Making A Valentine Box Diva Style

My daughter can't do anything the simple way. If there is creativity in play, you can bet she is going to try and go all out one way or the other. When she came home telling us it was time to make her valentine box, we just knew that meant trouble.

It took her forever to decide on a box and design, but eventually she went with Care Bears and a huge box. I had tried to get her to use the foil covered box design we always used as kids, but she wasn't having any of that. Instead she decided we should cover the box with different kinds of scrapbook paper. This was followed by coloring and cutting out the perfect Care Bears from a coloring book and gluing them to the sides of the box.

She then had to decorate the box with stickers, sequins, glue and lots of glitter. In the end, she loved her box so it was worth all the time we spent making it. Love that crazy girl!

MUPPETS MOST WANTED - Activity Sheets Now Available!!

I wanted to share some fun printables from Muppets most Wanted!

Like The Muppets on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Muppets

Follow The Muppets on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheMuppets

Follow Miss Piggy on Twitter: @RealMissPiggy

Follow The Muppets on Tumblr: http://themuppets.tumblr.com 

Follow The Muppets on Instagram: @TheMuppets

Visit the Official Site: http://disney.com/muppets

MUPPETS MOST WANTED opens in theaters everywhere on March 21st!

It's Perfect Prom Dress Time!

I have noticed a lot of conversation about prom lately. It seems like everywhere I look, I see something about it. I am so glad my daughter is still years away from all of that. Prom season means the search is on for all of the things needed to make it the perfect night. While the men might handle the car and tux, everyone knows the real activity comes when the girls are looking for their dream prom ensemble.

Finding the right dress for this event  is an absolute must for teenage girls. Prom dresses, like those from JenJenHouse, come in such a wide variety of style and color, that the hard part can be deciding which one to choose. So much time can be spent going from store to store,or searching online for the exact look wanted and deciding between ballgown or empire, mermaid and sheath can be a tough decision for any teenage girl. Each style offers it's own unique look, so it is important to pick the one that best accents her body shape and size.

Of course, a prom dress really has to be the perfect color too. Matching a dance theme or school colors might influence the shade choice, but so should skin tone and hair color. A great prom dress will accent the figure while not revealing too much. It's cut and style should be flattering and the color should compliment your natural look, not overshadow it and leave you looking less than perfect.

While it may take a bit of browsing, a lot of time, and maybe even a few fitting sessions, in the end finding the look that suits you will be well worth the investment. You want to be picture perfect for your special day. After all, prom only comes once a year and is a memory to treasure for a lifetime.

Meet Marvel’s GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY -Rocket and Gamora

MEET THE GUARDIANS:

Rocket Raccoon

Gamora

What Is In Your Dog's Food?

Many people never give a thought to what is actually in their pet food. Maybe you use a brand because it is on sale, or someone else suggested it, but do you really know if that is the best choice for your little friend? Even if their pet is the same size or breed as yours, they may need very different diets to be truly healthy.

Your pet is someone who is always there for you. They are waiting at the door when you come home, or crawling in your lap to be held and shown affection. Your pet doesn't mind how you look and is always there for you when you have a bad day, or just need comfort. We get used to them always being available and sometimes forget that it is a two-way relationship. Just as our pets try to make us happy, we should return that favor by making sure they are happy and healthy too.

U.S. Pet-Ownership Estimates from the American Pet Products Association for 2012

·         *83.3 million - Number of owned dogs

·         *47% - of households own at least one dog

·         *70% - of owners have one dog

·         *20% - of owners have two dogs

·         *10% - of owners have three or more dogs

·         *1.47 - the average number of owned dogs per household

·         *20% - of owned dogs were adopted from animal shelters

·        * 83% - of owned dogs who are spayed or neutered

·        * $231 – the average annual amount spent on routine vet visits   

In a recent survey,over 83% of dog owners consider their pet to be a member of the family, so it only makes sense that they would feed it as such too. You wouldn't offer poor quality, unhealthy food to your family members, and you shouldn't feed it to your pets either. A healthy diet helps keep your pet functioning correctly and, considering the average household spends hundreds of dollars a year on pet care, it can save you money in the long run too.

