Thursday, September 30, 2010

'For Colored Girls' Stills - Photo Gallery on Yahoo! Movies

'For Colored Girls' Stills - Photo Gallery on Yahoo! Movies

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THURSDAY HOP!!

I just came across another blog hop and decided to join in. For some reason or other I am usually too busy on Thursdays to blog hop, but today is a welcome exception. Time to get my hop on!! See you around the blogosphere!! Happy Thursday all!!

The Two Savvy Sisters

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Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Thirty Questions--Thirty Days Day 16--Another Recent Picture Of Yourself

If you are reading this, you're probably wondering why I posted day 16 almost immediately after I did day 15...well I am so far behind on this, I figured while I had the time, I may as well get 'em in.

A TOAST TO ANOTHER FANTASTIC DAY!!!
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Thirty Questions--Thirty Days Day 15:Put Your IPOD On Shuffle, List The First 10 Songs That Play

U Shoulda Told Me--Joe
Come Around--Joe
Bag Lady Remix--Erykah Badu
Brotha--Angie Stone
Stop the World--Maxwell
More & More--Joe
It's Me--Joe
Feel For You--Joe
Just Fine--Mary J. Blige
The Moon and the Sky--Sade

WOW!! This list tells you that I REALLY like Joe!! I do like him, but ummmm....not THAT much...time to update the list and get some more of my faves going on!! John Legend, Alicia Keys, Jill Scott, Corinne Bailey Rae..just to name a few...Welp...time to get 'er done!!! Happy Wednesday Blogosphere Folks!!

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WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

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HAVING A HOPTASTIC HUMPDAY!!!

I had such a fantastic time hopping yesterday, I thought I'd continue the trend today :) Please leave a comment and I will certainly follow you back :) I have included the linky list for this particular hop---Please be sure to follow your hostesses The Coupon Scoop and Jessica's coupons!! Happy Hump Day!!




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Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Save Ferris t shirt by Nachomamatees

Save Ferris t shirt by Nachomamatees

How awesome is this t-shirt!!! Uber-awesome!!!

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IT'S TUESDAY YA'LL!!!!!!

TUESDAY HOPS!!


I really do try to blog hop every day, but it seems that Tuesdays are the days that I can really get into it. (It's the one day out of the week when the children are gone, all at the same time in the morning, WOOHOO!!) Anywho, the following are a few hops that I participate in and I am always looking to add more. I will be starting my own hop soon, maybe a Tuesday one ☺! Be on the lookout!! Happy hopping folks!!!

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Thirty Questions--Thirty Days--Day 14--A Picture of You and Your Family

Well...this one was a bit of a challenge. I am a bit saddened to say that my family has never had a "professional" picture done. No family portraits, ever. Kinda sad right...ahh well, it was just never one of our priorities (hoping to do it this year for Christmas). I am a picture taking nut and ever since I discovered the wonder that is the digital camera, I am rarely in front of the camera (unless I am taking it myself that is). So I decided to venture into the lovely world Photoshop and create a masterpiece...okay so it's not a masterpiece, but I like it. Besides, I got to play with Photoshop which is always FUN! (I ABSOTIVELY love Photoshop!!)What we have here is a hodgepodge of pics from this past year of me with my family. I have put it on the agenda for us to actually go and get a formal picture done. Wish me luck!! ☺

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Friday, September 24, 2010

Halloween Themed Bookcover Review

Lovin'& Livin' Life Reviews blog had some marvelous giveaways during the Blogmania Fall 2010 event (9/15-9/16) and I am delighted to report that I was chosen one of the winners. I won first pick of prize #3, which was a choice of four fabric book-covers, "Made with Aloha" by the owner of LLL Reviews. I chose the Halloween themed bookcover because the fabric is cute and the design is whimsical with the dancing mummies and spiders. It's the perfect size to hold all of my mid-size YA novels, such as the Twilight series that I am reading now.


