Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Happy Holidays come with Influenster Vox Boxes!

My Influenster Holiday Vox Box arrived just in time for Christmas (the day before to be exact) . I was just as excited for this box as I was for the Beauty Blogger Vox Box. As soon as I got home, I got my camera & video recorder ready to document the big unveil and I was not disappointed! The box contained a bunch of great items, yet again! Included in the box were:

*Quaker Real Medleys Oatmeal+ (retails at $1.79 per cup): Oatmeal filled with chunks if real fruit & nuts all in a single serving cup for on the go ease

*NYC New York Color Liquid Lipshine (retails at $2.49): liquid lip color with pure pigment ingredients that create a 3-D gloss effect and Vitamin E which provides shine and moisture. The non-sticky formula creates a creamy and soft textured feel. It is available in 10 shades from neutral nudes to berries & fushias.

*Kiss Nail Dress (retails at $6.99): Nail designs with out any mess. You simply peel, apply and shape for a manicure that lasts up to a week. Easy to apply, it goes on in minutes, off in seconds and doesn't require nail polish remover. No need for topcoat either, it's built in to whichever design you choose. There are 21 different styles to choose from, many featuring 3-D jeweled designs for every occasion.

*EBOOST (retails at $28 for a box of 20 effervescent powders, $39 for a box of 30 effervescent powders, or $39 for a box of 12 shots): Drink either a shot or powder mixed in water for a boost to your mood, focus and immunity. All natural ingredients and no crash, you'll feel great no matter which of the four flavors, Orange, Pink Lemonade, Acai Pomegranate, or Super Berry, you choose.

*Goody QuikStyle Brush Half Round Styler (retails at $11.99): a brush to take you from wet to styled hair faster than before. Microfiber bristles help to remove up to 30% of water while you style. It's just like having a brush and towel in one.

*Sole Society: A website allowing you to discover the latest trends, share your style, recommend shoes to friends and follow curated collections of top fashion insiders. The box contains a code for $25 off your first purchase.

*Montagne Jeunesse Face Mask (retails do under $2): Face masks for every girl, there is a huge variety of different masks, all containing the best natural ingredients and amazing scents.

Watch out for new posts as I try all of these products and write reviews on them all!

Saturday, December 22, 2012

How time flies

I can't believe how quickly time flies. December has disappeared in a flash! The last month has been a difficult one in our house. 
Moose update: Until recently, Moose wasn't sleeping very well, so this momma has been fighting a constant state of fatigue. The last couple of days, he has been sleeping better, so momma has been sleeping a little better. He is cutting his third molar, has learned how to climb on new objects (like the couch), and his vocabulary is growing daily! He is getting so big and has almost outgrown his changing table and has almost outgrown some of the new clothes that he just got for his birthday. 

Home & life update: we got a beautiful Christmas tree that is decorated and gorgeous. It was the fastest, easiest tree shopping experience I have ever had. We agreed on the second tree that we looked  at! I'm looking at putting up decorations to make our house feel more like home, even though we don't have the tv the way we want it. I figure we can always move the frames around later if we need to. Our garbage disposal has stopped working recently, which makes doing dishes a huge pain in the butt. I'm hoping that my hubby can fix it soon. We got all of our Christmas shipping done, we just have a couple to put together & wrap before the big day. The living room and Moose's room have been rearranged a few times to accommodate Moose's ever growing toy pile and mess. I'm hoping that the last arrangement will allow the new toys to fit in without moving everything around even more. We have been having some problems with the van, the first we got fixed. For less than we were expecting, the second we have yet to figure out what is really wrong with it. It still works and that's all we really want right now.

