I love DIY

I love DIY (do-it-yourself) projects! I love to do them, I love to watch them on TV and I love it when I see someone else who is proud of their DIY project . There is something great about turning something ugly (or maybe just not your taste) into something GREAT and for CHEAP. It gives me goose bumps. Lame I know.

I have done many DIY projects but always forget to take the before and after pictures. Not this time... Our dining room chairs have been around for a long time. They were given to us years ago and we never did anything to spice them up. They are not great but they worked. Over time the fabric got stained and cleaned and stained again. They were an eye sore and I was tired of looking at them. I knew that all they needed were a good scrub and a new fabric cover over the top.

Living on one income I cannot just go out and buy a new dining room set because I want one, I needed to do this DIY project in order to get a "new" dining room set. I was on a mission. Instead of thinking about how great it would be to have new chairs I finally just did it! It was so easy and so cheap. I had already bought a table cloth on clearance at Target a while back for $8 and I thought how FRUGAL of me to use that instead of buying new fabric. I got out my trusty staple gun (you need one of those babies if you are a DIY kind of gal) and went to work. I measured the fabric, cut it and stapled away. Easy as pie. It took me about 30 minutes and I had brand new chairs! See if I can do it so can you ;)

Before picture :(

AFTER...LOVE IT!!

P.S. Don't judge me on the before photo, it is the one my 4 year old eats every meal at. YUCK, I know.

It's 9 am and you have maxed out your usage of the word Mom for the day!

Holy Cow! Some days my 4 year old says "Mom" or "Mom look at me" so many times in one day I want to scream! Yesterday he maxed out the word "Mom" by about 9 am. I love that kid and I love talking to him, he really does make me laugh but some days... I was extra tired and not feeling well so that did not help.
Oh dear tomorrow is another day.

I remember as a child every once in a while my Mom would declare that she was no longer going by the name Mom. She had changed her name to Penelope. As a child I never really understood why, until now.

Yoga by the Dozen DVD Review and Giveaway

Yoga is awesome and we were lucky enough to get the chance to review Yoga by the Dozen . I have been a fan of Yoga for years now but don't get to do it as much as I would like to. I love the idea of sharing Yoga with my children and wanted to find someway so that we could all do it together. Exercise is important to learn at a young age so Yoga or any form of exercise is good for everyone. Childhood obesity is a growing trend now a days and anyway to help your child get up and move around should be promoted in everyday life. Living in the great state of Washington it seems like we are indoors a lot and sometimes it is hard to feel like we get enough exercise. One good way to stay indoors and still feel like you are moving enough is with Yoga.

Yoga by the Dozen is a top selling DVD created by JoAnna Ross, an accomplished yoga teacher, dancer and fitness educator from New Jersey. What I like about Yoga by the Dozen is how really focused it was on the kids in the video, it was not just a grown up doing Yoga poses. JoAnna was great at explaining everything so that even the youngest of kids could understand. All of the kids were not always on task and that is real, they get fidgety and she was really good at shaking things up to pull them back in. Each pose was introduced and demonstrated by one of the kids which helped encourage my son to try it with them. They did everything from the Tree Pose to a Dolphin pose and many more, there are 12 poses in all. This video targets children ages 2-6.




The web site Yoga by the Dozen explains the Key Benefits of Yoga:

• Increase Cognitive & Motor skills
• Confidence, Courage and Self-Esteem
• Balance & Coordination
• Memory Retention and Concentration
• Nurture Creativity and Self Expression
• Respect for themselves and each other
• Proven therapy for kids with ADHD and Autism

We had a great time watching and learning from JoAnna and know that everyone can benefit from Yoga by the Dozen. This was a great interactive DVD that I know we will be watching often and soon be mastering all of the poses!

To Enter This Giveaway:

 Tell me if you have ever tried Yoga or plan on it?

 

 *Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address*

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*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts May 18, 2011 and ends on June 2, 2011 at midnight PST.  Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. I was provided for free the DVD for this review. The opinions are 100% mine and may vary from others.

Knock 'em Dead Secrets and Strategies For Success In An Uncertain World Book Review

Knock 'em Dead: Secrets and Strategies For Success In An Uncertain World
By Martin Yate

We all know that the old days of choosing a career and working for one employer until retirement are over. With this current and long lasting recession, with jobs lost and lives shattered, what is a job seeker to do? Reading Martin Yate's new book could be the smartest and quickest way to take charge of your job or career. Mr. Yate's up to the minute, clear, practical and doable approach to finding a job or changing your career is perfect. Advice on creating a must have killer resume and how to use the internet for job searches, networking and research are just a couple of the subjects covered in the book.

Going on a job interview soon? There are four chapters devoted to helping you "Knock 'em Dead" and land the job. Being unemployed or working in a dying industry certainly creates fear and anxiety. Today's job market is so competitive that any advantage available must be seized. Reading this book could very possibly give you the edge over other people who are applying for the same job you are. Use this book to help you on your decades long journey of employment and growth. Take control of your job search or career change with the rock solid information given here. Discover how to create the career and the life you dream about.

