The Violet Fig

Real Steel movie review

2011-09-28T06:07:00.001-04:00

When I was first offered tickets to Real Steel with Hugh Jackmand and Evangeline Lily, I was hesitant...it was billed as a kids movie...about boxing robots. Not my cup of tea. I decided to watch the trailer and it didn't look bad, so I decided to go. I brought my friend Staci and told her nothing about the movie. When we sat down, another blogger was talking to us about the movie and I notice that Staci has the "oh lordy, what have you gotten me into, Beck" look on her face. Robot boxers? Why are there so many kids here? What kind of movie is this? I'll tell you exactly what kind of movie- a great one! It's rated PG-13, mostly for language, but would be appropriate for the pre-teen group as well. Staci said it best- it's very comparable to The Karate Kid. Instead of the scrawny boy attempting to take on the bully, it's the junkyard bot taking on the champion fighter. It is a feel good movie, but it doesn't start out that way. You'll just have to see it for yourself

Watch the trailer here.
real steel

DREAMWORKS PICTURES
Website and Mobile site: www.steelgetsreal.com
Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/realsteelmovie
Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/realsteelmovie

Genre: Action-Drama
Rating: PG-13
U.S. Release date: October 7, 2011

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Dakota Goyo, Evangeline Lilly, Anthony Mackie, Kevin Durand

Director: Shawn Levy

Producers: Don Murphy, Susan Montford, Shawn Levy

Executive Producers: Steven Spielberg, Jack Rapke, Robert Zemeckis, Steve Starkey, Mary McLaglen, Josh McLaglen

Screenplay by: John Gatins

Story by: Dan Gilroy and Jeremy Leven

Based in part on the short story “Steel” by: Richard Matheson
A action ride set in the near-future where the sport of boxing has gone high-tech, “Real Steel” stars Hugh Jackman as Charlie Kenton, a washed-up fighter who lost his chance at a title when 2000-pound, 8-foot-tall steel robots took over the ring. Now nothing but a small-time promoter, Charlie earns just enough money piecing together low-end bots from scrap metal to get from one underground boxing venue to the next. When Charlie hits rock bottom, he reluctantly teams up with his estranged son Max (Dakota Goyo) to build and train a championship contender. As the stakes in the no-holds-barred arena are raised, Charlie and Max, against all odds, get one last shot at a comeback.

“Real Steel” is directed by Shawn Levy (“Night at the Museum” franchise and “Date Night”).

“Real Steel” is about a former boxer (Hugh Jackman) who, against all odds, gets one last shot at a comeback when he teams up with his estranged son (Dakota Goyo) to build and train the perfect contender for the new high-tech sport of robot boxing.

Disclosure- I was given two free passes to see the movie. As always, the opinions are my own.

Win free chicken!

2011-09-16T17:08:00.001-04:00

I've already told you about Zaycon Foods and how fabulous their chicken was. Now, I have the opportunity to give away a free box of chicken! If you live in an area where Zaycon delivers, you can get $65 credited to your account (this equals one box of chicken) or if you're in a different area, you can get a check for $30. Right now, in Georgia, the first delivery is October 4th. This contest ends Monday, September 19th so hurry to enter. You can get one extra entry by tweeting the contest using my twitter handle @TheVioletFig. Leave a comment for each entry.

My winner was

Congratulations!

The Help

2011-08-09T20:29:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I would have told you that if you could see ONE movie this summer, it should be The Bridesmaids. While I still think it's one of the funniest movies ever, I now would have a different answer. If you can only see one movie...it should be The Help. I would go as far as to say that everyone NEEDS to see it The movie was surprisingly funny, which was unexpected. The acting is just superb. Emma Stone did a great job in the hard role of Skeeter, Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer NEED to win an Oscar for their roles as Aibilene & Minny. I could easily say that every role was amazing acting. Some of the other big names are Bryce Dallas Howard, Cicely Tyson, Chris Lowell (Private Practice) and Nelson Ellis (True Blood).

What can I even say about this movie that would do it justice? The entire theater laughed together, cried together and laughed some more. Watch this trailer...it gave me chills even now...and then go see The Help- it comes to theaters tomorrow.

“Like” THE HELP on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/thehelpmovie.

THE HELP opens in theatres everywhere on Aug 10th.

Based on one of the most talked about books in years and a #1 New York Times best-selling phenomenon, “The Help” stars Emma Stone (“Easy A”) as Skeeter, Academy Award®–nominated Viola Davis (“Doubt”) as Aibileen and Octavia Spencer as Minny—three very different, extraordinary women in Mississippi during the 1960s, who build an unlikely friendship around a secret writing project that breaks societal rules and puts them all at risk. From their improbable alliance a remarkable sisterhood emerges, instilling all of them with the courage to transcend the lines that define them, and the realization that sometimes those lines are made to be crossed—even if it means bringing everyone in town face-to-face with the changing times.

Deeply moving, filled with poignancy, humor and hope, “The Help” is a timeless and universal story about the ability to create change.

Disclaimer- I was given two passes to a screening of The Help in exchange for my review.

Zaycon Foods

2011-08-08T19:44:00.003-04:00

The other day I was asked if I wanted 40 lbs of free chicken. Um...yes!! I was offered this chicken so local Atlanta bloggers could introduce you to Zaycon Foods- a company that is just expanding to our region. The premiss behind it is to eliminate the middle man while selling quality foods like meats and produce in bulk form. After you sign up, you will be notified the next time there is a delivery going on in your area. For example, this pickup was either in Alpharetta or Atlanta and it was for a box of fresh, boneless, skinless chicken breasts. After all was said and done we had about 50 chicken breasts. Because it came straight from the farm to my trunk, the chickens were literally clucking two days prior to my receiving them. That is pure awesome! When you receive your chicken, it will look like this.

From browsing the website, I see that they had all sorts of fresh foods like cherries, peaches, ground beef and bacon. So far, the chicken that we have eaten has been delicious and very fresh tasting. I love that it is 100% natural chicken with no added hormones, additives or artificial ingredients. I also love that we get wholesale costs! I am really hoping this gains popularity in Georgia because the company sounds awesome!

So far I've made spicy honey brushed chicken, teriyaki chicken and Jamie Oliver's baked curry chicken fingers. Yum yum!

Go here to register: https://www.zayconfoods.com/refer/zf34415 and when you are prompted to say who referred you, enter: beckyz77

Disclaimer- I was given one box of chicken (40 lbs) to review the product. The views expressed are my own.

Win an iPad 2!

2011-06-20T14:45:00.001-04:00

I’m posting this to enter a contest offered by Buy More Contacts at Uppercase Woman! I want to win theiPad 2! Enter to win here!

2011-06-05T13:19:00.003-04:00

Date Night with my son!

