A Few of My Favorite Best Buy Things

When I think of what my family wants for Christmas, I know that most of it will be some kind of electronics or gaming devices. My boys always want DVDs (my oldest son keeps asking for 3D movies and we have no way to watch them in 3D…hellooooo!). He actually asked for 4 movies this year, one of them in 3D.

Since the boys and I are moving out to my parents in a month, I thought about getting an Xbox when lo and behold, it turns out that my little brother happens to already have one!! SCORE! The only thing I’m not sure about is if he has Kinect because if he doesn’t, this mama wants to get one! Hands free gaming is how I want to roll!

My youngest has the last couple of years of Madden NFL and man would he love this wrapped under the tree this year! I try to get each of my kids at least one big ticket item every year and this one, at $59.99 fits the bill!
I know that I’m not the easiest person to shop for and don’t always come up with the best ideas. That’s one reason why Best Buy’s list of hot holiday gifts – for her, for him, for teens, and for kids comes in handy! I don’t have any kind of a tablet, not even one to use for reading, like a Kindle. I just found out they have a Kindle Touch for $99.99. Sigh…a gal can hope, right?

I’m thinking that in the 5 Gifts Under $100 For Him my dad would probably love the Call of Duty game. I remember watching him play a computer game where dudes were shooting each other up in a war setting. When I was visiting there last month, he showed me a gorgeous new camera he bought himself. It had me drooling because my DSLR lens is shot and I could really use a new camera, especially for blogging! pssst hey dad, how about a Canon PowerShot A4000 for your favorite daughter? Just a suggestion!

There’s seriously something for everyone at Best Buy! The bonus for me is that they’ve extended their price match guarantee! I can shop from Best Buy and still get the best price! The standard price match policy is valid on any gift purchased between 11/4-12/24 and runs through 1/24.  Online Price Match must be done at time of purchase. Check out bestbuy.com for more information.

Logitech – Ultrathin iPad Keyboard Cover $99.99 GPS - Magellan 5110T-LM $99.99, Waring Pro Belgian Waffle Maker $69.99, Keurig B314 $99.99, LeapFrog – LeapPad2  Explorer $99.99, Star Wars – Complete Blu-Ray Set $99.99 (prices are subject to change)

And you don’t have to worry about shipping because guess what? It’s on them! BooYah! You can’t beat that and it’s cheaper than driving around from store to store. You can do your shopping online and BOOM it’s shipped to you for free through 1/2/13!

Best Buy will have a 10% off coupon that is good for Headphones, Speakers and Health & Fitness Products that is valid 12/2-12/29.


Buy any 3 tablet accessories and save (up to $75, save $10; up to $100 save $15; up to $150, save $30). No coupon is necessary for this offer.

*This review has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.

Philips #HolidayLights Twitter Party 12/5, 2-3pm ET RSVP

I’m so excited to be able to co-host an upcoming Twitter party with The Motherhood! You know I love all things Twitter. We are going to be discussing holiday decorating tips and setting the mood for parties!

If you’re like me, you’re going to want to hang out with us next week! Here are the details:
What: Join us for a Twitter party with Philips, maker of energy efficient light bulbs and exterior LED holiday lights, to share tips about decorating your home for the holiday season and setting the mood for parties, whether festive and formal or comfy and casual. If you light your house for the holidays, we would love to see photos of your display, too!
When: Wednesday, December 5, 2-3 p.m. ET
Where: We’ll be on Twitter – follow the #HolidayLights hashtag to track the conversation.  You can see the details and RSVP via this Twtvite: http://twtvite.com/holidaylights
Hashtag: #HolidayLights
Prizes: Philips will give away five total prizes - one set of IMAGEO Table Lights, two Lumiware Table Platters and two sets of LED bulbs.  Winners will be chosen randomly from among participants who respond correctly to trivia questions.
Hosts: @theMotherhood, @CooperMunroe, @EmilyMcKhann
Other info: Visit the Philips website - http://www.usa.philips.com/c/learn-about-light/298387/cat
Co-hosts:
Amber, Parent Palace - @ParentPalace
Andrea, Mommy PR - @MommyPR
Annie, Mama Dweeb - @MamaDweeb
Connie, Misc Finds 4 u - @princesstimetoy (and/or @Miscfinds4u)
Jennifer, Redhead Ranting - @redheadranting
Kelly, Texas Type A Mom - @texastypeamom
Mickey, A Helicopter Mom - @ahelicoptermom
Piera, Jolly Mom - @JollyMom
Tiffany, Sweet Phenomena - @SweetPhenomena

