CrazyHairLair

Your Dad deserves more, Shutterfly can help. :)

2012-06-11T17:03:00.000-05:00


Pops and Me December 1988

I dont know about you guys, but I happen to have THE BEST Dad in the world. He's Mr. Fix It in our home (and everyone elses home who we happen to know), he gives great hugs, smells nice, and is always wonderfully silly. Yes, even as a grown adult woman with my own children, these are all still important Dad Factors to me.

When Father's Day rolls around every year, I always like to take a little extra time, and put some serious thought into my Dad's gift. It has to be something he needs, AND something he'd want. (This is a given though, Im sure most of you go through the same thought process for your wonderful Father(s).) My Dad knows his gifts are going to rock, but honestly, I think what my Pops most looks forward to, is his card. I can go into his room, and in his top dresser drawer I will find Father's Day cards dated way too far back. He treasures his cards, and the loving notes written carefully inside of them.

My Sisters, Pops, and Myself

This year, make sure to give your dad a great Father's Day card that he will treasure for years to come, by going HERE to Shutterfly's Facebook. Show them some love by liking their page. Shutterfly will offer you a free personalized 5x7 photo or stationary card to share with your dad. (Do it quickly, this offer will only be available through June 18th.) Awesome. ;)

There is nothing as fortunate as being blessed with a good Dad, and I thank God everyday for mine. So to all wonderful Father's out there, please know that you are appreciated, loved, and special. Happy Father's Day!

My Favorite Dad in the whole wide world. :)

Gucci Flora Garden Collection - Sample Giveaway

2012-05-16T21:56:00.000-05:00

Hi Ladies & Gents!

(Im not sure there are actually any "Gents" that read my blog, but yay for political correctness!)

Once again, I have another blog pertaining to some free Swag provided by BzzAgent. The lovely people there shipped me a pretty little box, filled with pretty, girly, smelly stuff. The new Gucci Flora Garden Collection. (AND, they made sure to have it delivered to me before Mother's Day, to make as a nice addition to my Momma's gift.)

Momma was very happy with the Gucci Flora Garden Collection, and quickly chose Glamorous Magnolia as her favorite. Her Mother's Day box is pictured below. ;)

The following is information taken directly from my BzzAgent Campaign Homepage:

Express yourself

Inspired by one of Gucci's most iconic designs, Flora by Gucci: The Flora Garden Collection is a bouquet of refined eau de toilettes, designed to express the multi-faceted personality and depth of emotion of every woman. Glamorous, Gracious, Gorgeous — each fragrance is distinct, yet together all the scents embody the beauty and allure of Gucci's renowned Flora pattern, originally designed for the charismatic Princess Grace in 1966. Explore each bloom, and express your loveliness, with Flora by Gucci.

Flora by Gucci: The Flora Garden Collection is available in three distinct floral fragrances:

Glamorous Magnolia

A brilliant opening of buoyant freesia, zest and green leaves yields to a tactile fusion of peony and magnolia. Sandalwood, musk and warm chocolate lend sensuousness to a base that proves as lingering as it is addictive. Glamorous Magnolia celebrates the magnolia in all its guises: radiant freshness, velvet petals and an enduringly feminine sensuality. Glamour is assured.

Gorgeous Gardenia

A sparkling prelude of succulent red berries and juicy pear gives way to an opulent floral heart. The plushness of gardenia petals is enhanced by the creamy warmth of frangipani flower, underlaid by the delectable aroma of patchouli and brown sugar. Gorgeous Gardenia is a paean to the lightness of the shrub's first blossom and the addictive richness of it in full bloom. The result is gorgeously feminine.

Gracious Tuberose

A distinctively elegant tuberose in which a verdant overture of violet leaves and peach softens into the plant's silken blossom. A base of white cedarwood and cistus enhances the impression of refined charm. Gracious Tuberose embraces all aspects of the flower's loveliness: its fresh green shoots, dew-sprinkled petals and lingering sillage. The effect is the most gracious aura.

Visit macys.com and sephora.com to learn more about the collection and purchase your favorite scent.

DISCLOSURE: I am a BzzAgent, and have received a product sample, coupon, collateral, or other special premium from BzzAgent. The information I have provided is my honest opinion, and has not been influenced by any factors other than my own experiences with Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine.

