World Vision Gift Catalog Giveaway

Christmas is just around the corner and as we all know, this is a time of giving. When we look outside of ourselves and  think of others.  World Vision is a perfect organization to give to during the holiday season and beyond.

World Vision’s Gift Catalog “offers items that change lives around the world.”
The catalog offers more than 250 gifts online and in the print version ranging in price from $16 to $39,000. These gifts can be purchased in the name of a family member, teacher, co-worker or child, including many affordable items under $50. Gifts available include, but are not limited to:


· Goats ($75): One of the most popular gift items because its milk provides protein for children and the surplus can be sold. More than 20,000 goats were purchased last year.

· Feed a family in the US for a day ($16): Here in the United States, 1 in 5 children lives in poverty. Gift givers can help restore hope to families that have been struck by disaster, homelessness or job loss.

· A child’s education ($32): Supplying school fees, textbooks, paper and pencils will help a child reach their full potential.

· Beehive ($150): Beekeeping is a sustainable, year-round way to generate income and is a great source of nutritious, medicinal honey and beeswax.

· Traditional water well ($13,700): A well can provide more than 2,800 gallons of fresh water every day – enough for up to 300 people – for years to come.

The best part about these gifts is that they are self-sustainable. For example, goats given to communities in Africa are purchased in Africa. This allows transformational community development within the most poverty-stricken villages. The gifts can also sometimes double or even triple, as shown in the box below on the right (The World Vision Difference).

World Vision has also designed a way for donors to see these self-sustainable gifts in action in real time through “The True Spirit of Christmas Tour.” For the third consecutive year, World Vision staff will be traveling across the world this December to see the impact that goats, sheep and other gifts have on families and children. Donors can follow “The True Spirit of Christmas” on Facebook at www.facebook.com/truespiritofchristmas.


I absolutely love Word Vision. They are at all the Women of Faith conferences to allow us to bless children around the world by choosing one to support.
I received a beautiful Artisan Multi-colored Necklace as an example of the creations that are made. This necklace helps fight human trafficking. “Every 48” strand is a one-of-a-kind creation that can be worn long or short, as a bracelet or even a belt.”

The first night I wore it, to our church’s Thanksgiving Pie Social, I was asked about my necklace! What a great way to initiate a conversation!

I love the hearts at the bottom when I wear it as a necklace, because I’m always playing with them and it reminds me why I’m wearing the necklace.

What’s also nice about this necklace, is that if you donate $100 to the Maximum Impact Fund you will get this necklace for free! There are other price levels and items you can choose as well.

Now you have the opportunity to win this very same necklace.

*I received the necklace for review purposes. The opinions expressed are my own and never influenced by the company/organization

Wordless Wednesday: Thanksgiving

Its always so wonderful when we can get together as a family. I miss having my daughters live with me. This is the first year I haven't had my 2nd daughter with us for Thanksgiving because she had to work. =(

Candle Warmers Giveaway

I absolutely love having a beautiful fragrance flowing through my home. It can set the tone for family atmosphere. Candle Warmers not only give a wonderful array of scents, their beautiful warmers.

I received the beautiful Candle Warmer Cross. As much as I like to share with my family (my boys) I brought this down to my room so I could enjoy it downstairs. I have used my Cross Warmer every single night since I received it! I decided to go with the Christmas Day Wax Melts. It makes my room smell so wonderful and cozy.

I was just looking through the Candle Warmer site and realized these would be perfect for college dorm rooms. My daughter can't burn candles and since Candle Warmers come with a light and are electric, it would make a perfect gift for her and her roommate!

I have wanted to try the Peppermint, but I'm not exactly sure what to do. I'm kind of in a quandary. I don't know what I'd do with the wax melt that's already in the Warmer lid. The site says they can be remelted time and time again so I'm thinking it can be poured back into the packaging it came in. And yes, folks, it works just like that! Was easy to pour back into the mold!

I'm loving how beautiful this Cross Warmer is and love having it in my room, all to myself! Now to make my room smell like Peppermint!

ScentSicles Scented Ornaments Giveaway

I love the smells of Christmas. They bring to mind all the wonderful aspects of the holidays. ScentSicles are a wonderful product to bring the smells of Christmas into your home.

When my boys were opening the box they came in, my youngest kept saying, "it smells so good." LOL he knows what smells good! Immediately we opened up the ScentSicle Ornaments to get a better idea of what they smelled like individually. I love that without opening up the top, you can squeeze the container and the scent will waft out of the small hole in it.