2011-05-19T23:12:00.000-04:00

When I was asked if I wanted to go to an advance screening of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides I jumped at the chance. Usually, when I get invited to blogging events they are things that I can take my 11 year old to, or just a friend. I never get invited to things that my 14 year old would think was cool...until now. I knew he would love it and boy, did he! I made a night of it and decided to first take him to Richard Blais' restaurant, Flip Burger Boutique. Jake loves Top Chef so I knew he would love going to this season's winner's restaurant. Doesn't he look happy?

The restaurant was very cool- love when you can see the chefs and we had a perfect view. We watched them construct burgers the whole time!

We also loved the design concept where everything can be flipped- check out the matching booths on the ceiling above the booths!

The best part of the meal was the Nutella and Burnt Marshmallow shake. It came frozen solid and steaming with Nitrous...such a cool presentation. My only problem was that there were too many marshmallows and only the top ones were burnt.

I got the burger of the day- the Osso Bucco burger. So delish. Veal burger, veal short rib shredded on top, micro parsley and a rockin' sauce. The fries were just fries. I didn't like the smoky mayo which people rave about. Wish I had ordered the fried pickles instead.

Jake had the local burger- local grass fed beef, locally grown yellow tomatoes, very crisp bread and butter pickles, lettuce, chives and coca cola ketchup. It was pretty awesome, as were the vodka onion rings.

After an awesome meal, we went to Atlantic Station to see the movie. How fabulous is it to skip right past the lines and head to a chair with this paper on it?

Jake looks like Justin Beiber here, doesn't he? He hated that I said that! He he he!

So, the movie starts and we are just sucked right in. After the last movie, I honestly didn't know if they would keep going. There wasn't really a cliff hanger. The good thing about that is the movie is more independent than others. My favorite part is that the movie is very Jack-centric. No Orlando Bloom. No Keira Knightly. That whole story line was wrapped up.

The movie follows Jack as he tries to find the Fountain of Youth with Penelope Cruz and Blackbeard. I didn't think any mermaids could be more scary than the ones from Harry Potter, but these give them a run for their money. Beautiful and terrifying at the same time! The movie wraps up nicely and as usual, gives us the option for a sequel. Love that! This is a great summer movie and I would absolutely go see it in 3D again! It's one I'll buy on DVD to add to the Pirates collection, that's for sure!. Love the love story between the missionary and the mermaid!

Disclaimer: I was given tickets to go to the advanced screening of Pirates of the Caribbean by Disney Theatrical Releases and Allied Integrated Marketing. Of course, all thoughts are my own.

Heart of Haiti

2011-04-28T22:44:00.000-04:00

Women can be catty. Women can bicker and fight and pick at each other endlessly. Women can be passive aggressive. Women can also lift each other up when one is down. Women often don't even need words. They can talk with just their eyes. Women can help a friend heal from yet another miscarriage by holding her and crying with her. Women do things to help other women out of the kindness of their hearts. That's the kind of woman you never forget.

When I was young and trying to get through college to be a teacher, I could not afford childcare for my two children. I started out going to night school, but there came a time when I had no choice but to take classes during the day and do school observations as well. Luckily, I had the support of a friend who offered to watch my kids for me, free of charge. I cannot even count the hours after hours that she watched my kids over the course of two years, all out of the kindness of her heart. I honestly can say that I could not have gotten through school without her. I had no other options when she offered to help me. That is the kind of woman I want to be! I am currently helping a family out with free childcare and every time, I think of my dear friend Angie. I am truly paying it forward!

ABOUT THE HEART OF HAITI PROJECT
The Heart of Haiti Project is an initiative founded by Willa Shalit (daughter of Gene Shalit) and her company, Fairwinds Trading, a for-profit company that uses business as a strategy for economic empowerment of people, especially women, in the Majority World. The Majority World is where two billion of the world’s three billion people live, in poverty.

Through a partnership with Macy’s and their Shop For A Better World' initiative, Heart of Haiti offers artisan-crafted decorative arts and jewelry for sale. All income derived from sales of the products on the Heart of Haiti site enhances an artisan’s family’s nutrition, educates children, and brings access to healthcare and dignity.

For additional information on Fair Winds visit: http://www.fairwindstrading.com/

If you purchase a Mother’s Day gift from the HOH collection, use the promocode: CLEVERGIRLS
for a 15% discount off Heart of Haiti and Rwanda Path to Peace products! The code is good from 5/3-5/8. - To view the Shop for a Better World / Heart Of Haiti collection in it's entirety (including just added items for Spring), visit:http://bit.ly/gaalFP

I was selected for this very special “CleverHaiti” opportunity by Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity. All opinions are my own.

Freschetta Review and Giveaway!

2011-04-17T16:48:00.001-04:00

And the winner is.... my mom!

Recently, Freschetta sent me some coupons to try two of their new products: Freschetta By The Slice and Freschetta Simply....Inspired. They also sent me an awesome 6 piece locking lid storage system that I LOVE. This week, I'm giving away a coupon for a slice of pizza and a 3 piece storage system set.

-The first one we tried was the Simply...Inspired. Everyone loved this one. The crust is thin and crisp, with no sogginess (something we haven't been thrilled with when we tried the regular Freschetta pizza), an abundance of flavor- as my 14 year old said, "you can taste herbs in every bite!" The flavor we tried was pepperoni pomodoro and it did not disappoint.

- Next, we tried the By The Slice in BBQ Recipe Chicken. Ok, fine, WE didn't try it, I did. I am a BBQ chicken pizza lover and my favorite is by California Pizza Kitchen. This pizza was comparable in flavor and was just delicious with chunks of chicken, onions, peppers and cheese! I would absolutely buy this one again.

To win a 3 piece Freschetta storage set plus a coupon for a complimentary Freschetta By The Slice pizza for you to try, just leave a comment telling me which pizza you would like to try. The flavors it comes in are Chicken Spinach Mushroom, BBQ Recipe Chicken, Vegetable Medley and 6 Cheese Medley.

Disclosure: The makers of Freschetta Pizza contacted me and provided me with products to review as well as a 6 piece Freschetta storage set. The opinions are my own and were not influenced by the compensation I received.

Menu Plan

2011-04-10T09:47:00.000-04:00

I'm back from Florida and the diet didn't go so well. Not the worst, but not the best. So, I'm back on the bandwagon tomorrow after I grocery shop.

Sunday- Today we are having spaghetti and meat sauce for dinner. Might as well go out with a bang.

Monday- Grilled chicken for this burrito salad.

Tuesday-Chicken Caesar salad with leftover chicken from last night

Wednesday-Lesley's Greek Chicken- my bff made this delicious chicken while I was down in Florida last week. Blend in food processor a bag of spinach, three cloves of garlic and crumbled feta to taste. Place chicken cutlets (or pounded breasts) on a baking sheet and spread the spinach mixture over the chicken. Bake at 350 until cooked. It was delicious!

Thursday- It's kindergarten testing night so I'm going out with the girls afterwards!

