Aloha and Mahalo ;o)

In an effort to be geographically friendly on my blog, I plan to dedicate certain time periods to the specific locations of my friends and family who jump on here most days.

First up...Honolulu, Hawaii. (I should just say this post is for Katy because it is...since she is the only one of us lucky enough to live there!)


Every Sunday from 8:30 to 9:45 am, Lululemon Athletica in the Ala Moana Center offers a complimentary yoga class at the store.


The first Sunday of every month is Yogalates by Wainani Hansen. These classes are for all levels.

If you have a yoga mat, please bring it!

Next...

*“Lucky We Live Hawaii” - Labor Day Weekend Celebration on Sunday, September 6, 2009 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Bring in 5 recyclable plastic bottles and receive FREE admission!

At the North Plaza (near section 6)
• Xtreme Fun Keiki Play Zone & Xpress Train Rides
• Statehood craft fair
• Heineken Beer Garden
• Local Entertainment featuring, Logix Sold Separately, Mailani, DeLima Ohana, Nohelani Cypriano and more!

Salt Lake Blvd Parking Lot
• Skateboarding contest & demo *registration at 9am – 10pm
• Surf and Skate sample sale

Section 5b
Classic car show, shine and swap- Bring in car parts to trade with other enthusiasts!

*Learn to Hula!

Mana Hawai`i at Waikiki Beach Walk, Fridays from 10 to 11 a.m.

Kumu Hula Germaine Haili will gladly share the basics of hula with you and your family!

Keiki (children) and adults alike will get in the hula groove by practicing basic steps and learning a simple hula, too.

*Kamaka Shop Tour


550 South Street, Tuesday-Friday 10:30 a.m.

The ‘ukulele is pure Hawaii, and the islands are home to numerous ‘ukulele manufacturers. Kamaka Hawai‘i builds ‘ukuleles right in Honolulu, where they offer free tours of their facilities so you can see how these instruments are made.

Honolulu Magazine is giving away a Trip for 4 to Vegas!

Go here and get yourself registered by October 5, 2009.

Free Day of Yoga!

On Monday, September 7, participating yoga studios across Oahu will open up their spaces and classes to the public. This event is sponsored by lululemon athletica Ala Moana.

Free Day of Yoga started in 1999 in Austin, Texas. Since then, it has spread to other cities across the U.S. and around the world. Studios offer free yoga classes to introduce people to the benefits of yoga. It is a great opportunity for students to try out different styles, teachers and studios.

The studios participating are:

Aloha Yoga Kula
Bikram Yoga Hawaii Kai
Bikram Yoga Nimitz
Diamond Head Yoga

Kailua Movement Studio & Boutique Koa Yoga Open Space Yoga*
Silent Dance Center*
Temple Yoga
Yoga 4 Ewa
*only select classes, check studio website for more information

For more information, contact lululemon athletica Ala Moana at 808.946.7220 or email alamoana-store@lululemon.com.

So, there you have it. Some wonderful free things to do in paradise ;o)

More to come...

Classic Monday

It has been quite a Monday morning.

We thought Liam had a slight chance of having chicken pox, but it turned out to be (just) chiggers. (We took a walk through the "Enchanted Forest" in Indian Springs over the weekend. Note to self: It is, in no way, enchanted!) After confirming at the doctor's office that it was not the pox, I took Liam on to school for a couple of hours. He was begging to see his teacher, and he felt fine.

I headed to the gym to do what I thought was going to be a 30 minute Cardio Blast, but it turned into a p90x Cardio session. I thought I was really on my way to getting back into shape. This session brought me back to reality. Not even close!

I am just now getting to sit down and write out anything. And this one blog has taken me nearly 2 hours thanks to a challenging little boy this afternoon. Forgive me if I type something really weird. I am in serious need of caffeine or something.

So here are some things I spotted over the weekend:

Family Fun Magazine is giving away 10 Toy Story bags. You need to sign up now - today is the last day!

To enter, send an e-mail to contest.familyfun@disney.com. In the e-mail, list your name, date of birth, address, and phone number. If you are a winner, you will be contacted during the first week of September.



