This Side of Eternity

Road Trip!

2009-07-17T10:20:00.002-04:00

So after thinking we would not be able to take a vacation this year, I found out last week that we can!

We are heading to Madison, Wisconsin for a couple of days. And then we'll be checking out the Wisconsin Dells! This is a place that we've wanted to go for several years now, so everyone is pretty excited to say the least.

I was chosen by Country Inns & Suites to check out their hotels and report what I find to all of you.

We are planning to visit a few of the local attractions as well. So stay tuned, as I will be sharing the entire trip with you.

And if you have visited the Wisconsin Dells I'd love to hear which water park is your favorite. We are still trying to decide on one. There are SO many to choose from. Also anything from the Madison area that we should not miss?

Freebie: Book & Bookmarks

2009-07-17T09:13:00.003-04:00

Get a FREE book from the Golden Age of Pulp Fiction and a FREE set of pulp fiction collectors bookmarks!

Click Here to go to the site and sign up. There is a shipping charge of $1.95 for the book.

But, you can choose not to receive the book, and still get the bookmarks FREE!

Guiltless Gourmet

2009-07-17T08:37:00.004-04:00

It seems like I have a healthy theme going on today. So why not continue it with my next review.

Guiltless Gourmet Baked Tortilla Chips

I am a chips and salsa junkie, so I was more than willing to receive this product to review.

Guiltless Gourmet led the pack 20 years ago when they began making baked, not fried, tortilla chips. They had an idea that you could enjoy tortilla chips in a more healthy way, and I've noticed other companies have caught on to the idea that Guiltless Gourmet pioneered. And all those years of experience shows in their products.

The Guiltless Gourmet tortilla chip product line comes in a variety of flavors including:

Blue Corn
Chili Lime
Yellow Corn Salted
Yellow Corn Unsalted
Spicy Black Bean
Mucho Nacho
Chipotle
Chili Verde

You can find these chips at stores like Kroger, Whole Foods, Giant Eagle, Albertsons, Publix, Safeway, Wegmans, Raley's, and Shoprite. And from now through September 30th, when you purchase a bag, be sure to look for the code that can be entered and redeemed here to win one of several prizes.

Grand prize ~
a trip to Las Vegas valued at $5,600!

There are also fifty $100 gift cards to either the retailer that sold you the winning bag, or American Express. And FREE product coupons.

Health at Every Size Review & Giveaway

2009-07-17T08:02:00.001-04:00

Health at Every Size
The surprising truth about your weight
by Linda Bacon, PhD

I was surprised by the title of this book to be perfectly honest with you.

I am one of those people who have always equated ones size with the level of health.

I was a very thin girl until my husband and I made the decision to quit smoking. Then I gained some weight. I just couldn't get it off. I felt as unhealthy as I thought I looked.

Then about two years ago my husband and I bought a gym membership. I had the sole intention of losing weight and getting down to my previous size. What actually happened is that I have not lost much (a little yes), but I feel great! I no longer equate size with health. In fact I feel better now than I did when I was much thinner.

It seems that everything I see and hear is screaming that skinnier equals healthier. Until now .

Health at Every Size by Linda Bacon, PhD suggests that fat is not the problem. The real problem is dieting! Well, I for one love this book. I love the freedom that it brings to people who have struggled with dieting and the cycle of defeat that it brings.

It is important to learn to pay close attention to what your body is telling you. It's about eating foods that make you feel good. If you'd like the chance to find out the surprising truth about your weight, then you need to read this book. Also, you can join a community of people who are learning to listen to their bodies rather than the media.

You can order Health at Every Size: The Surprising Truth about Your Weight from Amazon, or you can enter for a chance to win a copy.

Just fill out the form below. This giveaway is open to residents of the United States only and will end on July 31st.

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Tropical Traditions Review & Giveaway

2009-07-17T01:12:00.001-04:00

I began to try and live a more healthy lifestyle a few years ago.

To be completely honest with you, I didn't know the first thing about holistic health, or organic anything, and I didn't care. It wasn't until a friend of mine was talking about using different herbs to help my daughter get over a sickness she had, and I watched them work, that I began to realize that there are so many helpful things to aid in living a healthful life.

