Rural Mama's Sandbox

Dress United Custom T-Shirt Review

2013-05-24T11:33:00.002-05:00

Several months back I introduced you to a great company, Easy Canvas Prints, that makes affordable custom canvas prints. Well, they are at it again! This time, through their sister site, they are providing custom t-shirts, sweatshirts, and hoodies! At Dress United you can design your shirt any way you like with as much help as needed. You can design it using the Design Tool, choosing several Fonts and Images available or you can use your own images. They also have the option to have their design staff help you out as well. These T-Shirts are printed in the U.S.A., which is a nice added bonus! Go U.S.A.!

I had the awesome opportunity to try out the Design Tool and create a fun T-Shirt for Rural Mama's Sandbox. It was both easy and fun to come up with my own design and by the time I was finished, I couldn't wait to get wear my new creation!

Dress United has a lot of options when it comes to T-Shirt type and style. There is a little something for everyone on this site. As far as sizes go, they do have a wide variety of sizes but it is limited to certain styles. The sizes in the Unisex T-Shirts range from Youth Small to 4XL, however the shirt I chose only went from Adult Small to 2XL.

The Design Tool - starting off with a clean slate!

Since I will be the one wearing the T-shirt I decided to go with the Girly - Classic T (Bella). I am a fan of V-necks, so this T-shirt style was a great option.I also chose size XL since sometimes Women's styles T-Shirt run on the smaller side.

Adding Text was fast and easy!

I chose Chocolate for color, since I work around the farm often and I figured it would hide dirt the best. I decided to use Dress United fonts, but inserted a photo of my own to give it a special touch and to correspond with my blog design.

Now, on to ARTWORK!


Popup that allows you to select Clip Art or Download your own images!

I love the fact that they had a wide variety of clip art available. For someone who has limited access to clip art an images, this is a great option. I decided to go with my own artwork, a couple of Embellishments from a MyMemories Suite Kit that I purchased called Wild West Pack. The artwork I chose were in PNG format and seem to work really well for the site. It came up clear and crisp.


My finished design! Sweet and Simple!

I chose to use only the front of my t-shirt, however, there is an option to put writing on the back, for those that want custom t-shirts for sports teams. I think it took me a whole 10 minutes to create this T-Shirt. The HARDEST part was waiting for it to arrive!

Without further ado, here is my finished product LIVE and in person...

Photo Courtesy of Big Sister, she was so excited I let her use my camera!

I like the fabric the T-Shirt is made out of, it is comfortable and light. The image is GREAT, the photo doesn't really show its awesomeness. but in person it is really cool. The only thing I am skeptical about is the whether or not the image will hold up to being washed and dried. Only time will tell, so I will try to do an update after several cycles through the laundry.

Overall, I was very impressed with the Dress United website and their Design Tool. It was very easy and fun to come up with a Custom T-Shirt. The actual shirt is very nice, well made, and the image is crisp, clear, and easy to read. I would definitely recommend this company for anyone looking to create a custom t-shirt whether you just want one shirt or several shirts!

My Rating: A+ $$$$

Click here to see what My Rating means!
Cost: Prices vary depending on the shirt style and quantity that you are purchasing. The Design Tool gives you a price estimate.
Where to Buy: Online! Go to http://www.dressunited.com to create your own custom shirt!
Like Dress United on Facebook and Tweet with them on Twitter!

Have a wonderful day dear followers!

Disclaimer: Dress United let me Design one T-Shirt of my choice for free so that I could provide you with this review! I was not compensated in any other way and all opinions are 100% mine based on my personal experience with the Dress United website and the actual product. I, nor, Dress United make any guarantees about the products.

Freebie Friday 5/17/2013

2013-05-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

Click here to download this kit!

Direction on how to assemble the eggs can be found here.

Available free until May 19, 2013. However, you can still purchase this design kit from MyMemories! To find this kit, click on Craftable Templates on the right hand side of the MyMemories website. If you don't have a MyMemories account you will need to sign up in order to download the Craftables. Don't worry, accounts are always FREE!

What's My Memories Suite? Click here to read my review of the Digital Scrapbook Software. Don't have My Memories Suite? Go MyMemories.com to buy the software and start scrapping!

