Menu Plan Monday

Hop on over to I'm an Organizing Junkie for terrific menu plans! It really helps me stay organized when I have my meals planned for the week, and I also get to see new recipes and ideas.

This week:

Monday - Soft beef tacos (our Kroger has a tortilleria, so we get freshly made, flour tortillas). This is a favorite of the kids. Ground beef, bell pepper, cheese, and sour cream wrapped in a warm tortilla. No sides necessary.

Tuesday - pork roast, rosemary potatoes, and spinach.

Wednesday - Macaroni Grill (box mix) chicken alredo with linguine, carrots, French bread.

Thursday - Breakfast for dinner. My special cream cheese scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, and strawberries.

Friday - pizza at my daughter's band lock-in.

An easy week for me! Don't forget to enter my giveaways! Links at the top of the page.

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Caress... Before You Dress

Here are your random numbers:

8
The winner is Julie.

Remember that commercial? I've been using regular Caress soap for a long, long, time, so when the Family Review Network gave me the opportunity to try Caress Evenly Gorgeous Exfoliating Body Wash and Bars, I jumped at the chance!

Let me tell you, I LOVE THIS STUFF! The bars are so creamy, and the body wash lathers so luxuriously. They contain tiny, little beads that help to exfoliate the skin leaving you feeling ultra-smooth and soft. This is different from most exfoliating body wash or bars. They usually feel somewhat like sandpaper. Not so on this Caress!

And the smell! It rivals anything you could get from Bath and Body Works. With burnt brown sugar and karite butter, it's got what I would call an exotic fragrance, and I can't get enough of it!

Clean, even skin tone, exfoliating beads, and a fabulous scent - I just love this stuff! And, I have a pair of body bars to give to one lucky reader.

Entry Number 1 - Please leave a comment on this giveaway post.

Additional Entries - Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

*Follow my blog

*Add my blog to your RSS feed. Let me know which platform you use.

*Tweet this giveaway. Please leave the link to your tweet.

*Post this giveaway opportunity on your blog. Please leave your link in comments.

*Visit the Caress website and tell me a different new product from "The Collection" that you would like to try. Come back here and tell me what it is!

This giveaway is open to US Residents only, and you must leave an email address or have a blog on which your email address is available so I have a way to contact you if you win. This giveaway will remain open until 11:59 CST, Thursday, February 5, 2010.

"This review was done as part of a campaign for Caress (who supplied the product for review and will be sending product to the giveaway winner) through Family Review Network. All opinions are 100% mine."

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Thursday 13

There are some things we need to do, as in sooner or later, and some things we NEED to do, as in right now, before it's too late! Here are 13 things I need and NEED to do.

1. Make an appointment with the eye doctor. I have noticed my vision changing so much in the last couple of months.
2. Upload photo to Webshots so they can print photos for me (inexpensive and easier than doing it myself) and so I have them on their server in case my computer crashes in between back up sessions.
3. Get a new hairstyle. I've had the same one for about a decade. Doing my highlights would be a treat I haven't been able to afford lately. Wish my hair could look like this!

4. Read my Bible daily.
5. List some items for sale on eBay.
6. Buy some cute sandals for the summer.
7. Let my mom show me how to make her chicken and dumplings from scratch.
8. Check out the fitness center and maybe work out a little bit, too!
9. Learn to relax. Maybe learn how to meditate.
10. Clean out the closets. Time for a garage sale!
11. Organize my recipe binder.
12. Register online with my new health insurance policy.
13. File bank/savings statements and other important papers.

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One World, One Heart

This giveaway is now closed. Pumpkin is the winner! Thanks to everyone who visited me!

Hi everyone. If you're here for the "One Heart, One World" giveaway, then you're in the right place. You may even want to join me on the Magic Carpet Ride! Click over to OHOW!

This global event is organized by Lisa at A Whimsical Bohemian. It's a way to encourage bloggers to meet new online friends as well as enter some great giveaways! It began in 2007 and continues to grow by leaps and bounds every year with over 900 bloggers participating last year.

