Friday, October 28, 2011

Silk Nog - Good Stuff!

It's about this time each year that I start to notice the grocery stores stocking egg nog. This brings back so many memories of my dad. He loved him some egg nog! In the months leading up to the holidays, he always kept egg nog in his refrigerator. And, he always wanted my kids to sit with him and have a cup. When my daughter was little, she used to call it "negg nog" and I can still picture her sitting on her grandpa's lap drinking it with him.

I'm not a huge fan of egg nog myself. Actually, my kids aren't either. I think it was just the idea of egg nog and the fact that my dad loved it so much that made us want to be egg nog drinkers. After my dad passed away, we pretty much forgot about egg nog. Until, one day I happened to be at the grocery and I spotted the soy version from Silk - called Silk Nog.


I decided to give it a try. And, I fell in love with it! The Silk Nog is not as heavy and sweet as regular egg nog. (I'm not a fan of sweet drinks of any kind, but this stuff is delicious!)

I was surprised to learn that Silk Nog is lactose free, dairy free, cholesterol free, egg free, casein free, and MSG free. There's only 90 calories and 2g of fat per 1/2 cup. Pretty good stuff! It will now be a staple in my refrigerator every year around the holidays. And, every time I have a cup, I'll say a silent toast as I fondly think of my dad.

Have you tried Silk Nog? Are you a fan of traditional egg nog?

Disclaimer:
This is not a sponsered post. I just happen to love Silk Nog, purchase it for myself, and thought I would share.




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Fashion Friday - Rain Boots



I'm linking up over at Kori's Fashion Friday Blog Hop. For more fashion-related posts, or to join the blog hop, click over to her blog, Blonde Episodes.

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The last couple of days have been rainy, cool, and cloudy (which I happen to love). But, it made me realize that I'm sorely lacking in the rain gear and apparel department. Now, I'm on the hunt for some cute rain boots. There's every kind of color and pattern you can imagine (I'm partial to the solid colored boots - I'm thinking red or yellow). Check out these fun rainy-day inspired finds...

All Images Via Pinterest









Do you own a pair of rain boots or galoshes? And, c'mon, admit it...don't you just love jumping/splashing in the rain puddles every once in awhile?

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Saturday, October 22, 2011

I Love It When...

Sometimes it's just the little, simple things that fill me with joy and brighten my day. I love it when...

1) The weather is cool enough to see your breath

2) I'm about to decide on the next book to start reading. It's so exciting to pour over the covers and book jackets and anticipate which book I'll start next.

3) One of my kids comes and gives me a hug for no reason at all

4) My bed has fresh clean sheets

5) I find a great-fitting pair of jeans

6) None of my kids complain about what I've prepared for dinner

7) My teenage daughter is in one of her "sharing" moods and we just sit and talk and gossip and laugh

8) I have a high value coupon to use on something that I was going to purchase anyway

9) I get my son to school early enough to be in the front of the car-rider drop off line

10) I hear an old 80's song that I had totally forgotten about but suddenly realize I still remember every single word

You're turn...what are some little things that you love?


(P.S. Want a chance to win 25 free holiday cards? Go enter my 2011 Shutterfly Holiday Card Giveaway. There will be 3 winners.)Giveaway Over





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Friday, October 21, 2011

Aloha Friday - Would You Rather


Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday, hosted by Kailani over at An Island Life. In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day to take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So, on Fridays we can take it easy on blog posting, too.

I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer - nothing that requires a lengthy response. If you’d like to participate, visit An Island Life where you can link up with your own question and also visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

Would you rather have a personal chef, a housekeeper, or a chauffer?

 
I would choose the housekeeper - dusting and mopping are not for me, LOL!










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Fashion Friday - Gray



I'm linking up for the Fashion Friday Blog Hop! To check out more fashion-related posts or join in yourself, visit Blonde Episodes.

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I don't know about you but I am totally in love with gray for fall fashion. It's chic and classy and neutral enough to go with just about any other color. Gray happens to be my favorite color anyway, so it's no surprise that I'm finding myself wanting to incorporate it into my fall wardrobe. What about you? Are you a fan of gray?

All images found via Pinterest










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Thursday, October 20, 2011

2011 Holiday Cards From Shutterfly With GIVEAWAY

It's that time again...time to start thinking about our Christmas cards for this holiday season. I always like to incorporate family photos into the cards we send out at Christmas-time. My kids, on the other hand, dread hearing me say, "It's time to take some fun pictures for our Christmas cards." They simply hate posing for pictures. So, the picture-taking is the hard part. But, the actual putting together and ordering of the cards is super easy when I use Shutterfly.

I've used Shutterfly in the past for our holiday cards and love the wonderful selection that they offer. No matter what your style, they have holiday card designs for everyone - from classic and traditional to whimsical and fun. Here are a few of my favorites that I'm considering:



Wonder Trees Holiday Card


String Of Joy Holiday Card


Fa La La Christmas Card


Kaleidoscope Christmas Card


I can't wait to get started putting together our 2011 family Christmas cards. And, the nice folks at Shutterfly have generously provided three promotional codes to share with my blog readers. Each code is good for 25 free cards.