USE CODE: STMMMS86739 at checkout to get $10.00 OFF the software!

Have a wonderful day dear followers and Enjoy the FREEBIES!

Farm Updates

2013-05-13T07:00:00.000-05:00

The fields are growing thick with grass and the weather is staying consistently warm. I am so very glad that Spring has finally decided to arrive! I know that the girls are loving it too, since we can go outside pretty regular now. They love playing outside and visiting the horses. A lot has been going on at the farm and I figured that I would give an update, since I can't remember the last time I did one.

We tore down the little red barn next to the house, it was a sad sad sight, but it had to come down before it fell down and hurt someone. The good news is that we salvaged some of the exterior red pieces of wood and decorated the office and med room in the main barn with it. It looks amazing and so rustic!

We still have several really nice horses that are looking for homes. We adopt anywhere in the US, so if you are looking for a horse to love, check out some of ours, here.

The goats are no longer coming into the house at night. They are outside 24/7, doing great, and enjoy it. The girls and I take them for walks as often as we can. They are both learning to walk on a leash, I hope to take them to a couple shows in June, but we will see if I can get them ready in time. I have no idea what I am doing so we will either rock the show or at least provide the entertainment.

Speaking of the goats, I decided to name my little hobby farm Twinkle Little Farm. Big Sister is learning Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Old McDonald and sometimes mixes up the words. She was singing one day and said "Twinkle Little Farm" and I just fell in love with it. So, because my daughters were such a big part of my decision to get goats and more specifically Nigerian Dwarf Goats, I decided that it was only right that the girls be a part of naming the farm.

My geese decided they wanted to sit on their eggs, so I let them. I wasn't sure if they would actually hatch, but I figured I would let them try. Well, Mr. Goose is fertile and all my Girly Geese are great brooders because I now have three little goslings under a heat lamp on my porch. I was afraid they would get snatched by wildlife so I decided they were safer on the porch then outside with mom. There probably should have been 6 of them, but 2 were either squished or attacked by the geese and the one egg was busted before it was baking. The girls love playing with the goslings, Little Sister is a little too rough and I really have to watch so she doesn't squeeze their little necks too hard. Big Sister is great with them and I am pretty sure they love her too, or at least think she is "Mom."

We are still working on the new house, it seems to be taking FOREVER! I never knew how hard it was to find GOOD Contractors and good construction workers. I hope and pray we are in the house by Big Sister's 4th Birthday. Most of the drywall in the new section is in, so God willing I will be choosing paint next week. Any suggestions?

Wow, if I were a super blogger, I probably would have been able to split this post into several, but that is not how I roll, hehe!

God Bless and have a wonderful day dear followers!

Life in the FAST Lane

2013-05-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

This April my husband and I celebrated our 6 year wedding anniversary. I decided that I wanted to do something special, so I decided to take him to the track to watch drag racing. Before I met him he had raced an Alcohol Funny Car and was pretty good at it. I knew he would enjoy being at a track again so I started making plans for our weekend, a month in advance. I was very please with myself, I was able to keep it secret all the way up until the week of the races.

We were in the car and he told me he had to go to Lafayette Monday (the Monday after our weekend) to help his brother-in-law and wanted to leave on Sunday! Oh no! He had no idea we were already going to be close to Lafayette. I had to rat myself out. He was still suprised, but I didn't get the raction I was looking for. I wanted the stunned and shocked look when we showed up at the track on Saturday.

We had a great weekend and it was just what we needed. He works very very hard both at his Batterer's Intervention program and at the farm. And I, well as much as I love my children, being a stay at home mom isn't my most favorite job in the world (Gasp, I know), so I was ready for a break as well.

Since that weekend, it seems like we have all been living in the fast lane! My husband has had to go out of town to teach a couple extra classes and was a witness in court. And, Little Sister gave me a scare that landed her in observation at the hospital over night. All the extra happenings coupled with every day farm life just makes my head want to spin. Hopefully, the rest of May won't be quite so busy, but I am not going to bet on it, but I am glad I have God to help me get through it!

Enjoy your weekend dear followers!

Freebie Friday 5/10/13

2013-05-10T08:58:00.000-05:00

Click here to download this kit!