Why are natural dog food diets so important anyway? “Natural products go far beyond just basic nutrition,” says Dr. Al Townshend, staff Veterinarian at Wellness® Pet Food. “Natural diets are designed to provide the very best nutrition and can have significant benefits.”

In fact, according to Dr. Townshend, “natural diets offer ingredients with some important health benefits such as probiotics, those good bacteria that are essential for a healthy immune system and digestive tract; glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health; omega-3 fatty acids or fish oils for heart and kidney health; and added digestive supplements to enhance digestibility to get the very best benefits from quality proteins and fats.”

As a leader in natural pet food, Wellness uses natural, high-quality proteins and fats in their dog food recipes. They also include fruits and vegetables for natural vitamins, minerals and other benefits, especially antioxidants that occur in blueberries, cranberries and some vegetables, which help make their dog food products some of the healthiest options in the marketplace.

Wellness recipes do not include added artificial colors, flavors or ingredients, and they’ve even created the helpful site http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/checkyourbag  that you can use to compare their natural dog food to those from some competitors who claim to be natural.

Some of the biggest benefits to Wellness® Complete Health® Recipes include:

·         *Live Active Probiotics – Added after the cooking process to promote a healthy intestinal tract and overall digestive health at guaranteed levels

·         *Omega 3 & 6 Mix – Offering guaranteed levels of essential fatty acids for cellular function and healthy skin

·        * Essential Vitamins & Minerals – Designed for cellular health, immunity and disease resistance

·         *Fruit & Veggie Antioxidants – A proactive step in improving your pet’s nutrition

·         *Rigorous Safety Testing – A Quality Assurance program that maintains strict standards for food safety

·         *Excellent Nutritional Standards – Every batch of dry food is tested throughout the entire manufacturing process, from its basic ingredients to the finished products

To pick up a bag of some of this high-quality, natural dog food, you can order it online or stop by one of the retail locations listed in the http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/store-locator 

.

But be sure that you also connect with them at http://wellnesspetfood.com/pet-club-register.aspx, a free online program that provides exclusive savings offers, fun contests and helpful tips about keeping your pets happy and healthy.

And consider following them at http://facebook.com/wellnesspetfood and Twitter feed, where you can join in on the fun with a huge group of fellow animal lovers who share heartfelt, funny stories, entertaining photos and videos of their pets.

                 

Frugal Living Ideas for 2014

With an ever more challenging economy to survive in it’s important in the New Year to spend less money. There are several ways you can effectively pinch pennies all though these tips may seem simple, these tactics to save some extra cash are often over looked or neglected. If you are serious about saving money in 2014 these tips are priceless.

Five Frugal Living Ideas for 2014 –

1.     1.     Carpool – This should be obvious even though a lot of people still fail to use this timeless classic for saving money. There are several areas of your life that carpooling can be used to save money. Some of these areas include; taking the children to and from school, commuting to and from work, as well as taking the kids to and from afterschool activities.

2.     2.   Eat more leftovers – People now a day can be wasteful, and eating leftovers can save a good amount of money. Try this method twice a week something like Thursdays and Sundays, you can save your leftovers from the previous couple days and have a pot luck type dinner twice a week.

3.    3.   Watch Movies Online – Going to the movies can cost a lot of money plain and simple, especially if you have a large family. Popcorn can be as much as seven dollars and sodas aren’t much cheaper. Instead try Netflix or a similar service; you can cut a night at the movies down from over a hundred dollars to less than twenty.

4.     4.     Vacation Close to Home – There are always places to vacation closer to home. Camping is a cheap alternative to traveling long distance and even a day trip to the beach is a great way to unwind and save some cash while still having a good time with the family.

5.     5.      Buy Less Stuff – This should be obvious, but there are several daily items we can cut out to save money and live more frugal in 2014. Commodities like Star Bucks and Red Bull, and even eating out for lunch vs. packing a lunch at home really ad up.

