La Vie de Laurie

Giveaway: Win SteamPotVille and help flight cancer

Laurie — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 03:59:21 +0000

My friends, both online and off, have been incredible in helping me spread the word about my fundraising for the Breast Cancer 3-Day. My friend HeatherinBC (as you may know her online) offered to help me spread the word by generously donating a prize to encourage more friends to participate.

The prize is a children’s book called SteamPotVille by Steve Ouch. I have not personally read it, however it looks just adorable. I looked at the website and the pages are bold and colorful, and I just love the flying puppy on the cover. Would you like to win this for your children and help me earn money for Susan G. Komen?

It is easy to help me earn up to $35 for my walk, and it will cost your absolutely nothing… not even a cent! If you would like to win the book, please leave a comment on this post. Then see my last post about my sponsor HotelsCombined.com and complete one or all three of the things below for extra entries. Simply leave an extra comment for each one that you do. These are important because they earn free donations from my sponsor for Susan G. Komen. If you have already helped prior to this post, you are also eligible! Simply let me know what you have done to enter.

Become a fan of HotelsCombined on Facebook, and they will donate $5. You can mention in their comments that you are supporting me and Susan G. Komen.

Tweet the following message from your Twitter account and they will donate $10:
Please RT @laurie_pooh: Check out HotelsCombined.com! I’m spreading the word and supporting Susan G Komen http://tinyurl.com/ao2rgj

Write a quick blog post like this one about HotelsCombined and their charity program (you can mention me and my walk too), and they will donate $20.

U.S and Canada only, please. The winner will be selected randomly from all valid entries on or around March 1. You must leave a comment saying you would like to win the book, as well as additional comments letting me know what else you have done to earn extra entries. Please also use your real first name and leave a valid way for me to contact you should you be selected as the winner. You will have 48 hours to respond to my e-mail before another winner is selected. Good Luck and thanks again to Heather and everyone for their support!

HotelsCombined.com supports me and Komen

Laurie — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 04:33:07 +0000

Last month I received an e-mail from HotelsCombined.com with information on their Spread the Word for Charity campaign.

By letting your friends know about their awesome site, they will make a monetary donation to your choice of three very worthy charities. Currently they are supporting the World Wildlife Federation, Make A Wish, and World Vision. I immediately took to Twitter and Facebook and helped spread the word.

They were also kind enough to offer to sponsor my Susan G. Komen for the Cure 3-Day walk in November by contributing donations for friends and family that I refer to their website and program. It is easy to help and costs you absolutely nothing except a few minutes of your time and clicks of your mouse! Here is how you can help me and Susan G. Komen for the Cure:

Become a fan of HotelsCombined on Facebook, and they will donate $5. You can mention in their comments that you are supporting me and Susan G. Komen.

Tweet the following message from your Twitter account and they will donate $10:
Please RT @laurie_pooh: Check out HotelsCombined.com! I’m spreading the word and supporting Susan G Komen http://tinyurl.com/ao2rgj

Write a quick blog post like this one about HotelsCombined and their charity program (you can mention me and my walk too), and they will donate $20.

The best part? You can do one, two, or all three of the above. So won’t you help me spread the word and help me earn more donations to end breast cancer forever?

I love that HotelsCombined.com is a green and socially conscious company. What do they do? I am so glad you asked! They are a search engine that consumers can use to find hotel availability and rates. Their site allows their users to compare prices and offers from multiple merchants which means you don’t have to go to any other websites to find the best deal on your next hotel stay. Once you find the supplier suitable for your needs, they link you through to the supplier website to book directly. They offer a “complete picture” for any hotel that can be booked on the Internet, and are not paid to promote any particular website or hotel.

Go check them out for yourself. I plan on booking my next hotel through them (I found a ridiculously great rate on a room at the Paris hotel in Las Vegas!), and you should too. Want to help spread the word? You can get a nifty badge (like the one below) on their website. It couldn’t be more easy to make a donation to a wonderful charity and not even have to open your own wallet.

Thank you to those of you who have already helped, and especially to HotelsCombined for this wonderful opportunity!

I recommend HotelsCombined.com and sent $35 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure!

You can shout and help too.

Giveaway: Support your local schools with Box Tops for Education and win a $25 Kroger grocery gift card

Laurie — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 03:08:11 +0000

Did you know that over $300 million for our kids’ schools have been raised thanks to the Box Tops for Education program? It’s easy because local schools get credit when you simply purchase products that are already your family’s household favorites. Now you can get in on the action, and do even more to help.