Freebie Friday 5/3/2013

2013-05-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

Click here to download this kit!

Available free until May 5, 2013. However, you can still purchase this design kit from MyMemories! To find this kit, click on Craftable Templates on the right hand side of the MyMemories website. If you don't have a MyMemories account you will need to sign up in order to download the Craftables. Don't worry, accounts are always FREE!

What's My Memories Suite? Click here to read my review of the Digital Scrapbook Software. Don't have My Memories Suite? Go MyMemories.com to buy the software and start scrapping!

USE CODE: STMMMS86739 at checkout to get $10.00 OFF the software!

Have a wonderful day dear followers and Enjoy the FREEBIES!

Freebie Friday 4/26/2013

2013-04-26T08:03:00.000-05:00

Click here to download this kit!

Win Tickets to Jillian Michaels Tour in Indianapolis

2013-04-20T07:00:00.000-05:00

Jillian Michaels: Maximize Your Life Tour comes to Indianapolis, Indiana Tuesday May 7, 2013!

Click here to read the press release and for more details!

So, WHO wants to WIN 2 Tickets to the show?

Enter to win by filling out the rafflecopter form below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Have a wonderful day dear followers!

The Goats Have Arrived

2013-04-19T15:16:00.000-05:00

Please give a warm welcome to my new babies!

I am a beginner when it comes to goats. I have a lot of experience with horses, poultry, dogs, cats, even rabbits, but never had goats. Thankfully, I have friends that have goats. The first night the goats were home the blonde, Dyna, was crying in their pen outside and just wouldn't stop. It got dark and she kept it up. She sounded so pitiful, so I finally called my friend for suggestions.

Since they were raised by their Moms, my dear friend suggested they were missing their Moms. Evidently, goats can "worry" themselves into getting sick. I just got these babies, no way did I want them to get sick on their first night. My friend's suggestion... bring the goats into the house for the night. Okay, no problem, I borrowed a large dog crate and brought them in. Instant relief and no more crying. The next morning, out they went back into their pen.

We have had a nice little routine going on each day, until today. It had been nasty raining and COLD, all day long. What is a girl to do? Keep the goats inside all day? Yes, that is exactly what I am doing, although they were getting bored, so right now they are exploring my living room. Mary, the dark one, has already jumped on my coffee table and attempted the couch and Dyna has made it on the couch once. It is quiet the scene, let me tell you! Thank God, my youngest is taking a nap or we might have a three ring circus going on.

I think I have a pretty good shot at that Crazy Goat Lady title after all! This would not be possible without my dear sweet incredibly understanding husband, he has been a trooper through my new "hobby," which had reminded me why I love him so much!

Have a wonderful evening dear followers!

Freebie Friday 4/19/2013

2013-04-19T13:50:00.000-05:00

Click here to download this kit!

Available free until April 21, 2013. However, you can still purchase this design kit from MyMemories! To find this kit, click on Craftable Templates on the right hand side of the MyMemories website. If you don't have a MyMemories account you will need to sign up in order to download the Craftables. Don't worry, accounts are always FREE!

What's My Memories Suite? Click here to read my review of the Digital Scrapbook Software. Don't have My Memories Suite? Go MyMemories.com to buy the software and start scrapping!

USE CODE: STMMMS86739 at checkout to get $10.00 OFF the software!

Have a wonderful day dear followers and Enjoy the FREEBIES!

Freebie Friday 4/12/2013

2013-04-12T07:00:00.000-05:00

Click here to download this kit!

Available free until April 21, 2013. However, you can still purchase this design kit from MyMemories! To find this kit, click on Craftable Templates on the right hand side of the MyMemories website. If you don't have a MyMemories account you will need to sign up in order to download the Craftables. Don't worry, accounts are always FREE!

What's My Memories Suite? Click here to read my review of the Digital Scrapbook Software. Don't have My Memories Suite? Go MyMemories.com to buy the software and start scrapping!

USE CODE: STMMMS86739 at checkout to get $10.00 OFF the software!

Have a wonderful day dear followers and Enjoy the FREEBIES!

