Tropicana OJ plus Vitamin C & Zinc

So my latest BzzCampaign from BzzAgent is the new Tropicana orange juice with extra Vitamin C & Zinc. I was pretty sure I was going to hate it, I've tried juice with extra stuff added like this before and I've never been a fan. I accepted the invite to join the campaign a while ago and had actually forgot that the juice was even coming. It was some kind of kismet I think because I was just coming down with a cold. Now don't get me wrong, this stuff isn't going to cure anything, but liquids are always good when you're sick and the extra Vitamin C & Zinc, well they certainly weren't going to hurt.

I poured a small glass, and was pleasantly surprised. It tasted really good. It was nothing like the other orange juice with added vitamins that I had tried in the past. Since finishing off that original free bottle, I have purchased 3 more bottles. The price is comparable with other OJ brands and it's been in stock every time I've looked for it. I found it at Kroger, but I'm sure it's available in most places.

**EDIT** Apparently the sentence above (now highlighted in bold print) did not suffice as full disclosure. So, I received a bottle of Tropicana OJ plus Vitamin C & Zinc for free to try in exchange for my honest opinion.

Free 8x10 Print at Walgreens

Admittedly, I'm not a huge fan of Walgreens. I had too many problems with their pharmacy to frequent the one near me when the cleaner, more efficient, CVS is just as close and open 24 hours. However, now and then Walgreens has this offer for a free 8x10 print and that's pretty cool. Usually the offers seem to be for one day only, but this code is good through November 28. Use code 1FREE8X10 at checkout for your free print. You'll have to pick it up in store to avoid the shipping fee, though in my experience it's usually only about $1 so sometimes that's worth saving the trouble of driving to the store.

Cartwheel Kids Clothes Savings at Target

Right now the target app Cartwheel has a 20% off all Circo brand girls clothes. This works in the clearance rack too! I just bought my daughter a bunch of new clothes and paid no more than $7 for any one item. Most were under $3.00!

There are some other savings offers too for boys clothing and toddler clothing too!

If you've never even used Cartwheel, it's free and you can save tons. Since downloading the app I've saved a total of $542.72! That's a lot of money for nothing!

I Love Ulta

I have an addiction. It's makeup. I love trying new brands and finding great products. I shop at Ulta, probably more than I should, but after my separation and now divorce, looking good just makes me feel better. So I figure on a scale from harmless to rock bottom time for rehab, this makeup addiction is on the benign end of the spectrum. One of the things I love most about Ulta is their rewards program. I earn points for every purchase and those points are worth cash off of future purchases. The points never expire, so that's nice too. It's free to join and right now you can get a coupon for $10 off your next purchase just for signing up!

Free Fancy Feast Cat Food Sample

I don't actually have a cat. However we do have a neighborhood cat. I think he has a home a few houses down the block, but he shows up hungry on a semi-regular basis. So, when things like this pop up I always order them, just to have on hand. This offer is painless, they don't ask you to watch a video or share a photo like some freebie offers. The link to the form is on the right hand side of the page.

Nook Book vs. Paperback

I was just shopping on Barnes and Noble's website. A book in one of the series that I read faithfully just came out and I wanted to download it. Then I noticed that the price for the Nook Book version was practically double the price of the paperback copy. That seems a little ridiculous given the cost to produce the eBook vs the cost produce the paperback book has got to be significantly less. 

Now admittedly, I don't have the exact numbers. It just stands to reason that a book being delivered electronically should be less than the same book printed on paper, bound and shipped from where it's produced to where it's actually distributed from. 

I didn't buy the book. 

Not yet anyways. I recently picked up a hardcover in another series I love at Costco, so maybe when I finish Sue Grafton's "X" I'll check back on the price of Laurel K. Hamilton's "Dead Ice". 

Halloween Wreath DIY

I decided to get a little crafty this week! 

I already had all the materials here in my ridiculous crafting stockpile. The wreath itself I purchased a couple years ago at Dollar Tree. I picked up a few since they were just $1 each. (Which reminds me, I should probably check out the dollar store craft section soon, it's been a while.) The tulle I ordered on eBay. I sometimes just watch random craft items like this to find auctions that end incredibly cheap. I paid between $0.25-$2.00 a roll. This was the first time I had actually used tulle and it was surprisingly easy to work with. Much easier than I expected anyway. The spiderweb ribbon I picked up on sale at Michael's last year after Halloween. All in all I'd estimate the wrest cost about $6 to make. If you've priced wreaths of any kind lately, that's quite a bargain. 

I started by making the pom-pom flowers from the tulle. I read online that I'd need a darning needle and thick thread, but instead I used a regular sewing needle and regular thread. Mostly because I don't actually know what a darning needle is and I certainly don't have one laying around. I don't think so anyways... To make sure the knot didn't just slide through holes in the tulle I cut a little piece of a fabric scrap, folded it in half, and slid it on the thread, down to the knot, before starting. 

For the larger pom flowers I cut 2 pieces, roughly 25" of tulle, layered them together, and folded them in half. I did the stitches down the crease. The stitches don't have to be neat or even in any way. After stitching from one end to the other, I pulled the thread taught and pushed the tulle backwards to form the pleats.