Friday- Taco Night- mine as a salad- everyone else with shells!

Ultimate Blog Party '11 and CONTEST!!!

2011-03-31T22:24:00.004-04:00

It's time again for the Ultimate Blog Party! This is my third year participating! The first year I talked about myself- a basic introductory post. Last year I told you a few more things about me plus a contest. This year the Sisterchicks have an even better contest- a $100 Target giftcard!

So, what's new with me from last year?

-If you look at my menu plan last week, you'll see I'm on a new weight loss journey with the Maximized Living Nutrition Plan- eliminating ALL sugar, including fruit and grains! Yowza! I can tell you right now though that I am going to be breaking my diet next Friday when I'm at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter! Yes, that's right! I will drink a lovely butterbeer and I can't wait!!! I'm one of those Harry Potter obsessed people. My chiropractor and diet guru tells me I'm going to feel terribly sick with all that sugar so to be prepared. It will be worth it!
-Although I can't discuss school things here on my blog, I can say that this year I went from a regular ed kindergarten class to an inclusion kindergarten class. About 1/3 of my class is special ed and 2/3 are regular ed. I always used to say, "I could never do that." I volunteered on a whim and I am in love. I don't ever want to do anything else. Some of that is because of my fabulous kiddos and some of that is because of my fantabulous co-teacher who I just adore. I can now call her one of my bffs. <3
-My husband and I have decided to separate and we have spent the past few months getting our house ready to list. In the next few weeks it will go on the market and as soon as it sells, I will be on my own. Scary. Hopeful. Sad. Honestly, it's why I haven't blogged much in the past few months, even after going to Blissdom. I've kind of lost myself in books, friends and tv, but hopefully I'll get out of my rut soon. So, if I seem absent, it's just an emotional time for me. I'll be back- I promise.
-I can't wait to browse the different UBP '11 posts this year and hopefully meet new people!

As part of today's party, I want to introduce you to some of my favorite bloggy friends! There are 10 of us who each have a word photo included in their post. These words make up a sentence. We will each link you up to the lady who has the next word in the sentence, which is Mary at Giving Up on Perfect —but keep in mind that I might not have the first word in the sentence!

Once you have the sentence, e-mail it to sisterchickies@gmail.com with “UBP11″ in the subject line. Each person with the correct sentence will be in a drawing to win a $100 Target gift card! The winner will be announced on all of our blogs on April 11 and the winner will be e-mailed. The winner has 48 hours to respond or we’ll pick someone else.

Menu Plan, Maximized Living Healing Diet Plan Style

2011-03-27T09:04:00.000-04:00

Menu Plan, Maximized Living Healing Diet-Advaned Diet Plan Style

I'm starting the Maximized Living Healing Diet, Advanced Diet Plan this week. My goal is to stay with the Advanced Plan for as long as I can before going to the regular plan. I decided this because of the insulin regulating properties of the Advanced Plan. I'm also going to my bff's house in Florida next week for Spring Break and I know it will be easy to follow there as she lives a gluten free lifestyle! So, I just did some digging and found a great recipe blog for the Maximized Living Nutrition Plan! I have built my week around her site. For breakfast, I'll be having various egg dishes and for lunch I plan to either have leftovers or have things like meat, cheese and raw veggies. I'm only planning dinners through Thursday because we leave Saturday morning- we will probably have leftovers on Friday night.

Sunday- Fried Tilapia with Broccoli
Monday- Roasted Chicken Caesar Salad with homemade dressing and parmesan "croutons"
Tuesday- Chicken Soup using the carcass from the roasted chicken yesterday
Wednesday- Buffalo Chicken Wings with raw veggies
Thursday- Tandoori Chicken with veggies and rice for the family

Kinect video game review and GIVEAWAY

2011-03-09T21:19:00.001-05:00

And the winner is.....

I was recently given the opportunity to review a new X-box Kinect game called Your Shape: Fitness Evolved. I was excited to try it out and wasn't sure what to expect. I thought it might be somewhat like the Wi Fit, but for x-box. While the concept is similar, it is definitely different. This game was designed for adults, but the kids certainly enjoyed it too. The best part is that the Kinect uses your image, so as you work out, you are actually on the screen in live-action. They call it full body tracking and it is amazing! Instead of 16 dot tracking like other games, it uses one million dots on your body! This really helps you make sure you are doing the exercises correctly. Here's a picture from the Amazon site to show an example of how beneficial that feature is:

You can see in the picture that you can compare how you are doing the exercises to the image on the left. You can also see that it tracks your calorie burning while you work out! I really enjoyed playing the games! If Your Shape: Fitness Evolved sounds good to you, why don't you enter to win! In order to play it, you will need an X-box kinect. Just leave me a comment for an entry. For additional entries leave a comment for each of the following:
- tweet the contest
-share the contest on facebook
...and the winner is...

Here are some key game features:

Player Projection Technology - Instead of the 16-dot tracking in other games, using the Kinect sensor peripheral Your Shape Fitness Evolved tracks over 1 million dots on your body, meaning better tracking, no lag, and 100% player engagement
Fitness Your Way – How you burn calories, have fun, and improve your fitness level is up to you, whether you enlist the help of a personal trainer, take a class such as Yoga, Martial Arts, or Tai Chi, or get the family involved in fun mini-games like dancing, target practice and more
Interactive Visual Effects - As you master the fitness moves, the game responds with fun and surprising visuals such as such as paint, water, light, fire, confetti that match your movement and impact
Unprecedented Feedback System Fitness Evolved gives you precise feedback on your every body part as you follow your coach's instructions and will help you correct your form by adding guidelines to the screen so you know exactly where your arm or leg should be placed and you can see it in real-time
Cutting-Edge Workouts Created by Fitness Experts - The game contains workouts included a martial arts class lead by Michael George, who has trained celebrities including Reese Witherspoon and P.Diddy, leads a Martial Arts class and a special weight loss class lead by Michelle Bridges, trainer for all 5 seasons on Australia's "The Biggest Loser"
Track Your Progress and Share It Online - All of your stats are uploaded seamlessly online and can be shared with friends and family allowing you to create challenges among friends and help each other reach fitness goals
Never Do the Same Workout Twice - The game comes with hundreds of exercises, plus, enjoy regular downloadable content releases to ensure you'll always have new and exciting workout routines to learn.
Multiplayer Support - Challenge friends using Xbox LIVE multiplayer

While Ubisoft sponsored this review, the opinions I've expressed here are solely my own and represent my honest viewpoint. Ubisoft, Clever Girls Collective and I promote Blog With Integrity.

Mars Needs Moms giveaway!

2011-02-23T15:24:00.003-05:00

And the winner is...

