What's Up with Life Lately

It's been a while since I've really updated what's been up with life.  Not that it's exciting or anything, but, what the hey! 

I mentioned back in April that I'd had many "female" complications.  After several surgeries and procedures, I'm finally feeling somewhat normal.  I have absolutely no regrets about getting a hysterectomy.  I still have my uterus which keeps my hormones in check, so I haven't yet experienced any menopausal problems.

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Jason and Bristol taking a ride on the side-by-side

My husband started a new job a couple weeks ago working for a local Heating & Air company.  He just came back last week from a technical school, where he graduated in HVAC studies.  As a "gift" to himself, he purchased a used RZR Side-By-Side.  We can't wait to get it on the trails!

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Have you been watching the Olympics?  I'm not into sports but have to admit I've been watching the Olympics quite a bit this year.  I had no idea until tuning in, but I'm really liking Rugby!

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I'm not normally into musical either but I recently watched CHICAGO, put on by the local community theater, and I really liked it!  A friend invited me to go and I agreed but was secretly dreading it.  I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it.

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Back in the beginning of June I went on a girl's weekend getaway and we went kayaking.  Each of my shoulders had two long sunburnt strips.  Nowhere else really got sun but my shoulders hurt like the seventh level of Hell.  It took over a month for them to heal.  I'm almost certain it was along the lines of sun poisoning.

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Just like the rest of the country, it's been harder than heck to hire or retain employees.  We've never had it so bad.  Crime happens at all hours, so we don't get the pleasure of shutting down on certain days or times.  What this means for me is that I've been spending more time at work than at home.  My normal shift is 8 hours long but I've been doing a lot of 16-hour shifts, sometimes back-to-back.  It's definitely taking a toll.

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Sand bucket drinks made at camp, with a mix of alcohol and fruits

On the rare times I've been off work, we've been hanging out at the campground.

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So, there you have it.  Tell me, how have you been?

Check It Out: Savings.com #BTSwithJustice Giveaway

Savings.com is giving away five $100 e-gift cards to spend at Justice!

Giveaway ends on Thursday, July 29th at 11:59 PM PT

Five (5) winners will receive a $100 e-gift card to spend at Justice.

This post contains affiliate links.  Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services.  Your opinions and results may differ.

Original Gummi FunMix Celebrates with Big Sweepstakes

 

National Gummi Day was July 15th and Original Gummi FunMix is inviting candy-crazed consumers to Get The Party Started by entering a prize-packed sweepstakes!

Original Gummi FunMix® is inviting candy-crazed consumers to Get The Party Started™ by entering a prize-packed sweepstakes! One lucky grand prize winner will receive a $25,000 prize, with 1,000 additional winners receiving an exclusive branded t-shirt designed by world-renowned choreographer Matt Steffanina (@mattsteffanina), fun and fabulous laptop stickers, and bags on bags of Original Gummi FunMix® Gummi candies.

Candy lovers nationwide can enter for a chance to win by visiting the sweepstakes website or scanning the QR code in-store and submitting a selfie of themselves with a pack of any variety of Original Gummi FunMix®. Entries are limited to one per person per day and will be accepted until August 31, 2021 with no purchase necessary. See additional rules and details on how to enter for free at https://gummifunmix.com/sweepstakes-rules/.

“Original Gummi FunMix® is the best-kept secret in the world of Gummi candy… until now! With this promotion, they're giving consumers every reason to venture into a new world of mashups, flavors, and shapes they’ve never experienced before,” shared Lena Antin, Brand Manager for Original Gummi FunMix®. “What better way to kick off summer and celebrate National Gummi Day with Gummi-loving consumers than to give them the chance to #freetheparty and win $25,000* along with other exciting prizes!”

Featuring over 60 different gummies in 6 fun and delicious mixes, each bag of Original Gummi FunMix® promises a tasty, textured experience of fun and flavor, including:

Tropical Fish Party™: A sea of up to 18 exotic and mouthwatering combinations like Kiwi Guava & Mango, Passion Fruit & Lemonade, and Tropical Punch & Watermelon that will have your taste buds partying in tropical paradise.

Gummi Party®: A mouth-watering combination of 18 gummi favorites including Gummi Cherries, Gummi Swirl’z, Gummi Bears, Gummi Worms, Gummi Sharks and more.

Swirl’z Party®: A one of a kind fruit ‘n cream fusion in 5 assorted flavors including Oranges ‘n Cream, Lemon ‘n Cream, Lemon-Lime ‘n Cream, Strawberries ‘n Cream and Blue Raspberries ‘n Cream for a summery flavor soiree candy lovers will crave again and again.

Sour Party®: A tantalizing blend of 16 sour treats including bite-sized Rainbow Belts, Crème Filled Sour Licorice Straws, Sour Mini Worms, Sour Cherries, and many more.

Original Gummi FunMix® is available in-store at Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, and across the USA at favorite convenience stores, grocery stores, and other retail outlets, with online availability on Amazon in various packs and sizes including 4 oz. and 5oz. peg bags with a suggested retail of $1.00-$1.79 each. 