North Star Games Wits & Wagers Family Edition Giveaway: Holiday Gift Guide

I vaguely remembered hearing about North Star Games over the summer, but couldn’t remember what games they were associated with. Then a few weeks ago, I found their website, watched one of their videos of the game being played and I absolutely HAD to have this game.

You know how sometimes you see a video of a game being played, but it doesn’t explain it entirely or you don’t really grasp the idea of the game? HA! Not true in this case. And for your amusement, you have GOT to go check them out on their website. You won’t be disappointed…plus, I think you’ll be amused to see who’s hosting the video and the games.

So, the game got here and the boys and I set up shop at the dining room table. I wasn’t sure how easy it was going to be keeping score and getting the boys to figure out how to play, but like the box shows, it takes about 2 minutes to learn and teach the game.

What’s awesome is, this game is for everyone and I kid you not, you’re all on the same level playing field! We started going through the questions (which require only number answers) and we’d look at each other after one person read the question and I could tell we all had the same thought, “are you KIDDING me?”

This game got absolutely hysterical. Once you get into it, you’re mind starts trying to figure out the answers rationally. You suddenly realize, there are a lot of things you really have no clue about. One of the things we did notice is that the questions are based on answers that are from 2009 and before. So, we had to keep that in perspective.

There were questions here and there that I knew the boys wouldn’t have an answer to like, “How many movies has Will Smith been in since 2004 (or something like that)?” Then again, I wasn’t sure of the answer either. We did come across one question that they show in the video and I was all “BOOM, I know this one punks.” Did I tell them I remembered the number was high because of the video? Heck no, do you think I’m crazy?

We played a couple of rounds and then I had to go back to blogging, but my boys kept playing. I’m going to be pulling this game out for New Years Eve and we’re going to play teams!! THAT I can’t wait for!!

Update (not that you’d know it’s an update), but we played another round after dinner and it was hysterical! Let me just say, I was exactly right on one question and somewhat in the ball park for other ones.

So, here’s what you do. You ask a question on the card. Everyone answers on their wipe off cards, what number they think is the right answer. Everyone flips their cards over and you line them up from the smallest number to highest. Then you take your meeple and put them where you think the right answer will be. You can put them on the same card or split them up. Then the person who asked the question reads the answer. Not only does it give you the correct answer, it gives an explanation, too.

As you can see, we are seriously loving this game!!! I’m not sure how long it will take for us to get through the cards, but I sure hope there are replacement ones once we finish these!

If you have a gamer in your family, a board game gamer, you will NOT want to miss giving them this game. They will seriously love it! But, here’s you chance to win the game as well!

*I received this game for review. The opinions expressed are my own.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hammacher Schlemmer The Spark Emitting Electric Scooter Review: Holiday Gift Guide

My oldest son actually put a motorized Razor on his Christmas list this year…along with several other “big ticket” items like a Clay Mathews Jersey and an iPod. lol

We live on a dirt road. We have a dirt driveway. Where we live isn’t conducive to wheeled toys like skateboards, rollerblades, or scooters. They have their bikes and that’s it. Now with the impending move, the boys have all kinds of ideas for things they can do on paved roads and a driveway.

When I started searching for an electric scooter, the first one I came across was from Hammacher Schlemmer! As soon as I saw it I shook my head and realized on the first try I had found what my son wanted only better! His only specification was that he wanted a red one. Ooooook, this one is close enough!