Work & blogger update: look for more product review posts coming very soon. I was chosen by Influenster to receive the Holiday Vox Box and am eagerly awaiting it's arrival. Once I start trying out the products, I will start the reviews! I was also contacted by a company and offered the opportunity to try their throatbdrops in both cherry and honey. I am also eagerly waiting for those to come in so I can review them as well! I am very excited to have great, new products to write about again! I have also been working hard on my Facebook shop, Moose & Co Creations. I have some really cute hats up for sale on it and am taking custom orders as well! I can do beanies with  Mohawks, Pom poms, animal faces, some character beanies, etc. the shop site can be found at http://Facebook.com/MooseCoCreations

Friday, November 30, 2012

Dino Lingo language program preview review

I was just able to watch a preview for a great language product for children from a company called Dino Lingo. Dino Lino offers DVDs, books, CDs, flash cards and online lessons that use colorful pictures and animation with cute, memorable characters to teach children a second language or to help them with the language you currently speak at home. They offer a huge variety of languages from the traditional French, German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, English and Russian that are seen in many schools, to some different ones such as Latin, Gaelic, Dutch, Swedish, Finish, Mandarin, Portugese and many, many more! From the 3 minute preview that I was able to watch with my 13 month old, I believe that Dino Lingo's language program would be a great way to teach a new language to a child, or to even learn a new language along side your child. It is the type of program that I would definitely buy for my child to help him become multilingual! 
You can check out Dino Lingo's website, great products and get a free trial of the video language lessons here: http://www.dinolingo.com/
Or you can check out all of the different language lessons on their YouTube page, found here: http://www.youtube.com/user/dinolingo


Note: I was not given a free product for my review. My review was written for a badge challenge with Influenster and is my own opinion. I was not requested to write any thing but my own personal opinion

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Opening shop soon!

Those who know me know that I enjoy crocheting and have encouraged me to open my own etsy-like shop where I could sell my hats and other accessories. I made an attempt to open shop earlier this year, but I wasn't able to get the work done as a first time mom to a very young, very needy child. Now that my moose is older and more independent, I am going to try it again. Until I can get a hang of making everything quickly, I'm going to sell premade hats that can have things added on to them to help make my turn around time faster. I'm hoping to have the Facebook page up and running in the next week and get everything figured out to be able to make custom accessories in the first 3-6 months. As soon as I have the page up, I'll make sure to share it here for everyone to check out!

Doctor appointments and sickness spreading

Hey all, it's been a bit since I last posted anything. Life has been getting away from me the last couple of weeks. Moose had his one year doctor appointment where we had some differing feelings from his pediatrician over vaccines and may need to find a new one. He has since not been eating very much, which always worrys me. Hubby has been stressed about Moose not eating, the posibility of needing to find a new pediatrician since he trusts our current one (maybe a little too much since he'll allow him to pressure us into things we agreed we didn't want). Honestly, I'm ready to have the whole ordeal over with and will be starting to look for a plan b pediatrician on Monday. I really dislike being pressured and forced into doing things I don't want to do, especially when I have done a lot of research on the topic. On a good note, my little boy is very healthy, has finally passed the 25th percentile for weight in boys his age! He has been stuck in the 25th percentile since he was a newborn. He is also in the 90th percentile for boys his age! My big boy!
Unfortunately, our household seems to all be having some health issue right now. On top of my little boy's not eating came a stomach ache and nausea for me and a nasty head cold for my hubby that is going into his chest. I'm hoping that we are all better soon because being sick and having to care for a one year old all day, by yourself, sucks!

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Boots No.7 beautiful skin night cream

After seeing Boots No.7 beautiful skin night cream on Influenster.com and all of the great reviews in it, I decided to run out and get some for myself to try. It is fantastic! I have combo oily and fairly dry skin and it tends to cause problems for me in the winter. I hopped that the reviews saying that it didn't make skin oily in the morning were correct since that is a problem that I have had in the past with night time skin creams. They definitely did not steer me in the wrong direction. My skin felt nice and smooth right after applying, no indication of being oily or dry and it stayed that way when I woke up in the morning! I was both amazed and pleased. The price is a bit high, but it beats spending the same amount or more on 20+ different products that may not work or living your life with bad skin.
You can check out Boots No.7 on their website: www.ShopBootsUSA.com
Or at many retail locations!