Marie Claire magazine has daily giveaways! When you click here, you have the option of signing up for a subscription, or you can choose the option that says you want to register WITHOUT getting the magazine. Click that, and then fill out your information!

Today's giveaway is an Aveda product!


Bookmark the page so you can go to it each day. In addition to the daily giveaway, they also have regular sweepstakes you can enter!


And...

Today is the last day of Allure freebies :o(

Go for it today and see what starts coming in next month. I hope you get some great stuff!


12PM Nine West Ankle Suede Boots ($129)
1PM Ardell Fashion Lashes Starter Kit #110 ($5.99) First 500
2PM VMV Hypoallergenics Illuminants Body Brilliance and Body Lotion ($65) First 150
3PM Shu Uemura Pressed Eye Shadow in Me Purple ($20) First 10
4PM Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment - ($65) First 50
5PM Davines Solu Refreshing Solution Shampoo ($48) First 50
6PM FX Special Effects Curl Booster Scrunching and Curling Spray ($8.99) First 500

Since it has been such an effort just to get these few things up, I am going to come back later with more great stuff! Just hold tight until I can calm things down in this house.

xoxoxo

A rainy Friday morning...with a load of freebies!

First things first.

Make sure to register at Free Book Friday by Thursday of each week. The drawing is held on Friday mornings. If you registered for it last week, you should have received an e-mail reminding you to do it again. These are signed copies they give away! Very nice!

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Mary Kay is giving away a free Anti-Aging Miracle Set. Just go here to request yours!









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Punkinhead Kids (a clothing company) is giving away a free bar of glycerin soap.





Simply e-mail them at info@punkinheadkids.com and ask for the free sample.

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In case you aren't already aware, Walmart has an entire "samples" page on their website. You just fill out the form for the ones you'd like. I've already received 5 different samples of things I actually use!

Here's one I requested: a free Hallmark greeting card. Just go here to request it. Click on "Get a free card" on the right side of the page.

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Free autographed celebrity photos! I was a little skeptical of this at first, but then I went to the site and requested mine - no problems at all.

This is offered by Celebrity Merchandise - go here to request yours!


You can request a free autographed photo of as many on the list, but you can just have ONE of each.

These would make great gifts!





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Don't forget today's Allure freebies! August is almost over - I can't wait to see if I am the lucky winner of any of these giveaways.


I certainly don't need a straightener (I need anything BUT that)...however, some of you might enjoy one at a retail of $240.

That's the 3 p.m. giveaway.

They start at noon and end at 6.




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It's Free Chocolate Friday at Mars! The registration starts at 9 am and goes to the first 250,000 people. However, I just registered at 11 and it says I will get my coupon.


So far, I have received 4.

(I think it's 4 per household, but I figured it was worth a try!)


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Lean Cuisine is giving away free lunches on Fridays!



Go here to register to win free Lean Cuisine entrees for a week!

I would love to try their new wood fire style pizzas! Yummy!




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Okay, y'all. This should hold you over through the weekend! If I see anything good come my way, I will put it up.

Enjoy your last August weekend! Do something different!

Whole Foods, Biscuits, Allure, Moviecube Rental, too many to list!!!

Well, I'm going to get right to it because I have a TON of freebies to list...and not a lot of time to do it! Have fun!!!

Numero Uno:

Print this coupon for a FREE Rotisserie Chicken at Whole Foods. (LOVE Whole Foods!!!)

Numero Dos:


Print this coupon for a FREE Fiesta Bouquet at Whole Foods.

Numero Tres:

Tayyabah Bakery Company in the U.K. is giving free samples of their delicious biscuits.


Simply go here and select the ones you want to try. They will be delivered right to your door!

Numero Quatro:


FREE Moviecube Rental. Go here to find the location nearest you (usually at Kroger, Publix, etc.). Use code: ETUX9A8

Numero Cinco:

Allure freebies! I really want the 12 noon giveaway!!!


