The Popcorn Factory Egg Decorating Kit

I recently ordered a cute egg decorating kit from The Popcorn Factory.I saw this and just could not help myself.I knew my kids would have a blast making and eating these..and I was right!

The kit is shown above and includs everything you see in the picture.I borrowed this picture from The Popcorn factory to show some of their creations and give you and idea of what it contains.

When this package came the kids wanted to get started right away,but I convinced them to wait until the weekend.On Saturday afternoon I started getting everything ready.I know it may not seem like much work,but with 5 kids, all under 10, at the same table doing this-it was chaos as usual!

The eggs came in individual little packages which I liked.This allowed us to only open them as needed and keep the rest fresh and seperate.

I was a little surprised by their size once opened.I guess I figured they would be smaller but these were the size of my hand.

My nephew Kaiden was the first to get an egg-isn't he sweet!

The kids had a blast designing their eggs.they are very original children so we did not have many normal looking creations.

The package included everything you needed to make 12 eggs and we had extra stuff left over.It was a really fun project and the best part was watching them eat their eggs afterward.I plan to do this again soon-The Popcorn factory has a popcorn ball kit that is similar so we might do it next time.

I also love some of their other choices like these favorites-

The ordering process was a snap online and my order shipped before the desired date. No stressing  about my package not making it here on time.I had  a small issue that was quickly resolved.In fact they went above and beyond the expected steps to fix the error and leave me feeling satisfied.I would absolutly order from them again.In fact I looked today for a birthday gift for my sister.


I was not compensated for this review.I purchased this item on my own and decided to share my thoughts..The opinions are mine from our personal use of the product.

Please Excuse My Blog and A Button

I just wanted to let everyone know,I am working on a new layout so things might be different every time you come back until I decide.If anyone has any ideas on where to get a great button/badge made (or do it myself) please feel free to contact me..PLEASE! I would really like to get my own so I can be on someone's blogroll..LOL.Have a great week :}-

FRIDAY FOLLOW

It's that time again-time for yet another Friday Follow.Have you been joining in every week?If not you should..I do!
Brought to you this week with-








There are some really great blogs participating.I hope to get through all of them eventually.I keep saying I will do X amount and then get caught up reading them and lose track of time.

ECOT-Electric Classroom Of Tomorrow

I mentioned earlier that my boys and I do homeschool through ECOT and I have had many people ask me what that is.I live in Ohio and ECOT is a computer based home school.I have had my boys in ECOT since they started school and would not have changed it for the world.

ECOT runs similar to a public or private school as far as education.The boys have to take the same acheivement or standardized tests that any other school requires.The school  provides the students a computer and printer w headset and all normal accessories to use to access the school.They also pay the internet service which in my area is through Time Warner.

The students have a teacher and homeroom with regular classes.Each day they have an online class-similar to a focus group with a whiteboard .The teacher holds class both visually on the screen and vocally through the headphones.The students answer and ask questions,raise their hands etc. just like in "regular" school.They also get to interact with the other students and can chose to list their contact info to find students who live in their area .They even have Prom, field trips and Parent Teacher conferences in Columbus Ohio.You can chose to attend these or not,they are optional.

The students have to print assignments and scan the completed work to submit it using Microsoft Word.I love that the kids learn to use a computer(unless they are like mine and started at about age 3) and programs like Word and Power Point.

I love that they provide the basic stuff and I can add in other things I want them to know about.I also find the standards to be high as far as work required.I have 2 step children in public school and their work is not even comparable to ECOT.Example- my 2nd grade son is doing the same math work as my 4th grade step daughter.My son attended 4 weeks of first grade before I realized it was too easy for him.I contacted the school who had him tested and we decided to move him to 2nd grade instead.When he accelerated he was still the highest scoring reader even  in the 2nd grade! They said the average 2nd grade student (who is usually between 7 and 8) reads at about 46 words a minute.My son at 6 was reading at 119 words a minute average followed by his classmate.My 3rd grader reads about 145 words a minute.These are scored by how many correct words they read using different selections and topics and then averaged.

If you have ever considered homeschooling but were unsure of all the work involved or what topics they should be covering -I highly suggest looking into ECOT.


I was not paid for this post.I am only sharing information for other parents.

