Taking A Break for Games

When I was young we never had any sort of gaming devices at our house. I remember when we got our first computer but that was strictly for mom's business and didn't have internet or games for many years. If we wanted to play a game we got one out of the game closet and had to find someone to play with. Some days that went over better than others with my siblings.

Since I got married we have had gaming devices that we inherited from E's family. E very much enjoys playing these, probably because he did so with his brothers as a child, but they are not something I can say that I really enjoy doing. What I do enjoy however is online games. These have become some of my favorite break time activities. Part of the reason I enjoy online games so much is because they, for the most part, are easy to pause or stop when something else needs my attention. There are also many strategy games, like Pogo's Poppit, that can keep me entertained for a long time. They are never the same and I can't help but want to win again and again1

Games like Poppit are enjoyed by the boys too. A simple game is a great way for me to distract them for a few minutes if they are upset. B especially will wipe away most any tears when he sees the “bubble game” and quickly forget he was ever sad as he helps me find the right color. Many days I am super grateful for the distraction these simple games give for me and the boys. I don't know how I would have lived being on bed rest with B. We didn't have TV and I can only watch a movie or read a book so long. Online games sure did help the hours pass as I was stuck home by myself.

Race against the clock and pop as many balloons as you can. To play the Poppit!™ Sprint puzzle game, all you have to do is pop groups of two or more balloons of the same color in one minute. Fast pops of three or more balloons of the same color increase your multiplier and score.

Play the full version of this puzzle game for free* on Pogo.com. Once you register, you will also be able to save your high scores, tokens, and be able to enter daily for a chance to win prizes**. Join Pogo now and play over 100 free* online games!

*Internet connection and EA account required. Must be 13+ to create an EA account.

**NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Eligibility restrictions apply. See Official Rules for details and alternative means of entry.

I was compensated for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

A Little Shopping Trip

There wasn't much for great deals this week but we did need some razors and since these were only $1.20 a head after the coupons and sale I decided I'd go get some. It's also never to late to start stocking up on formula!

Total Spent: $6.98

Total Saved: $97.91 (93%)

Rewards Earned: $5.00

Nothing Better Than Chocolate

Those that know me best know that there is almost nothing better in my mind than chocolate! I was super excited when Hershey's asked me to share their Sweet Independence Celebration with you. It is so important to have independence. As a mom being independent is hard. Just yesterday E knew it was time for me to have a little "me time" because I was grouchy! Thankfully, after a couple hours out of the house and away from the kids, and a chocolate treat I was feeling much better.

Because I always gain what I think is too much weight during pregnancy I was super excited that I was eating Hershey's Simple Pleasures chocolates. Hershey’s Simple Pleasures chocolates have 30 percent less fat than the average leading milk chocolates. This means That I can continue to eat one of my favorite things, chocolate, and not have to worry too much about extra weight gain giving me a whole new level of independence. 

Not only do Hershey's Simple Pleasures have less fat but they are also delicious! I have had the opportunity to taste each of the three flavors and, although I have to say the Milk Chocolate with Chocolate Creme is my favorite, I enjoyed each of them. 

What are you waiting for? You can try Hershey's Simple Pleasures and declare your own Sweet Independence today. I can't think of a better way to start your summer so go sign up today!

A Stay at Home Mom's Soup for the Soul

I love being a mom! It is absolutely the best thing in the world. I love the days were my boys behave well and are happy because smiling kids are the best. Unfortunately most days are not like this and sometimes I feel like I need a little inspiration to keep going. That's where Chicken Soup for the Soul comes in.

Chicken Soup for the Soul recently published a new edition just for Stay at Home Moms that is excellent. This is a great book for moms because it doesn't require lots of time. (My dad would say it makes a great bathroom book.) It has stories for a mom in any sort of mood. Best of all the stories in this book will help mom to realize that she is not alone and others are facing the same struggles she is. For me that is always the most important part.

If you know a mom who deserves a special treat make sure you go check out this, and all the other editions of Chicken Soup for the Soul .

Stickers!

I am a huge fan of stickers! In fact, I have quite the collection of stickers and I use them for everything! One of my very favorite things to do with stickers is to label things. I label our bins and boxes in almost every room with some sort of sticker. Recently I was given a chance to review a kit that allows you to make your own stickers and was pleased with they way they turned out.

You could really use these stickers for just about anything. I used them to create custom stickers for my kids toy boxes and my sewing bins. There were a few small things I found that could cause problems with these stickers. First is that the online program to create them can be slow. It's not horrible but plan on some time when you create your stickers. The other problems I had could be my printer but I feel you should have warning. My stickers did not/do not print in the center of the page and it can cut off parts of your sticker if you're not careful, they also smudged when they were touched too quickly after printing.