 I then took another tiny piece of scrap fabric to finish this end. Then to finish this piece of the flower, I simply sewed the 2 tiny pieces of fabric together. 

I set this piece aside and made pom-pom from the opposite color of tulle. I made it just like I'd make a pom-pom from yarn. I now some people have templates or fancy things that they use for making pom-poms. Me? I just wrap the material around my hand. 

Depending on the size of the ball, I wrap it tight or loosely. And I just eyeball the amount I use, usually about and inch thick on each side. I snipped the tulle, slipped it off my hand and tied it in the middle with some bakers twine. (Purchased in the $1 bins at Target). I left a few inches of the string hanging, which I pulled through the hole in the center of the bottom piece of the tulle flower that I had set aside before. 

I cut another piece of tulle, the same color as the bottom piece of the flower, roughly 8" long. I tied the baker twine in the center of this piece and pulled it tight. Now, I cut the twine short. This final tulle piece is what I used to tie the flowers to wreath. If they stuck out too far, I trimmed them slightly. 

To make the smaller pom flowers the only thing I really changed was how I made the bottom piece. For these I only used 1 piece of tulle, roughly 25". I folded it into thirds and put the stitches down the edge that would keep it sealed. 

The ribbon I just wove through the wreath. I tied it behind the flowers since it can't be seen there. 

The tulle bow was made very simply. It is not actually tied like a bow at all. I just decided how big I wanted it, looped tulle together and tied it in the center with a small piece of tulle to form the bow loops. I cut strips of tulle for the bow strings, folded them in half, layered them and then tied them along with the loops in the center again with another small piece of tulle.

 I used tulle to make the hanger as well, I looped it twice and you could make it as long or short as you want. I used one last small piece of tulle to fasten the bow to the hanger, again right in the center. 

** All the measurements here are approximate. I don't generally measure when I craft unless, you know, it's super necessary for the project. 

Good Cook Bakeware

Admittedly, I bake pretty often. I'm a stress baker, so over the last year I've made my fair share of muffins and cupcakes. Because of this, over the course of this past year I've purchased some new bakeware, including some new muffin tins. 

Yesterday, I made some banana bread muffins for a friend who was going out of town for a job. When I was washing the tin afterwards I noticed that one of the cups had come out of its slot. At first I thought maybe I could just pop it back into place... I was wrong. 

Now don't get me wrong, this isn't a huge deal. I have other muffin tins and this one is still useable in a pinch. I just think that something like this should remain intact more than a year. Bakeware and cookware used to be made to last. My grandma had the same stuff for decades. 

I'm definitely not impressed with the quality of Good Cook. 

Finished Stove

Well, I finished the stove. 

I actually finished it a few days ago but I've been staring at it everyday, deciding if I like it or not. When I first finished, I was thinking that this was probably my first major DIY fail. It was definitely not love at first sight like with the finished fridge. 

I have to admit though, it's growing on me. I'm not sure if that's because I actually like it or if I'm just dreading a redo. At first glance I thought it looked like one of those brown stoves from the 70's. The bronze just didn't come out quite as I had imagined. I think my first mistake was buying paint at the craft store rather than Home Depot. The paint said it worked on metal, and it did. Sort of. It just took A LOT of coats to cover. I also didn't take in to account the way bronze would look against the black parts of my stove. I don't like the combo as much as I thought I would. 

For now, I'm leaving it. But in the coming weeks it's very possible that I'll be repainting it. 

Never Say Divorce Memes

I see memes like this on Facebook all the time. Maybe I'm being over sensitive, but every time one of my friends posts one I want to throat punch them. (Or your know, unfriend them). 

I admit, before I was married, I felt this way too. I couldn't foresee a future where the man I decided to marry would do something so horrendous that I couldn't get past it. 

As it turns out I married a man who cheated. A lot. He was an habitual cheater. A serial adulterer. In fact I don't think the man was ever faithful, but I think he and I had different definitions of faithful. To me, you can be unfaithful and not be currently cheating. There's a big difference. Cheating is the actual physical act of adultry. Being unfaithful is everything else that goes along with it. So to me, my ex was maybe not always cheating but he was never faithful. At one point he had a girlfriend, was also sleeping with her sister AND was sleeping with prostitutes he found on Craigslist. As it turns out, the prostitute thing was something he did on a regular basis all along. 

I'm writing this all rather nonchalantly now, I've had plenty of time to process it. At the time that all of this came to light? I was horrified. We seperated for some time.... and then I took him back. Looking back it was attitudes like this meme that allowed me to think that staying in a bad marriage was a good idea. Now my ex wasn't just a cheater he was a rotten husband in other ways that I'm not quite ready to delve into here, so when things were bad they were REALLY bad. However on the flip side, when things were good, they seemed really good.

