Mom on the Random

The Creepy Kid Next Door

2012-01-27T16:56:00.000-06:00

So I'm one of those overprotective parents that won't let the kids leave our yard. They are only 4 and 6 and I don't think they need to be roaming the neighborhood. Apparently I'm the only one on the block that feels that way because every day there is a variety of children in the alleys, on the streets, etc.

Of course my daughter hates me for it and throws a fit because all her other friends get to leave their yards. And I don't know what it is, but there is not a great selection of kids in these parts either.

Anyway, so there's a boy that looks to be about 6 or 7 who lives about 3 houses down on the other side of the street. Yesterday he came over and was playing outside with my kids. Then they asked if he could come in and play and I asked if it was okay with his parents and he said yes (although who knows if he was lying.) But, when it was time for him to go home because we were about to eat and it was getting dark, the kid wouldn't leave! He kept messing with buttons on things, tools, you name it. But he wouldn't leave! David kept nudging him towards the door and finally he kind of gave him a gentle push out.

Then today, the kid became downright creepy! I went to pick A up from school and when I left L was napping and David was in the shower. I ran a quick errand afterwards and when I got home, David informed me that L had let the boy in the house and they were playing downstairs. (This isn't the creepy part.) So David sent him home and told him he was not allowed to come in without an adult's permission and that L was in trouble for letting him in.

About 20 minutes later, David runs to the store, so his truck is gone. I hear a knock at the back door and it's the kid. I block the door and tell him that the kids are not allowed to play today and he will have to come back Monday. He just keeps staring at me and it was like he was trying to get past me. I finally closed the door and went into the living room. Two minutes later I go into the kitchen and I see him standing outside the back door. Two minutes after that he's staring in the kitchen window. Three minutes after that he's staring in the kids' bedroom window.

I closed all the blinds and texted David to hurry because it was creepy.

Sure, I probably could try to handle it on my own, but I'm always afraid of other parents getting mad at me, so I try to avoid speaking to their kids if it's outside of me teaching.

Crap, I just saw him walking by the side of the house... I gotta hide!

Timmy Time: Timmy Needs a Bath DVD Giveaway!!!

2012-01-23T14:18:00.001-06:00

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

"Grab your rubber ducky and get ready to soak in some lamb-tastic good fun as preschool favorite Timmy Time™ returns for an all new family-friendly, good-hearted release, Timmy Time: Timmy Needs A Bath, available on DVD January 24, 2012 from Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment.

With slapstick humor and not a single line of dialogue, Timmy Time follows a day in the life of barnyard preschoolers. With diverse animal characters along with a rich and colorful nursery school backdrop, Timmy and his friends learn life lessons that every preschooler needs to know. Whether fleeing bath time, becoming a walking collage, being bitten by the cleaning bug or engaging in a paint war, Timmy and his pals always bring joy, heart and a little silliness to any situation.

Timmy Time™ is part of Disney Channel’s Disney Junior programming for kids ages 2-7 and their families, which airs in more than 99 million U.S. homes. The show is created by Aardman Studios, the Academy Award^®-winning creators of Wallace & Gromit™ and Shaun the Sheep™.

DVD SYNOPSIS:

Enjoy some good clean fun with Timmy and his friends! Adventures with mud, glue and paint leave Timmy in some sticky situations. This clever little lamb uses his creativity to make tub-time fun and turn a paint fight into a masterfleece! Timmy cleans up and discovers the most fun of all is being with friends! Soak up the good times with Timmy…just don’t forget to wash behind your ears!

Episodes:

“Timmy Needs A Bath”
“Sticky Timmy”
“Tidy Timmy”
“Timmy Goes Camping”
“Timmy The Artist”

DVD BONUS FEATURES

· Timmy’s Tune #2 – Music Video

· Shaun the Sheep Bonus Episode: Supersize Timmy"

Family Time Factor: This is very basic, and I think works best for toddlers.

MOTR Grade: B+

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

One lucky winner will receive a copy of this DVD! Contest runs through February 6, 2012 and ends at noon central time.

To enter:

1) Tweet this giveaway. Suggested tweet: Check out this #giveaway from Lionsgate and @hamsterkitten! http://bit.ly/AsLyFd #TimmyTime

Post link below.

2) Share link on Facebook or blog or any other site and post link below.

Thanks & good luck!!!

I Can Be Proud of Myself

2011-12-19T13:06:00.000-06:00

All my life, the only person who ever made me genuinely feel like they were proud of me was my Grandma J. She would tell me everytime she saw me and I could feel that she really meant it. On one other occasion out of the blue my ex grandfather-in-law told me he was proud of me because he was amazed by my wealth of computer knowledge and my ability to teach it to him. That was a great moment for me. Aside from that, the only time anyone has really told me they were proud of me was when I told them this story and they'd say, "well of course WE are proud of you too." Yeah, that doesn't count.

I spent about the first 28 years of my life worrying about what other people thought about my choices and decisions, only to have them be unsupportive and over-critical.

When I decided to leave my husband, you'd think I had just murdered someone. Apparently being unhappy your entire life is more important than the "shame" of being divorced. Someone once told me that it is better for children to "come from a broken home than to live in one." I definitely agree with this. I want to provide a positive role model for my children and I want them to know that they don't have to suffer their whole lives if they are unhappy just because some people put a negative connotation on divorce. I want my daughter to become strong and independent and realize that her life doesn't need to revolve around men. She can accomplish anything she wants in life by herself. I want my son to grow up in a positive environment to break the cycle of anger and treating women as second class citizens.

If this makes me a selfish demon, that is NOT my opinion of the situation. As you know if you follow my blog regularly, you know that in August I was offered a job to teach at a community college. I couldn't believe it. I have wanted to teach since I was a child, but I could never put my finger on what age I wanted to teach until I actually went to community college and it was my best educational experience by far. The people actually are choosing to be there and although I like kids, it's nice not having to teach these students right from wrong.

I absolutely LOVE my job. Sure, I'd love to do a million other things as well, but I would never want to not teach. I achieved this job because I went to school and chose to pay attention in my classes. I finished my associates in two years, while working and paying for classes out of my own pocket. When I finished my bachelor my daughter was 1 and my daughter was 3. I started my masters the fall after that.

I could have been like many other people I knew and chosen to party and drink and then later drop out. I could have decided that having kids meant I had to wait until they were grown and gone to finish my education. But I didn't.

And how are my kids now? AWESOME! Sure, being 6 and 4 they have their issues, but no more so than any other kid. They smile all the time, they laugh, they're happy, they love being around other kids, they are soooo loving and are constant affirmations that I am making good choices with my life.

So, to draw this to a close: two years ago I realized that there was no point in living my life to try to meet up to someone else's standards. I wanted to be happy, I wanted my children to have a positive life experience and I wanted us to enjoy our life together. I am proud of myself and I don't need anyone else to be proud of me. And that's a good feeling.

What to Expect... GIVEAWAY!!!

2011-12-15T19:13:00.000-06:00

If you're unfamiliar with the What to Expect series, I'm curious to know how long you've been in a coma. What to Expect When You're Expecting has launched an entire spectrum of products, resources, support and books for new, expecting and not so new parents.

Of course, the most familiar was the book that started the whole phenomenon. What to Expect When You're Expecting is a book that takes you from the idea of making a baby all the way through what happens after the baby is born. It gives helpful tips, great descriptions and of course- what to expect! I read this back in 2005 when I was pregnant with my first and it was fantastic! It helped me realize what things were normal in regards to symptoms, the progress my baby was making each week and even tips for birthing and after. And now that I'm expecting my THIRD and it has been almost 4 years since my son was born, I find it just as interesting to read about it all over again. I'm experiencing a few new symptoms that I didn't have with my first two and of course, they are in the book!

Included in this giveaway will also be What to Expect the First Year and What to Expect the Second Year. These are just as helpful as the original pregnancy book as they help guide you through the insanity that is parenting!!! Kids don't come with an instruction manual, but this is as close as you can get!!!

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

TWO lucky winners will receive a copy of each of the above mentioned titles! Contest is open to US residents and ends January 5 at noon central.

To enter:

Like What to Expect on Facebook.

For additional entries:

1) Follow What to Expect on Twitter.
2) Post a link to this giveaway on any site and comment with the link below.

Thanks and good luck!!!

The Help blu-ray review

2011-12-15T18:29:00.000-06:00

I was so excited to see this movie! I remember seeing the trailer for the first time in the theater and thinking it looked great! I am super anti-racism and also anti-rich snobby people who think they are better than everyone, so this flick sounded right up my alley.

So, I couldn't really find one to watch it at the theater with me... apparently I don't know anyone that thinks that kind of movie is a must see.

Hallelujah, I saw it on Blu-ray when it came out!! Emma Stone plays an aspiring journalist who decides to write a book from the perspective of the help, the black women who do pretty much everything in the households of these uppity white people. Some of these women raise the children from birth, yet get cast aside like they are nothing. It was not a new idea by any means to put the plights of the pre- civil rights movement atrocities in the public eye, but the way this was done was quite clever, touching and humorous at times.

Fortunately there were a couple of the employers who weren't complete scumbags. The characters were all very well developed, casting was great and it held my interest the entire way through!

Family Time Factor: There are several adult themes and some language, so I would say 13 and up.

MOTR Grade: A

The Help is currently available on DVD and Blu-ray!!!

http://www.totaleclips.com/player/Splash.aspx?custid=907&clipid=e101800&playerid=69&affiliateid=-1&bitrateid=378&formatid=10"></iframe</a>>  3-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack  (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) =   Exclusive Blu-ray Bonus Features:  The Making of “The Help:” From Friendship To Film  In Their Own Words: A Tribute To The Maids Of Mississippi  Three deleted scenes with introductions by Director Tate Taylor, including „Humiliated,‟ „A Book About Jackson‟ and „Johnny‟s Home‟ (which is a Blu-ray exclusive)   DVD Bonus Features:  Two deleted scenes with introductions by Director Tate Taylor including „A Senator‟s Son‟ and „Keep On Walkin‟  “The Living Proof” music video by Mary J. Blige

I Said No! by Zack and Kimberly King (book review)

2011-12-12T12:43:00.000-06:00

One of the more difficult parts of parenting is talking to your kids about the "touchy" subjects. As a parent, it is our job to let them know things about life, but how do you go about talking about them?

This book came at the perfect time for me. My daughter is now 6 and there have been some questionable things happening when she is at her dad's and I felt like now is the perfect time to talk to her about inappropriate touching. I can't be around her all the time and therefore I am going to have to hope that she can keep herself safe when I'm not there.

"I Said No! A kid-to-kid guide to keeping private parts private" gives the perspective from both a mother and her son's point of view. Zack attended a slumber party where his friend asked him to touch his privates and told him all the cool kids do it. Zack realized this was a red flag and tried to tell his friend's mom, but she did nothing about it. Zack hid out in the bathroom and told his mom immediately when he got home the next day.

This book goes over things for children to say, red flags and green flags and people who are allowed to see your privates. Also, it gives ideas on what to do if someone is inappropriate with you. This is great because students are not born with the realization of what is okay and not okay when it comes to privates. I remember when my daughter was around 2 or 3 and she had a yearly exam with her pediatrician. He asked my permission to check her over and told her that he asked my permission because no one should be allowed to look at or touch her privates without her permission unless it is mommy or daddy.

Okay, so now that I've told you all the great things, I will give you my only beef with this book. I didn't like the little pauses for discussion. Of course I planned to discuss the book with my child, but I didn't need the prompts.

MOTR Grade: A-

I definitely think this is a book every parent should have in their collection and it should be read several times as your children get older.

Loopeez Shoe Tying Aid Review and Giveaway!!!

2011-12-11T13:41:00.001-06:00

Do you have a child that is in the process of learning how to tie shoes or you are ready to have them learn? If you've ever tried to teach a child how to tie shoes, you know it can be very challenging and time consuming!

I tend to buy my kids velcro shoes, but I know at some point they will have to learn and this is a really great way to teach them!! I didn't learn how to tie my shoes until I was in kindergarten and I recall how much effort the teacher put in to trying to teach me- it was like a rubiks cube!

"Loopeez is a mom invented product that revolutionizes the way kids learn to tie shoes. Loopeez is the first shoe tying aid to teach directly on the child's shoe and teach BOTH methods of tying. With Loopeez, parents and kids can learn to tie in a fun way eliminating the frustration of shoe tying. Kids love the cool designs and colors and parents love how fast they work. Kids learn to tie in minutes. Loopeez are also great for special needs, Autism, stroke, arthritis and one handed tying."

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Loopeez is giving one lucky reader a set for their child! If you have a girl, you will receive the swirl design and if you have a boy, you will receive the army design. Just let me know when you give me your address which you prefer. Giveaway ends January 2 at noon central.

And if you can't wait to see if you win and want one now, Loopeez is currently offering FREE SHIPPING if you order through their website.

To enter:

Like Loopeez on Facebook.

For additional entries:
1) Post a link to this giveaway on Facebook or Twitter and put the link in a comment below.

Good luck!!!

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.

Colorforms Magic Fashion Show Review

2011-12-11T12:38:00.000-06:00

This is something I would have LOVED getting as a gift when I was young. I was obsessed with paper dolls, dressing up my Barbies and toying with fashion ideas. The idea of something as cool as this toy would have blown my mind and given me hours/days/weeks of enjoyment! Although it is designed for ages 3-8, I think 3 might be a little too young to handle this toy because some of the pieces are more delicate. And as far as age 8, I'd probably bump it up to 10.

"Colorforms is the classic toy brand that has inspired young kids to follow their own imaginations for over 60 years. We’re looking for bloggers to review our newest product -- Magic Fashion Show.

Designed for girls ages 3-8 years, the Magic Fashion Show playset lets them become a head designer of their own fashion shows. They can dress runway models "backstage" in different outfits and accessories, and then send them along a circular catwalk to show off each new ensemble under a real working spotlight. The product comes with five standing figures and plenty of Colorforms' Stick-Ons play pieces to create hundreds of different outfit combinations, allowing up to five kids to play together and participate in a real fashion show experience!"

This would make an excellent Christmas gift and since it's not very commonly come by, it will be a toy that all her friends won't have and then they can be jealous!

MOTR grade: B+

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.

Kipsy Toy Review & Giveaway!!!

2011-12-06T18:48:00.000-06:00

I am stoked beyond stoked about this giveaway, People. When I first saw the pitch for this product I think a couple brain cells in my head exploded I was so excited! It is a genius idea and I for one, can't believe no one hasn't thought of it yet (if they have, I've never heard of it!)

If you've never used bribery with your kids, there is something frightening about you. We all use bribery in one way, shape or form at some point in our lives. We bribe people with smiles, money, goods, promises of eternal love and friendship... whatever it may be, bribery is a long running tradition because it works!

Enter the Kipsy Toy. But, this is a geniusly masked bribery. You have a book about Kipsy and his magic beans. You read the story, you put the magic beans under the pillow and if the child has achieved his or her goal/task, a surprise appears to replace the beans! And the great thing is, you can do this for as long as you want until the behavior has changed. (Shall we have a long discussion about behavior modification? I'll start by talking about Pavlov's dogs and you chime in when you get it... okay, just kidding.)

This is perfect for correcting the bedtime habit behaviors like getting out of bed constantly for no reason, staying in their own bed all night or throwing a fit at bedtime. You read the story to the child, let them have the doll for snugglies and they put the beans under their pillow. In the morning if they were good, they get a prize! Personally, I think if they were bad you should place a severed head under their pillow, but apparently most parents (and child protective services) disagree.

When I was young, say 4-6, I had a habit of sneaking in my parents' bedroom every night. I was good at it! I could pick the lock, I could get in the water bed and be so quiet, they never woke up. I think the final straw was when I snuck in and threw up in their bed. But anyway, my dad solved this with two things: a dead bolt and bribing me with toys. It's amazing how much less scary the boogie man is when there are toys involved. It did work, however.

I'm anxious to try this with my son, but herein lies my only worry: I have two kids and if I let one lie with the doll, the other will throw a fit. I'm sure it can be solved with a "too bad," but that's my only issue... but then again, I could order another doll.

Long story short, I have nothing bad to say about this. As a mother and educator who has experience with children from birth and up, I can say this is one of the best product ideas I have seen in a long time! I am strongly opposed to punishment as a form of behavior modification and much prefer positive reinforcement. This would be a great gift to give to a parent who is having a hard time with a child at bedtime or a great gift for the child themselves!

"Getting young children to go to bed and stay in their own bed can be a challenge! Kipsy and the Magic Beans is a fun bedtime sleep aid for children in fairytale form. The set includes a storybook to read together, a soft doll to sleep with, magic beans and incentive toys. Parents read the story and plant a magic bean under the child’s pillow. The child knows to keep the bean warm and toasty by sleeping on the pillow overnight. In the morning, the bean has magically turned into a toy! Perfect for childhood transitions – switching beds, starting school, life changes, or sleeping in a new place."

