Quick Reminder

Hey everyone!  Just wanted to remind you that Cupid’s Diary 2011 starts on the first – all giveaways and reviews will post at midnight tomorrow!!! :D   Multiple daily entries available so GET THOSE TYPING FINGERS READY! lol

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Gabrielle
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Big Lots Coupon (expires today!) – DON’T MISS OUT!

Hey everyone!  I stumbled upon THIS coupon and had to share!  Use your Big Lots Club Card at Big Lots today (sorry, kinda late on this – it expires 01/30/2011) and receive 20% off!

We’re getting chickens!!

     Yep, you heard me right – we’re getting two chickens!  They’ll be here on the 18th and I’m going to name them Lucy and Ethel.  Alright, I MAY change that, but at this moment I don’t think I will.  I’ve previously thought of naming them “Joan & Cherie” and “Laverne and Shirley.”  I decided on Lucy and Ethel b/c out of all the duos I could think of, they were the only ones who reminded me of chickens. HAHAHA
     I’ll keep you guys updated!  They’re arriving to the place we’re getting them on the 16th and will be ready to go home on the 18th (they keep them for 2 days to get them checked out and make sure they’re all healthy).  We only have a couple more things to do to their pin, but it’s only cosmetic.  They could technically come home today (if they were old enough) and would be perfectly fine.  This is the first time I’ll be having chickens, but have been researching them since last year and am very excited! :D
     If you have a story to tell, PLEASE share!  I’d love to hear others’ adventure(s) with chickens!  I’m only getting 2 because I feel it will adequately supply us with eggs.  We love eggs, but we really don’t need more than 2 a day XD

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Gabrielle
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CostumeSuperCenter Review

How many of us have superhero children?

 

Well I am privilaged enough to be the proud mother of the one… the only…

SPIDER-MAN!!
     In true toddler nature, he has an alter ego, Iron Man, but his number one UNcaped avenger of crime is Spider-man.  Little Man can often be found jumping over the couches, climbing up the jungle gum, and threatening to spin webs on his enemies (Which at nap & bed time includes me! LOL).  Well, since Halloween, Bry has been asking for a Spider-man costume.  Since we live in a small town, all of the Spider-man costumes went quick and he settled for his Iron Man costume in October.  He’s maintained he’s still Spider-man, though.
     If your child is like mine and likes to dress up year-round, Costume Super Center is perfect for you!  They offer great costumes, anytime, for amazing prices (DH was annoyed I didn’t find their site prior to Halloween specifically because of their great selection and price tag! LOL).  
     For review, Costume Super Center sent me their Spider Man Deluxe Muscle Torso Child Costume (they do have other Spider Man costumes, too… not just this design).  As for the quality of this costume, I can tell you I’m very pleased.  We paid about the same for his Iron Man costume (that CostumeSuperCenter.com sells for much cheaper, BTW!) as this Spider-man costume costs and the Spider-man one is much higher quality!  My toddler definitely likes putting his clothes through “The Test” and this Spider-man costume is definitely passing.  Running, jumping, and even a little break-dancing hasn’t stressed the costume at all.  Unlike the Iron Man costume I keep referring to, this Spider-man costume is well crafted!  The Iron Man one ripped a few days after Halloween.  I’d also like to point out that the mask is made from the same costume material as the suit and the eyes are closer together for those small faces.  I’m lucky enough to have a kid who takes care of his toys, but there are PLENTY of destructive toddlers who break plastic masks within minutes, so this fabric one is great for little ones!
     Costume Super Center has costumes for all occasions and in all sizes, not just kids Halloween costumes  They even have the accessories for those costumes!  If you’re like me, you try to buy things in stores because you can FEEL the product first, but you can shop with ease at CostumeSuperCenter.com!  You can get an appropriate suit for your crime-stopping little one that won’t bust the budget!  The quality, price, and selection is great!  AND for a limited time, they’re offering free shipping on orders over $50!  SO GO CHECK THEM OUT!!
HOW TO CONNECT
~ Check out their huge selection of costumes HERE 
~ LIKE Costume Super Center on Facebook
~ FOLLOW CostumeSC on twitter!
Disclaimer:  I received a sample product in order to write an accurate and honest review.  This in no way effected my review and all opinions expressed are my own! :D

What Is Love?

