In Through The Out Door

Freebie Friday: Avon By Rori!

2010-03-11T23:36:00.000-08:00

I've used Avon products off and on since I was a young teenager. I am definitely a product collector, and am not afraid to try out different brands to see what works for me! I've always been a big fan of Avon's powder foundations....one of my favorite all-time items! And they must be doing something right, seeing as how they've been around for over 120 years.

I was very excited when my friend Rori Lelli-Bates became an Avon Beauty Consultant! The only thing better than purchasing an great item is getting it from a friendly, knowledgeable mom working from home! (Support Mommy Business!) Don't let location bother you...you can order through Rori's website, get the benefit of her personal guidance if needed, but the convenience of delivery to your door!

Rori wanted me to get out of my rut with Avon, and gave me a few awesome products to try-from the Foot Works foot care line, I checked out the Berry Mint foot soak, Berry Mint Moisturizing Foot Cream, Berry Mint Foot Scrub, and a handled pumice stone! So delicious.

I went to work on my feet, which were a hot mess. I wear socks maybe twice a month, and favor clogs, flip flops, and other various sandals. Needless to say, winter has wreaked it's havoc. That would be why there is no photographic proof of my foot pampering, ha!

The smell of all three products was lovely, minty without the berry part being too sickeningly sweet. The soak was great, loosened up my tense feet and made the cuticles a breeze to remove. I used the pumice stone next, smoothing off all the dead skin in preparation for the foot scrub-cooling and effective all at once. I rinsed off then applied the foot cream-heaven. Seriously. Mr. Floren said it felt like I went to the nail salon today. Win!

Overall, I've always really enjoyed Avon's quality products. Avon also offers other opportunities for fun-you too can become a representative, you can host a party at your home, or, my kind of fun-you can host an e-party! No hosting or cleaning required, everything is done online, but you reap the benefits of hosting a party! Just contact Rori at roribates@live.com for more information.

Avon by Rori would like to show you how awesome Avon's products are also! Rori has put together a generous and luxurious gift basket for one lucky winner! Included in this fab package is:

1-3.4 oz bottle of Avon Foot Works Berry Mint Moisturizing Foot Cream-$6 retail value!

1-3.4 oz. bottle of Avon Foot Works Berry Mint Foot Soak-$6 retail value!

1-3.4 oz. bottle of Avon Foot Works Berry Mint Foot Scrub-$6 retail value!

1 handled pumice stone foot exfoliator-$10 retail value!

1-Anew Ultimate Contouring Eye System-this product IMMEDIATELY helps the eye area look and feel firmer, tighter and more elastic. IN JUST 3 DAYS it restores the look of natural volume to thinning skin around eyes. $34 retail value!

1 jar Anew Rejuvenate Night Revitalizing Cream-this product is a PM Lightweight gel-cream that works while you sleep, so you awaken to skin that looks fresher and more vibrant! $30 retail value!

The Giveaway: a skincare and footcare package from Avon by Rori worth $90!

To Enter:

Mandatory Entry: Become a fan of Avon by Rori on Facebook!!

Additional Entries:

-Make a purchase from Avon by Rori through their website for 3 additional entries! (Please leave comment for each entry.) Use promo code: WINTER5 for free shipping!

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-Vote for In Through The Out Door on Top Mommy Blogs by simply clicking here, just click, nothing else, and leave me a comment that you did so (you may do this once daily, just leave a comment each time!)

-Follow me on Twitter (@kishafloren) or leave me a comment telling me you already do

-Become a subscriber of In Through The Out Door, or leave me a comment telling me you already are

-Become a fan of In Through The Out Door on Facebook, or leave me a comment telling me you already are

-Retweet my tweet regarding this giveaway, or repost my link on Facebook

Have fun, and good luck!!! This giveaway will be ending Thursday, March 18th at 10 pm, with one winner chosen by a random number generator, notified by email, and posted shortly thereafter! Thank you for supporting Avon By Rori and In Through The Out Door!

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Are you hosting a giveaway this week? Head on over to my linky and list it for everyone to see!!!

Freebie Friday: The Linky Edition

2010-03-11T22:48:00.000-08:00

Blog giveaways are so much fun! Why do you think I host one every week? Not only is it a chance for you to win free stuff, they are an invaluable marketing tool to both blogs and the companies that are featured. Because I am only one Kisha, and I only do one giveaway a week, I figured I would jazz up Freebie Friday a bit by hosting a giveaway linky. So, if you are a blogger and are hosting a giveaway, link it up here! And if you're a reader looking for great giveaways....have fun!!!!!

To appease my OCD and make the linky easy to read for everyone, please consider listing your giveaway in this format:

Blog Name-Giveaway Name-(Date Ending)

And the winner is....

2010-03-11T22:39:00.000-08:00

Love them. Great, well crafted product at a very affordable price...and did I mention adorable? If you are not the very, very lucky winner, head on over to Bugs-n-Blooms and design your next room or event!
Without any further ado, the winner is....

Melissa!

Congratulations! You have 48 hours to respond to my email and we'll get you all hooked up with Bugs-n-Blooms to get your awesome prize!

Thank you to everyone who entered, and who reads and supports In Through The Out Door every day.

Stay tuned for this week's Freebie Friday, featuring one of my true loves: skincare and cosmetics!

The Time That Kisha Attempted To Be Domestic.

2010-03-10T23:34:00.000-08:00

I am the least domestic housewife I know. I feel like a total fraud when I'm filling out paperwork and the only available option to describe what I do is "homemaker." Pppp-shaw. Just to clear things up, I stay at home for the kids, not for the household stuff. And because my husband works 437 hours a week and if I worked too my poor children would feel like orphans. And, you know, I kind of don't know what I want to do when I grow up, which kind of sucks, since sometime during the last 28 years I managed to end up a grown up. Damn.

Anyhoo, I figured I'd take a crack at it Wednesday night. I do cook at home most nights, but my repertoire usually runs the gamut of "things that come out of a box" to "things that I throw in a crock pot and let cook for four hours." I had a couple reasons for giving it a whirl...A-Hubby is leaving for his birthday weekend in Denver tomorrow. I figured a killer dinner might be a good idea, so when he's got some skinny blonde stripper with big tits asking him to go "in the back" with her, he'll be thinking, "well, I could, but damn, does Kisha make some bomb mashed potatoes." I'm not above bribery. And B-my buddies over at Girl Talk Thursday offered up this prompt for today: "$10 and dinner needs to get on the table-what do you make?" Obviously my first answer was, 9 items off the dollar menu at Mickey D's and the leftover buck to pay for tax. But that's not in the spirit of the game, so whatevs, I'll play along.