Released today, May 18th this book was named "Career Book of the Year" by Joyce Lain Kennedy. You can find the other books written by Martin Yate in the Knock Em Dead series here.


You can purchase this great book from Books A Million and Walmart as well as the Publishers website. Right now on the publishers website you can get free shipping with orders over $25.


* I was not paid or compensated for this post. I was sent a free copy of this book for my review by the publisher/PR company. The opinions are 100% mine and may vary from others.

Laughter Keeps Us Together

My Mother's Day card from my Husband

My husband and I will be married for 10 years in September. When I think of 10 years the first thing I think is "good grief where did the time go"! Thankfully its not "its only been that long" LOL. For us the one thing we always do is laugh. It maybe at the expense of one another if appropriate but its all in good fun! Half the time its an inside joke so people aren't sure why we are cracking up but its funny to us. We watch funny movies, stand up comedy, and if he finds a funny picture or video on the net he always shows me waiting to see how much I will laugh. On days I feel overwhelmed he always cheers me up with something that will make me crack up! I know it sounds cheesy but someone who can make you laugh really is the best quality in a spouse.

It was "just us" for over 8 years so we have had plenty of time to hang out and be a couple. Now as parents we still keep each other laughing as a way to keep our sanity. I smiled so big and laughed when I got my Mothers Day card. We love to read our cookie fortunes and compare them when we have Chinese food.When I was pregnant I could not get enough Orange Chicken! I love that he bought me a funny card and not a mushy romantic one. I have kept every card he has given me over the 10 plus years we have know each other. I love to have them and read them every now and then. I always say flowers make me sneeze, candy makes me fat but cards I can keep forever!

It Hailed In California Today!

Today it hailed like crazy for a few minutes and thundered for over an hour. Its mid May so for California here in the valley its not normal! My dog was going crazy in the back yard. I looked out there to see what she was doing then a huge rumble shook everything and it was like someone dumped a bag of ice on the whole neighborhood. Very wild! My son was watching from the doorway through the screen door with big eyes and a shocked look on his face. The dog was trying to catch the hail in her mouth while I tried to snap some pictures. I was going to have a yard sale this weekend but thankfully I waited. My freshly mowed lawn was covered in hail. The wind is still going wild out there and its cold.

Kinda hard to see it but its there!!

Softlips So You Review and Giveaway

 I have been a SoftLips fan for over 15 years now! I have a stock pile of them in my purse and closet and can never be without it. My favorite flavor is Vanilla. I am not a lipstick kinda woman so SoftLips is my go to for anytime I want shine and protection. I just recently started to use the ones with a bit of tint to feel fancied up! Two flavors I had not tried before I now love. The Mint with a hint of Vanilla and the Wildberry are great. My husband thought the Strawberry smelled nice. My son was making me laugh since he thought it was funny to sniff my lips since he seen his Mama smelling the sticks. (That silly boy thinks it hilarious to sniff stuff)

Older packaging the new ones are more sleek!

This classic product now has a new look. They are launching the So You SoftLips campaign and have tons of online activities including giveaways and info on sample events on their facebook page. They redesigned the packaging and have added some new flavors. So if you see them looking different in the stores be assured its the same awesome product it has always been! They have an organic line with great flavors, therapeutic lip conditioners with beeswax, and my favorite to get from Santa the holiday limited edition line. You can purchase multi packs online at the SoftLips website. The website takes Paypal so if you have any survey money or something saved these are great to have! They are in dual packs at stores such as Target, Ulta, Walmart and CVS.


A little bit of info about SoftLips:

"Softlips products combine effective lip protection with SPF 20 and moisturizing emollients with a sheer glossing effect, making them perfect for natural lips or for adding protection/moisturizing over or under lipstick."

GIVEAWAY:

SoftLips has offered one of our readers a set of SoftLips like the ones I reviewed.

Softlips SPF 20 flavors Cherry, Vanilla, Raspberry with green tea extract, Mint with a hint of Vanilla, Wildberry, and Strawberry.

To Enter This Giveaway:

 Tell me what flavor of SoftLips you love or would like to try?

 *Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address*

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*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts May 15, 2011 and ends on May 29, 2011 at midnight PST.  Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. I was provided for free the packs of SoftLips pictured for this review. The opinions are 100% mine and may vary from others.

I Mow in Mary Janes

My neighbors must think I am a bit weird! Anytime I mow our lawn I wear an old pair of Mary Jane shoes. I wore them for work a few years back and they were so comfy I couldn't toss them out. They are a bit beat up so I just put them to the side knowing I would need them eventually. Well now that I am trying to be more frugal and instead of paying to have the lawn done I just do it myself. I must be quiet the sight out there since I wear black socks with my Mary Janes lol. I don't want to ruin white ones with stains! It took some convincing to tell my husband it was ok to let me mow the lawns. He finally was like ok fine when I pointed out 3 other women in our neighborhood that mow their lawn too!  I oddly find it enjoyable. Its the perfect time to get brainstorming done. I must admit I do need new shoes to do it in though since they are getting pretty beat up.

