Semmes Savers

Beach Safety Tips and CPR Refresher: Great Summer Info

noreply@blogger.com (Tara) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:31:00 +0000

When I was 10 or so I began babysitting the little girl down the road. At the time I was enamored with The Baby-Sitters Club and had dreams of starting a Baby-Sitter's Club of my own. When I turned 11 I was so excited that I was officially old enough to take a Baby Sitter's Safety Course, offered at a local hospital. They covered all types of things, such as the Heimlich Maneuver, how to properly change a diaper, feeding babies, and CPR for both babies and older kids. I remember receiving an identifying card, that could be kept in my wallet, that stated I had taken the course and had been instructed on these things. I was SO proud of that card.

Within a few years my Baby-Sitter's Club dream was gone, and replaced of Daydreams about New Kids on the Block and all other things that preoccupies a young teen's thoughts. Besides reviewing information when the kids were little, I haven't thought much about CPR since.

As summer has rolled back around, I've heard of a lot of drownings on Gulf Coast beaches. Last week there were four drownings in a 24 hour period. Based on this I think that it is extremely important that all of us in the coastal regions make ourselves familiar with a couple of things.

1. What do the flags on the beach mean? I found a cool illustration to explain it!

Take Note of a Red Flag and a Double Red Flag. These are VERY dangerous conditions! Stay out of the water for your own safety!

2. What are rip currents? What do I do if I get stuck in one and am being pulled out further?

Rip currents are powerful, channeled currents of water flowing away from shore. They typically extend from the shoreline, through the surf zone, and past the line of breaking waves. Rip currents can occur at any beach with breaking waves, including the Great Lakes.

If you are caught in a rip current, do not try to fight it by swimming back towards the shore line. You should try to swim away, parallel to the beach, until you're safely out of it. If you can't swim or are tired from fighting the current, try to tread or float so that you may rest until help arrives or your able to try to swim away again.

3. Learn CPR.
CPR stands for CardioPulmonary Resuscitation. CPR is indicated for any person who is unresponsive with no breathing, or who is only breathing in occasional agonal gasps, as it is most likely that they are in cardiac arrest.
CPR is detrimental in so many events, such as drowning, and you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you didn't make familiar with the basics.

ACLS National, the American Medical Learning Center, offers CPR courses. They also offer the Be A Shield promotion where you can do a CPR, choking, and heat exhaustion refresher. It's easy to learn and free, so all it costs you is your time!

When our kids are young we spend time baby proofing our house, making sure they are safe in their environment, how many of us take the time to learn these necessary life saving techniques to protect our families? I'll admit I've slacked on this. My husband is CPR certified (required where he works) and I've relied on him. However, I am going to take the time out of my schedule to brush up with the Be A Shield program and know that my kids will be protected, whether or not Dad is home. Will you join me?

A special thanks to ACLS National for partnering up with Semmes Savers to bring you all of the information in this post.

A Glee Inspired Coming Out Party: I Support Unconditional Love

noreply@blogger.com (Tara) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:49:00 +0000

I've done posts about bullying in the past but I'm going to take it a step further this time. I don't ask anyone to agree with me and I fully understand that living in the Deep South this is NOT a popular opinion. The bottom line is that my kids are getting older and I feel like this should be addressed. I want my children to live in a better world and if I can maybe reach one person, then this post has done it's job. If you don't agree, I will welcome RESPECTFUL comments on this post but if anyone is disrespectful, I will delete the comment. #NoHate

First I'd like to tell you about a conversation that Kels and I had one night. We were discussing a couple of celebrities (Justin Beiber and Selena Gomez) that have an on/off relationship and Kels told me that she believed that they were off again. I stated, "Well, that would make Cassie happy." She asked "Why? Is she a Belieber?" I started laughing and before I could respond she said, "Does she have a crush on Selena? Is Cassie a lesbian?" I replied, "No, Cassie can't stand Justin Beiber and Selena Gomez is her favorite singer/actress. She's 11 and doesn't really think about boys or girls that way yet, but if and when she does, if she is a lesbian, I would still love her and support her." Kels replied, "Of course you will, I cannot imagine anyone more supporting. You'd probably throw a Glee Inspired coming out party." This conversation has been echoed to the kids (Cassie's response was, "That will never happen" regarding the party. She doesn't share my love of Glee. haha) and to friends. Everyone agreed that I'd definitely try to do that (no, only if they wanted to).