While we're playing by the rules, it's been stated that staples-oils, spices, the normal stuff you always have in the house-do not count towards the total. Which is cool, but seriously, while I was cooking, I was doing the math in my head-this portion of olive oil cost me approximately 11 cents....ha. I'm nothing if not thorough. Speaking of thorough, I even took pictures of my escapade in the kitchen. Me with the first ingredient of the evening....

Red Wine. Essential.

I decided to take a recipe out of my mother in law's (RIP Grandma Beth) book of tricks. This woman was amazing, seriously. She has some of the most family friendly yet creative and budget happy recipes ever. Not to go off track, but when she was diagnosed with cancer, she took the time to hand write all of her recipes out into a book for Mr. Floren. I still get choked up every time I open it. Anyhow, back to cooking. Tonight, I will be ~~decimating~~ attempting:

German Meatballs

The Recipe (the prices I paid are listed with each item, mind you, I'm a budding couponista, so I got REALLY good deals)

1 lb. ground beef-$1.88

1 lb. ground pork-$0.99

1/4 cup chopped onion-(1/4 of a large onion-we'll say one onion is $0.40)

1 egg (I paid $1 for 18, so we'll say 6 cents)

1/2 cup bread crumbs (1/8 of the package I paid $1.49 for, so we'll round to 20 cents)

1 1/2 cups cream (I bought 2 cups, we'll use the other 1/2 c. for the mashed potatoes, $1.49)

1 tsp. salt (freebie)

1/4 tsp. pepper (freebie)

1/2 tsp. allspice (like I have that laying around. but, freebie)

1/4 tsp. nutmeg (freebie)

1/4 cup flour (freebie)

1/4 cup oil (freebie)

1 T. brown sugar (freebie)

side: mashed potatoes

5 lbs. potatoes (50 cents!)

the remaining 1/2 cup of cream

2 Tbsp. butter (freebie)

1 Tbsp. garlic powder (freebie)

1 Tbsp. sour cream (I wasn't sure if this is a freebie or not, but we'll say 25 cents to be fair)

1 package of pork gravy-50 cents

Loaf of italian bread, buttered and broiled-$1.49

Steamed broccoli-$0.69/lb

Chunked pineapple-$0.79

Grand total: $9.24!!!!

Not only was this supremely affordable, it turned out delicious and even ~~an idiot~~ a Kisha can do it. First, you combine the ground beef, ground pork, and onion in a large bowl. Beat the egg and combine into mixture. Add bread crumbs, half (3/4 cup) of the cream, salt, pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and brown sugar. I know that eventually you're going to have to get your hands dirty rolling the meatballs, but eff that. I stayed clean as long as possible.

Shape into 1-1/4" balls. Heh, they said balls. Made out of meat. Roll in flour, which is a good thing. As I was, "shaping the balls, aka, rolling balls in my hand, aka, I should stop the entendres now before you stop reading," they felt flimsy and falling apart in my hand. Once I rolled them in the flour, they firmed right up. Last one-heh, firm balls.

In a large frying pan, warm oil. Brown meatballs on all sides. I did about five minutes each on three sides, worked well. One note from Grandma Beth-don't crowd the pan, it's better to do multiple batches than shove them all in, and she's right. I split my balls into two batches in my ginormous Ikea pan and it was perfect. Once I had cooked both batches separately, I put them back in the pan together to create the sauce.

All my balls. Greasy.

To create sauce, leave remaining oil in pan. Pour the other half of the cream directly into pan. This was not in Grandma Beth's recipe, but I threw in a couple of spoonfuls of sour cream for some pizazz. Also some salt and pepper. Roll balls around in the cream (heh) then simmer for 10-15 minutes with a lid on.

This can be served many ways. Grandma Beth recommended rice, the girls loved it with egg noodles, and Mr. Floren and I opted for mashed potatoes with ours. My mashed potatoes, people, are to die for. Melt in your mouth amazingness. You would marry me too once you tasted these bad boys.

Kisha's Orgasmic Fantastical Mashed Potatoes

5 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled, and sliced into large chunks

Boil these on high for about 20-30 minutes, until you can stir them with a wooden spoon and they are falling apart. Then, the key to lump free potatoes-mash them before you add anything. I actually take the hand mixer to them and blend them about halfway first, then add the following ingredients. These are approximates, because I am not a recipe kind of girl...I just throw shit in and hope for the best.

the remaining 1/2 cup of cream

2 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. garlic powder

1 Tbsp. sour cream

Serve while hot. You can thank me for the full tummy and orgasms later.

I also made a package of run of the mill pork gravy for a little extra oomph. I mixed my meatballs and potatoes together so I didn't use it, but my picky husband doesn't like to mix his foods so he appreciated the side. The final product, on Mr. Floren's plate:

Voila! There is hope for me yet! Worst case, I had an ad for Little Caesars on hand....$5 large pepperoni pizzas, yo. You can't go wrong.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-09T21:06:00.000-08:00

Mama and The Little One

Mama and The Curly Haired One

Another mama with her little one

Please, please say a prayer for Layla Grace Marsh and her family. Layla passed away on Tuesday at the age of two from neuroblastoma. This little girl touched the heart of people everywhere, and did so much good in her short time on earth. Be at peace now, Layla.

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For more Wordless Wednesday, take a peek at J. Leigh Designz, 5 Minutes For Mom, Seven Clown Circus or WordlessWednesday.com!

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Feel free to hop on over and check out my current giveaway, featuring whimiscal kids room decor from Bugs-n-Blooms!

Mental Health Day

2010-03-09T11:02:00.000-08:00

Okay, so the ~~bitch control~~ birth control has been working fabulously for my hormonal related problems. But, apparently when the doctor tells you that you have to take it every day for it to work, that means you actually have to take it every day. I skipped a few days this weekend and I am paying for it today...the worst headache I've had in a very long time. And I keep crying. Over nothing. Fun for everyone!