She explains the purpose of the carnival much better than I. Lisa says, "This is more than wanting to win something.......that is only the means.......in the end it's about finding kindred spirits. Someone who may be fairly new to blogging, not sure how to navigate, find others and have others find them....Some are long time bloggers and in some cases well known in the blogging community. Whatever the case it brings all of them together."

I began my blog on December 13, 2005 with this post. In another post, I talk about the fact that I am NOT forgetful! I hope you'll join me in getting to know one another.

While you're here, leave a comment on this post to enter my giveaway. I want to come visit you if I am able. I plan to get to see as many One World, One Heart posts as I can. Even if you're not participating in the event, if you have a blog, please enter my giveaway and come back and see me! Be sure to leave an email where I can reach you if you win.
No, I didn't forget to tell you what I'm giving away. I'm just creating some suspense. I have a book (yes, it's new, not used) entitled Talk to the Hand by Lynn Truss which I will send to one special commenter on this post. This giveaway ends when OWOH ends on February 15, and I will use random.org to generate the number of the winner. Have fun visiting other blogs!

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Monday Movie Meme

The Bumbles Blog hosts The Feature Presentation: Monday Movie Meme. (click the link to check it out) Today they are asking us to share on our blog the different ways we keep movie memories alive and the different platforms we use to talk about movies.

1. First of all, I use Netflix. I can rate movies, read reviews, compare movies with my sister and a few friends, and suggest movies I think they'd like. Netflix also recommends movies based on my past choices. Plus, I'm just a huge fan of Netflix (which I discussed in this post.)

2. I use IMDB if there is ever a time when I want to know if a certain actor played a certain role or any type of trivia. I can view trailers, reviews, synopses, photos from movies, and so much more. In my account, I can have a personal profile, and I am able to vote, review, or comment on other reviewers.

3. My last choice in keeping my movies alive is Yahoo Movies. Again, it is a site where you can see trailers, reviews, post comments, and have discussions about movies. You can see how well a movie is doing at the box office.

All three of these platforms allow the user to customize to what you want to see and do. If you love movies, try these out!

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Camera Critters

NASA Mallard - I took this picture at NASA last weekend. Isn't he pretty?!
Check out the other Camera Critters!

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Thursday 13

Can a scent or aroma make you happy? According to research, yes! I don't know if I completely agree, but there is evidence that your sense of smell is connected to your emotions. Here are 13 things I love to smell! I wish computers came equipped with a way to distribute scents.

Happy Heart cologne by Clinique
Beauty cologne by Elizabeth Arden (Unfortunately, it's been discontinued)
Unwind Reed Diffuser by PartyLite
Apple Cinammon Plugins by Glade
Gain detergent
Sleep Aromatherapy by Bath and Body Works
Homemade bread or rolls baking
Sweet Pea by Bath and Body Works
Strawberry Rhubarb candles by PartyLite
Brownies baking
Stargazer Lilies (I'd have to say this is my absolute favorite!)
Steak sizzling on a grill
Juniper Breeze by Bath and Body Works

What are your favorites?

Play Thursday 13 with us!

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Waterpik

I consider myself fairly good with technology. I can connect a computer, DVD player, a wireless router, an xbox. I can use my kitchen appliances (microwave, stove, oven, blender, etc.) with no difficulty. But... for some reason, I am clumsy when it comes to using a Waterpik. Not once, not twice, not three times. but more times than I can count, I have soaked myself while trying to use my new Waterpik. For some reason, I can't remember to turn it off before I take it out of my mouth. What's up with that?

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Wordless Wednesday

Forgetfulone is the Flight Director?

Uh, Oh! Houston, we have a problem! LOL

Go here for more WW!

