$150 Walmart Gift Card Giveaway

Welcome to the Walmart Gift Card Giveaway!

My kids head back to school in just two weeks and I still have a LOT of back-to-school shopping to get done. Clothes, backpacks, shoes, supplies...it seems like the lists get longer every year!

What about you? Are you ready to get busy with some back-to-school shopping or maybe even Christmas shopping? Well here’s your chance! We’re giving away a $150 Walmart Gift Card to one of our readers!

Prize: $150 Walmart Gift Card

Sponsors: Alas 3 Lads, Conservamom, Dallas Single Mom, Krazy Koupon Club, Mommy on the Money, My Four Littles, Oh My Gosh Beck!, SmartySaver, The Denver Housewife, The Funky Monkey, This Mama Loves 

Rules: Use the Rafflecopter form to enter daily. Besides the mandatory blog comment entry, all other entries are optional. Giveaway ends 8/15 and is open to the US only.

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New Movie Poster for #SavingMrBanks

I just wanted to quickly share this cute new movie poster for Disney's Saving Mr. Banks. I love it!

This film hits theaters in December 2013.

For more information, connect via website, Facebook, or Twitter.

New Exclusive Epic Activity Sheets

I am sharing this content as a member of the Fox Home Ent Insiders blogging program. No monetary compensation was received for this post and all opinions expressed are my own.

One of this year's most exciting blockbuster adventures comes home as EPIC debuts on Blu-ray Combo Pack, Deluxe Edition Blu-ray, and DVD this August 20th from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

In anticipation of this release, let me share two new Epic activity sheets for your enjoyment. The Matching Game and Bird Race/Origami activity sheets are both never-before-seen pieces that are now being shared via a small selection of Fox Home Ent Insiders. They are very cute!

Activity Sheet: Matching Game

Activity Sheet: Bird Race/Origami

Check them out and let me know what you think. And, stay tuned to my blog because I will soon be hosting a giveaway where you can enter to win your own copy of Epic.

#EpicDay

Dragon Trainer Badges and DVD Giveaway Reminder

I'm sharing this content as a member of the Fox Home Ent Insiders blogging program. No monetary compensation was received for this post and all opinions expressed are my own.


Dragons: Riders of Berk Parts 1 and 2 were released on DVD July 23rd. This is the high-flying animated adventure series based on the award-winning movie, How To Train Your Dragon.

I wanted to remind you that you still have time to enter my giveaway for a chance to win this DVD set. To enter, check out this post for details. Contest is open until 7-31-13 for U.S. residents 18 and older.

In the meantime, I'm happy to share these newly-released Dragon Trainer Badges. How fun are they!

Kids' Guide to Vikings (with Dragons: Riders of Berk DVD Giveaway)

Giveaway Closed

The following Kids' Guide to Vikings is provided to me as a member of the Fox Home Ent Insiders blogging program for the purpose of sharing with my readers. The DVD set for giveaway is also provided by Fox Home Ent Insiders program. No monetary compensation was received for this post. 

Debuting on DVD July 23, 2013

DreamWorks Dragons: Riders of Berk

Part 1 and Part 2

When it comes to action and excitement, the sky's the limit in this high-flying animated adventure based on the award-nominated hit movie How to Train your Dragon.

Kids' Guide to Vikings

Hiccup, Astrid, and the other teens at the Dragon Academy show us a bit about what it was like to live as a Viking, but there is so much more to know! Come take a look at this quick and easy guide to some of the most important facts about Viking life.

Vikings at Sea 

Not all Vikings travel by dragon like they do in Berk! Vikings built great, big boats called longships for war. Each one could carry at least 60 men. Even though they were so large, Viking longships were designed to be speedy and could move through the water much faster than other boats.

Viking Clothes 

Vikings from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden dress a lot like Vikings from Berk, but with more layers. To stay warm in the cold winters, Vikings wore clothes made of wool, animal skin, or linen and shoes made of thick leather or goatskin. In battle, they wore helmets made of leather or iron.