These Five tips for Frugal Living in 2014 can dramatically affect your bank account

If you follow these tips on a consistent basis you can easily save hundreds if not thousands of dollars a month. Saving money in the New Year really can be that easy, all it will take is a little dedication and possibly some sacrifice, but the pressure that you can alleviate is invaluable. Keep diligent in your efforts and Frugal Living in 2014 should be a snap. 

How Was Your Valentine's Day Weekend?

Valentine's Day is one of those holidays that sort of spill over to the days around it in our house. We always exchange cards and gifts on the actual day, but sometimes we do dinner or something on the closest day we can, depending on how it falls between school and work.

 This year we were lucky that it happened to fall on the weekend. This meant we could at least relax at home and watch a movie if we couldn't find anyone to keep the kids for a few hours. I made dinner for the kids and baked them some cute Valentine's Day cookies. We also gave them each a heart filled with chocolates after school. I know it isn't really a kids holiday, but I usually always get them something too.

I had ordered chocolates and a Realtree camo shirt for my husband, then grabbed the wooden ammo box he wanted with the deer carvings on it. He is always grabbing extra rounds to target shoot, so this was something he would actually get use out of, which I loved.

I got some beautiful flowers and dinner from my husband. (I am so glad some places allow you to pick up what would normally be a sit down meal.) This was followed by amazing truffles a balloon, card and some other things that are filed as private :) All in all it was a very nice evening. We even managed to squeeze in a movie before it was over. How was your weekend?

Getting Ready for Surgery-Again!

I can't remember if I posted on here or not, but a few weeks ago I had an incident at the hospital. I say incident because I was scheduled for surgery and even went in for the pre-op routine that day. I had called ahead to the office and asked for the doctor to call me before surgery, but he either didn't have time, or didn't get the message.

Anyway, there I am, all drugged up on whatever they gave me to relax, plus my normal medications for the morning. They had marked my foot, performed the nerve block on my leg, and done the initial paperwork.All that was left was routine stuff until it was time to operate. After waiting over 3 hours, they were telling me I had to wait around another hour or so because everything was backed up. Then the doctor comes in and I pull out my list of questions to which he says, "Oh, you're THAT patient". I was asking basic questions and was a little nervous, as expected, but he acted like it was a waste of his time to be answering my questions. I don't know if it was the mix of medications and nerves, or what happened, but I guess I ended up calling the doctor some very not nice things after he told me he was going to cancel the surgery because I had too many questions and it was not the time to answer them. I remember being irate that there was a "wrong time" to ask a question before allowing them to cut me open and screw me back together.

In the end, I didn't have surgery, was asked to find another doctor and escorted from the building by security. I don't really remember most of this but my husband was there with me. I only know I was stuck with a leg that I couldn't feel for a day and a half and no doctor, no surgery and a lot of pain after.


Thankfully, I have found and visited a new surgeon and after taking a round of Vitamin D, I will be having surgery in a little over 2 weeks...

Keeping My Balance After Surgery

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

If you follow my blog, then you know I have had issues with my foot for years now. I was scheduled for surgery a couple weeks ago, but that didn't work out so well. Now, armed with a new set of doctors and some vitamin supplements, I will be having surgery in less than 3 weeks...again.

Because this is not new to me, I know some of the things I will need already. I had issues going up and down steps before and I used a cane to help with that. I assumed that the kind with several feet on them were better, but it always seemed to be off balance. When I saw the option to review one of the precision sporty canes, I figured I might as well try it and see if I had better results.

The Sport, by Sabi is a single piece,lightweight, rubber-dipped cane that works great for on the go. I received a Purple Rain colored cane to review, and was surprised by the grip it had. I expected a shaky grip with only one tip, but the large, no-slip, shock absorbent tip worked quite well. I used this on ice and snow, since we have been hammered with it here in Ohio, as well as indoors on smooth and carpeted surfaces. I had no issues with it, and was actually glad I had it a couple of times. It has held up well in this bad weather, so I know it will be useful to me this spring when I am able to walk around again!

The cane is available in small,medium and large custom sizes,to better suit the height of the user, and is made in 4 bright colors too. I know the Sport will be getting much more use during my recovery stages and would suggest it to anyone who needs a little assistance getting around. I tested it with my full weight to check it's use when one leg doesn't work well, and as an extra "crutch" when walking too. I plan to replace my claw foot cane with this after surgery.