I have three sets of samples to give away, to three lucky people so that you may try the Flora Garden for yourselves.Enter today using the Rafflecopter form located directly below this blog post. Winners will be randomly drawn from all verified entries. The prize are samples that have been supplied by BzzAgent, and will be shipped directly to winners from my home.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine - Review and Giveaway

2012-05-10T03:04:00.001-05:00

So, I love BzzAgent. I know Ive bragged about this particular website before, but Im going to do it a whole lot more.....again and again. I FREAKIN' LOVE BzzAgent. They continuously hook me up with cool Swag, and all they ask in return is my honest opinion. So Kiddos, lets get down to it!

Earlier this month I had a nice BzzKit in the mail with my full sized samples of Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine. Garnier states these few claims in reference to Sleek & Shine on their website:

Get the most intense smoothing yet from Sleek & Shine Shampoo.

Now it locks out frizz for a full 3 days, even in 97% humidity.

FORTIFIED FRUIT SCIENCE
Ultra-smoothing Argan Oil from Morocco
Apricot Oil

Now, in order to honestly review, Im going to give you some quick background history on my hair, and the environment It lives in. (My hair is SO big, it literally lives in it's own environment. It has a life of it's own, seriously.)

I have big, thick, Texas hair. It comes to about the mid-point of my back, and frizzes in every other way/direction it so well pleases. I live in Texas, where humidity is like a season all to itself, that unfortunately lasts nearly all year long. To tame my "do" I use Head & Shoulders shampoo, and Aussie 3 Minute Miracle to condition, daily.

I was worried as to whether or not I should change up my system. My Hair seems to be quite content with the products It currently uses. But, Im a BzzAgent, BzzAgent's arent scaredy cats! My Hair compromised, and we tried out the Sleek & Shine conditioner in lieu of my Aussie product. Garnier Sleek & Shine conditioner has a great smell to it, nice and fruity, so no worries there. Its creamy, and seems to lather very well. Rinses out easily, no problems there either. After my blow dry, I straightened My Hair, and stepped outside. Usually, this is the part where My Hair grows ten feet, but after several uses of Garnier's Sleek & Shine conditioner, it only grows to about nine and a half feet. Sooooo, not a major difference in the frizz department, as Garnier claims. But I will say, my hair does feel much softer, and I did receive compliments on it. ;)

Also, please keep in mind that I DID NOT use the conditioner in conjunction with the Garnier shampoo. Im sure this did have an effect on the total outcome.

I will not be replacing my Aussie product, cause I love it to pieces. BUT I will however, begin alternating with Garnier Sleek & Shinen conditioner. It has a nice smell to it, I seem to be finding great sales on Sleek & Shine, and it leaves my hair pretty dang soft. ;)

So, do you Dear Readers like nice smelling fragrances, want to kick frizz's tush, fancy a soft fluffy "do" of your own? Now is your chance to try out Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine for yourself! One lucky winner will receive a full product of Garnier Sleek & Shine Shampoo, and one full product of Garnier Sleek & Shine Conditioner.

Enter today using the Rafflecopter form located directly below this blog post. A winner will be randomly drawn from all verified entries. The prize has been purchased and supplied by me, and will be shipped directly to winner from my home.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Preschool Prep - What every parent should own!

2012-02-03T12:31:00.000-06:00

Hi Ladies and Gents!

I know it's been a while, but I try and make sure that any topic I post about is relevant, sufficient, and useful to my readers. My posts may seem sporadic, but I'm just trying to make sure everyone is receiving quality content. Thanks for being patient!

Anyway, back to topic: I have in my possession, the KEY to your child's reading success. For those who know me, and to those who don't, I am an avid reader. I LOVE books. As a mother, I want my child to grow up appreciating an enchanting story. (There is NOTHING like curling up with a great read on any given morning/afternoon/evening....well, you get it.) So I spend as much time as possible encouraging Noah to read, learn, and love! We visit Half Price Books quite frequently, and it was upon one of our weekly visit's that I discovered Preschool Prep's "Meet The Sight Words 3" in HPB's amazing clearance section. It was only a dollar, and I figured anything educational is worth a shot....BEST DOLLAR IVE EVER SPENT!

