Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Bring On The Birthday Event!


April 12th is my birthday and in celebration, I decided to host a great group of reviews and giveaways of things I love!

Starting tomorrow, April 1st, there will be great reviews and giveaways going on. So far there are 11 companies I'll be featuring, but I'm hoping to get at least one more, since 12 is my lucky number!

So keep an eye out! I've got some awesome stuff coming up that I'm really excited about and I think you will be too!

Last Chance to Enter the Plow & Hearth and Evlove Water Lily Showerhead Giveaways is TODAY!

Hurry up and enter the Plow & Hearth Outdoor Storage Box giveaway here and the Evolve Water Lily Showerhead here!


These are two great giveaways that end at 11:59 PM tonight that you DO NOT want to miss!

CleanRest and Skoy Cloth Winner!

The winner of the CleanRest bedding set is...

Comment #19 - Susan

Susan also won the Skoy Cloths giveaway with comment #2!!!


Congratulations! I know you're going to love everything!

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Today is the last day to enter the CleanRest giveaway!

Hurry up and go here to enter to win the mattress cover, boxspring cover and two pillows from CleanRest.

There are very few comments, so hurry and get your entries in for your chance to win. This is a really awesome giveaway. We love our new bedding from them!

So, GO NOW because the entry deadline is at 11:59 PM tonight!

Flings Bins Winner!

The winner of the Flings Bins giveaway is...


Comment #21 - Tabathia


Congratulations!!!

Monday, March 29, 2010

Mabel's Labels Winner!

The winner of the Customized Bin Labels from Mabel's Labels is...

Comment #20 - Kady



Congratulations, Kady! Have fun designing your labels!!!

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Combating the Commandment of Confusion - A Bibleman Live Adventure (DVD)


I had the opportunity to review a Bibleman DVD called Combating the Commandment of Confusion.

DVD Description

A dastardly villain plots to steal the armor of God.

The Commandant of Confusion and his side kick, Chaos, interrupt the Bible Adventure Training Academy and steal the Bible Team’s secret weapon, which helps them put on the full armor of God “anytime, anyplace.” There is a warning label on the secret weapon that reads in part, “this device contains the most powerful weapon known to man, follow instructions closely to prevent severe harm.” Will the Commandant heed the warning? Will the Bible Adventure Team recover it?

Scripture lesson: “God is not a God of confusion but a God of peace.” 1 Corinthians 14:33 (ICB)




Here's what I thought about it...

Honestly, I find Bibleman to be very corny, yet my kids seem to like it, so I decided I'd review Combating the Commandment of Confusion. My youngest son (who is 4) sat down to watch it one day and I could hear it from the room I was in. He was hooked a minute into the song that they sang at the beginning of the DVD. I didn't hear a peep out of him from then on. Right at the end of the DVD my middle son, (who is almost 8) came in and decided he wanted to watch it, so as soon as it ended, they started it again. My 11 year old son ended up coming in to watch it as well and pretty soon they were acting it out. The cutest thing was when I heard my almost 8 year old say "Wait, I need to say my Bible verse!" This prompted me to go in and use some of the verses they were saying on the DVD to explain how the Bible is God's Word and the Truth and how when we know the Truth, we won't be confused by the lies the devil tries to tell us. We talked about some of the different verses they referenced and what they meant and the kids really were interested. I must admit, this took me from viewing Bibleman as corny, to viewing it as a great tool that gets my kids interested and allows me to discuss things with them. It made for a great time of discussion and learning together about the Lord and I am now a serious Bibleman fan!

You can purchase this DVD at Amazon.com as well as many other locations.

Thomas Nelson provided me with a complimentary copy of this DVD for review purposes. The opinions expressed in this review are my own and were in no way persuaded by the company.

Hurry and get your entries in for the Mabel's Labels Giveaway!

The giveaway for the set of Customized Bin Labels from Mabel's Labels ends tonight, so hurry and go here to get your entries in!

GelPro Spot Mat Winner!

The winner of the GelPro Spot Mat is...

comment #131 - Jeni



Congratulations, Jeni!!!

Friday, March 26, 2010

Evolve Water Lily Showerhead Review & Giveaway



I'm a shower kinda gal, baths hold no allure for me, so when I was given the chance to review the Water Lily showerhead from Evolve I was beyond excited!



Here's a little info about the Water Lily...

...love the idea of a rain shower but worry the spray
won’t be strong enough to remove the shampoo
from your hair.

Well, worry no more. With this innovative head you’ll get
ShowerStart™ technology, and a great feeling rain pattern as well as a concentrated pulsating spray that massages your scalp while quickly removing the shampoo from your hair.