 I grew up with a single mother. I wanted my daughter to grow up with both of her parents. I assumed that as my husband aged, he would somehow grow out of the bad behavior and that eventually things would be fine. He swore up and down that he wasn't cheating anymore. He even had an app on his phone that allowed me to track him. Then I went on vacation with the kids and my family. My ex stayed behind. I spoke to him every evening that we were gone. As it turns out, he was sleeping with Craigslist hookers at 3 in the afternoon. When I returned home, I found a paper with the name of a cheap motel and room number written on it. That's when all his lies really started to unravel. I realized that he had never stopped cheating. He had just learned to hide it better. One way that he would get money for the prostitutes without me knowing was to prepay for gas. See he would take a $100 bill and walk into the gas station and use it to prepay for gas. The attendant would give him a receipt for the gas, showing that he had spent the $100. Then he was free to pump whatever amount he wanted and come back for his change. Now he has a receipt accounting for the money to show me and cash in his pocket to spend on girls. Pretty ingenious, right? 

It was finally to the point where I had to take a serious look at our situation. This is real life, not Pretty Woman. These aren't nice girls hooking their way through med school. These are likely drug users who were banging his money in their arm the minute he'd leave. His sex addiction was going to kill us both and he refused to get any help. Hell, maybe I'm wrong here and there was no sex addiction. Maybe he was just a horny douchbag. Either way? I couldn't remain married to him. 

So yeah, when I see my friends post memes like this, I take it personal. After everything, I still believe in love. I still believe in the institution of marriage. I don't know if either will come my way again, but I'm hopeful. I also know that not every marriage is fixable. Not every problem can be worked out. It takes two people to make a marriage but it only takes one to destroy it. My marriage was not something I could fix myself, no matter how hard I tried. 

I know that with him gone, my life is simpler. I'm happier. My kids are happier. I'm a better parent without all the stress brought on by being married to a cheating jerk. Now, if he would just pay a little child support....

Cargo Blush...looks can be deceiving

For quite some time now I've been wanting to try out Cargo's blush. It's regularly $26 for each metal tub so when Ulta had it on sale for $13 during their 21 Days of Beauty Sale I snapped up 2. (I probably would have bought another but they sold out of the other color I wanted to try very quickly)

The containers look pretty huge when compared to other similar products. I had read reviews stating there was a lot of product for the money. However when my 2 arrived one was detached from the packaging. Now it's not a big deal when it comes to using the blush. The blush itself wasn't broken but as you can see from the picture there is a plastic spacer that takes up over half of the metal container. The actual amount of blush is very average. 

This isn't to say that I'm not pleased with the product. It turns out I really do like the blush. The water resistant Los Cabos (the orangey one) is actually very flattering. I've been mixing it with the regular powder blush in Catalina and I'm loving the color combo. I'm just surprised that a company that generally has minimalistic packaging is making their containers appear to contain more than they do. Yes, there is a weight clearly stamped on the back. I'm not saying they're committing fraud or anything that serious, but if I hadn't received the particular package that I did, I would have expected it to last much longer and probably been kind of annoyed when I realized it was almost empty less than half way to the bottom of the tub. 

First Coat....

Just finished the first coat of copper paint on the stove. And....it's a little scary. As of now it doesn't look very good. I'm still hopeful though. The first coat on the fridge looked pretty rough so I'm hoping that the stove will turn out well too. The metallic paint seems a bit more sheer so I think it may take some additional coats to cover. 

Stove Makeover: Step One

So since the fridge painting went so well I decided to start on the stove today. I bought some copper colored paint at the craft store the other day, it says it's good for metal and is safe for indoor and outdoor projects. I started today by sanding and priming the stove with the Glidden Gripper again. I taped off the stove top and door, though for whatever reason the Frog Tape that I love so much absolutely refused to stick to the glass. I used bleach cleaner and dried it completely but my favorite painter's tape wouldn't stick. I ended up using some orange Scotch tape I had bought on clearance for my daughter to craft with. 

Here's a pic of the first stage. Once the primer is dry I'll start in with the paint. Hopefully I'll have some nice pics to share of the finished project soon!

Save on Halloween at Target

Today only Target has a great deal on their Cartwheel app: 40% halloween costumes. They've got 40% off Hershey Candy Halloween assortment bags too, but the costume is the biggie I think. 

If you don't have the cartwheel app and you shop at Target, do yourself a favor and download it. 

Right now. 

Seriously, I'll wait. 

This app is fantastic. The more you save, the more spaces you unlock to be able to save even more. Since downloading this app I've saved over $500! I mean come on, that's huge. That's $500 that stayed in my pocket. The savings was on things I needed to buy anyway so it's even better. The app is free so there's nothing to lose. 

Man I love Target. 

Glitter Tile Wall

Another room on my small budget, DIY, home makeover list, is my bathroom. We only have the one, I'd seriously sell an organ for a second bath. Well maybe for a second bath and a basement. Organs seem pretty valuable....

But since that doesn't seem like a viable option, I'm stuck working with the one and only bathroom I have. The wall behind the toilet is white tile. Well, I'm not sure what the original color is, from what I saw behind the trim I think it's some sort of a burgundy / gray combo, but when I bought the house it had already been painted white. I've given it a couple more white coats in the last 10 years, the most recent being a couple weeks ago. I also pulled up the old, ugly linoleum and put down tile. Sticky tile, but still. It's a vast improvement and I did it all by myself. (Really REALLY proud of that one!)  I painted the walls a soft green, and replaced the shower curtain. I also used Mdoge Podge to attach some black and white damask paper to the plastic plates surrounding the light switch and electric plugs. It was a huge improvement all around but it needed something...more. 