There is a new Disney movie coming out on March 11th called Mars Needs Moms that looks super cute. First off, Joan Cusack and Seth Green voice some of the characters, and who doesn't like that?! Secondly, it's about MOMS! Faboo! The premise of the movie is that the aliens are stealing the moms from Earth to raise their own kids- hilarious! It seems like it's for the older crowd- maybe over kindergarten age because the aliens are a little frightening. I think my 11 year old will LOVE it! The graphics are excellent- it's like watching Men in Black. The music also looks like it will be great. Check out the trailer below.

I'm giving away a youth sized shirt, adult sized shirt and a 3-pack of temporary tattoos this Sunday! To enter, just leave a comment telling me who you would take to this movie!

ITEMS FOR GIVEAWAY:

- MARS NEEDS MOMS T-Shirt (Adult Size)

- MARS NEEDS MOMS T-Shirt (Youth Size)

- MARS NEEDS MOMS Temporary Tattoos (3-pack)

Here is a trailer for the movie.

MARS NEEDS MOMS (In Disney Digital 3D™ and IMAX® 3D)

WALT DISNEY PICTURES/IMAGEMOVERS DIGITAL

Genre: Comedy Adventure

Rating: TBD

U.S. Release Date: March 11, 2011

Cast: Seth Green, Dan Fogler, Elisabeth Harnois, Mindy Sterling, Kevin Cahoon and Joan Cusack

Director: Simon Wells

Producers: Robert Zemeckis, Jack Rapke, Steve Starkey, Steven Boyd

Screenplay by: Simon Wells & Wendy Wells

Based on the book by: Berkeley Breathed

Take out the trash, eat your broccoli—who needs moms, anyway? Nine-year-old Milo (Seth Green) finds out just how much he needs his mom (Joan Cusack) when she’s nabbed by Martians who plan to steal her mom-ness for their own young. Produced by the team behind “Disney’s A Christmas Carol” and “The Polar Express,” “Mars Needs Moms” showcases Milo’s quest to save his mom—a wild adventure in Disney Digital 3D™ and IMAX® 3D that involves stowing away on a spaceship, navigating an elaborate, multi-level planet and taking on the alien nation and their leader (Mindy Sterling). With the help of a tech-savvy, underground earthman named Gribble (Dan Fogler) and a rebel Martian girl called Ki (Elisabeth Harnois), Milo just might find his way back to his mom—in more ways than one.

Notes:

· Berkeley Breathed, a Pulitzer-Prize winner for his comic strip “Bloom County,” is the author and illustrator of the book “Mars Needs Moms.” The story was inspired by a particular moment of disagreement that took place between his son Milo and his wife.

· Producer Robert Zemeckis, who wrote, directed and produced “Disney’s A Christmas Carol” and “The Polar Express,” is a pioneer in performance-capture filmmaking. The process digitally captures the performances of the actors with computerized cameras in a full 360 degrees, allowing actors like Jim Carrey and Tom Hanks to play several roles of varying ages in one film, and for 36-year-old Seth Green to portray a 9-year-old.

Produced by the team behind “Disney’s A Christmas Carol” and “The Polar Express,” “Mars Needs Moms” showcases nine-year-old Milo’s (Seth Green) quest to save his mom (Joan Cusack) from Martians—a wild adventure in Disney Digital 3D™ and IMAX® 3D that involves stowing away on a spaceship, navigating an elaborate, multi-level planet and taking on the alien nation and their leader (Mindy Sterling).

Become a fan of MARS NEEDS MOMS on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/MarsNeeds

and don't forget to enter the Mars Needs Moms Giveaway to win a Nissan Quest!!!

Blissdom in Video

2011-01-31T06:33:00.000-05:00

This past weekend, I went to the Blissdom Conference, a blogging conference at the Opryland Hotel.

I was part of a flash mob:

I sang Baby Got Back with Bookieboo and BusyDad:

I got a tour of the Opryland Hotel from Amanda from ohamanda.com, Mandi from itscome2this.com and Staci from simplystaci.net.

I found out where the glass sculpture in the lobby came from...with a twist!

and lastly, I got to play all the games in the Can-o-Bliss that Staci created for our sisterchick roadtrip, including The 12 Days of Christmas mad libs as shown here by Amanda!

I hope you've enjoyed my video recap of Blissdom '11!

Top Ten Tuesday

2011-01-17T23:20:00.000-05:00

Blissdom '11 is right around the corner...just days away! For this weeks' Top Ten Tuesday, I am going to share my top ten favorite pictures from last year's Blissdom.

1. I don't love this one 'cause I look great, but because we are standing in line to meet the legendary....

2. Harry Connick Jr.......just glorious!

3. Meeting random strangers and taking pictures with them because you dressed alike. Where else can you do that, but at a blog conference? lol

4. Finding the LOST "hatch". Where else can you do that, but at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel? Well, and Hawaii...

5. Hanging with my IRL sisterchicks Mandi, Staci and Amanda and meeting people who become bloggy sisterchicks- like Tricia from Once a Month Mom!

6. Eating delicious things, like these yummy Santa Fe cornmeal pancakes from The Pancake Pantry!

7. I'm a huge liberal trapped in the south, so I couldn't pass up this opportunity to pose with a poster of the ridiculousness that is Sarah Palin. She was speaking at the hotel, so there were lots of...um...interesting people there.

8. Did I mention that I love my Sisterchicks? Here are IRL sisters- Staci & Mandi.

9. Love my roomies: Here I am with Amanda.

10. Meeting famous people is always a bonus- even if I didn't know who he was at the time- George Duran will be at Blissdom again!

I can't wait to make more memories at this year's Blissdom! For more Top Ten Tuesday, head over to www.ohamanda.com

Menu Plan Monday

2011-01-10T16:58:00.000-05:00

orIt's a snow day here in the ATL and we actually may be snowed in for days. This rarely happens here- we are used to snow that melts by 10 am, so it's quite enjoyable for us! We got 5 inches plus 1/2 inch of ice on top of that.

We knew it was coming, so starting on Friday, the grocery stores were packed and depleted of key items such as milk, bread and in my store's case...onions. What???? I decided to play it safe and go on Sunday morning while everyone was at church. It was a great idea- not packed! The Publix meat guy told me that a typical Saturday, they sell $11,000 worth of meat, but this Saturday they sold $28,000- wow! I spent $250, making sure we wouldn't be missing anything.

Monday:
Today we are having chili- I kind of made a cross between chili and taco soup and it tastes great.
Dump the following ingredients in a crockpot and cook all day. Serve over fritos with cheese on top.
-2 lbs browned ground beef, 1 can of corn, 1 can kidney beans, 1 can chili beans, 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 can chili tomatoes, 1 can tomatoes with green chile, 1 cup water, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder.

Tuesday: Stuffed Cabbage. This is my mom's recipe. Maybe I'll take photos and post it tomorrow- it's super easy and super good.

Wednesday: Poppy Seed Chicken by Dinah's Dishes. Dinah is a friend from high school's wife. She's a caterer and her dishes never disappoint.