Crazy Goat Lady

2013-04-10T15:19:00.000-05:00

A couple posts back I introduced the idea of getting goats. Well, I am proud (I think) to inform you all that I am just a couple days away from beginning my journey to become a crazy goat lady. I bought 2 adorable little doelings from a farm in New Mexico. I had planned on them arriving in late May, however oddly enough it was going to cost more for them to be shipped ground by a transport company than by air, so they will be here Friday. Crazy, right?

I have been reading everthing I can get my hands on about raising goats. The poor breeder is probably wishing she never agreed to sell the doeling to me because I have been emailing her several times a day with questions. I have been gathering supplies and such to make their arrival as comfortable and stress free as possible. I still have a few more things to get done, but I feel confident that this is going to be a great experience.

Check back soon because I plan on sharing lots and lots of photos!

Have a wonderful day dear followers,

Jillian Michaels comes to Indy

2013-04-06T07:00:00.000-05:00

Hello Dear Followers,
I want to share a press release with you all! Check it out:

JILLIAN MICHAELS
MAXIMIZE YOUR LIFE TOUR

Tuesday, May 7, 2013 @ 7:30PM
Murat Theatre @ Old National Centre

**TICKETS ON SALE NOW**

Indianapolis, IN – Promising an evening of inspiration that will forever motivate and change lives, America’s health and wellness guru Jillian Michaels is set to launch her first ever "Maximize Your Life" tour this spring.

In this intimate and uniquely personal experience, Jillian shows how to harness your potential, kick-start your goals and live an exceptional life - sharing her keys to health, success and happiness. No hype, no false promises: just results.

"Your health is the platform that your entire life is built upon - from your physical health to your confidence and self-worth, I will give you the skillset, tools and insights to transform any aspect of your life immediately so you realize your true potential, and create the future you've dreamed of and deserve," exclaims Jillian.

Imagine. Believe. Achieve. These three words lay at the core of Jillian’s message. In a riveting, two-hour show, Jillian will awaken you to reignite your passion, define your goals and live in your authentic truth. She will teach you how to redefine your self-image, dramatically enhance your confidence and self-worth and blast through all internal and external obstacles.

Finally, Jillian will supply the information and action plan that will empower you to conquer any challenge and achieve every goal. You will learn the science of shedding pounds, the impact of hormones on weight loss and how to bring them back into balance. She demonstrates the how, what and why of workouts, sharing her most effective methods of burning fat and calories. And most importantly, she will teach you how to shift your attitude, behavior, and mindset to maximize your life.

Inspiring and motivating initially thru television, Jillian Michaels has become the world’s leading health and wellness expert. She has appeared on 11 seasons of NBC’s "The Biggest Loser;" seen in more than 90 countries around the world. As a motivator and role model, Jillian has made a unique connection with her audience, one that stems from her own personal journey.

Before becoming a media sensation, she struggled with her own weight as a teenager. With her empowering information and tools, she now motivates millions through multiple media platforms. Jillian is a New York Times best-selling author, having sold more than 3.5 million books worldwide, including such titles as "Master Your Metabolism" and "Unlimited: How to Build an Exceptional Life." Her newest book "Slim for Life: My Insider Secrets to Simple, Fast, and Lasting Weight Loss" has just been released. In addition, Jillian’s DVDs are global bestsellers.

Through extensive charity work, Jillian serves as an ambassador for Stand Up 2 Cancer and the NFL’s Play 60. She also works with military families through the USO, and is a champion of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a program dedicated to eradicating the childhood obesity epidemic in the United States. In addition, Jillian is a member of the Clinton Global Initiative, working to protect the rights and welfare of children.