$75 yearly utility savings*
2,700 gallons yearly water savings*
11 months payback time*
*estimate





Now, if you're wondering what this whole ShowerStart technology is, read below...
* ShowerStart™ technology
save time, water & money without lowering water flow
* maximum flow rate allowable by law
* multi-function rain head
* works with standard shower arm
* ideal balance of coverage and great flow
* 3 spray patterns:
rain, massage and a combination spray
* solid brass fittings
* anti-clog nozzles




Ok, so what does all this mean? Well, I felt all proud of myself because I took down my old shower head and took off the old plumber's tape, put on the new plumber's tape and put on the new showerhead. Ok, it was seriously one of the easiest things I've ever done, but I still felt special that I installed "our awesome new showerhead". Now, let me tell you how cool this thing is. When you turn on your water and start the shower, the water won't start to come out until it's warm (unless you pull the little pull-string). This means that water isn't just running down the drain while you wait for it to get warm. Another awesome thing is that it has two different water sprays (rain shower or pulsating massage) and they are both awesome and kinda make me feel like I'm in some luxury shower somewhere instead of in my own house. Another feature I like is that it just looks waaaayyyy more modern and cool than my old showerhead. Best of all to me though is the water that it saves from just running down the drain while you wait for the water to get warm and the money that it saves you. Basically, (as they describe it) you can go green without going low flow.

The wonderful people at Evolve want to give one of my readers a Water Lily showerhead in the chrome polish finish, just like I received for review. That's a $69.95 value! How awesome!!! See below for how you can gain entries to win this awesome showerhead.

***PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION BECAUSE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS HAVE CHANGED!***

BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE ENTRY DIRECTIONS EXACTLY FOR YOUR ENTRIES TO COUNT!!!!

This contest will be open until 11:59 PM on March 31st. At that time I will use random.org to determine the winner. The winner will then be emailed and have 24 hours to respond, otherwise I will choose a new winner. This contest is open to U.S. residents.

LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENTS FOR EACH ENTRY AND LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THIS FORM - Jane (at) yahoo (dot) com


MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit Evolve and tell me another showerhead they have that you would like. (1 entry)

Extra Entries:

Follow my blog (publicly via google friend connect, located on the top sidebar) - You can use this as an entry whether you are a new follower or a current follower. (1 entry)

Subscribe to my blog via the sign-up found on the right sidebar of my blog to be sure to never miss a great giveaway! (1 entry)

Follow my blog via Networked Blogs, located on the right sidebar under google friend connect. (1 entry)

Become a fan of my Facebook page, located on the right sidebar. (1 entry)

Place my Finally Finding Me...I Think button on your blog and leave me a comment saying you did. The button is found on the right sidebar of my blog.
(1 entry)

Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and leave me the link to your post. (1 entry)


That's 7 chances to win! Good luck!




Disclosure: I received these products for free for review purposes. My opinions expressed in this review were honest and genuine and I was in no way persuaded by the company involved.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Plow & Hearth Review and Giveaway



Spring cleaning isn't just about inside your house, it's about your outside spaces too! I love all the cool stuff that Plow & Hearth has for the indoors and the outdoors and I was thrilled to get the chance to review one of their Weather-Resistant Storage Boxes. Below is the info about them and the small size is the one I reviewed...

Weather-Resistant Storage Boxes

Easy, No-Tool Assembly
Durable Storage Boxes keep your outdoor items dry and neatly stored year-round. Place a cushion on the Small or Medium box for an instant bench. Both sizes have secure, stay-dry lid. Maintenance-free resin gives you years of use. Easy, no-tool assembly.

Sizes
Small 22"L x 17"W x 24"H
Medium 41"L x 21"W x 22"H



I was very excited when it arrived on my doorstep and even more excited that I didn't need tools to put it together. The size is perfect for holding my patio chair cushions and the fact that I can put a cushion on the top as an added outdoor seat is a total bonus. I really like the simple, clean look of the storage box and since it's got the stay-dry lid, I don't have to worry about my cushions that are in it getting wet if it rains. That is so much better than bringing them in and sitting them in a pile behind my couch everyday during the summer. You could use this storage box for so many things! Outdoor toys, hoses, garden tools, pool supplies, etc. It's just such an easy way to store your outdoor things in a nice, neat container that doubles as seating. I think that's awesome!

Here are a few other great products they offer that I would love to have!





I love this storage box and am excited to have it out on my deck. Such a simple way to help clean up my outdoor space while adding something to it as well. Don't you wish you had one? Well...you can! The amazing people over at Plow & Hearth would like to give one of my readers their very own Small Weather-Resistant Storage Box, just like the one I reviewed! See below for how to get entries to win!

***PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION BECAUSE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS HAVE CHANGED!***

BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE ENTRY DIRECTIONS EXACTLY FOR YOUR ENTRIES TO COUNT!!!!

This contest will be open until 11:59 PM on March 31st. At that time I will use random.org to determine the winner. The winner will then be emailed and have 24 hours to respond, otherwise I will choose a new winner. This contest is open to U.S. residents.

LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENTS FOR EACH ENTRY AND LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THIS FORM - Jane (at) yahoo (dot) com


MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit Plow & Hearth and tell me another product they have that you would like, that I didn't mention in this review. (1 entry)

Extra Entries:

Follow my blog (publicly via google friend connect, located on the top sidebar) - You can use this as an entry whether you are a new follower or a current follower. (1 entry)

Subscribe to my blog via the sign-up found on the right sidebar of my blog to be sure to never miss a great giveaway! (1 entry)

Follow my blog via Networked Blogs, located on the right sidebar under google friend connect. (1 entry)

Become a fan of my Facebook page, located on the right sidebar. (1 entry)

Place my Finally Finding Me...I Think button on your blog and leave me a comment saying you did. The button is found on the right sidebar of my blog.
(1 entry)

Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and leave me the link to your post. (1 entry)


That's 7 chances to win! Good luck!




Disclosure: I received these products for free for review purposes. My opinions expressed in this review were honest and genuine and I was in no way persuaded by the company involved.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

SKOY Cloths Review & Giveaway

I was lucky enough to be given the chance to review a really cool cleaning product called the SKOY cloth. What is a SKOY cloth, you ask? Well here's how they describe it on their website...

"The SKOY cloth is a fabulous, absorbent, biodegradable and natural multi-use cloth. Our re-usable earth friendly cloth is perfect in your kitchen, bathroom, and on most surface areas in your home or office. SKOY cloth can be used in place of your sponge, wash cloth or paper towels.

It is a European made product and 100% biodegradable because it is made from a natural cotton and wood-based cellulose pulp. SKOY cloth is a chlorine-free product using water-based colors and inks. After an independent composting test, SKOY cloth broke down completely within 5 weeks.

The SKOY cloth is a durable product due to the reusability factor and can last months. Using a SKOY cloth is equivalent to using 15 rolls of paper towels in an average home. With the high cost of paper towels, as much as $2 per roll, SKOY cloth is the obvious choice for your wallet and the environment.

The SKOY cloth has an absorption factor of 15x its own weight. As a result, producing the most superior cloth product available. Imagine using 15 sheets of good-quality paper towels at once… This is how a wet SKOY cloth will feel in your hand.

The SKOY cloth is long-lasting because of the wash ability feature. It dries quickly, so it is not a breeding ground for bacteria. Have you ever used your sponge, then smelled your hand and it reeked of horrible bacteria? That will never happen again if you microwave your SKOY cloth regularly. It is also dishwasher and washer/dryer safe. Cleaning your SKOY cloth will keep it healthy and germ-free. Please see Use & Care for instructions.

The cool and unique designs will make cleaning fun!"



Being the dork that I am, I get excited about cleaning products. Now, that is not to say that I like cleaning (as you all know) but I still get excited about cleaning products. The initial thing that I got excited about with the SKOY cloths were the fun colors they came in. I was sent a 4 pack of mixed colors with flowers on them. I mean seriously, a cleaning cloth that is cute too? I can dig that. I was also intrigued by the amount of water these little guys can suck up and the idea of being able to wash it in the dishwasher and putting it into the microwave to kill bacteria. Now that's kinda cool in a weird sorta way.

I think the SKOY cloth works great and the idea that using one of them is equivalent to using 15 rolls of paper towel is incentive enough to want to get as much use out of one of these little cloths as I can!

Well, the people over at SKOY would like to offer 2 of my readers their own packs of SKOY cloths! See below for how to gain entries into this giveaway.


***PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION BECAUSE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS HAVE CHANGED!***

BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE ENTRY DIRECTIONS EXACTLY FOR YOUR ENTRIES TO COUNT!!!!

This contest will be open until 11:59 PM on March 30th. At that time I will use random.org to determine the winners. The winnesr will then be emailed and have 24 hours to respond, otherwise I will choose new winners. This contest is open to U.S. residents.

LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENTS FOR EACH ENTRY AND LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THIS FORM - Jane (at) yahoo (dot) com


MANDATORY ENTRY: Tell me the first thing you would clean with your SKOY Cloths.
(1 entry)

Extra Entries:

Follow my blog (publicly via google friend connect, located on the top sidebar) - You can use this as an entry whether you are a new follower or a current follower. (1 entry)

Subscribe to my blog via the sign-up found on the right sidebar of my blog to be sure to never miss a great giveaway! (1 entry)

Follow my blog via Networked Blogs, located on the right sidebar under google friend connect. (1 entry)

Become a fan of my Facebook page, located on the right sidebar. (1 entry)

Place my Finally Finding Me...I Think button on your blog and leave me a comment saying you did. The button is found on the right sidebar of my blog.
(1 entry)

Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and leave me the link to your post. (1 entry)


That's 7 chances to win! Good luck!



Disclosure: I received these products for free for review purposes. My opinions expressed in this review were honest and genuine and I was in no way persuaded by the company involved.

Mayfair Lane - Happeez Review



If you're like me, your fridge is cluttered with important papers, kids' artwork, pictures and other random stuff. I find myself not having enough magnets to hold onto all that stuff, but what I do like is the clip magnets you can buy so that you can stick a few important papers together in a clip and not have them taking up your whole fridge door.

Mayfair Lane is a cool company that has super cute clip magnets as well as tons of other great products. They have a Happeez line that makes these clips and other products that work well on stainless steel, mirrors, etc.

I was sent one of the Happeez Clippers and a Happeez List Pad for review. The designs are nice (they offer a ton of different ones). See how cool they are...




I was thinking that this Clippers would have been perfect to put on the mirror in my newly decorated main bath to put a little note in each morning for the boys to see when they get up. Isn't that a cool idea?


They also have these great little Mini Photo Frames to make the pictures you put on your fridge look nice and neat, so I think those are cool too.



Mayfair Lane has a lot of great products to offer that will help de-clutter your fridge or give you the option of placing clips, notepads and other things on surfaces you aren't able to with regular magnetic products.

You should definitely check them out and see all the great products they have to offer!



Disclosure: I received these products for free for review purposes. My opinions expressed in this review were honest and genuine and I was in no way persuaded by the company involved.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

CleanRest Review & Giveaway



You know what creeps me out? The thought of dust mites and icky stuff in my bed. It's just gross! Well, CleanRest wants to eliminate all that creepiness and were kind enough to send me 1 mattress encasement, 1 box spring encasement and 2 stuffed pillows for review.




Their products are made with MicroOne technology and here's what that means...

MicronOne® is a revolutionary new fabric that blocks even the tiniest allergens and microtoxins.

Allergen Barrier
Maximum protection against dust mites, mold, pet dander and other allergens that occur naturally in every home.

Water Resistant
Prevents staining and contamination from liquids.

Breathable Comfort
Breathes naturally like your very own skin.

Washable
Durable and machine washable.



That all sounds pretty good, right? It sounds even better when you consider I read that "the average pillow can gain up to two pounds in weight over a few years from all of the nasty things that occur naturally in your home." Excuse me for a minute while I vomit! That is so gross!

So, needless to say, I was very excited about getting the pillows. I wasn't sure if I'd like them or not because of how squishy they were, but I have actually had some of my most restful nights of sleep since I got them. Coincidence? Maybe. But in any case, they haven't been uncomfortable like I thought they would be. Another cool thing is that the mattress encasement fits on my pillow-top mattress. I thought that was great because a lot of times even sheets and stuff don't stay on it well. It even goes over the mattress pad, so that stays on better too! I just wish I had had this when we first got our mattress because it would have saved it from the sweat stains (go ahead and say it's gross, but I bet they're on your mattress too, it is gross though LOL).

I think these are great products and I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want them on their bed. You totally want them now, don't you? Well, this could be your lucky day because CleanRest would like to give one of my readers a bedding set like I received for this review, in your choice of size! Now that is awesome! See below for how to enter...

***PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION BECAUSE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS HAVE CHANGED!***

BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE ENTRY DIRECTIONS EXACTLY FOR YOUR ENTRIES TO COUNT!!!!

This contest will be open until 11:59 PM on March 30th. At that time I will use random.org to determine the winner. The winner will then be emailed and have 24 hours to respond, otherwise I will choose new winner. This contest is open to U.S. residents.

LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENTS FOR EACH ENTRY AND LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THIS FORM - Jane (at) yahoo (dot) com


MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit CleanRest and tell me something about their products that I didn't mention in this review. (1 entry)

Extra Entries:

Follow my blog (publicly via google friend connect, located on the top sidebar) - You can use this as an entry whether you are a new follower or a current follower. (1 entry)

Subscribe to my blog via the sign-up found on the right sidebar of my blog to be sure to never miss a great giveaway! (1 entry)

Follow my blog via Networked Blogs, located on the right sidebar under google friend connect. (1 entry)

Become a fan of my Facebook page, located on the right sidebar. (1 entry)

Become a fan of the Protect Your Sleep page on Facebook. (1 entry)

Place my Finally Finding Me...I Think button on your blog and leave me a comment saying you did. The button is found on the right sidebar of my blog.
(1 entry)

Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and leave me the link to your post. (1 entry)


That's 8 chances to win! Good luck!