So, I figured it would be a good day to take a mental health day. Going to play with my kids and avoid chores all day long. You're thinking, how is this different than one of your normal days? I assure you, it is. Promise. So while I'm ~~trying not to have a nervous breakdown~~ enjoying a day of parks and Barbies, I encourage you to check out some of my bloggy friends to get your fix of snark and sarcasm:

****Hold up. I was seriously in the middle of typing this when I saw this on Twitter:

@ LaylaGrace Layla went to play with the angels early this morning. Rest in peace precious Layla. 11/26/2007 - 3/9/2010

I changed my mind. Don't go read other blogs. Go hug your kids/parents/loved ones instead. And say a prayer for Layla and her dear family. For more information on this dear baby and her fight with neuroblastoma which ended this morning, to pass on condolences, or how you can help raise awareness for neuroblastoma, please visit Layla Grace's blog.

Red Carpet Winners and Sinners: Academy Awards Edition

2010-03-08T14:38:00.000-08:00

You may not know this, but I am a fashion guru. Here in my house in the burbs, I am visited by many well known designers, bringing samples of their creations for me to consult on. Young starlets and seasoned A-listers alike call me up for my advice on their red carpets looks....in my wildest dreams, anyhow.

So, what better way to put my armchair stylist skills to work than to critique looks from the latest awards shows? I could do something productive like organize my closet or purge all the old maternity gear from my wardrobe, but that doesn't sound nearly as fun, now does it? Instead, here are my picks for winners and sinners from Sunday night's Academy Awards, aka The Oscars.....

The Sinners

Sarah Jessica Parker

I've heard from quite a few people that they liked this dress. Me? Hell to the SATC N-O. As a friend of mine so brilliantly stated it on Facebook last night, it looks like a maternity dress. So unless she's packing a baby bump under there (which she better not be-she just adopted twins and I hear she's got a massive nose candy habit) that dress makes her a giant sinner.

Tina Fey

I love me some Tina Fey. I would never normally say anything bad about her, but I did not like this look last night. She looks awkward-rather than the asymmetry of the dress accentuating her curves, it makes her look boxy and frumpy and sinful.

Meryl Streep

Meryl, Meryl, Meryl. You are the queen of all that is righteous about the Oscars. Sandy B wants to make out with you. You are bad ass. Why wear an old lady mother of the bride dress? I appreciate your attempt to look age appropriate (take notes, MILEY) but you went too far on the aged side here...no bueno. In other news, blah.

Miley Cyrus

Speaking of Skanky....while I appreciate the effort put into actually looking decent, and the fact that she actually has her vagina put away and is only showing moderate cleave, I just think she looks awkward. She may have been able to reach the winners side if she would just. freaking. stand. up. straight. Gawd, you'd think I was a mom or something.

Molly Ringwald

This really doesn't have anything to do with her dress, which I am overwhelmingly meh about-but Molly, you are beloved and the hero to all women aged 25-40....please stop fucking with your face. You are beautiful, but if you keep up with the plastic surgery, you will be unrecognizable and that would be sad. For reference, see: Grey, Jennifer...aka Baby.

Mariah Carey

Mimi, my dear. Sit down. Let's chat. You look confused here. It's like the top of your dress realizes that you are no longer 21 and attempted to be mature, but went a little too old, ala Meryl. Then your lower half....wow. This pic doesn't show it, but it was slit up to Paris Hilton territory. Lay off the champagne and you might not be so confused, dearest.

Diane Kruger

What. The. Yuck? Diane here is the darling of designers everywhere, is usually named Best Dressed, has Joshua Jackson as arm candy, and therefore has absolutely no excuse for this atrocity. Let's whip up some curtains, make sure to bunch it in the middle so I look wide, add some fringe and call it good? Who does that?

Jennifer Lopez and Demi Moore

Two quick questions...J. Lo, why would you wear a dress that makes your ass look even BIGGER? And Demi, why did you let Ashton get stoned and then do your hair? I just don't understand!

The Winners

Vera Farmiga

Call me crazy, but I LOVE this dress. A spin on the traditional red, and drama done right! Symmetrical asymmetry, if you will, and she wore the dress instead of vice versa. Love love love.

Robert and Susan Downey

Ok, RDJ, we get it, you're quirky. Yawn. But let's talk about your fabulous wife-it looks like a dress that Beyonce would wear, but without the 12 pairs of Spanx, a tub of Crisco, and fears of busted seams. (NOT saying that B is fat-girl just needs to not be afraid to go up a size.) Irregardless of her hubs, Susan here looks lovely, with an edge. Winner.

Rachel McAdams

Ok, so maybe I'm biased because I think R. Mac here is drop dead gorgeous, and the thought of she and Ryan Gosling together still gives me butterflies, but I adore this dress on her. Youthful, fun, but appropriate for the Oscars. Unique without being weird. Subdued colors without being boring or washing her out. Well done, darling.

Nicole Richie and Joel Madden

Again, I could be biased on this one because I love these two, and I love that everyday she is proof of how much Paris Hilton sucks and just because you were a party girl and a celebutante you don't have to keep being Hollywood's answer to The Plague. I think this look works because it shows she knows her place...class, pizazz, but without the drama expected of a nominee...because she wasn't one. I think she looks great.

Amanda Seyfried

Personally, if I were ever going to the Oscars, I would go ALL OUT, princess dress and all, and I think Miss Amanda nailed it here. Dramatic and statuesque, without being over the top. She looks classy and delicious and I heart this dress.

Helen Mirren

This hot piece just has to show up to be a winner. Ladies: this is class. The kind that cannot be taught, or bought. The Queen, indeed.

Now, just for our last piece of business....who were the Ultimate Winner and Sinner of the evening?

Best Dressed:

Cameron Diaz

I feel blasphemous even mentioning Cammy D and best dressed in the same article, let alone giving her the title. But for once in her long career of awards shows, she hit it out of the park. Lack of stringy hair, weird makeup, too much leg and slouching combines for one illustrious look. I'm amazed, and I want that dress.

Worst Dressed:

Tie: Charlize Theron and Zoe Saldana

I am equally disappointed in the both of you. Charlize, you are on my Top Five Most Beautiful People list, why in the hell would you think it is a good idea to put some roses that look like they belong on the top of a Safeway bakery cake over your tatas? And Zoe, write this down: Do not let your stylist eat a whole bag of shrooms then cut the top off a cocktail dress and the bottom off a can can dancer's costume and sew them together. Does not work.