The Kroger Family of Stores is offering five free Bonus Box Tops to participants that register at www.RewardYourSchool.com before March 18! In addition General Mills has provided me with a $25 Kroger gift card, and another for one of my readers! Read on to find out how to win.

I just logged on to the Reward Your School website and registered our Kroger shopping card. You’ll need to have yours with you too in order complete registration (it doesn’t recognize phone numbers). Your school of choice will automatically receive the bonus Box Tops, and then you can load your shopping card with other products to purchase during your next visit that will automatically give credit to the school– no clipping necessary. It’s easy, and all you have to do is use your card and purchase your favorite items. You can choose from products by Pillsbury, Yoplait, and General Mills cereals.

Now it’s YOUR turn! Want to win a $25 gift card to the Kroger Family of Stores? Go to the Reward Your School website, register your card and answer one of these two questions: 1) Name three of your favorite Box Tops for Education products or 2) Name three of the stores participating in the promotion.

If you would like to earn extra entries:
1) Follow me @laurie_pooh on Twitter and send the following message:
I entered to win a $25 Kroger grocery gift card from @laurie_pooh and General Mills: http://tinyurl.com/krogergiftcard
2) Follow my blog using the Google Connect in my sidebar to the right.
3) Subscribe to my blog in a reader.

U.S only, please. The winner will be selected randomly from all valid entries on or around February 27. You must leave a comment letting me know your answer to one of the two questions above, as well as additional comments letting me know what else you have done to earn extra entries. Please also use your real first name and leave a valid way for me to contact you should you be selected as the winner. You will have 48 hours to respond to my e-mail before another winner is selected. Good Luck!

This giveaway (gift card) and the information have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark, but the opinions contained within are my own.

When one door closes another one opens, and other clichés and truths that get you through the day

Laurie — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 02:51:57 +0000

It happened a year ago today. I arrived to work a few minutes before 8:00 AM, and noticed my boss was already at her desk. She was never at the office before 10:00 AM. I knew something was up. Over the past few months I noticed that her attitude toward me changed. I was no longer the go-to person on projects. She gave me a hard time about taking vacation. I started to feel alienated. Office birthdays (especially hers) were always a big deal in past years. She completely ignored mine. It was a pretty miserable time. I had been telling my co-workers that I knew something was up. That things just didn’t feel right. I wanted out, but I really did like my job and the people that I worked with. I’m a hard worker; not a job hopper or a quitter. I was the one who was on time, did my work, rarely called out, and came in during snow and ice storms. I was willing to stay and make it work. I was loyal.

I had settled in to work on revising some spreadsheets for the new month when she came over to my desk and asked if I had time to meet with her for a few minutes. Everything that had happened the past few months suddenly made sense on that short walk to her boss’s office. I knew what was coming. I didn’t hear much of what they said. Something about them losing more accounts, and how they were so sorry. I’m sure. The next step was the uncomfortable ride down in the elevator to meet with HR.

It’s amazing that you can feel both sadness, clarity, relief, and fear all at the same time. This had never happened to me before. I didn’t know what to expect. I was sad because it’s hard to leave something or somewhere you’ve been apart of for three years. This is someplace I moved to after leaving my job of seven years by my own choice. I felt clarity and relief because I knew I wanted something more and this might give me the swift kick in the butt I needed to not only get out of this bad situation but into a better one all at the same time. And fear? The unknown is scary. Unemployment is scary. The economy is pretty much the worst it has ever been.

It was a hard time. I admit it. There were days my feet didn’t touch the floor until after 2:00 PM. I cried. A lot. Mostly though, I felt happy. Happy I wasn’t there amidst the drama and lack of professionalism anymore, and hopeful that something much better would come along. The hardest thing about being unemployed is that it is an extremely stressful time. I felt worthless. I felt unworthy of regular everyday necessities. I felt guilty for going to lunch. I felt angry at friends who vented about silly things happening at their jobs. I wish that I didn’t have that stress, because I really didn’t enjoy the break. I didn’t better myself. I didn’t have fun. I wallowed in self-pity. Yet I felt happy and free somehow. It’s hard to describe.

