February Top Entrecard Droppers

In 20 minutes it will be a new month. So here, a few minutes early, is a listing of my top droppers for February. Thank you especially to these 10, but also to everyone who drops in on my little place on the World Wide Web.

Alteredevents
My Unique Altered Accessories Costume Fantasy Shop Blog for special events. *Supporting the Handmade Community one click at a time.
My gypsygoods
Life, creative moments, saving money, nature, eco-friendly tips.
Supporting & promoting the handmade community.
Make Money on the Internet
3arn.Net is a blog helping individuals on the Net to make a living online. The Blog consists of all essential tips ranging from guides to setting up a Blog to getting the money, all covered.
I am Harriet
I am inspired by people who make a difference in the world or in the lives of others because it is the right thing to do.
The Cool Mom Guide Reviews
Julie from the Cool Mom Guide reviews the latest products and entertainment to give you the low down on all things cool.
C'est La Vie
This is my blog! It's the chronicles of a single mother who's balancing parenting and being a full-time college student with aspirations to become a nurse.
The Coupon Coup
Blogging on how to save money using coupons and great deals, family life, exercise and fitness with the Wii Fit Mommies, product reviews and giveaways
The Cool Mom Guide
Join mommy blogger Julie Maloney in her quest to remain cool in the eyes of her children. Talk politics, football, video games and read the latest reviews. Also features "What He Has to Say" from daddy blogger J. Burrows.
Wii Mommies
Join the Wii Mommies website and forum to help encourage and support people just like you who are trying to get fit using the Wii workout games system for the Nintendo Wii.
The Everyday Adventurer
A blog that introduces beginners to nature, hiking, adventure, and everything outdoors, in a fun and exciting way.

I Need To Commit -- To A Driver, That Is

It's NASCAR season folks! That's a big deal in my household. We had a Daytona 500 party and now our Sunday evenings are spent watching the races.

I have a problem though, I don't have a driver. Now, if you know anything about NASCAR, you know that having a driver is of utmost importance. I was a Dale Jarrett fan for years. I even have a photo of me & him, (I can't believe I found it! It was in a box of photos in the very back, but for some reason I remembered it was there.) and I have a few items he signed for me. Dale was great, in his heyday. He even won a couple championships for me! And though I became a Dale fan before he was sponsored by UPS, it was a perfect match since Hubby works for them!


So, he's been retired for a year and I'm still floundering. I have some drivers I root for, Elliot Sadler, Carl Edwards, and Denny Hamlin, but I just don't have the passion for any of them as I had for D.J.

Passion, or no, we're trying to figure out a way to go to the Bristol race. In previous years we either stayed in Gatlinburg, or rented a house closer to Bristol. But the rates have gone through the roof (Although the recession has driven the prices down on most vacation spots. You can get some great deals on Florida, Myrtle Beach or Outer Banks rentals.) and the weather is so iffy in March in Bristol. We've been when it's been 70 degrees and we've been when it snowed.

Our friend knows someone who may let us borrow his RV. I've never camped at the track. I'm not sure what that experience would be like. Many of the fans are just there to watch the races and have a good time... but then you have those few whose only goal is to see how much they can drink in three days. I had the nightmare pleasure of sitting next to one such fan a few years ago. He had made his own apple moonshine, - which, though he offered to let me taste it, I only got to enjoy as it was spilled down my back. I thought for sure he was going to fall over the rail and kill himself at some point. But alas, his buddies, who were enjoying his antics, kept him alive. Later we got a big laugh out of him, and still make jokes about him to this day, but at the time I was ready to kill him!

I just hope we somehow get to go, and don't worry, if we do, I'll be sure to take lots of notes and pictures to share the experience on my blogs! And, if you've ever camped at a NASCAR race, be sure to comment and let me know what I'm in for and any suggestions you have.

The Winner Of The Cherish Bound Publishing Is...

Drum roll, please!

Selected by the Random.org widget in my sidebar... #18!


Commenter 18 was Julia with Our Simple Life and The Apron Goddess!

Julia said: "I have been looking at a couple publishing sites and would really like to see how this would come out! Sign me up please. Thx a billion."

Well, there you go... now you'll get to try it out!