Overall however, I loved creating these stickers and I love the way they look! If you are looking for a great way to create your own stickers, to use as labels or for just about anything else, you should check these out! My kids love them and they are so handy to have around for when you need them. The circle shape gives it an even better unique look.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Playin With Dad - Wordless Wednesday

Scarecrow Costume Review

 Because we will have a new baby this year I am starting on Halloween early. This super cute scarecrow costume caught my eye when I was asked to review for Anytime Costumes and I must say that I am very pleased. I loved choosing a costume at their website because they have a great selection and their prices are very competitive. The costume also arrived quickly which is always a bonus!

I got this scarecrow for E. He always tells me that he wants to sit on the front porch and scare trick-or-treaters. This might be difficult where we live now because if every year is like last year we won't get any trick-or-treaters. I also like this because it is good for all ages. If it's still around when the kids get big enough it is certainly something they could wear when we need to come up with something quickly. Either way, I really like the way this costume looks and I think he will enjoy wearing it.

The set includes pants, shirt and hat. It says it is one size fits most but it is not overly large on E who is fairly small (size 32 pant) so I know it won't fit a lot of men. The set does seem fairly durable and I think we will be able to use it for a few years. The pants are elastic so they are easy to get on and they shirt simply ties at the neck and waist. E's only suggestion was that you wear long pants and long sleeves under the costume as it is itchy fabric.

If you're looking for a great costume for most any occasion than you should check out Anytime Costumes. They really do have a great selection and are always adding new products. It's a great place to find just what you need!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

The Clean House Project

One of my goals this year is to keep a cleaner house. Not that my house is bad, just that it's not as clean as I would like it to be. A big part of the problem comes from the lack of organization when we moved in. Because things don't necessarily have a place to go they get left out, and because they get left out my house looks cluttered and it can be hard to clean things like counters and floors. I've been working hard to get the organization under control. So far we've conquered the toy room, the laundry room, the food storage area, and the kitchen (more pictures to come) but now I have to face the other big problem, most cleaners don't like me.

Because of my sensitive skin and respiratory system I have to be super careful which cleaners I choose to use. Many items that you find on your grocery store shelf I just can't tolerate so I work to find natural house cleaning products, like you can find at Natural House. I recently had the opportunity to try these cleaners and they worked fairly well. I still had to wear gloves and keep a window open while I worked but I was able to clean the bathroom with relative ease. I thought the cleaners themselves did a excellent job and the surfaces stayed clean for a good amount of time before they started to get that "it's about time to clean the bathroom" look. Thanks to these, and other natural cleaners, I'm slowly making my way toward having a clean house and loving it! Now if I could just get our human vacume to quit eating off the floors...

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

When the Week Turns Out Better Than You Thought

When I got home this week I was afraid my totals were going to be really bad. I'd made some unexpected purchases (like the large bin) that I knew were going to cost me. The good news is that things turned out better than I thought they would. I also had a great time shopping with B who came with me and reminded me "not to spend too much money." What a great son! 

We shopped Target and Walgreens.

Total Spent: $ 50.61

Total Saved: $106.12 (68%)

Rewards Earned: $21.50

Making Your Date Night Better with Intimina

Exercise is all the rage once again as summer begins. Everything is all about eating healthy and staying fit which is awesome but sometimes we as women forget to exercise an essential part of our body. Kegal exercises are super important to women in every stage of life. Kegal exercising helps women prevent bladder control loss and incontinence and increase their overall sexual well being.

The sad part is that although many women struggle with these problems there are very few people who speak out about the simple solution of kegal exercising and the products made to help in the exercising endeavors. Intimina has a wonderful website full of practical tips, tricks and products to help every woman increase their health. Their simple Kegal Exercisers come in weights to fit every woman's needs and they have everything you need to take care of yourself and your exerciser properly. 

Believe in Me by Jessica Inclan Review

Everyone loves a good hero. Someone who knows what you're thinking and can save you even when you are far apart. That is exactly what I found in Believe in Me by Jessica Inclan. It's a beautiful story of friendship, loss and love.

Felix and Sayblee, classmates who find each other somewhat intolerable during their magic school years, are sent together to live undercover as an ordinary couple to help in the war against the evil powers. The only instructions they are given is to avoid using magic at all cost. Little do they know the power they hold as they live together, avoiding each other everywhere but their dreams.