I can’t believe that it has been a year. I really can’t. Time has flown by. It feels like it was yesterday. No, I don’t have any hard feelings for that place or those people. Business is business. I get it. Yes, I have been somewhere new and that has given me the chance to move on and to start a new chapter. Sometimes things are not everything you dream them to be or want them to be, but you have to keep moving forward.

A few weeks ago I witnessed Conon O’brien make the most classy and professional exit from NBC and the Tonight Show. I tear up every time I watch it. This is how I feel. More people should really take note.

Here are a few more life quotes that you might find cliché, but that are somewhat comforting and true, especially during hard times:

+ In the end, it’s not going to matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments took your breath away.

+ Never tell your problems to anyone. 20% don’t care and the other 80% are glad you have them.

+ When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile.

+ Work like you don’t need the money, love like you’ve never been hurt and dance like no one is watching.

+ Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.

+ As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn’t supposed to ever let us down, probably will. You’ll have your heart broken and you’ll break others’ hearts. You’ll fight with your best friend or maybe even fall in love with them, and you’ll cry because time is flying by. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, forgive freely, and love like you’ve never been hurt. Life comes with no guarantees, no time outs, no second chances. you just have to live life to the fullest, tell someone what they mean to you and tell someone off, speak out, dance in the pouring rain, hold someone’s hand, comfort a friend, fall asleep watching the sun come up, stay up late, be a flirt, and smile until your face hurts. Don’t be afraid to take chances or fall in love and most of all, live in the moment because every second you spend angry or upset is a second of happiness you can never get back.

Giveaway: Give the key to your heart this Valentine’s

Laurie — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 18:04:45 +0000

February 14th is just around the corner. What are you going to get your Valentine? One of my very favorite gift ideas is having something nice engraved. It makes the gift more personal, and who wouldn’t treasure a special message selected just for them?

Are you looking for a fun idea? WholesaleKeychain.com offered to send me one of five heart key chains to review, and three to give away to my readers. Read on to find out how to get yours. Can’t wait for the contest to end? You can get 10% off with their coupon code: vday2010 through 2/16.

I selected the Metal Heart Keychain and was also offered the opportunity to have it engraved. It arrived quickly and was really nice quality. The key chain is only $6.99, and this is an excellent value for the price. It is not at all inexpensive looking. If you have ever shopped in the keepsake stores in your local mall, this is an equally quality product. Instead of charging $1 per letter for engraving as some of those stores do, you can have your message engraved for an additional flat fee of $5.99. It looked absolutely perfect.

These would make lovely gifts for your bridesmaids if you are having a February wedding, or of course as a gift for your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day. Do your kids have their own set of keys? I am sure they would love a personalized key chain too. My favorite idea of all? Use it as an embellishment on the top of another gift. After beautifully wrapping the gift, tie some pretty ribbon around the box. Before making a bow, slip the loop of the key chain inside so that the message shows. You can then tie a bow, and you will have a cute decoration and extra gift all in one.

Now it’s YOUR turn! Want to win a Metal Heart Keychain for your Valentine? Go to the WholesaleKeychain.com website and answer one of these two questions: 1) What key chain on their site is your favorite or 2) What message would you have engraved for your Valentine?

If you would like to earn extra entries:
1) Follow me @laurie_pooh on Twitter and send the following message:
I entered to win a Metal Heart Keychain from @laurie_pooh for Valentine’s Day: http://tinyurl.com/keytoyourheart
2) Follow my blog using the Google Connect in my sidebar to the right.
3) Subscribe to my blog in a reader.

U.S only, please. The winner will be selected randomly from all valid entries on or around February 7. You must leave a comment letting me know your answer to one of the two questions above, as well as additional comments letting me know what else you have done to earn extra entries. Please also use your real first name and leave a valid way for me to contact you should you be selected as the winner. You will have 48 hours to respond to my e-mail before another winner is selected. Good Luck!

This giveaway is sponsored by Wholesale Keychains, but the opinions contained within are my own. I received a product sample for review.

1 in 8 on 1/8

Laurie — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 14:20:09 +0000

Did you know it’s my birthday? It is! Happy Birthday to me! What do you get the girl who has everything? Today is the perfect day to make a donation to my Susan G. Komen 60 Mile walk if you haven’t already or have been meaning to. Not only are you helping me celebrate my birthday while getting me precious dollars closer to my fundraising requirement, but you are making a donation to a great cause and charity. I love gifts. I do. This is one of the best gifts you can give me. Does your company match your donations? Even better!