Noah and I came home, I popped in the DVD, and thus began our learning experience. I must admit, on our first viewing I thought to myself "Is Noah really going to enjoy this....?" (The DVD flashes a black sight word "from", "he", "she", etc; on a white screen for several seconds, while clearly stating the word.) After, a short animation featuring the word (such as the cover indicates to the right) is displayed. I had nothing to be worried about. Noah LOVES this video. Within a day (yes, really, just a day), he had a third of his sight words memorized! Now, as we read books each night before bed, Noah is reading to me!

I'm so excited about the results this fun, educational, entertaining DVD has been able to produce. I'm also a bit upset that I hadn't discovered the Preschool Prep series sooner! P.P also offers books, activity pages, DVDs such as "Meet the Colors", "Meet the Shapes", "Meet the Numbers", and so on. You can view their full line of products at PreschoolPrepCo.com

I strongly urge every parent to supply these learning tools for their children, you will not be disappointed! I emailed Preschool Prep to let them know I was trying to spread the word of their amazing products, and they generously sent me a 20% off promo code to share with my readers, score! Be sure to enter "PREP20" in the promo field upon checkout, and you're good to go. Also, shipping to all U.S. customers is free, woo-hoo!

UPDATE: Preschool Prep is currently offering 50% off all products from now ~~till May 16th, 2012~~. Plus, shipping in the U.S. is always free. YAY!
EXTENDED through May 20th, 2012!!!!

DISCLOSURE: I have not been reimbursed in any way by Preschool Prep to endorse their products. The information I have provided is my honest opinion, and has not been influenced by any factors other than my own experiences with said product.

BzzAgent - What's the Bzz???

2011-12-02T02:45:00.004-06:00

Hello to my Faithful Followers!

I wanted to let you in on yet another AWESOME website that allows it's users to score free swag in exchange for honest reviews. BzzAgent sends you a product, and asks for you to share with family and friends to get the conversation going. "Is this a good product, would you buy it, how much would you pay?" Simple questions, with easy ways to receive and share answers . (Bzzagent gives you the option to link your Facebook/Twitter/Blog to their site, it makes things sooooooo simple and easy.) AND, it's free to sign up! If you're interested (Why wouldn't you be??) you can sign up to become a BzzAgent by going HERE.

As a proud Bzzagent, I was able to participate in "Krogers The Truly Awesome Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookies" Campaign. With words such as "awesome, chocolate, and cookie" in the campaign title, I knew it was going to be all sorts of yummy fun!

So, how were the cookies? Well, I'll be honest... I highly enjoy (and pride myself) on my baking, so I was a bit apprehensive towards these store bought cookies. "Homestyle" cookies ...from a box?" (When I received the cookies, and saw only eight came, I thought, "Hmm....that's not very much.") BUT, these cookies are not scrawny. (Picture your basic chocolate chip cookie, and multiply that by three.)

They come in a foil package, packed inside of a rectangular box. The foil makes all sorts of loud, "Guess-what-Mommy-is-unsuccessfully-trying-to-sneak-behind-your-back" kinda noise, so be sure to toss that out quickly, and place your cookies in an airtight container....that is, IF there are any left to store.

The cookies themselves are crunchy. (Chips Ahoy, Grandma's Dipped Fudge Chip, Etc;) All my family quickly compared them to Chips Ahoy, and then quickly stated Kroger's "tasted way better". I must agree. You can actually taste the butter, and a very slight taste of salt. The taste isn't overpowering, it's "just right". These cookies are PERFECT for a bit, or a bunch, of milk dunking. Both boxes we received were quickly gobbled down.

I rather enjoy a softer cookie, but for those that prefer a bit of crunch to their sweets, Kroger's Truly Awesome Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookies definitely take the ~~cake~~ cookie.

DISCLOSURE: I am a BzzAgent, and have received a product sample, coupon, collateral, or other special premium from BzzAgent.

Don't believe me, love cookies...believe yourself to be a cookie expert? One Blog subscriber will win two (2) boxes of Kroger's Truly Awesome Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookies to have all to themselves. (Or to share, if you're feeling generous.)