My first thought of the Fresh Cut Fir was that it would be perfect to put into an artificial Christmas tree. It's a very strong scent and would make the tree smell perfect! Next was the Cinnamon Stick and that was my favorite. It's one I plan on hanging in various rooms around the house. I'll put a little hook on the top, that's included with the tube of ornaments.

Made of natural fibers sourced from sustainable resources and infused with pure fragrance, ScentSicles offer a no-mess, no-flame, simple way to make artificial holiday greenery smell real, enhance the scent of a live tree, or just add scent as a decoration to any room. They are perfect for Secret Santas or ideal for hostess gifts. When friends and family gather at your home for parties or for the big day, ScentSicles are a great way to add a quick boost of holiday spirit to your home. ScentSicles come in four inviting holiday scents: Fresh-Cut Fir, Fresh-Cut Pine, Fresh-Cut Spruce and Cinnamon Stick.


ScentSicles are available seasonally at Wal-Mart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Lowes, Michaels, Cracker Barrel, Hallmark, select Home Depot stores nationwide and several other fine retailers.

*I was given samples for review. The opinions expressed are my own and never influenced by the company.

Bodycology Giveaway

I love when the holidays come around and it's time to start picking out gifts for those near and dear. Sometimes it's the little gifts that let them know they've been thought of. And when it comes to my girl friends, I love to give girlie gifts. That's where Bodycology comes in so handy.

They have the cutest gift ideas and stocking stuffers! I've used Bodycology products in the past and enjoy sharing them as little gifts to let people know they've been thought of.

Starting in November, shoppers will be able to build their very own bodycology gift set in several Walmart locations nationwide. You will have the pleasure of choosing from several festive colored gift bags (which includes tissue paper) as well as a variety of our favorite fragrances and products in order to build that perfect gift set for someone special— and all at an affordable price. The gift bag retails for .50¢ while the products retail for $3.97 a piece. We’d love for you to get the word out and share this with your readers!

In addition, bodycology has two pre-packaged Gift Sets available this holiday season including their Mini Stocking Stuffer and Mini Bath Bundle.

Now you have the chance to win one of 9 Bodycology Mini Bath Bundles!

I received the product for review. The opinions expressed are my own and are never influenced by the company.

Carmex Healing Lotion Collection Giveaway

As I've shared in the past, Minnesota can bring out the dry skin in the most moisturized person you could ever meet. Work is always the worst for me because I'm constantly washing and drying my hands. Carmex is now a staple in my file at work.

I carry a bottle in my purse, leave one in my van and have another at home. Seriously, you can't live without healing hand lotion and live in Minnesota. Well, I can't at least.

So, what have I learned about Carmex® after the last few weeks of use? I know that the Carmex® Healing Cream is best at work on my hands. It's rich and thick and exactly the kind of protection I need in that dry atmosphere. The Carmex® Healing Lotion is perfect for applying throughout the day when I'm at home or just futzing around. Neither of these lotions leaves a greasy feeling after applying which is important for me because I'm always touching stuff like my face and papers. Who wants to leave a greasy smudge somewhere?


 Carmex Healing Cream

• Use on your driest skin— especially hands, feet, elbows and knees; available in tube or NEW handy little tin
• 9 healing ingredients penetrate and help repair your very dry, rough or cracked skin
• Concentrated—use a small amount
• Absorbs fast for a non-greasy feel; has a light, pleasant scent

Carmex Healing Lotion

• Use anywhere skin feels dry;
  available in tube or NEW pump
• Daily use will help protect skin and keep dryness away
• Rich healing ingredients, including Aloe and Vitamin E, nourish and moisturize skin
• Absorbs fast for a non-greasy feel; has a light, pleasant scent

At work yesterday, I had just finished lathering my hands with Carmex® and my coworker came by and said, "Someone just put on Carmex®!" I laughed and wondered how she knew that and she said her husband lives by the stuff so she knows what it smells like. I wasn't sure whether that was good or bad, so I said, "Sorry," in which she replied, "No, I love it!" =) I have to admit, I do, too. The scent is very light and not overwhelming like some perfumed hand lotions can be.

Now it's your chance to win:

• 1 Carmex Healing Lotion
• 1 Carmex Healing Cream
• 1 Travel size Carmex Healing Lotion
• 1 Travel size Carmex Healing Cream

*I'm a Carmex blogger and received these same products for review. The opinions expressed are my own and never influenced by the company.

