Giveaway Alert: Green Mom Finds - Wild Dill Giveaway

Green Mom Finds is giving away a $45 Wild Dill gift card. Would you like to enter to win?? Head on over to http://greenmomfinds.ning.com/forum/topic/show?id=2138955%3ATopic%3A10307

There are ways to gain extra entries. It ends Tuesday, September 9, 2008.

Giveaway Alert: How Do I Look? New Name & A Giveaway!

Did you want to win a $25 Amazon gift card?? Then head on over to http://bella1104.blogspot.com/2008/09/how-do-i-look-new-name-giveaway.html to see how to enter. There's other ways of getting extra entries, to make sure to check those out!!

Robyn's Online World Giveaway: $50 Amazon.com Gift Certificate

Head on over to http://robynsonlineworld.blogspot.com/2008/08/giveaway-2-win-50-amazoncom-gift-card.html to have a chance of winning a $50 Amazon.com gift certificate. Yes, it is a comment giveaway, but the stories that people leave are fun and inspirational!

The contest ends Friday August 29 (2008) at 11:59pm (CT). So go enter now!!!!

DARK THIRST ANNIVERSARY CONTEST

Why do you think stories about vampires have fascinated
people for so many centuries?

I believe vampires have fascinated us all since the beginning of Bram Stoker's "Dracula." The unknown of if there are actually any real vampires in our society leave us questioning our own lives. The fantasy of it all takes you to a world where you can thrive, and not die- unless impaled.. It paints a pretty picture: An immortal seducing a woman for "food," and then -in some ways- turning her into one. A vampire, such as Lestat from Queen Of The Damned, makes it look glamorous. There are many books, websites, and items out in the world that have helped bring Dracula to life, almost. There's no right or wrong way to say "There are/aren't any vampires out there in the world, except in books." It's a fantasy world every one dreams of, and wants to be a part of.

To read an excerpt of Dark Thirst by Sara Reinke, visit: http://www.sarareinke.com/files/Excerpt_Dark_Thirst.pdf

Sara Reinke's blog:
http://www.sarareinke.blogspot.com/

Thank you Karen!!

I would like to thank Karen from SimplyAmusingDesigns.

She did an amazing job on the new header for this blog! So, head on over there and order yours today!!!

Also, there will be a new post coming soon- so keep your eyes peeled out for it!

The Summer Frontier

Ahh... summer will soon be here, and kids across the nation will be wanting to do something during their Summer Break. However, let's face it- with food and gas prices on the rise, we simply cannot afford to give them money to go shopping every day. Who wouldn't want a little help by saving money? So, these monehy-saving ideas allow the little ones, as well as the adults, to have alot of fun:

- Have water balloon fights! You get to become the referee and make the rules. Fill up as many water balloons as you see fit. Then, hand them out evenly (saving a few for yourself), and let loose! This saves monehy on your water bill, and allows the familiy to hang out and have fun together. You can buy water balloons at any dollar store or Wal-Mart for just a few dollars.

- Make your own popsicles! This is a great one to let the little ones help with! If you have powdered Kool-Aid, sugar, and ice cube trays, then you are ready for this! Oh yeah, don't forget popsicle sticks! Make the Kool-Aid how you normally would. After the Kool-Aid tastes the way you (or the kids) like it, get out the ice cube trays. Now, this part can get messy, so hav eplenty of paper towels on hand. Let the little ones pour (slowly!) the Kool-Aid into the trays. Grab the popsicle sticks and let the little ones put them into the trays. Put the trays into the freezer, and let the Kool-Aid become popsicles. It's a quick and sugary treat without having to spend alot of money on ice cream.

- Allow your teenager to make some money of their own! If your teenager is of working age, allow him/her to get a part time summer job. There are many companies out there that may be looking for summer help, and this would be a great way for you to save money. Allowing them to get a part-time summer job will give them spending money of their own (see how this benefits you?) and it will build up their resumes for future jobs.

- Glue this, glue that! Crafts allow any person of any age to let their imagination and creativity to run wild. Set aside one full day for Crafts Day! There are many websites that give ideas for any age:

FamilyFun: Arts and Crafts: http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/
FamilyFun: Crafts For Kids of All Ages: http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/crafts-by-age/
FamilyCorner.com: http://www.familycorner.com/dir/Kitchen_and_Home/Crafts/
AllCrafts.net: http://www.allcrafts.net/kids.htm

This is great for kids with ADD as well. It allows their concentration to be set on something they can proudly show! Once all the glue dries from whatever craft you have picked, take them all into the kitchen and hang them on the refrigerator! Anyone who walks through that room will see how great artists your kids are!

-Visit nature and museums! Since gas prices seem to be rising (as i've previously mentioned), going on long, 4 day trips may be out of the budget. Are there parks or museums in your city that you would love to visit? If that's the case, the go ahead and visit!!! If your kids want to come along for the ride, that's even better. Visit your city's website for prices into the museums, and where to find the best parks. By going to the museums, you and your kids get to learn alot about history, and it'll give you something to talk about! Also, check your city's website just in case there's a day where a kid/adult/senior may get in free- which keeps costs down when you have to pay $8 per person.