Ok friends, what do you think? Who are your picks for best and worst dressed? Do you agree with my winners or sinners or do you think I need to lay off the red wine? Let's discuss.

**All photos via Crazy Days and Nights, my favorite celeb gossip site! Go check it out!!!!**

My weekly recap is up at TVgasm!

2010-03-08T09:20:00.000-08:00

My alter ego, HappyHousewife, has her latest recap of Fantasia For Real posted at TVgasm.com. She watches this crap and dishes it out funny so you don't have to sit through it! Side note: HappyHousewife is even cruder and snarkier than I am. If you're worried that might offend you, you might want to go back to watching kittens and butterflies now.

Fantasia For Real: Life Is Not A Fanny Tale

This week on Fantasia For Real: Something exciting kind of actually happens! We finally meet the waste of DNA that is responsible for siring the Barrino clan! And for giving Fanny the ammunition to write this obvious best seller:

Except for when you're plucked from obscurity, given a record deal and fame and fortune, even though you can't sing. It's like the Ghetto Cinderella.

Don't stop reading now, head on over and check out the rest! Also stay tuned to TVgasm today for a recap of the Oscars, featuring thoughts from all of the TVgasm writers!

Bitch and Moan Monday

2010-03-07T23:49:00.000-08:00

Welcome friends!!! How is everyone this morning? I hope you have lots to complain about, because....

For all the smack I talk, mostly via inner monologue (or on my blog, ha) because I really don't like conflict or hurting people I like, I'm generally a happy person. When I am stressed out, bummed out, or just plain pissed off, I really do try to keep it to myself. I like my blog to be a place of positivity...you catch more flies with honey, right? Well, sometimes you just have to let it out. So that's what made me think of Bitch and Moan Monday. Share your complaints, leave it here, and move on to a great week!!

I received this letter today after a 120 mile roundtrip drive to attend a dear friend's daughter's birthday party. (Did you catch all that? In case you haven't noticed, I'm a wordy kind of girl.) I thought I would share it with you all.

Dear Kisha,

Hi. I got your name from your license plate number. It took me quite awhile to read it, seeing as how it was backwards in my rearview mirror, but since I had you trapped going 10 miles under the speed limit in the fast lane for a good 20 minutes, it gave me plenty of time to figure it out!

You see, after my happy ass finished my leisurely Sunday drive and arrived to my destination relaxed and non-stressed, I finally removed my head from my sphincter long enough to realize that, hey! You might have been irritated by my actions today. I just wanted to explain to you what in the fuck I was doing, since I noticed you mouthing that to me quite a few times.

First off, I was a little thrown off by the weather. It was sunny and clear, with no wind or precipitation. Sounds perfect, right? Well, because I am a fucking idiot, all kinds of weather make me incapable of reasonable thought. Sunshine? Drive like a moron. Rain? Drive like a moron. Snow? Drive like the biggest moron EVER. Or, stop in the middle of the freeway, put my hands over my eyes, and scream. At least I'm consistent.

I also noticed, since I obviously had time to peer into my rearview mirror to watch your every gesture but not take the five seconds to GET THE FUCK OVER, that you really turned five shades of purple when you originally got behind me in the fast lane. You were a good three or four car lengths back, and rather than realizing you wanted to pass me and yielding, I brake checked you. I imagine the only reason you did not sideswipe me off the road and beat me senseless is because of the two children in your back seat. I know I acted insensitive to their safety by my ridiculous driving, but I care, I really do.

It's just that I don't understand this whole fast lane/slow lane concept. I know that in Washington state you are required to take a driver's education course before you receive your driver's license, but I was too busy honing my imbecilic tendencies to pay attention. Also, I lack basic common sense and respect, so that makes things difficult.

But because I am a passive aggressive asshole that will never change, I can't promise much, except that the next time you are enjoying a lovely Sunday outing with your family-I will be there, head firmly in place up my ass, to ruin your day!!!

xoxo, Ridiculously Stupid Washington Drivers

And that, my friends, is my Bitch and Moan of the day. What is yours? Pissed about the outcomes of the Oscars? (How could you be? The Dude Abides!!!) Have a similar incident with retarded drivers in your state? Do tell me in the comments, or if you are a blogger, write your own post and link it up!!!

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Also, the votes were reset at Top Mommy Blogs this weekend, as they are 4 times a year to let new bloggers have a shot at the top! I'm still in the Top 25, but barely...I need your help to keep my spot! If you wouldn't mind clicking this button, available here or every day on my sidebar, I would greatly appreciate it! All you have to do is click, and your vote is counted! It sounds so silly, but I've never really won anything before and I am really proud of being in the Top 25, so thanks in advance for your help!

Dancing With The Stars Preview is up at TVgasm!

2010-03-05T14:25:00.000-08:00

So, last season, HappyHousewife recapped Dancing With The Stars. HappyHousewife does not hate herself enough to do it all by herself again, so I have a helper-a new recapper named CrazyCatLady! Woot!

We put together a little preview of the upcoming season, introducing all the contestants to you and giving our little spin on things. Head on over and check it out! Prepare yourself for the impending trainwreck!!

Freebie Friday: Bugs-n-Blooms Product Review and Giveaway!

2010-03-04T22:42:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday, loveys!!!! Raise your hand if you like free stuff! Oh, you do too? Nice. Nothing better than something for free. Well, here's the deal. Because I love you soooo much, my favorite regular post is going to be Freebie Fridays. All you have to do is click over here for a fun promotion or contest and a chance to win something really awesome....for free. Cool, right?

I am not an artist. Not at all. The closest I come to anything remotely creative is writing, and yeah, unfortunately, I can't write up a cutely creatively decorated room for my daughters. So last year, when I decided I wanted to redo their bedroom, I found the perfect company to help me with my vision.

Bugs-n-Blooms is a company specializing in little girls' room decor. They create the most exquisite flowers, butterflies, and other various creations to embellish the boudoir of your little princess.

In addition to wall decor, they also create mobiles, curtain tie-backs, wall stickers, beaded garlands....

.....and my personal favorites, wall alphabet stickers.

The Little One's nursery

The Curly Haired One's room

Some new products from Bugs-n-Blooms are their wearable butterfly wings, tutu skirts, wands, and headbands, which can all be put together into quite the amazing costume for your little one who loves to dress up.