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Kipsy Toys has been awesome enough to offer one of my readers the Kipsy Doll package that includes the doll, book, 5 magic beans and 5 prepackaged incentive toys. Open to US residents only and giveaway ends December 20 at noon central time.

To enter:

Like Kipsy on Facebook.

Additional entries:

1) Tell me who you would give this to and why.

2) Tweet or post a link to this tab on Twitter and/or Facebook and post the link below. Please try to use @hamsterkitten and #kipsytoys if you post on Twitter.

Good luck!!

Hell Hath No Fury Like This Lady Without Her Meds!!!

2011-11-29T20:38:00.000-06:00

So I need to vent. As you should all know if you follow my blog, I'm bipolar. Well, I have been without one of my meds for almost two weeks. Here is why:

When I moved from my last town in August, I had several months worth of pills left. Well, thinking it would be a quick and painless transition, about 3-4 weeks ago, I tried to set up an appt with a local psychiatrist to get my meds refilled. Well, apparently their office only accepts appointments with a referral. Having my old doctor fax my information to my new doctor was considered a referral, but apparently this process is taking a long time and a lot of pointing fingers in the delay, but I can't make an appt. until the information is received by the new doctor.

In the meantime, I've been out of one of my medications. You are often warned about the side effects of quitting psychotropic drugs cold turkey, so I decided to make an appointment with a general practice doctor in the same building. So, I got in today.... and that doctor... wow. I've never wanted to walk out of an office in my life and it took all my willpower not to! She was super rude, wouldn't make eye contact and didn't understand why I couldn't wait for an appt with the psychiatrist. She just kept asking if I was suicidal. I really wanted to tell her that I'm homicidal, but she didn't seem like the type of person who gets sarcasm or jokes of any kind. Long story short, she lectured me, told me she wasn't comfortable with it and told me I should try to make an appt with the psychiatrist.

Well, let me tell you. At this moment, I hate everyone and everything. I've felt this way since like two days after my meds ran out. I could literally give a 5-10 minute speech on why I hate every person I know (except my kids.) Do I actually hate them? I don't think so... maybe one or two... but at this point in time, I want to stab them all from their left eyebrow to the dimples in their knee caps. I get mad at the TV, I get mad at the wind. I'm in a constant state of rage and it makes me pity those around me. Add to this that I can't sleep and when I do I am having vivid dreams of pointless things. I wake up 80 times a night and give up around 6am when I don't have to be up until 8.

So, no DOCTOR, I am not SUICIDAL, but how about you take your cracker jack box degree back to where you came from (she's new to the clinic) and learn something called empathy... and tact... and being around other human beings.

FAIL.

The Toddler from H-E- Double Hockey Sticks

2011-11-23T15:50:00.000-06:00

My son...

*sigh*

He has been going through a loooooooooong phase- we are talking like 8 months or so long- where he cries over EVERYTHING. You tell him no, he cries. You tell him it's dinner time, he cries. You ask him to put his shoes on, he cries. Well, I've gotten to the point where the crying doesn't bother me. First I tried putting him in time out because we all knew it was crocodile tears. Then I tried sending him to his room until he was done crying. I didn't get mad, I would calmly tell him to go into his room and he could come out when he was done crying. So, of course this resulted in him coming out two seconds later because he had turned off the waterworks just as easily as he turned them on.

Figuring that it is a phase, I have just kind of accepted it and try to ignore it because I know that he is trying to get attention.

Well, instead of letting that phase die out, he has decided to escalate it- to ear piercing screams. He intertwines these screams with his usual crying, but throws some even louder sobs in. And of course, it's still over the same little things. He smacks his sister in the face, he gets caught, he cries (and screams). He gets caught jumping on the couch... you get the picture. So, to his room he goes where he has now decided to start kicking the walls and throwing things during his tantrums. As much as I would like to go in and knock his block off, I just ignore it. I know he is trying to get attention out of it, but I refuse to give in. And believe me, it is HARD. He is a mama's boy, so when he has legitimate reasons to cry, it breaks my heart... but when he throws these crying/screaming tantrums, I just think, "what am I doing wrong?" Where have I gone wrong in my parenting that he has decided to take this route when he's upset. My daughter never went through this phase.

I'm at my wits end... do I invest in earplugs or try to take him back to WalMart... any advice??

Leading Lady Bra Review & Giveaway!!!

2011-11-23T07:16:00.001-06:00

Holiday Gift Guide- Perfect Gift for New or Expecting Moms

Being pregnant can cause lots of changes to a woman's breasts- good and bad. But one thing all women know is that sometimes the best friend a woman can have is a comfortable bra (forget diamonds)!

Leading Lady is here to help!

"Leading Lady is a premiere intimate apparel company dedicated to creating comfortably functional, remarkably affordable, stylish and easy-to-wear bras, camis and sleepwear. A family owned and operated business, Leading Lady has been expertly tailoring nursing and full figure bras for top brands and retailers across North America for more than 70 years. For the first time, Leading Lady’s comprehensive line of nursing and full figure intimates – including sexy stretch lace wire-free and underwire bras, supportive and seamless sport and yoga bras, and cozy sleep and leisure bras – can be purchased directly on LeadingLady.com.

Leading Lady is proud to celebrate “Leading Ladies” everywhere through its products, programs and philanthropic activities. Leading Lady is dedicated to arming new moms with the support – physically, intellectually and emotionally – they need to nurture their babies through breastfeeding and committed supporting a variety of organizations and issues relevant to women across the country. Follow Leading Lady on Facebook and Twitter"

I was fortunate enough to be able to try two of these bras myself! I tried the cotton front-closure leisure bra and the lightly molded crossover leisure bra. The latter is super cute, but the former is HEAVENLY! I can not explain how comfortable this bra is! And being a front-hook closure, it is very easy for nursing, but can also be worn any other time as well! It provides better support than a sports bra, but is just as comfortable. And the best part about Leading Lady's bras is they are offered in such a huge range of sizes that there is something for everyone.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Leading Lady has been awesome enough to provide one of my readers with a free item of their choosing! Winner will receive a code for the free item plus free shipping (free shipping applies to continental United States only.) Winner will be chosen at random December 8th at noon central.

To enter:

Like Leading Lady on Facebook.

Additional entries:

1) Follow Leading Lady on Twitter.
2) Tweet this giveaway including a link and @LeadingLady along with @hamsterkitten and if you have room include #giveaway.

Good luck!!!

Leading Lady provided me with free products, however my opinions are my own.

No Shirt for You!

2011-11-14T12:10:00.000-06:00

I apologize for yet another post about friendship. This is just something that is really getting under my skin and I have to vent to someone, anyone... which leaves the one or two people who may read this.

I consider myself to be a good friend. If you are in need, I will give you anything I can to help. I try to be there whenever someone asks, and unless I can't afford the gas to get there, I drop everything to be there. I know there are a couple instances I may have borrowed things and not returned them, but I am either still intending to (money) or we stopped being friends and I stopped caring about returning something and ended up passing it along to someone else.

There have been times when I had $20 to my name and spent it buying a friend groceries. I've helped people move, I've FOUND people places to move! I've given countless hours of requested advice and kept my mouth shut at times I knew it wasn't my place to say anything. I've taken a friend's word only to be stabbed in the back, I've trusted people that shouldn't be trusted...

And yet again, I reiterate that I know that I'm not perfect.

But what bothers me is this: I have a couple friends who have been my friends for years. I can't get them to answer my texts... I can't get them to respond to me on Facebook unless I post something on their wall. I don't know why, that's just how it is. I have people that used to be my friends, but now won't even be my friend on Facebook for something that I can't even remember that I did to upset them. I know I shouldn't care because they are obviously not real friends, but I do care. You know those people that you call when you are super upset about something and need a shoulder to cry on? I don't have one of those. I wish so badly that I did, but I don't. I have people that call me and rant or cry for hours and I listen. *sigh* I just feel like everyone should have SOMEONE they can turn to for comfort, joy, a laugh, a girls' night out, whatever it may be...

So I don't know if this is a shame on me for whatever I may have done wrong, a shame on me for giving second, third, fiftieth chances and holding out hope that my friends are better than they actually are... or is it actually a shame on them... for being crappy friends?

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Space Adventure DVD Review

2011-11-14T11:51:00.000-06:00

After the reaction my son had the first time he saw Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, I have become a loyal fan! Therefore, any DVD that comes out is a must have!

If you're unfamiliar with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, it's one of the staples on Playhouse Disney and is geared towards toddlers and preschoolers. Both my kids love it. I think it's very educational. Kids learn letters, numbers, colors, vocabulary, but don't realize it because the show is so fun!

"This November, parents and their preschoolers are invited to blast off with Mickey and pals on a rocketship full of fun in Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment’s newest release of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Space Adventure, a new, full-length intergalactic adventure that takes the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse gang – Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Daisy – into outer space on a search for the ultimate space treasure. Packaged with a surprise, never-before-seen “Goofy’s Thinking Cap” episode and fun, glow-in-the-dark space-themed stickers, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse:
Space Adventure will be available for purchase as a 2-Disc (DVD + Digital Copy) Combo Pack
November 8, 2011.
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Space Adventure is a 45 minute, full-length space-themed escapade, geared
for kids 2 to 5 years of age, that invites young viewers to discover outer space and use their problem- solving skills while they watch. In this specific adventure, Mickey and pals head to space where they tour
the Moon, Mars and the Rings of Saturn as well as meet new alien friends while on the hunt for a unique
space treasure."

Family Time Factor: Sometimes I catch my 5 year old watching this, but I could never voluntarily get her to say she wants to watch it with her brother. I also find it unenjoyable to watch, but it definitely keeps my son entertained!

MOTR Grade: B+

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The Great Christmas Debate

2011-11-10T11:12:00.000-06:00

So yesterday David and I find ourselves talking about Santa and gift giving. I don't really like the idea of promoting the idea of Santa because it is not what Christmas is about. But, I don't want my kids to feel like they aren't normal and not give them gifts, so I have told them that they get gifts because Jesus isn't around to give birthday gifts to, so they get gifts instead. Yes, it may sound weird, but I just want them to know that Christmas is about the birth of Jesus, not some guy in a red suit giving out presents.

But, my goal to not get them into Santa quickly faded when my daughter was 2 and everyone (including my then in-laws) felt the need to talk about Santa all the time to them around the holidays. What did you ask Santa for? Have you been good so Santa can bring you presents? Blah, blah. So, I just let everyone else do the Santa talking and I just never mention him. I don't put "from Santa" on their gifts, they are just there.

So the debate is that David was raised that once the tree was up, gifts would start getting put under the tree from mom and dad and they would stay there until Christmas morning when they would be opened. However, "Santa" would bring one BIG gift on Christmas Eve night and they would be surprised at what it was in the morning when they woke up. Then they took turns opening everything.

What my family did was on Christmas Eve, mom and dad gave us a gift from them, then when we woke up Christmas morning, we were excited to see all these presents under the tree that were not there before. The only things under the tree before Christmas day were gifts from relatives or the siblings to each other. Then, we took turns opening everything.

So, we have the agreement on taking turns opening things. But, I like the way my family did it better and he likes the way his family did it better. There is no right or wrong, but if you know me, you know I like getting my way... which I probably will... but I'd like to hear any suggestions on ways to combine both traditions or what your family might have done differently!

Let Me Explain My Butt

2011-11-08T10:39:00.004-06:00

For years, I've been overweight... some years... borderline Hindenburg.

But what I hate most is ... my butt! (Or my rear end for those of you who find that word offensive.)

I have often compared it to one "person" and one person only: the penguin in Batman Returns. Remember how Danny Devito looked in that pantyhose material stuffed with filling? He had this really weird shaped body, but if you specifically remember what it looked like when he was in his lair underground and didn't really wear much in terms of clothing and it seemed like he had flesh colored spandex pants... yeah, that's what my tush looks like!

I don't even know what shape you would call it! Square? Whatever it is, I hate it. Last year I lost 45 pounds (don't get excited for me, I've pretty much gained it back) and guess what- my butt was still a square!!

What is the deal??? I hate it! I don't think I'd opt for a flat hind end, but seriously... what kind of cruel joke is God playing on me when my butt can only be described as that of the penguin from Batman?

*sigh*

A Case of the Blahs

2011-11-07T11:37:00.000-06:00

I don't know what my deal is lately- I don't think that it is because winter is coming and people get that seasonal depression thing because the weather has actually been unseasonably nice here and I do love the holidays, so I have that to look forward to.

But lately, I just feel so blah. I love my job, but I don't feel like going to work because it seems mundane. I do go, but I feel like I'm boring my students and sometimes when I talk about whatever subject we're on a little voice pops into my head saying, "geez, I can't even focus on what you're saying it's so boring!"

Then there's my blog. I have a whole bunch of things I could be blogging about, topics floating around in my head, but I just don't feel like it. I don't think I'd have the zip and zest in my writing that I feel like I should.

I usually post status updates on Facebook a couple times a day... but lately I've gone days without.... it's blah. I don't have anything witty or interesting to tell the world. I'm blah.

Nothing seems exciting, every day is just like the last... I'm not in the least trying to say I have a crappy life- quite the opposite, things are going so well in my favor that I should really take the time to sit back and enjoy it! But I can't... cause I'm blah.

BLAH.

V Season 2 on DVD!!!

2011-11-07T11:31:00.000-06:00

"In episode 9, Anna tries to bliss a human. She is elated that she can control humans the same way she does Visitors. Now she simply has to bliss the humans into listening to her in order to gain total control of Earth. If aliens were to come to Earth, do you imagine they would be peaceful or manipulative and treacherous like Anna, what would you do? Would you trust them until given a reason not to or would you distrust them until proven otherwise?"

Well, I tend to not trust anyone ever anyway, so I don't think I would completely trust them. But, I would be nice to them until they gave me a reason not to be. I'd like to think that if aliens came to Earth it would be mostly for a fact finding mission and not to take over our planet because they had used up all the resources on theirs. But, if that is why they come, I think we will be done for. Our government can't make up its mind or agree about anything, and I'm assuming the aliens would be on a unified mission. By the time we know what hit us, we'd have all hidden under desks and cried until we were annihilated.

Check out V Season 2 on DVD and Blu-ray!!!

“I have been hired by Warner Bros. WBWord division to promote V Season Two on DVD."

Keep Families Safe with Master Lock Giveaway!!!

2011-11-07T09:48:00.001-06:00

Holiday Gift Guide: Perfect for Students or Parents!

Master Lock has a long history of making high quality super-superb items!

This fall, they are highlighting ways to keep family members' possessions safe from intruders, thieves or children who can't keep their hands out of stuff that isn't theirs... (even adult children!)

"October [was] Crime Prevention Month and Master Lock is sharing tips to encourage families to prevent and deter crime. With more than 13 million Americans affected by crime each year, it is essential that people are always aware of what they can do to protect themselves, their things and others. Master Lock has created a series of simple tips to help families change their safety mindset, be aware of their surroundings and take small precautions to stay safe during Crime Prevention Month and beyond."

Also:

"October [was] also Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Master Lock has come out with some great pink products that are also in support of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. These locks are perfect for use at the gym, during an awareness walk, or for kids to bring to school for their lockers, sporting activities etc. Master Lock also created a facebook game that families can play to raise money for the cause."

Giveaway Details:

Master Lock is offering my readers a chance to win their Security Chest. One reader will be chosen at random at noon central on November 21st. The Security Chest is a great way to hide and secure your valuable such as documents, money, small electronics, jewelry, medications... anything small that you wouldn't want stolen!

To enter:

Tell me what possession you have that you would be most upset about being stolen.

Additonal entries:

1) Like Master Lock on Facebook.
2) Tweet this giveaway and use @hamsterkitten. Post link below.

Thanks and good luck!!

V Season 2 on DVD!!!

2011-10-31T14:02:00.000-05:00

"Hobbes constantly calls Ryan out as a traitor even though his treachery has far worse consequences. Not only has Hobbes killed humans, he slept with Erica and then indirectly caused the death of Erica's ex-husband Joe. Have you ever been in a situation where someone regardless of their own actions kept pointing out what you were doing wrong? How did you bring this to light or work around it to move forward?"

This is hard for me to come up with my own response. I guess the best example would be with my divorce. My ex constantly pointed out that I should be the one punished because I left him. That was his rationalization and comeback for everything. It doesn't matter that his actions drove me to it and his actions afterwards regarding the children were far worse than me leaving, which ended up being best for everyone and the kids haven't been happier! I couldn't bring it to light to him because he doesn't listen to me. And I moved forward by getting everything made legal. Hooray!

Be sure to check out the second season of V on Blu-ray and DVD!!!

“I have been hired by Warner Bros. WBWord division to promote V Season Two on DVD."

Oh no she didn't!!!

2011-10-27T12:00:00.000-05:00

Okay, so as a mom, this made me wanna strangle a first grader like I have never wanted to strangle one before!