And then it hit me. 

Glitter. 

The bathroom needed glitter. I decided to add some sparkle to that tile wall behind the toilet. So I picked up some Modge Podge. I have a decent supply, but for this I wanted something extra strong. I bought the kind that says it's indoor/outdoor and dishwasher safe. I figure if it can go outside and go through the dishwasher, it should be good enough to hold up some glitter in my bathroom. I might not have worried as much in any other room (I use Modge Podge a LOT) but the ventilation in my tiny bathroom isn't great so I wanted to make sure the steam didn't ruin my work. 

I picked up some extra fine white glitter. It gave the wall I really pretty opalescent sparkle. I started by cleaning the tile with bleach just to make sure it was extra clean so everything would stick. I mixed some Midge Podge and glitter in a small bowl and started painting. Originally, I used a foam brush but it wasn't working as well as I thought it would so I ended up using a regular paint brush. It took several coats but it's come out exactly the way I had hoped. I love it! Now the only thing left to do is look around for the next thing in the house I can glitter....

Finished Fridge

So it took me a few extra days to completely finish he fridge, mostly because I was putting off the trip to the craft store. I love Michael's. I really do. However...every time I go in there for a few quick things I end up needing to refinance my house to foot the bill. No, no, I suppose it's not really quite that bad but I'm totally guilty of way too many impulse buys when I shop for craft supplies. 

This time I needed white ribbon to finish the board I made to cover the ice maker in the freezer door. I downloaded the Michael's app so I was able to get some coupons to help cover all the things I bought in addition to the ribbon. 

Anyways, I think it came out pretty well. I'm sorry, I didn't take any pictures of the process, though it was really pretty simple. I used a random piece of cardboard, (It was actually part of the box from the new toilet seat I installed in the bathroom.), a couple old tee shirts which I cut up and layered over the cardboard to add a little padding, and a piece of fabric I had laying around. The ribbon I had in my bow making supplies, but since I ran out half way through I had to make that aforementioned trip to the craft store for more. I actually attached everything with duct tape. The ribbon is just woven, over-under to keep it a little extra secure. Th fabric I chose has a grid pattern on it so it was easier to place each ribbon equidistant from the one before. 

Overall I'm pretty geeked about the total transformation. I picked up some bronze paint to do the stove (and maybe the microwave, depending on how well the stove looks) so hopefully the kitchen will start to take shape soon! 

Benefits of the Chalkboard Fridge

My oldest is 15. He is an awesome kid and a super nice big brother. He's also insanely forgetful and tends to overlook things. The chalkboard fridge provides a space for a reminder even he can't miss. This is definitely one of the best DIY projects I've done!

Kindergarten Homework

I feel like I need to preface this post by saying that my daughter happens to love homework. She actually instructed me to "Treat me like my brother. Tell me I can't play until my homework is finished." 

...

Last year at kindergarten round up, when we met with the teachers and had things explained to us (parents) we were told that the kids would receive optional homework. We were told that they were learning all day and while it was nice for them to do educational things at home as well, some kids just weren't up to it. That seems to make sense to me. I talk with the other mothers. I know some of their kids are burned out and tired at the end of the day. The transition from preschool 3 hours a day, 3 days a week to kindergarten 5 full days a week has been more difficult for some. 

So when the September homework packet and ready log came home I assumed it was the optional homework that had been discussed last Spring. My daughter did 3 pages in one sitting. The book report, we have yet to finish. Yes. Book report. 

Today, a newsletter came home informing us of the due date of the September homework packet.  Seeing as I thought it was optional, I was surprised at the due date with no mention of completion being a choice. Now don't get me wrong, my daughter is loving it. I don't mind one bit doing a book report with her, but I know some of my fellow parents are less than thrilled. 

This homework sitch is not the only thing that has changed from the parent meeting last year. We were told the kids could read or do something like play Legos alone during nap time, as long as they were quiet. It was explained as more of a rest and relaxation, quiet time than an actual nap time. They said that some kids still really need that nap, but for those that don't it's ok to just entertain themselves quietly. According to my daughter, that has not been the case. In fact, my daughter the little people pleaser that she is, actually pretends to sleep just so she is following the rules to a T. 

There are a few other minor details that have changed but these too are the biggies for me. 

Chalkboard Fridge Success!

I'm super excited to report that my efforts to make my once ugly fridge into a giant chalkboard were successful! 

It's come out even better than I expected. I'm not sure if it was the gripper primer or the chalkboard paint, but I used a brush and there aren't any brush strokes in the paint on the metal. The handles came out reasonably well with the gloss black I used. I also painted over the controls for the water / ice maker in the freezer door. If they actually functioned properly I would probably have painted over them anyway and used a chalk marker to label them just to be cute, but unfortunately the ice maker doesn't work. So I'm in the process of making a ribbon message board to cover it up. I'll post pics once I get it done, I just ran out of the white ribbon I'm using so I won't be able to finish it until I have a chance to get over to the craft store. Michael's is a dangerous place though. I could drop a small fortune there without much effort. If I bring my daughter? Oh no. I'll have to mortgage my house to pay the bill. So I will most likely not be making that trip until Monday when she's in school. 