Enter today using the Rafflecopter form located directly below this blog post. (Click on "Read More" to access the entry form.) A winner will be randomly drawn from all verified entries. The prize has been purchased and supplied by me, and will be shipped directly to winner from my home.

"FyrFlyz - We own the Night!!!"

2011-11-29T14:28:00.000-06:00

As a member of MomSelect, I was selected to try out an awesome new toy called FyrFlyz. If you haven't seen or heard of them yet, let me fill you in!

FyrFlyz is what you get when you combine a yo-yo with a glow-stick. The plastic housing is about 4 inches in length, and the tip of each end contains a multicolored light. This piece is suspended on two strings which have finger slots at both ends. (As pictured at right.) Spin them around and watch the fun come alive!

The toy has an age suggestion of 8+, my 3 year old's arms aren't quite long enough, but with Mommy's supervision and assistance, he enjoys them as well.

AND, FyrFlyz aren't just for children, all the adults were highly intrigued as well!! This year on Thanksgiving, my family and I took turns playing with the blue (Blue Angel) and purple (NytFyr) FyrFlyz....I think by the end of the night we all wanted one of our own. I find myself picking it up and using it up till my arms tire out. (Did I mention this becomes a workout as well??)

Thanksgiving night I used them in line at Toys 'R Us, and they were a HUGE hit. Everyone wanted to know where to get them (Toys 'R Us,) and how much. (Under 10 bucks!)

The Black Friday crowd was very excited to try out our FyrFlyz!

FyrFlyz are also available for purchase at: FAO Schwarz, CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Transworld, Toyzam, Amazon.com, and other specialty stores.

The FyrFlyz are small, as previously described, and will make a great surprise in anyone's stocking. I highly recommend them! If you'd like additional information on FyrFlyz, you can find it HERE on their official website, or by following FyrFlyz on Facebook, and/or Twitter.

Also, If you are interested in reviewing fun products, you can do so by joining MomSelect.

Disclosure: I received two free FyrFlyz, as part of a promotional program with FyrFlyz and MomSelect, for review purposes only.

Mindfield Internet Survey Panel

2011-11-03T01:45:00.001-05:00

Hello Friends!

I wanted to let everyone know about one of my favorite survey panels: Mindfield Online.

Mindfield is absolutely free to join. Click HERE , and you will be taken directly to their registration page. Fill out the information, complete a brief profile survey (this is to link studies related to each person's particular interests,) and start making some money!

Mindfield will send out email invitations to surveys of interest to you. The more surveys you complete, the more cash you rake in! Once you have earned a minimum of $5, you can choose to receive payment through PayPal, or in the form of a check mailed directly to you.

Hurry, join today, this offer wont last long!
(Mindfield Opinion Panel is joined by invitation only!!!)

3YV74QS3SZJ4

Swagbucks, Making money by browsing the internet!

2011-10-27T17:56:00.001-05:00

Hey Ladies and Gents!

It's been quite a while since my last post, Ive been pretty busy the past few months. But I just had to let everyone in on my current moneymaker: Swagbucks is the place to be, it's a great site!

You're probably asking, "What is Swagbucks?"

Swagbucks is a site that allows you to accumulate points to earn "swag" (Gift-cards, electronics, jewelry, etc;), by simply searching the web. For example, if you decide to look up information about Disneyworld, you may be inclined to type in Google, or Yahoo, and search through them. Don't do it!!! Instead, register with Swagbucks, use their search bar, and reap the (AWESOME) rewards. (It's very convenient if you install their toolbar, but it is not necessary.) Also, they have Daily polls, surveys, videos, etc that you can participate in to earn points. Quite nifty.

It's simple, free, and easy to join. Click on any of my Swagbucks links, and it will take you right to it. What are you waiting for??!

May God give them strength to endure!

2011-08-26T17:58:00.000-05:00

Please remember to keep our East Coast Brothers and Sisters in your thoughts. With Hurricane Irene headed their way, they can use all the prayers they can get!

Coupon Queens (Or Kings)!

2011-08-24T18:53:00.000-05:00

By now, most people have seen at least one episode of Extreme Couponing, and if you haven't, you should. Some of these ladies do amazing things with their coupons! $400 baskets full of groceries, and after all their coupons, most get money in return.... or their bill is something ridiculous, like $13.56. Watch an episode, by the end, you'll be hooked!