Viking Homes 

Vikings really knew how to make the most of their surroundings! Houses were built of stone, mud, and blocks of turf. They made thatched roofs from woven sticks covered in mud. Vikings probably wouldn't let dragons sleep in their houses the way Toothless does.

Viking Children

The Vikings in Berk get to go to the Dragon Academy to learn about how to become better dragon trainers. Instead of going to school, real Viking kids stayed home to help their parents work. Even without school and books, children could learn about history through songs and stories passed down from the older members of the town.

Viking Food 

The dragons in Berk eat fish, veggies, and bread given to them by their riders. Vikings ate similar foods, but also enjoyed meat from farm animals or wild animals they could hunt. They drank out of wooden cups or drinking horns. Sometimes they had feasts for festivals that would last over a week!


Giveaway
I have for giveaway one Dragons: Riders of Berk DVD set (One copy of both Part 1 and Part 2).

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment below (tell me if you have seen How to Train Your Dragon, or with whom you would like to share this DVD set, or another relevant comment)

For an optional extra entry, you may tweet this post 1x daily using Tweet button found below. Leave a separate comment with your tweet link.

Giveaway is open to U.S. residents who are 18 and older. Please make sure I have a valid way to contact you in case you are the winner. Giveaway will end 7-31-13. At that time, one random winner will be selected from all eligible entries.




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Dragons: Riders of Berk (Two-Part DVD Preview)

As a member of Fox Home Ent Insiders Blogging program, I will receive the following DVDs for review. I am also provided with information in this post to share with my readers. No monetary compensation was received for this post and all opinions expressed are my own. 

The award-winning adventure continues this summer.  

DreamWorks Dragons: Riders of Berk arrives on two-part DVD July 23, 2013. Part One contains episodes 1-11 and Part Two features episodes 12-20.

Based on the DreamWorks Animation Academy Award-nominated hit movie How to Train Your Dragon, this series features original voice talent from the film including Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Zack Pearlman, and more. It's loaded with exciting bonus content that the entire family can enjoy.

Fans that purchase the DVD will be able to unlock exclusive content in DreamWorks' School of Dragons, the all-new game from JumpStart based on DreamWorks Animation's How to Train Your Dragon franchise. The game is available online, starting July 17 and the mobile version will follow shortly thereafter.

Each DVD comes with a code to unlock an ultimate battle pack - and in select DVDs an exclusive Whispering Death or Thunderdrum dragon - for the DreamWorks' School of Dragons game. School of Dragons lets players enter the world of Berk, where Hiccup, Toothless and other friends help players become the finest dragon trainers around. You will find cinema-like graphics and an immersive 3D world in this game, where it takes more than courage to train a dragon - it takes brains as well.

For more information, visit School of Dragons website.

And be sure to pick up Dragons: Riders of Berk Parts 1 and 2 today. When it comes to action and excitement, the sky's the limit in this high-flying animated TV series! Tweet

Blog Tour - Anomaly by Krista McGee (with iPad Mini Giveaway)

Litfuse Publicity Group provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Welcome to the blog tour for Anomaly by Krista McGee.

About The Book 
Thalli has fifteen minutes and twenty-three seconds left to live. The toxic gas that will complete her annihilation is invading her bloodstream. But she is not afraid.

Decades before Thalli's birth, the world ended in a nuclear war. But life went on deep underground, thanks to a handful of scientists known as The Ten. Since then, they have genetically engineered humans to be free from emotions in the hopes that war won't threaten their lives again.

But Thalli was born with the ability to feel emotions and a sense of curiosity she can barely contain. She has survived so far thanks to her ability to hide those differences. But Thalli's secret is discovered when she is overwhelmed by the emotion in an ancient piece of music.

She is quickly scheduled for annihilation, but her childhood friend, Berk, convinces The Ten to postpone her death and study her instead. While in the scientists' Pod, Thalli and Berk form a dangerous alliance, one strictly forbidden by the constant surveillance in the pods.