What sold me on it, other than the amazing price ($99) was that it allows the rider to create a spark as they’re going along?! I have to admit, I was pretty excited to see this in action.

Since this will be a gift to my son, I couldn’t bring it home for him to use so I brought it over to Karen’s house. She’s been awesome about letting me go over there with my crazy blogging opportunities. Last time I went, we were shooting a bb gun! Her son is raising money for his class trip so I paid into the coffer for him to be my “demonstrator”!

I brought the Scooter to their house, unpacked it and let it charge overnight. We started out by blowing up the tire so that it was ready to ride. It was a bit hard trying to get the nozzle attached because of the way the peg sits on the tire. I’m glad there were two of us doing this!

To ride safe, I asked Noah to wear a helmet. I didn’t expect a motorcycle helmet, but hey, whatever floats your boat. Come to think of it, they don’t even have a motorcycle. hmmmm

Reading the manual, it states that the rider needs to have the scooter going about 3 mph before they use the motor. He got it going and off he went! It was pretty awesome to watch. He immediately started using the sparker and it was COOL! All I could think of when I was watching him ride the Razor was that my boys were going to love this!

It went up and down the driveway with no problem. I actually think we didn’t charge it long enough because it kept slowing down. =/ Then again, I’m not 100% sure he was twisting the handle right to keep it moving. There’s always a learning curve with new gadgets like this.

The whole time we were watching this, Karen kept saying that her kids were going to want this. You could tell that the kids were loving it and were in line to try it out themselves. Hearing their responses had me thrilled to death knowing that this would be under the tree for Christmas.

Now, I have to tell you, this thing was super heavy. lol Not a bad thing, I was just surprised when it showed up at my doorstep and I could barely lift the box. I’ve only lifted non-motorized scooters before. What a difference with a motor attached!

When I first visited the Hammacher Schlemmer site, I felt like a kid in a playground. Trying to find something unique and different for someone, go to this site. I guarantee you, you will NOT be disappointed.

Here’s a truth. I wrote to my mom and told her to wipe everything off of my list because I found the ONE thing I wanted for Christmas and told her to have everyone pitch in for me. You might think I’m crazy, but I absolutely want this:

It’s a Caramel Apple Maker! You could really do all kinds of things with it, but I love how big it is and the separate sections! I hope my mom listened to me and this is what will be under the tree for me for Christmas because I’ll be breaking this bad boy in for New Years Eve! =)

Are you looking for holiday decorations, maybe a new Christmas tree? Some blogging friends just debated whether or not an artificial or live Christmas tree is the best. I’ve always had live, but after last year, I’m thinking an artificial tree is the way to go. This World’s Best Prelit Noble Fir is at the top of my list for “must have” when I have a home of my own again!

I’m not kidding you, Hammacher Schlemmer literally has something for everyone! They have electronics (things you won’t find most places you shop), apparel, toys, you name it, they’ve probably got something right up your alley!

Whatever the reason is, start your shopping at their site and I guarantee, you’ll come back and thank me! Be sure to follow them on Twitter to keep up with all of their ideas and suggestions. P.S. If you check out their Facebook page and scroll to November 16th, you’ll see some seriously cool cuff links that Buddy would love…when he’s older. And you’ll have to check out their “Unexpected” Board on Pinterest. You’ll be astonished at what they carry!

*I received the scooter for review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Keurig Platinum B70 Brewer Giveaway

It's that time! It's the 4th week of the 4 week Keurig giveaway! Your ready for your next chance to win because here it is!

Rio Soul Barefoot Style Shoes Giveaway: Holiday Gift Guide

I’m a gal who loves shoes. I didn’t realize how much I loved them until we started packing, ahem, “I” started packing about a month ago. I have a ton of shoes, but to be quite honest, there are only a couple that I’d say are quality or that I’d suggest to someone else.