My mother has always been frugal, so growing up, coupons were not a choice, they were a necessity. If I wanted something, it needed to be on sale, and we had to have a coupon. No questions about it. Needless to say, this apple didn't fall very far from the tree. I spend a good two hours, at the very least, clipping coupons once a week, usually a bit longer. And even more time is spent combing through the Sunday paper/grocery fliers/online coupon sites to find the big deals. I plan ahead, its the only way to be able to do it. It can be overwhelming, but if you start small, get the hang of it, you'll be saving in no time!

So, if you don't already "Coupon", here are some pointers that can help you begin. (Ive never had a huge purchase (My largest has been a $90 total reduced to $12, and a free $25 total), such as the ones portrayed on Extreme Couponing, but I have had some very good savings.)

Let's start Saving!

Items Needed: Binder, Clear Baseball Pages, Dividers, Scissors

Binder - I use a Five Star zippered binder, it has an accordion folder attached on the inside to hold my ads, plus a small zippered pouch (Good for holding loose coupons), along with a pen/marker/scissor holder. Very nifty!
Baseball card pages - I use clear baseball card pages, but you could also use photograph pages that come in various sizes. I like to keep it simple, baseball pages work great, and are usually less expensive than the other clear organizational pages. It's a good idea to keep an extra pack of baseball pages at the back of your binder, your coupons will fluctuate, and you'll probably need more sooner rather than later.
Dividers -I tried using clear dividers, but didn't enjoy the hectic look of the coupons, so I switched to your basic yellow dividers. This way, each category had it's own, separated area.
Scissors - I like to keep my coupon scissors inside my folder, they dont get lost being used for other purposes, and I always have them handy when needed.

How to Set Up My Coupon Binder:

Get organized - Try to have all your coupons in the groups they're going to be in once inside the binder. For example, my binder has non-food item coupons at the front, Food coupons at the back. So when I organize my coupons, I put all Food items together when cutting, and all non-food together. Some people have their coupons alphabetized by category (Air fresheners, Baby, Batteries, Bread)...it's your binder, you have to find what works for you.

Here is how my binder is sorted:
Non-Food Items

Cleaning Products
Laundry
Paper Goods (Toilet paper, napkins, tissue, etc;)
Deodorizers (Air fresheners, candles, plug ins, etc;)
Plastics (Bags, containers, throw-away plates/cups, etc;)
Health Items
Cosmetics
Dental Hygiene
Women's Hygiene
Men's Hygiene
Shaving Products
Soap/Bodywashes
Hair Products
Noah (Child products)
Batteries

Food

Meat, Fish, Chicken
Ready-Made Meals (nuggets, Pizza, skillets, Diet meals, etc;)
Breakfast Items
Dairy
Fruits/Nuts/Veggies
Spreads/Dressings
Soups
Bread/Rice/Pasta
Beverages
Snacks

Where can I find coupons?

Sunday Paper - Be sure to buy your Sunday paper, I like to get at least two sets of them, especially if they have coupons on products my family favors.
Coupon Swap - Get your friends/family involved. If you know people who coupon, or that want to start, get them involved as well. Trade coupons that you dont want/need, for those you do. Having friends to coupon with is a good way to save, and to spend designated time with friends!
Visit store sites - One of my favorite stores is TARGET, and I love TARGET even more for their store issued coupons. (Not only does TARGET issue their own coupons, they accept their coupons, IN ADDITION to the manufacturer coupons as well. For example: Lets say you're price matching toilet paper at TARGET. GregGrocery is offering it 1.00 cheaper. BUT, TARGET has a print coupon on their site for .75 off. You also have a manufacturer coupon for .50 off. TARGET will allow you to price match, and use both coupons. That's a savings of $2.25, AWESOME!) Many stores issue out coupons on their websites, let your fingers do the walking, and the snipping, so you can do the saving!
Online coupon printing - Sites such as CouponMom, or Coupons are also great sites to load up on savings.

How do I save BIG money?

