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Friday, December 30, 2011

Aloha Friday - Has Santa Moved To China?


Aloha Fridays are brought to you by Kailani in beautiful Hawaii at An Island Life where Friday is the day to take it easy while anticipating the coming weekend. Today I'm going to link up, take it easy and ask a question.

This Christmas, I couldn't help noticing how many of the items under our tree were "Made in China" regardless of how diligently I try to buy Canadian or USA made products. 
It's not that I have anything against China but when I see the desperate state of our economy, I wish we had more options to buy children's toys made here.  Christmas in just North America alone must keep China working flat out 12 months of the year.

So this week's question is:  "What percentage of the items under your tree this year were made in either the USA or Canada??  How about the percentage "Made in China"???
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Thursday, December 29, 2011

Thursday Friends Cafe Blog Hop

Welcome to the Thursday Cafe Blog Hop
How It Works!!
Please Follow All Three of Us 
And Then Visit As Many Other
Blogs As You'd Like!!

If You Are A New Follower
Please Let Me Know So I Can Follow You Back.


You Can Link Up Your Giveaways Below!!
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Thursday Friends Giveaway Link Up

Please Link Up Your Giveaways
Valued at $25 or Higher!



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Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Avatar Costume Review

Two weeks before Christmas and I was finished my shopping, my wrapping and decorating the outside of our home.  My husband was going to pick up the tree while I took our 5-year-old daughter to visit Santa at our local mall.  So organized......or so I thought.

It was the trip to see Santa that left me frantic.  You see, when he asked her what she wanted for Christmas, there was only one thing on her mind....an Avatar Costume.  A what????  At only five years old, how did she even know what an Avatar was???

Once I quizzed up the hubby, I found my answer.  On one of their little trips to the local electronics store, the movie "Avatar" was playing on one of the big flat screens and my daughter was mesmerized by the colorful planet and its dark blue tiger-like inhabitants.  Thanks a lot hubby.  There was no way I was going to be able to find such an elaborate costume around here or any big city for that matter.

Desperate, I turned to the Internet and look what I found at costumediscounters.com and on clearance!!!!
Isn't This Adorable??!!!

Costume Discounters saved Christmas at our house with this little number.  With every present our daughter pulled out from under the tree she would say "I wonder if this is an Avatar Costume?".  It didn't matter the size or shape of the box or who it was for.  And when she finally opened her Avatar costume, she was thrilled!!!  It was pulled from the packaging and she's been happily wearing it since.

I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and detail that went into creating this darling little suit.  The fabric has a nice stretch to it so it fits perfectly and included with it was a cute feather necklace along with two decorative bead necklaces.

A big "Thank You" goes out to the generous folks at Costume Discounters for getting this much-loved costume to our home so quickly and just in time for Christmas!!
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Disclosure:  I  received the child's Avatar Costume before writing this review.  I was not compensated for writing a positive or favorable review and this is my personal opinion of the product.

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Sunday Showcase Link Up Your Giveaways



Merry Christmas!!!

And For Those Of You
Looking For A Place To Showcase Your Giveaways
List Away!!


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Friday, December 23, 2011

Aloha Friday - Deja Vous Expressions


Aloha Fridays are brought to you by Kailani in beautiful Hawaii at An Island Life where Friday is the day to take it easy while anticipating the coming weekend. Today I'm going to link up, relax and ask an easy question.


Earlier this week, I did a blog post about realizing I am now using my mother's famous expression  "Get out from under my feet" to my own daughter.

So this week's question is:  "What expression or saying do you now use on your kids that your parents said to you while you were growing up?"
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Thursday, December 22, 2011

Thursday Friends Cafe Blog Hop

Welcome to the Thursday Cafe Blog Hop
How It Works!!
Please Follow All Three of Us 
And Then Visit As Many Other
Blogs As You'd Like!!

If You Are A New Follower
Please Let Me Know So I Can Follow You Back.



GIVEAWAY LINK FOLLOWS!!
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Thursday Friends Giveaway Link Up

Please Link Up Your Giveaways
Valued at $25 or Higher!


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Monday, December 19, 2011

I've Finally Turned Into My Mother!