You can keep up with Sabi and all their products here-
Website: http://www.sabi.com
Blog: blog.sabi.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sabibrand
Twitter: @sabi_brand


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.

Vinyl Disorder Nail Decals for the Princess and I

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

Reagan, like almost every 7 year old girl I know, loves to do her nails. She is always asking to paint and decorate them, and always wanting to try something new. When she saw me open the package with the nail decals we were sent to review, she was excited to try them right away.

I convinced her to clean them off first and then to pick what color or colors she wanted to use. She decided on a new pink polish she likes, and painted her nails to get them ready for the fingernail art stickers. She wouldn't let me fix her paint job, she said she wanted to do it all herself.

Reagan wanted to use the heart decal samples we received, so we saved the stars for later. She had a little trouble keeping them straight at first, but after a few tries she got them to stay where she wanted them.

I like that the decals are nice and thick. I hate those paper types that rip and crumple as you apply them. These were like stickers and you just peeled each one from the paper to your nail, no mess! Once you get used to the decals, they become easier to apply and within minutes , Reagan had them finished. I told her she just needed to apply a top coat if she wanted them to stay on longer, but she wanted to be able to change them so we skipped that part.

I think they turned out pretty well considering she did it all herself. I was impressed that the decals held up to her abuse for the rest of the day without falling off too. Even without a top coat, this was what they looked like after 24 hours...

 I wanted to see how these worked directly on the nail. I had stuck one to my modem and my phone to see how well they clung and they look like they were made to be there. It was the same when applying it to my bare nail. The sticker attached with ease and stayed there until I removed it later. These are very shiny and catch the light constantly when wearing them too.

 I would love to try more of their nail art designs. I enjoyed doing these with my daughter and trying something that we both liked. In fact, we liked them enough to go browse the site and see what else we can find.

You can follow Vinyl Disorder on Facebook  to stay up to date on their posts and grab their tweets on Twitter too. See you there!



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.

Need For Speed – Big Game Extended Look

NEED FOR SPEED

DREAMWORKS PICTURES

Website and Mobile site:           Theneedforspeedmovie.com
Like us on Facebook:                Facebook.com/needforspeed

Follow us on Twitter:                  Twitter.com: @NeedforSpeed #NeedForSpeedMovie

Genre:                          Action

Rating:                          PG-13

U.S. Release date:        March 14, 2014

Running time:                TBD

Cast:                            Aaron Paul, Dominic Cooper, Imogen Poots, Ramon Rodriguez, Rami Malek, Scott Mescudi, Dakota Johnson, Harrison Gilbertson and Michael Keaton

Director:                       Scott Waugh                                                    

Producers:                    Patrick O’Brien, John Gatins, Mark Sourian                                

Executive Producers:    Stuart Besser, Scott Waugh, Max Leitman, Frank Gibeau, Patrick Soderlund,

                                    Tim Moore

Screenplay by:              George Gatins

Story by:                      George Gatins & John Gatins

Based on the video game series created by: Electronic Arts       

                                   

DreamWorks Pictures’ “Need for Speed” marks an exciting return to the great car culture films of the 1960s and ’70s, when the authenticity of the world brought a new level of intensity to the action on-screen. Tapping into what makes the American myth of the open road so appealing, the story chronicles a near-impossible cross-country journey for our heroes — one that begins as a mission for revenge, but proves to be one of redemption. Based on the most successful racing video game franchise ever with over 140 million copies sold, "Need for Speed" captures the freedom and excitement of the game in a real-world setting, while bringing to life the passion for the road that has made our love of cars so timeless.

The film centers around Tobey Marshall (Aaron Paul), a blue-collar mechanic who races muscle cars on the side in an unsanctioned street-racing circuit. Struggling to keep his family-owned garage afloat, he reluctantly partners with the wealthy and arrogant ex-NASCAR driver Dino Brewster (Dominic Cooper). But just as a major sale to car broker Julia Maddon (Imogen Poots) looks like it will save Tobey's shop, a disastrous race allows Dino to frame Tobey for a crime he didn’t commit, and sending Tobey to prison while Dino expands his business out West.