Jillian’s call to action: "It’s time to ask why not you? When are you going to say ‘Enough is enough,’ and step into the limitless possibility for joy and abundance that your life does hold? If you are a person who feels your health could improve or there is any facet of your life where you feel dissatisfied and unfulfilled, the question is how can you not come to the show?" says Jillian.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

VIP Package $152
Includes best seats in the house, 30 minute Q&A after the show, a 4-week trial to Jillian Michaels
online training program and total weight-loss solution plus a free gift

Reserved Seat Tickets: $77.00 / $52.00 / $27.00
www.Ticketmaster.com
Old National Centre Box Office | www.oldnationalcentre.com

About Live Nation Entertainment:
Live Nation Entertainment is the world’s leading live entertainment and ecommerce company, comprised of four market leaders: Ticketmaster.com, Live Nation Concerts, Artist Nation and Live Nation Network. Ticketmaster.com is the global event ticketing leader and one of the world's top five ecommerce sites, with almost 27 million monthly unique visitors. Live Nation Concerts produces over 22,000 shows annually for more than 2,300 artists globally. Artist Nation is the world's top artist management company, representing over 250 artists. These businesses power Live Nation Network, the leading provider of entertainment marketing solutions, enabling nearly 800 advertisers to tap into the 200 million consumers Live Nation delivers annually through its live event and digital platforms. For additional information, visit www.livenation.com/investors.

About Empowered Media
Empowered Media, LLC operates the Jillian Michaels wellness brand. Co-founded by Jillian Michaels and her business partner, Giancarlo Chersich, the company operates as life architects whose sole mission is to inspire individuals to empower themselves to seek healthier, active lives. The products marketed are part of the total life solution platform created by the Jillian Michaels philosophy. America's premier health and wellness coach, Michaels is a New York Times best-selling author, entrepreneur and popular television personality. Michaels is also a passionate advocate, fighting to invoke important changes in all aspects of health and wellness. Michaels' newest book, SLIM FOR LIFE: MY INSIDER SECRETS TO SIMPLE, FAST, AND LASTING WEIGHT LOSS is available now wherever books are sold. For more information about Jillian Michaels please visit www.jillianmichaels.com.

Have a wonderful day dear followers!

Freebie Friday 4/5/2013

2013-04-05T07:00:00.000-05:00

Each week I bring you a lovely Freebie from MyMemories, a company that has created an awesome Digital Scrapbook Software called My Memories Suite v4! If you've never heard of or used My Memories Suite v4, you are missing out! No worries, however, you can download a trial version on their website!

Okay, so I skipped out on the Freebies for the month of March, sorry about that! I am back on track now and since I messed up I decided to make it a SUPER Freebie Friday with 3 FREEBIES!

This week's Freebies are Basket of Memories Party Bags:

Click HERE for Freebie 1

Click HERE for Freebie 2

Click HERE for Freebie 3

The catch? Available free until April 7, 2013. However, you can still purchase this design kit from MyMemories! To find this kit, click on Craftable Templates on the right hand side of the MyMemories website. If you don't have a MyMemories account you will need to sign up in order to download the Craftables. Don't worry, accounts are always FREE!

Free online tutorial can be found here: http://www.mymemories.com/craftables/partybag

What's My Memories Suite? Click here to read my review of the Digital Scrapbook Software. Don't have My Memories Suite? Go MyMemories.com to buy the software and start scrapping!

USE CODE: STMMMS86739 at checkout to get $10.00 OFF the software!

Have a wonderful day dear followers and Enjoy the FREEBIES!

JAWS Earth Day Giveaway

2013-04-04T16:35:00.000-05:00

Hello Dearest Followers!

Earth Day is April 22 and in Celebration of Earth Day, JAWS (Just Add Water System) Cleaners are doing a BOGO at ALL Marsh stores from April 18-30! So, mark your calendars and stock up on this awesome eco-friendly cleaner!

But that's not all JAWS is doing to celebrate Earth Day, JAWS would like to give one of Rural Mama's Sandbox readers a FREE Sample Pack of JAWS Cleaning Products!

To enter to win, fill out the rafflecopter form below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Want to learn more about JAWS? You can visit their website here OR you can read my review here!

Have a wonderful evening dear followers,

VIPRE Internet Security

2013-03-21T15:01:00.001-05:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Vipre for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Just recently I recieved and email that my antivirus software was about to expire. Great, what do I do now? And, what else is there? A friend of mine has used VIPRE Internet Security for years and loves it, so I decided to give it a try. When I went to Vipre's website I was pleased to find that they had a 30 FREE Trail of their software! AWESOME!

"VIPRE Internet Security is the award-winning antivirus software that includes a firewall, a spam filter and website blocking into one powerful solution for complete protection against malware.