As her life ticks away, she hears rumors of someone called the Designer---someone even more powerful than The Ten. What's more, the parts of her that have always been an anomaly could in fact be part of a much larger plan. And the parts of her that she has always guarded could be the answer she's been looking for all along. 

Thalli must sort out what to believe and who she can trust, before her time runs out . . . 

Purchase the book

Follow along with the Blog Tour


 About The Author

When Krista McGee isn't living in fictional worlds of her own creation, she lives in Tampa and spends her days as a wife, mom, teacher, and coffee snob. She is also the author of "Anomaly", "First Date", "Starring Me", and "Right Where I Belong".

Connect with Krista

My Thoughts 
I am a huge fan of YA dystopian books. Anomaly is really unique because it has a Christian theme infused with the futuristic plot. That is a different twist and I enjoyed it a lot.

It is a strange thing, to think about people being made to have no true feelings or strong emotions - in fact, it seems almost impossible to imagine. And scary. I wouldn't want to live in a world like that. The story definitely kept me guessing and trying to figure out what was real and who to trust and believe, just as Thalli had to do.

Giveaway

Krista McGee is celebrating the release of Anomaly, the first book in her new YA dystopian series, with an iPad Mini Giveaway!

One winner will receive:

• An iPad Mini
• A $25 iTunes gift card (download Anomaly to the iPad!)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on July 31st. Winner will be announced at Krista's website on August 2nd.

Spread the word about Krista and her giveaway HERE!

Check Out the Trailer for Dreamworks Pictures' THE FIFTH ESTATE

Coming to U.S. theaters October 2013, and based on the books: “Inside WikiLeaks” by Daniel Domscheit-Berg, and the Guardian book “WikiLeaks” by David Leigh and Luke Harding, Dreamworks Pictures' presents THE FIFTH ESTATE.

From Dreamworks Pictures' -

Triggering our age of high-stakes secrecy, explosive news leaks and the trafficking of classified information, WikiLeaks forever changed the game. Now, in a dramatic thriller based on real events, THE FIFTH ESTATE reveals the quest to expose the deceptions and corruptions of power that turned an Internet upstart into the 21st century’s most fiercely debated organization. The story begins as WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and his colleague Daniel Domscheit-Berg (Daniel Brühl) team up to become underground watchdogs of the privileged and powerful. On a shoestring, they create a platform that allows whistleblowers to anonymously leak covert data, shining a light on the dark recesses of government secrets and corporate crimes. Soon, they are breaking more hard news than the world’s most legendary media organizations combined. But when Assange and Berg gain access to the biggest trove of confidential intelligence documents in U.S. history, they battle each other and a defining question of our time: what are the costs of keeping secrets in a free society—and what are the costs of exposing them?"

Watch the new trailer:



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#FifthEstate

Pepsi Iconic Summer Moments Prize Pack Giveaway

Giveaway is closed 

#spon: I'm required to disclose a relationship between our site and Pepsi. This could include the Pepsi providing us w/content, product, access or other forms of payment.

Last week I posted to let you know about Pepsi's Iconic Summer Moments website, where you can submit a photo sharing your own Iconic Summer moments. For every photo submitted, Pepsi will donate to a group of exceptional charities that support the military and families in need. In addition, with every submission, you’ll have the chance to win an iconic summer experience.

To go along with the Iconic Summer Moments event, Pepsi is offering a fun prize pack giveaway to one of my blog readers. This Pepsi prize pack includes:

1. A Pepsi classic Hat
2. A Pepsi Timeless t-shirt
3. A Pepsi duffle bag
4. A Pepsi iPhone4s Cover

To enter this giveaway, simply leave a comment below telling me something good about your summer. I also encourage you to visit Pepsi's Iconic Summer Moments website and share a photo (encouraged but not required for this giveaway)

Share your Iconic Summer Moment!

For a bonus entry, you can Tweet about this giveaway (leave separate comment with your Tweet link)

Enter to win a fun #IconicSummer Moments prize pack giveaway from Pepsi and @alas3lads http://tinyurl.com/laluhhs

Giveaway ends at 10:00 pm EST on 7-21-13. Open to U.S residents, age 18+. One random winner will be selected from all eligible comments (please make sure I have a valid way to contact you).