Thursday: Chicken fingers. I slice chicken breasts into strips, pound them flat, bread them in panko and serve them with a dip made of BBQ sauce mixed with Buffalo sauce. Yummy

Friday: Jenny's Smoky Beef Tacos. I've posted these here before and I mentioned them when guest posting over at Once a Month Mom. It is my sister-in-law's recipe and absolutely divine. I'm talking insanely good and SO easy- I make them in the crockpot if I have to work.

I didn't plan for the weekend because I figured that we would be ready to get out of the house by then!

To see more Menu Plan Mondays, head over to Org Junkie!

2010 Recap

2010-12-31T09:33:00.001-05:00

Jo-Lynne is hosting the annual Blog Recap Carnival and I decided to join in. Here is the first sentence from each month this year on my blog!

January
"After reading Mandi's post today, I figured I needed to set some goals for this blog in 2010! "

Yeah..probably need to do this again..in fact, I may just use the same goals!

February
"I leave for Blissdom in two days...that means I only have two days to finish getting ready for my trip!"

That was an exciting post...and Blissdom is less than a month away, so I'm getting excited all over again!

March
"After last week's snow, today's warm temperatures were delicious!"

Ahh, my first garden post of the year...this year our house will be on the market, so I plan to put in a very small garden, just to show the potential.

April
"Not-what-you'd-expect healthcare post :: :: :: Health Care Schmealth Care by Scribbit"

This was a Saturday Stumbles post!

May

"We recently bought a new grill because the parts to fix our old one would have been at least $100- no thanks. "

One of my favorite posts- the few weeks when we watched baby birds in our grill grow from practically fetuses into birds that could fly away.

June
"So, I've been reading Kathy's "Losing It" posts for some time now. "

...and I should do more than just read them...

July
"We just got back from a wonderful, two week vacation to New Mexico to see my 2 month old twin nieces."

Ahh, a wonderful trip with great memories!

August
I didn't post a single post in August! Why? Because I'm a teacher and we started school at the beginning of August. This is the first year I have taught inclusion so the beginning of the year was doubly hard.

September

"Tyler has been found safe!"

This was an emotional night as a friend in California's mentally ill, teenage son ran away from his rehab center...the first sentence is actually the edited version, as I removed his info.

October
"If you are in the Atlanta area on October 23rd, make sure you come to the Once a Month Mom Tweet-Up 2010.'

This was fun, but I was sick at the Tweet-Up...so I couldn't hang with the sisterchicks. :(

November
'Last month, I was sifting through the shirts at Goodwill (where I often find great Hollister shirts for my 11 year old!) when I picked up a fabulous long-sleeved Abercrombie shirt in my daughter's size."

My non-sponsored post in which I sing the praises of Dawn!

December
"On Monday I had my tonsils and adenoids removed as well as some pretty big sinus surgery. "

The post in which I try to make myself not be sick all the time by having a pretty horrific surgery.

I hope you join me next year for more adventures from The Violet Fig!

The Best Gift I Ever Gave

2010-12-16T19:06:00.000-05:00

SWAGG is a free mobile app (download here) that lets you shop smarter using your mobile phone. Buy, send or swap SWAGG GIFTS and organize your old school plastic gift cards.
For every download of the app between now and Dec. 31, 2010, SWAGG will donate $1 to Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) , up to $125,000.
Clever Girls Collective and SWAGG are sending a pair of movie fans to the Sundance Film Festival! Download the SWAGG app and then visit the Ultimate SWAGG Getaway Sweepstakes site to enter to win a trip for two to the Sundance Film Festival. Entry deadline is January 3, 2011, 11:59pm, PST.

When I was asked to write about the best gift I ever gave, I'll admit that my mind was blank. I know that the gift I am giving my parents this year is definitely going to top the list, but I couldn't risk my mom reading this and seeing her present. So, I kept thinking and thinking...and thinking. I couldn't think of anything. I'm not the most creative person. I usually just try to find something I think the person will really like. My gifts don't blow people away and I certainly haven't given any expensive gifts...so again, I was thinking. All of the sudden, I saw my daughter, snuggling up with her "doggy"- her favorite thing in the whole world. Her doggy that she can't sleep without. I was reminded of the Christmas when I gave her this simple gift. Bailey was two years old and all she wanted was one of those cheap little umbrella strollers that you push baby dolls in. That was her big "Santa" gift that year. The gift that tops all gifts. The gift that Santa gets all the credit for! Oh, how I long for the days where the big gift cost under $20! The plan was to have the stroller unwrapped on the fireplace next to the stockings so it was the first things she saw when she came down on Christmas morning. I thought it looked a little puny, so I headed out to Tuesday morning, hoping to find a sweet baby doll. Instead I found some really cute stuffed dogs. I got a Boxer for Bailey and a Rottweiler for Jake. They were very soft- almost chenille feeling. I tucked the dog in the stroller and when she came down on Christmas morning, it was love at first sight. Jake could care less about his dog, but Bailey took him everywhere. Today, nine years later, Bailey cannot sleep without her doggy. He now is pretty rough around the edges- we say he has mange and cataracts, but he certainly is loved. Check out the pictures of Doggy on the cruise we went on in September! You know how on cruises, they make animals out of towels? Our guy put Doggy in a new position every day too! So, even though when I first thought about this post, I was thinking along the lines of most expensive...sometimes the cheapest gift can be the most important. Doggy is priceless, both to my sweet girl and to me!

Learn more about the coolest new app that revolutionizes the whole shopping, gifting, and gift card-organizing experience and Download the SWAGG app to your iPhone or Droid. I was selected for this sponsorship by Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity.
Disclaimer- I received $50 and a $50 SWAGG credit for writing this post!

Top Ten Tonsillectomy Tips

2010-12-13T09:11:00.000-05:00

I had a tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy and a few various sinus surgeries two weeks ago. First of all, I would NOT recommend doing them at the same time- the sinus surgery makes it so you can't breathe out of your nose at all- this dries out your already painful throat. It's a vicious cycle and I wish I had waited 6 months to do the next surgery.

I decided to compile a list of tips for surviving what I can only say will be the worst 2 weeks of your life.

1. Have at least two hot/cold packs. Keep one in the freezer and one on the counter so you can pop it in the microwave. The cold is great to hold on your throat and on your face for the sinus swelling in the first few days. During the second week, you will get major neck, ear and head pain and the only thing that helps is a hot pack. Also, if you have sinus surgery, you will be incredibly stuffed up for about a week. It causes a LOT of pressure in your head and wet, warm compresses across the eyes, nose and cheekbones help. I also found myself easily chilled, so I would warm a hot compress in the microwave and hold it in my lap.

2. Keep plenty of room temperature or warm drinks on hand. Cold doesn't always feel good, but warm is nice and soothing. Cold water and room temperature water was almost impossible to swallow, but warm (NOT HOT) tea or just warm water with honey was much easier to get down. Bottled water was good because it was room temperature, so we always had plenty ready for me to drink.