12pm - Line Jacket (Retail $325)

1pm - Bobbi Brown Nude Eye Palette - 1st 50

2pm - Styli-Style Line & Seal 24 Eyeliner Pencil in Deep Purple - 1st 500

3pm - Kiehl's Stylist Series Strong-Hold Styling Gel - 1st 500

4pm - Amazon Beauty Rahua Leave-In Treatment - 1st 10

5pm - Got2b Dazzling Shine Spray - 1st 50

6pm - Shu Uemura Art of Hair Fiber Lift Volumizer - 1st 150

Pizza, Photo Collage, Allure - all for you on Wednesday!

First up...

"Papa" John Schnatter is giving away a free large, one-topping pizza to anyone who drives a Camaro to Papa John's on Wednesday, August 26th.

This is in honor of his beloved 1971 Z28 Camaro that he sold in 1983 to save his family's tavern and to finance the start of his pizza business. You can read the full story here. It's pretty cool!

Second...

Walgreens is offering a free 8 x 10 photo collage. Just use coupon code "FUNDAY" - this expires Wednesday, the 26th. The other offer at Walgreens that is good until Saturday, the 29th, is 25 free 4 x6 prints when you buy 25 prints. So, if you have some pictures you've been needing to print, go ahead and do it now and then get a free 8 x 10 collage!

And last...

Get to Allure at 12 noon on Wednesday...6 more freebies for you!

Tuesday Freebies - Yum, Yum!

Okay, first freebie today is at Zaxby's!

Today ONLY, from 2 p.m. - close, you can get a free fun-size milkshake. They are 10 oz. - you can choose chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla.

One per customer.


Then, don't forget your Allure freebies. August is almost over! Get them while you can!

The 12:00 giveaway is a $995 Donna Karan dress!!!!

The King.

About once a year, I have to get my George Strait fix. This year, the time is now.

It's not like the old days where I could spend hours listening to him, reading about him, or strategically planning how I was going to "land" free tickets to his Louisville concert. (For those of you who do not know, I always had a real knack for winning tickets over the radio. It would be nice these days to even have the opportunity to LISTEN to the radio.) And if I didn't WIN the tickets, I was the first in line at Kroger to guarantee front row seats, and then I spent months trying to get backstage passes.

To MEET George Strait...well, there really aren't words for what would happen to me given that opportunity. I just can't make any promises on whether or not they could drag me away from him and back to my seat at the concert.

So, I just want to say how very proud I am with the Academy of Country Music for finally honoring him with Artist of the Decade award. Alabama certainly deserved it for the 80s. When Garth Brooks got it for the 90s, I'm sure he was worthy (although many of us were wondering how in the world George Strait had not already fully earned this!) As Garth indicated when he presented the award to King George in May of this year, it seemed ironic that he was presenting the award when it was George Strait who made it possible for him to achieve what he had. And that's really the deal here. George Strait paved the way for all the other cowboys who made it in country music over the last 30 years. No one questions or denies that. And we are all so grateful for his talent.

So, in honor of The Man, I am sharing some of my all-time favorite George Strait photos and clips. If you weren't a fan before, you should be now. And hey, even if you don't love country music, you can still love the man. For all he has to do is stand there (and sing).

So, in no real significant order...my favorites are below.

This is the first time I ever laid eyes on George. I was 11 years old and fell in love instantly.






Pure country. Pure heart. All cowboy.

George Strait- If I Know Me
Uploaded by Coyote63000. - Watch more music videos, in HD!

Probably one of my very favorite George Strait songs.
George Strait - Amarillo by Morning Video









And finally...one of his latest, greatest hits. "Troubadour" just seems to sum it up. This video is beautiful to watch. No man has ever looked as good as he does on a horse. Period. Watching all the clips of him when he was younger brings back great memories for all of us.

George Strait - Troubadour


Here are two clips from the ACM Artist of the Decade All-Star Concert honoring George.

The first is LeeAnn Womack singing "Just Stand There And Sing" - written for George for this occasion. It is so touching!



The last clip is of Garth Brooks presenting George with the Artist of the Decade award.

Why the name?

Recently, someone asked me, "Why the name 'Mud Pies and Milkshakes'?"