Enter to win an iPad Mini from @KristaMcGeeYA | “Anomaly” Giveaway!

I am participating in the blog tour for the YA book "Anomaly" by Krista McGee. Be sure and stay tuned for my review, which I will be posting later next week. But, for now, I wanted to let you know about the giveaway going on with this tour. Check out the details below and enter to win an iPad Mini!


Krista McGee is celebrating the release of Anomaly, the first book in her new YA dystopian series, with an iPad Mini Giveaway!

One winner will receive:

• An iPad Mini
• A $25 iTunes gift card (download Anomaly to the iPad!)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on July 31st. Winner will be announced at Krista's website on August 2nd.

Spread the word about Krista and her giveaway HERE!

Favorite Baby Names

The other day, I posted a discussion about grandparent names. I loved hearing everyone's special names for their own grandmas and grandpas.

All that talk of names got me thinking about baby names. I have always loved the topic of baby names; it's fun to try out different combinations for first and middle baby names. From classic to modern style, I just love names.

When I was a little girl, my play name was always "Vicki Car" and my best friend was "Kim Car" - I don't know where we came up with those but that's what we dreamed of being called. And, we would also come up with names for our baby dolls, Barbie dolls, and imaginary children - we would actually keep elaborate lists of all the names that we claimed.

Names

Parenting.com has a list of Top Searched Baby Names of 2012. Here are their top 5 for girls and boys (click the link to see the full list as well as some popular naming trends):

Top 5 Searched Baby Girl Names: 
1. Isabella
2. Millie
3. Sookie
4. Ann
5. Ella

Top 5 Searched Baby Boy Names: 
1. Jacob
2. Max
3. Liam
4. Ted
5. Mo

I admit, I was a little surprised by a couple names on those lists. I can't say that I've come across anyone named Mo or Sookie in real life, but hey, they're cute.

I am past my baby-naming days - our kids are tween/teens. But, I thought it would be fun to share my own list of favorite baby names and ask you to do the same. Just so you know, I have not included the names of my own four kids on the lists (even though I still love their names, of course).

Here they are in no particular order:

My Top 10 Favorite Baby Girl Names 
1. Willa
2. Audrey
3. Reagan
4. Lola
5. Emerson
6. Eleanor
7. Avery
8. Hazel
9. Claire
10. Nora

My Top 10 Favorite Baby Boy Names 
1.  Henry
2.  Oliver
3.  Sebastian
4.  Jack
5.  Simon
6.  Nate
7.  Gus
8.  Ash or Asher
9.  Jasper (I know it's overly popular because of Twilight but I still love it)
10. Finn

Your turn! Tell me what baby names you love...

Things I Love About My Neighborhood

We live in a suburban area that is just south of Louisville, Kentucky. Our little town has a population of around 11,000 which gives it a nice small-town feel. But, we are close enough to Louisville that we can be just about anywhere in the city in less than 30 minutes. Small town - Big City...the best of both worlds.

The neighborhood we live in was developed about 16 or 17 years ago. In fact, we proudly boast the title of being the first occupants to move in. My husband built our house and several years later, he built another one right up the street and we moved into that one. Here's the house we currently live in and a view of our street.

Our neighborhood is a mix of young families and older families. There are kids and pets aplenty but it is still pretty calm and quiet.

There are lots of things about my neighborhood that I love. Here are a few...

1) We have good neighbors - The neighbors beside me and across from me have lived in the neighborhood for almost as long as we have. Our kids have grown up together. I know I can count on them in a pinch for anything I would need. Over the years, we have been there to borrow cups of sugar, feed and watch each other's children, to look after each other's pets, and just enjoy each other's company over a backyard barbecue or a cup of coffee or cocktail on the back porch. You can never go wrong with good neighbors.