I Hate DirectTV

A couple years back I decided to switch from cable to satellite. The initial offer was pretty good and I was told that since there were a lot of trees in my neighborhood, if the signal wasn't great after trying to reposition the dish a couple times that I would be released from my contract without penalty. 

Yeah, that didn't happen. Well, the problems getting a decent signal happened. They just refused to honor their promise to let me out of the contract. Yes, I suppose could have just stopped paying the bill, however it would be a black mark on my credit, which after some of the shady things my ex pulled, I really want to avoid. Also, in the fine print they explain that once you pay with a credit card or bank account, if you fail to complete your contract they will simply charge your card or account with the amount they feel you owe. 

So I was stuck with awful service that went out each time it rained, snowed or the sky got a little cloudy. Basically, the times when you really want to kick back and watch some TV it was impossible. Now I could use my DVR and watch shows I had already recorded when the weather was bad, but if there was something scheduled to record when the conditions outside weren't perfect? Forget about it. 

Now today I woke up to find th main receiver in th living room won't turn on. I tried turning it off and turning it back on. I tried hitting the reset button. I keep getting the same error. I'm not certain how the receiver broke while it was shut off and we were all sleeping, it was working last night before I went to bed, but I'm taking this as a sign. My contract is finally up and I've been putting off changing providers because, well I don't know why, it just seemed like a hassle and any changes give me a little anxiety. 

So now I just have to decide between XFinity with Comcast or UVerse with AT&T. Decisions, decisions...

Ipsy Glam Bag September

This month my Ipsy glam bag has some great shades for Fall. The lotion is really great, it's my favorite item so far. I love getting these surprise bags every month. They use the profile I filled out to pick great samples to try. Sometimes there are delux sample size products and sometimes they're full size. I've gotten makeup brushes, nail polish, all kinds of cool beauty items. Usually the products are rather expensive brands so it's a nice way to try them before committing to spending a lot on something you may not love. It costs $10 per month and each set comes with a makeup bag. I really like that about Ipsy. Click here to check it out!  

Ibotta

One way to get a little money back from shopping trips is by downloading the Ibotta app. There are lots of rebates for each store. Once you reach $10 you can cash out via PayPal or choose a gift card option. I always just go for the cash. Since downloading the app I've earned almost $195 back. Below is a pic of my total cash back earnings. 

If you sign up its nice to join a team so you can earn the teamwork bonuses each month. The bigger the team, the more money everyone earns. If you'd like to join my team the code is: munnw 

Ugly Fridge No More...I Hope

I admit it. I'm a Pinterest junkie. I love that app more than I probably should. Recently I've been really into DIY home improvement. My ex really messed some things up. He would start a project and never finish it. Over the 8 years we were married, these projects really began to mount up. I was trying to put into words my reason for feeling like I needed to make some changes around my house after the divorce and my best friend really put it best. He said, " Instead of looking at everything your ex did wrong, now you get to look around at all the things you did right." He couldn't have possibly said it any better. So my latest project is the fridge. It's ugly. The water / ice maker hasn't worked since my ex brought it home. So today I decided to do something about it. First I started by turning off the valve to the water so it won't drip at all. Then I plugged up the hole completely so that no air escapes. I bought s primer that I read about on Pinterest, Glidden Gripper. I covered the entire fridge in this primer. Tomorrow, I'll be painting it with black chalkboard paint. It's a project I've seen online a few times and funny enough, on the Disney Channel show, Good Luck Charlie, their refrigerator is painted completely in chalkboard paint too. So here are the pics of the first step in the process, so far so good. Hopefully the end results will come out just as well. 

The primer dried pretty quickly, but as I was going, I painted part of the handles, leaving a space unpainted so I could still open the fridge. Once the rest of the primer dried I primed the empty section of the door handle. The last pic is of the fridge completely primed. 

 

Ulta, beauty steals

This month Ulta has different products on sale every day. This isn't your average sale, these are significant discounts on some really great products. I'm a beauty product junkie. I love makeup and I firmly believe that you don't get the same quality with drugstore brands as you do with the higher end brands. Today they have one of my favorite mascaras on sale. Normally $21 each, Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4 in 1 Mascara is 50% off making it $10.50! There is also a sale on Pur Minerals Mineral Mist, regularly priced at $19, for $10 today. I've never tried this so I can't recommend it one way or the other though.

Back to School

I know my daughter is getting older. I'm not totally in denial...not totally. I admit, I still refer to her as "the baby" when I'm talking to the dogs (don't judge me). I say things like "Awww give the baby kisses." or "Don't jump on the baby!" or "Be good, I'll be right back, I just have to pick up the baby." She started kindergarten this week. Now, it's in the same building as her preschool, but it's still a big change. The preschool, while held in the same building as the elementary school, is run through the district but is not free like the rest of the public school. The preschool has its own separate entrance and the kids didn't attend all day or even every day. When she was 3, she went 2 days a week, 3 hours per day. When she was 4, she went 3 days a week, 3 hours per day. Now, she's in real elementary school, attending 5 full days every week. The first 3 days were half days to help get the kids (and probably the parents) acclimated. It really hit me this week. She's on this school journey for, at the very least, the next 13 years. Add in college, and this is really a long process that is starting right now. I'm having commitment issues for her. It's just such a long time. She's still my baby and I'm not sure I'm ready for her to go out into the world without me. But life doesn't slow down and wait for me to be ready. We're both jumping in feet first, and I have to admit it's going well. She's ready for this. She is incredibly bright and consciences. She cares about her friends and cares about always following the rules. Her preschool teachers told me she was the kind of kid kindergarten teachers fight over. She loves school and se loves learning. These things make it a little easier for me to let go, but it's still a little crushing. Given my current status as a recently divorced mom, chances are this is my last baby. And she's not a baby anymore.