My Boys and School

I have mentioned before that I homeschool my boys.I do a different type of school that is computer based and I will be following up with a review about it soon.My boys attend ECOT and I recommend it for anyone that wants to teach at home but with a set schedule and lessons.Anyway,my oldest Gage is 8
and is in 3rd grade.This semester he received 4 A's and 1 B on his report card.My youngest boy Aiden is 6 and in second grade(he skipped first grade) and received 3 A's and 1 B.Needless to say I am thrilled with them.I am VERY strict about their grades and do not accept anything below a B without consequences.I have been told I am too hard on them,but I never listen.However I though I would ask you what you think.

Do you require certain grades from your kids?
Do you have restrictions or punishments for not getting those grades?
If you homeschool do you have a grade system ?

I am curious how others feel about this .I am hard on my kids because I know what it is like to work for everything and I want them to have a  head start in life .

My Recent Blog Wins

I love entering giveaways,and hosting them too.I have won some great prizes lately and decided to share them with you.

I won-

A Cyber Clean product from Dad Of Divas
A Quirk Classics prize Pack from Quirk books
A  Fairy Gram Giveaway from My Four Monkeys

   this is the one I picked 
A Piggy paint gift certificate from Fairy Blog Mother

These are a few wins from the past 2 weeks.I would like to say thank you to all the wonderful blog hosts!

FRIDAY FOLLOW

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Join in this special edition of Friday Follow

MY ETSY FINDS-A Family Thing

I have been roaming etsy often lately.I love to find new things and I decided to look for more dresses.I happened across AFamilyThing etsy shop.. I searched for skull dresses and came upon this-

I am in love with this material.

I ordered this dress for my daughters birthday and am so excited for her to see it.

The shop has many other cute designs like this fabulous baby bundle that I would love to have for my new neice .

They also have great pillowcase dresses.i have nothing against Cinderella or Mickey but I love the cute simple designs this shop offers.

The order process was simple and my dress arrived fast and perfect.I will be checking back often and so should you!

I was not compensated for this review in any way.The pictures are borrowed from the shop,but the words are my own.

Friday Follow

Come and join in the fabulous Friday Follow!! I love this linky and have enjoyed joining in every week and you should too!

MARCH 10th GIVEAWAY WINNERS!!!

I have some new giveaway winners to announce!





The winner of the Glade Coupons Giveaway is-
Pixie13
My favorite candle scent is Orange Cream


The winner of the Critter Crayons Giveaway is-
Jennifer
I entered your Putumayo Giveaway

Jennifer  won the Putumayo giveaway as well.It must be your lucky day!!!
I will be emailing you soon.Thanks to everyone for entering !Iam working on a few new giveaways to bring to you soon so come back and enter!

My View On "The View" This Week

This week on the view was an interesting one to say the least.Did you tune in to watch?

Monday opened the week with guest Vanessa Williams joining the table to discuss The Oscars.I am not a huge fan of awards shows although I do watch occasionally to see what people are wearing and what they say when they accept their awards.My fav Sherri was at the oscars and was amazed by how many boobs she saw falling out..lol.I love that woman.What do you think about the school issue.Do you think private school is better then public?The ladies were joined by Chris Cuomo to discuss some controversial hot topics in the news like Amanda Knox,Chelsea King and Jaycee Duggard.

Tuesday was filled with Andy Garcia and his daughter Dominik Garcia-Lorido talking about their new movie City Island.Whoopi tells abouts being in Toy Story 3 and Elissa Stein and Susan Kim,the authors of the book Flow.

On Wednesday Forest Whitaker discussed his new movie-Our Family Wedding and Former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura talking about his book American Conspiracies.I for one am dying to read the book because I myself share his views on many of the subjects.

Don't forget to tune in Thursday to see sir Elton John,Eric McCormack  and National Enquirer's Barry Levin.

The View will wrap up this week with one of my favorite actors Christopher Walken,Carolina Herrera  and

comedian Carol Leifer.

All in all a great week on The View and I know I did not want to miss a minute of it.

I am a participant in a Mom Central campaign for ABC Daytime and will receive a tote bag or other The View branded items to facilitate my review.Thanks Mom Central!

My Review of Premium Nonstick 10 Piece Cookware Set in Red with Black Handles

Originally submitted at CSN Stores

An economical way to equip your kitchen with the cookware basics, this Farberware cookware set is perfect for the starter kitchen. Beautiful and functional, the platinum colored nonstick interior is easy to clean - foods slide right off. Tempered glass lids offer a snug fit, keeping mois...

