Swimwear Model Contest for a chance to win $2500 and a trip to Florida.  If you are a woman 18 years of age or older, you can enter the contest by submitting your best picture in a swimsuit (kudos for wearing Hapari swimwear) and your contact information (Facebook name, phone number, and address).  Contest entries should be sent to entries@hapari.com. 

When you submit your entry, Hapari will post it on their Facebook page and tag you.  After the contest ends on September 20th, Hapari will announce the winner on their website and Facebook shortly afterwards.  The winner is chosen by Hapari Swimwear owners. 

The winner will receive a trip to Florida to model in Hapari's 2012 photoshoot, $2500 payment, photos published on the website, advertisements, catalogs, and other Hapari material.

I received compensation for this post.  The opinions within this post are of my own.  Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services.  Your opinions and results may differ.

Random Tuesday Thoughts - Family Addition

I'm beginning to think Keely is on permanent hiatus with Random Tuesday Thoughts. Stacy's been doing a nice job in her place, whether it be for internship status or permanent status.

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It's been three weeks and we are STILL moving stuff from one place to the other.  My husband and I will be getting the last two loads tonight and we'll be officially done with moving stuff.  With as much as we've got, I'm thinking it might take more than three weeks to unpack it all and put in its proper place. 

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Once again my previous landlord proved to me exactly why I moved in the first place.  She has hounded us and harassed us to the point I'm ready to claw my own eyeballs out and feed them to her.  (Maybe not that extreme, but close).  We are paid up until August 1st and don't have to officially be out until then.  We weren't bad tenants.  We didn't get evicted or told to move.  We chose to do it on our own and she's been tromping people in and out of the place while we've still got belongings there.  Even after we gave her express permission that we don't want anyone in there until we're out.  We even went so far as to lock the doors and she's still coming in and making herself at home.  It's people like her that make me recite the Serenity Prayer.

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I went to the store yesterday to grab something to eat for work.  I saw Halloween candy displayed on one of the end caps.  Maybe I'm the one who's lost my mind but I could've swore it was only July.  Marshmallow Peeps shaped like bats and pumpkins.  Really??? I doubt people are waiting in droves to get their Halloween candy supply stocked right now.

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We got two new really cool things this week.  We purchased a new (to us) golf cart so we can get back in the groove at camp.  I know it sounds really crazy but a golf cart is almost as necessary as oxygen there.  Not only because the campground is quite large to walk, but also because lots of golf cart games go on during the weekends.  We also got us a dog, a golden retriever to be exact.  Cisco is seven years old.  We got him from a co-worker.  He's a total baby who demands being petted every 2.5 seconds but he's perfect otherwise.  I'm not much of an animal lover, but he's won me over already.

-------------------

Happy RTT!

"Refresh Your Routine" with Daily Giveaways from Carefree

For women constantly on-the-go, it's important to stay and feel fresh. New Carefree Acti-Fresh liners are perfect for freshening up on the go – they’re so thin and absorbent, you’ll forget you’re even wearing a liner. Whether you're headed from work to happy hour or from the gym to pick up the kids at school, a panty liner, a breath mint, and a splash of body mist can help you instantly feel refreshed!

Check out the "Refresh Your Routine" daily sweepstakes (https://carefree.promo.eprize.com/giveaway/) now through September 4 for a chance to win prizes courtesy of the Carefree Brand that will encourage you to pamper yourself, inspire a new fitness/beauty routine, send you on a spa getaway or give you the night out you deserve!

You may also visit the prize calendar to explore all of the daily prizes and enter every day to win. What's more, every entry improves your chances of winning the grand prize - a spa getaway for two at the Red Mountain Spa Resort in Utah. For more information about the daily sweepstakes or new Carefree Acti-Fresh liners, visit www.carefreeliners.com.

I received no compensation for this post.  This post is for informational purposes only.  Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services.  Your opinions and results may differ.

Reminder - Two Giveaways Ending Tomorrow

Two of my giveaways will be ending tomorrow, July 27th, at 8 pm CST.  Be sure to get your entries in if you haven't already.

Camo Towel Buddy giveaway

Vitafusion Fiber Gummies giveaway

Make It A Movie Night - Giveaway

As part of a Redbox post promotion, I received a prize package of movie night goodies, one for myself and one to share with a friend.  Because I consider my readers to be online friends, I'd like to share the second prize package with one of you.

Morning Glory DVD Synopsis:
For Becky (Rachel McAdams, "The Notebook"), running a TV show in New York City was the big break she dreamed of…until star co-anchors Mike (Harrison Ford, Indiana Jones) and Colleen (Diane Keaton, "Something’s Gotta Give") declare an all-out, on-air war. Making the show work with its cast of eccentric characters and outrageous story angles will take a major miracle, but Becky is ready to rise and outshine.