Young Justice: Season 1, Volume 2

My boys absolutely love Young Justice! When they started watching it earlier this Fall, I was happy that they'd found a Super Hero show to watch. To be honest, my boys watch a lot of shows that I think are plain weird. I've tried to watch with them before to no avail. So mindless.

On the other hand, with my oldest son, Buddy, being a tween a show that fits his age group is something he needs. Sure, it's a cartoon, but they still deal with issues while saving the world. I'd love for my boys to have Super Hero mentalities. =)

So, here's what Young Justice, Season 1 Volume 2 is about:

In Young Justice, being a teenager means proving yourself over and over—to peers, parents, teachers, mentors and, ultimately, to yourself. But what if you’re not just a normal teenager? What if you’re a teenage super hero? Are you ready to join the ranks of the great heroes and prove you’re worthy of the Justice League? That’s exactly what the members of Young Justice—Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Superboy, Miss Martian and Artemis—will found out, whether they have what it takes to be a proven hero. Based upon characters from DC Comics.

It was funny, because I know both of my boys have seen the Young Justice shows numerous times and when I hesitantly asked them if they were ok with watching it again their response was, "Yah, we love that show." Not kidding! When you have older kids you never know what kind of response you're going to get and this was what I was hoping for!

Young Justice: Season 1, Volume 2 came out on DVD October 25th! If you're looking for a fun gift for the kids, this would be a fabulous idea!

Did you used to watch any Super Hero cartoons when you were a kid? My Super Hero was Mighty Mouse!

Connect with WB: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

*We received the Young Justice DVD for review purposes. The opinions expressed are my own, and one from my boys, and are never influenced by the company.

Wordless Wednesday: Cardinal Football

Our rinky dinky little town has had success the last couple years with different sports teams going to State Competitions. This year, last Friday, our football team made it to State and they let school out early so the town could attend. Buddy went and had a blast! Unfortunately we lost, to another Cardinal team, but there was so much excitement that we'd finally made it!

Jersey Numbers

Doodle

Buddy

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Flash Giveaway $10 PayPal

With Christmas just around the corner, I wanted to do a 24 hour Flash Giveaway! Yes, it's $10, but it's $10 more than you might have had before you had the chance to win! This giveaway will end tonight at 11:59pm EST.

Sibu Review & Giveaway

I was sent Sibu Beauty products to try out. I've said this in other posts that my skin is super sensitive. I'm not afraid to admit I don't use any cleaning products on my face. I use water, that's it. When I was younger, into my late 20s, I'd try all different kinds of products to keep my face clean and moisturized, but I was constantly breaking out.

I finally threw my hands in the air and figured nothing is better than what's happening now. Since then, my face has been acne free. I know, who'd have thought, right? Only problem is, finding a product to moisturize my face and to repair damage that's been done over the years.

I was sent the Sea Buckthorn Repair & Protect facial cream, Sea Buckthorn Hydrating Serum, and Sea Buckthorn Facial Soap. This three are sold individually as well as a trio in the Repair & Protect, Cleanse & Detox Combo!

The Sea Buckthron Hydrating Serum has absolutely made my face feel refreshed. When it says it hydrates, that's exactly what I feel has happened after I've used the product. Even hours later I can still feel the lasting effect. I actually have to keep from rubbing my face to feel the smoothness.

The Sea Buckthorn Repair and Protect has the most wonderful citrus scent to it. Honestly, who wants to put a product on their face that has a bad smell? I use it every morning before work and love how light it feels on my face.

I haven't used the facial soap yet. I have to be honest and say that I've been nervous. It's a cleanser and that means "breaking out" to me. Yes, call me a chicken, but the other products have worked so far without me breaking out. I figure I'll give them a couple more weeks to see if I'll actually break out the soap.

Of course, one of my favorite aspects of Sibu is it's Paraben-FREE and Cruelty-FREE. No dairy, wheat, gluten, sodium, yeast or preservatives. Our sea buckthorn is sourced through fair trade agreements with local harvesters in Tibet. How amazing is that?

Our sea buckthorn facial cream, with omega 7 fatty acids, helps boost collagen production and creates the perfect barrier to moisturize, rejuvenate, repair and protect. This light, non-greasy cream is ideal for daily use and offers a pleasing, light citrus scent. It is paraben-free and cruelty-free, and contains NO dairy, yeast, wheat, gluten, sodium or preservatives.