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Oxi-Clean Sray-Away

Every family has at least one person who's always spilling something on their shirt. For us, it's my son, or sometimes me (LOL!). Tide made a product that you could keep on hand and dab on the stains, but I was never able to get it to work correctly. Now, the folks at Oxi-Clean have developed a small bottle of Sray-A-Way Instant Stain Remover, and the results are pleasing.

I used it on a spot of coke I had gotten on my shirt a week or so ago, but last night, my son gave it the ultimate test. We had tortellini with red pasta sauce, and unfortunately, quite a few splatters made it onto his WHITE shirt. After dinner, he gave me his shirt, and I just followed the directions on the label. 1) Wipe away excess stain 2) Spray on stain 3) Blot to remove 4) Repeat if necessary. Seeing as it was red sauce, I repeated!

I could barely see the spots after I had treated the shirt, and now that I have washed it, all the spots are gone. I never had much luck with the "other" product, but I will definitely keep this one around. And since it's shaped like a tube with a sprayer on one end, maybe the lid will stay on, unlike the "other" product, which was always drying out. It's not much bigger than a tube of lipstick, so it's pretty handy to carry places. This is something I can really use!

It's on sale right now for 5.99 for a two-pack if you purchase online. What a deal!

This post was sponsored by Family Review Network and Great Cleaners who provided the product for review.

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Heads or Tails

This week's Heads or Tails topic is HEADS - "pack." Click on the HoT link for more fun!

Do your kids carry backPACKs? All of mine do, and I am consistently surprised at the weight of the PACK when I pick it up to move it. There is no way I would want to carry that heavy backPACK with me every single day! In elementary school, the rolling backPACKs were great, but when they get a little older, it's just not cool (and possibly not allowed) to have those PACKs with wheels. Many kids in middle school and high school carry around the contents of their entire locker in their backPACKs. There are various reasons for this such as not having time to go to their locker before classes, needing to take the books home for homework, or simply that it's convenient to have everything with them at all times.

BUT... as parents, we need to be concerned about the weight of their backPACKs. A child or young adult should not be carrying in excess of 10-15 % of their body weight in their PACK. It may cause shoulder, neck, and back pain. Obviously, it can lead to poor posture. In addition, if the child doesn't carry the PACK properly over both shoulders, the child may start leaning to one side to compensate. Be aware of the fit of your child's backPACK as well so that straps aren't digging into his/her shoulders.

We want our children to be safe and healthy. Parents can work with school officials to find a solution to heavy backPACKs. You can find out if it is necessary for the student to take everything home every night and work out a system accordingly. Some teachers allow students to leave binders or spirals in class The school may also provide textbooks to stay home while a set stays at school eliminating the need for the student to bring textbooks home on a regular basis. (This is what my district does.) Let's keep our Kids Healthy!

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Sunday Scribblings - Extreme

The Sunday Scribblings topic last week was the word EXTREME. There was not a doubt in my mind about what I would write about when I read that word. (even though it is last week's topic and not this week's)

Extreme Makeover Home Edition was in the Kemah area (just south of Houston, and about ten minutes from where I live) last week filming a show that will air in March.

In September of 2008, Hurricane Ike ravaged the Gulf Coast. Many families lost their homes including the Beach family. This is a very special family consisting of the mom, dad, and 13 children, some of which are biological, and some of which have been adopted. Five of them are special needs children, two of whom require around the clock care. You can read the news story about them by clicking here.

In addition to these children, they have fostered over 80 children in the last 14 years. Losing their home meant they could not take in any more foster children and would have a difficult time taking care of their other children. They have been living in two travel trailers on their property for the last 17 months.

Not anymore. The team at Extreme Makeover Home Edition changed all that last week. A lucky friend of mine, Kris, who blogs at It’s My Life, was able to volunteer and watch the extreme magic as it happened. She blogged about some of her experience in case you want to read her post. I am anxiously awaiting the airing of this episode of Extreme Makeover Home Edition!

You can join in Sunday Scribblings here.

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Sunday Scrappin'

Today is Sunday Scrappin' time! Won't you join us?