VIPRE Internet Security is packed with sophisticated security features that protect against viruses and other malware threats without slowing down your PC. You won't notice it's running (even during scans and updates).

VIPRE Internet Security the only antivirus solution to include automatic software patching with the Easy Update feature. Out of date software like Windows, Java, Adobe, Skype, iTunes and others are the most common cause of PC infections, and VIPRE is the only antivirus to automatically patch these security holes.

VIPRE also comes with free U.S. based technical support!" - As provided by Vipre

I was completely suprised at how easy it was to install! All I had to do to get my 30 day FREE trail was put my e-mail in a box on their site. They sent me an e-mail with a link to begin my download. From there I was just a few clicks away from my computer being safe and secure with VIPRE Internet Security!

Here are a few screenshots for your viewing pleasure:

I have only been using this software for a couple of days but I love it. I love how customizable it is. There are options for EVERYTHING, so I can set it up to work the best for me and the way I use the internet and my computer! I also liked the fact that the software found my other software and gave me the option to uninstall it. I had been told that having one antivirus software installed in best because they don't conflict with each other. So, this feature was great for me because, well, I'm not all that proficient at deleting the right stuff off my computer. I am what you would call a "software horder" I guess, hehe.

So, Overall I would recommend this antivirus software for everyone (especially all you sotfware horders like me!), it is super east to install and use!

What antivirus software do you use? Do you have any experience with VIPRE Internet Security?

For more information can be found on vipreantivirus.com.

Thanks and have a great day dear followers!

Return To Nim's Island Giveaway

2013-03-12T16:18:00.002-05:00

Return to Nim's Island is premiering on Hallmark Channel March 15th 2013 at 7/8C!

Return to Nim's Island, the sequel to Walden Medias 2008 box office hit Nim's Island, picks up the story a few years later with 14-year-old Nim (Bindi Irwin) more determined than ever to protect her island and the animals that call it home. With ruthless resort developers and greedy wildlife poachers threatening the existence she loves, Nim realizes she and her animal pals cant defend their home alone. To save her island, she is forced to combine forces with an outsider: Edmund, a runaway from the mainland. Only with his help does she stand a chance of stopping the villains from dismantling her world.

Return to Nim's Island marks the debut of Walden Family Theater, presented by Walmart and P&G. The new destination for family entertainment, exclusively on Hallmark Channel.

ALSO... Return to Nim's Island star Bindi Irwin will be doing a Live Twitter Q&A on Saturday March 9th at 6pm EST/3pm PST! Let your audience know that this is their chance to connect with Bindi! Bindi will be collecting questions to answer on Saturday so start asking away, just remember to tag your question to Bindi with #nimsislandchat!

PLUS! You can pick up your copy of Return to Nims Island on Blu-ray & DVD exclusively at Walmart Stores just 4 days after the premiere.

You can enter to WIN a Return to Nim's Island Blu-ray Combo Pack by filling out the Rafflecopter form below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Have a wonderful evening dear followers!

Disclosure: Please note that I am working with working with Walden Media & Hallmark Channel in promotion of Walden Media & Hallmark Channel release of the Return to Nim's Island Family Adventures Blog App. All materials and giveaways were provided for me and I was not compensated in any way.

Sesame Street Live - Elmo Makes Music Giveaway

2013-03-12T15:44:00.002-05:00

Sesame Street Live -Elmo Makes Music is coming to Indianapolis, Indiana March 22-24 at the Murat Theatre at Old National Centre!

Click HERE to learn more about the SHOW and order Tickets!

Want to WIN a Family 4 Pack to see the SHOW? Fill out the rafflecopter form blow for your chance to WIN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Have a wonderful day dear followers!

To Zurk Or Not To Zurk

2013-03-01T22:00:00.001-06:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Zurker Inc. for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you are like me, you are thinking, "What on Earth is a Zurk and why would one need to do it?"

My answer to you is simple. You need to Zurk because sometimes "liking" doesn't seem appropriate.