I've always been in the mind set that "What happens in your room is YOUR business, not mine." (Provided you aren't hurting anyone and it's occurring between consenting adults). I have not always been as accepting as I am now though. Granted, I was not mean about it or a bully about my beliefs, but as I've grown up, in age and maturity, I have become more accepting. I think a lot of it has to do with my kids. There was another turning point though that I feel I should share.

When I was 19 I worked at a chain of steak houses. I was a hostess and my best friend was a server and bartender. I made friends with a guy we'll call Matt who worked as a dishwasher. Matt always brought a smile to my face. He was a couple of years younger than me, and was still in high school. In an area as large as the one I live in, and factoring in that this restaurant was about 30 minutes from my house, it was surprising to me that he actually went to the school I had graduated from two years earlier.

In April, a month or two after Matt had started working with us, I had to go out of town for a week. When I got back into our area my pager (I'm dating myself here, but this was before everyone had cell phones) was going off like crazy. My best friend was calling me. In the hour it took for me to get from where my pager started working again, to another friend's house, she had paged me at least 10 times. I knew something was wrong, and would have stopped earlier to call but I was riding with someone else and it was getting late so they wanted to get home

When I got to my friend's house I went straight to the phone and called my best friend. She was crying. She managed to tell me that Matt had killed himself. I was heartbroken. We weren't extremely close or anything like that, but this is someone who made me smile all the time. Someone that made my days at work a little more enjoyable. He was gone.

I had no idea why he had done it, which is quite possibly one of the worst things after someone commits suicide in my honest opinion. It's hard when anyone dies, but when someone commits suicide the "Whys?" eat away at you. Why did they do this? Why did they not get help? What was so bad that they felt this was the only way out? I may have gotten my answer a few days later.

After the wake was held I stopped to grab a bite to eat at a local fast food place. Even back then being dressed up was out of the norm for me and one of the guys that worked there (who I happen to know) asked me why I was dressed up. I told him, "I'm on the way home from a wake." He said, "Who died?" I told him, "He went to school with you, his name was Matt." I won't repeat here what he said, but know that it was along the lines of, "Good. He was gay. He should have done it a long time ago." I won't say what my reaction to that was, just know I do tend to have a bit of a temper, and what he said was completely uncalled for.

April was 14 years ago that this happened and I still don't have concrete answers. I do know that I heard a lot of whispers after the fact and they were that he was gay. Considering some of the remarks that I heard about him, and other gay and lesbian people, in the weeks after Matt's death I have my opinion on why he died. Whether or not he was gay, I have no idea. It doesn't matter to me. He was my friend and that's ALL that matters to me. I saw a friend gone and some hateful individuals saw one less gay on the planet. If the bullying he endured after death was anything compared to what he endured while he was alive, I feel that may have had a lot to do with what he did. Regardless a remarkable young man is gone.

Having kids puts a lot of things into perspective for you. I would never want my kids to be treated like Matt was, nor do I think that ANYONE should be treated like that.

Our kids learn by example. It is time for adults to stop being bullies so kids see that this is not how you act. No matter what your beliefs on sexual preference, it is not up to you to decide that anyone is right or wrong.

If you are a believer in the Bible, you believe that God creates ALL of us, not some of us. Whether or not you feel that someone is "sinning" is not your place to judge, it is only His. In fact, Matthew, 7:1-5 addresses your judging (Source: Bible Hub):
1“Do not judge so that you will not be judged.2“For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.3“Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?4“Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?5“You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
Another blogger shared a post today by a different blog that was all about how being gay was wrong and an abomination and such. I won't link to the post because I don't want to give her extra page views and help her spread hate. She went on and on about how she knew it was a sin and proceeded to talk about sinners and such....judging them. It made me sick to my stomach.

As a parent we OWE our kids unconditional love. If you think breeding hate in them is showing unconditional love, you're wrong. It teaches them that you will hate them if they do whatever it is that you are against. Would you really want your kids to think that??

Teach your children to love everyone. Show them this by example. Let them know that no matter if you condone their choices, you will ALWAYS love them. Think back to when they were born and the doctor placed them in your arms. Did you look them in the eyes and say, "I love you" or did you look them in their eyes and say, "I love you only if you're straight, make good choices, never make mistakes, etc"

We all have dreams for our kids but it's their life is not ours to live. It's their's.

Teach them acceptance for others. Think about the hate they spread to others for different choices. I have long wondered if those who bullied Matt learned that from their parents and, if that is what drove him to suicide, do their parents know they helped take someone's life? Would you want to be the parent of a child who bullied someone to the point that they thought suicide was their only escape?