Back story: So we moved into our new house a couple weeks ago and there are lots of kids in the neighborhood that roam after school and on the weekends and since my kids were new, for about a week straight our house was the place to be for kids to hang out. Well, there were these siblings, a first grade girl and preschool boy that would ride their bikes in the alley and were around, but it took them awhile to ask to play. They only played outside and I was not a big fan from the get-go because they were rude to L for no reason and didn't want him to play with them because he was the youngest. Well, I had the opportunity to meet their dad and he did NOT seem like a winner. He had meth withdrawal mannerisms and talked S about the people in the neighborhood, but yet he is perfectly fine with his kids roaming it unsupervised. So, he seemed shady and it started making me not be surprised that his kids were shady.

Well, I know that my daughter has a bit of an attitude at times. Personally, I wouldn't play with her if I were her age- when she is tired, she gets CRANKY. That leads to more bossiness and selfishness. Now, I'm not saying she's a bad apple. She doesn't realize she can alienate friends with this behavior.

So, like three days ago this first grade girl comes over to play and they are all playing in the backyard. I don't know what happened to instigate it, but the girl called A a baby and went home. Sure, name calling is totally rude and uncouth, but I gave her the benefit of the doubt that A was probably being mean.

Yesterday A was so anxious for someone to play with after school that she put her coat on and wandered around the porch and then sat inside with her coat on in case someone walked by outside so she could run out and ask them to play. Yes, it was mildly creepy and sad, but that's what she did. So, an hour later, the first grade girl and a boy are walking down the sidewalk and A immediately runs outside and asks if they want to play...

Here's where my anger comes in...

The girl SNUBBED A!!! She just kept walking right by her with a haughty look on her face and blatantly snubbed her! I could see tears immediately well up in my daughter's eyes and I opened the door and had her come inside. She was just dumbfounded and said, "she didn't even say hi to me! She just kept walking!" I had to explain to her that it was very mean of that girl and that she should not play with her anymore because people who do things like that are not who you want to be your friends.

I just couldn't believe it! That was a total bitch move that is usually something you see from high school girls or catty women! All I can say is that was a feeling I don't want A or I to ever have to feel again!!!

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Blu-ray Review

2011-10-27T07:44:00.001-05:00

Johnny Depp is HOT. Johnny Depp doing Keith Richards as a pirate with a swagger and gold teeth... HOTTER! I could watch Johnny Depp all day... oh, what's that? We're talking about a movie, not just how hot Johnny Depp is? My bad!

When the first Pirates of the Caribbean came out, it was a huge blockbuster that scored with millions of viewers. I watched it, I was impressed. Then the second one came out. I watched it, was unimpressed. Then the third one came out- I didn't bother watching. BUT, alas, the series has redeemed itself because On Stranger Tides was actually really good! I found myself interested in the whole thing, not just salivating over Johnny as Captain Jack Sparrow. (You other ladies can have Orlando Bloom!)

Family Time Factor: Can actually be enjoyed by all ages, but probably not too appropriate for younger kids.

MOTR Grade: B

http://www.totaleclips.com/player/Splash.aspx?custid=907&clipid=e100264&playerid=69&affiliateid=-1&bitrateid=378&formatid=10">

"Setting sail on an ocean full of hi-def adventures, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides will debut in a Limited Edition 5-Disc Combo Pack (1-Disc Blu-ray 3D + 2-Disc Blu-ray + 1-Disc DVD + 1- Disc Digital Copy), a 2-Disc Combo Pack (1-Disc Blu-ray + 1-Disc DVD), and for the ultimate fan a 15- Disc Four Movie Collection. Additionally the movie will be available in 3D and High-Definition Movie Download.

The Limited Edition 5-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack includes hours of bonus materials offering fans a deeper dive inside Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides including immersive Disney Second Screen technology, exclusive behind-the-scenes experiences, Fountain of Youth mythology, an extensive look at mermaids, bloopers, deleted and extended scenes, and much more.

In addition, the Pirates of the Caribbean 15-Disc Four Movie Collection offers fans more adventures than ever before. The Collection is packaged in an authentic replica Pirate’s Chest, and includes a collectible map and an iconic skull disc case that holds the Blu-rayTM discs and digital copies of ALL four Pirates of the Caribbean movies, along with the Blu-ray 3DTM disc and DVD of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, directed by Rob Marshall (Nine, Chicago), and written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio (Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, National Treasure 2, Mask of Zorro), Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is the latest addition to the incredibly successful Pirates of the Caribbean franchise that has for years entertained audiences of all ages with its thrilling adventures, hi-tech special effects and unique storylines.

Back as Captain Jack Sparrow, Johnny Depp (Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Alice in Wonderland) returns leading a sensational cast of talents that includes Penélope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona), Geoffrey Rush (The King’s Speech), Ian McShane (HBO’s “Deadwood”) and more.

The visually stunning film shot in high-definition 3D invites viewers to embark on an adventure-filled ride with Captain Jack Sparrow as he searches for the breathtaking Fountain of Youth. Along the turbulent trip, fans are forced to re-think their knowledge of fairytale creatures when they are introduced to a group of alluring yet precarious mermaids, traverse isolated islands and fight international enemies.

Details:

2-Disc Combo Pack (1-Disc Blu-rayTM + 1-Disc DVD)

Bloopers of the Caribbean

Audio Commentary by director Rob Marshall

LEGO Animated Shorts: Captain Jack’s Brick Tales"

V Season 2 on DVD!!!

2011-10-24T12:00:00.000-05:00

Did you know that V Season 2 is now available on DVD and Blu-ray???

"In the series finale, the 5th Column is crushed in a failed coup against Anna. A new human opposition force has entered the picture called Aries Project. All humans above ground are blissed and fall under Anna's spell just as the V Armada approaches. An evil twin Lisa has been created who seduces Tyler, becomes impregnated by him and then murders him. Lisa the Visitor Princess is imprisoned after an attack on her Mother's life and Anna kills her mother Diana. If you were to write the next episode, where would you take the story? Would the humans triumph and crush the Vs, would the humans and Vs learn to live peacefully together or is it doomsday for humanity?"

If I were to write the next episode, I would like to see humans and Vs living together, although I don't know if it would be completely peacefully because then there wouldn't be as much drama. I think there should still be some evil Vs and also humans who refuse to accept the Vs presence on earth. I would like to see Vs and humans learn to live together and perhaps even be able to maintain romantic relationships. There are so many directions you could go with these ideas!

“I have been hired by Warner Bros. WBWord division to promote V Season Two on DVD."

Put a Little Spice Into the Holidays with EdenFantasys

2011-10-24T11:42:00.000-05:00

***Giveaway coming soon!!!***

If you are normal, then you enjoy celebrating your love with your significant other. Whether it's holding hands, googly eyes or cuddling, you want to show your partner that you love them. Then of course, there's the OTHER ways to show them that you love them... *wink, wink* And while you're at it, why not spice things up with some foreplay that should definitely include sex toys!

If you're one of those couples (and I pity you) that only has sexy time on birthdays or holidays, why not make it the best ever? Grab some massage oil, buy a pair of handcuffs, throw a dildo in the mix- just enjoy it!!! Who can resist a little bit of extra fun and a lot of extra pleasure?? Holidays are all about spending time with the ones you love and this is the best way to spend time with the ONE you love! (Well, maybe you love more than ONE, but I'm not judging!)

And not to depress those single ladies (or fellas) out there! Much fun can be had when you're flying solo as well. Believe me, I've been there! And I'm pretty sure whether I was single or not, I could not live without having one of my favorite vibrators nearby. Of course I always run out of batteries and misplace my rechargeable ones...

Anyway, embrace your sexuality! Embrace having a little fun with someone (or alone)! There's no reason to be a prude behind closed doors... you have plenty of room to do that once you walk outside and get back into the real world.

Sweet Pea MP3 Player Giveaway?

2011-10-18T19:27:00.000-05:00

I really really really want to do a giveaway for this company on my Holiday Gift Guide!

To be one of the 10 chosen bloggers, I have to have the most likes through Facebook.

Click here to like so I can do an awesome giveaway with this!!!

Jem and the Holograms: The Truly Outrageous Complete Series on DVD!!!

2011-10-18T12:04:00.006-05:00

I love waxing nostalgic.

Growing up in the 80s introduced me to all kinds of awesomeness! One of those things was Jem and the Holograms. Jem a normal chick as Jerrica, who had normal problems. Each show actually tried to teach morals (you know how they were in the 80s with the whole after school special ideology). Whether it was a friend who felt like an outcast, dealing with difficult choices... Jerrica experienced them all as either herself or as Jem!

Interesting tidbit about this... I actually owned a Jem doll! She had pink hair on top that could be tucked into a hat for when she became Jerrica. She also had earrings that flashed when you flipped the switch on her back. I actually just sold it on ebay a couple years back when I was trying to get out of my hoarding ways... interesting side note I'm sure.

"The series 'JEM and The Holograms' ran from 1985-’88 in first-run syndication and still boasts a loyal and vocal fan base. It is frequently credited with influencing fashion in the late 1980s and beyond, and launching the careers of female pop-rock stars and music groups. The series follows Jerrica Benton, whose discovery of Synergy, a powerful computer companion, allows her to transform from co-owner of Starlight Music into rock star Jem. Teaming with her sister and best friends who form The Holograms, Jem sets out to make their musical dreams come true, even as she battles against the ruthless Eric Raymond and his musical protegees.

Family Time Factor: I actually think it can be enjoyed by boys and girls, but I think the boys would throw a fit after they got to be 7 or so. And it gets a bit cheesy the older the child gets. I can tolerate it still.

MOTR Grade: B+

Jem and the Holograms: The Truly Outrageous Complete Series is now available on DVD!!!

HINT flavored water

2011-10-18T08:57:00.000-05:00

I try to avoid drinking soda like the plague. (Although I'm not sure people drank the plague, but you get my meaning.) The hard thing for me is that it is just too dang accessible. I don't have time or patience to get something out and fill a cup, plus with active children running around, my cup is likely to get spilled.

So, I find myself buying tea or propel. I buy the tea because I love it, but I buy the propel because it has no calories and sounds healthy. But, the thing that drives me most insane is how sweet it is!!! I want the healthy and no calories without the sugary sweetness and I'm on the fence about how good splenda really is for us, so I try not to do artificial sweeteners.

So, when I had the opportunity to try HINT, I was intrigued. Flavored water that doesn't have added sugar? So, I tried it... and I am now an addict! I had one of every flavor in my fridge and I drank them all within two days! It is accessible, it was delicious, refreshing and not sugary in the least! There are like only 3 ingredients, one being purified water and none being sugar. And HINT is THE PERFECT name! Really, you explain the taste to people that it's like drinking water with a hint of flavor- GENIUS! I let my boyfriend try it, I let my friends try it and I let my kids try it. (Of course only a sip because I refused to share a whole bottle!) Everyone liked it!

The only downfall is the availability. I'd love to see HINT sold in grocery stores and retailers in my area as opposed to specialty locations, but I'm sure after enough buzz is established, that will change.

Here's the skinny from the company:

"HINT flavored water has no calories, sweeteners or preservatives and is a great alternative to juice and soda. HINT was launched in April 2005 by current CEO Kara Goldin and is now available in all Whole Foods and Starbucks. It is available in Blackberry, Mango-Grapefruit, Pomegranate-Tangerine, Raspberry-Lime, and Strawberry Kiwi and sells for $1.79."

Anyway, if you have the opportunity to try HINT, you owe it to yourself. I'm sure none of us can say we drink enough water and if your excuse is the taste, now you have no more excuses! Did I mention NO ADDED SUGAR?? YAY!!!

MOTR Grade: A+

The Big Bang Theory is now in Syndication!!!

2011-10-16T14:12:00.000-05:00

In episode 1 of season 2 of The Big Bang Theory, Leonard and Penny go on their first date. Both people feel insecure about the date and unbeknownst to them both, each of them has feelings for the other person. When Leonard learns of Penny’s insecurity about her intelligence, he gives her brochures to a local community college and tells her he is fine dating a girl who isn’t smart. Penny abruptly slams the door in his face. In your opinion, What are the top 3 things that a man should never say to a women? Is this a dealbreaker?

This is a no brainer! A man should NEVER ask a woman about her past history with men. He should never ask her what her weight is. And he should never tell her who she can and can't be friends with. With the first two things, it's only a dealbreaker if he refuses to let it go and expects her to answer or else. And I think the third is a total dealbreaker because it is way too controlling.

I can understand why Penny slammed the door because it sounded like Leonard was insulting Penny, which was not his intention. He thought he was being nice and helpful. But, that happens a lot in relationships- it's called miscommunication.

The Big Bang Theory is now on 5 Night a Week!! Head over to www.bigbangweeknights.com to check your local listings.

“I have been hired by Warner Bros. WBWord division to promote The Big Bang Theory in Syndication."

I am IRATE!

2011-10-13T16:36:00.000-05:00

So my daughter's teacher informed me that I needed to purchase a milk card for her for snacks and that if I send $5 it buys the card and gets her 20 milks.

No problem.

A has a binder that goes home with her every night and there are instructions on how to send money for anything. There is a small manilla envelope labeled "money" and you are to put the money inside a different envelope, write what it's for and then put that inside the manilla envelope and close the flap so that the teacher knew there was money in it. I did this exactly. I even looked over the directions several times to make sure I did it correctly.

Yesterday I get a new note saying that Aurora still needs to buy a milk card. This confused me so I decided to speak with her teacher today after school. I informed her that I had sent money and she just kept telling me she didn't get it. There was no apologeticness to her voice and she kind of blew me off like I was either lying or A took the money. Well, I know I was not lying and A doesn't even understand the concept of money, nor would she have anywhere to spend it unless I took her somewhere, so she would have no reason to take the money.

So, after feeling a bit shamed by the teacher, I decided that I would not let it go so easily. I know that is only $5, but it is the principle! I went to the office to let the secretary know what happened. She seemed apologetic and said she'd talk to the lunch lady to see if a miscellaneous envelope with money was turned in, but her final answer was the same as the teachers- I needed to send in another $5.

Well, I emailed the principal to lodge my complaint. I understand it's not much money, but it frustrates me that the first time I send money, it disappears. I specifically followed the teacher's instructions to the letter.

And before you think I am just being hormonal or I forgot to take my medicine today... neither of those is the issue. I don't even feel angry, I just think this is some grade A bull hockey. And I want them to know it too. Oh, I will take the $5 in tomorrow and hand it directly to the lunch lady, but believe you me, I am NOT happy about it.

Healthy Sunday Night Football Snacks GIVEAWAY!!!

2011-10-11T11:40:00.000-05:00

Whether it's a normal season game, playoff or a bowl game, it's hard for anyone to watch an entire football game without eating or drinking anything! And of course, the normal picture we have familiarized ourselves with include bowls of chips, pizzas, beer, soda, nachos, you name it! None of these are healthy options and with all the recent pushes for America to become a healthier nation, I can't think of a better time for sports fans to embrace the change of snack foods during their game viewing! Here are several healthy alternatives:

Craisins Original Dried Cranberries: Surprise your taste buds with the sweet, delicious taste of Craisins® Dried Cranberries. Made with real fruit and good as a snack or in a recipe, they’re naturally fat-free and cholesterol-free. Plus, they’re a good source of fiber and 1/3 cup is equal to a serving of fruit.

Smart for Life protein bars: Eliminates post-exercise hunger, so you gain muscle not fat. Supports healthy cardiovascular function, helps promote weight loss, boosts metabolism and controls hunger.

Medifast Cheese Puffs: These sweet and savory products will tempt taste buds and keeps you feeling full plus they offer a daily requirement of 24 vitamins and minerals!

HINT Water: Staying hydrated, refreshed and in shape is a must, which is why HINT Water is offering great flavors like Strawberry-Kiwi, Mango-Grapefruit and Pomegranate-Tangerine without adding those extra calories.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

One lucky winner will be chosen at random at noon central time on Oct. 31!!! They will receive the above mentioned products!

To enter:

List your favorite Sunday Night Football dish in the comment section below.

Additional entries:

1) Tweet this giveaway and post link below.
2) Put a link to this giveaway on FB and leave the link to post below.

Thanks & good luck!!!

The Big Bang Theory is now in Syndication!!!

2011-10-10T12:45:00.000-05:00

"In episode 13 from season one of The Big Bang Theory, “The Bat Jar Conjecture,” which aired Wednesday October 10th, Sheldon’s arrogance ostracizes him from the group which leads to him competing directly against his friends with Sheldon's Group. Have you ever competed against a good friend? If your best friend knew that one item that would make amends, what would it be? Is it as funny as a batman cookie jar?"

I don't know that I have ever competed against a good friend. In school I was highly competitive with a particular girl, but I would consider that we were "frienemies" because neither of us actually liked the other one, but we had to pretend to because we ran in the same circle of friends. For awhile I really cared about doing better than her academically or in terms of sports, but then I realized she was an evil meanie head and I stopped caring so much. I still don't like her to this day. And in regards to what it might take to make amends, it would be as simple as a cookie jar! I am forgiving to a fault and if someone gave me something funny, I'd be over whatever it was in a heartbeat!!