This was an amazing book! I usually stray away from the magic and yet this was not overly magical where things became inhuman but rather made it seem as if each of us has a little magic inside. The story itself was wonderful and kept  you hanging on to the edge of your seat! I can't wait to read the other books in this series as I'm sure they will be just as good as we find out what happens to the rest of Felix's family.

Sticky Buns - Wordless Wednesday

Original Sprout Bath & Body Products

If there is one thing I have learned when talking to other moms it is that no two moms agree 100% on how to raise their children. This includes their opinions on things like bath products. I am a mom who is not overly picky, it just has to be something that works with my kids' sensitive skin and if it's something I can share with them it's even better.

Recently I found a product line that fits both these descriptions with Original Sprout. They sent us a couple of different products to try and we have really loved them! My personal favorite was the Baby Cream. I really love the way this feels when you put it on. It is also a deep moisturizer and when I use it I only have to apply lotion every two to three days which is a big time saver.

The best news about Original Sprout is that the are completely "free & clean" meaning that they have no parabens, nanoparticles, formaldehyde, petroleum oils, proplene glycol, dioxanes, sulfates, gluten, soy or dairy. Now that is amazing!

Start to Finish Review

As I have been told to limit my movement with this pregnancy my boys have gotten to watch more and more TV. In most cases I try to avoid television with my kids because I think there are so many other things that are better doing. I love to have my kids discover for themselves rather than watch someone else do something. There are certain things however that it's just not practical for a toddler to discover for themselves. Recently we were introduced to a new movie, Start to Finish, that helps toddlers take those things that they know and connect them in ways they may not get the chance to otherwise.

For example, my boys know what cows are and they know what milk is, but without actually taking them to a dairy far (which I hope to do when they're older) we've had a hard time connecting that milk and cheese come from cows. They get the whole egg and chicken thing thanks to our feathered friends but some things are just harder to explain. That's where Start to Finish comes in. They have taken everyday things that your kids will know about and shown them how they are made.

This is an amazing DVD and the only video my kids ask for by name. They love to watch it and I love that they are learning and can then tell me about what they saw. One of the best things we've done is taken this and applied it. One of the segments in this show is about making pizza so after watching it we made our own pizza. It was a blast and I got to let the kids give the directions. I have never seen my kids so thrilled to listen to me explain a process. Now they want to know where everything comes from and, although I spend a lot of time explaining, it is great to see them learning and growing.

Win A Cloth Diaper Stash Event

We're trying a whole new event here are Kerrific! We love our cloth diapers so much we want to giveaway an entire stash to one lucky reader. 

If you are a blogger interested in participating please go HERE for more info.

This is going to be an awesome event! We will be giving away 12 newborn one size diapers (fit's 4-12 lbs) and a wet bag to one lucky winner. This is the perfect set to get you started cloth diapering! 

The best news is if you will help us make this a big success we will giveaway a stash of diapers EVERY MONTH! This is great news as we hope to help lots of moms get their stash up and running. All we ask is that you show us your excitement by leaving a comment, signing up to participate, sharing with your friends, and making sure your follow so you can come back and enter when the giveaway goes live. 

Thank you all for your support! We wouldn't be able to do this without you!

Food Organization

One of my big goals for this summer is to get organized. When we moved in quite a few things got put "close" to where they should go but not where I really wanted them. One of the places this was most evident is in our food storage. We had quite a bit of food storage that we moved with us, and have worked on stocking up even more since then. Our goal is to eventually have enough food to last us for one year should something happen. Anyway, my food storage room was a mess, the lovely person who put it away (*cough* E *cough*), decided the best way to organize it was by the way it came out of the box. They didn't consider the fact that it might be nice to put the tuna by the canned salmon, the tomato soup by the spaghetti sauce, and the pears by the peaches. Instead I had a big mess where nothing had enough space and it was making my life, both in cooking and in increasing our stored food amount, a disaster. 

Thankfully I had two awesome helpers to get this mess under control this week. B and C were awesome at sorting the food (since it had gotten to the point we just left bags on the floor because there wasn't enough space). They recognized lots of the food since most of it is stuff that we eat regularly and those things that they didn't we will get to work on learning about. They had lots of fun pretending to fly while they helped me. We did run into two small problems, first being a live bug that C found and picked up (EWWW!) and the second being a leaking can of grape juice that made us spend a little extra clean up time. Other than that we had lots of fun and things look a lot better. I'm so thrilled with the way our storage room now looks and there is space on the self for a one year, or close to, supply of all the canned goods. 

