I'm up to my eyeballs in stuff. I'll see you all next week sometime, k?
Merry Christmas to all....
And to all, a good night.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Merry Christmas
I'm up to my eyeballs in stuff. I'll see you all next week sometime, k?
Merry Christmas to all....
And to all, a good night.
Mrs. Butterworths Review and Give Away
I was asked to try the Mrs. Butterworth's Syrup in the Limited Edition Holiday Bottle. It is so cute! Mrs. Butterworth is all dressed up! It sure beats that yellow apron she usually sports with her plain brown bottle. Not that there is anything wrong with her brown bottle, mind you.
Needless to say, we had a snow day and we ate pancakes and syrup for breakfast. The kids and I enjoyed the syrup very much! (We enjoyed them so much, that we forgot to take a picture!) It was nice and thick and buttery tasting. Just like I remember from when I was a kid and Mrs. Butterworth graced my breakfast table.
These bottles are collectible and only available for a limited time. If you happen to like Mrs. B and her new dress, you can win a bottle here! Just leave me a comment by December 27th.
This post was written for Family Review Network & Pinnacle Food Groups who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest opinions.
These bottles are collectible and only available for a limited time. If you happen to like Mrs. B and her new dress, you can win a bottle here! Just leave me a comment by December 27th.
This post was written for Family Review Network & Pinnacle Food Groups who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest opinions.
Pledge Review and Give Away
I was asked to review Pledge Lemon Clean.
I love the lemon scent of Pledge. It brings back memories of home -- my mother dusted with Pledge and so did my grandmother. There are actually two websites you can peruse that will tell you about Pledge - The regular Pledge.com site and this one: Mom it Forward. Check them both out. You'll be glad you did. I happen to really like the Mom it Forward site because it has interesting articles about family, school, and parenting.
The box arrived and this is what they sent:
I got a basket with a new red dishtowel, some photo coasters, a deck of cards and the Pledge. The coasters and the deck of cards are so we can sit around and play games with all the time we save using the pledge! The basket is for the pretzels we'll eat while we play the games and the dishtowel is to make my kitchen look festive. I love this little basket!!
Anyway, I had a party the other night, so this little gem arrived in the nick of time! I cleaned my fireplace surround with it. I cleaned my piano with it. I cleaned my wood furniture pieces with it. I even cleaned my TV with it. I will admit that I didn't clean the TV screen with it. I cleaned and dusted and I have to say, I'm impressed. I cleaned it all and only had to use one cleaner. It saved me a ton of time!!
I like how it cleaned everything and left that yummy lemon scent in the air.
The company says:
I love the lemon scent of Pledge. It brings back memories of home -- my mother dusted with Pledge and so did my grandmother. There are actually two websites you can peruse that will tell you about Pledge - The regular Pledge.com site and this one: Mom it Forward. Check them both out. You'll be glad you did. I happen to really like the Mom it Forward site because it has interesting articles about family, school, and parenting.
The box arrived and this is what they sent:
I got a basket with a new red dishtowel, some photo coasters, a deck of cards and the Pledge. The coasters and the deck of cards are so we can sit around and play games with all the time we save using the pledge! The basket is for the pretzels we'll eat while we play the games and the dishtowel is to make my kitchen look festive. I love this little basket!!
Anyway, I had a party the other night, so this little gem arrived in the nick of time! I cleaned my fireplace surround with it. I cleaned my piano with it. I cleaned my wood furniture pieces with it. I even cleaned my TV with it. I will admit that I didn't clean the TV screen with it. I cleaned and dusted and I have to say, I'm impressed. I cleaned it all and only had to use one cleaner. It saved me a ton of time!!
I like how it cleaned everything and left that yummy lemon scent in the air.
The company says:
About Pledge®:
This holiday season Pledge® is empowering moms to put a new twist on their family’s tried and true traditions. One easy way to do that is to make all areas of your home shine. That’s right – that trusted yellow can under your kitchen sink can be used to dust, shine and protect a variety of household surfaces:
- Leather
- Stainless Steel
- Granite
- Marble
- Laminate
- Wood
Leave me a comment before January 1st!
This post was written for Family Review Network & Pledge who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest review
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Pure Silk
When I was first asked to review Pure Silk, it was a lot warmer out and I was still wearing capris. Well, the Pure Silk arrived at my doorstep a few days ago... It is cold out and to be honest, shaving my legs in the winter is not something I worry about like I do in the summer months.