Time Management

One of the biggest changes I've faced becoming a single parent vs. having a partner is that I've had to figure out better time management. When I had my husband here, I had at the very least a second set of adult hands. I had a second person in the household with a driver's license.
If my infrequent blog posts over the past 2 months are any indication, I'm definitely lacking super mom time management skills. So while I definitely don't miss all the lying and cheating, I do feel the loss of a partner. I guess I never really had a true life partner, but that ability to drive a car and lift heavy objects is definitely something of which I feel the loss.

All of the Sparkle, None of the Mess

I love glitter. All things that sparkle are pretty awesome in my book.
That being said, I HATE cleaning up glitter messes. It seems like no matter what I do, there is always glitter left behind. My daughter uses glitter once and I'll be finding it in strange places for the rest of the year. I don't know how, but it seems to travel. And multiply.
Enter Melissa and Doug Mess Free Glitter.
I have to admit, I was skeptical as to how well this would work. My daughter got 2 packages, one to make stickers and one to make pictures. Amazingly, it worked, well...amazingly. She was able to make the projects with very little parental assistance and just like the name states, there was no mess from the glitter. I'm very impressed and we will definitely be buying these as gifts in the near future! The sets are fairly inexpensive, especially considering the time children will sit quietly making their projects. I found them at Target, but I'm sure they're anywhere Melissa and Doug products are sold.

Free 8x10 Print at Walgreens

This code is only good through the end of today, but I just used it so I know it's good.
With the code FREE2PRINT you can get a free 8x10 photo print at Walgreens. These are normally priced at $3.99 and if you chose store pickup, your total cost will be $0. I chose to have it mailed to me, which made the cost $1.05. I paid it with PayPal, I love when stores accept PayPal!
In total it took me less time to upload and order the photo than it has to type this blog post. It was quick and easy.

Bic Soleil, Make Your Own Sun

The Bic Soleil, Make Your Own Sun Sweepstakes is back!
Each day you have a chance to win a prize and each time you enter you're also getting a chance to win their grand prize, a sunny getaway for two! Even if you entered last year, you'll have to register again this year. Though once you fill out the registration form the 1st time, you can do the quick entry every day that follows.
Last year I won a free pack of razors. Granted, not a huge prize, but definitely one I used!

Foap

I recently came across a fairly addicting app called Foap.
Foap is an app that allows you to upload your pictures and sell them. It's not a ton of money, you earn $5.00 for each picture you sell and you can sell the same picture more than once. Now, submitting photos does not guarantee that they will be published, and being published does not guarantee a sale. It really is a lot of fun though! Other users rate your photos, and you in return rate theirs. It's 1-5 star rating system.
If this sounds like something you're interested in, you can download their app for free from iTunes or Google Play. I'm not including a link because the site you find online, while still accessible with your user name and password from the app, is for people who want to purchase the photos.

Swagbucks and Bing Rewards

If you are searching anything online and not getting rewarded, you are seriously missing out. Swagbucks was the first rewards search site I signed up for years ago. Since signing up I have gotten lots of great rewards, Macys gift cards, Amazon gift cards and even cash via PayPal. You literally get something for nothing. When put like that, not signing up seems pretty silly, doesn't it? It's free to join, so there's nothing to lose.

Bing Rewards is the second rewards search site I belong to. I have to admit, I use this one more often now. I feel like the actual search results are better. If you ever use Bing's search engine and you're not a member, it's like losing money! There are lots of different rewards, I always redeem my points for Amazon gift cards though. Like Swagbucks, Bing Rewards is free to join.
Google better step their game up...

Pur Minerals

I really like Pur Minerals 4 in 1 Pressed Mineral Foundation. So when I saw a great deal on a fairly large set containing the powder that I use every day, I jumped at the deal. It was straight from the Pur Minerals site, so I wasn't worried about any issues with a shady 3rd party seller. I placed my order on April 5th.
On April 16th I received an email stating that my order had finally shipped. I thought this was a pretty long time to wait to ship my order, but the deal was really good, so I figured that maybe more people than they expected took advantage of it, which would account for the delay. So I waited. And I waited.
When it still hadn't arrived by today, I decided to call the company.
First I was told that they showed my package being delivered on April 14th. I asked how that was possible given that my email showed it wasn't even shipped until the 16th. There was a very long pause, after which she explained that there was just a delay in the system and that my order had actually shipped on April 8th. There was another fairly long pause, followed by her telling me that her system showed my order was sent to Minnesota. That's a problem...since I live in Michigan. There was no explanation for why my order was sent to the wrong state, my shipping address was correct in her computer.
When all was finally said and done, I was told that my order would re-ship tomorrow. Hopefully this time it makes it to the correct state. Only time will tell.