3. Before your surgery, make a huge crockpot full of chicken stock. you won't be able to eat for days, if not a week, and the warm goodness of broth helps immensely. Once I was able to eat, I had to have warm liquid to wash the food down my throat or it would get stuck. Broth was perfect. I made a mug everytime I ate. At the beginning of week two, I made a second crockpot full- that's how important it was.

Here's how to make the yummiest stock ever (not that you'll be able to taste it.) Roast a chicken and take the meat off. Put the bones in a large crockpot with one onion, one carrot, one celery stalk, a few bay leaves and a pinch of sage and oregano. Fill with cold water and 1 T of vinegar. Cook on low for 12 hours (I leave it on all night). In the morning, strain everything and there you have it- rich, brown, nutrition.

4. Avoid dairy. You always hear people say you can eat ice cream- no way! It coats your throat with milk, tends to linger on your painful sores, and causes mucus. Throat clearing does NOT feel good, so avoid all dairy- no pudding, no ice cream, etc. If you have a Rita's ice custard, stock up on a few of the creme ices- it's like an italian ice, but creamy and not acidic. I would take a couple scrapes of the top and let it melt in my mouth- it would numb my throat and was quite soothing.

5. Buy some very mushy things like instant mashed potatoes, cream of wheat, jello, pasta that you can cook very mushy, Applesauce hurt me- it was acidic, but mixed with cream of wheat, it thinned it down enough to eat. You may want to buy a baby spoon, as my mouth couldn't open big enough to fit a teaspoon. One of the only things I could eat was scrambled eggs. I am not an egg lover at all, but someone had told me to try it and I did. So many things made me gag, as I couldn't taste at all, but scrambled eggs just slid down my throat with no problems. It was the only thing that I didn't feel stuck in my throat for an hour after eating.

6. Make sure you have someone to take care of you for at least 4-5 days. My husband stayed with me the first two and my mom came to stay with me for three. It was very comforting to not be alone. I was so very weak and in so much pain. She got all the laundry done, helped with the kids and just kept me company.

7. Make sure you have lots of jammies because that's all you'll wear for two weeks and it is always nice to shower and get into a new pair every morning. I also kept fuzzy socks to keep my feet warm. I got cold very easily, so often had a hat and scarf on too!

8. As soon as you find out you're having surgery, stop watching your tv shows and DVR them. That way, you can have great tv to watch. I actually added HBO and Showtime because of a special, so I had a full season of Dexter, True Blood and Nurse Jackie to watch. Other than that, rent a bunch of movies. I thought reading would be good, but my eyes are too tired to read.

9. Buy a few humidifiers (warm mist felt better to me) so you aren't lugging them from the bedroom to the family room, where you'll spend most of your time. They need to be on all the time because your throat will be very dry, especially if you have your surgery in the winter like I did.

10. You need to have a notebook and pen as well as a bell to ring. For the first few days you can't talk at all, even a whisper hurts. It is so frustrating to find out that your family sucks at caricatures! I shed many a tear because they couldn't understand me or didn't hear my bell!

This surgery is a big one, but I'm assured that I'll feel much better in a few weeks and will be thankful I had it. I'm still not there yet, but it has to be better than my quality of life was pre-surgery, when I was always sick. There are great websites out there that you can join in forums and ask questions such as MyBigFatTonsillectomy.com. I suggest you do because sometimes you'll feel that there must be something wrong. To read other people's stories help with the panic!

To see other Top Ten Tuesdays, head over to OhAmanda.com.

Top Ten Tuesday- Surgery edition

2010-12-06T18:26:00.000-05:00

My top ten facebook posts I made after my tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy and sinus surgery last week

1.Surgery went well- Dr said he didn't know how I could breathe with how bad my nose was. Throat pain is not as bad as I thought it would be, but the nose part is very annoying and sore. Didn't sleep much last night- hard when I am propped up and I think the Lortab kept me up- going to try tylenol tonight. So frustrating that I'm not allowed to talk!

2. I have never felt so stuffy in my entire life. I can't even nap because the second I fall asleep, I sound like a freight train and wake myself up. Can't wait to get these splints out. Shocked that the liquid Tylenol worked much better than the Lortab on my throat pain.

3. whoever tightened my head in a vice can let up on the pressure now...please? Worst night sleep of my life. I have so much phlegm, I keep gagging, can't lay down or I'll puke. Miserable

4. so far day three is the worst...feel like I'm going to die. :( I didn't realize part of my procedure was to run my tongue over with a truck

5. The post-op suctioning of sinuses was the single most horrifying experience of my life. I will have nightmares

6. woke up at 4am in intense pain from a dry throat- I think that means the scabs are going to start to come off. Had to take Lortab, swish with numbing stuff, spray chloroseptic and take phenergan to keep from puking. Even so, I was drenched with sweat from the amount of pain and I still can't keep up. Going to be a fun day.

7. I have officially solved our country's weight problem. No, it's not to remove everyone's tonsils...just scrape off the taste buds and get a stuffy nose. Even when I have no throat pain and can swallow food, not being able to taste it AT ALL makes it SO hard to even take a couple bites of applesauce. If we could come... up with a pill to take before you eat that made you not taste it, we could make a fortune. Hmmm

8. my sinuses have me wanting to cry at all times. This is very depressing. Maybe one day I'll be able to say it was worth it, but it's hard right now.

9. If what I'm feeling in the back of my throat is any indication of the pain I'm supposed to feel when the scabs begin to fall off, I'm in for a rough one. Had to get out of bed (I actually slept in my own bed- yay!) to come wait for the Lortab to kick in.

‎...not a good sign- I'm 1 1/2 hours into my last dose of pain meds and I feel no comfort. Can't take anything else until 10am. This is unbearably depressing.

10. Fell asleep for almost an hour, but because I can't breathe out of my nose yet, woke with my throat on fire with dry scabs. Remoistening and trying again- vicious cycle. For the record- I would NOT recommend doing the tonsil/adenoid removal at the same time as sinus surgery. I would space them apart a few months. Too hard to have to breathe through my mouth and keep my throat moist.

I'm still a mess and still updating my status, but I'll spare you. Next week maybe I'll have the Top Ten Tips for Surviving Tonsillectomy/Adenoidectomy/Sinus surgery!

Check out more Top Ten Tuesday at Oh Amanda

Saturday Stumbles, the Tonsillectomy Edition

2010-12-04T04:03:00.000-05:00

On Monday I had my tonsils and adenoids removed as well as some pretty big sinus surgery. It has not been an easy week, to say the least. Other than trying to keep busy on facebook or chatting with friends, I've also be constantly searching terms like "tonsillectomy recovery", "tonsil removal in adults recovery", etc to read as much information as I can to help myself. I've learned some very key points in the recovery process. Right now I am starting day 6 and things are looking grim. It definitely helps to be able to read that I'm not alone!