Congrats to Julia! Tara with Cherish Bound will be contacting you to get you started. And thanks to everyone who entered!

And even if you didn't win, you can still create books to find, capture and share the stories of your life. Let Tara help you publish them, and save them forever, in the physical form, for your friends and family to look through when they visit by visiting www.FindCaptureAndShare.com.

It's Tuesday. I Think I'll Join In The Fun Of Random Tuesday Thoughts

While visiting one of my favorite blogs this morning (The Cool Mom Guide) I found a meme that was right up my alley! Random Tuesday Thoughts was started by The Un Mom as a means to just quickly jot down all her inane ramblings (her words, not mine) and because there are a lot of us with inane ramblings, quite a few bloggers have joined in.



This week, I'm one of those! So what am I thinking about today?

Is Slumdog Millionaire really worth my time? I hadn't even heard of it before the Oscars! Maybe I'm just out-of-touch, but I generally don't agree with the Academy anyway.

Why does my house look worse now that I'm at home more? You would think with all the time I'm spending here, it would be spotless. It's not! There are 3 loads of laundry on my couch to be folded, the dishwasher needs emptying and my closet looks like a clothing store blew-up in it. A friend says it's because I'm here more to mess it up. Hmm... I'll have to meditate on that theory.

What do I do about my crippled Lab? He whines and cries whenever he doesn't feel like getting up, which is most of the time. We are trying to figure out dog-speak, and have gotten pretty good at it, we even know to bring him his water at times, but Hubby says he's just training us. He thinks the dog is thinking, 'why should I get up when someone will bring me what I want.' But I think he's hurting and can't get up. He also cries when he wants to go into another room because he's scared of the Jack Russell, who's a fraction of his size, and he's afraid the Jack Russell will snap at him if he goes near him. It's getting to the point of ridiculous!

Should I move my Weeping Mulberry and my Hydrangea? They are fighting for water and neither looks well because they are so close to each other, but moving them is going to be a nightmare! --They're huge!

Would anyone spend $850 on replica watches? I know the real things can run in the upper thousands, but if you can't afford the real thing... buy a Timex!

I bought tulip bulbs in the fall and never planted them. Ugh! If I stick them in the freezer, will they bloom in the spring? I'm so mad at myself for not sticking them in the ground! There are 50 of them in pink and purple... they would have been beautiful. I think I'll try the freezer thing and see what happens.

Well, there's still plenty spinning around in this little, mixed-up mind of mine, but I'll not subject you to anything else today. This has been fun. I'm sure I'll be playing along again in the future!

Free Pancakes At IHOP Today!

I'm apparently on a pancake kick. Yesterday I posted the Nannerpus commercial, this morning my son had pancakes for breakfast, and now this...

Did you know that today is National Pancake Day? Who doesn't love a big old stack of carb-loaded, syrup coated, pancakes?

In honor of the event, today from 7 A.M. to 10 P.M., IHOP restaurants are giving away a short stack (3 pancakes) to each dine-in guest. In return, all they ask is that you consider giving a donation to the Children's Miracle Network.

To learn more visit www.ihoppancakeday.com.

Busy Times Ahead -- I Can't Wait!

This winter has seemed to last forever, but I'm trying to gear myself up for warmer weather. I have to prepare because once the warm weather hits, it seems we are constantly on the go.

We love to go camping and boating and to the lake or ocean. And, in addition to vacations, we have a ton of family obligations. My father-in-law is from a family of 14 and someone is always getting married, having a baby or graduating, it seems. And, apparently I'm no help. I have two events in the works as we speak -- my sister's anniversary dinner in March and my son's graduation in June.

I'm looking for a laptop for my son. He'll need it in college. And, for my sister, I just don't know. She wants a digital camera, but dad will probably get her that. I need to talk to him though. He tends to look at dollar signs and not quality. The last one he got her only lasted two years. I can usually get great deals on digital cameras on Ebay. I love my Kodak and it was only around $150. It's just a matter of showing him what he needs to get her and not letting him buy some unheard of brand shipped here from some unheard of country.

I can't wait though! As busy as it will be, it will be warm, sunny and we'll be with friends! What more can you ask for?

Nannerpus Commercial Gave Me My Laugh For The Day!

