A very heart-warming and, dare I say "cute," new blog was brought to my attention recently. It's called Feed Me Cheesy and in Mylene's own words, here's what it's all about:

It's quite often that we find ourselves looking for things that will nourish our hearts – in movies, special occasions, novels, and poems — but surprisngly, it's a bit difficult with all the clutter in our world. Feed Me Cheesy was created in March 2009 to collect all these warm, cheesy moments and answer that need for people to laugh, cry and say "awwww" to the different moments and people that continually make our lives meaningful.

Welcome to the Feed Me Cheesy Community.

If you haven't already checked out Mylene's new blog, please take a moment to do so.  There's some good stuff there!  And be sure to check out these posts for some cute baked good ideas:

cute cupcakes

more baked goodies

Labels: bloggity goodness, linky love

It's time to select the winner of my notecard giveaway! I used Random.org and the number that came up was...

#2- Momma Bean

Momma Bean, since you don't have a blog that I can find and you didn't leave an email for me to contact you at, please email me or leave me a comment on how to reach you. I'll need you to email me your mailing address and your notecard preference and how you'd like your notecards personalized! You have three days to respond or I'll have to pick another winnner!

As for those of you who didn't win this time, fear not, I'll hold another notecard giveaway again in the near future. :)

Thanks for your interest!

Labels: bloggity goodness, giveaways

Since I'm getting better with my Photoshop skills, I'm going to offer a chance for one lucky reader to win a set of 6 notecards each, personalized any way you'd like.  I'll put on your first name, your first and last name, a "Thank You" greeting, or even "A Note from..." greeting.

You'll get to choose from one of the designs shown below.

All you have to do is leave me a comment if you're interested and I'll choose a winner this coming Saturday, 24 January.

Spread the word!

Here are the design options:

Labels: bloggity goodness, giveaways

On November 19th I showed you this:

I posed the question, How much do you think I spent on the groceries listed in the picture above? Go ahead, click on the image to enlarge.

Labels: bloggity goodness, coupons, giveaways

The ladies over at 5 Minutes for Mom are hosting a 2008 Christmas Giveaway!  Hooray!

Labels: bloggity goodness, giveaways

I just had to share this with you.  For a limited time, Snapfish is offering a FREE 8 x 11 photo book!  Just sign up (or sign in if you already have an account), upload your pictures, and then create a photo book!

Labels: bloggity goodness

For the past couple of years I've hosted a big Holiday Cooking, Blogger Style recipe exchange and I've been delighted with the impressive participation from my fellow bloggers!

The day has arrived to kick off my 3rd Annual Holiday Cooking, Blogger Style recipe exchange!  Hooray!

Labels: bloggity goodness, Favorite Ingredients Friday, giveaways, Holiday Cooking Blogger Style, recipe exchange

I'm a little late on choosing the winner for my Bloggy Giveaways Quarterly Carnival prize but I really needed to sleep in a bit this morning.  It's been a busy week with pumpkin picking, Halloween parties, baking cookies, carving pumpkins, and trick-or-treating with my two little ones! :) 

Labels: bloggity goodness, giveaways, Sparkle and Charm Boutique

Sorry, my day got away from me yesterday and I didn't get winners picked as I had hoped. Since I'm up with the baby right now, I figured I should do it now. :)

I used Random.org's Integer Generator to randomly select my winners. And here are the lucky three:



#10- LeAnna of Our son...Patrick wins the Wall Sconce.
#16- Kathleen Marie of The Open Window wins the Twin Light Center.
#23- Barb of A Chelsea Morning wins the Desk Light.

Congratulations, Ladies! You have until Friday to email me your mailing addresses so that this company can send you their product directly. If I don't hear from you by end-of-day on Friday, I'll pick another winner. And as I mentioned in my original post, I'd appreciate it if you'd post a review of the product on your blog after you've had some time to use it!

Labels: bloggity goodness, giveaways

Kate with Weber Shandwick recently asked me if I'd be interested in reviewing the new Energizer® Light on Demand™ products. "I'd love to!" I told her. And guess what, she's offering three products to use as giveaways for my readers (more on that in a minute).

I chose to review the tabletop nightlight and I have to say that we LOVE it! Before I explain why, let me share some details with you about this product.

Features and Benefits:

* Rechargeable light stick, nightlight, portable area light and flashlight all in one.
* The nightlight plugs into the wall for everyday use and contains a sensor that automatically turns the nightlight on when the room darkens.
* Includes a "Find Me™" light.
* Can run on batteries as an area light for 25 hours and as a flashlight light for 10 hours.

When I got the tabletop nightlight out of it's box, I plugged it in to charge and literally within minutes it was ready to go!

Now Snuggle Bug, at almost 3 1/2 years old, has suddenly become scared of various things in his room at night. We have dimmer switch lights in his room and we've been forced to leave the light pretty bright each night. I've thought about finding him a little night light but I worried that the little outlet ones wouldn't be bright enough to offer much comfort.