We love the decor that we got from Bugs-n-Blooms. We've had it for well over a year, and it even withstood a move from our old apartment to our new house! The butterflies and flowers are incredibly well made, and the stickers came right down with no paint damage whatsoever, and stuck right back up in the new room! I was personally amazed by that.

And if you're anything like me, which is not creative and a decorating failure, Bugs-n-Blooms has you covered with an entire section on their website filled with decorating ideas, how-to, and step by step instructions on how to hang your decor and bring it to life.

My opinion? I think Bugs-n-Blooms rocks! They have so many different colors, styles, and creations that no matter what you are going for in the room you are decorating, you can get it and make it happen with Bugs-n-Blooms. And wearable butterfly wings? What little girl wouldn't want a pair? And I'm not the only one who loves them-they were featured on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition as a provider of room decor! Because we want you to see how much Bugs-n-Blooms rocks as well, B-n-B is offering an awesome giveaway to one lucky reader!!!

The Giveaway: One Small or Medium Sized Butterfly of your choice!! (up to a $6.95 value)

To Enter:

Mandatory Entry: Head on over to the Bugs-n-Blooms website, and pick out your prize! Come back here and leave me a comment telling me which butterfly you would like if you win!

Additional Entries:

-Become a Fan of Bugs-n-Blooms on Facebook
-Follow Bugs-n-Blooms on Twitter
-Subscribe to the Bugs-n-Blooms Blog

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-Follow me on Twitter (@kishafloren) or leave me a comment telling me you already do

-Become a subscriber of In Through The Out Door, or leave me a comment telling me you already are

-Become a fan of In Through The Out Door on Facebook, or leave me a comment telling me you already are

-Retweet my tweet regarding this giveaway, or repost my link on Facebook

Have fun, and good luck!!! This giveaway will be ending Thursday, March 11th at 10 pm, with one winner chosen by a random number generator, notified by email, and posted shortly thereafter! Thank you for supporting Bugs-n-Blooms and In Through The Out Door!

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Are you hosting a giveaway this week? Head on over to my linky and list it for everyone to see!!!

***Disclosure: I was not compensated in any way for this product review/giveaway. All items I received from Bugs-n-Blooms, I purchased myself!

Freebie Friday: The Linky Edition

2010-03-04T22:35:00.000-08:00

To appease my OCD and make the linky easy to read for everyone, please consider listing your giveaway in this format:

Blog Name-Giveaway Name-(Date Ending)

And the winner is....

2010-03-04T22:27:00.000-08:00

The Clipa is one of those products that I never would have thought of myself, but now that I have one, I can't live without it! Seriously, it is a must-have accessory for anyone who owns a purse. If you are not the lucky winner of this giveaway, you need to head right over to Clipa's website and order one! You can thank me later!

And without any further ado, the winner of The Abbie, the latest and limited edition Clipa, is.....

Mary Mc!!!

Congrats, Mary! You have 48 hours to respond to my email and I'll get you all set up with Clipa in order to receive your prize! You are going to love it!

Thank you to everyone who entered, and who reads and supports In Through The Out Door every day!

Stay tuned for this week's Freebie Friday, featuring a great prize for anyone who likes to decorate!!

No shirt, no shoes, no consequences.

2010-03-04T00:10:00.000-08:00

Have you ever imagined a world with no consequences?

No laws, no rules, no societal norms, no responsibilities, no qualms?

What would you do?

What would I do?

I wouldn't give a fuck.

Sounds simple enough, right? Not so much when you are me. I have always been one to be acutely aware of other's needs. The worst thing I can think of to do is purposely hurt another human being. Even when someone has chewed me up, spit me out, and hung my partially digested remains up to dry, I cannot fathom actually telling them to their face that they suck. I have massive issues setting boundaries, telling people no, saying what I really think...anything that may possibly offend or even disrupt the day of someone else. Even when these perceived offenses are not truly so, when the person I am so concerned about hurting would not be slightly put out by my actions, I just can't take that risk.

So, instead, I eat myself alive to save others. I take on responsibilities I don't really want. I say things I don't really mean. I choke myself, suffocate myself on my own feelings to spare those of others. I allow myself to be taken advantage of, to be molded, to be silenced, in order to make others happy.

So. No consequences. I wouldn't care. I wouldn't always be so damned worried about what others thought and felt. I would be selfish, I would be self absorbed, I would be on a quest for satisfaction. Want me to babysit? Hell no. Go to a movie I don't really want to see? Absolutely not. Invite you over for the dinner you've not so subtly been hinting at? Get bent.

Now, I speak of this like it is some kind of fantasy world. For me, it is. But I have witnessed, that for some lucky, blessed others-this is their reality. They do whatever they want, all the time, with no consideration of feelings, rules, regulations, anything. They post snotty self serving statuses on Facebook insinuating how much better than you and I they are with no consideration to others' feelings. They bully friends into bending to their will, oblivious to the stifling of said "friends" feelings. Wow. How I would love to spend a day like that.

It would be fun....for a day. I could get it all out of my system. But there is no way in hell I could live the rest of my life like that. I would rather be hyper-sensitive and self-sacrificing and know that I am the best person I can be and put the best me out there for others than completely oblivious to what the people I care about need.

But, for one day...I wouldn't give a fuck.

(I would also be a stripper. And smoke a whole lot of drugs. But that's besides the point. Back to reality now.)

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This post was inspired by the hot bitches over at Girl Talk Thursday, with the prompt being: In a world without consequences, what kinky thing/fantasy would you try?

I know my answer wasn't very kinky, but DAMN, is it a fantasy. :)

PS-Mr. Floren encouraged me to be honest and write this post. So if you're offended, blame him. I'm not ready to take that step yet. Ha!

Tell Your Babies You Love Them....

2010-03-03T21:00:00.000-08:00

Because it is indeed the end of the world. Remember my last post (guess you could just scroll down if you don't) where I informed you I had already gotten two messages via Twitter that the Apocalypse was near? I just got my third:

If you need me, I'll be digging out a bomb shelter under my house, backing up my hard drive, stockpiling canned food and writing out a will. McDreamy, save me now.