This week I made a thank you card and two very basic, simple scrapbook pages (unlike last time I posted for SS with 35 completed pages. You can see them HERE.

This week, I'll be happy if I get anything done!

Hope you'll join us next week!

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Say it Forward

Say it Forward is a weekly carnival in which bloggers feature their loyal commenters. It is hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom.

This week I want to recognize Hootin' Anni! She stops by on a regular basis and leaves encouraging and/or funny comments, and I really appreciate her. Please go visit her blog and say hi. She's got a great sense of humor, and she's a fantastic artist who sometimes blogs about her sketches. Hootin' Anni, thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving comments, because isn't that what we all hope for? Comments? Anni, this is for you!

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Thursday 13

Today's Thursday 13 is brought to you by the letter M. Here are 13 "M" things I can see from the cozy comfort of my couch in the living room.

1. Mirror - hanging over the fireplace
2. Mortar - holding the fireplace bricks together
3. Mug - that my daughter made at the ceramic shop
4. Matches - to light candles with
5. Mascara - because I just bought it and haven't put it up yet
6. Monitor - on the desktop computer
7. Mail - that I don't want to open
8. Manual - for the DVR, but I probably don't need it
9. Mattress - yes, mattress. Don't ask!
10. Miniblinds - on the windows
11. Movies - in the cabinet under the TV
12. Marker - that I use to write the kids' names on their lunches
13. Me! Hahahahaha!

Next week, I promise to put more thought into my Thursday 13. Click here to visit more T13 players!

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Heads or Tails

Hop over to Heads or Tails and join us for some fun.

Today's topics are HEADS - SWEET or TAILS - SOUR.

Sweet makes me think of candy, which I will still eat because I don't make new year's resolutions! Back in April, I wrote a post about five candies that I like. I tend to enjoy sweet candy such as M&Ms, Reese's, and Sweet Tarts.

My children, on the other hand, often like sour candy, especially sour Skittles.

If you'd ever like ot meet me for Asian food, my favorite dish (besides chicken fried rice) is sweet & sour chicken.

Now, I'm really hungry!

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Camera Critters

Awwwww. Poor Kitty! She's not happy about this.

In honor of old-school SNL, I'm calling her Conehead. (at least for now)

You can visit more Camera Critters here.

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Friday Fill-ins

I haven't done a Friday Fill-ins in a while. This week's edition is a tribute to the Beatles. Visit more Friday Fill-ins participants by clicking here.

1. There are places I'd like to see but probably won't ever get to go like New York and London.
2. So the roads won't be icy in the morning, wind, please blow those clouds away.
3. Standing in the line of fire.
4. I heard the news today that our former choir director was arrested on charges of sexual harrassment, oh boy.
5. He went out tiger hunting so he could take pictures of the pretty creatures.
6. I can't keep my mind from wandering .
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to dinner out with the kids, maybe a trip to Walmart, & trying to stay warm with temps in the 20's (this is South Texas! It's not supposed to get that cold!), tomorrow my plans include doing as little as possible except maybe a scrapbook page and a trip to Academy, and Sunday, I want to go to church and relax, but I will probably end up grading papers, going to see my mom for her birthday, and helping the kids with projects due on Monday!

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Thursday Thirteen

13 Things I Loved About This Holiday Season

1. Taking my kids to Moody Gardens Festival of Lights.

2. Watching my son ice skate.

3. Seeing my kids' excitement as they opened presents.

4. Watching my cat climb the Christmas tree.

5. Experiencing the generosity of friends and family and being able to reciprocate.

6. No school, no homework, no rehearsals, no grading, no obligations.

7. Naps!

8. Decorations: not just my own, but those all around me.

9. Going to lunch and movies with friends.

10. Making a gingerbread house with my kids.

11. Some time completely alone to do nothing.

12. Scrapbooking with my sister and friends.

13. Singing Christmas carols.

What will you miss most about this past holiday season?

Visit more Thursday 13 Participants!

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