Disclosure: I received these products for free for review purposes. My opinions expressed in this review were honest and genuine and I was in no way persuaded by the company involved.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Spring Cleaning - Master Bath


Join in the Spring Cleaning fun at Beautiful2God!



So, this week is the master bath. I don't have a ton to do in there, but I find this to be a perfect time to rant about the things about my master bath that I detest.

The first thing about my master bath that makes me want to scream is the ugly gold tub and counter top. Fortunately, the ugly gold toilet stopped working last year and we got a nice modern white one, so that was a huge improvement. Our plan is to rip out the tub and put in a nice corner shower and a linen closet (since there is no where to put towels and washcloths, thus the shelf/rack thing that takes up half the bathroom). Until then though, I must deal with the ugly gold tub and big sliding glass shower doors. The second thing that seriously irritates me about the master bath is that it is carpeted! Who in the heck carpets bathrooms or kitchens? That has to be one of the dumbest ideas ever! So, when we tear out the tub, we will also be tearing out the carpet and putting in tile. I'm not sure when that whole thing will take place because we don't have the extra money for it right now, but eventually it will happen. Until then though, I just want to make that bathroom look the best that I can.

So, here's what my plans are for the week. I am going to thoroughly scrub down my shower/tub and the glass doors. I'm going to re-caulk around the bathtub, I'm going to install my new shower head (you'll hear about that in the review/giveaway I'll be doing this weekend). I'm going to buy and install a new light fixture (goodbye to the ugly gold vanity light). I'm going to wipe down the walls, glue a couple little places where my border is peeling up, wash the rug, vacuum, clean the carpet and clean out under the sink. And of course, clean the toilet.

Here are my "before" pictures. See ya on Friday with the "after" pictures. ;-)

A view into my master bath from my bedroom.


Another view into my master bath from my bedroom. See the pretty gold tub and sliding glass shower doors?


Just another view of some of the stuff that's in my master bath.


A view from inside the tub, out toward the door leading to my master bedroom.


The mess under the sink in my master bath (kinda looks like the "before" in my main bath, doesn't it?). I plan on using some of the space that was made in my main bath linen closet to hold a lot of this stuff.



Flings Bins Review & Giveaway



Spring is here and Summer is on it's way, that means parties, picnics, camping, etc. and I can't wait!

I found the coolest thing to help with clean-up when you're having those parties and picnics this summer that I think you'll be excited to hear about too! They are called Flings Bins and they are compact trash and recycling containers that you can take anywhere! When you get them, they are flat and you just pop them open and start filling them! They are 13 gallon size and come in a variety of designs, so there's something perfect for every event! I chose the Celebration and BBQ designs.




What I'm really excited about about these is that I think they are going to be absolutely perfect for when we go camping! There isn't a ton of room in the motorhome that we borrow from Brian's aunt, so not having to have an actual garbage can that we have to transport in there will be cool. I tested it out and I can actually hook a regular garbage bag inside the Flings Bin and have that sit outside the motorhome for our garbage and keep switching out the garbage bags and then at the end of our trip just tie up the actual Flings Bin and throw it all away. Seriously, I'm a dork to say this, but I'm excited about it!

I think Flings Bins are a great idea and am excited that the company would like to offer some bins to one of my readers as well! One of you will receive a 2 pack of each of the designs that I reviewed (Celebration and BBQ). How cool is that?! So see below for how to get your entries in and be ready for all those upcoming parties and picnics!

***PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION BECAUSE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS HAVE CHANGED!***

BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE ENTRY DIRECTIONS EXACTLY FOR YOUR ENTRIES TO COUNT!!!!

This contest will be open until 11:59 PM on March 29th. At that time I will use random.org to determine the winners. The winnesr will then be emailed and have 24 hours to respond, otherwise I will choose new winners. This contest is open to U.S. residents.

LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENTS FOR EACH ENTRY AND LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THIS FORM - Jane (at) yahoo (dot) com


MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit Flings Bins and tell me a design, other than the ones I reviewed, that you like. (1 entry)

Extra Entries:

Follow my blog (publicly via google friend connect, located on the top sidebar) - You can use this as an entry whether you are a new follower or a current follower. (1 entry)

Subscribe to my blog via the sign-up found on the right sidebar of my blog to be sure to never miss a great giveaway! (1 entry)

Follow my blog via Networked Blogs, located on the right sidebar under google friend connect. (1 entry)

Become a fan of my Facebook page, located on the right sidebar. (1 entry)

Become a fan of the Flings Bins Facebook page (1 entry)

Place my Finally Finding Me...I Think button on your blog and leave me a comment saying you did. The button is found on the right sidebar of my blog.
(1 entry)

Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and leave me the link to your post. (1 entry)


That's 8 chances to win! Good luck!