Experience the ultimate in skin hydration. This light, non-oily serum will flood your skin with moisture an help deeply hydrate your face ad next to eliminate the tight, dry feeling caused by dehydration. Infused with vitamins and sea buckthorn extract, this serum fortifies the skin against the aging process and helps repair damage at a cellular level.

Awaken your skin and wash away a day of stress and pollutants with pure, simple and effective Sibu Beauty sea buckthorn facial soap. Lathers thick and rich to cleanse, moisturize, repair and detoxify the skin, while creating a protective barrier against UV rays and cell damaging free radicals. It is paraben-free and cruelty-free, and contains NO dairy, wheat, gluten, sodium, yeast or preservatives.

I'd like to thank Sibu for sending me sample products. The opinions expressed are my own and never influenced by the company.

Scandle Body Massage Candle Giveaway

Who doesn’t love massages or having moisturized skin? I have a dear friend who was a masseuse and she gave the best massages ever! Scandle Body Massage Candles would’ve been the perfect massage oil for her to use!
I’ve also had a handful of pedicures and after using Scandle know how delightful these massage oils would be for those as well as manicures.

Let me say that I live in Minnesota and the weather becomes extremely dry October-April. My hands suffer big time, especially at work. Well, after burning my Scandle Candle and using a bit of the wax oil, my hands are smooth and supple. I could feel a change immediately. Now, I know most people use Scandles for massages at home, but I don’t have that luxury right now. No one to give a massage to and not one to give one to. Sad, I know, but I hope to rectify that at some point.  *grin*

I received a Scandle Tin in Marguerite. I liked the scent well enough, but it probably wouldn’t be my go-to scent. I’m probably more of a Gardenia, Green Tea Aloe, Autumn Harvest kind of girl.

I like the idea of the Scandle lamp. It allows you to extend the burn of your candle without having to light it. I also like that you can use it to warm up the Scandle enough to put the fragrance into the air.

One of the items that looks very enticing to me is the Scandle Sea Salt Soak & Scrub They have an entire line of Unique Spa Treatments! What I love about the Soak & Scrub is that it’ll exfoliate which is perfect for winter skin flakiness!

Here’s a little more about the company:

“Made with 100% natural ingredients & plant derived essential oils, Scandle® Essentials burn 2 degrees above body temperature to produce a soothing oil that can be used for massage, manicures/pedicures, or as a daily moisturizer. 10oz, 4oz, and 10oz refills.”



*I received a Scandle tin for review. The opinions expressed are my own and are never influenced by the company.

Through a Child’s Eyes on Metro Cable Network

Staying in the Twin Cities for Thanksgiving? Going to have a houseful of kids needing to be entertained? Metro Cable Network – Channel 6 is offered 30 minutes of respite for harried hosts.

Throughout Thanksgiving Week channel 6 will be airing the premier episode of “Through a Child’s Eyes.” The concept of the locally produced program is to help kids ages 3 to 13 find new worlds to explore in the Twin Cities. After checking out a location they rate it based on: 1) If they had fun; 2) Did they learn something; and 3) Would they come back.

The cast takes a hands-on approach to exploring each venue. The initial installment features the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, which the kids rate a kid-friendly success. It can be seen twice on Thanksgiving Day at 10:30 AM and 5:00 PM.

The program is the brainchild of former newspaper executive Tom Losey. “I’ve always considered myself a story teller.”

His “stories” included features for his college newspaper and reporting about city council and school board meetings after he graduated. As Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Sun Newspapers he created the Twin Cities chain of suburban newspapers marketing and promotional programs. After he left the newspaper world he went on to write business and finance plans for local businesses.

“In each case my goal was to find a compelling way to get the facts out to the reader,” Losey recollects. “I was good at it.” When other business opportunities removed the function of “Story Teller” from his portfolio, he concluded he really missed the challenge.

“I wanted an opportunity to go back to basic reporting, creating stories on a more a personal level, how I started out in the newspaper business.” He found what he was looking for at SCC-TV in White Bear Lake. Suburban Community Channels has been recognized, two years in a row, as best in class of the nation’s community access stations.

Like the score of other public access studios that dot the metro, SCC provides independent producers the equipment and facilities necessary to create non-commercial TV programs. The programs are then cablecast to the homes in a particular geographic area. SCC’s channel 15 provides programming for 12 northeastern suburbs from Grant to North Saint Paul.