Mandatory Giveaway Entry:
Visit Shutterfly.com and leave a comment on this blog post letting me know the name of a holiday card design that you like.

Extra Entry Options: (leave a separate comment for each)
- Follow this blog via GFC (see sidebar)
- Subscribe to this blog via Email - must verify your subscription (see sidebar)
- Follow @alas3lads on Twitter (leave your twitter name in comment)
- Follow @Shutterfly on Twitter (leave your twitter name in comment)
- Tweet about this giveaway using the Retweet button 1x daily (leave tweet link)

Please Read:This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Mandatory entry must be completed or extra entries will not be count. Please make sure I have a valid way to contact you in case you are the winner. Giveaway will close at 10:00 pm EST on 11-1-11. At that time, three (3) random winners will be selected from all eligible entries.

Disclaimer:
I am a participant in Shutterfly's 2011 Holiday Card Promotion. In exchange for this post, I received 50 free cards. Shutterfly also provided 3 promotional codes for me to share with my blog readers. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.


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Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Baby, It's Cold Outside by Susan May Warren - Blog Tour with Giveaway


About the book: Baby, It’s Cold Outside

Hope finds the hopeless when a storm hits.

It's Christmas weekend 1949, and despite the threat of a storm, the townspeople of Frost are determined to continue their holiday traditions, if only as a means to forget the war that they had all just suffered through. But the suffering hasn't ended for Dottie Morgan who lost her only son in the war. She's preparing to wallow in her isolation for the weekend, when Violet, nearly a spinster at age 29, dares to make a request that will force Dottie to publicly revive the memory of her dead son.

When a storm traps the two women at home with a strange young man who has an unbelievable confession and a neighbor with more to do with Dottie's past than she would like, no one can predict how this Christmas will give them all a second chance.


Read an excerpt here and find out the story behind the novel.


About Susan:


Susan May Warren is an award-winning, best-selling author of over twenty-five novels, many of which have won the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, the ACFW Book of the Year award, the Rita Award, and have been Christy finalists. After serving as a missionary for eight years in Russia, Susan returned home to a small town on Minnesota’s beautiful Lake Superior shore where she, her four children, and her husband are active in their local church.

Susan's larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder of http://www.mybooktherapy.com/, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

Susan makes her home in northern Minnesota, where she is busy cheering on her two sons in football, and her daughter in local theater productions (and desperately missing her college-age son!)

A full listing of her titles, reviews and awards can be found at: http://www.susanmaywarren.com/.


Link to buy the book


My thoughts:
This is a great story; so heartwarming! I loved seeing how these four characters, bitter, angry, and lost in the beginning, helped one another face the truth of their situations and to begin to have hope for their futures. It's a good clean read that's full of love, romance, and redemption.


About the giveaway and party:

Warm up with a Kindle Fire from Susan May Warren!

Enter 10/14-10/26!

Baby, It’s Cold Outside – warm up with a Kindle Fire from Susan May Warren

Warm up to Chrismtas early this year with Susan May Warren's Baby, It's Cold Outside! To celebrate the release of her new Christmas book with Summerside Press, she and the publisher are giving away a Kindle Fire and hosting an early Christmas Party on Facebook!

Read what the reviewers are saying here.


One festive winner will receive:

  • A brand new Kindle Fire
  • Baby, It's Cold Outside by Susan May Warren
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. Giveaway ends on 10/26!

But, wait there’s more! Join Susan May Warren on 10/27 for merriment and a few early Christmas presents at her Baby, It's Cold Outside Christmas party! Grab your Christmas sweaters, socks and pj’s and join Susan and a few friends for a fireside chat about her recent books (Heiress & Baby, It’s Cold Outside), holiday traditions, favorite Christmas recipes, a trivia contest and more! Invite your friends and don’t miss the fun!

RSVP here and we'll see you on October 27th at 5 PM PST / 8 PM EST!

Enter via E-mail Enter via FacebookEnter via Twitter


Blog tour schedule

Disclaimer:
Litfuse Publicity Group gave me a free copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed in my review are my own.






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Monday, October 17, 2011

I'm Guest-Posting Over At Tammy's Two Cents (Friends You Love Blog Hop)

My sweet blogging friend, Tammy, invited me to write a guest post for the Friends You Love Blog Hop. I would love it if you could click over to her site, Tammy's Two Cents, and check out my post called "What Friendship Means To Me." While you're there, be sure and poke around Tammy's fabulous blog and say hello.

Thanks, Tammy!




Tammy's Two Cents



Friends You Love






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The Zhip - Product Review (Discount Code To Purchase)

The Zhip (pronounced "zip") is a cool new tool that lets you turn your iPhone, iPod Touch, or Android smartphone into a hands-free, portable entertainment system.

This durable, compact, 100% Polycarbonate material unit comes equipped with a built-in desktop stand and expands to fit virtually any handheld mobile device. It features special retractable, "scratch-free" grip handles with protective padding that attach tightly around a smartphone or iPod Touch to safeguard and secure even the most expensive device. There's also a sturdy "no-drop," three-foot extendable zip cord which easily mounts to any smartphone.