The Big Bang Theory is now on 5 Night a Week!!! Head over to www.bigbangweeknights.com to check your local listings.

“I have been hired by Warner Bros. WBWord division to promote The Big Bang Theory in Syndication."

UNDZ Giveaway!!!! Holiday Gift Guide 2011 WINNER: Brittney House

2011-10-10T11:58:00.002-05:00

Oh... my... gosh. Who would have thought I'd be so excited to blog about men's underwear??? LOL. So prior to getting an offer to review these, I had never heard of Undz.org. Here is what I read about them:

"UNDZ isn’t just what you wear under your pants—it’s an attitude that speaks to who you are. UNDZ.org was founded in 2008 by street wear addicts who recognized a need for trendy, inexpensive and colorful men’s underwear.

The company is built upon the philosophy that you don’t have to spend over $20 for a single piece of underwear that says you're cool! UNDZ understands the need for trendy, low cost and colorful men’s underwear. The company has worked hard to establish relationships with many of the same factories that make those overpriced underwear styles that many men purchase on a regular basis - and the company has set out to reinvent the men’s underwear world by offering the same high quality underwear for just $4.99 a pair – which includes next day shipping. The company boasts 14 models to choose from."

Well, that had me hooked. That and the fact that I'm tired of David wearing the same old grungy boxer briefs and these looked pretty cool! So, the day quickly came when they arrived. The colors are quite out there, which made David a little stand-offish, but once he tried them on... he was IN LOVE! He was so excited about the comfort and feel that I tried on a pair of the briefs... and I was IN LOVE! Seriously, they are so stinkin' comfortable! The waistband is so smooth and silky feeling that there is not at all the itchy annoyingness that you get with most other underwear. The material is soft, they made my tush look good and therefore I stole a couple pairs for myself. (I'm wearing them while I blog this, shhhh!)

Now comes to the exciting part. I think these would make a great gift to the man in your life- whether it is your son, your spouse, boyfriend, friend, dad, anyone who likes good feeling underwear! I have to point out, though, you want to make sure that they go to someone you aren't too shy or modest with because the company has a kind of provocative/risque campaign that may offend some of the more conservative folk.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

UNDZ has been awesome enough to offer my readers a giveaway that snags you FIVE PAIRS of their underwear! Giveaway ends October 31 at noon central time.

To enter:

Like UNDZ on Facebook.

Additional entries:

1) Tweet about this giveaway. MUST USE @undzorg in your tweet. If you would like to use @hamsterkitten that would be great. Must include giveaway link. Post tweet link below.

2) Follow @undzorg on Twitter.

3) Post a link to this giveaway on Facebook (tag me if we are friends.)

Good luck! And keep checking back for more entries into my 2011 Holiday Gift Guide!!!

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.

Sponsored by Tomoson.com

The Middle Season 2 on DVD!!!

2011-10-05T10:09:00.000-05:00

If you're unfamiliar with the premise of "The Middle," it is not that difficult to grasp. It is a comedy about the Heck family. Husband Mike and wife Frankie live normal lives in the midwest with their three children. Well, I say normal because they are usually typical situations that I think all of us can relate to at one point or another. Season two was chalked full of interesting storylines that were just as interesting as season one! It is definitely worth your time to keep up with the Hecks!

"After Axl leaves his dirty smelly socks lying around the house one too many times, Mike punished his son by banning him from playing his basketball team's final game. Given the Heck legacy on the basketball team, do you think it was the best decision? Have you ever, or had a parent, give the time that didn't fit the crime? Were you able to get out of it and how?"

I personally think that is a HUGE punishment for leaving smelly socks around. I can empathize that dirty clothes lying around is annoying, but that seems like too big of time for the crime. I would have not offered to feed him or hid all of his clothes/socks until he was willing to change the sock problem.

And my kids are little, so their "punishments" aren't too extreme. And when I was a teenager, my groundings weren't really that big of a deal, so I didn't consider them punishments. Although I did hate it when my dad said, "don't plan on leaving the house for a long time." What's that supposed to mean??

Don't forget to check out The Middle Season 2 on DVD and Blu-ray!!!

“I have been hired by Warner Bros. WBWord division to promote The Middle Season Two on DVD."

Funky Monkey Snacks Giveaway!!!

2011-10-04T19:35:00.000-05:00

Looking for a healthy substitute for after school snacks or to hand out this Halloween? You are in luck! There's a really cool treat out on the market called Funky Monkey Snacks! They are made from 100% real fruit, are all natural, and contain 3 servings of fruit in every ounce!

I have tasted them all and my favorite is Apple Cinnamon! My kids loved them all. They are great for adults and kids. I would totally take some to work for a mid-day snack! The Funky Monkey flavors include: Applemon, Bananamon, Carnaval, Mango OJ, Pink Pineapple, Purple Funk and JiveALime.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

3 lucky winners will get to pick 2 flavors to enjoy! They will be shipped to you. Must be 18 and US resident to enter. Contest ends October 18 at noon central.

To enter:

1) Visit Funky Monkey Snacks website and tell me which two flavors you think sound the best.

2) Like Funky Monkey on Facebook.

3) Tweet a link to this website and try to use @hamsterkitten and @FunkyMonkeySnck along with #giveaway in your post. Feel free to follow both as well!

Good luck!!!

Halloween Smiley Cookies review

2011-10-03T11:05:00.001-05:00

If you're a parent, you know that people have started a global trend of being fearful of homemade treats. We have gotten to the point that we will no longer let our children accept something that is homemade and schools are even insisting that parents only bring store bought/packaged treats to school. But, you don't want to be one of the 25 parents who brought the same boring cookie to your child's Halloween party! That's where Smiley comes in!

"Get in the spirit, cast a culinary spell, get your ghouls goblin when you order a dozen of our demonically good just for Halloween Jack O Lantern cookies! Made fresh daily with the same artistry and pure ingredients as our original Smiley Face Cookies, our Halloween Sugar Cookies are all dressed up with classic candy corn and hand-iced in Jack o’ Lantern orange. We bake these Halloween treats fresh by the light of the full moon and send them straight to you or whomever you choose. The ultimate Halloween party snack, our Jack O’ Lantern Smiley cookies make trick-or-treaters howl with delight — and mummies love them, too!"

A. enjoying a Halloween Smiley!

My kids LOVED them! They are super cute and who doesn't love sugar cookies?? And seeing as how they are Halloween cookies, it makes them that much more special. They would also be great in a Halloween gift basket for your child as well as great treats to hand out or bring for a school party.

L. getting ready for the first bite.

If you like Smiley Cookies on Facebook you will receive a 20% off Coupon good on their Halloween Cookies!!

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.

Is This a Girl Thing?

2011-10-02T18:31:00.000-05:00

I like to think I'm not like all the other girls... of course that would be a little presumptuous of me. I don't consider myself to be clingy, I'm not all about romance (although a little romance here and there is okay.) So today, on one of my mind wandering trips, I was thinking about how men and women meet, date and either decide to be together forever or move on to the next poor sap. The question always arises after an exchange of phone numbers about how many days the guy (or gal) should wait to call so as not to seem desperate. Well, with texting and FB chat, that kind of makes a large gray area.

But, onto my point... For some reason, I like to know that I'm a hot commodity. I've always had pretty good luck at getting the guy I've set my sights on. But, is it a guy that I actually want? I like attention, but only when I want it. But I think it might be overkill of me to think that a guy should think about me at least once a day. Therefore, I expect a text once a day saying, "hey! I'm alive, are you?" That's all... is that too much to ask? Even if I don't wanna spend time with him or he doesn't want to spend time with me, I'd like to at least know that he remembers I exist.

Then what about those guys who send you 100 texts a day? Should that make you worried? Is there something to the idea of a chase? Do chicks tend to fall harder for a guy who shows them tons of attention over a guy they like more, but doesn't show them enough? Guys like a chase, right? Do girls? I recall liking guys here and there who didn't give me anything to chase, so therefore I wasn't interested. But then when they stopped doting, I became interested again. Then there was the one who I thought was interested, but then he would go days without letting me know that he was alive or checking to see if I was and although it was hard for me to throw in the towel, my pride made me. I know the Earth doesn't revolve around me, the tides don't come in because I'm happy, the sun doesn't rise and set by my moods... but don't we all want to feel a little special deep down?

I guess my point to all these ramblings comes back to these questions: Is it really about the chase or do we decide to go with the one that shows us the most attention? Is is possible to form a deep love with someone who can go days without speaking to you? Do we just settle for what we can get because we can never get what we want?

My mind wonders...

National Honey Month

2011-10-02T16:47:00.001-05:00

As you know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but did you know that September was National Honey Month?

"And on October 25th, Disney releases WINNIE THE POOH on Blu-ray & DVD! Journey back to the 100 Acre Wood for a heart-warming adventure with Pooh, Tigger, Rabbit, Piglet, Owl, Kanga, Roo, Eeyore and Christopher Robin! Bonus material includes the EXCLUSIVE short "Mini-Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: The Balloon," deleted scenes and more!"

The Big Bang Theory is now in Syndication!!!

2011-10-01T11:36:00.000-05:00

“'The Middle Earth Paradigm' from Season 1 of The Big Bang Theory aired Monday 9/26. In the episode, the gang attends a costume party in Penny’s apartment. Penny dresses as a cat, Sheldon dresses as the doppler effect, Leonard is Frodo from Lord of the Rings, Howard is Robin Hood but gets mistaken for Peter Pan and Raj is Thor, the Norse god of thunder. Each costume is interesting for each character (Raj, the quietest of the group, is the god of thunder)."

What do the costumes say about each character to you? In your opinion who wins the costume contest? I think that Penny's choice of being a cat shows how simplistic she is compared to the guys, who are brainiacs. Dressing as a cat is one of the most common choices for women. It shows that she put more thought into looking attractive than being original. Leonard picked a character from a series that is widely thought of as being a "nerd favorite." And Howard picked an iconic character who is known as being brave, bold and a woo-er of women. The fact that Howard was instead mistaken for a boy who never wants to grow up is what makes it comical. I would pick Sheldon for the winner. First, because he's my favorite anyway and second because his took the most thought in my opinion.

Make sure to catch The Big Bang Theory, now on 5 Night a Week!!! Visit www.bigbangweeknights.com to check your local listings.

“I have been hired by Warner Bros. WBWord division to promote The Big Bang Theory in Syndication."

The Middle Season 2 on DVD!!!

2011-09-28T21:17:00.000-05:00

"In one episode, Brick shares Sue's room where they accidently knock a hole in her wall, they try to fix it but only make it worse. They attempt to cover it up by putting a poster over it but it doesn't work. Have you ever been in that situation with your sibling or good friend? Did you try and cover it up or did you just admit it?"

I don't remember ever breaking everything with my siblings and trying to cover it up- likewise with my friends. I do remember once breaking (or I thought I broke) someone's carpet cleaning machine and I just returned it to their garage like nothing happened. Another time my rabbit chewed through the cord of something I borrowed from someone and when they asked for it back I kept making excuses about when I'd get it to them. (Hmm, maybe people shouldn't loan me things.) Lastly, there was the time my brother took this record player (he was like 10 or 12) and tried to rewire it to play faster and when he plugged it in flames shot out of the outlet. I'm pretty sure I didn't tattle about that.

"Have you ever been in a situation similar to Brick and Sue's? See how the Hecks brilliantly true-to-life kids cover up their accident on The Second Season of The Middle on DVD, currently available for pre-order and hitting shelves on 9/27/11"

“I have been hired by Warner Bros. WBWord division to promote The Middle Season Two on DVD."

Thank You for Being a Friend...

2011-09-27T11:23:00.001-05:00

Yes, I'm referencing Golden Girls, but no, this has nothing to do with the show... despite it's timeless humor and awesomeness...

You know, I will be the first, second and third to admit that I'm not the greatest friend in the world... I have much room for improvement. Granted, I am a giving friend- if I have it, it's yours. I would give my friends the shirt off my back if they asked for it. And if I ever have money, I wouldn't hesitate to let a friend in need borrow it.

But I always find myself thinking, "who ARE my friends?" On Facebook, you can now mark people as friends or acquaintances, although I wish there was an option for "complete strangers," but maybe that's in the works. But there are people that I consider expendable, and I am sure 98% of my Facebook friends feel that way. When I moved from my hometown to Cedar Rapids, I considered there to be 3 friends that I would truly miss. Once I moved, I probably only spoke to one of them on any semblance of a basis. Now that I am closer, out of those 3, I probably will only ever hang out with on of them. She and I have NOTHING in common on the surface, but deep down we do have things that make us lifelong friends. And one of the three hasn't responded to my texts in months and blows me off all the time... whatevs.

Then there's the friends in Cedar Rapids. I have a friend there that I consider to be one of the truest friends I've ever had and it is amazing because so many people tried to tell me that she used me and wasn't a good friend, but I knew otherwise. I understood the kind of person she was/is and overlooked any flaws, as we should all try to do. She was nice to me and if I was in pain or having an emotional crisis, she would have been by my side in a heartbeat. Since I've moved, she's made it clear that she is not gonna give up on me easily. It is an amazing feeling. I other friends who I will definitely keep in touch with and I have friends who still think of me and communicate with me when I was sure they would have forgotten my name once I left town... hearing people tell you that they miss you just because they actually do... makes me feel like I may actually have had a positive impact on their lives. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside.

And finally, there are those that I have long since forgotten that when it is clear I am a wreck or bouncing off the walls with anxiety, I will get a random text, a random Facebook message and their concern, friendliness and just outright acknowledgement of my existence stops me in my tracks. But to this I start feeling a smidge guilty for not checking in on them.

I guess there was no real point to this blog, but I think that sometimes the people that we think are our friends really aren't as good of friends as the people we have shrugged off as acquaintances. I definitely wish I were a better friend and hopefully some day I can be, but in the meantime, I think I should try a little harder to appreciate those that I have...

Excerpt from One of My Textbooks

2011-09-26T11:29:00.001-05:00

This was one of the example paragraphs in the textbook for the reading class I teach... I thought I'd share:

"Everyone has heard a few 'Your mama is ugly' jokes. 'Your mama is so ugly that when she entered an ugly contest, the judge said, 'Sorry, no professionals.' 'Your mama is so ugly that when she went to a haunted house, she came out with a paycheck.' 'In the dictionary, your mother's picture is next to the word 'ugly.' There are several reasons why 'your mama' jokes are popular. First of all, humor usually contains something surprising or even shocking. We aren't expected to make fun of someone's mom, so a 'your mama' joke has the element of surprise. Secondly, humor is a way we deal with taboos, or things that are forbidden. Insulting anybody is bad enough, but insulting somebody's mother is really out of line. Finally, 'your mama' jokes are generally told between close friends as a way to express friendship and affection. Mothers aren't really being insulted. Instead of getting angry, the friend on the receiving end of the joke usually laughs."

What... a hoot.

In case you were wondering the purpose, this was a practice paragraph where students are supposed to be able to figure out which sentence expresses the main idea. I will give you a clue. Look for words that indicate a list is soon to follow. What's that? Several reasons IS an indicator. If you said sentence five, then you are correct, My Friend!

Enjoy this wrinkle in your brain.

Book: Ten Steps to Building College Reading Skills by John Langan, Fourth Edition.

Big Bang Theory is now in Syndication!!!

2011-09-25T20:58:00.004-05:00

In the Pilot Episode of The Big Bang Theory which aired Monday 9/19, Leonard meets Penny for the first time and is immediately infatuated with her. While his roommates say that she is an unattainable goal, Leonard is an idealist and strives to be worthy of her. Even going so far as to confront her much larger and stronger ex-boyfriend, resulting in him getting de-pantsed. What's the most embarrassing thing you've had happen to you?

I can only really think of one especially embarrassing things that have happened to me. The first was when I was in fifth grade. There was a band recital in the high school gymnasium and it was for all the school bands for every grade. I had on a skirt and was sitting in the end chair of the second row. I dropped my mouth piece and when I bent over to pick it up, I fell of my chair and my skirt went up, exposing whatever cartoonish underwear I was wearing at the time! After the show I saw a couple parents pointing at me and whispering. I was mortified. I don't have nearly as much shame as I did back then, otherwise I'd probably have a lot more embarrassing moments to speak of!!!

The Big Bang Theory is now on 5 Nights a Week!!! Check your local listings.

“I have been hired by Warner Bros. WBWord division to promote The Big Bang Theory in Syndication."

Hey Arnold Season 1 DVD Review

2011-09-23T11:22:00.000-05:00

I never watched Hey Arnold on Nickelodeon because it started when I was about to turn 15, so it was the time in my life where I actually had a life. It's unfortunate because all the cartoons that had been airing a year or so before were instant classics to me! However, I jumped at the chance of being able to review season one!

I watched this with my kids and we all got a kick out of it! It was witty and somewhere in each episode was a lesson to be learned. It wasn't as goofy and annoying as some of the cartoons can be these days and it was quite pleasant in its lack of calamity.