Disclosure: I received these products for free for review purposes. My opinions expressed in this review were honest and genuine and I was in no way persuaded by the company involved.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Mabel's Labels Review

Organization...something I'm seriously lacking. Well, lately I've really been motivated to get organized and when Brian and I were trying to decide what we want to do to get our garage in order, he came up with a great plan.

Instead of having several boxes that we write on and then scratch off and re-write on and that you can't see into, we decided to get all plastic bins (we have quite a few already, so we should be able to get away with just buying a few more) and label them with a number. Then, we will have a notebook with each number and what is in the bin with that number. What will make that really great is that when I'm looking for something in particular, I can just look in the notebook to see what number it is and then go grab the bin with that number on it. Then, if we end up switching the stuff in that bin, the bin can just keep the same number and we'll just write the new contents in the notebook. Pretty good idea he had, isn't it?!

Well, I found this great company called Mabel's Labels that I thought would really help us out with that idea. They have labels of every shape and size for whatever you're looking for labels for and when I saw they had bin labels, I was excited! I got the navy bin labels (because I thought they would be easiest to see) and they come in a pack of 30, so I got them numbered 1-30 (you can put whatever text on them you want or need). I received them the other day and I must admit that I wish they were bigger. The picture on the bin label page shows them being much larger, so that was what I was picturing (of course if I had looked at the measurements they have written, I would have known they were smaller). No biggie, but I think bigger would be better because it would make them even easier to see when they are up on a shelf. Something really cool about them is that they are waterproof, so they won't smear and become unreadable if they get a little wet somehow. Here's a picture, but remember they are 2 & 11/16" x 1 & 1/16", not as big as the picture shows.



Besides the Bin Labels, they have tons of other cool types of labels too. Here are a few of my favorites...

They have these great Bag Tags.


Aren't these Clothing Labels cool?


I think these Curbside Labels are the coolest!



So, as you can see, Mabel's Labels has lots of great products to offer to help you get organized and keep you from losing your stuff (well, at least give people a way to know whose it is so you can get it back, right?). Their customer service is awesome and the shipping was fast.

The awesome people over at Mabel's Labels would like to help one of my readers with their spring cleaning organization by offering a set of bin labels that you can customize to fit your needs! See below for how to gain entries.

***PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION BECAUSE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS HAVE CHANGED!***

BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE ENTRY DIRECTIONS EXACTLY FOR YOUR ENTRIES TO COUNT!!!!

This contest will be open until 11:59 PM on March 28th. At that time I will use random.org to determine the winners. The winnesr will then be emailed and have 24 hours to respond, otherwise I will choose new winners. This contest is open to U.S. and Canadian residents.

LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENTS FOR EACH ENTRY AND LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THIS FORM - Jane (at) yahoo (dot) com


MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit Mabel's Labels and tell me another product they have that you would like, that I didn't mention in this review. (1 entry)

Extra Entries:

Follow my blog (publicly via google friend connect, located on the top sidebar) - You can use this as an entry whether you are a new follower or a current follower. (1 entry)

Subscribe to my blog via the sign-up found on the right sidebar of my blog to be sure to never miss a great giveaway! (1 entry)

Follow my blog via Networked Blogs, located on the right sidebar under google friend connect. (1 entry)

Become a fan of my Facebook page, located on the right sidebar. (1 entry)

Place my Finally Finding Me...I Think button on your blog and leave me a comment saying you did. The button is found on the right sidebar of my blog.
(1 entry)

Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and leave me the link to your post. (1 entry)


That's 7 chances to win! Good luck!




Disclosure: I received these products for free for review purposes. My opinions expressed in this review were honest and genuine and I was in no way persuaded by the company involved.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Spring Cleaning - Master Bedroom ~ Part 2


Join in the fun at Beautiful2God.


Finally, here it is! I cannot tell you how good it feels to walk into my bedroom and see what I see now. When I woke up this morning, I couldn't help but smile to see my room looking the way it does. It is downright sad that I let it get looking the way I did, but after all of this work, I WILL NOT let it look like that again.