A couple of months ago I saw @TedRubin post about Rio Soul and how much he liked their shoes. I clicked his link and as I perused their selection I fell in love with the design and style! When I saw them I also knew my daughters, especially my oldest would love them because of the awesome color selection.

I’m telling you, if you’re someone who likes to have the same shoes, but in different colors, you have GOT to check out the newest ones! Alegria- Yellow/blue, Passion-Red/blue, Chiclete-pink/cream, Brazil- green/ yellow, Azul-light blue/orange, Violeta-purple/silver or Laranja- orange/silver They’re softer (is that possible?)!

I showed them to my 21 yr old daughter and she said she loves the Allegria. I think my 2nd daughter would love the F. Roxy because Purple and Black are her school colors. I told my mom to go with the Vasco which is black with white stitching because that’s probably what she’d like most.

So, not only did I get to review the U.S.A. Rio Soul, I’ve become a huge fan and have sent them as suggestions to my mom for the girls for Christmas! Don’t you love finding a brand that you will use and stick with?

Now, when you’re at the site, you’ll see that they are extremely popular with people who do Zumba, Yoga, Pilates, Dance, and Core Training, but they were meant to be for every day use as well. So many bright and fun colors to choose from, they’re great for any outfit or working out.

If you check out their Facebook page, you’ll see what I mean by being used for Zumba and such. They really put their money where there mouth is and show them IN use! The light weight and flexible style makes them perfect for exercising in!

At this point, these are going to be my “nice” sneakers that I only wear when it’s nice out because I love them that much. lol You know how when you get a new pair of shoes and they’re crisp and clean? That’s how I want these to stay! Brand spanking new looking!

Ok, now that I’m done gushing about my new shoes, how about the chance to win a pair of your very own or for someone else?!

*I was sent a pair for review. The opinions expressed are my own.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wind & Weather Wireless Weather Forecast Station: Holiday Gift Guide Giveaway

One of my best friends, L.K. is a weather bug. If I ever want to know a weather update, all I need to do is call her and she’ll have the answer. We live in a state that can have extreme weather conditions. This is where the Wind & Weather Wireless Weather Forecast Station will be extremely helpful.

When I was searching the Wind & Weather site, I came across this with it’s Cherry Finish Wood Frame and knew it would look good in any room of the house. I’ve seen the various types of weather stations and wanted to have one that could be in any room of the house, but not look out of place.

My dream as a blogger is to have an office of my own where I can have everything I need like the products I’m reviewing, my desk, computer, and anything else I could possibly need.

So let me tell you what this beauty can do!

We’ll start from the top and work our way down. And the picture above is actually the one I have! Gorgeous, right?!

It tells you the time in your time zone and then the date. It will give you an icon of what the forecast is supposed to be. Below that you get your indoor temperature as well as your humidity level. And the last number is your outdoor temperature.

It comes with a remote sensor. This can be fixed to a wall or set on a flat surface. What’s nice about the sensor is that it can be placed within 330’ of the weather station! You can purchase 2 extra sensors as the station will receive information from 3 locations!

When we used to go up to Aitkin to grams, we were always checking her huge outdoor thermometer. Something like the Wireless Weather Forecast Station would’ve been nice because every time we wanted to know what the temp was, we had to go outside to find out because hers was facing away from the house.

I know what you’re thinking, should you get this for yourself or give it as a gift for Christmas. I’d say do both, but that’s not always feasible, but as a gift, this would be wonderful!

So, get one as a gift and enter to win one here! =)

*I received this product for review. The opinions expressed are my own. a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Black Friday Morning With Starbucks #DeliciousPairings #CBias

Starbucks.

Just that one word makes me smile. Even though I’ve lived a lot of places, I say I’m from Seattle, home of Starbucks.



When I had been at Walmart a couple of weeks ago in the bakery department buying my boys donuts for breakfast, I noticed they had a Starbucks display of coffee over the case. Works for me since coffee pairs well with any pastries!