Here are the websites I liked the most:

My Big Fat Tonsillectomy
This one has different pages for links, tips, faq, pain, etc and even has a facebook page!

My very favorite page I found is LisaMP's Guide to Adult Tonsillectomy. Basically, it's a guide for your caretakers! Here is the guide, which I have found pretty spot on.

LisaMP wrote:
"Hi all, I thought I'd start a thread for those who have a loved one or a friend going through a tonsillectomy. I think I can safely say that very little information is provided to us patients by the medical community regarding what to expect, and that is likely due to everyone experiences pain and healing differently. This makes it especially difficult for those taking care of us post surgery to understand what we're experiencing. Before I begin - a BIG THANK YOU to those taking care of us. This will be a painful experience for you as well. You are going to get snipped at and cried on, and forced to look at disgusting scabbing throats. You will be holding down the household and managing visitors and children. You are taking on a lot and we are extremely thankful!

Introduction:

There is a MAJOR difference between a child having a tonsillectomy and an adult having a tonsillectomy, and no its not that adults are bigger babies. The reality is that the older you are, the longer it takes for the body to heal; that adult tonsils are much larger than children's and deeper rooted. Therefore there is more skin removed and more trauma. Even though they are the same surgery, DO NOT begin to compare the adult procedure to the child's. If you start off recognizing that this is surgery and a traumatic experience to the body then your loved one will feel much more supported and it will HELP their healing process.

There are a lot of commonalities in the healing process. I'm hoping that other people who have had a tonsillectomy as an adult can add to this thread...

Graceful36 made a note that it is important to keep a chart or list of your medications during your recovery. Having a list of what, when, and how much medication you have taken will help prevent slip ups that might lead to overdoses in our pain medicated haze. It will also help, if you have multiple caretakers, so that they do not double dope you!

There are 3 MAIN RECOVERY STAGES:

STAGE 1: MODERATE PAIN

Days 1-3 (or thereabouts) are painful - Pain is usually in the moderate to severe stage. Doctors generally prescribe codeine, percocets, vicadin, or morphine, etc. and somtimes an antibiotic to help fight off infection. The most common form of tonsillectomy is to cut them out and cauterize the wounds. Drinking water is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. The blood vessels that have been sealed are directly connected to the main artery in your neck. Sometimes there is nausea after the surgery (within the first 3 days). This is often from medication and the anesthetic leaving the body. Vomiting during this stage is very traumatic. Keep pushing water - no matter how painful it is for the patient to drink - have popsicles and crushed ice available to supplement the water. Usually the patient can eat some foods, even though it ranges from uncomfortable to outright painful. Tomato based products and anything else that contains acid (even bananas!) need to be avoided. Cold temperature and luke warm temp. are preferred. Some people have swollen uvulas and tongues and this makes sleep, breathing and functioning in general very difficult. Constipation from the medication can often be a problem, and constipation can increase the pain and discomfort for the patient and can increase the risk of hemorraging because of the strain put on the body. The patient may experience some mild to moderate referred ear pain during this stage. The white marks on the tonsil holes ARE the scabs - they are white because they are wet - keep them wet- aim for 100oz of water a day (even if they can't consume that much, keep it as a goal). Swallowing is painful but by not getting enough water the pain becomes worse, thus less water intake, therefore higher risk of increased pain and hemorraging. Avoid Ice Cream - the dairy produces mucus that sits on the wounds - not a good feeling. The patient may need to sleep sitting up for the first few days due to the swelling of the mouth/throat. Get the recliner all cozy with blankets and pillows with a side table for water and meds. Surrender the remote control!

Things to keep on hand and remember for STAGE ONE:
1) cold water - see if you can find water fortified with electrolytes, drink lots and lots of it.
2) popsycles - NOT RED - can make it difficult to determine if there's bleeding; ice chips
3) soup broth, oatmeal, cream of wheat, jello, ensure, pudding, mashed potatoes and gravy, yogurt or soft foods.
3) stool softeners - give to patient right from the get-go to avoid it becoming a problem.
4) humidifier - to keep the throat moist while the patient sleeps
5) gravol (for the nausea)
6) rent movies - have their favourite books and magazines, crossword puzzles.
7) keep visitors to a minimum
8) recognize that they might not need a lot of assistance in this stage - so take your cue from them.
9) ask them at least 3-4 times a day how they are doing and if there is anything you can do for them.
10) YOU DO the laundry, dishes, etc., if they say they can handle a chore, then let them, but don't assume that if they can do the dusting one day, they can handle it the next day.
11) Keep the kids at bay - make arrangements before hand for neighbours, friends, family to help care for the kids.

STAGE TWO - MODERATE TO SEVERE PAIN

Days 4-9 Just when you think your loved one is on the mend (and believe me, they'll think so too!) the scabs start to come off. The pain this causes pretty much pushes the patient to and beyond their pain threshhold. The pain is not only in the throat, but in the ears - and is EXTREMELY painful - the patient will not be able to eat much - cold HURTS so warm tea and soup broth is generally preferred at this stage and this is generally when the patient becomes an emotional basket case, crying at the drop of a hat (which just further aggravates the throat). This stage is so disheartening and discouraging. The patient may have been in the process of trying to ween off pain meds, when all of a sudden they are hit by this awful stage. Please be very nurturing and understanding to the patient during this time - as you can imagine, there is nothing like feeling like you've had a major set back in your healing process. The good news is, this excruciating pain is a sign of healing - very gently remind the patient of this - chose your words carefully because remember, they are miserable and in agony and can be a little touchy and oversenstive - whatever you do, do not minimize their discomfort or express confusion over the sudden decline. When you have already been suffering a significant decrease in food intake, constant discomfort - ranging in moderate to severe pain, disrupted sleep and lots of potent medication, it can only be expected to be emotionally at your worse during this stage. I remember crying four times a day and just desperately wanting a 5 minute reprieve from the pain that was so extreme and was so nauseas from the lack of food and constantly tensing all my muscles in an attempt to manage the pain. RISK OF HEMMORAGING at this stage is high. Drinking water is very painful - therefore increasing the risk of dehydration and hemorraging. This is when you lay down the law and make sure the patient is drinking at 18 oz of water every hour and a half. The scabs can come off in big chunks and if the loved one bleeds more than two teaspoons, get them to emerg. ASAP. Have them spit the blood into a cup (gross I know) but the doctor will need to know how much blood has been lost. This stage feels stagnant with regard to high degree of pain - it can last around five days so brace yourself and try to remember how brutal this is for the patient. Even though the patient is aware that it gets worse before it gets better, it's still a major shock to the system when you hit rock bottom, and stay there.