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The book-cover is hand-made and very well constructed featuring a sewn-in fabric strip bookmark (AWESOME! My favorite part!!), pockets on the front and back, and handles for easy portability. I can protect my book, have a place for notes, never lose my page, and it's super cute! How cool is that??!! Be sure to check out LLL Reviews!! Thanks LLL Reviews for an awesome giveaway!!
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***The opinions in this review are 100% my own and no compensation was received. I received the aforementioned product as a prize in a giveaway and was not asked to complete a review. This review was done of my own volition. ***
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Pump It Up Party Goodie Bag Review

Pump It Up Party Goodie bags would be a fabulous addition to any children's event. I won this goodie bag from a great review and giveaway hosted by Busy Mom of Busy Mom's Guide. After doing a bit of research on my own, I learned the bags are a part of party packages offered by Pump It Up-The Inflatable Party Zone. The toys featured in the bags are designed to get kids active and I'll tell you, it certainly worked in my house. My 11 year old son, who happily admits his love (and dislike too) for all toys, really liked the toys in this goodie bag. He took it outside and played with the toys in the park with his friends and they had a ball. All in all, this was a great goodie bag and a great win. I am happy to have been introduced to Pump It Up Party. It seems like an awesome company dedicated to keeping children happy and healthy. Thumbs up in my book!!

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***Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are 100% my own. I was not paid for this post. The Pump It Up Party Bag that I received was won in a giveaway and sent directly from the company. I am neither affiliated with nor was I compensated by Pump It Up. I was not asked to provide this review by either Busy Mom or Pump It Up.***
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Touched By Lady Luck

I just wanted to share with you all that I have been a bit of a hot streak where giveaways and contests are concerned for the last few weeks or so. In total I have won 12 giveaways or contests. To say I am happy would be an understatement. I will be reviewing the products that I've won over the next several weeks and hope to introduce you to some really cool and interesting blogs and shops. In addition to my giveaways and contests, I have also been involved in quite a few survey and reward programs that I will introduce you to as well. The incentives are fabulous and I can't wait for you all to see for yourselves. Anywho...time to get back to typing up those reviews...TTFN---Happy Friday All!!

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CVS Haul-9/23/2010



Today was a great shopping day at CVS and I even had the hubby along to watch me work my CVS magic. You see, he just doesn't understand how I can come out of there with a bag full of stuff and spend little or no cash at all. To tell the truth, even after watching me today, he still doesn't get how it works...Ah well...one day he may understand and if not, who cares, as long I GET it!! Anywho, on to my shopping:

Transaction #1
Bought (1) Revlon SuperLustrous Lipstick @ $6.99 (Get $5 ECB)
Used- $2/1 Revlon SuperLustrous Coupon (from facebook)

Bought (1) Revlon Nail Enamel @ $4.99
Used-Buy 1 Lipstick Get 1 Nail Enamel Free Coupon (9/12 SS insert)

Bought (2) Right Guard Total Defense 5 @2.49 each (Get $4 ECB)
Used-$3/2 Coupon (printable)

Bought (3) Yardley Oatmeal & Almond Soap @ $0.99 each (sale price)

Bought (1) Bag of Skittles 7.2oz @2.29

Bought (1) Caramello 1.6oz @ $0.44 (clearance)

Bought (1) L. Frances Caramel @$0.33

Used a $3/$15 purchase coupon (from email)

Used $9.99 ECB'c from last week (didn't post about that, only bought 1 item: Alive Women's Energy Vitamins @ $9.99, Used $1/1 (printable), Used $6.98 ECB's from previous week--total OOP= $2.01, Got $9.99 ECB's back)

Total OOP after ECB's, Coupons, & Tax=$0.01 (WOW)

ECB's Earned= $4 (deodorant) + $5 (lipstick)

(This was my best CVS transaction to date!!!)

Transaction #2
Bought (1) Revlon SuperLustrous Lipstick @ $6.99 (Get $5 ECB)
Used- $2/1 Revlon SuperLustrous Coupon (from facebook)

Bought (1) Revlon Nail Enamel @ $4.99
Used-Buy 1 Lipstick Get 1 Nail Enamel Free Coupon (9/12 SS insert)

Bought (1) L. Frances Caramel @$0.33

Used $5.00 ECB's from first transaction

Total OOP after ECB's, Coupons, & Tax=$0.34

ECB's earned=$5 (lipstick)

Transaction#3
Bought (1) Revlon SuperLustrous Lipstick @ $6.99 (Get $5 ECB)
Used- $2/1 Revlon SuperLustrous Coupon (from facebook)

Bought (1) Revlon Nail Enamel @ $4.99
Used-Buy 1 Lipstick Get 1 Nail Enamel Free Coupon (9/12 SS insert)