Fortunately for, you, my dear reader, and my family, I decided to try this stuff out. It is WONDERFUL!! It feels nice when you put it on. It feels nice when you shave. My legs felt smooth and silky after I finished. And I have to say, it smells nice, too!
When I was finished, I passed it on to LLB to try. She is on the swim team and her legs have been getting very dry and flaky lately. She was just as impressed as I was. She said her legs felt moisturized when she was done. AND she said that they stayed smooth and silky all day -- even after her time in the pool. Now THAT's sayin' somethin!!
So - if you've got dry hairy legs - this is your solution! Try Pure Silk. You'll be glad you did.
This post was written for Family Review Network & Pure Silk who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest review
Fortunately for, you, my dear reader, and my family, I decided to try this stuff out. It is WONDERFUL!! It feels nice when you put it on. It feels nice when you shave. My legs felt smooth and silky after I finished. And I have to say, it smells nice, too!
When I was finished, I passed it on to LLB to try. She is on the swim team and her legs have been getting very dry and flaky lately. She was just as impressed as I was. She said her legs felt moisturized when she was done. AND she said that they stayed smooth and silky all day -- even after her time in the pool. Now THAT's sayin' somethin!!
So - if you've got dry hairy legs - this is your solution! Try Pure Silk. You'll be glad you did.
This post was written for Family Review Network & Pure Silk who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest review
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Pecans in the Cemetary
On the outskirts of a small town, there was a big, old pecan tree just inside the cemetery fence. One day, two boys filled up a bucketful of nuts and sat down by the tree, out of sight, and began dividing the nuts.
'One for you, one for me One for you, one for me,' said one boy.
Several dropped and rolled down toward the fence.
Another boy came riding along the road on his bicycle. As he passed, he thought he heard voices from inside the cemetery. He slowed down to investigate.. Sure enough, he heard, 'One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me.'
He just knew what it was. He jumped back on his bike and rode off.
Just around the bend he met an old man with a cane, hobbling along.
'Come here quick,' said the boy, 'you won't believe what I heard! Satan and the Lord are down at the cemetery dividing up the souls.'
The man said, 'Beat it kid, can't you see it's hard for me to walk.' When the boy insisted though, the man hobbled slowly to the cemetery.
Standing by the fence they heard, 'One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me.
The old man whispered, 'Boy, you've been tellin' me the truth. Let's see if we can see the Lord.'
Shaking with fear, they peered through the fence, yet were still unable to see anything. The old man and the boy gripped the wrought iron bars of the fence tighter and tighter as they tried to get a glimpse of the Lord.
At last they heard, 'One for you, one for me. That's all. Now let's go get those nuts by the fence and we'll be done.'
They say the old man made it back to town a full 5 minutes ahead of the kid on the bike.
I hope this brought a smile to your face. I found it in my email this morning and just had to share...
'One for you, one for me One for you, one for me,' said one boy.
Several dropped and rolled down toward the fence.
Another boy came riding along the road on his bicycle. As he passed, he thought he heard voices from inside the cemetery. He slowed down to investigate.. Sure enough, he heard, 'One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me.'
He just knew what it was. He jumped back on his bike and rode off.
Just around the bend he met an old man with a cane, hobbling along.
'Come here quick,' said the boy, 'you won't believe what I heard! Satan and the Lord are down at the cemetery dividing up the souls.'
The man said, 'Beat it kid, can't you see it's hard for me to walk.' When the boy insisted though, the man hobbled slowly to the cemetery.
Standing by the fence they heard, 'One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me.
The old man whispered, 'Boy, you've been tellin' me the truth. Let's see if we can see the Lord.'
Shaking with fear, they peered through the fence, yet were still unable to see anything. The old man and the boy gripped the wrought iron bars of the fence tighter and tighter as they tried to get a glimpse of the Lord.
At last they heard, 'One for you, one for me. That's all. Now let's go get those nuts by the fence and we'll be done.'
They say the old man made it back to town a full 5 minutes ahead of the kid on the bike.
I hope this brought a smile to your face. I found it in my email this morning and just had to share...
Friday, December 10, 2010
Cheese, Grommit!
We LOVE cheese - Almost as much as Wallace and Grommit!