The Majority Project

I am a Mommy.
I am a "pit bull" dog owner.
I am the majority.

The Majority Project is all about showcasing responsible pit bull owners. These dogs get so much bad press and are subject to so much unearned fear and prejudice. I hope anyone who has any doubts as to whether these dogs make amazing family pets will check this site out. Yes, there are awful people who use these awesomely loyal dogs for fighting. There are many more regular, everyday people who love and cherish their bully breed dog like a member of their family.

Build A Bear

My youngest had her 5th birthday last week. As her special day wish, she wanted to go to Build-A-Bear.
OK. It's her birthday, and I don't mind going there every now and then. That place can get expensive though! There are so many little add-ons that can seriously raise the price of that little bear. (Or in this case dog.)
To start, there is a fairly large price range of animal options to start with. Then you can choose to add sounds, a realistic heart beat and now even scents. Yes, scents. I personally can't think of many things more disgusting than some air freshener scented stuffed toy, but they must appeal to some people since they're still available for sale.
Now once you get through putting the toy together, the real expense comes into play: the clothing and accessories. Did you know they sell boxer briefs for these bears? It cracks me up every time I see them. There are so many options and while the individual pieces are not insanely expensive, they really add up quickly.
One way I've found to save some money, you know, besides skipping the air freshener getting shoved in the bear, is to sign up for their emails and join their Stuff For Stuff club. For my daughter's birthday we were sent a coupon to save $5.00. I also just received another $5.00 coupon, I believe it was for Mother's Day. It doesn't buy you a whole lot, but it certainly helps. Also, you receive a point for each dollar you spend and when you get to 100 points they'll send you a certificate for $10.00 off your next purchase.

Pit bulls: Fact vs. Fiction

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I recently adopted a rescue dog. We've named him Remington, Remy for short. He is a giant love bug. He is convinced that he's a lap dog, though he's over 80lbs. If I sit on the floor, he comes every time and sits on my lap, like he really fits there. He is sweet and friendly with every animal he comes in contact with. In fact, a small dog actually growled and lunged at him on a leash trying to attack his face. My Remy wagged his tail and walked away. Zero aggression. He will play rough with my 15 year old, and then go through the same motions but in a completely gentle manor with my 5 year old. He never knocks her down and he is always ready with kisses when she puckers up right in his face.
Remy is a complete love and he's also a Pit bull.
This breed is met with so much apprehension. They are the most likely to be euthanized in shelters, and in most places cannot be adopted out to the general public without a rescue group to pull them. Countless cities have breed specific legislation, holding pities to a different standard than any other breed. People who truly mean no harm, spread the incorrect "facts" they've been taught, perpetuating the cycle of fear.
In reality, chances are, everything you've heard over the years about Pit bulls is untrue. The first myth I think should be addressed because it's the one I hear most often, is that Pitt bulls have locking jaws. That is just not true. Pitt bulls' jaws are not built any different from any other dogs' jaws. Think about it, physiologically what kind of mechanism would have to be in their mouths to allow their jaws to lock and unlock at will? How exactly would that work? Exactly. It wouldn't. Pitt bulls are strong dogs. If they are not letting go of something, it's because they don't want to. Certainly not because their jaws have locked on to it. If ANY dog has lock jaw, they need to see a vet immediately. This includes pitties.
The next myth that I think needs to be addressed is that Pitt bulls can snap at any time and turn on their owners. Statistically, this just isn't the case. Pitt bulls are dogs. That's it. They are no more likely than any other breed to turn on a person. You should always consider a dog's body language before approaching. It is incredibly rare for any dog to just attack out of no where. Generally when any dog attacks it's out of fear or pain, or in the case of female dogs, protecting their puppies. As moms, I'm sure we can all understand that maternal instinct to go all mama bear on anyone you see as a threat to your kiddos.
Next up is the idea that Pitt bulls are bred to be mean and they naturally have poor temperaments. A lot of people seem to think that Pitt bulls are basically bad dogs, and the few that are well behaved just had exceptional training. In reality, Pitt bulls consistently pass temperament testing with flying colors. They are not just naturally mean, they love people more often than not, and it's only bad owners who use their dogs' loyalty to their detriment, and those are in the minority.
Basically what it comes down to is that Pitt bulls are just dogs. They are no more dangerous than any other large breed dog. If anything, because they are so over bred and so often abandoned, they deserve our love and protection more than most breeds. These dogs are victims of the actions of human beings much more often than we are victims or theirs. These are wonderful, loyal, loving and resilient animals, worthy of our love and understanding. If you're still on the fence, do some research for yourself. Look up Pitt bull myths or Pitt bulls as therapy dogs. But whatever you do, please don't be afraid. Next time you see someone walking a Pitt bull ask their owner if you can pet them. Most owners that I've met are breed advocates and more than willing to share stories of their beloved pet.

The Best Over The Counter Headache Medicine!