To Zurk means to appreciate the fact that the member shared the information. It means to support the intent behind the act of sharing, and it can mean to like, to love, to commiserate, to respect, to admire - as appropriate for the occasion. -as stated on Zurker's Guide page

Zurker is a new social media network. I know what you are thinking, "Oh no not another one, I can't keep up with the social media networks I use now." Have no fear, you won't need the others after you use Zurker. Zurker gives you more options than anything else I have tried, facebook, twitter, googleplus, hi5, 4squared, story lane, linkedin, the list could go on. There are no hidden agenda by big corperations and investors because you, the member owns part or shares in it.

What?

Yes you read that right.

At Zurker, you are a co-owner and an investor. You can earn vShares by referring your friends. The more friends you invite, the more equity you earn. Zurker becomes better, and better, as more people join, increasing in value. As Zurker becomes more valuable, your stake becomes more valuable. -as stated on Zurker's About page

There are so many neat features, that I would have to start a series about Zurker, to cover them all, but I will touch on just a few favorites.

Aliases, you can chage the name of the people you connect to, which is fun. So, for a simple example, instead of your mother's name showing up as Jane Doe, you can change it so that her streams or updates show up as Mom. The alias you set only shows up for you and no one else, not even the person you gave the alias to. Pretty cool huh?

Another great feature is the whisper, say you want to comment on your husband's post but you don't think it is necessary for others to read your comment. Instead of starting a private convo with him, you can use the whisper feature and only he will be able to see it.

So, are you in? Want to give Zurker a try? Good, here is your invitation, sign up, and learn more about the greatest social network!

Don't let this awesome opportunity to pass you by.

Have a great days dear followers and happy Zurking!

Kelsey

The Bible Premiere & Giveaway

2013-02-26T17:56:00.000-06:00

The Bible Series premiering on History Channel March 3rd 2013 Sundays at 8PM!

From Executive Producers Roma Downey and Mark Burnett comes The Bible — an epic 10-part miniseries retelling stories from the Scriptures for a whole new generation. Breathtaking in scope and scale, The Bible features powerful performances, exotic locales and dazzling visual effects that breathe spectacular life into the dramatic tales of faith and courage from Genesis through Revelation. This historic television event is sure to entertain and inspire the whole family! Where will YOU be 3.3.13?

The Bible is a living text and each person interprets it differently at different points in their life. I am interested to see how the History Channel has interpreted The Bible. I am also interested in their accuracy and their relevance for today. If you were helping create this series, what aspects of The Bible would you want to put emphasis on and how would you go about recreating it in film? In preparation, the History Channel has come up with a nifty little Blog App for your pre-premiere viewing pleasure. Check it out and then complete the rafflecopter form below for your chance to WIN a $15.00 Walmart Gift Card!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Have a wonderful evening dear followers!

Disclaimer: Please note that I was not compensated in any way through this post or giveaway. The History Channel provided me with the materials to complete the post and giveaway to help promote The Bible Series.

He said YES!

2013-02-25T12:58:00.000-06:00

It may not be surprising that my husband affectionately calls me "Ellie Mae" from the Beverly Hillbillies when I bring up wanting to add a new addition to the farm. My adventures in poultry raising has been...interesting. Rural King is my worst enemy in the spring, as they faithfully have the cutest day old chicks, ducklings, and goslings, every year. Don't get me started on auctions, I brought home a calf in the back of my dear sweet husband's van once, as well.

So, when I admit that I have been researching goats for a while now, this will probably not be surprising as well. I am really interested in making goat's milk soaps, especially after purchasing some online. I became even more intrigued as I learned about raw milk benefits for my girls.

Well, a couple days ago, I decided to bring up goats to my husband, again. You see, this isn't the first time we have discussed it, last year's adventures at the Petting Zoo really brought the idea to the forefront of my mind. As we get closer and closer to finishing the house, I feel like it is something we need to do, for our family. Maybe I caught him on an off day, because my husband said yes and he even is making suggestions on where to put their pasture and shelter!

I have decided that I want to start with a pair of Dwarf Nigerian does for milking and as pets. I chose this breed for their ability to produce a nice amount of milk for their size and because I think that they will be small and docile enough that the girls can enjoy them as well.

So, I am in the planning process, trying to decide on pasture/shelter size (alloting for babies in the future) that won't put too much strain on our budget.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Have a wonderful day dear followers!