Speaking of which-why in the hell couldn't a celebrity I remotely like follow me on Twitter? McDreamy, Ellen, Kevin Smith-shit, I'd settle for Ashton Kutcher or Maksim from Dancing With Obscurity. Anyone but Speidi!!!! Aaaaahhhhh!

I think someone is trying to tell me something....

2010-03-03T10:39:00.000-08:00

First, The Plague was following me on Twitter. Now this......

Seriously, if I get an email saying The Four Horsemen or Paris Hilton is following me, I'm closing up Twitter, hiding in a bomb shelter, and praying to be spared. Talk about Signs of the Apocalypse.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-02T20:15:00.000-08:00

Sooooo.....

What do you do.....

When you find two halves of a swimming noodle in the garage?

Well, duh......

You beat your sister with it.....

Of course. :)

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Guilt....

2010-03-02T10:47:00.000-08:00

I felt really heavy yesterday. Not like in, actual weight, but in spirit. It seems like something in my heart is totally open and raw. I've been feeling other's pain acutely, like it was my own. I've always been a very compassionate person, maybe even overly so, but lately...wow. It reminds me of how I felt right after I had each of the girls...so postpartumly hormonal that you feel every wound in the world, it seems. Welcome to motherhood.

I was reading Layla Grace's blog Sunday night, and I wept like it was my own child facing a terminal diagnosis. I read Heather Spohr's blog every day, but a post I read two nights ago touched me so deeply I could palpate the pain. Finally, an innocent post on Facebook, in which I heard of a child born at 25 weeks and whose survival was not looking certain...almost broke me, seriously. In discussing this with my husband, I think I may have figured out what in the world is going on with me...

I have a massive case of survivor's guilt. My Little One had an extremely traumatic gestation and birth, and was born prematurely at 33 weeks. You can read the entire story here. Once I brought her home from the hospital, happy and healthy, I kind of presumed the whole situation was over and done with. But I struggled, wow, did I struggle during her infancy. I'll talk more about that later. But the struggle was made worse by my own dismissal of my feelings-I had no reason to struggle, because I had a healthy baby. During this struggle, I did see a therapist to work on treating what I presumed was postpartum depression. After talking to me for a whole whopping 15 minutes, she informed me that I had PTSD. Post-traumatic stress? Huh? I told her I didn't feel comfortable with that-after all, my situation had ended well. Best outcome I could have had. I had nothing to be post traumatically stressed about.

I then learned that just because a situation ends well, that doesn't discount the trauma that occured before the positive outcome. Interesting. But being my stubborn self, I decided I didn't need a fancy diagnosis or therapy to realize that what I went through sucked. It was over now, things were good, and I just needed to get over it. And I've done an okay job of doing just that.

But the guilt, oh, the guilt. Yes, I could not be more thankful and thrilled that The Little One is happy and healthy, and myself relatively so. (I'm still dealing with some physical ramifications from the severe preeclampsia, but they are manageable.) But lately I've been overwhelmed with these feelings of "Why us?" Why were we chosen to be okay when others were not? Why was I lucky enough to keep my child when other lost theirs? Why did my preemie thrive and grow when others did not? I know, I know I should just be thankful that we're all okay but my heart just cannot help but break for all the other families that are not as lucky as we are.

In consultation with my current therapists, Dr. Google and Dr. Twitter, I've discovered a huge correlation between PTSD and guilt. So maybe the real therapist wasn't as crunchy granola bonkers as I originally believed. Maybe I should give myself a little credit. I always felt like a real asshole for feeling anything but sheer joy over The Little One when there are others who aren't holding their babies right now. Maybe, though, I should let myself realize I went through a really shitty experience. Maybe I should allow myself to grieve the pregnancy that never was-as in, I was so wrapped up in just surviving that I never had a chance to enjoy being pregnant. John and I tell people that the reason we're done having kids is due to a multitude of reasons-we value our sleep, we can't handle another one, we can't afford another one-when in reality, we can't open ourselves up to that kind of trauma again. There's nothing I would love more than to have a son, to give John a son, heck, even another little girl would be a riot...there is just no possible way I could do it again.

I truly think the only thing I can do to get over this guilt is to make something of it. To take advantage of the fact that we were blessed. To do something great with the gift that we've been given. And I think a great start to that is the March for Babies I'm participating with in May. The March of Dimes' main goal is to put an end to prematurity. I think that throwing myself into this cause will hopefully help ease the lingering trauma and residual guilt. And if you would like to honor my little Bugga's amazing survival or a preemie you know who wasn't so fortunate, please feel free to do so here by walking with us, donating, or helping to spread the word. Even just throwing the link up on your Facebook or Twitter is a huge help.

And on that note, I'm going to go play in the sunshine with my happy, healthy daughters-and thank God that I get to do so.

******

This post is dedicated to Tamara, and Maddie Spohr, and all the other little ones who will be with us in spirit always.

Bitch and Moan Monday

2010-02-28T22:23:00.000-08:00

Welcome friends!!! I'm so excited to have you here today, on the inaugural linky launch of Bitch and Moan Monday! It is SO much more fun to bitch and moan with your friends, am I right? Bitch and Moan Monday was born because....

For all the smack I talk, mostly via inner monologue (or on my blog, ha) because I really don't like conflict or hurting people I like, I'm generally a happy person. When I am stressed out, bummed out, or just plain pissed off, I really do try to keep it to myself. I like my blog to be a place of positivity...you catch more flies with honey, right? Well, sometimes you just have to let it out. So that's what made me think of Bitch and Moan Monday. Share your complaints, leave it here, and move on to a great week!!

My mess, my business: Ok, so I am a total reformed slob. I am not exaggerating whatsoever, previous humble abodes belonging to me were just begging for a phone call to Hoarders. Mr. Floren and I have, up until the beautiful house we moved into last June, moved every year we have been together. Call us nomads, explorers, or just needing a good excuse to clean, that's what we did. With every move we made, my cleaning skills improved. Chalk it up to age, or having to pay the mortgage, but my house is now kept very, very clean and clutter-free. Except for one area: my bathroom counter.