There are so many important reasons to have a supply of food in your house. You can read more about why we do it at the Provident Living website. Although I do believe in all these reasons why we should be storing food my favorite reason is simply because it makes my life easier. Because I keep the food we use in stock I don't have to make emergency trips to the store (or at least not very often) and I know that if I'm sick or something else happens I will be able to feed my family which makes things less stressful all the way around.

Here are a few pictures of what my storage room looks like now. I still need to get our buckets put under the cereal shelf but other than that it is ready and I love having my storage room in a functioning condition!

Cover Your Hair Review

One of the things I enjoy most in my getting ready routine is doing my hair. Many days it is done very similar, simply to lack of time, but I love having freshly brushed hair and brushing my hair always makes me feel better.

I have told you before about a site called Cover Your Hair. Recently they sent me an adorable hat to review. Although it is the wrong season right now I can't wait to wear this in the fall. It is so cute and looks super nice. As you can see, C likes to wear it too. Isn't he cute!

Cover Your Hair has everything you need to keep your own hair looking nice, other than the haircut. They have lots of fun hair accessories from newborn sizes to adult and they come in all sorts of shapes, colors, and sizes. I also love that the accessories are very reasonably priced and that you can almost always find a coupon code to use too. If you really want to save, just order one of their mystery items or check out the clearance. You'll love what you find!

A Week Without Deals

This week was a horrible week for deals. There just wasn't anything we wanted/needed. But I did have some register rewards that were expiring and a few coupons I wanted to see what I could find and it ended up being an ok week. I found some kitchen cups to replace/expand our collection (we had 4) and some great pants for B for just $0.98. I also found a changing pad cover that had been repackaged and was 75% off. Hooray for great finds! Here are my totals, I shopped Target and Walgreens.

Total Spent: $10.62

Total Saved: $79.23 (88%)

Rewards Earned: $0

Scope ME Baby Review

Today I am super excited to tell you about a fun, new "local" (as close as it gets for us) company with some very fun products for your kids. Scope ME Baby! sells super fun onesies for a baby. We had them send us D's onesie for his first birthday and it hit the spot! 


When the onesie arrived I couldn't stop laughing and had to show my humane society friends right away. Because I know you can't read the picture it says, "I will grow to love animals of all kinds, becoming jackpot for a Humane Society feel-good reality show!" This totally fits E and I's personalities and we love the fun looks we get when people read D's shirt.


The onesie itself is awesome quality. It is a wonderfully soft fabric and has done remarkably well in the wash. I also love the sleeves on this onesie. They are elbow length making the shirt appropriate for both summer and winter.

We have had so much fun with this onesie! All the onesies have fun pictures and even better sayings. Now I'm just waiting for some toddler versions so I can see what they have to say about my other kids.

Patriote Peril By Thomas Thorpe Review

Patriote Peril is a wonderful historical mystery. Beginning in New Brunswick, Elizabeth begins her journey when her family carriage suddenly returns empty. As she begins her journey to find her lost family, with the grudging assistance of the local law enforcement, she heads up the St. Lawrence River. By the time Elizabeth reaches Quebec she is on her own and in trouble as she quickly realizes someone has stolen the identity of both her and her missing husband. The question is if Elizabeth can keep herself safe while still managing to find what happened to those she loves.

This is a truly wonderful book. I love a good mystery and this was awesome! My favorite thing was that the story kept me guessing until the very last page, there aren't many books that can do that. The story itself was well written and fairly simple to read. There are a decent number of characters to keep track of so although the book is not overly long I would not recommend it for anything but an adult. If you like a good mystery this is a book you should add to your collection today.

A Dog Dog Pillow - Wordless Wednesday

Fog Free Shower Mirror Review & Giveaway

For me there is almost nothing better than a man with a freshly shaven face. This is something E has had to get used to since we got married because prior to that he usually sported some sort of facial hair. Thankfully his boss, his school, and I all agree that a hair free face is better so he gets to shave regularly.

One thing that has recently made this easier is his new Fog Free Shaving Mirror. It was an early Father's Day gift from me and the boys and so far he is loving it.

He did give me one suggestion when I asked if he had anything to say, it was that you should stand in the shower when you hang it up so you get it the right height (apparently his is a bit to high).

The Fog Free Shaving Mirror is super simple to use too. It is a thin mirror that hangs on a hook in your shower. All you have to do is remove it from the hook and run it under the hot water for a few seconds before rehanging it and you can use it easily without worrying about fog.

I think this is a wonderful invention and I'm so glad E likes it! I can vouch for the fact that his shave job is better when he uses it which makes me happy too.