The premise of the show is about Arnold. He is a good kid that always tries to do the right thing. Arnold has a football shaped head, and is occasionally referred to as Football Head. Arnold lives with his grandparents in the boarding house their family owns. Grandpa is always telling outlandish stories and grandma likes to go on crazy adventures that usually have her dressed head to toe in black. Then there are the boarders who have their own interesting quirks and characteristics.

Gerald is Arnold’s best friend and "partner in crime." He loves listening to jazz music. Eugene is a typical nerd that gets hurt in almost every episode. It’s nothing serious, just a lot of broken bones. Eugene is considered very unlucky and even thinks that Arnold is a jinx. Helga is the bully of the school and she is especially mean to Arnold, although Arnold is always really nice to her. (We find out that she is secretly in love with Arnold.)

All of the characters and Arnold being so likeable make this a great show for all ages!

MOTR Grade: B

Hey Arnold: Season One is now available on DVD!!!

The Middle Season 2 on DVD!!!

2011-09-22T15:05:00.000-05:00

"Early in the second season, Brick discovers what a little white lie is from his parents, realizing they only did it to protect him from the reality. When was the last time you told your kids, or your family a little white lie? Did they ever find the truth out? Have your kids ever caught you in a lie? See how Frankie, the loving wife and mother of three from ABC's The Middle handles her white lies when her youngest son becomes the wiser."

I am a firm believer in white lies. Judge Judy always says that lies are bad because people can't keep their stories straight and if they would just tell the truth, life would be easier. I have always preached to my kids that they will be in more trouble for lying than just admitting to what they did wrong. Now white lies on the other hand aren't as big of a deal to me. I definitely agree with the old adage: "what you don't know can't hurt you."

I grew up with parents who would occasionally ask me not to tell the other one something and it lead me to be a highly sneaky person. Not good, I know, but rest assured, I am mostly rehabilitated Sure, I will occasionally white lie to my kids. And my daughter usually calls me out on it. It may be something as little as a white lie I made up about why we couldn't do something and she seems to know when I'm fibbing.

And of course we always fib to our significant others. For instance, I might buy a shirt for $10 and say it was only $5 just because I think it sounds better if I didn't spend as much money.

So, I can totally relate to The Middle in this situation. And unless you're Mother Teresa (which would be odd cause she's dead) then I dare you to truthfully say that you have never committed a white lie!

“I have been hired by Warner Bros. WBWord division to promote The Middle Season Two on DVD."

Spooky Buddies on Blu-ray & DVD!!!

2011-09-22T14:44:00.000-05:00

If you're like me, you go to WalMart... and if you're a parent, chances are you will end up having to take your kids with you (which I try to avoid like the plague.) Well, as we all know, the day after one holiday ends, WalMart has products out for the next holiday. So, my kids have known that Halloween is coming up since Labor Day, so now they are consumed by Halloween. This is a good time to get them Spooky Buddies!

"For a goulish good time, catch Rosebud, B-Dawg, Buddah, Budderball, and Mudbud in their all-new Halloween-themed movie! SPOOKY BUDDIES continues the overwhelmingly popular franchise that features the adorable talking puppies, with action, laughs, and fast-paced adventure."

SPOOKY BUDDIES IS NOW AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY AND DVD!!!

http://www.totaleclips.com/player/Splash.aspx?custid=907&playerid=69&bitrateid=314&formatid=10&clipid=e100293&affiliateid=-1">


http://www.disneymovierewards.go.com/promotions/special-offers/spookycoupon

Holiday Gift Guide Announcement

2011-09-21T11:00:00.000-05:00

I am working on a holiday gift guide! I am planning to have it start at the beginning of next month and run through the end of November or beginning of December. I have a few reviews and giveaways already in the works. Ideally I would like to offer a giveaway for each product in the guide, but I may not be that lucky.

Keep checking back as the guide will begin soon! And if you are interested in getting your product listed in the guide, please click on the email button on the left-hand side.

Enjoy your Wednesday!!!

Supernatural Season 6 on DVD!!!

2011-09-18T13:15:00.001-05:00

I remember seeing the very first previews for season 1 of Supernatural. All I knew about the show is that it had steamy dreamy Dean (Jared Padalecki) from Gilmore Girls and it was about paranormal stuff. Well, those two things alone had me hooked!

If you've never watched Supernatural, you either live in a remote location without access to television and/or internet (but then how are you reading this?) or you have yet to experience the awesomeness that is Supernatural!

The premise of the show is about two brothers (Padalecki and Jensen Ackles) who hunt demons and other supernatural figures while also trying to lead some semblance of a normal life. Each season follows them through their battles and their struggles coping with personal issues. Season 6 picks up where we left off in Season 5.

"Season 5 ended with a banger between the gates of Hell opening up and fights with angels. It was quite a departure from the earlier seasons but demonstrates how the show has evolved. What was your favorite part of the earlier seasons and were you prepared for season 6?

I think my favorite parts of the earlier season were seeing how the characters had evolved and developed from one season to the next. Just when I would start to empathize with one brother, something would happen that would make me identify more with the other. I was not exactly prepared for the shift in focus in season 6, but I welcomed it. It had me on the edge of my seat and felt more cinematic and theatrical than previous seasons. I look forward to seeing how the show continues to progress.

“I have been hired by Warner Bros. WBWord division to promote Supernatural Season 6 on DVD."

The Big Bang Theory: Season 4 on DVD!!

2011-09-11T18:35:00.000-05:00

In the hilarious comedy The Big Bang Theory, "Sheldon and Leonard are best friends and roommates who pester each other to no end! This couldn't be more apparent than in Sheldon and Leonard's binding Roommate Agreement. 'The Big Bang Theory' shows us that living with a roommate can often be a great but difficult experience."

What is your most memorable roommate experience? What do you think of Sheldon and Leonard's relationship?

I think the dynamic between Sheldon and Leonard is not that uncommon of typical roommates who don't know each other before rooming. You always seem to have one that things they own the place and are the boss, who thinks they need to nitpick at everything the other one does. Despite their similar hobbies that help them bond, it is often their dissimilarities that cause them the most problems and arguments.

My most memorable roommate experience was when I let a girl that I felt sorry for move in with myself and my boyfriend of the time. She was being evicted and I decided to take her under my wing. She was flourishing, got a job and seemed like she was on the right path until we moved into a house to rent in the town across the bridge from our apartment. She started hanging out at bars, smoking pot and showing up drunk and high in the middle of the night. It was quite annoying and she became such a terror to live with that we had to kick her out. We bagged up all her stuff, tracked her down and got the key back. What a bad experience!

“I have been hired by Warner Bros. WBWord division to promote The Big Bang Theory Season 4 on DVD."

What a Difference a Day Makes!!

2011-09-07T12:08:00.000-05:00

Despite the whole bipolar thing, I see myself as a glass full kind of gal. I totally abhor suicide because people have to realize that life CAN get better, you just have to work at it. Of course, I know that not every bad thing in life is specifically that person's fault... believe me, I KNOW. I always say that the bad things that have happened to me in life are because of other people. That probably sounds like I don't take the blame for anything, believe me I do! If I don't have money for gas and I don't work, duh, it's my fault I don't have money for gas! But if I don't have money for gas because Jen Schirm of Iowa City didn't pay me the $150 she owed me for babysitting... well, then I blame Jen Schirm. (Of course I can be partially to blame for trusting someone who couldn't be trusted.)

So, rewind to yesterday. Not to get into details, but when we moved into our apartment, the lady that manages the property we moved into said that she wouldn't cash our deposit until close to Sept. 9th because that's when we'd be caught up from moving. She even talked us into moving sooner than we had planned because she kept insisting the check wouldn't get cashed until the 9th. Well, guess what. Yesterday was soooo not the 9th and the check got deducted from my bank account, which immediately ruined my day. Once again, I suppose I can take blame for trusting someone... am I beginning to see a pattern here? Wow, I just had an epiphany... bad things happen to me when I trust people. Aha! Now I know why I say you can never trust anyone.

Fast forward back to today. A deposit came in sooner than I had anticipated, which covered the check that was cashed yesterday! That immediately put me in a much better mood. And I sat there and realized, you know, I have two awesome kids who are with me 98% of the time, I have a fantastic boyfriend who loves me endlessly, I have friends that occasionally talk to me, I just got a part in a play, which is one of my favorite things to do AND, I love my job!!! So dang it, I tell myself, I need to start looking more at the positives than the negatives. Sure, David tells me that all you need is love... well, I don't know that living in a cardboard box with my kids eating rats is really going to make me happy, but I appreciate his sentiment.

So for today, it's a good day and I'm loving life!!!

The Middle Season 2 on DVD!!!

2011-09-07T02:50:00.001-05:00

If you're unfamiliar with the premise of "The Middle," it is not that difficult to grasp. It is a comedy about the Heck family. Husband Mike and wife Frankie live normal lives in the midwest with their three children. Well, I say normal because they are usually typical situations that I think all of us can relate to at one point or another. Season two was chalked full of interesting storylines that were just as interesting as season one! It is definitely worth your time to keep up with the Hecks!

In season two "the Heck's have their son Axl in football and daughter Sue in cross country. They try their best to attend their children's events but often disagree on which event they want to attend."

Has this ever happened to you and your family, or have too many events and too little time? How did you resolve it? As my kids are young, I've never really had this issue. However, I recalled what happened a time or two when I was in high school and middle school. My parents didn't often come to my sporting events, which was fine by me. Well, before I got my driver's license, I depended on my parents for a ride. One day, my brother was having a baseball game at the same time as my softball game. His game was about a mile away and my parents chose to go watch him play. So, when my game got over, I had to walk over to his game... in my uniform and cleats.... it was great...

“I have been hired by Warner Bros. WBWord division to promote The Middle Season Two on DVD."

Big Bang Theory Season 4 on DVD!!!

2011-09-07T02:42:00.004-05:00

"The guys on 'The Big Bang Theory' have a very fun and playful work dynamic, often joking around with each other and playing games. Because they work at CalTech, most of their jokes revolve around astrophysics and Wolowitz's lack of a PhD!"

What is your current work dynamic? Are you good friends with your coworkers? I currently love my job, but part of what I love is that I never have to see or speak to my coworkers. I've had previous working experiences where I get along with my coworkers, but most of them are backstabbers or gossipy busybodies and I never know which ones I could trust. I've mostly worked at jobs that are pretty laid back, must as it seems in TBBT. I remember lots of joking. Especially my job now, my supervisor is quite the jokester and he has a doctorate, so many of his jokes are quite ambitious or refer to those that might not be at his level of expertise. But, I appreciate jokes, no matter whose expense they are at, lol. But, I don't believe I've worked at too many jobs where I would consider my coworkers to be "good friends."

What about you?

“I have been hired by Warner Bros. WBWord division to promote The Big Bang Theory Season 4 on DVD."

Super Natural Season 6 on DVD!

2011-09-07T02:31:00.001-05:00

"Season six of Supernatural focuses on the brother's relationship as they battle Heaven and Hell. The two brothers spend endless amounts of time traveling together, encountering demons and a trench coat wearing angel."

This makes us think a little bit about our own lives. Well, it made me anyway. If I were given the choice, would I choose my own sibling to help me in the battle or would I choose someone else? I don't know about you, but for me this is a no-brainer! I would totally choose someone else. I'm pretty sure my siblings would just let me die. I would probably choose my significant other, because I feel like he loves me the most out of anyone in this world and would be most willing to sacrifice his safety for mine.

Who would you choose?

“I have been hired by Warner Bros. WBWord division to promote Supernatural Season 6 on DVD."

PROM Blu Ray Review

2011-09-01T19:46:00.002-05:00

"At 'Prom', every couple has a story and no two are exactly alike. For Nova Prescott (Aimee Teegarden), it’s a classic tale of opposites attracting when she finds herself drawn to the guy (Thomas McDonell) who gets in the way of her perfect prom. Share the laughter and the drama as secrets are brought to light, seemingly steady relationships unravel and new romance catches fire. Get ready for this hilariously heartfelt date with destiny featuring a hot ensemble cast of rising young stars and cool bonus features. There are hundreds of nights in high school, but there’s only one Prom!"

I thought this was your typical Disney teen or tween flick. It reminded me a lot of the ideas behind High School Musical, but for the market it is geared towards it worked. I am not a big fan of the Disney series and shows right now and my kids aren't at the age that they like them, so I was a little bored with this movie. It was a bit cheesy and predictable, but as I said, it's what you expect for those type of Disney movies and it is a hit with the age group it is geared towards. There were occasional points that made me chuckle, however.

Family Time Factor: Can be watched and enjoyed by the whole family... if you're into that sort of thing.

MOTR Grade: C+

PROM is available on Blu Ray as of August 30th!!!

http://www.totaleclips.com/player/Splash.aspx?custid=907&playerid=69&bitrateid=314&formatid=10&clipid=e87962&affiliateid=-1">

I LOOOOVE My Job!

2011-09-01T12:02:00.000-05:00

So to catch you up to speed, I was offered a teaching job at a community college near my hometown. David and I had already planned to move to this town and were planning on a January move. I had forgotten I had even applied at the college. Well, classes were to start on August 17. I was called and offered the job August 10. It wasn't even one of the jobs I applied for! Apparently, there were so many students enrolled in the developmental English class that they needed to add two more sections. The dean who hired me sifted through the applications and resumes until he found one that would suit his purpose and it was me, yay!

I am now an adjunct teacher, which means that I am only contracted one semester at a time and I don't teach a full load. I teach two classes a day. Each class lasts an hour. So if you did the math, yep, I work two hours a day. But, being as ambitious and dedicated as I am, I actually stay on campus about 4.5 hours a day. I use the time in between classes to work with students, grade papers and work on my lesson plans. I absolutely love my job! I would probably do it for free if they asked me to... I hope they don't, though.

So, David, the kids and I moved from Cedar Rapids to this new town. I'm going to refrain from saying it because I was less likely to get stalked and murdered in Cedar Rapids than I am in this town as it is much much smaller. So far, we love where we live, but are a bit disappointed in that most of this people in this town seem like a$$holes. Well, I haven't experienced it as much as David has. People from here just tend to be a little on the snooty and holier than thou side. But, I have met so many nice people that it doesn't dissuade me from liking the town overall. We are located in a great area and it is only about 5 minutes from my work, A's school and L's babysitter.

Yep, I had to start L at a babysitter. He so far loves it, which takes a huge burden off my mind. I also plan to start substitute teaching on Fridays once everyone gets settled and into a routine. I love subbing as well.

Okay, well that's my update. I'm going to be chomping at the bit for September to get over because the cost of the move set us back quite a bit and now we have a lot of catching up to do. That and the fact that Jen Schirm of Iowa City never paid me the babysitting money that she owed me AND she has some of my DVDs. I still need to figure out how to file a lawsuit.

I will update you as needed!!

Supernatural Season 6 on DVD!!!

2011-09-01T11:03:00.001-05:00

Thinking about season 6, it made me think about something that happened. Dean surprises Sam early in the season with a sudden paternal side that emerges when the two brothers investigate a case of missing babies. You would think that after all those years of being brothers, Sam would have seen this side of Dean before. Given Dean's personality, did you think this made sense?

I am reminded of a time once that involved my grandmother. She had always struck me as someone who expected a lot of discipline and had high expectations for everyone in her family. So, when it came report card time, it seemed to me that if I did not get all As and Bs then she would be very disappointed. Well, one semester in high school I got a C+ in math!!! (Don't tell anyone or I will kill you.) My parents were extremely disappointed in me and I felt like a leper in my house. What kind of demonic satan child was I to get a C?!?! Well, I did not look forward to my grandmother hearing about this. One day I answered the phone and she made idle chit chat with me and she happened to ask me about my report card. When I told her about the C, she did not seem to mind! She said that it wasn't that bad. I was flabbergasted! It did not make sense to me based on her personality and the fact that she was a teacher in her youth. But, maybe she took pity on me knowing that I had already received a verbal and psychological tongue lashing from my parents.

Who knows...

Anyway, point being, weeeeeeeee, Supernatural Season 6 on DVD!!!

“I have been hired by Warner Bros. WBWord division to promote Supernatural Season 6 on DVD."

The Big Bang Theory: Season 4 on DVD

2011-08-31T20:55:00.000-05:00

I am in loooooooove with Sheldon. I don't care about anyone else in the show... just give me Sheldon. Okay, so that's not true. This show stimulates me intellectually and funny...ly. I was unfamiliar with this show until my boyfriend introduced me to it and I became hooked. I would laugh at the intelligent and nerdy humor and he would laugh at Penny's less than intelligent antics.

I totally think that the nerds are coming back and would make a great addition to the dating scene! The whole nerdy chic thing is something I'd love to be a part of. Nerds are great and with a little bit of a Justin Timberlake makeover, you can make them presentable to go out in public and mingle with the common folk.