We hardly ever watch commercials. Because we have a DVR we let anything we watch record first and then we run it through the commercials. (Something I'm sure advertisers love to hear!) But the other night my son wasn't quick enough with his remote duties and we caught the first few seconds of this commercial. We were like, 'What the heck?' So we went back to the beginning and watched it. We laughed so hard. We watched it at least 5 times!

After I looked it up on YouTube.com, I found out it first aired during the Superbowl. We watched the Superbowl at a friend's home, but that was the week our electric was out and I was taking a bath for the first quarter or so, (It was so nice to have hot water!) and hubby says he guesses he was either distracted or only noticed that they were giving away free Grand Slams and didn't pay attention to the Nannerpus part.

If you haven't seen Nannerpus yet, take 10 seconds to watch it and let me know if it tickles your funny bone like it did ours.



vessel sinks

Sarah McLachlan Singing Sweet Surrender For Music Monday

I go through music listening phases, I do believe. For the past week, I've listened to Sarah McLachlan over and over and over. She has such a great voice, and I just can't help but to sing along and have my own concert (in my Jeep) when her music is playing. This is one of my favorite songs by her, maybe not as popular as I Will Remember You, but definitely great!

Find more videos like this on www.truveo.com.

Lyrics | Sarah Mclachlan lyrics - Sweet Surrender lyrics

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

Win An Exercise Anywhere Deck Of Cards

Over at my other blog, VibrantHealthyU.com, I am holding another contest. The winner of this contest will get a deck of 30 Exercise Anywhere cards.

The Exercise Anywhere cards are small enough to put on your key ring or carry in your purse and have exercises for six major muscle groups. All the exercises use your own body resistance and you can do them anywhere! They are great for travelers or when you just can't get to the gym.

You can read the full review and contest rules at http://www.vibranthealthyu.com. If you're wanting to workout more, lose weight, (whether or not you're taking weight loss pills), or just don't have time to hit the gym, you'll want to take a look at these unique cards.

Chicken & Green Chile Enchilada Casserole

Of all the meals I make, my Chicken & Green Chile Enchilada Casserole is my hubby's favorite! I didn't have the recipe written anywhere, (until now) but tonight's batch was especially good, so I'll write it here and we'll both have it for future use.

Ingredients:
4 boiled and shredded chicken breasts
1 large can 26oz (or 2 small) of Cream of Chicken Soup (I didn't keep the can I used, but it was at least 18 oz.)
7 oz can chopped green chiles
1/4 - 1/2 cup milk
2 - 3 oz chopped olives
1/2 onion - chopped
2 Tbs. butter
4 cups grated cheddar cheese
sour cream (optional)
salsa (optional)
8 flour tortillas

Directions:
In a small saucepan saute the onion in the butter.
In a large bowl mix the soup, green chilies, milk, olives, sauteed onions, and shredded chicken.
Spray bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Spread enough of the chicken mixture on the bottom of the casserole dish to just barley cover it. On top of that, use 4 of the tortillas to cover. (You may have to tear some of them to get them to cover the entire dish.)
Spread 1/2 of the chicken/soup mixture on the tortillas, cover with 2 cups of the cheese, then repeat the layers. (Tortillas, chicken/soup and ending with cheese.)

Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until bubbly with edges very lightly browned.

Remove from oven and let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with sour cream and/or salsa.

Miami - History, Celebrities, and of Course, Beaches!

I'm still dreaming of spring...

Today I have Miami on my mind. What do you think of when you hear the word Miami? I conjure up visions of hot days on white sand beaches and sizzling nightlife at exclusive clubs, of the rich and famous, shopping, and scantily clad supermodels. Although I've haven't been that far south in Florida yet, I'm considering what Miami has to offer. It is definitely the place to see and be seen.

If you are thinking about visiting Florida this summer, TravelToday.com can help you find hotels in Miami Florida.

Whether it's the $1,200 a night Casa Casuarina or the more affordable Days Hotel, ($78.01/night) you can easily book your rental with just a few clicks of the mouse.