Freebie Fridays 2/22/2013

2013-02-22T14:32:00.000-06:00

This week's Freebie is a set of Fry Boxes.

They make great Party Favors! Easy and fun to make!

Fill them with candy, chocolate covered pretzels, chalk, crayons, or anything else you can think of!

Click HERE to download the kit above!

Available free until February 25, 2013. However, you can still purchase this design kit from MyMemories! To find this kit, click on Craftable Templates on the right hand side of the MyMemories website. If you don't have a MyMemories account you will need to sign up in order to download the Craftables. Don't worry, accounts are always FREE!

Free online tutorial can be found here: http://www.mymemories.com/craftables/frybox

What's My Memories Suite? Click here to read my review of the Digital Scrapbook Software. Don't have My Memories Suite? Go MyMemories.com to buy the software and start scrapping!

USE CODE: STMMMS86739 at checkout to get $10.00 OFF the software!

Have a wonderful day dear followers!

Freebie Friday 2/15/2013

2013-02-15T07:00:00.000-06:00

This week's Freebie is a set of Fry Boxes.

They make great Party Favors! Easy and fun to make!

Fill them with candy, chocolate covered pretzels, chalk, crayons, or anything else you can think of!

Click HERE to download the kit above!

What's My Memories Suite? Click here to read my review of the Digital Scrapbook Software. Don't have My Memories Suite? Go MyMemories.com to buy the software and start scrapping!

USE CODE: STMMMS86739 at checkout to get $10.00 OFF the software!

Have a wonderful day dear followers!

Valentine's Day Blues

2013-02-14T22:17:00.001-06:00

I have never really been "into" Valentine's Day. Growing up my Mom would always get us something special and it was nice, but I never really had too many high expectations, even after I married my husband. This morning didn't exactly get me all that excited about the day, if anything I kind of dreaded it.
I woke up to the sound of the girls running around the living room, then I heard it. The worse phrase ever, "Mommy, Sissy pooped on the floor, Mommy Sissy pooped on my bed,"
I jolted up stairs thoughts racing through my head, "Please don't sit on the couch, please don't sit on the couch."
The girls came running up to me with grins on their faces, Little Sister completely naked. "Mommy Sissy pooped on my bed."
I went into their room to find a pile on the floor, thank God it they don't have carpet and it misses the rug, and streaks of poop all over Big Sisters bed. I turned and grabbed Little Sister and took her to the bathroom to clean up. Afterwards, I stripped Big Sister's bed and cleaned up the mess on the floor.
"Wonderful, great start to Valentine's Day." I thought in my head.
The rest of the morning did go rather smoothly and after we went to the Library, I had a brilliant idea! We could meet Daddy for lunch! I stopped into the Dollar Store and bought a couple roses for the girls to give him. He was glowing as the girls gave him the Valentines that they had made at the Library and Big Sister handed him the roses. Score one point for Mama, it was awesome. We ate at the mall, the girls rode the carousel, and then I took them to play in the play zone at the mall. Overall, a pretty awesome Valentine's Day, one that I will remember for a long time, especially the look on Daddy's Face!
I hope you all had a Blessed Valentine's Day!

Good night dear followers,

February 2013 Blog Hop

2013-02-13T07:00:00.000-06:00

Join Me Over at BloggyMoms! I meant to add the January Blog Hop in January, but I must have forgotten. Anyways, jump on over and check out the AMAZING blogs they have listed, written by MOMS! I'm listed at #207 and there are many more below my post as well, so there is a plethora of blogs to choose from and read!

I have already taken an interest in several today! Here are a few I selected to read, just because of their interesting title:
#92 You Are The Roots - Cute blog! And oh my the food this little boy eats, amazing, very talented mama!
#144 The Chicken Chick - I have followed this blog for a while but wanted to throw it in anyways, she has GREAT tips on rasing chickens!
#170My Craftily Ever After - She had me at "Craft," anything to do with crafts immediately peeks my interest. I love her simple but cute blog design. It was easy to navigate and I love all the pictures she includes in her posts!
#294 Growing Kids Ministry - GREAT resource for teaching kids about God! Love it! And there are some funny things throw in as well!
#344 Painting With Picasso - So touching! Great gift of words! I am truly in awe.