Our decisions, and the way we treat others, affect our children. They can do so negatively or positively. Which do you want?

A personal note to the blogger who shared the post: I'm sorry that people like her think it's okay to spread a message of hate. Please know that there are good people in the world that support love.

Chili's 1,000,000 Flatbread Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Tara) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 05:23:00 +0000

Chili's is giving away 1,000,000 Flatbreads! Get your coupon now!

This post contains affiliate links.

Half Price Shakes at Sonic: All Day June 20th!

noreply@blogger.com (Tara) — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 06:11:00 +0000

Cassie and I had to run a couple of errands the other day and we stopped by Sonic (Happy Hour! Yay!). They gave us one of these flyers. I asked the girl if it was everywhere, and she said, "I think so." but I'd call your local Sonic before heading up there on the 20th. I can VERIFY that the location in Semmes, AL (Moffett Road, in front of Walmart) is participating!

Are you going to get a half price milkshake??
What kind of milkshake are you getting?

Details from the flyer:

All Day June 20
There’s no better way to welcome summer
AWW NUTS! Nuts may come in contact with your Real Ice Cream
Products containing allergens (e.g. peanuts, peanut butter and flavoring, fish, eggs, milk, soy, wheat, tree nuts, shellfish, etc) are used in this restaurant and may come in contact with your food or drink. OREO is a registered trademark of Mondelez International group, used under license. Offer good only on 6/20/13 *INCLUDES SHAKES ONLY. NOT GOOD IN CONJUNCTION WITH HAPPY HOUR, COMBOS, WACKY PACK KIDS’ MEALS OR ANY OTHER OFFERS. Only at participating Sonic Drive-Ins

OKA b Stylish Summer of Color Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Tara) — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 05:28:00 +0000

Semmes Savers is ecstatic to bring you this awesome giveaway sponsored by OKA b!

About OKA b:
OKA b. is founded on the principle that fashion and comfort should never be mutually exclusive. Imagine a shoe that not only looks great with every outfit but feels great with every step. A sandal given the thumbs up by your doctor and your best friend. A slide that matches your wedding gown and massages your feet as you dance down the aisle. A flip-flop so stylish it's featured in fashion magazines. A shoe that's 100% recyclable, waterproof, made in the USA and priced under $45.

I love my wedge thongs and I'm so happy that OKA b has allowed me to also host a giveaway for a pair. Some great bloggers have joined me for this giveaway and I'm happy to have their help!

OKA b is giving one lucky winner a pair their choice of OKA b shoes! Heels, Flats, Ballet Slippers....whatever your heart desires!

Giveaway runs through the rest of June, so make sure to get all your entries in! There are daily entries for both Pinterest and Twitter.

Enter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: Open to the continental U.S. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to enter or win. Must be 18 years or older to enter.

Prize fulfillment is the responsibility of the sponsor. None of the participating blogs are responsible if prize is not fulfilled.

Winner notification will come from Tara@SemmesSavers.com. Winner will have 48 hours to respond and claim their prize or another winner will be selected. Please make sure to add tara@semmessavers.com to your safe senders list as we are not responsible for lost or misdirected emails.
Giveaway not sponsored or endorsed by Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest.

Kels' Korner: Oh baby! Go Baby! Basics set from Babytime! by Episencial giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (TheKels1721) — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 05:08:00 +0000

I read about Babytime! by Episencial while searching for something for my son's sensitive, eczema prone skin.

I contacted the company to see if I could do a review and giveaway.
I received a sample of Babytime! Snuggly Lotion.

The information on the bottle is easy to understand. It's clear on who it's for (Ages 0+) and what it is (nourishing moisture), and it let's you know it's enriched with Omega oils and a cherry butter scent. But that's not all.

On the back, it lists the major pluses to this lotion. Babytime! by Episencial Snuggly Lotion is full of USDA Organic ingredients; full of plant based ingredients, and full of 100% Natural ingredients. Ingredients you can actually pronounce. To make it easy to see where each ingredient falls, they're color coded.

The first ingredient listed is Aloe Vera Leaf juice. That's right, aloe vera, trusted for hundreds of years to heal. This aloe vera juice is also USDA certified organic. What's the next ingredient? Water. Pure, simple, water. There's Safflower, and Shea Butter, and many oils we all know to be good for us: olive, avocado, evening primrose, and Jojoba to name a few of the other certified organic ingredients.

The directions are simple: use common sense caution and smooth onto face and body after a bath, or massage into the scalp to help remove flaking skin. (Cradle cap on babies.)