The other night I took this light stick into his room and told him it was his new nightlight so he didn't have to be scared any more. He looked at it closely and said, "The sun is in there!" Then we spent about 10 minutes setting the light stick in various places around his room until he settled on having it on a bookshelf across the room from his bed.

The light that this nightlight emits is powerful enough to give the room a soft glow (chasing away scary shadows) but not so bright that it keeps Snuggle Bug awake. He sleeps like a baby with his new nightlight!

I love the fact that when this light stick is plugged into it's base, it has an auto setting that automatically turns it off or on depending on the amount of light in the room. I also love the fact that you can switch between using this light stick as a nightlight or a flashlight. It's wonderful!

Now for the good stuff, Kate has offered me the following three products to be given away to three lucky readers:

Wall Sconce

Features and Benefits:

* Decorative and easy to install.
* Designed for intermittent use, the wall sconce features a high- and low-light setting.
* Cordless installation - no electrician necessary.
* Available in Brass and Nickel.

Twin Light Center

Features and Benefits:

* Easy to mount to a wall, under a cabinet or place on a countertop, and doesn’t require hard wiring.
* Combines two detachable area lights with a nightlight.
* One of the detachable lights can function as a flashlight and the base of the light center features a permanent nightlight.
* Can run on batteries as a flashlight for 10 hours and an area light for 5 hours.

Desk Light

Features and Benefits:

* Lamp, rechargeable LED light stick and emergency light all in one.
* Includes a "Find Me™" light.
* Can run up to 20 hours on a "low" setting before batteries need to be replaced.

So, all you have to do to have a chance to win any of these three products is leave me a comment asking to be entered into the drawing. I'll choose a winner on Monday, 23 June.

I do ask that each winner be willing to post your own review after you've received your product and have had some time to try it out.

By the way, if you're not one of the lucky winners, Energizer® Light on Demand™ products are currently available nationally at Target. The line will also be sold at several other major retail stores soon.

Good luck to you all!

Labels: bloggity goodness, giveaways, product review

Shannon over at Rocks In My Dryer is hosting a music giveaway that you won't want to miss!

WOW Hits 1 is a new compilation CD, full of hits from many great Christian recording artists, including Steven Curtis Chapman, Casting Crowns and Chris Tomlin. The nice folks behind WOW Hits 1 are offering TWENTY winners each a boxed set of 17 CDs, one CD for each of the artists represented on WOW Hits 1. That's right, TWENTY winners!

Head on over to Shannon's to enter to win!

Labels: bloggity goodness, giveaways, music

In case those of you who use Blogger missed the announcement on the Dashboard, you are now able to schedule future-dated posts! How fabulous is that?!

Our family is going on a mini-vacation, leaving 9 May and returning 17 May, and I worried about my poor little blog being left all by its lonesome while I was gone (internet access is doubtful where we're going). I thought about arranging guest bloggers to come in and publish posts for me but now I don't need to!

Now I can write up a couple of posts in advance (like a BloggedIn Highlight, Works-For-Me Wednesday, and Favorite Ingredients Friday), hit "publish post" and let Blogger take care of making sure they get published at the correct date/time. Blogger will do the work for me while I'm on vacation hanging out on the beach or frolicking in the ocean with the kids!

And you know what, this works! I tested the future-dated posting with this very post that you're reading now. I wrote it the night before and scheduled it for 6:00 AM (well before I'm up and about) and got a wonderful message on my dashboard that read, "Your post will be automatically published on 5/3/08 at 6:00 AM."

I am so loving Blogger right now!

Labels: bloggity goodness

Happy Friday! It's time for my Favorite Ingredients Friday Greatest Hits Edition! I'd like you to share one of your favorite FIF recipes that you've posted in the past. If you're brand new to FIF, just post one of your favorite family recipes.

Labels: bloggity goodness, cooking, Favorite Ingredients Friday, recipe exchange

A blogger whom I admire, Barb from A Chelsea Morning,  has just opened up a new online shop and I'd like to encourage you all to go take a look!

At A Chelsea Morning's Little Shoppe you'll find all sorts of wonderful hand made items like burp clothes, sock monkeys, fleece blankets, and more!


Before her shop even opened, I ordered a set of three burp clothes from Barb, to give as a gift to Baby Bug's parents.

Paying Barb was made simple by using Paypal.  Once my payment was received, Barb shipped out my order quite promptly.

I was delighted with the quality and style of the burp clothes and I loved the adorable way Barb had packaged them.

I would highly recommend any hand made item that Barb has to offer!  She is a pleasure to do business with!

Labels: baby products, bloggity goodness, product review, shopping

I saw this over at A Foster Mom's Journey and I couldn't resist sharing it on my blog as well.

Apparently, Steven Curtis Chapman is a Christian musican/singer and is both a biological father and an adoptive father. He has an organization that helps people adopt children.



Beautiful, isn't it?

Labels: adoption, bloggity goodness

As a contributor over at BloggedIn- News & Networking, I just highlighted an excellent post entitled, Be Gentle...With Your Spouse.

Please, go check it out and leave Gibee of Kisses of Sunshine some comments to let her know what you thought of her post.