I thought it was funny today when I did the lawn I made the letter "L" in the yard! Next time I will take a picture to show everyone. I use an electric lawn mower and I have deemed lawn mowing "outdoor vacuuming"!

Who does the yard work in your house? And do you have any tips for me?

Lysol Allergy-Proofing Your Home Review and Giveaway

When Spring starts most people are happy and excited for good weather. For me I dread it! I love the sunshine, the happy attitude people get and the fun to be had outdoors but I hate all the pollen and allergies that attack me! I can not go outside on really bad days but I still get the sneezing, runny nose and itchy eyes in my house. I knew it must be the dust and pollen from outside settling int he house. I tried using a wet paper towel to clean up but that just made the stuff smear onto the surfaces. Lysol has many great tips and advise on how to deal with allergies in your own home on their website for the Allergy-Proofing Your Home series.

I tried using the Lysol Disinfecting Wipes and loved them. They are easy to use, just pull out a ready single towel from the container and your ready to clean. It easily removed pollen particles, pet dander (we have a big black lab who is so furry!) and dust mite debris. I can go on forever how gross dust mites are. I worked at a place that sold vacuums when I was 14. My brother was a sales man and I was a telemarketer! Funny stories from that I will share later. I was just glad to be cleaning away all the junk that makes my allergies flare up. I started with all of our window sills since I love to let fresh air in. I noticed a big difference in the last few days after daily wiping down the windows with the Lysol Wipes. Just 10 minutes a day and its so easy to do.

Wiping down the Pollen and Dander form my windows

The Disinfectant Spray is a staple in our house. I already buy that in bulk from Sam's Club. I use it on the door handles all over the house, the garbage can and the bathroom. I know for me if there is a bit of mildew in the bathroom I get what I have deemed "the itchy stitchies" its when I get red bumps that itch like crazy after I shower. I have been using the Lysol Spray daily after I shower and there has been no mildew build up. Now all I have to do is get my husband to remember to do it too!

The one item I squealed about when I saw the commercial on TV is the Lysol No-Touch Hand Soap System. My husband laughed and said they must have made that just for you! I wash my hands often to not only not spread germs but to cut back on the pollen I get on my hands from being outside. I swear the wind blows and I get hives! This new hand soap dispenser is awesome. It looks great since it is a stainless steel look and its almost magical lol! I know this will be really handy to have for guest and for when my little guy starts to wash his own hands. Plus its a great way to not use to much soap and be wasteful since it dispenses you the perfect amount.

Here is a video from Lysol on Allergy Proofing You Home.

GIVEAWAY:

Lysol has offered one lucky reader the chance to win 3 packs of Wipes, 3 Disinfectant sprays and 1 No-Touch Soap System.

 

To Enter This Giveaway:

Tell me what is your Funniest Allergy Story?

 

Mine was on the night before my wedding! I broke out into hives from pollen and pet dander all over my body! I was crying that I was going to look horrible in the morning. I was scratching all over and my eyes were watery and getting swollen.  I looked like I was a turtle shell. I was trying to be calm and collected and my hubby to be thought I looked funny but assured me I would be ok eventually. Thankfully after a lot of lotion and some medication I was better in the morning. If I would have been using my Lysol for pollen and dander back then I am sure it would have not had that happen. Oh the things we eventually learn about how to keep a house clean!

 *Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address*

 

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If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on. 

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-Vote for us for "Were on the Fence" (left hand side of the blog, just click the button) +3

-Enter other current giveaways on our blog +1 for each entered

*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts May 14, 2011 and ends on May 28, 2011 at midnight PST.  Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. I was provided for free the 1 of each of the products pictured for this review. The opinions are 100% mine and may vary from others.

Tresemme Shampoo and Conditioner Review

Since I had my Mommy Makeover I have been trying to find a frugal way to keep it going. The shampoo and conditioner I purchased at the salon I had my hair done at was kinda expensive. Too expensive for me to buy on a regular basis. For me being frugal means still having great stuff but knowing when to look for a less expensive item when you can. Coupons too allow me to be frugal and have nice things. The salon offers sales but not coupons.

I have ran out of my salon shampoo and conditioner and needed to buy something else. I did not find the salon brand to wow me like I thought it would. I was sent some Tresemme to try from Bzz Agent. I was glad to find it worked just as good as the expensive brand I was previously using! It comes in a big bottle, which I love since small bottles means I have to go to the store more which equals gas money! They offer hair care for many types of hair. I tried the color protection since I had my hair colored. Which now needs a touch up!

Plus I often see Tresemme on sale and coupons for it. So with Tresemme I can have my hair feel soft and protect the color in my hair without spending a lot of money. That can be money to save or money I can spend on something else to splurge on like stuff for my son! I feel great when I can save money being frugal on me to have the extra money to get him nice stuff! Its a win win!

What brands of hair care have you found to be a good deal that really work?



*I am a BzzAgent and was provided the products to use for this review for free.
I was not paid or compensated for this post. The opinions in this post are 100% mine and may vary from other opinions.