All reviews are my opinion and mine alone. I was not given any free products to try in exchange for this review. I purchased the product with my money, on my time based on positive recommendations from others who write product reviews for Influenster.com. I was not paid or offered free product for my review, I wrote it under my own accord because it is a great product the world should know about.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Kiss Ever Pro Lashes Starter Kit (Influenster Beauty Blogger VoxBox Part 6)

I was a bit apprehensive when I saw the Kiss ever pro lashes in the box. I have never been a big fan of fake lashes, but I figured that I would give them a try with my Halloween costume. After struggling to apply the first set of lashes for close to 20 minutes, I gave up on my endeavor and went without them. I have no clue how to get them to stick on my eyelid in a place that looks even remotely natural. Every time I tried to apply them they either ended up too high, they stuck to the applicator, or they slipped and attached to my lashes. I failed at applying them without the included applicator as well. I may try to cut them into smaller segments and see it if will be any easier that way, but I doubt it. 
My recommendation: Try at your own risk. If you are new to fake lashes, maybe try downloading a video for application and see if that helps.

All opinions in this post are mine, and mine alone. I was given a free product from Influenster.com to review and tell the world about. I was not paid for my review, nor was I asked to write a positive review. I write reviews true to the product that I am given to try.

Not Your Mother's Smooth Moves Frizz Control Hair Cream (Influenster Beauty Blogger VoxBox Part 5)

I was excited to try out the Not Your Mother's Smooth Moves Frizz Control Hair Cream when I saw it in the box. I tend to have rather frizzy hair in the winter and hoped that it would help. Unfortunately, I didn't notice any difference in my hair after using it. It had just as much frizz and was as unmanageable as it always is. I hoped that maybe it would take more than one use to give full results, but that hasn't been the case. I have since stopped using it since I have better things to do with my day than to put a product in my hair that doesn't work for me. Just because it doesn't work for me, doesn't mean it won't work for someone else, but buy at your own risk. I definitely don't recommend the product.
All opinions in this post are mine, and mine alone. I was given a free product from Influenster.com to review and tell the world about. I was not paid for my review, nor was I asked to write a positive review. I write reviews true to the product that I am given to try.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

NYC New York Color IndividualEyes Custom Compact (Influenster Beauty Blogger VoxBox Part 4)

I was so excited to try out the NYC New York Color IndividualEyes Custom Compact ($4.99) when I saw it in the box.
I am a huge fan of eye shadow, especially blacks and grays, but have never bought one of the eye shadow sets. I usually buy single compacts and mix and match the colors to get the effect that I want, but was very excited to try something new. I have to say, I love it.
I didn't get to try out the eye shadow compact the night I received it, but I have used it almost every day since the morning after. I can make the colors lighter for a nice day time smokey eye, or darker for a night time smokey eye on the occasion that I go out at night, or just want a nice dark smokey eye.
The compact not only comes with 4 colors (all over color, highlight, and 2 contour colors) but it comes with a base and illuminator as well. The base was a great addition to the set, it is nice and creamy and very easy to apply. I typically just use my foundation as an eye shadow base, and while it works fine, the base worked even better. The eye shadow stayed on better than my shadows have ever stayed on after using the base, even after rubbing my eyes several times. Without the base, I would have rubbed half of my make up off halfway through my day, but with the base I had all day eye color!
The illuminator was not my favorite addition to the compact. It can add some extra shine to the shadow to make it pop. It is creamy which makes it easy to apply, but also makes it very easy to smear other make up. The white shadow can be used in a similar way and since it is powder doesn't smear already applied shadow. I haven't used it much over the shadow, but have found that it works decent on the insides on the eyes for a highlight and on some other highlight points on the face.
It is definitely a great deal from NYC and a great addition to any make up collection, be it make up lover's collection or an addition to an occasional wearer's small stash.

All opinions in this post are mine, and mine alone. I was given a free product from Influenster.com to review and tell the world about. I was not paid for my review, nor was I asked to write a positive review. I write reviews true to the product that I am given to try.