Twice a month I search through the posts of bloggers who are part of Family-Friendly Network looking for a special one to highlight. If you're not already a member, you might consider joining! It's a great group of bloggers!

If you are a member and have a post you'd like highlighted in the near future, send me an email with a link to that post and I'll check it out!

Labels: BloggedIn Highlight, bloggity goodness

It's time for another one of my free Pay It Forward book giveaways!

For those who may have missed out, please read about the guidelines right here.

So, I have one book to give away this month.

1) Creations In Death by J.D. Robb.

This book was sent to me by Anne with Authors on the Web. Thanks, Anne!

Editorial Review by Publishers Weekly:

At 27 books and counting, Nora Roberts is more prolific under her Robb pseudonym than most authors manage in a single career. Yet the latest in her not-so-near-future detective series featuring New York Police Det. Eve Dallas offers a satisfyingly novel mélange of suspense, sex, forensics and heroics. It's 2060, and the serial killer nicknamed The Groom is back in town after an absence of nine years, resuming his horrific run of kidnapping, torturing and killing young women. Dallas, who served as a detective in the frustrating first investigation, assumes lead role in this one. This time, not only do the killer's chosen victims have ties to Dallas's husband, Roarke, but Dallas herself may be the killer's ultimate target. Swiftly paced, the story cuts frequently from the investigation to the killer's progress with his victims. Dallas works to outplan, outfight and outsmart the killer; to keep her handsome, rich husband happy; and to be ready for the next round after a good night's sleep. Robb's latest is bound to please Dallas fans.

I love Nora Roberts and this book was an excellent read. It kept me in suspense the entire time I was reading it. I think you'll enjoy it!

If you'd like to this book, here is what you must do:

1. On your blog, write a post about this giveaway, using my "Pay It Forward" button, and then link back to my post. I am sure your readers would appreciate learning about the chance to win a book. You must complete this step to be put in the drawing, unless of course you don't have a blog!

2. Sign the Mr. Linky (the Mr. Linky is that list of names at the end of this post - just type your name in the box) with your name and the specific URL of your PIF post. Note: If you are not a blogger, you may still enter to win. Just sign your name on the Mr. Linky without a URL and then email me your contact information. Please note on your email that it is for the PIF book giveaway.

I'll announce the winner on Saturday morning, 19 April, so be sure to check back.

Best of luck!

If you have any books you'd like to Pay It Forward yourself this month, please leave me a comment and I'll link you in this post!

Additional Pay It Forward Giveaways:

1) Caroline at food for thought is giving away two more books, The Friday Night Knitting Club, by Kate Jacobs and Shopaholic & Baby, by Sophie Kinsella on 18 April. Stop by her blog to enter to win. Thanks, Caroline!

Caroline at food for thought gave away two books, Mothers Need Time-Outs, Too by Susan Callahan, Anne Nolen, and Katrin Schumann and I Married My Mother-in-Law edited by Ilena Silverman on 5 April. Thanks, Caroline!

Jubilee at notes of jubilee gave away two books, The Door In The Dragon's Throat by Frank Peretti and Improving Your Serve -- The Art of Unselfish Living by Charles Swindoll on 14 April. Thanks, Jubilee!

Heather at Production, Not Reproduction gave away the book, Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood on 15 April. Thanks, Heather!

Tamy at 3 Sides of Crazy gave away the book, Lakeside Cottage by Susan Wiggs on 23 April. Thanks, Tamy!

Cynthia at Springmont Cottage gave away the book, Puttin' on the Grits by Deborah Ford on 21 April. Thanks, Cynthia!

Forgetfulone gave away the book, Garden of Beasts by Jeffery Deaver. on 30 April. Thanks, Forgetfulone!

Labels: bloggity goodness, books/reading, giveaways, Pay It Forward

As a contributor over at BloggedIn- News & Networking, I just highlighted an excellent post entitled, The Bully and the Bear?

Please, go check it out and leave Christine of Serenity How? some comments to let her know what you thought of her post.

Twice a month I search through the posts of bloggers who are part of Family-Friendly Network looking for a special one to highlight. If you're not already a member, you might consider joining! It's a great group of bloggers!

If you are a member and have a post you'd like highlighted in the near future, send me an email with a link to that post and I'll check it out!

Labels: BloggedIn Highlight, blogger friends, bloggity goodness

It's time to pick two winners for my March Pay It Forward Book Exchange. I've used Random.org to find my winners.

And the winners are...

# 2- Tisa a non-blogger who wins Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides.

# 16- Lindsay at On Shades of Gray who wins Hope's Boy: A Memoir by Andrew Bridge.

Congrats, Ladies! Please email me your mailing addresses so I can send you your books next week! If I don't hear from you soon, I'll have to pick another winner.

And for those of you who didn't win my giveaway, check out the additional books still up for grabs this month!

My next Pay It Forward Book Exchange will be held on Tuesday, 1 April.

Labels: bloggity goodness, books/reading, giveaways, Pay It Forward, winners