Wondering if Miami is right for you? The sands are hard packed, but a wooden beachside boardwalk runs from 21st to 46th streets. Bal Harbour Shops, is a Riviera-style mix of palm trees, fountains, and chic shops like Cartier, Fendi, Hermes, Prada, and Tiffany. The Art Deco District is the largest collection of Art Deco architecture in the world. Everglades National Park is one of the most unusual public parks in the United States. And, of course, there are bars, clubs and coffee bars for every taste. Trust me... you're going to have a blast!

And So It Goes by Billy Joel on this Music Monday

I think I heard this recently on the American Idol auditions. Wherever it was, I can't seem to get it out of my head. Listen to it, and maybe it will drive you as crazy (on a continous loop in your head) as it has me.

Find more videos like this on www.truveo.com.

Lyrics | Billy Joel lyrics - And So It Goes lyrics

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

"Let's Get it On" Free MP3 Download

Today & tomorrow only, you can get a free download of the quintessential Romance song, “Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye. Just click the banner below:

Hurry Spring... Before I Lose My Mind!

I'm depressed today. I think it's a combination of things. First of all, I think it's finally hit me that I have no job. This is what I dreamed of, and wanted, for years... and now that I'm home, all day, every day, I want my job back. Not a new job. I don't relish the interviews I have lined up, but I want my old, comfortable job back. But that's not possible.

Additionally, I think my mood would be much better if it was summer. All this gloom, and being in the house constantly, is enough to drive anyone crazy. I love my garden and if I could be out working in it, moving my hydrangea, (which is going to be a huge job.) planting plum trees and rose bushes and just getting my hands in the dirt and the sun on my face, I'd be happy. Even just being able to sit outside and blog would be better than looking at the same four walls 24/7.

How do you, who work at home, deal with the monotony of every day being the same? Of hardly ever seeing other humans? Of being able to sleep half the day and stay up all night? Any suggestions to get me through the next few weeks till I can work in my yard again?

Cherish Bound Review and Story Starter & $29 In Publishing Giveaway!

I was very excited when asked to write about Cherish Bound products and host a contest for them! I have a friend that has published a couple of her stories through them, and they are just gorgeous! (Click Here to jump down to the giveaway rules.)

If you are like me and used to scrapbook but were so slow that it took months to get just a few pages done, or perhaps you just don't have the time anymore and so all your supplies are tucked away in a closet and it seems too much trouble to pull them all out, or maybe you just download all your photos to your computer and then there they sit... where no one, but yourself, will ever see them, you will love the products Cherish Bound has to offer!

Cherish Bound is so much more than a photo book! You can create books to find, capture and share the stories of your life... As a blogger, I have endless stories and I've found a place to publish them, and save them forever, in the physical form, that my friends and family can actually look through when they visit.

You can do so much with Cherish Bound...create books, enjoy amazing products to help you organize your stories and even an opportunity so you can make money from home.

I met Tara Brown from Cherish Bound and she tells me that they are vamping up for some big things this summer and are looking for fun people to join the Cherish Bound family. You can be a part of the movement they're creating with some great specials and deals going on right now. You won't want to miss out! And who couldn't use a little extra money these days - especially doing something we already all love!

With Cherish Bound you can...

• Capture your Story. Using their online publishing tool, you will upload your story text, photos, and scanned images into a book template of your choice. With their ever-growing selection of colors, borders, and fonts, finding the right format for your story is easy. The tool is web-based so you don’t have any software to download or update – all of that is done for you!
• Submit your Story. With your book completed you are ready to submit your project to Cherish Bound online. All you do is press the submit button and they take it from there. Your book will be printed and bound using cutting-edge, archival processes and materials. You can order as many copies as you like, whenever you want. Your finished book is digitally stored in their archives indefinitely.
• Share your Story. Your completed book will arrive by carrier in approximately 15 business days from date of submission so that you can begin the tradition of sharing story in your family.
• Teach others about Story. Cherish Bound is growing. Kind of an "odd" thing to hear given the circumstances of our economy and how this little world of ours is turning. Tara said, "It doesn't surprise me. Many people are finding comfort and joy in our products, the stories that are being shared between family members and friendships that are being created between consultants and customers. It's a beautiful thing..."
  

Many people you and I know are struggling, or maybe it's you and your own family. Many families just need an extra few hundred dollars a month in order to survive and others need a bit more. Cherish Bound is here to help those families survive this wave and find some comfort.