Bought (1) L. Frances Caramel @$0.33

Used $5.00 ECB's from second transaction

Total OOP after ECB's, Coupons, & Tax=$0.34

ECB's earned=$5 (lipstick)

DĆ©jĆ  vu!! You were seeing double, but it was on purpose. I had to get my 3 lipsticks and polishes in 3 seperate transactions because of the way the coupon was worded. It stated only one coupn per purchase, so I did it in three. I got the candy (my kids will love me for this)as fillers because my coupons made my price lower than my ECB's. It was a bit cumbersome, but it all worked out in the end. I got $56.80 worth of products for just $0.69!! AWESOMENESS!!!! Not only that, I also have $9.00 in ECB's for next time!! I am loving CVS!!! I can hardly wait till next week!!

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Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Thirty Questions--Thirty Days Day 13: A letter to someone who has hurt you recently

Dear_______,

My world would be so much better if I didn't know you. Life would be much more simple without the worry that is you. You epitomize despair and destruction, and yet cannot be destroyed. You cause pain wherever you go. I pray that God takes you from my life and replaces you with goodness and hope.

Forever affected,
Katrice

This letter is written to the despair, murder, and mayhem that rocks my city to it's core. Last week a young man of 15 was shot and killed not far from my home for nothing more than nonsense. The killers are all under the age of 20 and are rumored to be part of a gang. This letter is to the gangs and would-be thugs that roam our city, preying on our children. I have a daughter 18 and a son 16 that I fear for on a daily basis. They are good kids and all it takes is to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. I pray for them and for my entire city.

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Pssst....I Am A MyGetTogether Host!!!!

Don't you just love trying new products, or even trying products that you already know and love, for free, nada, nilch, zip...okay, okay, you get the gist!!! Well, I know I do and that's why I signed up for General Mills' MyGetTogether. A few short weeks later, I was chosen to host my very first party with them, The Chex Mix Snacks MyGetTogether. I can hardly wait for my party!! It will be centered around a great football game featuring my favorite team, The Pittsburgh Steelers (October 3rd-Steelers vs. Ravens, my brother's favorite team!! Guaranteed to be a "special" evening!!) Great snacks and great football, what more could you ask for?? (Season tickets I'm sure, but let's stick with reality!!)

CHECK OUT MY PARTY PACK!!
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Gettin' My Hop On!!... Tuesday Blog Hop

I have come across yet another blog hop and the hopping just won't stop, and I love it!!! Happy Hopping all!!!


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A Happily Healthy Find-Katz Gluten Free

I recently began a search concerning my family's overall eating habits. My oldest son (now 16) has always had a large amount of food allergies which we dealt with by simply avoiding the things that he is allergic to. What resulted was a very limited amount of items that were consumed in my household and subsequently a very bland grocery list. For the last 10 years, our grocery list hardly ever varied. We mainly avoided nuts, wheat, and dairy products. This kept him healthy and taught our other two children to truly watch what they eat. That worked for a long time, actually up until now. I realized after a very lengthy physical for my youngest son (11), that he is not getting enough nutrients in his diet. It seems that by limiting our diet to such a great extent, I have actually caused my son to be a bit under-nourished. I always gave them the supplements that I thought they needed, who would have thought it wasn't enough. To top things off, I find out that my son has a bowel disorder, most likely complicated by his limited diet. Can you say WOW!!?? The disorder is not serious, but we need to treat it as such so that he can become regular again. His pediatrician suggested placing him on a Gluten-free diet along with his supplements and hopefully within the next three months, we can see some positive results. I won't go into details about his condition because 11 is a very sensitive age and he would be totally mortified if I discussed "his ailment" in detail online.

Any-who...my search for Gluten-free products in my area was a bit like trying to find a needle in a haystack. (always hated that phrase, I mean really, who's sewing when they are near a haystack??) I came up with a few places, but the cost of the products was totally astronomical. I averaged the cost of the products into my weekly grocery budget and realized that I need to seek other alternatives. With the Gluten-free products added (and others substantially reduced), my grocery bill would almost triple. That is not going to fly in my house!! After this deduction I began searching online for affordable products that both taste great and won't blow my grocery bill up like an H-bomb.

As if it were fate, the very first company I came across, Katz Gluten Free, not only offered great prices, they have a *free*(you pay shipping) sample pack that allows you to try their products without committing to a large quantity. Absolute genius in my book!!