2) We are very close to my kids' schools - Our elementary and middle school are literally on each side of our neighborhood. I could walk there in minutes without having to get out on the main road. Our high school is a little farther away. It's about 5 miles away so it is still very convenient and easy to get to. This has always been comforting to me, knowing that my kids are so nearby during their school-day.

3) We feel safe here - Everyone pretty much keeps an eye out for anything out of the ordinary in our neighborhood. Actually, we have some neighbors who I like to refer to (in a good way) as nosey busy-bodies...they know EVERYTHING that is going on. If something doesn't look right, they are on top of it.

4) Nice curb appeal - All of the residents work hard to keep their homes and yards nice and neat.

5) Patio home section - The front section of our neighborhood contains a street with patio homes. Some people wouldn't like that in their neighborhood but these are maintained well and blend in perfectly with the rest of the area. The great thing about this for me is that my mom lives in one of the patio homes. She is 75 and no longer drives so I am the primary person to take her out on errands, doctor appointments, and such. Living in such close proximity gives her a sense of security and makes it a lot easier on me, as well.

I feel fortunate and thankful to live in such a great place!

How about you? Share something you love about your neighborhood...

Pepsi Iconic Summer Moments #IconicSummer

#spon: I'm required to disclose a relationship between our site and Pepsi. This could include the Pepsi providing us w/content, product, access or other forms of payment.

All opinions expressed in this post are my own

Are you having an #IconicSummer? Pepsi wants to know. 

Submit a photo to Pepsi's Iconic Summer Moments website. For every photo submitted, Pepsi will donate to a group of exceptional charities that support the military and families in need. In addition, with every submission, you’ll have the chance to win an iconic summer experience.

I shared the following photo to represent my #IconicSummer

It's our backyard swimming pool!

We are having a blast spending time together as a family and enjoying some fun in the sun. With four tween/teen kids, it's a great place for us to have some real quality time. The kids also love inviting their friends over to share in the fun, too.

Visit Pepsi's Iconic Summer Moments site today and share how you are having an #IconicSummer

Share your Iconic Summer Moment!

Saving Mr. Banks Coming to Theaters December 2013

SAVING MR. BANKS opens in limited theaters on December 13, 2013 and opens wide on December 20, 2013!

From Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures:

Two-time Academy Award®–winner Emma Thompson and fellow double Oscar®-winner Tom Hanks topline Disney’s “Saving Mr. Banks,” inspired by the extraordinary, untold backstory of how Disney’s classic “Mary Poppins” made it to the screen.

When Walt Disney’s daughters begged him to make a movie of their favorite book, P.L. Travers’ “Mary Poppins,” he made them a promise—one that he didn’t realize would take 20 years to keep. In his quest to obtain the rights, Walt comes up against a curmudgeonly, uncompromising writer who has absolutely no intention of letting her beloved magical nanny get mauled by the Hollywood machine. But, as the books stop selling and money grows short, Travers reluctantly agrees to go to Los Angeles to hear Disney’s plans for the adaptation.

For those two short weeks in 1961, Walt Disney pulls out all the stops. Armed with imaginative storyboards and chirpy songs from the talented Sherman brothers, Walt launches an all-out onslaught on P.L. Travers, but the prickly author doesn’t budge. He soon begins to watch helplessly as Travers becomes increasingly immovable and the rights begin to move further away from his grasp.

It is only when he reaches into his own childhood that Walt discovers the truth about the ghosts that haunt her, and together they set Mary Poppins free to ultimately make one of the most endearing films in cinematic history.

Inspired by true events, “Saving Mr. Banks” is the extraordinary, untold story of how Disney’s classic “Mary Poppins” made it to the screen—and the testy relationship that the legendary Walt Disney had with author P.L. Travers that almost derailed it.

Cast includes: Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Colin Farrell, Paul Giamatti, Jason Schwartzman, Bradley Whitford, Annie Rose Buckley, Ruth Wilson, B.J. Novak, Rachel Griffiths, Kathy Baker.