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Bath and Body Works Mini Candle in Pumpkin Cupcake (Influenster Beauty Blogger VoxBox part 3)

I was very excited to see and light the Bathans Body Works Mini Candle in Pumpkin Cupcake. I have a love affair with candles, especially ones with great scents, and the Pumpkin Cupcake scent did not disappoint! I'm not completely sure why a candle would be in a beauty blogger box since it doesn't have much to do with beauty products. My best guess would be that it was included because it comes from Bath and Body works, which is a beauty product company and it was a nice treat for the bloggers. I know I am definitely enjoying my candle!
I absolutely love the Pumpkin Cupcake smell. It has a great smell for both fall and for the upcoming holidays. Usually small, one wick candles don't have much of a scent, but this one is great. It gives off a light scent when just sitting on the counter top and gives off a nice, powerful scent for such a small candle, which was a nice surprise.
The mini candle is an adorable size and would make the great addition to any present, as part of a prize pack at a party or event, as just a small prize at a party or event, or even a great addition to any home. The small size is great for even the most cramped space and it gives off the scent of a candle twice it's size, so even those smallest spaces can smell great with the help of the mini candle!
I definitely recommend running to a Bath and Body Works near you and checking out the Mini Candle and finding a scent or two (or three) that you enjoy!

For those who want a bigger candle, they also offer a 3 wick candle option in the same great smells!

All opinions in this post are mine, and mine alone. I was given a free product from Influenster.com to review and tell the world about. I was not paid for my review, nor was I asked to write a positive review. I write reviews true to the product that I am given to try.

Friday, October 26, 2012

Goodie Simple Styles Spin Pin (Beauty Blogger Review part 2)

The first product that I pulled from my Influenster Beauty Blogger Vox Box was the Goodie Simple Styles Spin Pin ($7.29).
I was so excited to get to try them out. I have seen them in stores and was intrigued with how they worked, but never had the money to blow on a hair care product that I wouldn't use everyday and may not work with my shorter, layered hair. I like to wear my hair in a bun on occasion and always use a million bobby pins to try and  keep it in place for a few minutes, so I hoped that they would work out better than the bobby pins. The first time I tried them, with slightly greasy hair, I was pleasantly surprised. I got my hair up in the perfect messy bun, just the way I like it and the pins held it in place longer than bobby pins ever have!
I was a little less excited the second time I tried them on freshly washed, air dried hair. My hair can be a bit hard to manage if I let it air dry and don't do anything with it right away (although I did have the Not Your Mother's Smooth Moves Frizz Control Hair Cream in my hair at the time)so I wasn't hoping for much. I got what I was expecting. I got my hair up into the binn and I struggled to get the pins to hold my hair in anything resembling a bun. Sections kept falling out so I ended up adding several bobby pins to hold it up the way I wanted.
Even with the struggle that I had the second time, I still love the pins and will continue to use them when my hair is starting to get greasy, before I get a chance to take a shower. I definitely recommend them to everyone who anyone who likes to put their hair in a bun and wants to quit using a million bobby pins, or just want a little extra help keeping it in place through the day.

All opinions in this post are mine, and mine alone. I was given a free product from Influenster.com to review and tell the world about. I was not paid for my review, nor was I asked to write a positive review. I write reviews true to the product that I am given to try.

It's finally here!! Influenster Beauty Blogger Voxbox Review part 1

I am so excited to announce that on Friday, October 19, I received my Influenster Beauty Blogger VoxBox!
I was so excited to get home that night to find my box waiting for me in my mail box. I ripped it open as soon an I got upstairs to see what goodies awaited me and I was not disappointed. Inside the box, I received:
• Goodie Simple Style Spin Pins: retails at $7.29
• NYC New York Color IndividualEyes Custon Compact: retails at $4.99
• Bath & Body Works Mini Candle in Pumpkin Cupcake: retails at $3.50
• Not Your Mother's Smooth Moves Frizz Control Hair Cream: retails at $6.00 for a full sized 6oz bottle
• KISS Ever Pro Lashes Starter Kit: retails at $5.99
• EBOOST powder packet: retails at $28 for a box of 20 effervescent powders, $39 for a box of 30 effervescent powders, $39 for a box of 12 shots

Since I got home so late, I didn't get a chance to try all of the products out, but was and am so excited to try everything out in the next couple of weeks, blog about them here to let everyone know about all of the wonderful products that I received, to write reviews and answer questions about them on Influenster.com and tell all of my friends and family about them.