Then this past weekend I knew I needed to start thinking about Black Friday shopping because that’s what I love doing the morning after Thanksgiving! I’ve done it for years! The girls and I always have Starbucks after we get through one or two of the stores and have a pastry with it.

This year I’m going to start the wee hours of the morning off at home with a cup of Starbucks Breaksfast Blend Coffee. I grabbed some Lemon Poppy seed muffins and some chocolate chip ones to start the day off!



Since I’m not one to be known for having patience, I decided to break into the coffee and muffins…you know, for some taste testing. I usually go with the Blonde roast because I like the lighter coffee. Not having had the Breakfast Blend before I was interested in seeing what it tasted like black before I added my typical creamer.



Let me state for the record, this is the first time I can remember enjoying coffee black…ever! If you can read the sign above, it said it blends well with nut, apple and blueberry flavors! On the Breakfast Blend bag, it mentions that it has a crisp and tangy flavor.



I can guarantee that it’s crisp and tangy! I had a sip of the coffee and after I drank my first couple I could definitely taste the tang! That’s actually what made me realize I could drink this blend without any creamer. It wasn't a harsh coffee, but had a fruity taste to it.

I broke into my muffin stash and, yum, the coffee definitely enhanced the flavor in the muffin. They were definitely a delicious pairing. It was such a nice way to sit back and enjoy the quiet afternoon today. In the midst of all my chaos with work, blogging and moving, I definitely needed this break.



I think I’m going to bring over the coffee and the rest of my muffins to my friend’s house tomorrow for Thanksgiving. It’ll be a great way to spend the evening after we have a big turkey dinner! We can just sit back, drink our coffee, eat our muffins and relax while talking about all of the stuff we want to get our hands on Black Friday morning.

Do you have a particular muffin you enjoy getting from the Bakery at Walmart? I think I might grab one of the Blonde Blends and some Banana Nut muffins on my next trip! Do you go Black Friday shopping?
I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. #CBias #SocialFabric

Santa Paws 2 Prize Pack Give Away

I hadn’t seen any of the Santa Paws movies yet until this one. Doodle and I spent last weekend with a movie night. He had started watching it earlier in the day and when I got home he said we “had” to watch it! lol

First of all, the movie is absolutely adorable! Those puppies, how could you NOT adore them? When the movie started I was really surprised to see Cheryl Ladd  as Mrs. Claus.

The other piece I was somewhat surprised about was all of the music, well, Christmas songs, that are in the movie. It’s not very often you get a fun family movie with songs like this any more! Yes, Christmas songs in the past had lots of singing, but you don’t see it that much these days.

There was a great lesson in the movie about how our attitude affects others and that we need to think of others, especially during the holidays. I liked that each of the puppies had a name that went along with a characteristic they had. Each of them had to realize that those characteristics needed to be worked on.

This cute litter consists of three female pups and one male pup. HOPE is the daring tomboy who wears a backwards red cap and rarely looks before she leaps. JINGLE is the diva with a bell on her collar who loves to sing, but can’t carry a tune. CHARITY is the girliest and most self-centered of the pups, with a mistletoe barrette, who has yet to learn the meaning of her name. And NOBLE is the mischievous only brother and self-appointed leader who is distinguished by a cheeky black spot around his eye.

See what I mean? A good talking point for my kids about their characteristics!

Here’s what the movie is about:

The North Pole has a new litter of playful pups! However, when the frisky foursome—Hope, Jingle, Charity and Noble—practically destroy Santa’s Workshop with their mischievous gamboling, they realize the best way to prove that they’re responsible enough to become Santa’s Helpers is to show how well they can spread the Christmas spirit all by themselves. With help from a magic crystal, they start granting everyone’s wishes. But their good intentions backfire when one unhappy boy asks that Christmas go away forever! With his wish impetuously fulfilled, and the joyous spirit quickly disappearing from the planet, Mrs. Claus and the pups have to find a way to reverse the spell—or risk losing Christmas forever!