Did I mention it's vegan, made in the USA, and allergy free? The smell is a very light cherry, and the texture is rich and smooth. But how does it work?

My son has very sensitive, moderate to severe eczema prone skin. I used this on his really bad eczema spots (back of his arms). I couldn't believe it. His usual lotions, prescription and over-the-counter, didn't do what this lotion did. The name brand lotion for eczema in the yellow box we normally pick up for him at the local drug store didn't accomplish what Babytime! Snuggly Lotion did, and it's not even their lotion specifically for eczema.

Within three applications, not days, not weeks, but applications - his dry rough skin was smooth. No kidding. I was super impressed.

With continued use, it has kept his skin smooth with minimal to no flare ups. I really couldn't believe it. I started using it on my dry, cracked hands. Smooth and healed within that same short time! This stuff must cost a fortune, it's amazing.

Nope, for about the same price as the usual "yellow box" lotion, I can get this organic, natural, plant based Omega oils enriched lotion? We've officially switched. A little goes a long way, and it's super creamy formula is just pleasant to apply. Plus, the scent is better.

I've been touting praises for Babytime! Snuggly Lotion to everyone I can.
I can't wait to explore more of the Babytime! by Episencials line of products.

While I did receive a free product to review, all thoughts and opinions are my own and I was in no way required or compensated to give a positive review.

Thanks to our sponsor, I have ONE Go Baby! Basics set to give away!

Enter today!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

OKA b Review: Step into Summer with Style

noreply@blogger.com (Tara) — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 02:59:00 +0000

I think I may need an intervention soon, or a 12 step program. My name is Tara and I'm addicted....to cute shoes...I have a shoe fetish. Seriously, I can't get enough of them! My first job, at the age of 16, was at a shoe store. By the time my shopping was done I had a little, bitty check. Then, some years later (after the knee, back, and coordination problems started) I started hating shoes. I'd wear them, generally sneakers, when I was out, but that was it. I had about 2-3 pairs of shoes at any given time. A pair of sneakers, a pair of boots, and a pair of flip-flops was all I needed in life (well, as far as my tootsies were concerned).

In the last year or so I've caught myself saying, "Oh, cute shoes, I'd love them". It's almost like Carrie Bradshaw's brain was switched with mine. Ok, so Carrie Bradshaw is a bit of a stretch. I can't afford her taste in shoes. Maybe just a spirit of Carrie. Or, maybe it's my best friend and her obsession with shoes finally rubbing off on me. Regardless, I started noticing them again and I started to see a need for more than three pairs.

When I found OKA b I told myself, I NEED these. Luckily, OKA b was kind enough to allow me to do a review! I was asked which shoes I wanted to review. I selected Virginia in Licorice. It took me days to settle on a pair. I wanted so many of them. However, the Virginia were perfect for me, with a little bling and a wedge heel (which, at 5'4", I could definitely use the "lift" in height!).

About OKA b:
OKA b. is founded on the principle that fashion and comfort should never be mutually exclusive. Imagine a shoe that not only looks great with every outfit but feels great with every step. A sandal given the thumbs up by your doctor and your best friend. A slide that matches your wedding gown and massages your feet as you dance down the aisle. A flip-flop so stylish it's featured in fashion magazines. A shoe that's 100% recyclable, waterproof, made in the USA and priced under $45.

My absolute favorite thing about this pair of thongs? The support! I have issues and HAVE to have support or my feet throb!

I wore these out the other day with a CUTE top and some jeans. I had a couple of people compliment me on how cute the shoes were! Another day a friend stopped by and saw them sitting on the couch (I had just opened the box) and she said, "Are those OKA b? I LOVE those that brand!" and she proceeded to tell me about a pair she had owned.

Another great thing is that OKA b shoes are HANDCRAFTED in the USA!! I like to support American made products when possible and love knowing that these are American made!

With thongs, wedges, ballet slippers and more, as well as every color under the sun, no matter what your shoe style is, you'll find one to fit your need.

OKA b prices are affordable too, so whether you are a Shoe Diva or a Frugal Fetishist, OKA b will satisfy your desire and your pocketbook!

Follow OKA b on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Semmes Savers will be hosting a giveaway for a pair of OKA b shoes June 16-June 30, so make sure to check back to enter!

Disclosure: I received the above mentioned pair of OKA b shoes to facilitate my review. All thoughts/opinions are mine and mine alone. I was not required to write a positive review.