But back to Big Bang Theory. I love what was going on in season 4 EXCEPT for Raj's sister. I would love to see her get hit by a bus so Leonard and Penny could get back together. I also love the addition of Mayim Bialik! Catch up with all these zany characters and also drool over Sheldon like I do and buy Season 4 of The Big Bang Theory now!

“I have been hired by Warner Bros. WBWord division to promote The Big Bang Theory Season 4 on DVD."

One Week Post Mirena Update

2011-08-29T12:08:00.000-05:00

***Warning: the following contains TMI... you've been warned!!***

All I can say is... thank you, Jesus and RN at Planned Parenthood for getting this demon spawn tool of Satan out of me!!!

I had my Mirena removed August 23rd. I wasn't sure what to expect, but hoped for immediate relief as some people had indicated was possible. Well, the relief was not immediate, but having it removed took two seconds and was completely painless! I felt a wee bit dizzy at first, but that went away quickly.

Within a day I started being relieved of the bloating. I peed like 82 times an hour, but hey, it's worth it to feel better, right? Then, I started feeling happy again... it was as if a fog lifted! I had more energy, I was in a better mood, I wanted to end world hunger and make world peace...

And I still feel great! I'm hoping to get greater by the day, and I will continue to update as I notice more progress. I've also lost 2 lbs so far and don't feel like eating 24/7!

***Second warning about TMI***

I'm doing my own research and contemplations in my head. I was previously a heavy bleeder during AF time. Well, as most of you know, when you are on the Mirena, your AF ceases to be or is super minimal. I have often thought that was unhealthy, but hey, I don't have a medical degree! Well, it just seems to me that if your bleeding was heavy and you now don't bleed anymore, no wonder you bloat! And you know those PMS symptoms that you used to get? Where do they go? I will tell you where they go- nowhere! They sit there... 24/7/365!! Of course you are always hungry, cause your body is in PMS mode... same with breaking out, bloating, irritability... bang! So, in a nutshell, I'm saying... embrace the periods! I could go into detail about the bleeding I've experienced since getting my Mirena out a week ago... but I won't... cause I haven't found one person that wasn't grossed out by it, lol.

Supernatural Season 6 on DVD!!!

2011-08-29T11:45:00.001-05:00

I remember seeing the very first previews for season 1 of Supernatural. All I knew about the show is that it had steamy dreamy Dean (Jared Padalecki) from Gilmore Girls and it was about paranormal stuff. Well, those two things alone had me hooked!

If you've never watched Supernatural, you either live in a remote location without access to television and/or internet (but then how are you reading this?) or you have yet to experience the awesomeness that is Supernatural!

The premise of the show is about two brothers (Padalecki and Jensen Ackles) who hunt demons and other supernatural figures while also trying to lead some semblance of a normal life. Each season follows them through their battles and their struggles coping with personal issues. Season 6 picks up where we left off in Season 5.

"The brothers Winchester face a short separation from the end of Season 5 and the beginning of Season 6. Dean lives with a woman and is raising a child, and Sam is still hunting. The two brothers re-unite again and immediately get down to their old demon fighting tricks. What's the longest separation you've had with your sibling or best friend? What was the first thing you did when you were re-united?"

Whether you need to get caught up or you love the show so much you want to watch it over and over again, now is your chance to rush out and buy Season 6 on DVD!!!

*I have been hired by Warner Bros. WBWord division to promote Supernatural Season 6 on DVD.*

You've Lost That Loving Feeling

2011-08-15T11:56:00.000-05:00

Okay, so this is nothing new. Everyone knows about this, but today I am choosing to bring it up because it is on my mind...

You know when you first start developing feelings for someone? You're giddy, your pulse raises when you first see them, their kiss gives you butterflies, you think about them all the time when they are not around... well, why can't that last forever? Why can't we be lovey dovey for life? If you're sappy like me, then you see old people walking and holding hands and think, "I'd love for that to be me some day." I think that is why so many people get divorced these days. Well, this and the fact that people don't like putting up with anyone else's $hit. I'd like to believe that every couple has these aforementioned feelings at some point in their relationship, if not, that is really sad. But, why do these feelings go away? Why can't we still get butterflies and racing pulses and googly eyes? Is it because once people get comfortable with each other, they no longer feel the need to try?

You know what gets me the most about that old couple holding hands? They have been holding hands their whole lives! I don't think a couple gets to be 80 and all of the sudden decides to start holding hands. No, they have always realized what the other one means to them and they hold on to them because they never want to let them go. Well, dammit, I wanna be holding hands with someone! I wanna be snuggling with someone instead of arguing with them over who cleans more, why we shouldn't keep the cats, who wastes more money, why one of us used to be an alcoholic... and so on and so forth. I want to sit on the same side of the couch instead of polar opposite and co-existing through life. I want to spoon in bed instead of facing the opposite direction and lying on the edge of the bed.

What does it mean when people lose that loving feeling? Does that mean they are no longer in love? Is it a feeling that you can get back? I'm not saying I'm perfect, far from it! I know some of the arguments are my fault too. And I know that sometimes the lack of affection can be from me being mad and withholding it. But, I refuse to believe that a relationship has to be boring and vanilla. I refuse to spend another decade of my life drifting through with a roommate. I don't know what to do to get it back or if I should just jump ship now and enjoy being free. Why can't things just be easy??

Crazy Things Parents Text by Stephen and Wayne Miltz book review

2011-08-11T14:24:00.000-05:00

OMGosh, guys, this book can be summed up in two words... "hi" and "larious!" Apparently their is a wesbite created by Stephen and Wayne Miltz that is CrazyThingsParentsText.com.

The book is pretty much self explanatory. It's a collection of texts between a child and their parent. It is organized into categories with texts that have similar themes. Well, within 2 pages, I was LOL'ing. Literally. I laughed out loud and my daughter asked me what was funny and I explained it to her. Since she was 5, she didn't get it, but man, it was funny. Now I find myself using every free 5 minutes I have to keep forging ahead because it is so funny. Of course, being a child of parents who don't know how to text (and Dad refuses because it costs X amount of pennies each text) I don't know how a conversation via text would go with my parents. I did MMS a picture of an open wound to my dad when I was getting stitches in the ER. I got a phone call from my mom 2 hours later asking what it was.

Also, some of the content between parent and child in this book is quite... blunt and things that I would be super afeared to talk to my parents about.

But, long story short... if you have a sense of humor at any age, you will get a huge kick out of this book!!!

MOTR Grade: A+

This title will be available for purchase September 1, 2011.

Cars Need Gas and Being Wrong Sucks

2011-08-10T13:50:00.000-05:00

So let me preface this by saying since getting my driver's license at the age of 16, I have never run out of gas- EVER. So, when David is constantly mentioning how we need to get gas, how are we gonna have enough gas to get here, how will we have enough gas to get there, we need gas for the week, blah blah blah gas blah gas blah gas gas gas blah blah blah. Finally yesterday I flipped out and told him I never wanted to hear the word gas come out of his mouth again. It's like that's all he ever talks about. I don't know if he was doused in gasoline and set on fire as a child, but seriously, this dude is obsessed with gas. (And yes, he thinks flatulence is funny too, ugh!!)

Well, fast forward 24 hours. I knew the car had been telling me low fuel and I had to take the laundry to the laundromat. I figured I'd get gas when I went back to put it in the dryer because I live a block away from 2 gas stations and the laundromat. So, I put the laundry in and head back. Then I go put it in the dryer and figure I will get gas when I go pick the clothes up. Well, as chance would have it, David decides to go back with me to get the laundry (I think it's because I told him the chick working there was really pretty). We go through the bank drive thru on the other end of the parking lot to deposit some cash and I start pulling out of the parking lot and he said something about gas and I said, oops, let's get it after we pick up the clothes. So we park the car, get the clothes, get back in the car aaaaaaaaand... it won't start. It blinks low fuel. He looks at me and I want to die. I knew, from that second forward that I will NEVER hear the end of it. I'm wondering if we should just break up now because I don't know if I can live like this.

Luckily, it was only like half a block to the gas station. It was a breezy and beautiful 75 degrees out. We walked over, bought a one gallon thingamabobber (cause apparently this gas station doesn't believe in good will towards man.) Bought the gallon, put it in the car, then went and filled the gas tank.

All I can say is... man, does it totally suck to be wrong... but I guess having it happen once in my life is okay.

Memories... Light the Corners of My Mind: Roasted Carpet Edition

2011-08-09T10:27:00.001-05:00

I was babysitting this girl the other day and she asked me if I knew that carpet was made out of plastic. I'm not sure if I know or don't know this, but it kind of made sense when I thought about this thing that once happened...

I was sitting on my bed in my room looking at this shoebox full of letters that I had kept from an old boyfriend and an old flame. Well, I was thinking about how big of jerks they were and how I hated all men and though they needed to burn in heck, so I decided I needed to think of a ritualistic way to dispose of these notes. Of course, clearly I was not thinking too rationally, because I thought the best idea was to set them on fire... in a shoebox... in the middle of my bed...

I think you see where this is going. So aflame they went! And as the fire blazed, I threw the box onto the floor. Smoke filled the room, my dad banged on the door and wiggled the handle, put the fire out and voila!- melted carpet and a hole in the middle of the floor. Well, Dad was irate, and I was clearly a moron, for not thinking that it was a bad idea... oh, hindsight, how you elude us all!!

Apparently Sunday Was Evil B@#%* Day!!

2011-08-08T09:55:00.001-05:00

Man, what a horrible God's day it was yesterday!

Here's the skinny...

So I had this "friend" that I had started babysitting for overnights on the weekend. She started as a stranger and then we became friends. Well, I needed extra money, so I offered to babysit M-F for her. Since she didn't want to get up early and bring them to me (she lived about 20 min away) it was decided that they would stay the nights M-Th... which somehow turned into Sun-Th and sometimes Friday. Well, she would come up Wednesday nights, conveniently after her kids were asleep. She got off work at 5 and would somehow come up with excuses not to show up for a couple hours. She was only paying me $150 a week, which turned into me only getting paid every other week, but her often saying she wasn't sure if she would end up having it.

So, apparently today she somehow decided it wasn't important to ask me what time it was okay to bring the kids up. She texts me to inform me that she is on her way and has groceries. I had spent the last 2 hours trying to come up with a way for my kids' dad to see them. I tell her that we are on the road and she throws a fit. She wanted to bring the kids ASAP. I mentioned that it would be nice for David and I to get 5 minutes of alone time since we hadn't had any alone time for like 2 months! Apparently this was totally wrong of me to say because she kinda flipped. And when I asked how late she was planning to stay she said she needed to go home early and get to sleep. Seriously??

So, me being super passive with my "friends" I don't say anything, but David decides to text her and let her have it. She then sends me an angry text saying she is gonna have to figure something else out and I ask her if she means tonight or forever... this was her response:

"Forever. That's bull. I don't appreciate it... I pay you 300 dollars every two weeks and bring food up everytime I come up and everything. I'm sorry that I had something I need to do so that I have money. I didn't get the check I was supposed to get in the mail, so I have no money right now. I wasn't planning on doing ANYTHING tonight when I went home but eat and go to bed because I was planning on getting up early for work. I wasn't told anything about you wanting me to stay later for karaoke or anything, if it's not going to work, I guess I'll figure something else out. Idk what... But something."

A) The only "groceries" she brings is when she occasionally brings milk, which is mostly consumed by her 18 month old. But that is like pulling teeth because she says she knows her daughter isn't the only one to drink it.

B) I HAD mentioned going to karaoke to her several times today and yesterday.

Needless to say I don't expect to get paid Friday for last week. Needless to say I won't have enough to pay rent. UGH!

THEN...

As some of you may know from following my FB, Tweets or blogs, I've been feeling really icky lately and have not wanted to be out in public in over a month. So I finally muster up the courage to go to the bar down the street because a pal does karaoke and it was his birthday. Barely get a foot in the door before the bartender loudly proclaims that David isn't technically supposed to be in the bar because he haggled about his tab over a month ago. WTFrench?? It made me feel trashy and I was mortified. I know this was total pansy of me, but I hugged the friend and his girlfriend and quickly exited out the side door before I started bawling. I don't recall ever being embarrassed like that in public, but maybe I am burying it in the darkest corners of my mind.

I don't know. I'm so sick of people who don't know how to treat other human beings... Have we all forgotten the golden rule? ARGH!!!

Mirena=Evil?

2011-08-07T09:30:00.000-05:00

If you are a guy, you may want to not read this... or if you grew up referring to things as "monthly visitors" and blush at the though of contraceptives, this is not for you either.

So, when the Mirena came on the market, the idea of a birth control that lasted 5 years sounded like a miracle! No more pills, patches, shots, etc. that you have to remember because one memory lapse could equal a bundle of joy in the making! But, the idea that for 5 years you don't have to remember anything sounds fantastic!

Or does it?

I'm not saying that these can't be related to other things. I'm not a doctor. I haven't run tests on myself, but I feel like since it's my body, I just KNOW. I was very wary of getting on Mirena because I had several friends and acquaintances tell me they didn't like it and had it removed or were thinking of having it removed. But, after talking to the nurses, and being assured that it had very little side effects, I decided to take the plunge. I also shared my concerns with them about how I hate adding extra hormones to my body because I have enough emotional problems as it is with being bipolar.

But ever since I had it put in, I've had these nagging suspicions and it just hasn't felt right. I'm not saying it's unnatural... more like having a little piece of Satan embedded into your uterus... just saying. Since getting on the Mirena, I have gained 15 lbs, felt bloated ALL THE TIME, been more depressed, crabby, etc. I asked a couple months into having it about the weight gain and was told, oh, it doesn't cause weight gain. I don't know if these people are just uninformed or have been brainwashed into telling all these women that the Mirena is completely harmless.

Well, I have never felt bloated in my life except when I was pregnant or occasionally during PMS. I constantly feel like I'm 8 months pregnant! I'm fatigued 95% of the time, I have no energy, I don't want to be seen in public, I'm already so bloated that the idea of drinking alcohol makes me fear I will explode, I get headaches, I get nauseous, I'm moody... ugh! Like I said, I don't know if this is all from the Mirena, but from the intense googling I've been doing lately, these are all side effects. Another big one I've read about is hair loss. I don't know if this is true for me or not. I've always had really thick hair and always shed like crazy, so yes, I still shed like crazy, but I don't know if it's anymore than usual.

I made an appt. to have the Mirena removed, but they can't get me in until the 17th. I can't wait! I will keep you posted on if it makes a difference or not. I have read that some people notice an instant change. I've read that some people go through withdrawal symptoms... but I'm anxious to experience it myself.

I just hope that more people will think about looking at the bad side to Mirena from other sources than what the company prints out or from the people who are getting some kind of kick back from endorsing the product. I'm going to go back to ortho tri-cyclen. Heck, I'd rather give birth to 10 children than enduring what I've been going through since I had my Mirena put in in December. UGH!

Tree Hut Lotion Review

2011-08-06T22:44:00.000-05:00

I had never heard of Tree Hut when I was asked to review their product. However, after receiving it, I've had the opportunity to talk about it to a good many people! The product that I received was coconut lime moisturizing lotion. It smells DIVINE!!!!! It feels great and I always get asked what the great smell is (and if you're anything like I am, it is awesome when someone tell you how good you smell!)

"The Tree Hut line includes lotions, shower washes, body butters and sugar scrubs, all of which are scents from the tropics. All Tree Hut products are made with 100% certified organic shea butter and they also include other natural extracts and oils. Tree Hut products will keep your skin silky smooth! Moms love Tree Hut because it can also be used for stretch marks and it a great way to pamper yourself at home."

MOTR Grade: A

You can view Tree Hut's collections at:

http://www.treehutshea.com/

You can find them on Facebook at:

http://www.facebook.com/TreeHut

Follow on Twitter @Tree_Hut

Yo Gabba Gabba: Party in a Box and Dora the Explorer: Dora's Big Party Pack Review

2011-08-06T22:30:00.000-05:00

My kids adore everything Nick Jr! I know a lot of parents I've talked to absolutely detest Yo Gabba Gabba, but I think it's actually kind of cute and fun! The music is catchy, you'd be amazed the celebrities they get on the show and the characters are endearing.

Party in a Box is a three-DVD box set that includes Birthday Boogie, Clubhouse and Dancey Dance Bunch so get ready to explore everything from animals and new foods to birthdays and dress-up.  Special guests in this collection include Erykah Badu, The Ting Tings, and Elijah Wood. Additionally, Biz Markie and Mark Mothersbaugh appear in their recurring segments.

Family Time Factor: I think that as kids get older, they start getting a little embarrassed that they like the show, but I'd say it is most appreciated by kids 6 and under. I don't find it that annoying, so I don't have a problem having it on in the background while I clean or what not.

MOTR Grade: B+

Dora the Explorer: Dora's Big Party Pack

My kids LOVE Dora... I love Dora because it teaches Spanish, it's cute, it teaches shapes, numbers, alphabet, you name it! It seriously is like preschool. You'd be amazed how much kids learn from that show. Of course, you get those parents that disapprove of their kids learning from a tv show... nazis.