I was asked to review the newest Cracker Barrel Limited Edition Holiday Reserve Cheddar Cheese.
It arrived on my porch early yesterday morning. I was SOOO excited! (I know - it doesn't take much.)
It took all the willpower I had to hold off until 11:30am. I opened the Limited Edition White Cheddar (which is labeled very very sharp), sliced off a piece, and popped it into my mouth. It was pure heaven. The taste is phenomenal! It is smooth and sweet, but not too sweet. So many cheeses these days taste like soap, but not this... this is awesome! It's a nice sharp cheese and has a bit of a bite to it - just the way I like it. Oh my! You don't even need a cracker - it's that good.
If I were to serve this to a crowd, I would pair it with a yummy peppercorn cracker or flat bread and some green seedless grapes. I'd serve it with a lovely white wine... ooohh that sounds really good. (I wonder if I have any grapes and wine in my fridge... let me check...) I didn't find any wine or grapes, but I did come across that cheese and had to have another piece... okay so I had 2... alright... 3 pieces.
They also sent me the Limited Edition Cheddar which is only very sharp. I loved that, too! I'd pair that with a yummy cracker and maybe some red wine. You know, just to be different. It would look great on a holiday table with some red grapes or purple grapes and some really yummy white peppercorn crackers. So festive... so yummy!
There is only one thing that I don't like about this cheese: It is only available until January 1st.
What they said:
Cracker Barrel Limited Edition Holiday Reserve features flavors to please any palette– from the most notorious cheese snob to the least adventurous eater. No other cheddar cheese within the Cracker Barrel portfolio uses the same unique cultures as
Limited Edition Holiday Reserve.
Cheese is a no fuss way to round out a holiday party’s menu. Cracker Barrel Holiday Reserve Aged Cheddar Cheese is delicious and unique enough to serve on its own – or to pair with crackers and accoutrements like dried fruits, chocolate and nuts.
I really wish this cheese were available all year, as it would be a perfect cheese for polo. It would go very nicely with my champagne... I'm not kidding... I'm serious!!
We have a Christmas Party to attend this weekend. I am going to purchase a block of this to take to the party. I am going to slice it nice and thin - because cheese (and cold cuts for that matter) always tastes best when thin. I'm sure that there will only be crumbs left on the plate. The first person that tries it will tell their companion how wonderful it is and then... the rest of the guests will be like vultures and when they finally step away from the plate mere seconds later, there will be nothing left.
Maybe I should buy 2 blocks...
This post was written for Family Review Network & Kraft Cracker Barrel who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest opinions.
I was asked to review the newest Cracker Barrel Limited Edition Holiday Reserve Cheddar Cheese.
It arrived on my porch early yesterday morning. I was SOOO excited! (I know - it doesn't take much.)
It took all the willpower I had to hold off until 11:30am. I opened the Limited Edition White Cheddar (which is labeled very very sharp), sliced off a piece, and popped it into my mouth. It was pure heaven. The taste is phenomenal! It is smooth and sweet, but not too sweet. So many cheeses these days taste like soap, but not this... this is awesome! It's a nice sharp cheese and has a bit of a bite to it - just the way I like it. Oh my! You don't even need a cracker - it's that good.
If I were to serve this to a crowd, I would pair it with a yummy peppercorn cracker or flat bread and some green seedless grapes. I'd serve it with a lovely white wine... ooohh that sounds really good. (I wonder if I have any grapes and wine in my fridge... let me check...) I didn't find any wine or grapes, but I did come across that cheese and had to have another piece... okay so I had 2... alright... 3 pieces.
They also sent me the Limited Edition Cheddar which is only very sharp. I loved that, too! I'd pair that with a yummy cracker and maybe some red wine. You know, just to be different. It would look great on a holiday table with some red grapes or purple grapes and some really yummy white peppercorn crackers. So festive... so yummy!
There is only one thing that I don't like about this cheese: It is only available until January 1st.
What they said:
Cracker Barrel Limited Edition Holiday Reserve features flavors to please any palette– from the most notorious cheese snob to the least adventurous eater. No other cheddar cheese within the Cracker Barrel portfolio uses the same unique cultures as
Limited Edition Holiday Reserve.