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Check out the trailer for Saving Mr. Banks which is currently available on AOL Moviefone

Peet's Give a Cup - The Internet's First Social Sampling Experiment #GiveACup

Do you Give a Cup?

Image and value provided by our partner, Peet's

Here's what I personally 'Give a Cup' about -- teenage driving safety.

As a parent of four kids who are 12, 15, 17, and 20, teen driving safety is an issue near and dear to me. My oldest has been driving for a few years and another is a brand new driver. It won't be long before the other two are driving as well. It's such a nerve-wracking experience when your children start driving, going out into the world on their own. I not only worry about their driving skills and practices but those of other people on the road, too.

The best thing I can do is to teach them to the best of my ability and allow them plenty of supervised driving practice. I also strictly enforce certain rules that are non-negotiable - 1)wearing seat belts at all times 2)no texting or cell phone use while driving 3)no loud music while driving 4)letting me know where they are going or where they will be. 5)no speeding. It's also important that they know to be constantly vigilant to what is going on around them at all times.

So, that's what I give a cup about!

Peet's Coffee launches #GiveACup

Peet's coffee is introducing Peet's Single Cups. They worked for 5 years to perfect each blend, using more coffee than most, designing a specific dose for each blend, and using a different kind of filter that allows more flavor to pass into the cup.

Image and value provided by our partner, Peet's

To celebrate this journey, Peet's is launching Give a Cup, the Internet's very first social sampling experiment.

Image and value provided by our partner, Peet's

Here’s how it works. Each week, you can go to doyougiveacup.com and vote on a topic. The topics are fun, current and sometimes a bit quirky. Your votes determine where Peet's will host sampling events each week.

Sounds fun, right? I think so. I encourage you to go check it out and vote. You never know, Peet's might just show up in your neck of the woods for a sampling event.


I received compensation in the form of a gift card for sharing my story and helping spread the word about Peet's Give a Cup campaign. The story and opinions in this post are my own. 

Grandparent Names

Grandparents are at the heart of families.

They are sources of love and affection. They can serve as role models, caregivers, and guardians. They can offer advice, wisdom, and reassurance. They share our joys as well as our sorrows. They play such an important part in many lives.

And, they can go by so many names.

Sadly, I have lost all of my grandparents. But, they were known to us as Grandma & Pa  and Mama & Papa. My own parents are referred to by their grandchildren as Grandma & Grandpa.

On the other hand, my husband called his grandparents Mamaw & Papaw (his parents go by the same) and Grandaddy & Nanny.

So many name variations for these important family members.

I am hopefully a long way off from becoming a grandparent. Our kids are 12, 15, 17, and 20 so like I said...a looong way off. But, I have to admit that I've given a thought or two to what I would like to be called when I do become a grandma.

The other night at the dinner table, the conversation somehow turned to the various names people use for their grandparents. I mentioned that I did not want to be called by the more traditional sounding names that are used in our family. I proclaimed that I wanted to be called either Mimi or Gigi. This was met with much consternation from my husband and kids. They didn't care for those names at all.

I think Mimi and Gigi are rather hip and fun-sounding and because they begin with M and G (as in Mamaw and Grandma) they still seem fitting for a grandmother moniker. But, my family was having none of it. My husband insisted that it was the proper and respectable thing to do to follow along with the names of your own grandparents. I think that it's up to each individual to choose their own special nickname, or at least let the grandkids choose the name. We agreed to disagree.

As a third and more traditional option, I said that I would consider being called Nanna. They all seemed okay with that one.

But really, I'm holding out for Mimi.

I started wondering about all the different names that folks use for their grandparents. Besides ours that I mentioned above, I know of a Grandy, a Granny, and a Poppy. I put the question out on Twitter and here's some of the feedback I got...

Most people responded that they use the traditional name "grandma" in their family. But, there were also some others mentioned, a few of which I've never heard (all very cute names!) --

For grandmothers: Grammie, Gram, Grams, Nonna, MIM
For grandfather: Bompa (how fun is that?!)

What about you? I would love to hear what names are used for grandparents in your family...