Well My sample pack arrived today and all I could say was wow! It included 4 different breads, a slice of cake, a roll, a muffin, a cupcake, cookies, and rugelech. This is probably the most amazing and generous sample pack ever. I am saving most of it for my son to try, but I absolutely had to try the chocolate cupcake. I am a complete chocoholic and the fact that this contained no dairy intrigued me to say the least (I have a very recent lactose sensitivity). Let me tell you, and this is no exaggeration, this was THE best chocolate cupcake that I have ever had in my life. I mean that! Don't take that statement lightly either. My chocolate obsession goes deep!! Also, what this means is that my oldest son can have them too. No more lack-luster dessert disappointment for him!! Even if you are not one that "needs" gluten-free products, you simply must try Katz Gluten Free.

THE PICTURES DON'T DO IT JUSTICE!!

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What makes this feel even more special for me is that just last Friday (9/17), I won a $25 GC for Katz Gluten Free over at Survey Junkie's blog. WOOT, WOOT!! Like I said in the beginning, it must be fate. I think we will be customers for a long time to come!!

**Disclaimer: The opinions in this review are 100% honest and my own. I purchased the aforementioned products with my own money and I was not asked to do this review by Katz Gluten Free or Survey Junkie. No compensation was received in any form. **

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ALL ABOARD THE TUESDAY TRAIN!!!

While hopping around the blogosphere, I came across another blog hop of interest. Be sure to check out the hosts of this blog hop, This Little Family and I'm Just Sayin'(Awesome blogs ladies!!)

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Follow Me Back Tuesday Blog Hop

It's way past time for me get back into blog hopping. My first attempt was a colossally, epic fail due to my increasing lack of focus and all around scatterbrained manner. This time around, I hope to find some new and interesting blogs to add to my daily read and regain my focus at the same time. Wish me luck!! (I think I'll need it ☺)

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This is the latest hop I decided to link up with. Be sure to check out the host blogs first because, as with all blog hops, there are rules. Hosted by: Survey Junkie, Little Yaya's, Review Retreat, and Boobies, Babies, & A Blog, with guest host for this week Traci66(congrats Traci!!) Happy Hopping all!! ☺



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Monday, September 20, 2010

Thirty Questions--Thirty Days--Day 12: How You Found Out About Blogs and Why You Made One

I am not really certain where I learned about blogs (My sister-in-law, my sister, Sex and the City). I knew they were around for a while but never tried my hand at it. There was always this voice in the back of my heading saying that blogging was too impersonal a venue for a journal. You see, that's all I thought blogging was, that is until recently. Now I know that there is so much more involved. I have read and followed blogs that touch on every aspect you can think of, with my focus right now on blogs that host giveaways. (I just love free stuff!!)
My reasons for starting a blog are simple. I have a desire to write. There is no real, concrete way to explain it all, except that I always felt compelled to put word to paper. I have kept a journal for years and this blog was meant to be an extension of that. However, while on this journey, I learned that blogging could also become a business. I am learning the ins and outs of that world slowly, but surely

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Friday, September 17, 2010

My Dream...One Of Them Anyway...Deferred

Have you ever wanted something so bad that you dream about, even when you are awake? I have. I have this recurring image of myself revving the engine of a completely mind blowing, '67 Ford Mustang. This car is the stuff that dreams are made of. I can't give you specs or anything like that (car officianado I am not), I just know that I LOVE this car!! One day I shall have it! REALLY! It will be mine and no one can tell me otherwise. I have seen it, it's been visualized and it WILL come to pass!!!!! (Did I mention, I WILL HAVE IT!!☺☺☺☺
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Thirty Questions-Thirty Days: Day 11 Another Picture Of You and Your Friends

As I stated in an earlier entry, My family are my friends, and my friends are my family, that's just the way I like it☻. These pictures are of me and those I like to call my besties!! (Ialso wanted to mention that if you wish to do this too, you can find the list of questions here→THIRTY QUESTI0NS☻☻☻



Me and My Grandmom--She was definitely one of my best friends!! I miss her♥ (11/15/38--12/7/02)
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Me and My Sister---Love her to pieces and wouldn't trade her for the world♥♥♥
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Me, My Hubby, My Mom, & My Stepdad--Roadies for life!!☺☺☺☺
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