Two years later, Tobey is released and set on revenge — but he knows his only chance to take down his rival Dino is to defeat him in the high-stakes race known as De Leon — the Super Bowl of underground racing. However to get there in time, Tobey will have to run a high-octane, action-packed gauntlet that includes dodging pursuing cops coast-to-coast as well as contending with a dangerous bounty Dino has put out on his car. With the help of his loyal crew and the surprisingly resourceful Julia, Tobey defies odds at every turn and proves that even in the flashy world of exotic supercars, the underdog can still finish first.

In an exciting return to the great car culture films of the 1960s and ’70s that tap into what makes the American myth of the open road so enticing, “Need for Speed” chronicles a near-impossible cross-country race against time — one that begins as a mission for revenge, but proves to be one of redemption.

DISNEY'S MUPPETS MOST WANTED

MUPPETS MOST WANTED

DISNEY

Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/Muppets

Follow us on Twitter: Twitter.com/TheMuppets

Genre:                                      Family Comedy

Rating:                                      PG

Release Date:                           March 21, 2014

Cast:                                        Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, The Great Gonzo, Animal, Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell and Tina Fey

Director:                                   James Bobin    

Producers:                                David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman

Executive Producers:                Nicholas Stoller, John G. Scotti

Screenplay by:                          James Bobin, Nicholas Stoller

Disney’s “Muppets Most Wanted” takes the entire Muppets gang on a global tour, selling out grand theaters in some of Europe’s most exciting destinations, including Berlin, Madrid, Dublin and London. But mayhem follows the Muppets overseas, as they find themselves unwittingly entangled in an international crime caper headed by Constantine—the World’s Number One Criminal and a dead ringer for Kermit the Frog—and his dastardly sidekick Dominic, aka Number Two, portrayed by Ricky Gervais. The film stars Tina Fey as Nadya, a feisty prison guard, and Ty Burrell as Interpol agent Jean Pierre Napoleon.

Disney’s “Muppets Most Wanted” is directed by James Bobin and produced by David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman. Bobin wrote the screenplay with Nicholas Stoller, who is also executive producer with John G. Scotti. Featuring music from Academy Award®-winning songwriter Bret McKenzie, “Muppets Most Wanted” hits the big screen March 21, 2014.

Starring Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell and Tina Fey, Disney’s “Muppets Most Wanted” takes the entire Muppets gang on a global tour where they find themselves unwittingly entangled in an international crime caper.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER

MARVEL STUDIOS

Website and Mobile site:

Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/CaptainAmerica

Follow us on Twitter: @CaptainAmerica

Genre:                          Action-Adventure

Rating:                          TBD     

U.S. Release date:        April 4, 2014     

Cast:                            Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders, Frank Grillo, Emily VanCamp, Hayley Atwell with Robert Redford as Alexander Pierce and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury

Directors:                      Anthony and Joe Russo

Producer:                      Kevin Feige

Executive Producers:     Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso,  Michael Grillo, Alan Fine, Stan Lee

Screenplay by:               Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely (credit not final)

After the cataclysmic events in New York with The Avengers, Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” finds Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, living quietly in Washington, D.C. and trying to adjust to the modern world. But when a S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague comes under attack, Steve becomes embroiled in a web of intrigue that threatens to put the world at risk. Joining forces with the Black Widow, Captain America struggles to expose the ever-widening conspiracy while fighting off professional assassins sent to silence him at every turn. When the full scope of the villainous plot is revealed, Captain America and the Black Widow enlist the help of a new ally, the Falcon. However, they soon find themselves up against an unexpected and formidable enemy—the Winter Soldier.

Based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series, first published in 1941, Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” is produced by Kevin Feige, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, from a screenplay by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely, and stars Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders, Frank Grillo, Emily VanCamp and Hayley Atwell, with Robert Redford as Alexander Pierce and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury.

In Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” Steve Rogers teams up with Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, to battle a powerful yet shadowy enemy in present-day Washington, D.C.