Here’s your chance to win a Poster, DVD/Blu-ray combo pack, plush dog, Santa letter activity sheets! In the meantime, be sure to visit Disney’s Santa Paws site and do some of the activities with your kids and get to know the pups better!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wordless Wednesday: Hostess

I had no clue what was going on with people talking about going to the store to buy Hostess products. I’m so out of the loop it seems. I was told by someone in a Facebook group that they had gone out of business. I was shocked! I hoped when I got to the store the next day they’d at least have Twinkies or Cupcakes left. I have yet to find a box of Twinkies. But here’s what I did find!

Be sure to check out Full Time Mama for her WW post, too!

Did you stock up on any Hostess snacks!

A Pin-Spirational Black Friday at World Market

I don’t know how you feel about shopping on Black Friday, but it’s become tradition in my house. It started when I lived in WA and was reinforced when I did it with my sister-in-law in Chicago. We’d wake our girls up to go with us and we’d have a blast!

Things have changed over the last few years. I’ve gotten a lot more picky about what stores I shop at on Black Friday because I work retail and that means I have to work that afternoon/evening, too. I have a lot of “home” stuff I want to get for me this year since I’m spending so much more time in the kitchen doing homemade meals!

Thankfully World Market has a great selection of products that will make shopping much easier on Friday! First of all, I’ve got a few ideas for some of the people in my family:

1. Brown and Green Marbled scarf (for my daughter) 2. Classic Brewery Classes, set of 4 (for my dad) 3. Animal Hand Tattoos (for my boys who love them) 4. Fido’s Cookies Barker’s Dozen (for my parents pups)

Seriously, World Market has something for everyone. I want my boys to have fun baking cookies with me this year and I thought it would be fun to spell things out with this set:

My aunt is always telling me how much she loves homemade gifts and we could spell out her name and her cats names. I have to say, I really like their line of Fred products, in case any family members are reading this! hint hint

Speaking of baking, I’m loving the idea of having a themed year. My aunt has themed trees and I’ve always just mishmashed everything together. Being here in MN where there is a lot of Nordic themes I thought the Alpine line would be fun!

1. Alpine Hearts Apron 2. Holiday Measuring Cups, set of 4 3. Melamine Alpine Bird Rectangular Tray 4. Waffle Weave Appliqué Bird Kitchen Towels

Exactly what I need to make these amazing sounding scones…

Source: worldmarket.com via Mimi on Pinterest

 

For real, Peppermint Chocolate Chip Scones! YUM!

Not only is World Market open on Black Friday they have a fantastic Sweepstakes going on right now!

The Life of Pi Sweepstakes

• Grand Prize package includes: a dream trip for 2 to India and a $1,000 World Market Gift card.
• There will also be 3 runner up prize winners that will each receive a $500 World Market gift card!
• The Life of Pi Sweepstakes runs from 11/17 - 12/28.
• If you share the sweepstakes with 5 of your friends (via FB share or email) you can receive 5 additional bonus entries. This is part of the registration process when entering. Users can also enter daily for more chances to win.
• Enter online at http://worldmarketsweepstakes.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/worldmarket?fref=ts

Have you heard about the movie Life of Pi? It’s the story of an Indian boy named Pi, a zookeeper’s son, who survives a disaster at sea and is thrown into an epic journey. While adrift in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, he forms an amazing and unexpected connection with another a fearsome Bengal tiger. The movie opens in theaters November 21, 2012. You can watch the trailer for Life of Pi here: http://www.lifeofpimovie.com/#!/watch-trailer

Black Friday World Market and The Life of Pi will be having giveaways! The first 100 customers to shop in-store on 11/23(Black Friday) will receive a FREE Limited Edition Life of Pi ornament and a FREE Life of Pi movie ticket. The first 100 customers to shop in-store on Saturday, 11/24 & Sunday, 11/25 will receive a FREE Limited Edition Life of Pi Tote Bag and a movie ticket.

Have fun shopping this Friday and if you head to World Market, but sure to come back and tell me what you bought!