Now, when I decided on the name, it made perfect sense to me. Explaining it to someone else was a little more difficult.

Mud Pies. I have some incredible childhood memories of making mud pies in my backyard with my cousins. We actually used the pie plates and everything. It was an amazing moment of “free play” that you just can’t get any other way. No restrictions, no time limit, no lesson, no wet wipes - just fun and free. You can't get that back.

Kristi and I (wearing matching swimsuits) making more of a mess than a sandcastle, Daytona Beach, 1980-something

Milkshakes. I can remember slurping down peanut butter milkshakes that my aunt would make for us while we watched the show “Dallas” on a Friday night. (Looking back, it’s quite funny to think that we were allowed to watch that show given the drama of it all.) Anyway, the bigger the chunks of peanut butter, the better. This is something I will ALWAYS remember with a smile. It was before there were worries or upsets, stress, complications, serious decisions. It was just fun and free.

Julie, me, Kristi, and David losing at Tug of War at Mamaw's, 1980-something

And it’s how I got here.

Those two simple words put together sum up the purpose of my blog. I wanted something fun and free…just for me. No real stress. No high expectations. We, as a family, have experienced our share of unexpected complications in the last several years. Now more than ever do I know how pure and precious mud pies and milkshakes are.

And that’s what this journey is for me. Pure and precious. Fun and free.

What a beautiful Sunday!

It is a lovely Sunday here in Georgia. I'm just amazed at how beautiful it can be with the deletion of high humidity.

Here are a couple of deals for you today:

First up...for my soccer-loving family...

Freefootball.net is giving away a free keyring (with light attached) in celebration of their launch.

You have the choice of Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Liverpool. They will ship them anywhere!

Another deal I found was...partcipating McDonald's are selling the $1 "After School Snack" coupon books.









For $1, you get a book of 12 coupons that contain 3 each of the following:

• Free baked pie
• Free small apple juice or juice jug
• Free small cone
• Free apple dippers or free small fries

These would NOT be my recommended after school snacks, but if you use them as more of a special treat, it's something nice to have. Considering each of these items are around $1 each, it's quite a deal. Also, they don't expire until 12/2011.

Kids must be 12 and under to cash them in.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Saturday Freebies (8/22) - Lowe's, Cesar, Scooby Doo, Fazoli's, and more!

First up...

Get yourself and your child to Lowe's in the morning at 10 a.m. for the Build and Grow Clinic.

This Saturday's project is to build a School Bus!


Simply go here and fill out the form to let them know you are coming. Totally FREE.

Next freebie...

Beginning 8/22/09 and running until 10/10/09, Cesar is giving away a free can of their all new Cesar Bistro. This is to the first 1,500 people starting at 9 a.m. until 12 a.m. every Saturday.


2 per customer and 1 per week.


Go here at 9 a.m. to sign up!



Also...


If you live in the Atlanta area, and you have children who love Scooby Doo, you can take them to meet him at the CNN Center on Saturday from 2-7 pm.

He will be in the CNN Center Atrium.

While you're there, you can get a sneak peek at the new movie, too!




Plus...

If you're caught out during lunch or dinner this weekend or next, Fazoli's will feed your kids for FREE. On Saturdays and Sundays through August, kids under 12 eat free.

Limit 1 free meal with the purchase of 1 adult entree.

And finally...

Again, for those of you near Atlanta, this weekend is Fourth Saturday Family Fun Days at Centennial Park. Take advantage of free activities (including crafts, life-size chess games, appearances by on-air personalities, local sports mascots, contests, prizes and more!).

This starts at noon and runs until 4 p.m. - through September 26.

Tomorrow's theme is "Games and Gadgets" - sounds like fun!

Have a fabulous weekend!

A Magical Vacation...and Freebies for you!

Well, we have made it back from an exciting vacation to Daytona Beach and Disney World!

My mom decided it was time we take Liam, so William took a few days off from work and we headed to the beach and Orlando for 4 days. The beach was a favorite for all of us - early morning sunrise, afternoons in the pool and on the beach, and the weather was perfect! Our days were jam packed with activities (and very few naps, I might add), but in the end, we returned home with some wonderful memories.