Waiting For Superman DVD Synopsis:

From the Academy Award-winning Director of An Inconvenient Truth comes the groundbreaking feature film that provides an engaging and inspiring look at public education in the United States. Waiting For “Superman” has helped launch a movement to achieve a real and lasting change through the compelling stories of five unforgettable students such as Emily, a Silicon Valley eighth-grader who is afraid of being labeled as unfit for college and Francisco, a Bronx first-grader whose mom will do anything to give him a shot at a better life. Waiting For “Superman” will leave a lasting and powerful impression that you will want to share with your friends and family.

Win It!

One person will win a Movie Night Prize Package that includes:

Waiting For Superman DVD

Morning Glory DVD

Box of Sour Patch Kids candy

$25 DonorsChoose.org gift card

Ten coupons for free Redbox movie rentals

Mandatory Entry:

Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect.

Extra Entries:

Subscribe to my blog via email.

Have my button on your blog.

Blog about this giveaway or enter it in a giveaway linky, +2 entries.

Follow me on Twitter, partymix25.

Tweet about this giveaway, leave a link to the tweet (can be done once daily).

Enter my Tropical Traditions giveaway.

One extra entry per relevant comment for commenting on any NON-GIVEAWAY post. Comments must be made during the duration of this giveaway. Come back here and tell me where you commented.

Leave a separate comment for each entry and include your email address in the comments.  Giveaway is open to residents of the USA.  Giveaway ends 8/9/11 at 8 pm CST.  Winner will be randomly drawn and will have 48 hrs. to respond to email notification or a new winner will be drawn.

This giveaway is being sponsored by myself.  The opinions within this post are of my own.  Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services.  Your opinions and results may differ.

Tropical Traditions - Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil Review and Giveaway

I've heard of coconut oil before but, to be honest with you, the thought of using it was kind of offputting to me.  After all, I've been cooking with vegetable and corn oils all my life.  I like coconuts for a whole lot of things, but using it as an oil sounded a little weird to me.  But hey, I'm willing to try anything once  and Tropical Traditions gave me that opportunity.

The Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil is the highest quality coconut oil that the company has to offer.  It is made by hand and benefits families in the rurual areas of the Philippines where the coconuts grow.  Independent laboratory analysis shows it to be one of the highest quality coconut oils on the market, having the highest levels of antioxidants.

Even after reading about the benefits of using coconut oil and how Tropical Traditions produces it, I hesitated to try it.  Now that I've cooked foods with the coconut oil, I don't know what my problem was.  I browsed the free coconut recipes and, with a few personal alterations and touches of my own,  found a couple to try.  My first was the Mexican Style Pepper Chicken. 

The coconut oil works the same as other oils you cook with.  It comes packaged in a jar and doesn't require refrigeration.  It doesn't have a strong coconut flavor to it so it doesn't taste like you're eating a coconut-infused food.  The coconut oil sells for a little more than what you'd pay for some corn or vegetable oils, but it doesn't take a lot to cook with so a jar should last a while.

If you'd like to learn more about virgin coconut oil, you can watch a video entitled: "How We Discovered Virgin Coconut Oil - An Interview with Brian Shilhavy, CEO Tropical Traditions".  Also, you can acquire your own complimentary copy of the Virgin Coconut Oil book with your first online order.  The book will be automatically added to your order when you choose "Referred by a Friend" when ordering and enter 5601441.  Tropical Traditions customer service will assist you if you need help placing your first web order to capture the free book.

Win It!

One person will win a quart of Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil.

Mandatory Entry:

Subscribe to the Tropical Traditions email newsletter.

Extra Entries:

Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect.

Subscribe to my blog via email.

Have my button on your blog.

Blog about this giveaway or enter it in a giveaway linky, +2 entries.

Leave a comment with a coconut recipe you'd like to try.

Follow Tropical Traditions on Twitter, troptraditions.

Follow me on Twitter, partymix25.

Tweet about this giveaway, leave a link to the tweet (can be done once daily).

One extra entry per relevant comment for commenting on any NON-GIVEAWAY post. Comments must be made during the duration of this giveaway. Come back here and tell me where you commented.

"Like" Tropical Traditions on Facebook.

Leave a separate comment for each entry and include your email address in the comments.  Giveaway is open to residents of the USA.  Giveaway ends 8/9/11 at 8 pm CST.  Winner will be randomly drawn and will have 48 hrs. to respond to email notification or a new winner will be drawn.

I received product for review from Tropical Traditions.  The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way.  Please do your own research before purchasing products.  Your opinions and results may differ.