Here's a little rundown of what I did in my room this week. I pulled everything out from under the bed, dusted things off, threw things away and vacuumed under there. I wiped down the walls, dusted the surfaces of everything, cleaned all the glass in the room and vacuumed the floor. I cleaned my ceiling fan. I washed my bedding, washed my curtains and painted the wood trim around my windows that still needed to be painted from when we got our new windows put in almost 3 years ago (sad, I know). Probably my favorite part was hanging up the "Always Kiss Me Goodnight" sign above my bed that I've had for over a year and never got up. That might not sound like all that much work, but if you knew the amount of stuff that was actually in that room that I had to find places for (I also threw away a lot of stuff and also put things in bags and boxes for the big garage sale coming up at church) you would understand what a huge job it really was.

Needless to say, I am completely relieved to have my room finally in the condition it should be in. I do still want to clean my carpet and go through my closet, but since my master bathroom (next week's space) shouldn't take me more than a couple hours, I plan to clean the bedroom carpet and closet then.

So, without further ado, here are the before and after pictures of my master bedroom...

View from hallway into bedroom. BEFORE


View from hallway into bedroom. AFTER




View from master bath doorway into bedroom. BEFORE


View from master bath doorway into bedroom. AFTER




View toward hallway and master bath. BEFORE


View toward hallway and master bath. AFTER



Just a picture of my bed and my sign that I finally got put up!




Isn't it a million times better than it was?! I seriously am so excited. I asked my husband if he thought it would be obnoxious if I just rolled around on the floor and he laughed and said it made him want to do the same since we finally had enough space on the floor where you actually could!

Spring Cleaning Event ~ GelPro Review & Giveaway



I would like to introduce you to a wonderful company named GelPro. They sent me one of their 20" X 36" mats (I chose the Basketweave mat in Truffle) for review and I can't say enough good things about it. I put that puppy right in front of my kitchen counter where I stand when I am prepping food and it is wonderful!


My back and feet always kill me when I'm standing there for long periods of time and I notice a huge difference when I'm standing on the GelPro mat. Asher always goes and lays on it because he says it's "comfy". I agree though, it really is! The size they sent me for review is perfect for the area that I need it in most, but they come in several different sizes. They don't just have mats either, they also have placemats and chair cushions (I bet those are some seriously comfy cushions). They also have several different fabrics and colors, so you're sure to be able to find something to match your decor.

All in all, I think they are awesome. I'm not gonna lie, they are a little pricey, but if you're someone who stands in one area for long periods of time and experiences the feet and back pain that I know I do, it really does make a huge difference and makes the price a little easier to swallow. Also, if you purchase a Designer Size Mat during the month of March, you get a Spot Mat for FREE!


The people over at GelPro would like to offer one of my readers one of their Spot Mats (an 18" X 24" mat) in the fabric and color of your choice! That's a $69.95 - $89.95 value! Now that is awesome! See below for how to gain entries to win your very own GelPro Spot Mat!

***PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION BECAUSE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS HAVE CHANGED!***

BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE ENTRY DIRECTIONS EXACTLY FOR YOUR ENTRIES TO COUNT!!!!

This contest will be open until 11:59 PM on March 27th. At that time I will use random.org to determine the winner. The winner will then be emailed and have 24 hours to respond, otherwise I will choose a new winner. This contest is open to U.S. residents.

LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENTS FOR EACH ENTRY AND LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THIS FORM - Jane (at) yahoo (dot) com


MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit GelPro and tell me the fabric and color you would choose if you were to win the Spot Mat. (1 entry)

Extra Entries:

Sign up for the GelPro Mailing List to receive special offers and product news. (1 entry)

Follow my blog (publicly via google friend connect, located on the top sidebar) - You can use this as an entry whether you are a new follower or a current follower. (1 entry)

Subscribe to my blog via the sign-up found on the right sidebar of my blog to be sure to never miss a great giveaway! (1 entry)

Follow my blog via Networked Blogs, located on the right sidebar under google friend connect. (1 entry)

Become a fan of my Facebook page, located on the right sidebar. (1 entry)

Place my Finally Finding Me...I Think button on your blog and leave me a comment saying you did. The button is found on the right sidebar of my blog.
(1 entry)

Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and leave me the link to your post. (1 entry)


That's 8 chances to win! Good luck!

Disclosure: I received these products for free for review purposes. My opinions expressed in this review were honest and genuine and I was in no way persuaded by the company involved.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Hurry and get your entries in. Rock 'N Learn Giveaway Ends Tonight!


If you haven't entered to win one of the Rock 'N Learn DVDs (Letter Sounds or Division Rap) yet, hurry and go here to enter because the giveaway ends tonight!

Good luck!

Guess What's Coming???


Spring!!! That's right, spring officially starts tomorrow and I thought that made for a great opportunity for a new review and giveaway event!