Diamente Four Leaf Clover Heart necklace

noreply@blogger.com (TheKels1721) — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 19:50:00 +0000

**This post contains affiliate links**

WOW! So many color options!

Jewelry diamente four leaf clover heart 21*26mm pendant necklace with 45cm chain pink

Jewelry diamente four leaf clover heart 21*26mm pendant necklace with 45cm chain light blue

Jewelry diamente four leaf clover heart 21*26mm pendant necklace with 45cm chain violet

Jewelry diamente four leaf clover heart 21*26mm pendant necklace with 45cm chain jade green

Jewelry diamente four leaf clover heart 21*26mm pendant necklace with 45cm chain sapphire

Jewelry diamente four leaf clover heart 21*26mm pendant necklace with 45cm chain purple

Jewelry diamente four leaf clover heart 21*26mm pendant necklace with 45cm chain red

Each for under $5 total with shipping! What a deal!

What color or colors would you love?

**This post contains affiliate links**

(Amazon may change the pricing at any time.)

FREEBIE: Sheba Cat Food Sample

noreply@blogger.com (Tara) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 08:25:00 +0000

This one is for all the kitties out there!

You can get a FREE sample of Sheba Canned Cat Food (Click here, then scroll down to the Sheba Cat Food Sample).

If you don't have a kitty, consider requesting this freebie for a friend, or dropping it by the local animal shelter. I'm sure the animal shelter would greatly appreciate it!

Supplies are limited so request yours today!

Nestle Drumstick 4 Pack: 79¢ at Target or less than 20¢ each!

noreply@blogger.com (Tara) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 04:31:00 +0000

Who loves Ice Cream? My kids and husband do for sure and that's why I LOVE this deal!!

Target has 4 pack of Nestle Drumsticks (Vanilla or the ones with fudge in the middle) for $3.29

Head over to the Raise a Cone to Summer Giveaway, Upload a pic, and get a $2 coupon. You can print this twice (just hit the "back" button)

Next go to Target's site and print 2 of the 50¢ off 1 4 pack or larger drumsticks (you can search Nestle drumstick and it will pull it right up for you)

Target allows you to stack coupons, so you'll use the manufacturer's coupon (good on a 4 count or larger) and the store coupon.

$3.29 Price

-$2.00 Manufacturer Coupon

-50¢ store coupon

Final Price:

79¢ plus tax!

Note: My price was for the Mobile, AL store on Schillinger's Road. Prices may vary by location. Also, it's not a sale price, but the regular, every day price.

Foster Farm Corn Dogs less than 25¢ each at Target with Printable coupon

noreply@blogger.com (Tara) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 00:16:00 +0000

My daughter and I journeyed out to Target today to pick up a few things and I found a few deals I HAD to share.

Corn Dogs are a staple around my house. I think Joey could live off of them (if I'd let him). They're super expensive most of the time though (or I'm super cheap, whichever you would like to go with). So, when I found this deal, I purchased TWO boxes!!

Foster Farms Corn Dogs are $5.89 at Target.

You can get coupons on the Foster Farms Facebook page. $1.00 if you print now, but if you share the coupon you can print a $2 off coupon.

If you share and get the $2 coupon, that would make your box of 16 corn dogs $3.89 or 24.3¢ each!!

PB Crave Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Tara) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 14:41:00 +0000

Semmes Savers and JustAbitOfBeauty have teamed up to bring you this awesome PB Crave Giveaway.

I loved reviewing these and I am so excited to be able to give some away!!

What is PB Crave?

Made with only the finest, natural peanut butter, honey, and mouth-watering flavor favorites, PB Crave spreads excitement with every bite. We use high-quality ingredients, proven processes and cutting-edge innovation to craft dizzying blends of unique flavors that transform everyday taste into a tantalizing, healthy treat.

PB Crave is available in the following flavors:
Razzle Dazzle: A twisted blend of red raspberry, wild honey, cool white chocolate, and rich dreamy darkness--this peanut butter offers a magical mix of deliciousness.
Cookie Nookie: A mouth-watering mix of chocolate chips, cookie dough flavor, wild honey and premium peanut butter --it's two classics together as one.

Coco Bananas: A tropical blend of yummy bananas, cocoa, and wild honey, this peanut butter adds a taste of island paradise to any kitchen.
Choco Choco: A delicious double dose of semi-sweet and rich dark chocolate with premium peanut butter and wild honey -- it's decadence and delight in every bite.

Make sure to check out Semmes Savers' Review of PB Crave, complete with Gluten Free Cookie recipe and image!