Over the last few years since then, I have learned so much. The most important thing I've learned is that if at all possible work with all natural and organic options. There are a lot of old remedies out there for just about anything that ails you.

Which brings me to the product I want to share with you today.

Tropical Traditions sent me a jar of Virgin Coconut Oil to review. I will be honest and say I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do with this stuff. This is why I was so glad to see the neat book they sent along with it. The real question that I should have been asking myself is what CAN'T I do with it.

The list of things to do with this USDA Certified Organic Oil is huge. Here are a few of the ways to use Virgin Coconut Oil according to the book they sent me "Virgin Coconut Oil":

Diabetes
Increased Energy
Weight Loss
Thyroid Health
Skincare
Cholesterol
Animal Nutrition
Cooking

You can watch this video to get a better idea of how this all came about.

And now on to the giveaway. If you would like the chance to win a quart jar of Virgin Coconut Oil to try out for yourself,just fill out the form below. You can also sign up for their newsletter for an extra entry here. The newsletter is full of useful information as well as their current sales and promotions.

This giveaway is only open to residents of the United States, and will end on July 31st.

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Freebie: Craft eBook

2009-07-16T11:01:00.004-04:00

Free eBook: 60 Cheap and Easy Crafts

Being on a budget does not mean giving up your favorite hobbies. In fact, crafting can actually save you money by allowing you to make household necessities, clothing, decorations and gifts for a fraction of the price as store-bought.

Many of the creative craft projects at FaveCrafts.com require little to no expense. For those looking to save money, FaveCrafts.com has put together a brand new FREE eBook collection of 60 low-cost craft projects, sorted into categories such as crochet, home décor, crafts for kids and more. Over 160 pages complete with step-by-step instructions and pictures.

Here's a list of what you'll find in the eBook:

Candles and Soap
Crafting with Kids
Crochet Patterns
Craft Gifts
Recycled Gifts
Home Décor
Papier Mache Crafts
Holiday Crafts
Halloween Crafts
Knitting Patterns
Painting Projects
Organization
Scrapbook Pages
Sewing Projects
Thanksgiving Crafts
Unexpected Craft Ideas (Great Gift Ideas!)
Valentine’s Day Crafts
Wearable Crafts
Wedding Crafts
Woodcrafts

Click Here to download your free copy.

$8.00 Eye Glasses

2009-07-16T10:05:00.000-04:00

With the back to school season just around the corner, I thought I would let you know about a great frugal way to get your children some new prescription glasses this fall. I have always set up my kids eye doctor appointments in the fall. For some reason physicals and eye doctor appointments would be forgotten if I did not add it to the back to school list of things to do. My son has perfect vision, but my daughter has not so perfect vision.

Although she began to wear contacts a couple of years ago, it is still necessary to have her vision tested and to get her a current prescription for glasses. It has been a couple of years since she has had a new pair of glasses.

I am thinking about using Zenni Optical online to order her some new eyeglasses once I have taken her to the eye doctor and gotten a copy of her prescription. They have a much larger and cuter selection than at the eye doctor. I do not buy her contacts through the eye doctor, so why should I buy the eye glasses through them?

Avon Job Opportunities

2009-07-16T08:49:00.004-04:00

I have never done Avon before. But I know that a lot of people do. And since I believe that it is a good thing to look for multiple streams of income, I thought I's list it for you too.

Earn from home, earn online. Be your own boss! Learn more about the earnings opportunity of becoming an AVON representative and join today! Click Here to find out more and sign up.

Has anyone done this before? I'm curious to hear your experience with it.

I Have Home Security

2009-07-16T06:14:00.004-04:00

I had the unique opportunity to sit and talk with the Dare officer from my city police department yesterday.

I live in a neighborhood where supposedly it is unsafe and full of crime. Not the entire city, just my area carries this reputation. Sometimes I start to believe it too. Although when I look around my neighborhood I see real neighbors. People you can call on when you need help.