After taking classes to learn how to use cameras, lights, and editing applications, Losey started working on the programs of other independent producers. He was soon bored working on the “talking heads” community affairs programming that make up much of public access fare.

When a fellow producer asked him to produce the field segments his show, Losey found his niche. “Outside covering classic cars, air shows, eateries, horses, and llamas.” He nods, “The kind of stories I longed to tell.”

Creating programming for children was a natural outgrowth of his age according to Losey. “I’m old enough that my kids have kids of their own. When Linda and I combined households we ended up with eight grandkids.”

Tillie and her cousins Nanna (Easier to pronounce than Rhyanna) and Ayden explore the Arboretum’s Big Build.  Artist Patrick Dougherty along with more than 80 volunteers and Arboretum staff built the two story stick palace in the spring of 2010.  It is made up of thousands of twigs, branches, and saplings woven or twisted together.  Not a single nail or peg was used in the entire structure.

On the occasions they find themselves with one or more sets of grandkids, he and Linda usually try to find someplace to visit where the kids can explore and learn new things. “In fact, the Arboretum is one of our favorite haunts for that reason.”

This summer they found themselves with two of the kids for a weekend. It dawned on Losey that a visit to the Arboretum through a child’s eyes might make for entertaining TV. Two grandkids were expanded to six, a couple of neighborhood kids were thrown in for seasoning, and “Through a Child’s Eyes” was born.

For more information about “Through a Child’s Eyes” and a schedule for all the Thanksgiving Week airings, join us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ThroughAChildsEyes.TV

Kor Water Bottle Giveaway

At work, I’m constantly in need of hydration. It’s extremely dry at my store and I’m either visiting the water fountain or using a disposable water bottle. I prefer to use a reusable bottle and this is where the KOR Delta has fit the bill.
There are a lot of features that I absolutely love about this unique water bottle!

• The stone I can replace with other uplifting words
• The design that fits perfectly in my hand
• The non-slip base
• The lockable lid

Here’s what KOR has to say about the KOR Delta:
“KOR Delta incorporates everything we've learned about the art of high style, high performance hydration. It's an on-the-go vessel with a confident personality and groundbreaking new features. The versatile Delta features an easy-to-open, push button cap with ergonomic handle, KOR's Perfect Spout™, and a new safety latch for worry-free closure. The cap and vessel separate with a simple twist for easy cleaning.”


There are so many gorgeous designs I’d have to honestly say I’d like one from each collection. Is that too much for a girl to ask?

I have several personal water bottles, but another point that stands out to me is the mouth piece where we drink from. It’s gentle on the lips. I’m used to having a somewhat sharp edge and this one is rounded and “gentle”.

The KOR Delta Hydration Vessel Brings Change from KOR Water on Vimeo.
There really is so much more to love about KOR than their water bottle designs. “KOR has selected four nonprofits for the Thirst for Giving™ program based on the extraordinary work they are doing for the causes KOR supports.”

1. Ocean Protection (blue bottles)
2. Watershed Protection (green bottles)
3. Bottle Container Recycling (orange bottles)
4. Global Water Crisis (pink bottles)

I also think it would be really awesome to be so big some day I can get KOR water bottles with Woven by Words printed on them! Wouldn’t those be awesome to hand out at blogging conferences? Got your wheels turning now haven’t I? If you’re a blogger/business, check out the Co-Branding page for more details!



*I was sent a KOR Delta bottle for review. The opinions expressed are my own and never influenced by the company.

War Horse by Dreamworks Pictures

DreamWorks Pictures’ “War Horse,” director Steven Spielberg’s epic adventure, is a tale of loyalty, hope and tenacity set against a sweeping canvas of rural England and Europe during the First World War. “War Horse” begins with the remarkable friendship between a horse named Joey and a young man called Albert, who tames and trains him. When they are forcefully parted, the film follows the extraordinary journey of the horse as he moves through the war, changing and inspiring the lives of all those he meets—British cavalry, German soldiers, and a French farmer and his granddaughter—before the story reaches its emotional climax in the heart of No Man’s Land.

The First World War is experienced through the journey of this horse—an odyssey of joy and sorrow, passionate friendship and high adventure. “War Horse” is one of the great stories of friendship and war— a successful book, it was turned into a hugely successful international theatrical hit that is currently on Broadway. It now comes to screen in an epic adaptation by one of the great directors in film history.