To enter the Sweepstakes and learn more about Original Gummi FunMix®, please visit https://gummifunmix.com/sweepstakes. 

I received products in exchange for this post.  Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services.  Your opinions and results may differ.

Celebrate Parents' Day (And Everyday) With Kyte Baby - Review

wearing my Kyte BABY leggings

 A special holiday that gets overlooked due to Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, is National Parents' Day on July 28th! It was established in 1994 by President Bill Clinton.  To be honest, I only recently knew about this holiday.  If my mom and dad were still alive, I'd definitely celebrate both of them on this special day.

If you have a parent (or baby or toddler) you want to celebrate, I'd recommend Kyte BABY.   Growing madly in popularity for their buttery soft clothes for babies, toddlers, and matching mom and dad pajama joggers sets, Kyte BABY is now offering new kids twirl dresses, pants and shirts! Kyte BABY was recently featured in Forbes, Reader’s Digest and on KTLA’s Unscripted! Unlike other baby apparel, Kyte BABY has the softest baby and adult pajamas that are economically sourced out of bamboo.  Bamboo is 3 degrees cooler than cotton, while also being hypoallergenic. The fabric itself also promotes the smart use of resources and sustainability. Bamboo is the best choice for your baby and for the planet’s future, and this way of thinking is evident in every aspect of Kyte BABY.  The company is passionate about supporting non-profits that supported the owner and her family. It donates a portion of its proceeds to The Folded Flag Foundation and Preface Project. 

I like to wear leggings often so I was excited to receive the Women's Leggings in Charcoal from Kyte BABY.  I've worn them several times already because they're so comfortable and they match many of my blouses.  Right now, Kyte BABY offers women's leggings in four different colors.  I chose my normal size of XL.  Although they fit well, I'd recommend ordering a size down if you want a snugger fit.  Made of bamboo and Spandex, these leggings are very soft.

I also received a burp cloth from Kyte BABY.  I have a grandson due in October and know how important burp cloths are for little ones.  I presented it to the mom-to-be and she was super excited.  There are several color options available for the burp cloths and they are mostly made of bamboo.  The burp cloths are made to be antibacterial and highly absorbent.  Plus, they come rolled up and tied with a cute ribbon.  

Kyte BABY knows what they're doing when it comes to bamboo merchandise for baby, toddlers, and parents.

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 or using services.  Your opinions and results may differ.

Check It Out: Savings.com #WinWithHP Giveaway

Savings.com is giving away two $250 e-gift cards to spend at HP!

Giveaway ends on Thursday, July 15th at 11:59 PM PT.

Two (2) winners will receive a $250 e-gift card to spend at HP.

This post contains affiliate links.  Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services.  Your opinions and results may differ.

A Cinderella Story: Starstruck - #CinderellaStarstruck Film Review

I received products in exchange for this post.  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 or using services.  Your opinions and results may differ.

Lights, Camera, Action! Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will have you singing and dancing in your seat with the release of A Cinderella Story: Starstuck, on Digital beginning June 29th, and on DVD on July 13th. The all-new musical film set in Dreary, Idaho stars Bailee Madison (A Week Away) as our modern-day heroine Finley Tremain and Michael Evans Behling (All American) as her charming romantic interest, Jackson Stone. Other featured actors include April Telek (Chris Watts: Confession of a Killer) as the cruel stepmother, Valerian, and step-siblings Saffron and Kale, played respectively by Lillian Doucet-Roche (A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish) and Richard Harmon (The 100).

A Cinderella Story: Starstruck will be available on Digital for $14.99 SRP ($14.99 in Canada), and on DVD for $19.98 SRP ($24.98 in Canada).

A Cinderella Story: Starstruck will also be available on Movies Anywhere. Using the free Movies Anywhere app and website, consumers can access all their eligible movies by connecting their Movies Anywhere account with their participating digital retailer accounts.

Film Overview:

Finley Tremaine, a small-town farm girl, longs to spread her wings and soar as an aspiring performer. When a Hollywood film crew arrives in her sleepy town, she is determined to land a role in the production and capture the attention of handsome lead actor Jackson Stone. Unfortunately, a botched audition forces her to change course. Now, disguised as cowboy “Huck,” Finley finally gets her big break. But can she keep the charade a secret from everyone, including her evil stepmother and devious step-siblings?

This is the sixth installment in the A Cinderella Story movie series. Other titles include A Cinderella Story (Hilary Duff), Another Cinderella Story (Selena Gomez), A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song (Lucy Hale) A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits (Sofia Carson), and A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish (Laura Marano). Michelle Johnston

BONUS FEATURES

· Finley’s Best Friends: Meet the Farm Animals

· Dirt Under My Nails: The Making of A Cinderella Story: Starstruck

My Review:

To celebrate the release of the movie, I had some of my nieces over to watch a viewing of A Cinderella Story: Starstruck.  We've seen a couple of the previous 'A Cinderella Story' movies and were excited to watch the latest.  