This beauty does NOT come naturally, folks. It takes a lot of hair, makeup, and miscellaneous beauty products to spackle this face to the gorgeousness you see on a daily basis. I also don't see the point of putting away things that I use every day, you know, unless company is coming over. (Don't even tell me you don't have two levels of clean-normal clean and company clean. Totally different.) So I usually leave everything scattered all over the bathroom counter. It's a dual sink set up, and yes, sometimes my junk encroaches on Mr. Floren's side of the counter. So, I think this was his way of telling me to back off:

Everything, and I mean everything of mine, stacked on my side of the counter, including in the sink. He might have well as drawn a line down the middle of the counter, sibling style. And yes, I understand that I have a lot of shit, and maybe the coffee cup collection isn't necessary. But in my defense, this guy has two products: toothpaste and deodorant. Cologne if he's looking to get laid. And a razor stashed in a drawer. That's about it. And both of my outlets are taken up my my hair straightener and curling iron, so duh, of course the hair dryer has to go on his side. Frankly, I clean the entire damn house, I wash his freaking boxers, I am 400% better about the whole messy thing-if I want my bathroom to look like a damn pigsty, so freaking be it. Also pathetic? This is what qualifies as a disagreement in my house. I was mad at him for like, two minutes, then I starting cracking up over it...who does that? Who stacks up your stuff instead of just asking you to pick it up? Only the dear Mr. Floren.

My blogging commenting system: is not ideal. There are a LOT of things I like about Intense Debate, which is why I switched from Blogger's prehistoric and ridiculous commenting platform. But there are also a LOT of things I'm finding I don't like about ID-missing comments, three different comment threads for the same post, so I have to cut and paste comments and move them over on giveaways....just a lot of complications. I was considering switching to Disqus, but I've heard that they are far from perfect as well, and then I lose all the comments that have already been left on my blog. So if any of you have any ideas for me, please share. And I know, I know, I freaking know, I just need to grow a pair and switch to Wordpress-but I'm scared of a change of that magnitude. Hold me.

So what's got you looking like someone crapped in your corn flakes this morning? Did you catch The Plague that I've been sick with for three weeks? Couldn't sleep last night 'cause hubby was snoring? Pissed off because Grey's was pre-empted for the Olympics? Please do tell me all about it-either in the comments, or preferably, by doing your OWN Bitch and Moan Monday post, grabbing the button, and linking it up here with the rest of us complainers!!!

My Weekly Recap is up at TVgasm!!

2010-02-27T13:17:00.000-08:00

Fantasia For Real: The Re-Edumacation of Fanny

This week on Fantasia For Real: Fanny is attacked by raccoons! The Weenster acts like a baffoon! And Zion gets trapped in a balloon! (Not really, but it rhymed.)

Sorry, dude, even implicating your kid in a nationally televised hoax is NOT enough to help you get a hit album.

Click here to read the rest!!!

What's in a name, anyway?

2010-02-26T10:35:00.000-08:00

I've always liked my name. Kisha. Unique, but not too weird. I think it sounds pretty with my middle name...Kisha Marie. The only thing that would make it better would be if it was Kisha Marie McDreamy, but hey, we can't all be winners.

I consider myself lucky because I know it could have been much, much worse. My parents were hippies...big, huge party hippies. My mom was thisclose to naming my brother Chaz. Freaking Chaz. What do you do with a name like Chaz? Figure skater? Soap opera actor? He's a mechanic, so I don't think Chaz would have worked out very well for him. Would you let some douche named Chaz work on your car? (My brother, the dear boy, is far from a douche. But I presume he would have turned out very much douchelike if he was indeed given the moniker my mother wanted to saddle him with.)

Kisha has proven a little difficult at times, however. No one can EVER spell it right. It's always Keisha, Keesha, Keysha, Kiesha....never the correct spelling. Hence, I am anal retentive about getting other's names correct. I mean, your name is probably the one thing most tied in to your identity! It's like saying, I don't really give a shit enough about you to spell your freaking name right. Lovely.

I also could never find any cool personalized shit at gift shops to buy. I would probably die if I did find a "Kisha" mug or keychain. After I picked myself up off the floor, I'd probably purchase their entire stock of cheap "Kisha" emblazoned merchandise, then come straight home and blog about it. Ha.

And not to be stereotypical, but most Kishas do not look like me. Kisha is typically an african american name, and I am as white as white girl gets. I've actually had people make that comment after reading or hearing my name before meeting me in person. But it's cool. I'm pretty fly for a white guy.

There haven't really been any famous Kishas to look up to. Hence my excitement when I hear of a new pop star, named Kesha, not quite right but close, and she was a white girl to boot! Whoo hoo! Kishas unite! Then I found out a little more about her.

At first, I thought she was just a generic pop star, albeit a bit of a drunken hot mess, which-hey, that's something I can get behind. Then I saw exactly how she spells her name. Ke$ha. Really. Bitch, you're a white girl from the burbs who got lucky and is now a certified one hit wonder. Congrats. You're not a baller by any stretch of the imagination. I feel like Michael Bolton in Office Space: "There *was* nothing wrong with my name... until I was about twelve years old and that no-talent ass clown became famous and started winning Grammys."

So, rather than fight it, I decided I'm going to roll with it. I'm going to join the trend and start signing my name Ki$ha. Can't you see me now? Signing The Curly Haired one in and out of preschool, writing checks at Costco, giving my signature for packages here at my house WAY in the 'burbs...I will be the coolest motherfracker EVER. This is going to give me instant street cred. From now on, just call me....

BAD ASS.

Freebie Friday: Clipa Product Review and Giveaway

2010-02-26T00:19:00.000-08:00

Ok, ladies....who here carries a purse? Anyone slightly obsessed like me and feels totally naked leaving the house without their handbag? I'm a one handbag at a time kind of girl...I find one I like and use it until It. Is. Dead. That being said, I like to spend a lot on each purse and take good care of it, so I can love it for as long as humanly possible.

And that, my friends, is where the Clipa comes in.

Clipa is The Instant Handbag Hanger. Simple, yet totally brilliant. You clip it on to one of the straps on your purse, as shown below on my bag.....

It hangs out there, looking slim and stylish, until you need to use it. Then you open it up, and it will hold your purse anywhere, for up to 45 pounds! Heck, you could put one of the kids in there and it can take it! This is ideal for all the places you want your purse hung up and in your sight, and not on the floor: bathroom stalls, restaurants, dressing rooms...the list goes on and on.

The bathroom stall use alone justifies the purchase of the Clipa for me. Do you have any idea what lives on public bathroom floors? Then you go home, and without thinking, plop that bag right on your kitchen counter....oh my ew. I'm not even a germaphobe and that makes me nauseous.