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I think we’re all beginning to shift our minds into the “Season of Love.”  But what is love?  This is a question Tiny Prints asked me to ask my child.  Since he’s only 3, I was curious myself as to what his answer would be when I asked him this.  I really did expect his answer to be “Spider-man” because that’s pretty much is response to everything.  I’m happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised at his response! :D   
     I began by telling him “I love you.”  His usual response is “I love you too” which is exactly what I got. LOL  Then I asked him “Well what is love?”  He did this cute thinking face, said “hmmm” and then pointed to me.  <3  I told him that there is a special place in my heart for him and showed him where both of our hearts are.
     
     When you are at a loss for words, check out Tiny Prints!  They have all sorts of Valentine’s Day cards that are perfect when you don’t know what to say! XP  Here’s what our sponsor has to say about their service:



Tiny Prints provides simple, modern and unique stationery from Valentines Day cards to personalized greeting cards to thank you cardsbusiness cards, and even custom wedding invitations. Offering exclusive designs from the nation’s top designers, easy card personalization, a powerful preview engine and top-notch customer service and paper quality, their designs have been lauded by numerous television networks, publications and celebrities. With Tiny Prints by your side commemorating every holiday and momentous occasion is a cinch! They offer perfect party invitations for every occasion and memorable personalized photo-gifts like notebooksphoto books and calendars.

Disclaimer:  In exchange for this post, Tiny Prints is offering me a $25 gift card credit.  I share this with you so that I can be as honest and up front with you as possible.  :)

Wordless Wednesday – It’s Not Thursday Yet! LOL

Alright, alright, alright!  Yes, Wordless Wednesday is supposed to be “WORDLESS” (especially after my rant on the subject… that I can’t seem to locate at the moment!!), but it took more than my Title Bar would allow for me to explain this one! LOL  This is my son breaking out of “cart prison” after being put there for running around crazy.  I was looking at light bulbs, turned around and found him pulling the flap of the cart up!!  I pretended I didn’t see him so I could snap this picture of his ATTEMPTED escape.  HAHAHA 

What Does Valentine’s Day Mean To You?

What does Valentine’s Day mean to you?


This is a question that the folks at Shutterfly asked me to answer.  Truth be told, I don’t think I’ve ever been asked that or really THOUGHT about how I might answer it.  Growing up, I think we all associate Valentine’s Day to exchanging small character endorsed Valentines with our friends in school.  As we get into middle and high school, it becomes more about finding that perfect boy to give us flowers and chocolates. <3  LOL
     Now that I’m an adult with the man of my dreams, Valentine’s Day has become more of a “renewal of love.”  It’s a time for me and DH to share together and take a moment to reflect on all the times (good and bad) from the previous year.  I won’t lie – I do like the excitement of wondering what DH got me for Valentine’s Day and how we will spend that special night.  Over the past few years, he’s actually gotten pretty good at surprising me without spending a lot of money!  HAHA 
     Speaking of Valentine’s gifts, if you’re looking for that perfect photo gift for that special someone, check out Shutterfly!  They’ve got everything from Valentine’s cards to photo mugs!!  I’m sure you’ll be able to find something to suite that sentimental person in your life.  They’re currently having an FREE SHIPPING promo on all orders over $25 (use the code SHIP25) which goes great with the 50 free 4×6 prints you get for signing up for a Shutterfly Membership!!  :D

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Gabrielle
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Disclaimer:  In exchange for this post, I am being supplied with 25 Valentine’s Day cards for myself, as well as an addition 25 for one of my lucky readers!!  Please look for the giveaway during CUPID’S DIARY 2011 for your chance to with that 25 Valentine’s Day cards right in time for Valentine’s Day!!
      

One Week ‘Til Cupid’s Diary 2011

Only 1 more week until Cupid’s Diary 2011 goes live!!  I’m so excited to bring you guys some really great products!! :D   I just wanted to send out a reminder that there were also be some giveaways starting that day (February 1).  Since they’ll only be running until February 7, 11:59PM PST, you’ll definitely want to start on them as soon as possible.  There will be MULTIPLE daily entries!!