*This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™, but all my opinions are my own.http://cmp.ly/3/KqtZiE.

The Letter of the Law

There are so many things I’ve wanted to post about lately and I just haven’t been ready to do that. With much I’m still not, but in due time. I have post upon post written in my head, but they wait for the right day.

Today’s post can’t wait though. I’ve been going through a rough patch and this post will be more cathartic than anything.

Certain events have been bringing to light parts of me that just aren’t pretty. Parts that, after being apart from my ex-husband for 6 yrs, I thought had finally started to heal and were done with. Unfortunately, it has become abundantly clear that there are still issues left that need resolving.

A couple issues are my insecurities and fears. Ok, well not just a couple, those are pretty much it. The last couple of weeks I’ve seen a very ugly side of myself that I wasn’t prepared for. Keeping them tucked away does nothing but help those feelings right along. So I’ve been trying to talk through them.

I have a friend who’s husband is a pastor and I’m going to be getting some guidance through them.

Ephesians 4:20-24

Tonight though, well, this past weekend to be more accurate, I have found another “gem” about myself. I have become a Pharisee. I have taken what God has shown ME personally and made it a law for everyone else. And I tell you what, you don’t follow that same law, we’re going to have words if our relationship is one that allows for that.

I’m self-righteous. I’m no longer God-righteous.

Tonight God showed me what I’ve become. I took what He showed is right for me and my family and forced it onto another who has been parenting his kids the way he’s chosen and feels is right for them. I disagreed and when he didn’t listen to me, I decided to sit on my high horse and look down on him. I chose to make this one decision my platform for showing him what he was doing “wrong”.

I told him after our encounter that I would seek the Lord and try to find a way to discuss this with him further, but honestly, I felt I was right and that the Lord agreed with me. I would just wait for him to figure it out. God works that way, doesn’t he?

Um, no, He doesn’t. I know God wanted me off of my pedestal, but I wasn’t willing to relent. God agreed with how I was raising my boys, surely he would agree when I told someone else how they should do it. Oh, and do it my way.

Funny how it doesn’t work that way. God wanted to change me, I wanted to change them, and I ended up losing. I hurt them. I distanced myself from them and ultimately from the Lord.

I want to walk in meekness and humility, yet I go forth in pride and vanity. I want God to change me without seeking him or doing the work. God is God. He’s in the business of miracles. If he can say to a mountain that it should be moved and it moves, he can say just as easily that my behaviors should be changed and they are. At least that’s what I’ve been hoping for, waiting for. Some “boom” moment where I’m transformed into this gentle soul. Work for it? Meh, he’s God, he can do it if he wants.

Yes, I’ve known this isn’t how God works. I’ve just chosen not to acknowledge the fact that I haven’t wanted to put forth the effort because let me tell you, changing who I am on the inside, in my opinion, will be harder than moving a mountain!

But where does this start? I believe it starts with me, going to the Lord, repenting and asking for forgiveness. I’ve done things on my own for so long, I’ve relied on myself while calling myself a Christian. I’ve totally taken over my life. I do what I want, when I want and say, “God, you are my God.” Then I turn around and do whatever it is Mimi wants to do.

This has to change.

I have no choice.

What I want in this life requires it.

Galatians 5:22-23

So, I’m going to do it. Starting today. Ok, well, in the morning, because how I’m going to start will be in the Word. I will be waking up earlier in the morning to find Him. He will be waiting and he has been waiting for me to show up. Waking up earlier means I need to be going to bed earlier.

God has been moving me in this direction the last couple of months as a sure sign this is where I need to be. I’ve been getting tired much earlier than I ever have and it’s harder and harder to stay up later.

Starting this morning, I’ll be rising and starting my day off with prayer and the Word. I’m also going to find a Bible Study online since I’m moving I will need one. With the move I have to make sure I don’t become even more reliant on myself having only my family for support and not the body of Christ I’ve had here for years now.