Cheese is a no fuss way to round out a holiday party’s menu. Cracker Barrel Holiday Reserve Aged Cheddar Cheese is delicious and unique enough to serve on its own – or to pair with crackers and accoutrements like dried fruits, chocolate and nuts.
I really wish this cheese were available all year, as it would be a perfect cheese for polo. It would go very nicely with my champagne... I'm not kidding... I'm serious!!
We have a Christmas Party to attend this weekend. I am going to purchase a block of this to take to the party. I am going to slice it nice and thin - because cheese (and cold cuts for that matter) always tastes best when thin. I'm sure that there will only be crumbs left on the plate. The first person that tries it will tell their companion how wonderful it is and then... the rest of the guests will be like vultures and when they finally step away from the plate mere seconds later, there will be nothing left.
Maybe I should buy 2 blocks...
This post was written for Family Review Network & Kraft Cracker Barrel who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest opinions.
Wednesday, December 08, 2010
The Christmas Letter
Here is the Christmas letter I wrote to send out this year. So -- if you want to know what's going on around here, read this. If you don't want to know - stop reading now.
Hello!
I thought I’d fill you in on our family life this year. Since there is so much to tell and I’m too lazy to write it all down in each and every Christmas card with a pen, you’re getting this note.
#1 is now 18 and is a high school senior. How time flies! And no, I’m not old enough to have a high school senior. #1’s hard work in school has paid off! He has received a 4-year Army ROTC Scholarship to his first choice school, Virginia Military Institute. He got one to Virginia Tech, as well. (He would really prefer to serve with the Navy or the Air Force, so he is waiting to hear from them in early 2011 about their ROTC Scholarships. Keep your fingers crossed!) He has also been accepted to The Citadel and to Norwich – complete with scholarship monies. It’s really fun to open a letter from a college and discover that 1 – they want you and 2 – they are giving you money.
#1 was one of two saxophones selected for The Music Educators National Conference Honor Band in June. He spent a week under the direction of nationally recognized conductors and he met a lot of really great and talented kids from across the nation. The week culminated with a performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. It was a phenomenal experience.
#1 continues to play in the Marching Band at school and is the Woodwind Captain again this year. He is also involved in the Jazz Band, Percussion Ensemble, Sax Ensemble, and more. I suspect that #1 will continue to play his Sax in college. There are jazz bands and marching bands at every school he is interested in attending.
LLB is 15 and is a sophomore. How do they grow up so fast?! LLB continues to play the trumpet. She is in Marching Band, Jazz Band, Pep Band, Percussion Ensemble, Brass Ensemble, the Pit Orchestra, and more. She was one of 3 students and the only freshman from our high school to make the District Band last spring – this is quite an accomplishment. This coming January she will be playing at the Shepherd University Honor Ensemble at Shepherd in West Virginia.
Trumpet is not LLB’s only instrument. She learned how to play the marimba – a xylophone-like instrument – last winter. She really enjoys it and will continue to play it in Percussion Ensemble this year. LLB also continues to ring handbells. She rings 4 in hand like a pro and can switch to the bass line in the blink of an eye. Ahhh – youth!
LLB is also doing very well in school. Her favorite classes are Math and Music Theory. She has doubled up on the Math this year and loves it. (I find that a bit scary, myself.) LLB continues to be a voracious reader. She and her friends swap books like we used to trade lunches.
We all like to ski and this year we discovered that our county has a ski club. Who knew?! #1 and LLB enjoy their time on the slopes even though the vertical here in Virginia does not compare to the vertical in New England. In late March, Mr insisted that they hit the slopes on a beautiful 75o day. Spring skiing is not something we get much of here, and they just had to take advantage of the day. There were a few bloody knees thanks to tumbles in the pebble-textured snow, but it was a great time!!
There is so much more to tell, but I’m running out of space…
Mr is still at his long time company doing whatever it is he does there. He enjoys sawing fallen trees with his chain saw and mowing our acreage with his tractor in his spare time. Once a month, he plays bass guitar in the Church Folk and Gospel band. I direct a handbell choir at a local church and do some substitute teaching at the local middle school. Mr and I are involved in our Band Parents Organization as well as the Parent Advisory Council and a half dozen other volunteer committees. Basically, we keep busy.
If you’re ever in the DC area, shoot us an email. ladybugxing at gmail.com. We’d love to see you. You can also find me on Facebook - LadyBug Crossing.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
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