PB Crave can be located at a growing number of grocers throughout the US! Visit the site to see if you can find them at a store near you. If not, don't fret! You can order direct from www.pbcrave.com!

PB Crave has graciously offered a prize pack to one lucky winner! Please note: Winner has to be from the lower 48 states only.

Enter to win below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

PB Crave: Take your Peanut Butter Craving to the next level!

noreply@blogger.com (Tara) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 07:19:00 +0000

There are two foods that I cannot seem to keep in my house. One is cheese. We love just about any kind of cheese there is out there. The other food is peanut butter. We are a bit of snobs when it comes to peanut butter. Certain brands are preferred and we are a house divided on the creamy/crunchy debate.

We were ecstatic to be able to try PB Crave!

What is PB Crave?
From the site:

Made with only the finest, natural peanut butter, honey, and mouth-watering flavor favorites, PB Crave spreads excitement with every bite. We use high-quality ingredients, proven processes and cutting-edge innovation to craft dizzying blends of unique flavors that transform everyday taste into a tantalizing, healthy treat.

We received one of each of the PB Crave flavors to try. The flavors are:

Razzle Dazzle: A twisted blend of red raspberry, wild honey, cool white chocolate, and rich dreamy darkness--this peanut butter offers a magical mix of deliciousness.
Cookie Nookie: A mouth-watering mix of chocolate chips, cookie dough flavor, wild honey and premium peanut butter --it's two classics together as one.
Coco Bananas: A tropical blend of yummy bananas, cocoa, and wild honey, this peanut butter adds a taste of island paradise to any kitchen.
Choco Choco: A delicious double dose of semi-sweet and rich dark chocolate with premium peanut butter and wild honey -- it's decadence and delight in every bite.

It didn't take long at all for us to bust out some spoons and start tasting each one! With five different people in the house, all with different preferences, we all had different favorites. Personally I loved Cookie Nookie and Coco Bananas, but Choco Choco and Razzle Dazzle were pretty awesome too! I'm not a big chocolate fan, but none of the flavors were too chocolatey for me.

Of course I had to try a recipe with PB Crave.

Choco Choco PB Crave Cookies! Get the recipe below, by clicking on the link.

I got the Choco Choco and tried it in my awesome Gluten Free (No Flour) Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe! Oh my goodness, they were AMAZING! They were gone in minutes!

PB Crave is not your grandma's peanut butter. Their spin on peanut butter is unlike any I've tasted before. They are great alone but I really want to try some more recipes with them like Cornflake Candy or Kels' PB Fudge!

PB Crave can be located at a growing number of grocers throughout the US! Visit the site to see if you can find them at a store near you. If not, don't fret! You can order direct from www.pbcrave.com!

PB Crave has graciously offered a prize to a lucky fan. Head over to the giveaway to enter!

Disclosure: I received the above mentioned products for review purposes. All thoughts/opinions are mine and mine alone. I was not required to write a positive review.

One Dish Dinner: Pork Chops with Potatoes

noreply@blogger.com (Tara) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 22:51:00 +0000

I despise doing dishes. I think I'd rather do anything cleaning wise than washing dishes. So I LOVE one dish meals as that means less dishes for me to do!

Pork Chops with Potatoes (and Corn on the Cob, if I happen to have some) is one of my favorite one dish meals. I hope you enjoy this recipe! Let me know if you try it.

Pork Chops with Potatoes, right out of the oven. Yum.

Ingredients:
Pork Chops (whatever style you want)
Potatoes
Stick Butter
Worcestershire Sauce
Creole Seasoning (I use Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning)

Optional Ingredients:
An Onion
Frozen Corn on the Cob

Also Needed:
Glass or Ceramic Baking Dish
Bowl for potatoes

1 Peel potatoes into your bowl. We normally peel about 5 lbs (but my daughter peels them and she tends to cut off a lot of potato in the process. Plus, I feed 5+ people at every meal). Then rinse the potatoes and slice them thinly.

2. If you are using onion, go ahead and cut it into thin slices. Sit it to the side.

3. Put your pork chops in the bottom of your baking dish. If you are using onion, then put them on top of the pork chops.

4. Drizzle some Worcestershire Sauce over the Pork Chops. Also, sprinkle some creole seasoning on them.

5. Cover pork chops with sliced potatoes.

6. Sprinkle creole seasoning over your potatoes. The cut your stick of butter into little "cubes" and place on top of potatoes (spread 'em out.). I also add a little more Worcestershire Sauce over the potatoes.