I also need to find accountability partners, or at least one. I don’t really have one right now. I have strong Christian friends who I can talk to, but no one who I’ve ever sought out to hold me accountable for my walk as a Christian, a wife and a mom.

This is my starting point. These are the minimum I need to be doing to get my heart aligned with the Lord. I have a long way to go, but believe me, the change will absolutely be worth it. I have asked for forgiveness and apologized for my words. Of course, those two things don’t always mean a fence will be mended.

It will be a long road and I do ask that you pray for me. Thank you!

An Afternoon With NIVEA & Co-Workers #NIVEAmoments #CBias

Last Tuesday I invited my co-workers over to Cindy’s house after we got off of work to spend a little girl time together and to take time to pamper our hands after a long day at work. I had gone to get NIVEA at Sam’s Club to get two packs of their lotion. I walked through Sam’s like I usually do drooling over all of the things I want in bulk or at crazy, awesome prices while winding my way to the Sam’s Club lotion section.



Because I’m in the midst of packing up my house, Cindy said she’d be my hostess and since she lives just a few minutes from work, it made it the perfect location.



All of the ladies that were there that day have really brightened my work day! Since I’m moving I wasn’t sure if I’d have any other opportunities to get together with the ladies so I figured, the day after the stress of the election, and just after we all got off of work would be the perfect time.



One thing about where we work, a hardware store, is that there’s no moisture. Our hands can get extremely dry, cracked and scaly from the work we do. We’re constantly handling dusty boxes and products that help dry our skin out. Using our box cutters we’re also dealing with cuts on occasion. I also forget to wear gloves for the most part.



I asked everyone to come over to Cindy’s house after work and we’d all hang out feed our bellies as well as pamper our hands. We all showed up after work, thank you Cindy, and I got out all of the food, goodie bag supplies and NIVEA lotion.

We had one bottle we were able to pass around and start using on our hands. After a long day of work, our hands were extremely happy to have some moisture being sapped into them. It’s fun when you use and share a product with people and you get to see how much they enjoy it!



What I found about NIVEA is that it doesn’t make your skin oily and it soaks into the skin. We put it on and for me, my hands felt smooth, but not slippery, like some lotions can be.

I told them about the NIVEA Sam’s Club value of the two pack because the price difference of getting them individually at a different store for a smaller size is significant. To back that up, my friend LoLo below had to go shopping after our get together and her picture text backed up what we knew. And yes, there was a bonus of a sample of another NIVEA lotion included in my two pack!



After we talked about how we’ll use NIVEA in our day to day lives, especially at work, we decided it was time to pamper our bellies and I had each of the ladies fill a bag with goodies to be able to continue to pamper themselves after they left.

It was fun talking about our families and getting to know each other better outside of work. It was relaxing and we simply had a good time hanging out together. We also talked about my upcoming move and how I’m doing on that. Our time together reminded me of how important girl time is!



When I got home, I wanted to find out what else NIVEA had in their product line and not only did I find more products, I found out they’re running some great contests!

What I didn’t realize about NIVEA is that they have and entire line of lip care products, and if they work as well as their lotion, my lips will be eternally grateful. Because, as with my hands at work, my lips become dry and cracked. I use a chapstick constantly throughout my day. Be sure to check out their Kiss Of The Year Contest on their Facebook page! They’ll be picking a winner on November 26th! Let me just say I’m bummed I didn’t know about this contest. =)



They also have a great contest for couples with their NIVEA Million Moments of Touch. You can choose how you want to “pledge” and what you want to pledge. I “vowed” to kiss every single day!!! Who wouldn’t like to have a paid for date night with their loved one? I’ll take it!

Please join us for the #NIVEAmoments Twitter Party on Tuesday, December 4 from 1-2pm EST if you are available.

Do you have a way of pampering yourself and your skin, especially in the winter? If so, I’d love some tips!
*I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This content has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Beiersdorf for NIVEA.  #NIVEAmoments #CBias #SocialFabric. All the opinions expressed are my own.