Did you know 1 in 8 women will get breast cancer in her lifetime? That is such a scary statistic. This 1/8 (my birthday, ahem!) make a donation to help find a cure. I will love you and my boobies will love you too!

Psst… did I mention I am walking 60 miles, sleeping on the ground in less than 30 degree weather in a tent, showering in a truck, and peeing in a port-o-potty? You know you want to support that! Pretty please? With a cherry on top?

From Our Little Family to Yours

Laurie — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 15:00:14 +0000

Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Even though we are not able to be together with all of our friends and family this year, you are in our thoughts and we are thankful for each of you. Lots of love, hugs, and sloppy kisses from the dog!

Old Navy Weekly $50 off $100 Giveaway

Laurie — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 04:00:06 +0000

This giveaway is closed. Congratulations to Terri, Deb, Traci, Crazyassmomma, Marci P, Kristinia, KC, Philly, Kelly, and Tamona. They have each been e-mailed and should shortly receive a PDF with the coupon code. I am not responsible for incorrect e-mail addresses or non receipt. Please contact me ASAP if you have not received your coupon. Have fun shopping this week!

It’s almost Christmas, and guess what? I have a special gift for you! If you know me, you know I love Old Navy. I love them so much in fact, that I got out of bed on Black Friday at 1:30 AM and stood in line at our local store. It was freezing and I had to go into work at 7:00 AM. See? That’s a lot of love!

Do you know what is almost as good as Black Friday? If you guessed the day after Christmas, you’d be right. Why? It is one of the best days of the year to get fabulous deals! I adore Old Navy’s jeans. I have about 20 pairs. If I were to take a picture, it’d look something like the one below (except twice as big!) It’s hard to find jeans that fit me because I am so short. I love that Old Navy has petite sizes that fit me like a glove. Not only that, but they are affordable and I don’t have to take them to a tailor for alterations.

This week’s One Day Wonder sale is on 12/26, and it features– you guessed it– JEANS!

Live the fantasy of fab jeans and great prices when you step into Old Navy’s One Day Wonder sale (12/26 only). Be enchanted with amazing denim deals – adult jeans just $15 (Reg. $29.50-$34.50) and kids and baby jeans are just $10 (Reg. $16.50-$19.50), select styles only.

Have you been to OldNavyWeekly.com? I log on every week to get the scoop on their Item of the Week in addition to looking for the hidden money saving coupons. I have never been fast enough to get one of the high dollar ones from the website, and if you haven’t either– this is your chance! They have generously offered ten of my readers one of their $50 off $100 coupons good on an in-store purchase made between December 25-31. That could help you get a lot of jeans for your whole family! Merry Christmas!

To win a $50 off $100 coupon from La Vie de Laurie, tell me what the SuperModelquins are wearing this week at OldNavyWeekly.com. What’s your favorite look?

If you would like to earn extra entries:
1) Follow me @laurie_pooh on Twitter and send the following message:
I entered to win a $50 off $100 coupon from @OldNavyOfficial and @laurie_pooh: http://tinyurl.com/50off100
2) Follow my blog using the Google Connect in my sidebar to the right.
3) Subscribe to my blog in a reader.

U.S only, please. The winner will be selected randomly from all valid entries on or around December 25. You must leave a comment letting me know your answer to the question above, as well as additional comments letting me know what else you have done to earn extra entries. Please also use your real first name and leave a valid way for me to contact you should you be selected as the winner. You will have 24 hours to respond to my e-mail before another winner is selected. Good Luck!

This giveaway is sponsored by Old Navy, but the opinions within are my own. I received no compensation, products, or coupons in exchange for writing this post.

Test your M.O.M. Knowledge and WIN!

Laurie — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 03:21:46 +0000

Sometimes I wish I was one of those woman that liked to get her hands dirty. You know, changing my own tire or oil for instance? When my brother was out in the garage with my dad learning all of those nifty life lessons, I was probably in my bedroom painting my nails or taping up another Christian Slater poster to my wall.

Luckily for me, there is the Motor Oil Matters.org website that has all kinds of advice, information and details to help you make educated and informed decisions about how take care of your vehicle. If you didn’t have formal training from dear old D.A.D, how about giving M.O.M. a shot? Yup, I am talking about Motor Oil Matters.