As for Disney World, let me just say, Liam LOVED it. He loved having breakfast with Tigger and Pooh, Mary Poppins, Alice and Mad Hatter. Of course, Mickey-shaped waffles were pretty awesome, too.

He practically sprinted to Christie when he saw her coming to greet us at the Boardwalk resort...all for the purpose of showing her his brand new "Cars" watch that he convinced Gagi to buy him in the gift shop. He loved the fancy stroller Christie got for him to ride around in all day. And he even learned to identify which one was his based on the "Lally" tag that hung on it. (And there were hundreds of identical strollers outside the Dumbo and Peter Pan rides.) Did I mention the crowd? Wow, I thought school was back in session and I thought we were in a recession, but from the amount of people we had to fight our way through, you would never know it. It brought back memories of August of 1997 - College Program days, where it was a mad house! Humidity? Through the roof. We couldn't get enough water!

As soon as Christie walked us through Epcot and we headed to the monorail to go to Magic Kingdom, there he was. The one and only Stitch! There was absolutely NO LINE to meet him - it was amazing. Liam went crazy over Stitch, as proven in the photos. Then, after Stitch signed his autograph book, he looks over and says, "What about the next one?" The next one was Daisy Duck. He flirted BIG TIME with her and gave her a sweet kiss on her beak. So sweet!




As we got to the Magic Kingdom, it was just one ride and attraction after another. Dumbo ride...had to do it twice because it was clearly his favorite. We even managed to ride Peter Pan, which is very popular and crowded now! Mickey and Minnie's house, the Mad Tea Party, the Carousel, the list goes on and on of the super fun rides we enjoyed. And all the while, Liam's favorite characters just hopping through the park. It's truly magical.

I can't forget to mention our great time at the All-Star Movies Resort. Liam loved the pool and all the over-sized Disney characters. We swam in the pool the morning we left and it was a nice relaxing time before heading back home.

We are so grateful to our friends, Christie and Peter, for making it happen. We thank you for the magic!


So...now that I'm back to reality...I'm busy unpacking, doing laundry, and getting Liam back to a routine. I am working a little each day to get vacation photos posted to Facebook, so watch for those.

I've really missed sharing the freebies, so I've been searching for some goodies tonight!

Here's what I have for tomorrow (Friday, August 21, 2009):

Free Book Friday: 5 signed copies of Handle with Care,
by Jodi Picoult, will be given away Friday, August 21, 2009. Simply go to Free Book Friday and sign up on the left side of the page.

Each week they feature a new author and give away free signed copies of the book. Winners are chosen at random and are posted on the site every Friday. So sign up now!


Next up...

Allure Freebies! I've been missing most of these the past week, but I hope you remembered to keep up.

Here they are for Friday:

12 pm Earnest Sewn Cotton Denim Jeans ($198)

1 pm Eucerin Calming Body Wash Daily Shower Oil ($7.99) First 500

2 pm Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Gritter ($16) First 500

3 pm Revlon Classic Powder Blush ($9.79) First 250

4 pm A Scent by Issey Miyake ($65) First 25

5 pm Rene Furterer Repair Shampoo After Sun ($23) First 300

6 pm Givenchy Prisme Again Shimmer Eyes in Smooth Shimmer and Magic Kajal Pencil in Magic Black ($71.50) First 150 get both


Then...it's Free Chocolate Friday at Mars. At 9:00 a.m., go here and register to get your coupon. Limit 4 to a household. (By the way, I have already received 3!)

As I find more fun freebies for the weekend, I'll get them posted.

Have a great Friday!

Weekend Freebies (8/15-8/16)

Tomorrow (8/15), Michael's is offering a FREE craft time for kids, ages 5-12, from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. They can personalize a metal tin to hold their school pens and pencils.

Information about the craft is here.

Have a great time!


And for the adults...

Williams-Sonoma offers free classes and demonstrations throughout the week!


This Sunday (8/16) is "The Olive Oil Extra" - tips on how to use it to get the best flavors out of your dishes.