“Like” WAR HORSE on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/warhorsemovie

WAR HORSE rides into theaters on Christmas Day, December 25th!

DreamWorks Pictures’ “War Horse,” director Steven Spielberg’s epic adventure, is a tale of loyalty, hope and tenacity set against a sweeping canvas of rural England and Europe during the First World War.

The Song of Unmaking by D. Barkley Briggs & A G1VEAWAY

The Song of Unmaking
by D. Barkley Briggs
Publisher: Living Ink Books


About the Book:

He was once the greatest champion in the land. Then he disappeared. With Nemesia's defeat, the Barlows have helped turn the tide in the Hidden Lands. But the victory is short-lived. An even greater evil stirs in the north with a fierce new army bent on destruction. As the twins, Gabe and Garret, discover their own special powers, a thin thread of hope emerges: long ago, a fabled king was rescued from death on our world and hidden on Karac Tor. Who is he? Each brother has their part to play. Hadyn must travel north to warn the land rulers, which leaves Ewan with a bitter choice. Will he sacrifice what is most precious to discover whether Corus lives? Even more important, if Corus is alive, can he wake the Sleeping King of legend...before it's too late? 


My Review:


I have to be honest, I've been waiting for this book to come out for a long time! Briggs does NOT disappoint. I grew up reading fantasy/sci fi so I have a somewhat high standard when it comes to that genre. Even more so when it's a Christian novel. Making sure that it's clear about good vs evil, that there is a God and not all hocus pocus is an important point for Christian fantasy.


Now, this is book 3 in the Legends of Korac Tor and it would behoove you to read the first two. There are people, places and words that you'd familiarize yourself with and be able to understand the dynamics between the characters.


The brothers are still clinging to hope that one day an answer will be found and they'll make it back to their world. As the brothers go about living in this world I try to imagine what it's like for Ewan to have traded away his powers while his brothers continue to harness theirs. Briggs certainly helps us empathize with Ewan's plight.


The Goths are on the attack and Odessa is trying to keep them at bay. She knows she only has so much time and all could be lost, but she holds out hope, barely.


Then there's the machine that is being built throughout the story. As the brothers try to find a way to stop it there's a few bumps and bruises along the way!


As you weave your way through The Song of Unmaking, you will be drawn into this world and find it hard to leave behind! I can't tell you how thrilled I am to have another D. Barkley Briggs book in my hand. He knows how to tug at your emotions and have you pulling for the good guys! I can't wait for my boys to get a bit older so they can dive into this series!

About the Author

D. Barkley Briggs is an author with a background in radio, public relations, product development, and-for eleven years-pastoring. He and his wife Jeanie, both previously widowed, live in the Midwest along with their eight children. (Yes, we are regularly amazed, too.) Learn more athiddenlands.net


About the Giveaway:



“The Fantasy Prize Pack Giveaway" contains forty-­‐eight (48) of the best YA Christian fantasy novels on the planet, plus a brand new Kindle  Fire™...FREE! But that's not all. Second Place gets a FREE iPod™ Shuffle. Briggs has also collected several mini-­‐prizes, including dragon jewelry and children's books.To
enter, participants must upload at least one photo of themselves reading a book from Briggs’ Legends of Karac Tor series (The Book of Names, Corus the Champion, or The Song of Unmaking) to his Facebook page. The contest launches Nov. 1 and concludes Nov. 30. For official rules, visit deanbriggs.com.


I receive this book for review. The opinions expressed are my own and never influenced by the company.

Wordless Wednesday: November Raspberries

I have no idea what happened to my first post! WOW

I went out to cut back the raspberry bushes the first week of November and this is what I found! We felt like we'd hit the jackpot! What a great treat for so late in the year!

Make sure you visit these other Wordless Wednesday participants:

The UPS Store iMemories #preservingmemories

After having life on videotapes for the last 20 years, when presented with the opportunity to use The UPS Store's iMemories, I jumped at the chance! I've had a serious fear of something happening to my priceless videos and losing all those wonderful memories.

As a new mom back in 1991 I started taking videos of nearly everything my daughter did. Along came daughter number two and more full sized video tapes were created with the beast of a VHS camcorder I hauled around with me everywhere we went! Even when my 3rd child, Buddy came along I was still using the full sized video camera. That is until I ran it over. From there we moved to an 8mm video camera. Sure made toting a recorder around much easier!