Dora the Explorer: Dora’s Big Party Pack Episode Synopses:

Dora the Explorer: Dora’s Big Birthday AdventureDora’s Big Birthday Adventure
A twisting wind has blown Dora and Boots into Wizzle World, a land located in the Magic Storybook.  Dora and Boots can’t jump out of the Magic Storybook without first taking Dora’s crystal to the Wishing Wizzle so he can wish them back home in time for Dora’s birthday party with all her family and friends. The episode guest stars Rosie Perez, John Leguizamo and Hector Elizondo.

Dora Helps the Birthday Wizzle
Dora is reading a storybook about a Birthday Wizzle who could make birthday wishes come true with his magic wand.  Today was his birthday so it was his turn to make a wish, but a wind came in and blew the wand out of the book.  Dora must jump into the book and bring the wand back to the Wizzle so he can make his wish.

Wizzle Wishes
Dora and Boots meet a cute little Wizzle who lost his bag of wishes and can’t get home.  Our heroes set off in search of the lost wishes, but their friends keep finding the wishes first and their wishes get everyone into trouble.

Dora the Explorer: Super Silly Fiesta
Super Silly Fiesta
Dora and Boots are invited to the Big Silly Chicken’s Super Silly Fiesta.  The Big Red Chicken loses the cake for his party so Dora and Boots set off to save the fiesta.

Boots’ Special Day
Today, Boots gets to do anything he wants because it’s his special day!

Stuck Truck
When Ice Cream Truck gets stuck in the muck at Play Park, Dora and Boots are off to the rescue.

The Big Potato
Benny the Bull finds a magic wand and turns himself into a potato by mistake.  It’s up to Dora and Boots to bring their potato friend back to the Young Wizard so that he can change Benny back into a bull.

Dora the Explorer: It’s A Party!
Daisy, la Quinceañera
It’s Dora’s cousin Daisy’s quinceañera!  The party can’t start until Dora and Boots teach everybody the mambo.

The Big Piñata
Dora and Boots are trying to win the Big Piñata.  They need to collect ten yellow tickets by playing carnival games.

Surprise!
It’s Boots’ birthday, but Benny the Bull is stuck on a hot air balloon that’s leaking and floating toward Crocodile Lake. Dora and Boots rush off to rescue their friend.

The Fix It Machine
Boots has a hole in his boot but Dora knows what to do.  The Super Duper Fix-It Machine can fix it right up!

Family Time Factor: I think it probably is most enjoyed by kids 8 and under and I find it to be extremely tolerable for adults!

MOTR Grade: A

Yo Gabba Gabba Party in a Box and Dora the Explorer: Dora's Big Party Pack are currently available on DVD!!!

Conan: The Adventurer - Season One DVD Review

2011-08-03T21:27:00.001-05:00

My son likes anything that involves people wielding swords, fighting evil or speaking like they are badasses. So, it didn't take much to realize that he would like Conan the Adventurer. Although the premise and storylines went completely over his head (he's only 3!) he still enjoyed it. I wasn't a big fan, but I have always found comic booky movies and shows to be not my cup of tea. But, I am sure a good many people both young and old can enjoy this type of show!

"By Crom! Let the acolytes of Conan rejoice as the fiercest Barbarian to ever roam the Earth arrives in this complete Season One DVD release! Join in the fray as Conan and his fellow adventurers — Jezmine, Snagg, Needle, Greywolf and Zula — quest to rescue Conan’s family from an evil spell cast by the Serpent Man wizard Wrath-Amon. Armed with a powerful sword forged from Star Metal and faith in his god Crom, Conan will not stop until his family is safe and the evil wizard is reimprisoned in the mystical Abyss!

Produced by Sunbow, the 1980s animation giant behind Hasbro’s Transformers and G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero, Conan The Adventurer originally aired in Saturday morning syndication beginning in 1992 transitioning to a daily airing throughout 1993 in the second season."

Season One Episode List:

Disc 1

The Night Of Fiery Tears

Blood Brother

Star Of Shadizar

Conan The Gladiator

The Heart Of Rakkir

Men Of Stone

The Terrible Torrinon

Disc 2

Greywolf Of Xanthus

Shadow Walkers

The Claw Of Heaven

The Serpent Riders Of Set

Windfang’s Eyrie

Seven Against Stygia

Family Time Factor: May be biased, but I think this is geared more towards guys. But I'd imagine that it can be enjoyed by guys of any age.

MOTR Grade: D+

Conan: The Adventurer Season One is currently available on DVD!!!

Princereigns Ingrown Hair Serum Review and Giveaway

2011-08-03T20:59:00.005-05:00

This is another delicate situation that I am reviewing a product for...

I have never had a wax below the belt. Would I love to get one? Dang skippy! Am I too cheap to pay $60 for one... you betcha! So, until someone gives me a gift certificate or I become more well off than I currently am, I will have to settle for a good old razor and shaving cream. LAME!

Well, unless you are perfect (in which case I hate you) then you end up with some kinds of bumps or redness when you shave. I'm fortunate I don't have this problem on my legs, but that's about where my luck runs out.

So, I was offered Princereigns Ingrown Hair Serum to review. I tried it. And although it does not make things perfect, it clearly helps! I apply it right after showering, which I believe were the indications for use. It smells great, makes my skin soft and really cuts down on the bumps! As I mentioned, it's no miracle cure for the bumps, but it definitely helps! Only downfall is that the bottle goes quickly, so you might need to stock up.

MOTR Grade: C+

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

One lucky winner will receive a complimentary bottle of Princereigns. Giveaway will end at noon central time on August 20, 2011. Open to US residents only.

To enter:

Visit Princereigns' website and leave a comment below letting me know what sounds like the best part of using this product.

For additional entries, tweet this giveaway using @hamsterkitten @princereigns and #giveaway in the tweet. Then comment below with the url. You can tweet once a day if you would like.

Good luck!!

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.

Sponsored by Tomoson.com

There Aren't Enough Things in this House for Me to Break!!!

2011-08-03T10:01:00.001-05:00

Egads, sometimes things suck! Sometimes they suck reaaaaaaaal bad. (Badly?) There are two things about myself that I take pride in: my kindness to animals and my kindness to children. That's about it. For the most part, aside from that, I don't know why I exist sometimes. So, if someone were to come at me with opposition to either of those things, I wouldn't know what to do!

Well, today I found out what I'd do... I'd lie on the bathroom floor for an hour, bawl my eyes out and puke because of the migraine it gave me! Let me preface this situation with a bit of back story. As you know from following my blog, I have been babysitting for several months now just for a bit o' extra cash while I can't sub. Anyway, it has been such a rewarding experience! I have met some great kids and met some great parents as well! Sure, I've had a couple bad apples here and there, but for the most part it has been a very positive thing in mine and my children's lives. And one of the plus sides is that I've made two really good friends (maybe I'm making the assumption that they are friends, though, who knows) and it really boosts my deflated ego when parents tell me there kids ask to come back or when a parent comes to pick up their child and they don't want to go. So, it has all been pretty great... until today.

This is what shocked me the most: the parent involved is someone I've known since high school. We were kinda friends back then and then rekindled our friendship when I moved in January. I've been to her house, met her kids, I thought things were hunky dory with us. She and I couldn't be more different personality-wise, but that's the great thing about friends- diversity is somewhat what brings people together.

Well, because her mom was going to be out of state for a week, she asked if I could babysit. I said yes and told her she didn't have to pay me or she could pay me whatever she wanted. I didn't really care because her daughter and my daughter could play and it didn't matter to me to have one more kid around. Well, fast forward to today and she totally threw me for a loop today after picking her daughter up. I'm all about kids being happy when they are here because childhoods are meant to enjoy- as adults, it is harder to find things to smile about. Apparently I am wrong and I suck at life. Not her words, but I'm interpreting it as such. I felt like she was telling me that I was a horrible person and the things she said made it clear that the way I parent my own children was not her idea of good. I know she wasn't intentionally trying to hurt me, that's just the way she talks. She is very straightforward and doesn't sugar coat anything. Well, I'm very much a wuss and never tell people how I really feel. Fast forward 20 texts later and I'm lying on the floor in the bathroom with the lights out bawling my eyes out.

I'm not gonna knock on her or put her down cause that's not good for anyone. Although I disagree with a great many things she said to me, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I'm not going to argue. I'll just chalk it up to another lesson learned and the loss of a friend.

I suck at life.

There Are Still Good People in the World!!!

2011-08-02T18:57:00.000-05:00

You may often think to yourself when watching the news or looking on the internets that there is nothing good about humanity anymore. It's a dog eat dog world and everyone is gnawing each other to the bone. Knock on your neighbor's door to borrow a cup of sugar and they will hold you at gunpoint until the cops come because you are clearly trying to rob them. We no longer open doors to religious groups because they are all zealots, when really, they believe what they are doing is for the good of man. I will open the door and give a smile, take their pamplets and let them know I'm a satanist... haha, jk!

So, although I try to find the good in everyone, it has seemed to become rarer and rarer. Your best friend may look you in the eye while trying to stab you in the back. The man you wake up to in the morning may be the man warming someone else's bed at noon. Where am I going with this you ask- well, quit rushing me, I'm getting there!

The other day I posted an ad on craigslist. I don't like my kids' mattresses being on the floor. Sure, it's not a big deal, but I think it's tacky. I'm poor, I'm the first to admit it. I posted an ad looking for twin bed frames and said I could only pay like $20 apiece. Well, the second person to respond told me she had two frames she would just GIVE me. We emailed back and forth a bit and she asked how old my kids were. When I got there to pick up the frames (although she offered to deliver them) she had bags of movies, a keyboard, games, etc. to give my kids as well! She asked if she could save my number for when she unearthed more things. I said definitely. Well, she had only been able to dig out one of the bed frames and said she would call me when she unburied the other one. I decided to give the first one to A as she is older. After putting it together, she was so excited it was like Christmas. Well, then L asked where his was and I told him we would have to wait a bit. Of course this made him cry...

Well, not 5 minutes later I received a call from the lady saying that she felt so bad that my son wasn't getting his that she had dug it out, loaded it up and was on her way to bring it to me!! I was so happy. I couldn't believe that someone was so nice. I mean, I know that I would do something like that for a total stranger, but I can't even get most of my friends to do anything nice for me.

All I can say is that I hope karma does something really nice for this lady in the near future, because she definitely deserves it!!!

DKNY Underslimmers Lace Curves Briefs Review

2011-08-02T12:45:00.001-05:00

So, I'll be honest... I have the baby flop. If you're a mom and you weren't blessed with a flat after baby stomach (I hate you all!) then you know what the baby flop is. It's that chunk of skin around your midsection that won't go away without a tummy tuck. Okay, maybe it will somehow, but I don't know- I've tried about everything and no matter how much weight I lose, it is still there. It's from stretching your stomach out a mile and then it won't flatten back.

I had never worn "spanks" before. I'd never even contemplated it. Not even after watching Steel Magnolias for the fiftieth time and finally realizing what Dolly Parton meant when she said she hadn't left her house without lycra on her thighs for... I don't know the rest of the quote. That's when I figured out that not all women are perfect and some need a little extra help smoothing out the lumps.

Enter spanks... or shapewear that is. I hate admitting that I've invested in some, but sometimes the truth must come out. I normally wear it under dresses that are a little more shape hugging than I'd like. But, the cruddy thing is that they are always hideous. Let's say I fall over and my skirt flies up and someone sees that my underwear looks like granny panties gone wrong. How mortifying! I'd much prefer that they are camouflaged as being sexy or cute.

Hooray, DKNY! They make Underslimmers Briefs that are actually cute! These panties feature lace trim around the thighs and "cheekies" so that they actually look cute from the bottom up! And of course they add some support for your baby flop! I'd say they offer light to moderate control. I mean, I still feel like the cellulite queen of the world, but at least I can worry a little bit less about my gut. And I got mine in black, so I didn't feel like a granny. The lace helps set you apart from it too, so now I will feel confident when I fall on my face an my skirt flies up!!!

MOTR Grade: B+

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.

Saturday Rant: Old Lady Busybody Edition

2011-07-30T11:45:00.001-05:00

You know what kind of people I can't stand? No, not those... no, not those either... okay, okay, so there's a lot on my list. But today I am especially referring to Old Lady Busybodies!

Case in point: yesterday, David and I took a group of 7 kids to the pool at our apartment complex. First, you need to know that WHEN I WAS SIGNING THE LEASE, I asked a million question. One of those questions was, "how many people are we allowed to bring to the pool?" I asked this in case my kids wanted to bring friends. I was specifically told that you were allowed one guest PER PERSON LIVING IN THE APARTMENT. Now, if that was not the rule, so be it, but I know what I was told because I specifically asked the question for a reason. I was also told that if the pool was empty that the rule can be fudged a bit. These words I remember. Now, I didn't say I THOUGHT I remembered them. No, that's what happened.

So, yesterday as aforementioned, I ventured to the pool with 7 kids in tow. So, if there was myself, David and my two children, all of us whom live in the apartment, that would reason that there could be 8 of us. Well, one was a baby who I would have had to hold the whole time, but I figured I'd see how full the pool was.

So, before entering the building, I told all the children they had to be silent until we got into the pool because people were busy and didn't want it to be noisy. All kids complied with what I said! To get to the pool you have to walk through the fitness center. So, through we marched, quietly and happily. The only person in the fitness center was an old lady with bright red hair (like she was fooling anyone.) I smiled at her, David smiled at her and she glared at us in return. We get into the pool room and I remind the kids they can talk but no screaming. They were all excited and started getting into the pool as did I. David looks out the window at the office and he sees the old lady go in and start talking. He tells me that she is probably complaining. Sure enough, one of the office ladies comes in and tells us that we have too many people. Mind you, we are the ONLY ones in the pool. I tell her that I was told that it was one guest per resident. She rebutted that it was 2 guests per APARTMENT. I wasn't about to argue, but that is NOT what I was told. And I reminded her that we were the only ones even using the pool and her response was that if other people walked by and saw how many kids were in the pool they would be turned off and not want to come in. That's their problem! If they don't wanna be around 7 kids, they won't want to be around 4 kids. Because people like that are douchebags. If the kids are bad I have no problem making them get out and sit. I don't tolerate obnoxious children. Any of you that know me, know this. So, because I hate confrontation, I agreed to send 3 away. But, I was PI$$ED. And guess what! The old busybody never got in the pool. So it didn't matter anyway!!! And by the time we left there were 5 other people in the pool and not one of them cared that we were there. EW! What kind of people purposely try to screw other people out of joy in life? I told David I was going to look at the sign in sheet to see the old lady's apartment number and leave a flaming bag of dog poo at her front door. He said it would be more funny if it were a flaming diaper, but he stopped me nonetheless. (Spoilsport!)

Long story short. I hope karma gets this lady hit by a school bus. Jerk!

Oh, and the apartment complex is The Pointe and is owned by Cunat. Yeah, that's right. That's what they get for LYING TO MY FACE. Good luck getting us to stay another second after our lease is up. Nazis!

My Name is Hammy, and I'm a Hypocrite

2011-07-27T14:20:00.000-05:00

You know how things bother you? You can't say that nothing bothers you. We're all human and whether we smile and act like nothing is wrong, put our faith in God that things will get better, or brush it under the rug, there will always be that instant when your brain tells you, "Hey! I don't like this feeling."

Well, I've had to become more self aware of myself in the past year than I'd care to. I'm tired of myself! But, in order to become the people we want to be, we must take a hard look at our flaws and realize that although we don't want to change, sometimes we need to.

So this leads me into my realization that I am totally a hypocrite! I used to pride myself in not being a jealous person. But then I realized that it wasn't so much I wasn't jealous, it was just that when I was younger, I didn't invest much in the guys I was dating, then in my longest relationship, it was more that I had no reason to be jealous. But then when I did, I chalked it up to mental issues. I poo poo'd the idea that I was a jealous person. Well, fast forward to today and I will be honest that I am a jealous person! Sure, there were the guys that I didn't care about enough to get jealous, but then when there is one, I realize that the thought of him being interested or alone with another chick makes me wanna rip his AND her heads off, wrap them in trashbags full of gasoline, hang them from a flag pole and shoot flaming arrows at them.

But what makes me a hypocrite is that I don't see why it's not okay for me to talk to guys, why it's not okay for me to hang out alone with guys. It's okay for me to text my exes, but if a guy I'm with even brings up a girl's name that he even kissed while drunk, I'm ready to claw some faces! And I'll be honest, I'm normally big on keeping my feelings buried down deep because I don't like feeling vulnerable. But then the bipolar side of me occasionally kicks in and I flip out like a vegetarian at the slaughter house.

I don't know why I can't convince myself not to feel this way. I know I'm not the hottest looking lady out there, but it's not that I feel threatened. I guess it's more the idea that a guy I'm interested in would even give a second thought to another girl. And no, I'm not THAT full of myself! I know my poo stinks as much as everyone else's does. I just can't force myself to stop. All I know is that it hurts. I get physical pains in my chests at the thought of someone who cared/cares about me caring about someone else, whether I want to be with them or not...