It looks like most of these are at 11:00 a.m., but you should call your local Williams-Sonoma to find out.

Enjoy!

Friday is here (with free chocolate, free books, and more!)

First up...

Friday is FREE CHOCOLATE DAY!

Go to Mars and request your free chocolate coupon.

I've already received two of my coupons in the mail!




Next...free books!


Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is a wonderful program! Her program sends a FREE age-appropriate book each month to your child. However, it is not available in EVERY area...so go to the website and see if your community is a participant.

I was delighted to find out that our area participates. Liam has been receiving books for a year now. I truly believe in this program! One of her books was the first book Liam mastered and "read" to us every night.

Here's how it works:

A community must make the program accessible to all preschool children in their area. The community pays for the books and mailing, promotes the program, registers the children, and enters the information into the database. From there The Dollywood Foundation takes over and manages the system to deliver the books to the home.

You can quickly register your child online and start receiving the books each month!

And last...

Allure's Free Stuff!

12 pm Ted Rossi Bracelet ($250)
1 pm Oscar Blandi Colore Root Touch-Up & Highlighting Pen ($23) First 100
2 pm Sonia Kashuk Enhance Eye Shadow in Purple Velvet ($5.99) First 50
3 pm Aquaphor Healing Ointment ($5.49) First 250
4 pm Avon Ultra Color Rich Lipstick in Sheer Naturale ($8.50) First 100
5 pm Paul Mitchell Firm Style Super Clean Sculpting Gel ($8.50) First 50
6 pm La Roche-Posay Anthelios SPF 40 Sunscreen Cream ($29.50) First 50

Thursday's Freebie - Allure, Cowgirl, and Somersaults!

It's been a heck of a Thursday morning, but your freebies are here just in time!

First up...

Today's Allure freebies:

12 PM - Elizabeth and James Blouse
1 PM - L’Oreal Paris Wear Infinite Eyeshadow Quad in Eva’s Violets - 1st 300
2 PM - Pantene Pro-V Color Revival Shampoo and Conditioner - 1st 25
3 PM - Black Radiance Mosaic Bronzer Multi-Use Powder - 1st 500
4 PM - Lippman Collection Nail Lacquer in Purple Rain - 1st 100
5 PM - ColorMark Paint - 1st 500
6 PM - Clinique Kohl Shaper for Eyes in Black Khol - 1st 250


Next...

Cowgirl Skincare will give you free samples of their face cream.

Simply e-mail them at info@cowgirlskincare.com.


What is Cowgirl?

"Cowgirl is about beauty rooted in health and wellness. Good nutrition, sun protection, and daily facial care are the best approaches to beautiful, clear, and healthy skin. Looking great is being healthy and having vibrant energized skin at any age."


And finally...

Free Somersaults! (Say, what?)

That's right - Somersaults is a snack! Just request a sample and see how yummy they are!

Have a great Thursday!

It's Wedneday, Y'all...I'm gettin' a free milkshake!

I can't tell you the last time I've had Steak 'n Shake. Oh yeah, I remember. It was a lovely evening in Elizabethtown, KY, with my mom and Liam. Ahhh...something I always look forward to when we go home. It's also one of the few restaurants where Liam remains extremely patient through the entire meal (eager for his yummy Strawberry Banana Side-by-Side milkshake, no doubt!).

Steak 'n Shake is offering a free Mint Cookies 'n Cream Milkshake. This coupon expires Wednesday, August 12, so print it out NOW and use it. If you like mint and you like cookies, you're pretty much going to be in Heaven with this one.

It's Hump Day - treat yourself!

Don't forget your Allure freebies. You know the routine. Every hour from 12 noon - 6 pm.


Click here and go to "SIGN UP NOW" each hour for that freebie.

Here's the list for Wednesday:

12 pm Banana Republic Suede Ankle Boots ($69)
1 pm Tresemme Tres Two Extra Hold Hairspray ($4.99) First 500
2 pm Make Up For Ever Professional Aqua Eyes Eyeliner Pencil in 11L ($17) First 100
3 pm Channel Ultra Correction Lift Firming Day Cream SPF 15 ($150) First 30
4 pm American Beauty Beloved Red Rose Fragrance ($39.50) First 20
5 pm Neutrogena Anti-Residue Shampoo ($5.49) First 100
6 pm Jonathan Product Hydrating Mask ($26) First 100

Have a great Wednesday!