I have so many VHS tapes that I knew I wanted to start with the oldest ones first to transfer over to DVD. I grabbed Baby's first VHS recordings from when I had my ultrasounds. Worked my way to Smooch's birth. The one thing I didn't do before I headed to The UPS Store was find out how long my videos were.

After Bible Study I went to The UPS Store in St. Cloud, MN. I walked in and didn't see a thing about iMemories. I asked and the gal there said it was a pretty complicated process and they didn't have it at their store. Oh boy, that did NOT sound good, especially since St. Cloud is such a huge city. I wasn't sure that the town I work in, which also has The UPS Store, would do it then.

A few days later I headed into The UPS Store by my work and lo and behold, I saw several signs about iMemories! My hopes were raising. The store manager came over, brought me a box, I filled out the paperwork and got ready to send in my videos.

Since I had no clue how much time I had on my VHS tapes I just had to guess at how many I could send. This was a total fail on my part. I wasn't sure how many to send so I just guessed that both video tapes were full and only sent two out of the 6 or so I brought with me.

I decided that I wanted the videos transferred to DVD and not just made digital. I was a bit confused by what it meant to just be digital. I kind of am still. I'm thinking that it means it's just available online? I need to contact the company to find out more. I want mine on DVD so that I have it in my grubby little hands. To ship the two tapes, the cost was just over $17.

I received confirmation that my Videos shipped from The UPS Store. I  had no idea that it was going to be so nice and easy to follow! Six days later I received another email letting me know my package had arrived safely! Seven days later I got confirmation of my order. I was also asked to finalize the order online and that's when I realized I might not be getting them transferred to DVD. The total was only like $20 so I realized they were only transferring digitally. So, I contacted iMemories to make sure that they were doing what I had asked for on the order form.

I emailed them letting them know I had placed an order initially for a DVD to be created out of  my VHS tapes and asked if they could look into it for me. I was contacted the SAME day and within 2 days my tapes had been converted to DVDs and was told they'd be shipped out 5 days later. I also wanted to make sure that I'd be getting my VHS tapes back as well. Yes, I would be. Hadn't thought to ask about that before I'd sent anything in and don't recall this being referred to anywhere. When I was able to process the order for the DVDs, the total became approximately $40.

On the day that the gal I had emailed said my DVD would be shipping, I received confirmation that yes indeed they'd gone out! Now all I had to do was not wait at the door hoping for the package every afternoon!  I received my box a couple of days later. And couldn't wait to watch the new iMemories video of my girls!

I loved that they have shots of the different part of each VHS video on the cover and back of the video case! I've never seen anything like that! I don't have to wonder what's on them and don't have to write anywhere on the case or in it!

The video on DVD turned out wonderfully! I hadn't watched these videos in ages and to go back and not be concerned that the tape might be too brittle means I can watch the DVD over and over again if I want! I am still waiting to get the VHS tapes back and can't wait to have the originals again.

You can also check out my shopping experience on Google +!

Have you ever transferred your VHS tapes over to DVD? If so, how was the process? If you never have, what's stopping you?

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias. The opinions expressed are my own and never influenced by the company.

Monopoly Streets for Wii ***Giveaway***

This past Spring we got our very own Wii! Yes, we're one of the last families to get one. Even my parents had one last year! Sheesh! So far we only have a couple of games, but the boys are looking to expand their game library this Christmas! Thanks to EA Play they recently added Monopoly Streets!

When we got it in the mail, it only took minutes for Doodle to put it into the game console and off they went. I typically don't allow the boys to spend too much time playing these games, but since it was new and for a review, I let them spend as much time as they wanted learning the game.

Well, the next thing I knew, the boys took the game and ran over to the neighbor's house to play with the two boys there! They didn't come home for a couple of hours! Apparently the game was a hit with the neighbors, too. It didn't stop there because then the kids behind us got wind of our new game and the youngest daughter made her way over. She made numerous trips to our house of the next week!

Doodle and Buddy have been playing quite a bit. It baffles me as I watch them to know how they figure out what to do. My mind doesn't work that way, but they've been playing console games for ages and know what to look for.

Of course my son has wanted to teach me how to play, but as I stated earlier, that's going to be next to impossible! He'll give it a try, so we'll see what kind of a teacher he is. Who knows, I may get addicted!

I'd like to thank EA Play for providing me with 2 Wii games, one to keep and one to giveaway. The opinions expressed are my own and never influenced by the company.