Premium Nonstick 10 Piece Cookware Set in Red with Black Handles

Fabulous Farberware Nonstick Cookware

By hollowsins from Circleville,Ohio on 3/7/2010

5out of 5

Pros: Durable, Easy To Use, Easy To Clean, Retains Heat, No Burnt Spots, Handle Stays Cool, Distributes Heat Evenly, Heats Quickly, Non-Stick
Best Uses: Cooking For Kids, Gifts, Small Kitchens, Elaborate Meals, Simple Meals, Large Kitchens
Describe Yourself: Avid Cook

The customer service is fabulous and quick to respond.The variety was great and you cannot beat the prices for the value.

I love that the non-stick surface is actually non-stick.I have not had anything stick to these at all.We have cook steak,hamburger,mac-n-cheese,eggs,soup and more in these so far.The coating is very durable and does not scratch easliy.We did end up with a small nick in the skillet,but that was due to using a knife to turn the steak(husband).I just stick these in the dishwasher and they come out shiny and clean.

The botton of the skillet

Tags: Picture of Product

superior lining

Tags: Picture of Product

(legalese)

I was given this product to assist in my review.I was not paid for the review or required to have a positive opinion.

It's Friday Follow Time Again!

I love to join in Friday Follow.I already followed the lovely ladies who host this and now I find new people to follow every week.You can meet some great new people too and find lots of new blogs to read.Come on link up and start following!

Fisher Price Rock n Play sleeper Review

Have you seen the new Fisher Price Newborn Rock N Play Sleeper yet? I was given the opportunity to review this wonderful baby item thanks to Mom Select.I started using this right away.For those of you that do not know my nephew Kaiden is with me often and will be living with me soon and I have a new week old neice too..Harley.I am sure this Sleeper will be getting lots of use in my house.

I was thrilled at the chance to try this because this is the type of thing I wish I had with my boys when they were babies.The Sleeper is so convenient and easy to use.It took only a few minutes to get this set  up and be using it.

The first thing I loved was the color choice.The Rock N Play Sleeper color scheme is designed to fit both girls and boys .Yes this means no worries over color if you don't know which you are buying for -or if they get it wrong like they did with my first son.The cute yellow and green with just a bit of color accents makes this work for anyone.

The next thing I noticed was  the handy pocket for tiny toy storage.You could use it to hold a favorite little rubby or a place to slip the pacifier too.

My favorite thing is that the baby does not have to be lying flat.My kids hated being laid on thier backs still awake when they were tired or fussy.We put Kaiden in this and he loved the position he was in.I was able to move it around easily too.The Rock N Play is light and so easy to carry when folded, which is super nice when trying to clean house or do laundry and you are moving from room to room.This is also great for short visits so there is always a place to lay the baby with no set up needed.

The Rock N play Sleeper works just as the name describes.Your new baby can lay in it during the day,can play with rattles or baby toys and then can safely be rocked to sleep ..all in one great invention!

One thing I cannot stand is to go through getting a baby to sleep and then having to move them.When Aiden was little he would only go to sleep while swinging or rocking softly.I spent hours swinging him in his carrier because he would wake when the baby swing turned off..no matter what setting it was on .With the Rock N Play I can rock the baby and stop when I like...slowly! If they are not quite asleep you can start right back..no turning the swing back on.I also like that if he gets fussy or startled you just gently rock him for a minute and he slips back into sleep.This is great and has saved so many hours when he would have woken all the way up had he been in his bed or pack n play and had to be moved and rocked to sleep again.

I think the Rock N Play Sleeper is so much better then a bouncy seat too.None of my babies has really liked a bouncy seat and I always worry about the bouncing being too much for them.I could never use it when I needed it because putting a freshly fed baby in one of those things is always asking for trouble.I couldn't lay them down right after eating (especially with my oldest) and of course someone would come to the door as soon as I fed the last bite.In a house where UPS or Fed Ex comes almost daily that is bound to happen at least once a week.I do not answer the door with a baby in my arms.Between having to sign for packages,carry them in and of course so many weird home invasion stories ,I have to put down the baby before answering and the Rock N Play is perfect for that.

My only regret for this fabulous new baby miracle is that I did not have it for all of my children.

I wanted to put up pics of the baby enjoying the Sleeper ,but Mommy says it is too soon for that.Hopefully I can get some up soon ,but I respect her opinion in this so I will wait for now.

I was not paid for this review or required to have a favorable opinion.I did receive a Rock N Play sleeper thanks to Fisher Price and Mom Select to assist in the review process.The opinions are my own from my personal use of this item.