And after speaking with the police office yesterday, I found out that my suspicions were right. Yes, there is a rise in crime, specifically larceny. Bank and store robberies. I associate this rise to the fact that there are a lot of desperate out of work people in Michigan. But as far as violent crimes go, it is not on the rise in my neighborhood.

We do practice some basic home safety tips. We keep our doors locked at night and have a dog who can be really intimidating to a stranger. And I live in a closely knit neighborhood.

I love my neighborhood. I love my neighbors. I like the fact that everyone on my street knows everyone else. That we share our barbecue food with each other. That we are all watching out for each other. It is really nice to know that if something were going on, we'd have each others back.

Free Aurora Photo Editing Software for 24 Hours Only!

2009-07-15T10:48:00.004-04:00

Here's a neat offer for any photography fans out there. For 24 hours only you can download the highly recommended photo editing software Aurora for Mac or PC which regularly retails for $19.99.

Head on over to the Aurora site and click on "Buy Now". Use the code FREE24 when you get to checkout to get this totally free until 9:15 am EST July 16th.

Thanks 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires.

PR Blackout

2009-07-15T00:01:00.001-04:00

There is quite a bit of buzz in the blogosphere these days regarding a little thing called PR Blackout.

Basically Trisha and some ladies over at MomDot.com spent the Friday Night Live session talking about how they were feeling pretty burnt out from all of the product reviews and giveaways they have been doing. Most of them were saying the same things I've been feeling.

While I love being able to share with you lots of great product that I find, the truth is that I feel like that's almost all that I have been doing. I love working with the wonderful PR folks, and being able to bring you all some wonderful products. But I do believe that lately I am getting a little bloggy burnout.

So, after reading this little snippet from the site:

"MomDot is challenging bloggers to participate for one week in August in a PR BLACKOUT challenge where you do not blog ANY giveaways, ANY reviews, and Zero press releases. In fact, we don't want you to talk to PR at ALL that whole week. We want to see your blog naked, raw, and back to the basics. Talk about your kids, your marriage, your college, your hopes, your dreams, your house and whatever you can come up with for one week."

I knew I had to get involved in this. Maybe the only reason you come by is to check out the product reviews and giveaways. Well let me assure you that I will have plenty of those the weeks leading up to and following the PR Blackout. But for one week I am not going to share any products or giveaways with you.

What I will share with you is me. Well, and my family. Our school plans. School Schedules. Curriculum. Extracurricular Activities. Healthy Snack and Lunches ideas. And lots more!

I hope you'll stop by and get some great information during that week to make Back to School a great experience for the whole family!

WFMW: Backyard Vacation Spot

2009-07-14T21:13:00.006-04:00

This year we hadn't planned on taking any vacations. My husband spent the last 8 month without a job, so we don't have a lot of money to use for a vacation right now.

So we decided instead to create a vacation atmosphere at home.

The purpose of a vacation is to spend time with your family away from the daily troubles and pulls of life. It give everyone a chance to get to know each other on a deeper level. It also refreshes you so that when you do have to face the world once again you'll be ready.

well I got to thinking and decided that if we couldn't take a vacation, I would just have to create an atmosphere that was vacation like.

It hasn't cost very much, and it seems to be working.

I just put up a pool we already had. Made sure to stock up on bug repellent and marshmallows. Bought a few lawn games on Amazon using gift cards I earned from SwagBucks. My mom brought me some lawn chairs she wasn't using anymore. I also bought a tiki umbrella for $4.99 from Rite Aid which really add to the whole vacation feel. And that's basically it for stuff.

The most important part is also the most challenging part as well.

We had to turn on the vacation in our minds when we went into the backyard. We had to kick out the nagging to do lists concerns of life and just be with each other. You would be surprised how hard this is to do at first. Going on vacation at your home means forgetting that the phone is ringing or your neighbors are screaming.

When we go into the backyard it is our vacation, and that works for me.

(On a side note, it turns out we will be able to take a vacation after all, look for complete documentation of my road trip here July 24-28)

Back To School Bash

2009-07-14T09:24:00.006-04:00

I wrote last week about my upcoming plans for a Back to School Bash. The Back to School Bash will run from August 1st through the 15th. I am excited as the time is getting closer. I have a ton of great stuff in store for you, to get you ready for Back to School.