Tara continued by saying, "There are millions of reasons why we're bracing ourselves for this amazing opportunity and we want to extend the invite to all who would like to join in on this dream! If you or someone you know could use a little extra cash, friendships and an opportunity of lifetime...you have found it."

Enter To Win!

Would you like to see for yourself what you can do with Cherish Bound? Well, Tara has agreed to host a contest on my blog!

To help you get started with sharing your stories, she is giving away a Cherish Bound Story Starter, A Publishing Account, and $29 in Publishing for one lucky person! That's enough to make your own soft-bound story book! All you have to do is leave a comment, here on my blog, explaining what story of yours that you would love capture and share.(Commenting with your story is for your first entry and must be done to receive additional entries.)

For additional entries, you can:

• Go to www.findcaptureandshare.com and fill out a request for more information. (top left in red - says "register") This will enroll you in Tara's monthly newsletter. Then come back here and comment to let me know that you've signed up.
  
• Tweet about the giveaway. (comment with the tweet URL)
• Stumble this post. (comment with your Stumble ID)

Giveaway will run for two weeks, closing on February 24. The winner will be drawn by Random.org and will be emailed and posted on this blog on Wednesday, February 25.

Please leave your email if you don't have a blog or profile. Contest is open to US residence only.

You can also learn more about Family, Traditions, and Story by visiting Tara's Blog www.publishourstories.com. If you'd like information about Cherish Bound's products & publishing, hostess programs and opportunity visit Tara here at www.findcaptureandshare.com.

Old Blue Chair By Kenny Chesney For Music Monday

This winter has seemed unbearably long! When your power is out for a week, the days drag on. This is the time of year I can think of nothing but going somewhere warm! Since I can't physically leave right now, I've been taking a lot of mental vacations. Listening to beach music seems to help me on my mental journeys. I can't help but remember our trip to Florida in 2007 everytime that I hear this Kenny Chesney song. I listened to it over and over that summer!

Find more videos like this on www.truveo.com.

Lyrics | Old Blue Chair (Acoustic) lyrics

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

The Internet Just Keeps On Astounding Regular Joes

My hubby hates to be thought of as 'non-techie', but, bless-his-heart, he didn't know you could watch full episodes of most shows online.

Last night a new episode of The Biggest Loser aired, but due to the ice storm I didn't know what happened on the previous episode. So, I took my laptop, went to Hulu.com, found the episode, and started watching it. DH looks over at me and says, 'What are you watching?' To which I replied, 'Last week's episode of The Biggest Loser.' He then says, 'What? You can watch TV programs on the internet?' Uh, Yeah. He was so cute, he was just amazed by that fact! This from the man that can quote every football stat from the last 25 years for his favorite football teams. Wait till I tell him that he can also find most of his favorite bands performing on You Tube! He's liable to blow a gasket!


POS system

I Think I'm Back... And Top Entrecard Droppers For January

Day 7 of no electricity. Yes, I'm still in the dark. Well, kind of. We borrowed a generator so I can turn on lights, get on the internet, watch TV, and my refrigerator is plugged in. However, I still can't cook or do laundry and we're all sleeping in one room because we're using kerosene heaters to keep it warm. And warm it was, it was 75 degrees in here last night. I even had to shut one of the heaters off in the middle of the night.

But enough about me. I'm a day late (and a dollar short?) but I can blame it on the lack of electricity. (Important when trying to get on the internet.) So, here are my top 10 Entrecard droppers for January:

Altered Events - Costume fantasy shop blog... she never fails to drop on me daily!

My Gypsy Goods - Life, nature, saving money. Supporting the handmade community.

Make Money On The Internet - Helping people who want to make a living online.

C'est La Vie - Chronicles of a single mother balancing parenting with going to college full-time.

The Everyday Adventurer - Nature, Hiking, and Everything Outdoors!

I Am Harriet - Inspired by people who make a difference.


The Cool Mom Guide - Julie Maloney, trying to remain cool in the eyes of her kids. A fun blog with contests, rants and more.

Spam From Fam - Funny!!

Wine At Five? - Personal diary of a WAHM with opinions.

Joan Joyce - Joan's rants.

Thanks for dropping by frequently!