Check out this video to see The Zhip in action...





I received The Zhip to try out for myself and was really happy with how many ways we found to utilize it. My teenage kids have all tested it out and now each want one of their own. Not only is it easy to use, but it's so handy and versatile!

The Zhip can be found at various online stores such as Amazon and Best Buy and at http://www.thezhip.com/. It would make a great holiday gift or stocking stuffer. Right now, the nice folks at www.thezhip.com have set up a special discount code for my readers, allowing you to save one-third off the regular retail price. Here are the details:


-Although the Zhip is available at multiple online stores, the discount code can only be used at http://www.thezhip.com/.

-The code will reduce the price from $14.95 to $9.95.

-Discount code valid until November 20th, 2011.

-When purchasing, buyers should enter the discount code in the "Gift Certificate" box on the third page of the "Shopping Cart" and THEN HIT THE "ADD" BUTTON to activate the discount.

-Discount code is: zhipmom


Disclaimer:I received the free product mentioned above for my own personal review. All opinions expressed in this review post are my own.





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Flashback 80's Music Video - A Little Respect

I grew up in the 80's and maybe I'm prejudiced about the topic, but I think the 80's had the best music. Who remembers this one? I still love this song; listen to it on my IPod all the time. It's A Little Respect by Erasure. Released in the U.S. in 1988, it brings back such memories for me. I was a senior in high school, dating my future husband, and thinking about going to college to become a nurse. The video now seems quite rudimentary and funny to watch. Music video production sure has come a long way, hasn't it?

So, do you remember this song? If not, what's a song that takes you back to your high school days?





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Saturday, October 15, 2011

5 For 5 Swagbucks Referral Promo


Are you earning Swagbucks? If not, you should be. It's a no-brainer easy way to earn free prizes.

I have talked about Swagbucks before, but, just wanted to take an opportunity to do so again. Swagbucks.com is an online portal dedicated to helping you earn digital dollars called "Swag Bucks", which can be redeemed for exclusive Swagbucks merchandise and/or gift cards. Earn Swag Bucks periodically by taking part in easy activities, some of which you already do everyday (such as searching the web). Earn at your own pace and then redeem your Swag Bucks for free reward items in the Swag Store. Best of all, it's free to join.

Right now, Swagbucks is offering a 5 for 5 Swagbucks Referral Promo. Here's how it works:

- Get at least 5 new referrals who are NOT members of your household or sharing an address with you.

- Each referral must earn 50 Swag Bucks after joining, not including any bonuses they may get during sign up.

- Once your 5 (or more) referrals each earn that minimum of 50 Swag Bucks, you've qualified for a bonus of 500 Swag Bucks, which will be applied at the end of each month, so if you've get it done in October, you'll earn your bonus early! If you earn it in November, you'll get your bonus then. Only one bonus per person. This is in addition to the 1000 in matching search bucks that can be earned from each referral.

Not signed up for Swagbucks yet? Well, now is the perfect time to join for free and start working toward this awesome 5 for 5 Swagbucks Referral Promo. Any new user who enters the code 5For5 during sign up will get a bonus 70 Swag Bucks, bringing them to a total 100 Swag Bucks to start with. The code is live now and will expire at 12pm PT on Monday, October 17th.

I've been using Swagbucks for a long time and I've earned countless Amazon gift cards. It really is so easy and I encourage you to check it out today.
Disclaimer:
My referral link is contained in this post. No compensation of any type was received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.




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True Confessions

Below I decided to list some of my true confessions, some of which I should probably be embarrassed to admit but what the heck...

1) I like SPAM. No, not the annoying commercialized emails and messages that flood your inbox. I'm talking the canned food variety of SPAM. My mom used to prepare it with sliced pineapples, brown sugar, and mustard and then bake it in the oven. That's some fine budget eatin'!

2) I still sometimes find myself counting on my fingers or in my head when I'm doing addition and subtraction.

3) I once cheated on a test in high school Algebra II. It still guilts me to this day.

4) I'm a "glass half empty" kind of person. I tend to automatically expect the worst out of people and situations.

5) I secretly can't stand one of my teenage daughter's classmates. She's spoiled and I'm thinking she's probably promiscuous, too.

6) I've always harbored a little crush on Dick Cheney. And, on Benjamin Netanyahu.

7) I'm not a big believer in global warming.

8) I refuse to use those energy-efficient, mercury-laden light bulbs.

9) I hate football. I have tried and tried, but I cannot comprehend the rules or understand why anyone enjoys it.

10) I often keep Reese's Peanut Butter Cups hidden in my house so that I don't have to share them with anyone.

Ok, now it's your turn. Fess up one of your true confessions...

Friday, October 14, 2011

Fashion Friday - Boots with Socks



I'm linking up with Fashion Friday hosted over at the Blonde Episodes. Be sure and click over to check out all the fashion-related posts or to join in.


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I'm really loving the look of wearing socks with boots. Kinda funky and so cute...what do you think? Is this look best left for the younger crowd or can a 40's gal like me pull it off?

 All images found via Pinterest








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