I also wanted to introduce you to the other great bloggers who are participating in the Back to School Bash with me.

Kimberly at Mission Mommy

Tricia at Five Little Monkeys

Melissa at Frugal Creativity

Stacie at The Divine Miss Mommy

Angie at My Four Monkeys

Nichol at Kiddies Corner Deals

Lindsey at My Household Junk

Erin at Pour Some Sugar on Me

Please stop by all the blogger participating in the Back to School Bash for more great Back to School giveaways and ideas!

Here's a preview of the companies that will be featured here on This Side of Eternity during The Back to School Bash.

Coach
Sharpee
Famous Men of the 16th & 17th Century by Greenleaf Press
Carolina Pads
The Children's Place
Justus Foods
Stonyfield Farm

Each of the bloggers involve in the Bash will have something different to share with you, so be sure to visit them all.

If you have a product that you'd like to have featured during the Back to School Bash, you can contact me by email krsawicki (at) yahoo (dot) com.

Keep It To Yourself

2009-07-14T08:41:00.004-04:00

I took both kids to the dentist yesterday.

No big deal, just an ordinary cleaning. So, I am sitting in the waiting room with my daughter who had already finished with her cleaning.

(Warning: Here comes my rant)

This woman comes in and sits down to wait for her turn. Her cell phone rings, and she answers it. I should probably tell you up front that I think it is incredibly rude to sit and talk on your cell phone in a public place. I mean people don't really want to know all of your business. I do understand answering a call you have been waiting for, or one from your children. But then answer the question and get off the phone. Or you could try telling the caller that you'll call them back shortly once you've left.

Not this lady! Oh, no!

Not only did she sit and carry on a fifteen minute conversation, but it was full of expletives. She found new and creative ways to swear. And there were no pressing matters that needed to be dealt with. In fact she didn't even know who it was that was calling her at first. But they were good old friends by the end of the call. And I am pretty sure they were hooking up a time later after her appointment to get together and "use drugs and hang out". Only that wouldn't exactly be how she described it on the phone.

Yes I know all of her business. Kind of hard not to, she wasn't being discreet in any way. She didn't mind that there was a room full of people and children. My fifteen year old wasn't hurt by what she heard, and I'm thankful my younger son wasn't sitting in there with us. But there were much younger girls sitting there who had no choice but to get an education about what goes on in the streets.

So, Please take a look around before you answer your cell phone. Everyone doesn't want to hear about your business.

FCH Christmas in July Sale

2009-07-13T00:01:00.000-04:00

I wrote a while back about a wonderful FREE resource available for moms who want to teach their daughters to be Future Christian Homemakers.

Well the woman responsible for this valuable resource has another book that I just have to share with you. When this book arrived at my house, I'll tell you, I did not want to open it. It was shrink wrapped in plastic and I could see through the plastic that this book was absolutely beautiful!

(The picture does this book no justice whatsoever)

Of course I did go ahead and open it anyway because I wanted to see what the inside looked like. I knew it was also going to be beautiful, and I was right. This is the sweetest book. I am thinking of all the moms or little kids I can give this too. It would make a perfect baby shower gift, baptism or confirmation gift, birthday, Christmas, Easter, or even just because! Regardless of why you give it, it will be one of those gifts that are treasured.

Right now they are running a Christmas in July sale on this book! The sale runs from July 13-20. You will receive free shipping, and when you order 2 or more books you'll also get 10% off. This is a great time to think ahead and get books for all the little ones you know, or for moms of little ones.

They don't usually run sales on this book, so this is the time to purchase your books if you want them!

Menu Plan Monday 7/13

2009-07-12T22:32:00.000-04:00

I have to say that I am so sick of Barbecue!

Seriously, it's only halfway through summer and I don't think I can eat another thing barbecued. Okay, so maybe I am exaggerating slightly, but I need to make some quick and easy meals that don't need to be barbecued. But they need to be things I can make in the crockpot, or that be assembled early in the day because we are attempting to go a whole summer without turning on our air conditioning.