I get some seriously bad headaches. I have tried just about ever over the counter pain medicine out there. I've tried all the name brands, the off brands, and until recently I hadn't found anything that really worked. Then, while at a friend's house I was given a few of the most amazing pills ever.
There are a few things that make them so awesome. The first, and the most obvious, is that they work. Fast. I take 3 (yes, I know it's 1 more than any medicine recommends, but I don't care. I just want to kill the pain.) The second thing that makes these so awesome is the insanely low price.
So what are these miracle pills? Hold on to your hats! They're the Walmart brand, Equate! They cost $4 for 2 bottles of 100 caplets each. I don't know how Equate managed it, but everyone I know who has tried them has been amazed. For the fast relief they provide, I'd pay just about anything. The fact that they cost less than any other headache medicine I've ever seen, is just a bonus.

BaByliss Nano Titanium Hair Dryer

You know, I always wondered why anyone would spend more than $25-$30 on a hair dryer. I mean they all blow hot air, right? Why pay more for a fancy name brand, how much could more could a hair dryer really do?

Well, the BaByliss Nano Titanium Dryer answered those questions for me, loud and clear. Ok, actually it was pretty quietly, but message received. In just one use, without changing any other part of my beauty routine, the difference in my hair was obvious. Not only did it dry my hair in less than 1/2 the time my cheap hair dryer did, but it also left my hair soft and shiny. My hair was much less frizzy, so it also took much less time to straighten with my flat iron. It's a 2000 watt dryer, as opposed to the normal 1875 most commercial hair dryers are working with. I assume that is the reason behind the quicker drying time. I can't honestly say I know the science behind the other effects, but honestly I don't really care. All I know is that my hair looks great and it's shaving lots of time off of my morning routine. I couldn't be happier with it.
Now, I ordered the BaByliss dryer from Ulta, but I waited until I received a 20% off coupon since it's relatively expensive. It's regular price at the moment is $84.95.

WoofTrax

I recently adopted a rescue dog. While I was on the rescue's website I came across a page that listed ways you can contribute to the rescue without spending any money. One of the coolest was an app called WoofTrax. First let me say, it's completely free to download and it's available at both iTunes and Google Play. You sign up, register your dog or dogs, and then when you walk your dog, you just go to the app and follow the prompts to let them know you've started your walk. When you finish your walk, again you just hit the stop button on the app timer. Not only does this app seem to be motivating people to get up and get moving, it also donates money to your selected animal rescue organization. I have to suggest looking up Paws For Life Rescue in Michigan, they brought this amazing dog into my life and I'm so grateful! There are tons of rescues to choose from and honestly, all of them can benefit from donations. There are ads on the app, but they're not annoying nor do they get in the way, and I assume that they are how WoofTrax manages to donate money when the app is free.

Lawyer Fees

Received a bill from my attorney yesterday...
Not only have they run through the $6,500.00 I've put down already but I need to "Please Remit" another $3,000.00! Literally, nothing has happened. We are in the exact some place we were months ago. Apparently, the judge who heard our first settlement conference checked the wrong box somewhere and our court dates were canceled and it's cost thousands of dollars to rectify this mistake? Awesome. Awesome.
So not only did my deadbeat ex leave us with thousands in unpaid bills, and now refused to pay any child support, but it's going to cost upwards of $10,000.00 to get the cheating bastard out of my life. Absolutely fantastic.
I'm trying very hard to stay positive and just look on the bright side, but all the sides are looking fairly bleak at the moment. Especially when he shows up for his visitation with his new girlfriend in tow... Ugh.

GoGo Squeez Fruit & VeggieZ

By now I'm sure just about everyone has seen and/or purchased GoGo Squeez Applesauce. I know it's been a favorite in my house. So when BzzAgent sent me a box of GoGo Squeez Fruit & VeggieZ to try I was pretty excited. My 4 year old is insanely picky. There are very few things she will eat, and trying new foods? Forget about it! Thankfully, she already loves GoGo Squeez Strawberry Applesauce so when I gave her the pouch of GoGo Squeez Fruit & VeggieZ she thought nothing of it. She loves the taste and I love that there are some veggies snuck in there! We personally love the Boulder Berry flavor, which is apple, carrot & mixed berry. It's 100% fruit & veggies, 60 calories per pouch, all natural, gluten, nut & dairy free. We don't have any food tolerance issues, but I know it's a big concern for a lot of parents out there. Lastly, but definitely not least important, these are NON GMO Project verified.
I don't know about you, but I'm not seeing any downside here!

Ulta's 21 Days of Beauty

Right now Ulta is having sales every day on different products. These are not just a few dollars off kind of sales either. They are slashing prices on some pretty high end products, a few different products each day. Tomorrow, for example, the Exuviance Performance Peel will be 1/2 off, taking the price from $75 to just $37.50. I've been waiting for this sale! I received a sample of these pads in a bag from Ulta a little while back and absolutely fell in love. After just 1 use my skin looked better. So I'll definitely be ordering tomorrow!
The other sales I'm particularly excited about: on 3/20 the Clarisonic Mia will be reduced from $99 to $79. On 3/22 Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup is reduced to just $17! On 3/23 the price of SeroVital-hgh is reduced by 30% to $69.03.