7. If you are using corn on the cob, place it around the dish (against the sides).

8. Cover with aluminum foil. Place in oven that has been preheated to 350 degrees for an hour and half to two hours (ovens vary as do the cook time depending on pork chop thickness, potato thickness, and such. Just keep an eye on it).

9. Enjoy.

Pork chops with potatoes before seasoning and cooking.

Pork Chops and potatoes after seasoning, about to be put in the oven.

Let me know your favorite one dish meal in the comments below!

My Coke Rewards: Get a Free McDonald's Quarter Pounder for only 50 points PLUS doubled Powerade points!

noreply@blogger.com (Tara) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 08:39:00 +0000

I happened to run across this on the My Coke Rewards site and had to share!

For a limited time get a coupon for a FREE McDonald's Quarter Pounder Burger for 50 points on My Coke Rewards.

Details:

*Weight before cooking 4 oz (113.4 gms). Expires 07/30/13. Valid only at participating U.S. McDonald's. Not valid with any other offer, discount, coupon or combo meal. Cash value 1/20 of 1 cent. Limit one coupon per person per visit. Coupon may not be transferred, auctioned, sold or duplicated in any way or transmitted via electronic media. Valid when product served. May not be valid for custom orders. Void where prohibited. © 2013 McDonald's.

If you've got some Powerade caps, it's going to be SUPER easy to get enough points to claim the McDonald's Quarter Pounder!

Get 2x the points for each Powerade cap until the 14th!!! Instead of 3 points, they give you 6!

Do you use My Coke Rewards? Have you cashed in for anything cool recently??

Vintage Toy Market's Silent Auction: June 22, 2013 in Mobile, AL

noreply@blogger.com (Tara) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 07:23:00 +0000

Woot! Woot! I'm super excited about this.

I've blogged about Vintage Toy Market before and shared some of their super cool items to the Facebook page. Now they are planning an auction and I can't wait!

The owner of Vintage Toy Market gave me the low down on the event. Here's the details, in his own words:

This is Mobile, AL very 1st ever "Vintage Toys & Movie Memorabilia" Auction. It is going to happen June 22, 2013. When: Doors open at 5:00 P.M. and the auction will start off 6:30 P.M. The address: 507 St. Louis St. Mobile, AL. (Downtown Mobile) There will be free food, and we are giving away prizes as well. Everything from discounts off your total order, to free vintage Toys, and all kind of other stuff. We are having from what I have counted so far over 125 vintage toys, and movie memorabilia. We are wanting to do this once a month because we are wanting to create a place where all collectors, and people who are just looking for something different, or want to see and hold and buy those toys they played with as a kid will have a chance to have that piece of there childhood back.

You can join the event on Facebook to get up to the minute details.

Become a fan of Vintage Toy Market on Facebook

Event details:

Date: June 22, 2013
Doors Open for Preview: 5:00 pm
Auction Begins: 6:30 pm

Location: Koch Galleries, 507 St. Louis St, Mobile AL

Map showing location of Koch Galleries, in the heart of Downtown Mobile. Mapquest offers easy to follow directions if you aren't familiar with the area.

I hope to make it and hope to see a few of y'all there!

Disclosure: I received nothing in return for sharing this event with my readers.

Semmes Savers Advertising Opportunities

noreply@blogger.com (Tara) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 23:34:00 +0000

Are you looking for advertising for your company or brand? Well, you're in the right place!

Semmes Savers can help you via the following advertising methods. All are very affordable and we offer deals on advertising all the time.

Review:
Myself or Kels can review your product and post the review on the site. We always post reviews to Facebook and Twitter as well.

Giveaway:
We can host a giveaway for your product. Giveaways can go with a review or can be ran separately.

Ad Placement:
Place your ad on the sidebar of the site so everyone who visits sees your product/brand!

Blog Post:
We can do a blog post about your business or product, linking back to your site.

Social Media Promotion:
Looking to expose your business through social media? We can do that as well!

Have another idea of how you'd like to be promoted? We can work with you on that as well!

We have deals available right now, so email us to set up your advertising today!

Bloggers Wanted: OKA b Stylish Summer of Color Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Tara) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 21:39:00 +0000

Semmes Savers wants to help someone look cool while staying cool this summer! We're going to give away a beautiful pair of OKA b shoes, winner's choice!

Giveaway will run for 2 weeks, June 16th through June 30th. Participating bloggers will need to promote 5 times a week (you can schedule it with Facebook or the like) on social media.