Thanks to MyBlogSpark, I was given the link to the Motor Oil Matters website and a $35 Jiffy Lube gift card complements of Shell Lubricants to take my new-found knowledge out into the real world. Would you also like to win a Jiffy Lube gift card? Read on to find out how.

Did you know: According to a study by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association, nearly 9 out of 10 female motorists are involved in their household’s vehicle maintenance and repair? What about this one: Using a quality motor oil in the right grade can help maximize fuel economy, and help save money by preventing costly engine damage! Off-brand, no-name or discount oils that do not meet industry standards or the vehicle manufacturer´s requirements could cost consumers in the long run by potentially damaging the vehicle´s engine or possibly voiding the manufacturer´s warrant.

If you know those facts already you’re ahead of the game. The website has a fun interactive quiz that tests your overall vehicle and oil knowledge. I have to admit I didn’t do too shabby. I thought my results would be much worse. Actually I only missed one question, and in my book that’s passing with flying colors!

Now it’s YOUR turn! Want to win a $35 gift card to Jilly Lube to start off your car’s year right?

Go take the M.O.M. interactive quiz and either answer one of these two questions: 1.) What was your score on the quiz or 2.) What piece of information did you learn or find the most interesting.

If you would like to earn extra entries:
1) Follow me @laurie_pooh on Twitter and send the following message:
I entered to win a $35 Jilly Lube gift card from @laurie_pooh: http://tinyurl.com/jiffylubegc
2) Follow my blog using the Google Connect in my sidebar to the right.
3) Subscribe to my blog in a reader.

U.S only, please. The winner will be selected randomly from all valid entries on or around December 31. You must leave a comment letting me know your answer to one of the two questions above, as well as additional comments letting me know what else you have done to earn extra entries. Please also use your real first name and leave a valid way for me to contact you should you be selected as the winner. You will have 48 hours to respond to my e-mail before another winner is selected. Good Luck!

This giveaway is sponsored by Shell Lubricants, but the opinions contained within are my own. I also received a $35 gift card to Jiffy Lube.

Pretty in Pink

Laurie — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 06:13:11 +0000

I used to self-gift a lot. It’s true. My world has been somewhat flipped upside down this year, and I have really cut back. This was due to necessity rather than selflessness, but I digress. When asked to make a Christmas list, the Clarisonic Skin Cleansing System was the very first thing I added to my Amazon Wish List. In better times, I would have just bought it for myself by now and been done with it. If I can’t pony up $195 for it ($250 for the one pictured below), I know nobody else will either.

I know it sounds silly, but I really feel like I don’t need anything and there are very few things that I want anymore. Wasn’t it always so easy to come up lists a mile long when we were kids or teenagers? I really struggle with it now. When my parents question me on what to get, I freeze. Sure, I wouldn’t turn down a Coach purse or some Tiffany jewelry. It’s just that I don’t know anyone who has the money to throw around on those kind of things right now, myself included. Maybe I am finally growing up. Yeah, that’s it.

Anyway… Clarisonic is a actually a very giving company who has been promoting themselves online everywhere recently– on websites, blogs and even Twitter. I have seen several places where they ask you to nominate someone you think deserves one, and both you and the person you nominate may win. I enter, but afterward I read the entries and I realize that there are so many more deserving people than myself out there. Still, I enter. I really want one.

This post was actually prompted by another Clarisonic giveaway from Julie who I have followed on Twitter for quite awhile. (Edit: I didn’t end up winning, in case you were wondering.)

She is featuring a special model, which is even more fabulous than the other ones I have seen: 50% of the profits from sales of this Limited Edition Clarisonic PLUS go directly to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. I get an extra entry in her contest for blogging about it. I never do this, but I thought, why not? I already support Komen, as do many of my readers.

I may win, but if I don’t– I really hope they still have this limited edition model available when I am ready to purchase one. I will need it to wash off all of that nasty road dirt at the 3-Day. Did I mention that it’s a shower truck? Did I mention the water is kind of cold? Did I mention you get a lot of dirt in strange places after walking 20 miles a day? Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Edit: You can also enter to win a SpaCation for yourself and five friends at a spa near you. This includes a free Clarisonic Opal Sonic Infusion System and spa services featuring the Clarisonic Sonic Skin Cleansing System: manicure, pedicure and facial. I entered, and YOU should too.