There's not a lot of originality to A Cinderella Story: Starstruck, but it was entertaining.  The film revolves around Finley, a farm girl, who is given an unsavory role in a production.  It's not exactly what she wants but it works out in the end.  She's made to go through slightly bitter experiences but keeps a cool, calm confidence throughout most of it.  The "country" feel of the movie was a fun spin, with country accents, songs, and farm animals.

I wasn't a big fan of some language used in the movie; I would've preferred different words than "stupid", "dammit", and "balls".  I did like the overall theme of the movie about believing in yourself and taking risks.  My tween nieces found this film to be charming and said they'd definitely recommend it.

cookies we received and ate during the viewing of A Cinderella Story: Starstruck

Paw Patrol 6-DVD Bundle - Giveaway

 In anticipation of the PAW Patrol’s first-ever theatrical release PAW Patrol: The Movie (coming to theaters Friday, August 20), Paramount and Nickelodeon Home Entertainment are releasing an all-new line look of the top-selling catalog titles of 2020. Each DVD features a faceplate that showcases a fan-favorite pup and includes a giant sticker that introduces each pup’s unique movie look. Parents and kids will want to collect them all!

The line look as carried by brick-and-mortar retailers includes the following PAW Patrol catalog DVDs: Mighty Pups (featuring Chase), Ultimate Rescue (featuring Marshall), Ready, Race, Rescue (featuring Skye), Jungle Rescues (featuring Rocky), The Great Pirate Rescue (featuring Rubble), and Pups Save Puplantis (featuring Zuma). Each DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $11.99.

Participating brick-and-mortar retailers include Walmart. Participating e-commerce retailers include Amazon.

Win It!

One person will win a Paw Patrol 6-DVD Bundle.

*This is a Rafflecopter giveaway open to residents of the USA.*

I received no compensation for this post.  This post is in partnership with PR firm.  Please do your own reseearch before purchasing products or using services.  Your opinions and results may differ.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Precious Moments: 30% Off Baby Gifts

Find the perfect baby gift at PreciousMoments.com. Whether someone in your audience is welcoming a new baby home or celebrating a baby’s first birthday, they are sure to find the right gift in the Precious Moments Baby Gift Guide.

For a limited time, they’re offering up to 30% off select baby gifts, including figurines, photo frames, bibs, and more -- no coupon code required! Even better, you can save even more with free shipping on orders over $75.  Offer expires 8/6/21.

This post contains affiliate links.  Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services.  Your opinions and results may differ.

Fourth of July Weekend at Woodyz Acres

Jason setting off a sky lantern

This is our second year celebrating 4th of July at Woodyz Acres in Missouri.  The campground never disappoints with activities and fireworks.  We ate lots of food, hung out with friends, and stayed up way too late all three nights.  

Friday night was mostly spent hanging around friends, acting goofy, and shooting off fireworks.  Saturday morning and early afternoon were activities but I stayed up way too late the night before and missed out on the Minnow Races and Poker Run.  

Jason wearing my tutu

It got around a lot over the weekend.  I can't count how many people ended up wearing that thing.

Jason left early Saturday morning because he was due back in town to help set off fireworks at the Country Club.  He left me to my own device!  Once I woke up and got around, several of us got together for a fish fry.  Then it was off to Bingo.  Somehow I got roped into being the caller.  Then the group of girls made Sand Bucket Drinks.  It was basically a mash-up of alcohol, fruit, and ice in sand buckets.  Dang delicious, but got some of the girls a little giddier than usual!  

You can't go wrong with pasta salads, beans, fried fish, fried green beans, fried onions, and hushpuppies.

Once dark hit, the campground set off fireworks.  It was a pretty good show.  People were still amped up, so we started a dance party in the middle of the road with a big bluetooth speaker.  The night lasted well into the early morning hours, with people going from site to site and making the most of it.  

me hanging out with Canada Dave during the fireworks

He is a war re-enactor in his spare time and dressed up for the festivities.

Representing in my 4th of July tee

Jason came back super early Sunday morning so my sleep was quite limited.  That's what I get for acting like I'm  younger than I am!  He smoked four racks of ribs and several of us gorged ourselves on an array of food. Sunday afternoon was a golf cart parade.  Several golf carts were decorated with a patriotic theme and went around the campground throwing out candy to kids.  That evening, fireworks were everywhere.  We ended up going down the road to the show put on by Dog Patch Fireworks.  When that was over, we  cruised the campground to watch more being set off by campers.  It became another late night (I didn't learn my lesson the first two!)

Dave and Tammy are good friends and theirs is a common place for people to hang.

Jason and I were also honored with custom OG SSC Woodyz Acres tshirts.  They were made for the original gang of Woodyz Acres, but we've become adopted honorary members.  We've also been given the nicknames of "Teddy Bear" and "MaMa Bear", which are logoed on the shirts.  

I have to say, this was one of the best 4th of July weekends yet!  Love my Woodyz Acres family. 

watching fireworks in our golf carts and side-by-sides

                 How was your 4th of July weekend?  What did you do to celebrate?