Shave Well has offered to send a Fog Free Shaving Mirror to one lucky Kerrific reader. To enter please use the form below.  Good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Father's Day Shopping

I shopped Walgreens and Target this week, and ended up at the doctor's. But that's another story.

Total Spent: $68.42

Total Saved: $165.01 (71%)

Rewards Earned: $19.00

Socks for Life Review & Giveaway

I have a small confession to make. I have a very large addiction …. to socks. Why do I love socks? Because they are inexpensive, cute, and nobody has to see them but me. Oh ya, and my feet are always cold so socks work great for that too. E loves to tease me about what he calls my explosive sock drawer and yet somehow I keep squeezing more in. To help feed this obsession, Socks4Life recently sent me a gift card to use at their web store. I picked out a selection of socks from both the practical and fun ends of the spectrum.

The first set I got was a set of diabetic socks. I have used diabetic socks to help my swollen feet during pregnancy and thought these would be a great addition to my collection. To my disappointment I do not like these socks at all. They are much too big and they are not soft at all.

Thankfully the other socks I received are wonderful! I got two pairs of sock liners that I am enjoying. I have never had this style of sock and I love them with my new flats that I received for Christmas. I also got some knee high socks. I love knee highs, especially during the winter when I wear boots the majority of the time.

If you love socks as much as I do you should check out Socks4Life. They have a good selection and good prices.

Socks4Life has also offered to give one Kerrific reader a gift card to try some socks of their very own. Please use the form below to enter. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Getting Ready for School

Summer is here and as much as I hate to think about school during summer it's time to register again. The good news is that this is my last time registering, at least for a while. I'm still super excited to be graduating even if it isn't the degree I'd planned on. I wish E was almost done too but I suppose I'll just have to keep waiting.

As much as I wish he was done I'm so glad he decided to go back, even if it meant starting at the beginning, and better his education. I know getting a degree, like you can get through the colorado mba program, can be so beneficial to finding a good job. And in the meantime we'll be thankful for the good job he does have.

There are so many people out of work and I have to wonder how many of them have considered going back to school to find a new career. I know that E and I's schooling is paid for in grants and scholarships so all we have to do is make enough money to take care of our family. It really is a wonderful thing and most people, especially those out of work, could easily go back to school the same way. If that fits you, try school, you'll like it!

The Internet - My New Best Friend

So Wednesday E had the day off so we did some things like shopping and laundry (yuck!). By Wednesday night I was having pretty bad contractions so I laid down and fell asleep so I figured I was ok. Thursday morning however the contractions were still going strong so we called the doctor. He had me come in and after checking me determined there was no immediate danger but ordered a bunch of tests and then told me to stay off my feet.

What this means, the internet is my new best friend. That's right, I have all day to blog, play games, and shop. People like me are the reason that companies spend so much money on internet marketing. I'm going to make a guess and say that most Americans spend at least part of their day, almost every day, on the internet. A large part of Americans, like me, spend a majority of every day on the internet. Now just because this may not be good for our eyes or our backs doesn't stop us from doing it.

So, now that you know that I will be spending all day on the computer, watch for some great reviews and giveaways and make sure to friend me on Facebook if you like Facebook games. I'll have lots of time to play!

1000 Places to See Before You Die Review & Giveaway

Have you figured out that I love to travel? It is one of my very favorite things to do and although we haven't done much lately someday I look forward to being able to travel again. Recently I have found a book that I have fallen in love with. It is called 1,000 Places to See Before You Die and it is incredible! It is a small, but heavy, book that has wonderful information about the world's top travel destinations.

The first thing I noticed about this book is the beautiful photos. I hate that they are so small because they are amazing and make me feel like I'm really at the different locations. Once I got done looking at the pictures, I fell in love with how this book is organized. They divided the world into 8 regions creating sections and then further divided those into regions. These smaller regions are then decided into countries or states and further into cities or areas. I love this because it makes it super simple to see what is nearby when you are planning to visit an area. There is also a nice index in the back too if you want to plan your location based on what you want to see.

This book is so perfect for anyone who loves to travel, or just those who want to see more during their travels. It has lots of information on each location including the best time to visit, local cities, restaurants and hotels, and websites to find more information.

Best of all, we are giving away copies of 1,000 Places to See Before You Die to three Kerrific readers. Just enter using the simple form below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 I was provided a review sample. Opinions are my own. This giveaway is part of Fashionista Events, coordinated by The Chief Blonde of Still Blonde After All These Years and Katy Rose of ModlyChic.