Tuesday Freebies (8/11) - Loving This!!!

Tuesday is a fun day on the freebie list. (I was so excited about the first one that I went ahead and requested mine last night!)

First up...is the Schwan Man! Growing up, I had just one friend who actually had Schwan food in her fridge (way too expensive for the average family to afford). I just thought it would be very cool for the yellow truck to pull into my driveway with a bunch of frozen novelties.

Well, it's your lucky day! Schwan's is giving away FREE FOOD to the first 500,000 customers.



First, go here and enter your zip code to see if they have delivery in your area. (They even deliver out here in Flovilla, Georgia, so I am willing to bet they will come to your area.)

Second, shop on their website and choose anything (one item or items combined) that totals $10. Now, you can feel free to add to that, but you'll pay the difference.

Then, proceed to checkout. You will need to quickly register your information and it will show you the different options for delivery (it will give you a specific date for their next delivery to your area, or you can choose for them to call you and arrange a delivery time). Also, you can pay online OR you can pay the Schwan man when he delivers your order.

Just a note: When I chose my item, it showed that for "tax" I owed 2 cents. The most bizarre thing. For my mom, when she picked at item, it showed her balance as zero. So...I have no idea what that is about, but I was okay with owing 2 cents. (Besides, I figure if the Schwan man can accept 2 cents with a straight face, they need it more than I do.)

Second Freebie...our daily Allure giveaways!!!



By now, you know what to do. Go to Allure every hour from 12-6 (exactly on the hour) and click on "ENTER NOW" below the picture of freebies. Each hour is a different giveaway. You will not know if you actually got the freebie until it shows up in the mail.

Here is the list for today:

12 PM - Tourneau Timepieces Stainless Steel Watch
1 PM - Pureology Essential Repair Masque - First 50
2 PM - N.Y.C New York Color Smooth Mineral Pressed Foundation Powder - First 500
3 PM - Eau Thermale Avenue Thermal Spring Water - First 500
4 PM - Black Opal Patent Lips Liquid Lipstick in Nude Scene - First 100
5 PM - Burt’s Bees Very Volumizing Shampoo Pomegranate & Soy - First 100
6 PM - KMS California Hairspray Sea Salt Spray - First 500

Have a wonderful Tuesday!!! Good Luck!

Top 11 (because there was one I just couldn't leave out)

My friends from all over have shared with me some of the most annoying lack of manners (or etiquette) in public places, the workplace, in their homes, in their friends' homes...pretty much any location. You will most likely recognize some of these as your own that you have mentioned either on Facebook or in a conversation...but put into my own words.

I have taken them all into careful consideration and am bringing them to you in what, I believe, are probably THE Top 11 annoyances to which people really should pay close attention. After compiling the list, what was most alarming to me was how very "common sense" these items are. But isn't that sort of the theme of bad manners? We can be incredibly intelligent in ways that don't really amount to a hill of beans, but in very basic manners, we can seem like children.

Some are quite funny and some are pretty serious. Thanks for sharing!

1. If someone (you don't even know!) holds open a door for you, thank them. There are no exceptions to this rule. They could have just let it slam shut in your face, in which case I am sure you would have been raging under your breath about how rude they were.) Manners, people. Free at your local Thinking Cap.

2. Do not, under any circumstances, imply, suggest, or question whether or not a woman is carrying life inside her body. The reason you asked DOES NOT MATTER AND NEVER WILL. I don't care if her cute "babydoll" top looks maternity, or if "the way (she) is standing" makes her belly protrude, or the fact that her water broke. Warning: If you do cross this forbidden line, you will be sorry if she is, in fact, not pregnant.