I didn't notice it at first, it was just a normal day with me busy trying to prepare dinner as my 5-year-old daughter followed me closely watching every move I was making.  Then as I stepped over her for the 10th time, "it" happened.  I heard those words I remember hearing more than 1000 times as I was growing up.  My mother's voice was coming out of my mouth as I exclaimed:

"Get out from under my feet before you get stepped on!"

I swore it wouldn't happen, I would have bet it wouldn't happen but now I know there is no turning back.
I have turned into my mother
(and just in case you happen to be reading this mum,  that's perfectly okay with me!)

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Sunday, December 18, 2011

Sunday Showcase Link Up Your Giveaways

My Current Giveaways
Where You Can Link Up
and
Show Us What You Got!!



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Friday, December 16, 2011

Aloha Friday - Blog Motivation Needed!


Aloha Fridays are brought to you by Kailani in beautiful Hawaii at An Island Life where Friday is the day to take it easy while anticipating the coming weekend. Today I'm going to link up, take it easy and ask a question.

I've been blogging now since Summer 2008 and in that time, my blog has evolved from a place where I bitched about menopause and new motherhood to a place where I still bitch, laugh and complain but also host lots of higher-end giveaways. Lately, I feel like I'm running out of steam and the "love affair" with blogging is coming to an end.  I really don't want to give it up but feel that a little motivation is in order.

So today's question is "How do you stay motivated to blog on a regular basis and still keep the content interesting?"
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Thursday, December 15, 2011

Thursday Friends Cafe Blog Hop

Welcome to the Thursday Cafe Blog Hop
How It Works!!
Please Follow All Three of Us 
And Then Visit As Many Other
Blogs As You'd Like!!

If You Are A New Follower
Please Let Me Know So I Can Follow You Back.


YOU CAN LINK UP YOUR GIVEAWAYS BELOW!!

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Thursday Friends Giveaway Link Up

Please Link Up Your Giveaways
Valued at $25 or Higher!



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Monday, December 12, 2011

No Balloons Please!

Okay, I admit it.  I absolutely DESPISE balloons.  And yes, I was one of those kids who loved to play with them, blow them up, watch them streak across the room as the air rushed out and then I would shriek with delight as they splintered into a 100 pieces as they burst.


Fast forward about 25 years and then I start to hear the stories and begin to understand how destructive and deadly pretty colored party balloons can be.  And even though I live in a very small town, I know of TWO, yes that's TWO babies who have suffocated to death on balloons.

As strange as that sounds, try to picture sharp little baby teeth biting into an inflated balloon as it pops sending a stray piece of that balloon flying at lightening speed right down their windpipes.  If I know of TWO babies myself, think of how many there must be.

And if you think the danger stops once they get past the baby stage, think again. There have been children who have actually inhaled a balloon while attempting just to blow it up.  Little fingers that don't have a tight enough grip on the balloon opening as they inhale with all their might trying to inflate it.  It has actually been reported that balloons cause more choking deaths than balls, marbles or toy parts.

So now that my 5-year-old daughter is in kindergarten, the birthday invitations are pouring in and with every one of them, a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach as I think to myself "I wonder how many balloons are going to be there?"

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Sunday, December 11, 2011

Sunday Showcase Link Up Your Giveaways

My Current Giveaways
Where You Can Link Up
and
Show Us What You Got!!



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Friday, December 9, 2011

Aloha Friday - Christmas Tree Edition!


Aloha Fridays are brought to you by Kailani in beautiful Hawaii at An Island Life where Friday is the day to take it easy while anticipating the coming weekend. Today I'm going to link up, take it easy and ask a question.

We are lucky to live in an area where natural Christmas Trees are farmed so buying one is very affordable.  After Christmas, these trees are collected and then turned into wood chips to be used the following Spring for landscaping by our small town so nothing is wasted. 

So for those of you who celebrate Christmas, will you be going "natural" or "artificial" for your tree this year?

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Thursday, December 8, 2011

Thursday Friends Cafe Blog Hop

Welcome to the Thursday Cafe Blog Hop
How It Works!!
Please Follow All Three of Us 
And Then Visit As Many Other
Blogs As You'd Like!!

If You Are A New Follower
Please Let Me Know So I Can Follow You Back.



LINK UP YOUR GIVEAWAYS BELOW
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