(I picked this dog b/c she looks like my Lilly hee hee  Too cute!)

Speaking of entries…

I’ve decided to give everyone a chance to gain FIVE (5) extra entries into each of my Cupid’s Diary 2011 giveaways.  Grab my button below before February 1 and leave a comment below.  That’s it!  LOL


I’m not picky – you can stick it anywhere on your site, just as long as it’s accessible.  Don’t forget to leave a comment below with the URL of where I can find it!


QUICK REMINDER:  Giveaways start February 1 and run until February 7, 11:59PM PST.  There will also be plenty of reviews so STAY TUNED! :D


CA Monkey Momma CA Monkey Momma

Gardening Season Is Here!

     With my local area gardening season coming up quickly, I’ve been almost rushing to get my garden together in time for February.  Unlike when I lived in Virginia, California has 2 growing seasons – March to June and September to November (this means everything’s gotta be started by February and August).
          
     I was just wondering who else is planning a garden this year!  What are you going to be planting?  After last year’s garden disaster (we got attacked by the local animals), we’ve decided to do things quite differently this year.  We’ve enclosed our patio to keep the animals and birds out.  We’ve also hung home-made hanging planters for tomatoes and strawberries.  Unlike the large variety of fruits and veggies we had last year, we’ve decided to focus primarily on strawberries and tomatoes.  I’m sure we’ll probably end up throwing a lettuce or other containable veggie in a potter in on the patio, but mostly just strawberries and tomatoes.  Since I have my blog going this year, I’ve decided to document my progress on here! 


     We can all use motivation, guys!  Please follow along and share stories of YOUR gardens!  I’d really love to see what others are growing this year and how you’re dealing with the outdoor elements (bugs, temperature, ect.).   


These tomatoes are from my garden last year LOL

Friday Favorites: Mr. Clean Magic Eraser

     
     I decided to do this review after finding that way too many people have still not discovered this “magical” cleaning sponge!  I’m not trying to offend anyone, but if you haven’t tried the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser… WHY NOT?! LOL Are you nuts or something?!

     I think this sponge was made specifically for mothers of toddlers!  My walls and many of my boy’s toys have been saved multiple times by Mr. Clean. LOL  I have a Bumbo chair that my son wrote all over.  I tried literally EVERYTHING to get it off and it just wouldn’t budge.  Since it cost so much, I refused to get rid of it and stuck it in my son’s closet for a few months.  After breaking down and trying the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, I realized this was just the tool I needed for that tough job!  I dug the chair out of the closet, wiped it down with a regular all-purpose cleaner (I did this to prove that the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser could do what regular cleaner couldn’t LOL), and then put the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to work.  Oh my!  I couldn’t believe how quickly and easily the pen and marker came off!!  Needless to say, I was ecstatic that I didn’t throw the chair away after Little Man wrote all over it.  

     Another favorite of mine that was saved by this product was a Cabbage Patch doll I got from a thrift store for $2! I bought it because it reminded me of my sister (technically she’s my cousin but we were raised together lol), but it had pen marks all over the head (which is my guess as to why it was marked down because there was NOTHING wrong with the rest of it).  Thanks to my experience with the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, though, I knew that this wasn’t an issue.  I felt like a bandit leaving the store with my prize as the ladies behind the counter sighed at how cute it could be and what a shame it was that the previous owner wrote all over it.  I assured them I could get the pen off (BTW, they looked at me like “Good luck, sucka!”) and was NOT surprised when the pen and marks wiped right away later that night! :P   Now I have a doll that looks brand new and it cost me $2!  Another job well done by Mr. Clean!
     This is one of those products that you didn’t know you needed until you get it. LOL  I really don’t know how I cleaned without it.  XD  I highly recommend you at least try them!  Check THIS out for money saving coupons!  Do you really need more incentive to try this awesome product out??  I wish they made this with all-natural ingredients.  I think it would just be the ULTIMATE cleaning product if they could achieve that, but I yet to see an all-natural cleaning product with THIS kind of power!

HOW TO CONNECT

~ Check them out on the WEB
~ You can also find some great cleaning tips from Mr Clean HERE
~ LIKE Mr Clean on Facebook
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