This Week On The View

So if you have been keeping tabs on the show,you know the star of Castle ,Nathan Fallion was on Monday.I don't know about you,but I think its is funny he plays an author and the show sounds like something right out of a book.The Women also talked about Naomi Campbell and her violent tendancies..I doubt she will be a cell phone spokeswoman anytime soon..lol.Did you see the clip from Sarah Palin..there is something about her that makes my skin crawl.She did do a pretty good job at comedy though so at least she does have something going for her.

OF COURSE Tuesday on The View brought out all the Twilight fans to see Robert Pattinson talk about his new movie-Remember Me.I myself am not a twilight fan so I was not really into this .I did watch the show while doing freestyle on my  Wii Fit Plus.I just do not get it, I love me some vampires but he just does not do it for me..maybe I am getting old after all.American Idol was another Hot Topic with the departure of Simon Cowell being addressed.What do you think will happen to Idol when he leaves? Will it get better or worse?And what about Monique and her "Open Marriage" theory..does that sound good or bad to you ? I believe in to each their own, but if my husband told me he had slept with someone else, I would ask him if he booked  a hotel because he wouldn't be staying home with me.You can go  The View to see the entire show.

Wednesday brought one of my favorite actresses-Lisa Kudrow.I have been a fan since her Friends days ..I cannot help it, I think she is hilarious. I remember Pheobe being this loopy airhead and when you see her on something else, it is not hard to believe she played that role so well.She is just so open and outspoken..like me!Watch the great conversation about the show-Who Do You Think You Are which delves into the past of some very famous people (Emmit Smith and Sarah Jessica Parker are 2 of them).The show traces their family history and incovers some very personal information.I know I will be tuning in for the premier Friday night.

Be sure to watch in the morning for ViewTube behind the scenes with some great guests and the hosts too.You will see lots of hilarious clips showing what really goes on backstage..I have to admit I kind of want to go hang out backstage.



Friday brings a close to a fabulous week with Wesley Snipes and Don Cheadle.Also Oscar fashions from the past and Barbaras' last Oscar Special.

I think this is a great week on The view and I am so thrilled to be bringing you this information as part of the View Brand Ambassadors. I am a participant in a Mom Central campaign for ABC Daytime and will receive a tote bag or other The View branded items to facilitate my review.Thanks Mom Central!

Glade Coupon Giveaway

I collect coupons from many places.I belong to great clubs like Vocalpoint, I clip them from newspapers and receive them from sponsors.I love coupons and rarely go to the store without saving something.

I received some great coupons from Glade a few weeks ago  and discovered that I will not use them all before they expire.I decided I might as well share the wealth rather then tossing them out so I am hosting a giveaway for them instead.

1 Winner will receive these coupons-

1.Buy 1 scented oil refill and get the warmer FREE
2.Save $3.00 off Lasting Impressions holder
3.Save 75 cents on 2 Glade sprays
4.Save $3.00 on any Sense and spray starter kit
5.Save $1.00 on 2 Sense and Spray refills
6.Save 1.50 off any 2  of the 4 oz jar candles
7.Buy any scented oil holder and get refill pack FREE
8.Save $1.50 on any Scented oil candles holder
9.Buy 2 scented oil refill packs and get one FREE
10.Save $1.00 on any PLug-ins Gel warmer or 2 refill packs

If you use these together I bet you could really save.For example I used the #7 and 8 together..buy the holder at 1.50 off and get the refill free.Not only do you get the free refill but save on the holder too.These would be great to buy for gifts (who doesn't like candles) or to keep for yourself!I know I have a hard time sharing my candles but I have accumulated so many my husband is going candle crazy!

All the coupons are good until March 31st so this is going to be a short giveaway to allow a couple of weeks for the winner to use them.You can buy these at Wal-mart or if you shop at Family Dollar or any other dollar store that excepts coupons, you can save even more.

To enter-tell me what your favorite candle scent is-mine is black cherry

Extra Entries

Follow me on google connect-1 entry

Subscribe via email or reader and tell me which-2 entries

Follow me on twitter-1 entry

Be a facebook friend-1 entry

Enter any other current giveaway and tell me which one-can only do this once

Comment on any review and tell me which-1 entry each-up to 3 entries

Thats 10 possible entries

Giveaway ends March 10th

Please leave a seperate comment for each and leave email in comment if not public in profile

This is a self hosted giveaway.I was not compensated for this giveaway and any opinions are my own.