Movie Trailer Tuesday - Larry Crowne

Welcome to "Movie Trailer Tuesday" - my weekly blog feature where I share a movie recommendation by posting a quick blurb and trailer for you to check out.

Larry Crowne, starring Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts is a movie that I had heard about when it first came out, but for some reason, it didn't really appeal to me. I'm not sure why because I love both Hanks and Roberts, but I just never got around to watching it. I happened to come across it while flipping the tv channels this weekend and watched it with my husband.

I was very pleasantly surprised! This movie kind of sneaks up on you and the longer you watch, the more you love the characters. There were plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and the story, while a little kooky and unrealistic, was really heartwarming. The Netflix reviews for this film were not great, but I have to say I enjoyed it a lot.

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language and some sexual content

 

DIY Project - Painted Metal File Cabinet

I'm always finding so many great DIY projects on Pinterest. But, I am not really a very crafty person so I don't ever actually do many of the projects.

Recently, several pins for painted metal file cabinets caught my eye. That seemed like a fairly simple project to tackle. I remembered that I had an old metal file cabinet just sitting in the deep, dark corner of my basement, so I had my son haul it upstairs for me. Then, it just so happened that my husband brought home a freebie metal file cabinet from one of his contract remodeling jobs (they were going to throw it away and it is in perfect shape. Gotta love those kind of freebies!) Now, I had two metal file cabinets that I could paint.

They're not exactly alike or the same size, but that's okay. My husband and I headed to Lowe's to pick up some sandpaper and spray paint. You don't even want to know how long I stood in the paint aisle trying to choose colors - I'm really indecisive when it comes to stuff like that, drives my husband crazy.

In the end I chose Rust-Oleum Gloss Fern and Valspar Gloss Lovely Bluff. I chose strictly based on color; I didn't know if one brand would be better than the other - more on that later.

Once we got started on the project (and I use the term "we" very lightly because my husband did most of the work - he is nice like that), the first thing we did was to remove and/or tape off the hardware. Then, we had to sand the cabinets with sandpaper.

Next, we wiped all the dust off with a clean, dry cloth and got ready to paint. Hubs followed the directions on the spray paint can and applied two coats of color. 

The Rust-Oleum green paint went on smoothly, provided great coverage, and gave a super slick, glossy finish - just what we were wanting. The Valspar cream paint didn't cover as well and took a lot longer to dry. It turned out fine in the end, but we were just more impressed with the Rust-Oleum product.

So shiny!

As I said, I really can't take all the credit for this project. I did some sanding and wiping, but my husband did all of the painting. Thank you, honey!

Now, I can do what I consider the fun part...organizing and filling up the cabinet! Not only will these be useful for filing but I also think they will work nicely as an accent table. I can put a small lamp and some other little decorative accessories on top. I'm planning on using them in our basement office (which is not even finished yet but hopefully will be soon).

How about you? Have you done any quick and easy DIY projects lately? 

Exclusive! - Official Movie Trailer Debut for Delivery Man starring Vince Vaughn

Delivery Man opens in theaters everywhere November 22, 2013

In the film, Vince Vaughn plays an affable underachiever trying to figure out his purpose in life, when he finds out he’s fathered 533 children through anonymous donations to a fertility clinic 20 years ago. Now he must decide whether or not to come forward when 142 of them want to meet their biological father. And, during this process, he might just find what he's been looking for all along.

While the concept of the film is hilarious, it is also a heart-warming look at what it means to be a family - no matter how unconventional that family might be. Today's families have evolved and come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and configurations. This movie celebrates that very notion.

Today, I'm excited to be one of 533 bloggers invited to share the exclusive debut of the new Delivery Man movie trailer. That's right...you'll be seeing it on our sites first, where we will all be unveiling it simultaneously.
I got a sneak peek at the movie trailer and I have to say, I cannot wait to see it. Check it out and let me know what you think...

 

I was invited to be one of 533 bloggers to share the first look at the Delivery Man movie trailer. No compensation was received for this post.