Price-match - All those grocery circulars you receive in your mail are very important. Those little fliers contain all the sale prices of your grocer's competitor. Most stores allow price-matching (Ya havta' love Wal-Mart), and will honor the prices listed. So you get the lowest price, plus your coupons, homerun!
Triple your coupons - If there is a grocery store near you that "Triples" coupons, this is the place to be! (Our local KROGER no longer allows this, it was quickly phased out after Extreme Couponing...Hmm...)
Use your sales wisely - KROGER offers an occasional 10-for-5 sale. Buy ten items, save $5. THIS IS A GREAT PROMOTION! For example, on the 10-for-5 sale, toothbrushes came out to $1.50 after any ten items on the list were purchased. I had coupons for said toothbrushes. 4 - $1.00 off a single toothbrush, and 3 - buy two save $2.00. Total after coupons, free!
Learn from others - Use the internet to it's fullest advantage. I highly advise becoming familiar with FreeStuffTimes. They offer printable coupons, Forums in which fellow Coupon Queens/Kings share their deals, Free samples, etc; Its a great site, visit it today!

I hope my post helps, and if you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment. Now get to saving!

"One man's junk, another man's treasure"

2011-08-23T22:32:00.000-05:00

Those who know me well, can tell you I am a BIG nerd.....(and, really, who am I kidding? Even those who DON'T know me well can probably tell you this). That's fine by me though, I wear my nerd badge with honor!

As an official self-proclaimed nerd, I LOVE to read books. Not only do I love to read, I actually love books themselves. New books, old books, soft cloth books, shiny hardbacks...but mostly, I love a good, inexpensive book. Thus the reason for this post: If you have not been to your local thrift store, you must do so, right away! (Seriously, go...but finish reading my Blog first, then go!)

I visit a lot of different thrift stores, and prices range, as does the selection. (Items are donated, so you wont ALWAYS find a stack of amazingly inexpensive finds, maybe sometimes just one or two.) I find stacks upon stacks of abandoned books, just begging to be bought and taken home to be loved. My two favorite spots sell their children's books for .33 and .50, respectively. Adult books are sold for a $1.00 at both locations. What a steal!

$1.80 for Noah's new books, "winning"!

I just had to share, so many people are missing out on a great deal! So what are you waiting for, visit your local thrift store today, there are treasures to be found!

I love to SWEEP (And I dont mean with a broom!)

2011-08-23T16:10:00.004-05:00

A few years back, I (randomly) entered a contest through Parents.com. Several weeks later, surprise! I had received a $25 Burger King gift card in the mail. It was like winning the lottery. I jumped up and down (very silly), yelled, whooped, and called nearly everyone in my phone book. My family had Burger King for dinner (Gotta love those dollar menus), and lunch the next day.

"WINNING!"

Pre-Sweep Win

Fast forward 3-4 years, and you will see my son (Noah) throwing up all over his Grandparents couches. It was disgusting. There was no way those couches would ever be the same, they had to be thrown out. I now, in turn, needed to supply my parents with new furniture....the only problem was, I COULD NOT afford it. So I turned to sweepstakes. I jumped on the computer and started my search: "Win Furniture", "Furniture giftcard", "Free furniture", etc, etc; Finally, bingo, I hit the jackpot with Gallery Furniture, a local furniture store here in Houston, Texas. It was really simple, upload a picture of your old furniture (Pictured above), have friends/family/strangers "Like" the page on Facebook, and have the most "Likes". After badgering/spamming the heck out of EVERYONE I know, I won!!!! I took my mother to Gallery Furniture the very next day, and picked out a new set of couches. And thus began a Sweeping (Sweepstakes) addiction!

How to start Sweeping:
If you're a Newbie, I highly suggest heading over to OLS and creating an account. Access is free, but they do have the option of being a payed member. For the moment, I am listed as a "Junior Sweeper". (I'm new to the site, and have not paid for a membership, yet.) From various posts in the forums, I hear joining is well worth the money. As for the free membership, OLS lists sweeps in Categories such as "Single Entries", "Daily Entries", "Unlimited Entries", etc; OLS also offers forums that contain a wealth of knowledge. Great site to be a member of, paid or unpaid.

FREESTUFFTIMES should be on your Favorites toolbar. Free stuff, plus contests.... No other comments, just go do it.

Also, your next step should be to download RoboForm. RoboForm saves your Logins, Stores your passwords, and fills out forms with a single click! What more could a sweeper want?