3. Passing-gas-in-the-grocery-aisle-and-letting-someone-unaware-walk-right-through-it-is-just-plain-obnoxious.

4. For crying out loud, wipe down the exercise equipment. Not every other time, not every third time, EVERY time. I don't want to sit in your sweat any more than you want to sit in mine. Germs, cooties, whatever. Clean it up. And make sure someone SEES you cleaning it up.

5. Just because you're family doesn't mean you're "free to pass Go" and collect rights to saying just whatever rolls off your tongue. (Of course I have similar thoughts of you, I just don't say it aloud. It's called, "I'm not perfect myself so why do I think I can judge you?") Keep in mind that, as we age, our need for approval from family is less and less. That means you, my dear sister, or you, my dear aunt. You always maintain the right to your opinion. Just don't be surprised when someone tells you to take you and your choir elsewhere. Support and encouragement? Absolutely welcomed and appreciated. Unnecessary criticism, unwarranted judgment, and talking to me like I'm still 5 years old? Pretty much a waste of your time.

6. Do not ever put your feet up on my couch...especially when you're wearing shoes. Ever.

7. In the store aisle, why are you "lingering" around the same items someone else is already studying? You know you aren't really looking for that same thing - you're just being nosy! Just stand back so they can finish. Seriously. If you have time to linger around, you have time to wait.

8. Belching, burping, whatever you want to call it. Look, I know it has to come out somehow. Why anyone would think it should come out at the dinner table, or in a room where people are still eating, is beyond me. Just because you finished your meal first doesn't mean that the rest of us should be victim to your grossness. You're HOW old? Grow it on up.

9. Kids. They are kids. They will BE kids. They will ACT like kids. They will NOT act like grown ups because they are NOT grown ups. In fact, even some of the grown ups they are around don't act like grown ups. So, if you're the one who is ridiculously impatient with children and with what goes along with the behavior and misbehavior of them, it would probably do you well to either a) get over it, or b) get over it. Before you know it, you'll be the one they are complaining about with all your temper tantrums over how the kids are acting.

10. Speaking of acting like a child, when you make fun of people, it's SO unattractive in about a thousand ways. I won't list them all, but just know that being the "smart ass" is completely overrated. And when you laugh at the jerk who is making fun of someone , you look like a wannabe. And wow, that's really something to strive for, isn't it? (And I'm not talking about the light-hearted, friendly jokes. I'm talking about making fun of someone's medical problems, or speech impediment, or any other thing they have no control over.) I know you probably think it's cool or funny, but you're not even close to being either. Oh yeah, and when you're like 25 or 28 or 30 or 35 and you're still doing it, well, it's time to go back to the shelf and find a new kid's game.

11. Resist the urge to blow smoke in my face or in the face of my child. Yes, you have rights. Yes, I have rights. We're not going down that road. Oh yeah, and the fact that you are family does not give you MORE of a right. It gives you less - you should care more about the health of your family than anyone else! Don't even give me that song and dance. Please just show respect. But for the sake of clarification: My child's right to breathe clean air trumps your right any day of the week.

Fabulous Freebies on Monday, August 10!

Okay, my good friends. I have some exciting freebies for Monday!

~Allure Freebies~ (by far, the favorite and most exciting)

These are offered every hour from 12 noon-6 pm. Go to Allure at exactly each hour and sign up for the freebie. You'll be filling out the same form each time, with some variation (like a dress size or color preference, depending on the product). The 12 noon freebie is worth $580!!!

Below are Monday's giveaways:


12 pm Oscar de la Renta Cuff ($580)
1 pm Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex ($74.50) First 500
2 pm Lancome Color Design Eye Shadow in Drama ($16.50) First 25
3 pm DeveloPlus No Gray ($4.99) First 500
4 pm OPI Nail Laquer in Here Today, Aragon Tomorrow ($8.50) First 100
5 pm Kronos Krystal High Gloss Shine ($35) First 250
6 pm Ace Rattail Comb ($3.20) First 100

Next freebie for Monday...

Burt's Bees is offering a FREE sample of the new Burt's Bees Targeted Spot Treatment for acne. Simply click here (this will go live on August 10...not sure if this will happen at midnight or sometime in the early morning hours) to request your free sample.

Good luck!!!