In the spirit of spring cleaning, I decided to feature companies who make products that will help you get your home refreshed and ready for the nice weather!

So, starting tomorrow, it will be a week filled with great products and giveaways that you don't want to miss! Be sure to check back each day to see what the newest product and giveaway is. You can subscribe to my blog by email (found on the right sidebar) so that you never miss a giveaway.

See you tomorrow for our first Spring Cleaning Event giveaway!!!

Start Here by Alex & Brett Harris



I had the opportunity to review a great book by Alex and Brett Harris. If the names sound familiar, it's because they are the twin brothers who came out with Do Hard Things, a book that encourages teens to break out of the stereotypical teen expectations and do so much more. Well, this book is the next step in that journey and is about "doing hard things right where you are".

This book is geared toward teens, but my teenage years were quite a while ago and I still found the book to be inspiring and motivating. The book makes you realize that "hard things" aren't necessarily big things, but are anything you do for the glory of God by stepping outside of what you're used to. The book was a very easy read that flowed easily and kept me interested the whole way through. They ended the book with 100 hard things that other teens have done and that you can do too and I think that's awesome. I co-lead a girl's urban youth ministry and I think this book and it's ideas will be great for sharing with those girls as well as for sharing with my sons as they get a little older (although, planting the seeds starts now). I just think it's a great book and that if you're a parent of teens or work with teens, you should definitely get it and Do Hard Things into the hands of the teens you love and want to see live lives that glorify the Lord.

You can find out where to buy this book at Random House

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

I'm Healed!

Ok, so maybe that was a little dramatic, but I really do feel 100 times better today than I did yesterday. The weather here was absolutely gorgeous today and I was able to get out and get a 2.83 mile run in and burn 446 calories. Yeah buddy! Now that's what I'm talking about!

You should have seen all the people out running, walking with strollers, walking their dogs, etc. I even got to have a quick little visit with one of my wonderful friends who was out walking with her kids. It was just an awesome day to be outside.

My favorite part about my run was just being outside enjoying the weather and praising God for his beautiful creation and for a body that is able to be active. I am so blessed. See, I told you that running was therapeutic to me. I can't wait to get out again tomorrow!

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Aaaaahhhhhh!

In case you couldn't figure it out, that's me screaming. I'm so irritated right now with how busy life is. I got my new running shoes last week, we are having gorgeous weather and I don't have any time to get out and run. Why does there always have to be so much going on? I have a couple friends that I have been trying to get together with and I don't have an open night to do it and that's making me crazy too! Hey life, can ya hear me? Slow down, would ya?!

I'm sorry, but I just needed to rant for a moment. I mean, you know it's bad when you have an hour long massage and you're actually irritated that you have to leave the house to go to it. Yes, it seriously is that bad. That is how sick I am of being gone from home all the time.

Fortunately, besides taking the boys to and from school tomorrow, the only other thing going on is that Gavin has guitar lessons. Brian will take him to that (thankfully), so hopefully I can get a run in after school and before lessons. If I don't get to, I may just cry or scream or do something else irrational.

Ok, breathe in and breathe out...I WILL figure out a way to make this all work. At least I'm going to try my hardest to. My physical, emotional and mental health depend on it. I NEED to not have to go somewhere every single day of the week and I NEED to get out and run because it's very therapeutic to me.

Pray for me girls or I just may go insane.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Green Toys Review



There is a great company that is not only thinking of the environment, but of your kids' safety as well! They are called Green Toys and their toys are made out of recycled plastic and other environmentally friendly materials. What a great idea, right?! Who can't feel good about purchasing toys for their child that are made out of materials that are safe for their children and that make good use of recyclables?

I knew when I saw the Recycling Truck that it would be a huge hit with Asher. Not only is it cute, but it was chosen as Disney's FamilyFun Toy of the year!!! I was right about it being a hit too. He was such a good boy one day as I drug him from store to store looking for stuff to re-decorate my main bath and since the truck had been delivered the day before, I decided to give it to him to reward him for his great behavior. The kid was thrilled! We got it out of the box and he checked it all out, noticing that the back door opens and you can lift the back and dump stuff out of it. He quickly ran and got some of his "guys" and put them in the back and started driving them around and dumping them out. He even took it with him in the van when we went to pick the boys up from school. It has become a great addition to his group of toys that he plays with regularly.

I am very happy with the construction of the truck. It is sturdy and will be great to play with outside. Perfect for little boys (and girls too, of course).


That's not all they have to offer though. They also have other great toys like the ones below.






So, if you're looking for a toy that you feel good about giving, check out Green Toys!



Disclosure: I received these products for free for review purposes. My opinions expressed in this review were honest and genuine and I was in no way persuaded by the company involved.