Can't remember exactly which sweepstakes to return to on a daily basis? No problemo! Be sure to set up an account with Delicious. It's a very user-friendly site that allows you to save a link, categorize it, and pull it up from any location. So basically, it's a portable Bookmark menu bar. Going out of town and want to be sure you sweep? Delicious makes it possible.

Helpful hints towards Sweeping?

Read the rules - I cannot stress this enough, READ THE OFFICIAL RULES. There are so many entries you could miss out on, or worse, you could be disqualifying yourself b/c of a simple mistake. For example, I was entering a contest that I THOUGHT was a once a day entry. After several days of entering, I went to read the OR's, and discovered that I could actually enter 5x's per day. 5x's!!!!! I had been missing out on 4 extra entries every day!!! (What a rookie.)
Enter - You must enter to win, after all.
Verify your information - RoboForm is an awesome "Sweeping" tool, but it is a Robot after all...mistakes can be made. A simple mistake, such as an incorrect/incomplete phone number/email address can cost you a big win!
Check your email - Check your email, daily at the very least.
Double check Junk Folder - Sweepstakes sometimes get jumbled into your junk folder. If you fail to see a winning notification in time, or worse, accidentally delete it, you just flushed a win down the toilet. :(
Persistence is key - Single entries are great, because you only have to worry about entering once, but many contests are classified as "Daily Entries". Some people get lucky, and can win off of just one entry, but the odds will be stacked against you. So if you enter contests that allow you more than one entry, take advantage, this Momma sure will!
Local contests are your friends - Big national, worldwide contests are great, but thousands, if not millions, of people will be entering. Listen in to your radio stations, browse through your local papers, log onto city websites. These are little goldmines!

I'm new to Sweeping (definitely not a "pro"), but I'm pretty excited, and wanted to share what I've learned to anyone who cares to listen. I've already won some great prizes (gift cards, furniture, tickets to events, clothing, school supplies, etc;), and I'm hoping to win more. I hope it's your lucky day too. Happy Sweeping!

Noah Turns One, Mommy Turns Old (And Cranky)

2009-10-24T16:36:00.001-05:00

My son, Noah, just turned a year old today.

I decided yesterday afternoon that I would have cake, ice cream, and maybe pizza in celebration.....there are a few problems with this grand idea of mine. Let's just start with:

Noah is not allowed to have cake, ice cream, or pizza.
Mommy (Me) is not allowed to have cake, ice cream, or pizza.
Mommy and Noah will (more than likely) want said cake, ice cream, and pizza.
Mommy is unemployed at the moment, and cake, ice cream, and pizza does not purchase itself.

So, because of these slight predicaments, I decided to have a garage sale. I spent all of last night organizing, tagging, creating (Awesome, if I may add) signage, and transporting all items to a neighbor's conveniently located, high-traffic-area home.

So there I was bright and early at 7 a.m., awaiting all my garage sale guests. NOBODY came....another hour went by.....Nobody came......finally, FINALLY, I had guests. (Who turned out to be neighbors from up the street....) Right around 2, after my fifth customer, I called it a day and spent another 30 minutes re-binning all the clothes I had tagged/dragged out of the entire house. I was feeling a bit down. It was a beautiful day out, but I just told myself everyone was out enjoying the day rather than garage sale shopping.

So I loaded up, and took off to remove my (AWESOME, $7.00 a piece) signs. But when I got to each corner, I was surprised to find at least 3 signs, and none of my own....

It wasn't because everyone was out "enjoying the beautiful day" that I didn't have hardly any customers, it WAS BECAUSE SOMEONE JACKED MY EXPENSIVE SIGNS!!!! ALL 3 OF THEM!!!! I was peeved, to say the least. All that hard work, all that damn clothes I dragged out, and had to drag back in. I was ready to knock over the paper boy, and run over the friendly looking grandma. I bet that old hack took my signs! I was envisioning myself driving around in my rich cousin's hummer assaulting any house within a 5 mile radius of my garage sale. So I came home, peeved, and broke, and did the only thing I could do. I ate an ice cream bar. Had a cookie, and logged onto my blog. I guess the neighbors are safe for now. And maybe Noah will have a cupcake for his birthday. Im pretty sure I cant find a cake for $3.00.