I think it would also be super useful at restaurants, when there's no extra chair or room on the table...I always just throw my purse on the floor, but again with the germs, not to mention, someone could just walk by and steal your bag! Not good! Instead, you could just hang it on the table. Perfect.

Clipa has many, many different colors to choose from. They were kind enough to send me their newest, and most exclusive Clipa to try out: The Abbie.

Made out of Titanium, The Abbie is a gorgeous, one of a kind Clipa that is extremely stylish and striking on any bag, particularly black and blue purses. Lucky me-those are the two colors I have right now! Each Abbie is totally unique in the makeup of the color...as an iridescent, the exact hues of blue, purple, pink and gold are one of a kind to each Clipa.

The thing that struck me immediately about The Clipa as soon as I opened the package was its construction. It feels so solid, and sturdy, yet is totally sleek and stylish. It has great non-slip pads on each end of the clip, and a spring loaded hinge that opens and closes easily. It accented my bag, rather than standing out or blending in too much.

The ladies and I definitely gave our Abbie a workout. And it did not disappoint-everywhere I tried to hang it, it hung. Solidly. I threw a water bottle, my ancient camera, my cell phone, my wallet, a huge bottle of Excedrin-everything I could think of-in my purse, and it still held tight. I even had each daughter grab an end of the clip and pull....no problem at all. In fact, my only difficulty is going to be getting it back from my daughters...they think it is beautiful, and have found a million uses of their own for it!

So, my review? I love this product. I would definitely use this often, and think it is well worth the purchase price-$29.99 for the Abbie, and $19.99 for any of their several other choices.

Thank you very much to Clipa for allowing me to review their awesome product. I am now an official Clipa devotee! And because we want you to become one too, Clipa is offering an awesome giveaway to one lucky reader!!!

The Giveaway: One Clipa of your choice!!

To Enter:

Mandatory Entry: Head on over to Clipa's website and choose which one you want if you are the winner, then come back and tell me in a comment! Be sure to include it's name in your comment!

Additional Entries:

-Become a fan of Clipa on Facebook, and leave me a comment that you did so

-Subscribe to Clipa's blog, and leave me a comment that you did so

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-Vote for In Through The Out Door on Top Mommy Blogs by simply clicking here, just click, nothing else, and leave me a comment that you did so

-Follow me on Twitter (@kishafloren) or leave me a comment telling me you already do

-Become a subscriber of In Through The Out Door, or leave me a comment telling me you already are

-Become a fan of In Through The Out Door on Facebook, or leave me a comment telling me you already are

-Retweet my tweet regarding this giveaway, or repost my link on Facebook

Have fun, and good luck!!! This giveaway will be ending Thursday, March 4th at 10 pm, with one winner chosen by a random number generator, notified by email, and posted shortly thereafter! Thank you for supporting Clipa and In Through The Out Door!

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Are you hosting a giveaway this week? Head on over to my linky and list it for everyone to see!!!

Freebie Friday: The Linky Edition

2010-02-25T22:51:00.000-08:00

Don't forget to check out my current giveaway, for a Clipa-The Instant Handbag Hanger and a must have purse accessory!!

To appease my OCD and make the linky easy to read for everyone, please consider listing your giveaway in this format:

Blog Name-Giveaway Name-(Date Ending)

And the winner is....

2010-02-25T22:28:00.000-08:00

Hola, folks! I just love doing these Freebie Fridays...not only do I get to reward the best readers in the entire world with a giveaway, I get to review and recommend products and companies I truly love! Featured this week was a spectacular mommy run business, K Tobin Video Productions! Karina Tobin, the lovely woman behind this fantastic business, is not only a professional videographer and editor, she is also a teacher and new mommy. Talk about rockstar!

If you are looking for a top notch videographer to come capture your special event-wedding, christening, child sports event; or an editor to arrange your hours of home videos into a great DVD to share with friends and family, or someone to organize your hundreds of photos into a fabulous slideshow set to music-K Tobin Video is the place to go.

Without any further ado, the winner of the very nice prize package from K Tobin Video, which is your choice of the following:
-up to 2 hours of your home video edited and put on 2 personalized DVDs (vacations, sports, babies, you name it!) ($100 value)
-a slideshow of up to 100 pictures and 4 songs of your choice ($100 value)
-$50 off a wedding video (the “save the date” deposit amount)
is.........

Wendy W!!!!!

Congratulations, Wendy! You have 48 hours to respond to my email and we will get you all set up with K Tobin Video to claim your awesome, awesome prize!!!

Thank you to everyone who entered, and who read and help support In Through The Out Door every day!!!

Stay tuned tomorrow for this week's Freebie Friday featuring a most excellent product review and giveaway for all you purse lovers out there.......

I Bitch, Therefore I Am

2010-02-25T10:15:00.000-08:00

I freaking love Girl Talk Thursday. Great topics and a great group of chicks to blog about them with. It's a win-win all the way around. Until this week. The topic?

Bitch. Let it out. It's okay. We're here for you.

While I appreciate the sentiment, and there are no other ladies in the world I'd rather complain to, we have a small problem here.

I can only bitch on Mondays.

Hello?!?!? It's kind of my signature thang, you know. In fact, just last night, I announced that you can come join in on Bitch and Moan Mondays, too. I was going to bitch about them stealing my thunder, then I realized if I would have, you know, planned ahead and maybe looked at the topic more than five minutes before I sat down to write, I could have waited and made my big announcement within this post.

Damn it.

Besides, it's not like I have a exclusive right to bitching and/or moaning. However, fun fact: if you Google "Moaning Bitches" I am #10 on the list. Talk about making Mom proud.

And honestly, I have to save my bitches for those Mondays...it's getting harder and harder for me to find stuff to complain about. Apparently I need to work harder at being ungrateful and selfish, like some of the people I'm friends with on Facebook. (Oh, snap.)

I guess I could bitch about the maraca that I thought I threw away but my three year old just found at the bottom of the toy box and is exuberantly testing out...for an hour now....

Wow, this post is going downhill faster than Bode Miller. So, I can only bitch on Mondays. And if you would like to join me (shameless whoring of myself inserted here) feel free to grab this button, write a post full of bitching and moaning, and come back here on Monday to link it up. It's fun, free, and you won't end up knocked up at the end of it.