When going to parks, make sure you pack a lunch! This is a great way to give the kids exercise, and you get some sun! Who knows? You and/or your kids may meet some new friends!


So, there are ways to save money. Now, it's your turn to think of some ways!! Be sure to include your kids in on the fun!!

Sweeping The Nation

sweep·stakes

Pronunciation: \-ˌstāks\

1 a: a race or contest in which the entire prize may be awarded to the winner; specifically : stakes race b: contest, competition

You can see where this is going due to the definitions above. People all across the world are beginning a new trend: Sweepstakes entering. Actually, it's not a new trend. People have been entering contests and sweepstakes for years and years- but it has recently become popular again. There are several reasons why one may "sweep:"

• Some may be on a low, fixed income, and the prizes they will help them in that.
• It's a hobby to some. Other people have hobbies like golf or scrapbooking. "Sweepers" have contests!

You may be wondering what "sweep" and "Sweepers" mean. Both of those refer to contests/sweepstakes. "Sweepers" are those who enter sweepstakes on a daily basis. "Sweeps" means to do the action of entering.

Here are a few things you must/can consider if you want to become a sweeper.

1. It takes a while for some to win. Just keep a positive attitude and you'll become successful in your wins!
2. You can join sweeping communities (like http://www.online-sweepstakes.com) where you can meet other contest lovers like yourself and get to enter all the contests you like!
3. Pick and choose your sweepstakes carefully. If a specific one doesn't feel right to you- don't enter. There's plenty of others that may tickle your fancy.
4. It would be a good idea to create a separate e-mail account if possible. Entering contests can sometimes generate alot of e-mails and this specific e-mail can help you weed out the wanted from the unwanted messages.
5. Be truthful when entering your address. If you win a prize over $500 (and it does happen), they will need to verify where to send your prize.

Now, you are all set! You can enter as many or as little sweepstakes as you like. So go ahead- start entering and good luck!!!

Does getting rid of a pet REALLY make you a bad owner?

I recently saw a website where people were bickering back and forth where getting rid of a pet makes you a bad owner. Some have worked in animal shelters, and some have not. Here are my own opinions:

Those who do just abandon pets either because they can't take care of them, or they don't have the time doesn't make them bad people. They simply got their selves in a bigger spot than they wanted. Instead of dumping the poor animal on the side of the road, however, they could have simply taken it to an rescue center.

I saw one person say "I don't feel bad for families who keep pets for a lifetime, only to give them up when they lose their job... etc, etc." I'm sorry, but if someone loses their job, they would have no means to buy themselves food- let alone food for the pets. Humans need to live, too. People don't know the exact circumstances to why the pets were given up. But 9 times out of 10, if the person really cared for the pet, they would find a great home for it.

I have 3 cats, and one of them was saved from a really bad life. She and her other brothers and sisters lived in a tiny shelter- with barely any food, water. Also, the shelter was not heated, nor was it cooled off in the summer. Now, she is 5 years old and healthy. Her daughter is not in the greatest of health, but we don't plan on getting rid of her just because of that. She has been with us since she was born, and will continue to stay with us.

There are MANY reasons for why a pet is given up, and some of them are horrific and sad... but some are legitimate, and accusations just make everyone on edge and brings them to their boiling point.

Stimulus Checks

The Stimulus Rebate Checks are a good idea... however, they send out these checks expecting people to spend them frivolously. My line of thinking is that we will not be just going to Wal-Mart and spending them all on junk we don't need- we will be using them to pay bills! The government wants us to buy, buy, buy, and that's not the case for most Americans.

Let's put it into perspective, shall we? Say you receive a $200 electric bill, and you have a stimulus check up to $600. What are you going to spend $200 of it on? That's right, that electric bill. Now, you must not forget that you have a water bill, your internet/cable bill, and the gas you have to put in your car. Where does that leave you? With very little money left to spend on groceries or food for your pets. Tell me, how does the government expect us to spend money on the economy when we must take care of ourselves? We need a house to live in. We need electricity to run everything inside of that house. We need gas in our car so we can get places. True, you could live without cable and the internet, but, in the day and age, it's not possible. I'm sure if you make over $150,000 a year, it's possible for you to spend $600 on a new TV, but we're talking about lower to middle class citizens who don't make over a 100k a year to buy all the finer things.

Bush made a statement this week stating that the checks (going out Monday) will help Americans with the rising gas and food prices. Also, it will help the slumping economy. Not true, Mr. President. You have a salary BEYOND most Americans. If the gas prices reach as high as $6, no one will be spending the money on gas. If food prices continue to rise, no one will be able to afford food to feed their family.

So, spend your checks wisely. If you feel you need a new pair of shoes- go ahead. However, if you have an over-due water bill, I would take care of that first.