Things to keep on hand and remember for STAGE TWO:
see list for stage one in addition to:
1) WATER - room temp.
2) warm tea, or broth.
3)) kleenex - for the crying
4) anti-nausea medication
5) peroxide and water - to gargle if bleeding starts, and ICE cold water to gargle to seal the wounds
6) pure oil to heat and place in the ear canal and sealed with a cotton ball for the ear pain - which gives the throat pain a run for its money.
7) movies
8) lots of hugs and kisses and validation of pain and discomfort.
9) keep visitors away - send a fresh bouquet of flowers to your loved one - remember this stage is extremely depressing and feels like it lasts forever.
10) let them vent their little hearts out - they need to get it out. Remember "This too shall pass in the fullness of time"

STAGE THREE - MODERATE TO MINOR PAIN AND DISCOMFORT

Day 10 (or thereabouts) - The patient tends to experience a significant improvement that almost catches them off guard on day 10 or a few days afterwards. Their hope is recharged and they feel better emotionally. They can eat more and therefore have more energy. They tend to steadily progress from this point on. Although there will continue to be some minor discomfort and possible residual affects for weeks to come. Just because the pain is gone, doesn't mean the throat is done healing.

Things to keep on hand and remember for STAGE THREE:
1) things are looking up! Keep pushing the water.
2) do not seek sex (seriously let them tell you when they're ready)
3) encourage light activity - going for a walk, etc.

Conclusion

Well, that's it folks! Obviously not a fun two weeks for anyone, but again, thank you for taking the time to read up on how to best help your loved one through this process."

Read more at http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=490161&ktrack=kcplink

Read more Saturday Stumbles at It's Come 2 This!

Review and GIVEAWAY!

2010-11-24T11:06:00.001-05:00

I was recently given the opportunity to review a new Wii game called Just Dance Kids. I also get to give away a copy! After you read the review, scroll to the bottom to see how you can win your own copy of Just Dance Kids, just in time for a Christmas present! The contest will only go through this Sunday, November 28th because I'm having surgery on Monday!

My winner was Jill at The Diaper Diaries! Congrats!

Instead of reviewing it on my own, I decided to let my 11 year old daughter be the reviewer!

Here is Bailey's review:
I think that Just Dance Kids is very fun. The graphics were cute- kids were dressed in costumes. It was also cool that kids sing the songs. Just Dance Kids is probably best for kids 8 and under. Even the older kid songs were a little young for me, but it was still fun. My favorite song was the Hamster Dance- one of the younger kids songs. That's the one that is in the video. It was my favorite because it was so funny. The younger kids songs were perfect for kids 5 and under. The background is also cute because each song has a different cartoon background. I recommend Just Dance Kids for any kids 8 and under- it would be a great gift! - Bailey

So, as you can see, Bailey and her bff Reece enjoyed it, even though it really was a little young. There are a lot of fun things that happen during the song- like freeze and shake it- that earn you points. For the younger kids, there are songs from The Wiggles and Yo Gabba Gabba! Even if the girls thought it a little young and probably would prefer the Just Dance 2 game, I still have caught them playing it quite a few times over the past few days! It's an addictive and great way to get exercise and burn calories!

Here is Amazon's description:

Synopsis

When it comes to hitting the dance floor, you've got the moves, you just need room to rock. Really let your expression shine as you turn your living room into a dance floor, let the moves flow and rock out to your favorite tunes in the first-ever Just Dance title designed just for kids. Whether you're moving like the thunder in "Naturally" or going on safari in "Surfin' USA," there's only one thing you have to do to have a blast — Just Dance.
With more than 40 hit pop and hip-hop songs re-recorded by kids, for kids, plus TV-show favorites for little brothers and sisters, Just Dance Kids has the beats to get everyone moving. Bigger kids can dance till they drop in Dance Party mode for one nonstop stream of songs, shake it to the rhythm to earn bonus points in Freeze and Shake mode and team up with their friends to rock the dance floor together. For the younger crowd, beloved TV personalities like The Wiggles and Yo Gabba Gabba make getting into the groove as fun as tuning in to their favorite shows, and classic favorites like "Wheels on the Bus" let the tiniest tots enjoy the musical magic. As kids bust a move and party with their friends, parents can track how many calories they burn in this healthy game that never feels like exercise.

Jump, shake and jive

Records calories burned
and time played

Features

Delivers all of the fast-paced, music-packed fun of Just Dance with songs, moves and themes designed just for kids
Dance along to 40 fun sequences created by choreographers and led by other kids
Jump, shake and jive your way into favorite pop and hip-hop songs like "One Time," "Naturally," "Holiday," "Surfin' USA" and more, re-recorded by kids
Keep the party popping in a Dance Party mode that plays songs nonstop without sending you back to the start menu
Shake, shake, shake your Wii Remote or freeze in position to rack up the bonus points in Freeze and Shake mode
Fill the dance floor (or your living room floor) with all your friends in Team Play mode
Brings favorite TV personalities like The Wiggles and Yo Gabba Gabba into your living room for dancing fun for younger kids, and includes tot classics like "Wheels on the Bus" and "The Alphabet Song"
Progression tracking helps parents keep tabs on kids' exercise progress, including calories burned and time played, and offers a peek into kids' favorite songs
Provides a healthy workout that doesn't feel like work

To win your own copy of Just Dance Kids, just leave me a comment telling me who you would give it to! Don't forget, the contest ends on Sunday, so enter before then!
For extra entries leave a comment for each:

Tweet the contest linking to this contest and me @TheVioletFig
Follow me on Twitter
Subscribe to my blog
Like my facebook page.

Disclaimer: While Ubisoft sponsored this review (and my free copy), the opinions I've expressed here are solely my own and represent my honest viewpoint. Ubisoft, Clever Girls Collective and I promote Blog With Integrity.

Works for me Wednesday

2010-11-16T22:41:00.002-05:00

Last month, I was sifting through the shirts at Goodwill (where I often find great Hollister shirts for my 11 year old!) when I picked up a fabulous long-sleeved Abercrombie shirt in my daughter's size. That's when I noticed a large grease stain. I mumbled and grumbled about it when a woman an aisle over suggested I use Dawn on it. Huh? Dawn dishwashing soap? Yep. I smiled and nodded and put the shirt back.

A few weeks later I was at the grocery store and remembered what she said. I bought an extra bottle of Dawn for my laundry room. I grabbed a shirt of mine that had a grease stain on the front. I squirted some Dawn on it and left it. The next day I washed it with my next wash. Guess what? The stain was GONE!

Since then I have rewashed a bunch of my shirts that had grease stains and EVERY one of them is gone- all with a squirt of Dawn overnight. Wow.

Thank you Goodwill stranger...I wish I had trusted you enough to buy an Abercrombie shirt for $3!

See other "Works for me Wednesdays' over at We Are That Family.

Disclosure: I am in no way being compensated for this post about Dawn dishwashing soap. Dawn has no clue who I am!