Anyway, I've said too much.

Baby Magic: Patty Cake Dustless Powder review

2011-07-27T08:38:00.011-05:00

If you have a child, and you have never heard of Baby Magic... I'm speechless. I get super jealous when I go to baby showers and see when the expecting mom gets a big gift basket of Baby Magic products! Nobody gave me one of those! I had to learn about how awesome Baby Magic is on my own! I absolutely adore their Calming Baby Bath and lotions!!! My favorite scent is the lavendar and chamomile and we all know how good babies smell! Well, it's things like Baby Magic that do it!!!

Baby Magic has decided to revolutionize the baby product industry by coming up with dustless powder! No longer do you have to watch the dust fly every time you open and close the lid on the baby powder. We all know what it's like to pour powder onto your child's diaper area and watch the dust fly everywhere. Sure, it smells great... but it's dust! Now there is Patty Cake Dustless Powder, which comes in a compact and you use cotton rounds or puffs to apply it to your baby without the worry about dust. It smells great, it's talc free and is dermatologist tested! It is convenient for home and travel.

There are so many wonderful products from Baby Magic that if you have not looked into them, you're not giving your baby the best! (And some of the products are great for adults too! I love their baby oil!)

The Stocked Kitchen book review

2011-07-26T16:33:00.000-05:00

Ever look in your cabinets wondering what to make, but can't think of anything? Or do you find yourself wondering what the most important ingredients are to keep in stock in your pantries and fridge? I know that I'm in both of those situations. I will stand in front of the cabinets and stare. Then open the fridge and stare. Then open the freezer and stare. Then go back to the cabinets and stare... until I just decide to order pizza or cook ramen noodles.

Well, luckily someone understood that this is very common and have written a book for those of us in this same situation!

"The Stocked Kitchen was written by Sarah Kallio and Stacey Krastins. The idea is simple: purchase the items on The Stocked Kitchen grocery list (it even comes with tear-out lists!) and have hundreds of delicious meals at your finger tips."

Watch Sarah and Stacey talk about their fabulous cookbook here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TISpBzuMkDc

I found many of these recipes to be tasty and useful. The only downsides I saw were that there were many ingredients that I don't think the common folk (like myself) would normally use or buy. However, there were so many recipes that just use ingredients we all normally use that it made up for it!

MOTR Grade: B+

Mars Needs Moms Blu Ray Review

2011-07-26T16:21:00.000-05:00

Yet another movie is being released that I was dying to take my kids to the theater to see. Of course, it's a recession, so nooooooo movie going for 4 people here! Mars Needs Moms looked like it was going to be a pretty interesting movie.

So, I put it in intending to watch it as a family. Two adults, a 5 year old and a 3 year old. Well, 10 minutes in, the 3 year old lost interest and went upstairs to play. The rest of us sat through the whole thing. As an adult watching it, I saw it as E.T. meets Avatar but for kids. The premise is that Milo is like a typical kid- he sees his mom as a nagging annoyance and feels like he'd be better off without her. Well, it turns out that Mars needs a mom so that they can update the programming on their "nanny bots." The Mars children need these nanny bots to raise them and teach them how to become good alien beings. So, they take Milo's mom and beam her up, Scottie. Milo decides he needs his mom too and gets beamed up as well and sets out on a quest to find her where he meets many interesting aliens, a human whose mother was also taken, and sees a great many new and crazy things.

I found the movie to be a little boring. The imagery was pretty awesome and you could totally tell Joan Cusack was the mom from the first 5 seconds! But, I just found it hard to sit still and watch it because the jokes weren't all that funny and the movie was long and drawn out for the plot. I think it would have made an excellent short however!

Family Time Factor: I'm thinking it would probably be 4-11. Younger or older kids than that won't stay interested.

MOTR Grade: C-

Mars Needs Moms releases on DVD and Blu Ray August 9th!!!

Bonus Features:

Blu-ray 3D:

Everything on the Blu-ray & DVD plus….

· Mom-Napping (All-new 3D Exclusive) –There’s more than meets the eye during the Martian abduction of Milo’s Mom. This alternate scene — completely finished in 3D — tells all.

Blu-ray 2D:

Everything on the DVD plus…

· Extended Opening - The movie begins… but wait, there’s more. See it here.

· Life On Mars: The Full Motion-Capture Experience – Go way behind the scenes to the ‘space’ where the actors’ performances are captured. This feature-length, picture-in-picture viewing mode also lets you listen to director Simon Wells and actors Seth Green and Dan Fogler give a fun and insightful look into creating the movie.

· Deleted Scenes with Simon Wells introductions (4 Blu-ray 2D Exclusive Deleted Scenes) – 7 deleted scenes of which four are exclusive to the Blu-ray 2D release. Some cool scenes ended up on the cutting room floor. Now you can see them with introductions by director Simon Wells.

· “Flower Power” Easter Egg – the name of the show that Ki watched and learned English from is entitled “Freaks on the Street.”

Movie Download:

Everything on the DVD plus…

· Deleted Scenes - Three deleted scenes with introductions by Director Simon Wells

DVD:

· “Fun With Seth” - The cast and crew had a galaxy of fun making Mars Needs Moms, thanks to the on-set antics of Seth Green and Dan Fogler. Watch them do the ROM dance see them compete to see who can do their verbal ROM the fastest, and much more.

· Martian 101 – Do you speak Martian? Go behind the scenes and see how the producer and cast came up with their own unique Martian language. Then learn how to speak it yourselfwith lessons from a leading Martian language expert.

Mars Needs Moms Social Media:

Those who want to stay connected with the upcoming release of Mars Needs Moms are encouraged to:

· “Like” the Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/MarsNeedsMomsMovie

· Follow on Twitter at http://twitter.com/disneypictures

· View exciting trailers, video clips and more at www.youtube.com/disneymovies

Unburn review

2011-07-26T16:05:00.000-05:00

Unburn is an emergency sunburn relief formula. I am fortunate enough that I don't really burn to the point of pain and within a day it is a tan. Jealous? Oooooooh, fiddle faddle!

Anyway, for those times when you are absolutely roasted, it hurts to move, your clothing feels like it is ripping your flesh off and you can't sleep from the pain, there's Unburn.

This is no exaggeration. My friend told me she had just gotten a completely painful sunburn from being on the river all day over Memorial Day weekend. She was planning to stop by later. Well, before she came by the UPS guy stopped by and he brought me Unburn! So, when my friend stopped by I whipped it out and threw some on her. She had tried buying aloe and a sunburn spray and neither had given her much relief. So, I put the Unburn on her (gently of course) and she said it instantly felt better. It made her more comfortable and she could think of something other than the pain. The only downfall is that it didn't last more than half an hour, so you'd have to apply it often and the bottle is not that big. But, if it is your only relief, it is well worth it!

From the company: "All you want is relief when your skin is hot and burned, and UNBURN does just the trick. Utilizing a vast knowledge of emergency burn care, Water-Jel has formulated UNBURN for the specific treatment of sunburns. This Vitamin E-enriched, water-based gel with 2.5% Lidocaine works quickly to relieve the pain of sunburn. UNBURN immediately cools and soothes the skin while its moisture-rich Vitamin E formula with Aloe helps prevent peeling. Forget just putting Aloe Vera on your skin, UNBURN will do so much more!

UNBURN retails for 4.99 on www.waterjel.com."

MOTR Grade: B+

Mystery Solved!

2011-07-22T07:20:00.001-05:00

So, for the last two weeks, we've had a mystery on our hands. I'm a bit of a neat freak about my living room because that is the place that everyone sees when they first come in. We keep our shoes on a rug by the door and I'm constantly organizing them when they get messed up- my daughter is pretty good at organizing them as well! Well, there have been several times lately where my kids have gone to put one of their shoes on and the other shoe is missing. I will remember having seen it in the upstairs hallway and we always assume one of the kids took it upstairs for some random reason.

So, this happened for several days. I will bring the shoes back and the exact same shoes will end up upstairs. Well, one day they were lying near the cat food dish and I could have sworn they weren't there before bedtime. We started wondering if one of the new cats was the culprit. We were so sure, we just decided that was what was happening.

Well, last night while watching America's Got Talent, David tapped my arm. I didn't look very quickly because I wasn't sure what he wanted, so I missed it. Apparently, the cat had my daughters sneaker in his mouth and was starting to walk with it, but for some reason decided not to. Mystery solved! And a reminder that cats are strange creatures sometime...

Back to School with Master Lock

2011-07-20T13:23:00.000-05:00

With school coming up next month, many parents and children find themselves frantic, worried and for some- terrified. If there's one tip I can give to both parents and children, it is to BE EXCITED. If parents start acting worried or afraid to let their little bird fly from the nest, no matter what age, their children will pick up on it. Instead, parents need to get excited and show their children that they are happy for them and look forward to the success that they know their child can achieve. This will in turn get the kids excited as well, thus making for a more smooth transition.

Master Lock® has hired a new specialist on student life to help students safely and securely navigate this school year in style. The Master Mind, a suave and funny college grad, is staring in a humorous online video series on in which he, along with his clever Little Sister, are setting out to answer students’ most frequent, awkward and perplexing questions on www.facebook.com/masterlock.

Parents and students are invited to submit their own questions for the Master Mind and participate in daily sweepstakes for a chance to win back-to-school must-haves, including popular Master Lock school and campus security products.

Also, be sure to check out Friending Too Fast - a helpful video presented by Master Lock. And good luck to all the students out there!!

Post was written as an entry for a contest for a Master Lock back-to-school prize pack as a member of the Mom Bloggers Club.

Too many Boos: A Pet Name Rumination

2011-07-19T13:47:00.000-05:00

I was thinking today... because it's a nice pastime.

I don't know if I'm the only one in the world who has these thoughts... the ONLY ONE... but I like feeling special. I like feeling unique, one of a kind, perhaps... the cat's pajamas. So, I don't want to think of myself as being someone who gets to have a recycled pet name. I know there are cliches like Boo, Hon, Sweetie, Dear, Mama, Baby, Lovie Wuvvie Schnoodle Bug... but if that's what you called your ex, count me out! I don't wanna be any of those things!

I'm not saying this anecdote is about me... let's say it's about my friend. Her name is... ShmansterMitten. We'll call her Sammy for short. Well, one day Sammy's boyfriend was having his wisdom teeth pulled and he was doped to the gills. While Sammy was caring for him, his phone kept blowing up and as Sammy was a snoopy little B, she checked. Previously Sammy's boyfriend had been referring to her as "Hon", which although not unique, was something she hadn't been called before and it felt nice. Well, on this occasion, Sammy looked at her boyfriend's phone and saw that his ex and he had been exchanging texts about how he was doing and in one he had called her "Hon." Well, add that to the fact that he had claimed to have deleted her number and had in fact just put it in under a guy's name, and Sammy went into a blind rage. (Which reminds me, my next blog post should be about me being a hypocrite.) Long story short, Sammy is now endearingly referred to as "babe." (Feminists calm down- she's okay with it.) This is not a recent occurrence, just the only example I had in this scenario that wasn't an obvious reference to those who know me and lurk.

Anywho, so am I wrong in believing that recycling a pet name from a previous relationship is a no-no? If you called your last boyfriend "Boo," perhaps call this one "Shoe" (they are both equally ridiculous). If you called your last boyfriend "Daddy," how about calling this one "Sugar t*ts?" I mean, if you like the pet name so much, maybe you shoulda stayed with the previous pet, just saying.

Cool Toys for the Summer Months (Review)

2011-07-19T12:20:00.000-05:00

Some kids are having birthdays this summer. I know, that's hard to believe, but really, some kids have summer birthdays. And in some states, it's super hot in the summer. Like where I'm at, right here, right now. 112 with the heat index?? I think not! And the weather guy told me to stay inside, so I assume that means keep the kids too.

So, what are some toys that might be cool to look into right now besides the cliche ones everyone has? I have two I'd like to inform you of.

HandTrux

This toy goes over the arm like a sleeve and mimics a backhoe or bulldozer. It's meant to dig in the sand or dirt or what have you, but since I'm a germ freak, I just let my kids use their imagination to play with it inside the house. You slide it over your arm and there is a handle you can grip that lets you move the "bucket" part in a scooping motion. My kids and the kids I babysit mostly put it on and pretend it has magical powers. Not the intended purpose, but hey, whatever makes them happy.

I don't really have a complaint about this toy. It's simple to use, an interesting idea and keeps kids occupied. Of course, the ocd side of me just thinks about how they can get dirt under their nails and I'd have to wash it all the time after they used it outside... and what if it chopped a worm in half??

Glow Crazy

Glow Crazy is a glow in the dark distance doodler. Um, can you saw AWESOME? I absolutely love glow in the dark stuff, so I don't care if my kids do. LOL. Okay, so this toy would be for them. Anyway, the concept is that you have these canvasses to put on the wall and this battery powered glow wand that sends out a beam of light. With the lights off, you point the glow wand at the canvas and write, draw, doodle, whatever you want and it will stay glowing for a couple of minutes. There are stencils that come with it too. There's an option for writing with a thick line or a thin line. The faster you move the wand, the faster the image disappears, but kids can constantly use the same canvas over and over again.

Drawbacks: my only complaints are that if you really wanted to draw a cool picture on your wall that lasts forever, this is not the product for you. Secondly, if you live in an apartment like I do, there is some trepidation about putting the canvas on the wall because even though it is cling, there's the possibility of peeling off paint or getting hot and sticky and I wonder how long it will actually stay up.

Definitely a product for all ages, though!

WalMart Promotes Box Tops for Education! $25 Gift Card Giveaway!!!

2011-07-19T09:35:00.000-05:00

Whether you´re shopping for a summer barbeque or gearing up for back-to-school, Walmart makes it easier for you to find everything for every list. And while you stock up on your family´s favorites, don´t forget you can earn cash for the participating school of your choice with Box Tops for Education products.

Starting in mid July, head over to your local Walmart to find up to 70 participating products that each have 4 Box Tops!

Shop at Walmart to purchase products from your family´s favorite brands such as Nature Valley, Cheerios, and Yoplait, and earn more cash for the upcoming new school year!

To learn more about the Box Tops for Education program and how you can help contribute to your school, visit www.boxtops4education.com/.

Giveaway Details:

WalMart, General Mills and MyBlogSpark are giving one lucky winner a $25 WalMart gift card. Winner will be picked randomly at noon central on August 2.

To enter:

Leave a comment below stating which of your Box Tops eligible General Mills product is your favorite to purchase.

Additional entries:

1) Tweet this giveaway and include @WalMartTwitter and/or @hamsterkitten and/or #myblogspark. Leave link below.

2) Post giveaway on FB and leave link below or @ me in the post. My Facebook.

Good luck!!!

Disclosure: The information and $25 gift card to Walmart has been provided by Walmart and General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

Have a Laugh Vol. 3 & 4 DVD Review

2011-07-19T09:05:00.000-05:00

It seems like Disney cartoons are timeless. Sure, Mickey might have changed a little bit over time, but he has been making kids (and adults) laugh since inception. These Have a Laugh DVDs are a collection of short cartoons guaranteed to keep your kids entertained for quite awhile. And my kids love watching Disney cartoons, so it works out great in my house!

"Volume 3 Synopsis:

Set sail for the high seas of hilarity when Mickey, Goofy and Donald go a-whaling and wind up going overboard – literally! Bark with laughter as Pluto is dogged by a pesky gopher who’s making mincemeat of Minnie’s garden. Then, have a ball with Goofy as he hits the links and – BLAM! – his “relaxing” game of golf goes outrageously awry.

Fully restored and remastered, these amazing cartoons also feature a new “Re- MICKS” – a mash-up music video of crazy cartoon clips remixed to the hit song, “I Gotta Feeling” from the Black Eyed Peas. It’s a novel approach to uproarious classic comedy that’ll make you laugh out loud. Bursting at the seams with surprises, Have a Laugh – Volume 3 will tickle your funny bone till it hurts!

Volume 4 Synopsis:

Have an outrageously g’day with Mickey and Pluto when their adventure Down Under goes way over the top, thanks to a wayward boomerang and a humongous ostrich. Kick up your heels with Donald as his fireside hula dance “heats up” hilariously. Then, ride a tide of laughs with Goofy as he tries to catch a wave and – BLAM! – gets clobbered by his surfboard.

Fully restored and re-mastered, these incredible cartoons also feature a new “Re- MICKS” – a mash-up music video of crazy cartoon clips remixed to the hit song “Play My Music” from Camp Rock. It’s a bold, new approach to classic comedy that’ll make your spirits soar. Overflowing with fun and surprises, Have a Laugh – Volume 4 will paste a permanent smile on your face!"

My kids are not too picky about the cartoons they watch as long as it keeps then interested and entertained, which these DVDs do. I wish they were a little more educational like Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, but for sheer entertainment value, they do their job!

MOTR Grade: B-

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