Any questions/concerns? Email me.

Want to help? Sign up today!

Around the World Games: Learn about the world while playing a game!

noreply@blogger.com (Tara) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 20:59:00 +0000

My kids are a lot like me in all the bad ways. We can read the same information ten times and not get it, but turn it into a song or a game and we've got it memorized in no time. This makes learning new stuff challenging at times. However, we love trivia games and they make learning so much fun, and a lot easier. That's why I was so excited to review Around the World.

From the box:
Players are challenged to explore the world with us! The object is to travel around the world by answering questions correctly and gaining tokens to fill up your Gloval Score card. Players need to correctly answer three questions in each category to win. The first player to "travel around the world" and fill in their Global score card wins. The more places you travel the more fun it is to play!
Categories include People and Places, Cultures and Customs, Geography, Language and the World Wonders.

When we got it in the kids couldn't wait to break it out and play.

Joey, Josh, and Cassie playing. Joey won.

They battled it out, with questions such as:

Geography: What is the largest country in North America? (It's Canada)
People & Places: Paris is home to this world famous metal tower. Name it. (The Eiffel Tower)
Culture & Customs: In most Asian cultures, is it acceptable to point your chopsticks at people while you are eating? (No. It's considered rude)
Language: True or False? People speak French, Italian, and German in Switzerland. (True)

Along the way you get "World Bank" cards. I personally love these because they state that you have done something good for the world and get rewarded. For example:

Excellent! You helped support a recycling program in the Middle East. Travel to the next category space of your choice and answer a question.

Not only do kids (and adults) learn from Around the World Games, but it also emphasizes ways of giving back and fosters a sense of community.

With summer upon us Around the World is perfect for family game night or rainy days. A great way to keep the kids' brains working in the off months and help them learn new things about the world around us.

Around the World also offers collector cards that can be used as a expansion of the game or as a trivia game on it's own. Around the World can be purchased on their website or through Amazon. I'd love to get the North America collector cards for the next road trip we have. How cool would it be to use them for trivia as you traveled the county?

I highly recommend Around the World games for kids and parents alike!

Become a fan of Around the World games on Facebook.
Follow Around the World Games on Twitter.

Follow Around the World Games on Pinterest.

Disclosure: I received an Around the World game to facilitate my review. All thoughts/opinions are mine and mine alone.
This post contains affiliate links.

Turtle Crystal Pendant Necklace in Turtle shaped Gift Box

noreply@blogger.com (TheKels1721) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 17:09:00 +0000

**This post contains affiliate links**

Wow! Look at this cute necklace with gift box I found on Amazon!

TURTLE Crystal Pendant Necklace in Turtle shaped Gift Box

For less than $6 SHIPPED! Would make a great little gift!

(Amazon may change their prices at any time.)

**This post contains affiliate links**

Plink: Spend $20 at Sears, get a $20 gift card

noreply@blogger.com (Tara) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 23:55:00 +0000

Sign up for Plink to receive rewards for dining and shopping offline. Debit or Credit Card registration required. Spend $20 at Sears and receive $20 gift card of your choice.

I did sign up for this back when they were doing a Burger King Promotion and had NO problems at all. However, I suggest that people only do these if you are comfortable doing so.

This post contains affiliate links

Amora Coffee: 1 bag for $1

noreply@blogger.com (Tara) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 03:24:00 +0000

This post contains affiliate links.

Amora Coffee – 1 bag JUST $1

Ultra-Premium coffee Roasted in the USA

Not available in stores

Save over 90%, Order Today! Click Here

Details:
About every four weeks you will receive a fresh batch of four half pound bags in the blend you selected, at the regular price of $12.95 per bag plus $7.95 per shipment for handling and expedited delivery, billed to the credit card you provided. You may make changes to your account at any time by calling us toll-free at 1-855-MI-AMORA. Cancel at anytime.

This post contains affiliate links.

Red Plum Available Coupons: Updated 6/9/2013

noreply@blogger.com (Tara) — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 23:37:00 +0000

This post contains affiliate links.

Here's the Red Plum printable coupons available right now!

SmartSource Available Coupons as of 6/9/13

noreply@blogger.com (Tara) — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 23:15:00 +0000

This post contains affiliate links.

SmartSource has some awesome printable coupons available right now! Check them out!

Coupons.com available coupons Updated 6/9/2013

noreply@blogger.com (Tara) — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 23:04:00 +0000

This post contains affiliate links.

Here's our updated list of coupons.com available coupons!