So my challenge to myself this week is so come up with meals everyday that don't turn my home into a sauna.

Breakfast and lunch is pretty much the same around my house which is why that part of the menu never changes.

Breakfasts - consists of oatmeal, cold cereal, fruit smoothies, toast & poached eggs.

Lunches - consists of soups, peanut butter sandwiches, or dinner leftovers.

Dinners - I will try to include lots of veggies this week.

~ Monday ~

Creamy Tuna Casserole

~ Tuesday ~

Enchiladas and Spanish Rice

~ Wednesday ~

Spaghetti, Salad, Garlic Toast

~ Thursday ~

Pizza Night!

~ Friday ~

Fish & Chips

~ Saturday ~

Grilled Chicken, Potatoes, Salad
(Okay, I had to through in some BBQ for my husband)

~ Sunday ~

I don't plan a Sunday meal. Usually we have a very late lunch and just find something small for dinner. Either way I don't plan because I like to be flexible for anything that pops up.

You can find out more about weekly menu planning here. To check out more menu plans for this week click here.

Sunday Selah 7/12

2009-07-12T00:24:00.000-04:00

Bake Me A Wish Review & Giveaway!

2009-07-11T22:09:00.004-04:00

I had the pleasure of receiving a Bake Me A Wish! cake a few days ago.

What exactly is Bake Me A Wish! you may be wondering? It is only the yummiest cake company I have had in a long time. My mom was down for a visit, and my sister and her family decided to stop by for a spontaneous visit.

I was so glad that my Bake Me A Wish! cake had just arrived. I was thrilled to be able to share this special treat with everyone.

Bake Me A Wish has a nice variety of Gourmet Cakes to chose from. These are the same cakes that can be found in some of New York City's finest restaurants.

Some of the cakes they bake include:

Cookies and Cream Cake
Boston Cream Cake
S'more Brownie Cake
Chocolate Mousse Torte Cake
Tiramisu Classico Cake
Strawberry Shortcake
Vanilla Bean Cake
Red Velvet Chocolate Cake

The one I had was Triple Chocolate Enrobed Brownie Cake. YUM!
You can have an imported Belgium chocolate plaque added to your cake. The plaques say things like:

"Thanks"
"Happy Birthday"
"Best Wishes"

While their cakes are amazing, there is something even more special about this company.

They have come up with Operation: Birthday Cake

"...a goodwill program launched by Bake Me A Wish! to provide gourmet cakes to our troops overseas! Since soldiers often miss out on a traditional American birthday party, Bake Me A Wish! found a way to have that birthday experience - to still feel remembered and valued."

I love this idea. Basically there are three ways this works.

1. Send a birthday cake to a soldier you know.
2. Purchase a Freedom Cake and Bake Me A Wish! will donate one to a soldier.
3. Buy a cake and enjoy it knowing that 5% goes to Operation: Birthday Cake.

You can read some of the soldiers responses about getting an Operation: Birthday Cake.

Now for the good news! You can win won for your family! I am giving away one Bake Me A Wish! cake. Just leave me a comment telling one of your favorite birthday memories. Then fill out the entry form below.

This contest ends on July 19th and is open to residents of the US only.

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Giveaway Extravaganza Winners Announced!

2009-07-11T18:40:00.000-04:00

Remember all those giveaways I ran last week?
Well I need to announce who won them. All of the winners have been notified.

Zoom Album winner is Jenn4Him!

Ouchies Winners are Cassidy, Erin, and Cindy!

Totally Texty winner is Melissa!

Yobaby winner is Xenia!

While you're here, why not enter my latest giveaways?

Precious Girls Club (over 25 winners!)
The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget (also a Naglene water bottle)

An Unplanned Saturday!

2009-07-11T11:52:00.004-04:00

It's Saturday!

Even better than that... we have NOTHING planned for today!

I love a day where we can do whatever. There are no games or practices to run to. No invitations to go anywhere. No appointments. No pressing matters. NOTHING!

Ah, what a rare and wonderful day.

Maybe we'll play some yard games or swim in the pool, as long as the rain stays away. I think we'll have to make a run to get some FREE slurpees from 7-11 since my son has been ready to go since he woke up this morning.

Other than that I have no idea. I'm planning to not plan anything.

Freebie: Travel Guides

2009-07-11T10:31:00.003-04:00

Free Travel Guides and Brochures - Browse destinations, pick travel guides that you'd like, receive guides Free by mail or download. Click Here to see what guides you'd like to send for.

I had mentioned sending for free travel guides a few weeks back. I sent for some and they came quickly, within a week.

I am planning to take a quick road trip to Wisconsin in a couple of weeks, so I'm going to send for the Wisconsin travel guides today.

They have every state, and I had a thought that these would be fun to use in your homeschool if you are planning a unit study on the United States, or even a specific state.

So check it out and order your free travel guides.

The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget Review & Giveaway

2009-07-10T22:32:00.000-04:00

The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget
Save Money. Save Time. Save the Planet.
~ Josh Dorfman (seen on the Sundance Channel)

This book is perfect for me. I would love to say that I am living a completely green life. I understand the importance of taking care of our Earth. But, to be perfectly honest with you, I have a very long way to go.

This is why I was excited to get this new book, The Lazy Environmentalist, to review.

With all the different things I hear about how to live a green life, it can be a little overwhelming to someone like me who is just learning to recycle. Josh has taken something that seemed so overwhelming to me and put it down in this book in simple terms. It's not about doing whats popular right now. It is about living your life in a way that is responsible rather than being a consumer of everything in site.

Learn how to fully live life and protect the planet you live on without breaking you budget. I like that!

So how would you like to win a copy of this book along with a Naglene Water Bottle?

Just leave a tip in the comments on how you "Save money. Save Time. Save the Planet."
Then fill out the entry form below. This giveaway is open to my US readers only and will end on July 19th.

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The Time Sucker Is At It Again

2009-07-10T13:30:00.004-04:00

I have begun to notice something around my house lately that I DO NOT like one bit.

It started out slowly, but I find that there seems to be a TV running somewhere in my house at all hours of the day. Now, as great as the idea of a TV Free home sounds to me, I know that we will have an all out mutiny if I try to enforce that.

But I know that something needs to be done when the TV gets turned on within minutes of my son crawling out of bed.

Another thing I see happening is both of my kids are retreating to their respective areas in the house to claim a TV and watch hours and hours of mindless crap. I think this always happens after several weeks of being on vacation. I think I'm going to have to enforce some limits starting Monday.

Either that or we need to start back to school earlier than I planned.

Freebie Friday 7/10

2009-07-10T08:40:00.004-04:00

Free Jones Soda ~ fill out a very quick survey and print a coupon for Buy one Get one Free Jones Soda.

Plan your Diabetic Meals with the complimentary eBook
Click Here to download your FREE ebook.

Sign up to get your free sample of Kotex Ultra Thin Overnight Pads with Wings.

Bloggers can sign up to receive a FREE subscription to Website Magazine! I love this Magazine, it has taught me so much, and I highly recommend it.

Another sample of Bodycology can be found here. This is a new link, so even if you ent for this last time, you can send for it again.

Need a sitter? Sittercity.com has hundreds of thousands of qualified sitters and nannies. Try it FREE. Click Here for your FREE 7 day trial.

The Rainforest Cafe is Wild

2009-07-09T20:05:00.003-04:00

If you have never checked out The Rainforest Cafe, now is your chance.

We stopped in one a couple of years ago and ordered the special drinks only. It's definitely not the most frugal establishment. But it is soooo much fun. The place is decorated to make youfeel and think like your in the rain forest. And that's exactly what it is like. They have lifelike animals all over the place, and every fifteen minutes it sounds like it's raining. My kids loved this place when we went. Oh, and the drinks are amazingly good!

If you take this coupon for $10 off a $25 food or drink purchase, it will definitely make this a fun trip out for you and your family. The printable coupon expires July 31.

Thanks Coupon Geek!