Stay tuned for product reviews from the box over the next 2 weeks!


All opinions in this post are mine, and mine alone. I received the above products for free from Influenster.com to review and spread the word about. I was not paid to write reviews, nor was I asked  to write a positive blog review. Any positive reviews are my honest opinion about the product.

Getting behind

I have gotten a bit behind on my posting lately and I apologize. Life has been a bit crazy lately and unfortunately my blog has taken the back seat to caring for Moose, cooking, cleaning, and a crazy storm that rolled in. I plan on getting all caught up over the next week and hope that I can keep caught up after.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Taking a break from the party scene

After filling our weekends with birthday parties and football games, and not getting very many people RSVP to the Halloween House party, I decided to contact house party.com and ask them to send the kit to another member. I was honored to be picked to throw a house party and very excited to start planning for my very first houseparty.com party, but after giving it some great thought, decided it would be better to bow out gracefully than to throw a mediocre house party that doesn't meet the integrity of the site, doesn't do the product justice, and isn't an example of the type of party that I can really throw. I am sad that I will no longer be holding the party, but I am hopeful that I will be chosen to hold another in the future.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Birthday Parties and Halloween Costumes

Moose's birthday was a success! We had a great turn out of friends and family, ate lots of good food (and had tons of left overs), and Moose got a ton of amazing presents from all (he is sitting on the floor playing with them as I type). It was great getting together with friends and family, and getting to see people that I haven't seen in a while. Moose had a blast running around, visiting people, playing with the kids, playing with all the toys, and eating.
I have also finished Moose's Halloween costume! It has been all put together and fitted to him. I am so excited to really show it off this weekend at his cousin's 2nd birthday party and again at our Halloween party in the 27th, and on Halloween! It is going to get lots of wear! I am working on putting together a stuffed Toothless for him to carry around and have almost finished that as well! I'm thinking about getting some more fabric and trying to make me a Halloween costume as well, but I haven't decided yet. Hooray for progress though! 

I'll post pictures from the party and Moose's costume as soon as my email and blogger start cooperating!

Beauty Vox Box

I have been selected to receive and try out the Beauty Vox Box with Influenster! I'm super excited for it to arrive in the mail! I don't buy beauty products as often as I would like, but I LOVE beauty products and could spend hours wandering through the beauty isles in stores and days is stores like Sephora, just drooling over the merchandise. I'm really excited to try out the Beauty Box and get to try out some really new products, tell all my friends and family about it, write about it on Influenster, and even better, write about it all here! So keep an eye out for my post about my box arriving and future ones about the products as I try them!

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Influenster

If you haven't heard about Influenster yet, you should keep reading! If you have, but want to learn more, keep reading too. You might learn something you dudn't know! It is a website for trendsetters to come and give their opinions about products and experiences. You earn badges to go with your different interests and badges that go with where you are in life. It is a great way to get your opinions into the world and to influence whether other people will use certain products, hence, being an Influenster! The best parts are getting to share thoughts on products with and help answer questions of other trendy people in the world! Active influensters can get discounts and services based on expert badges and even get invited to take part in Influenster programs allowing you to try the newest and coolest products and services tailored to your lifestyle before anyone else so that you can further influence those around you!
Influenster is always looking for trendy people to join in the discussions, so if this sounds like you, check them out here: http://www.influenster.com

Any other questions about what Influenster is about can be read here: http://www.influenster.com/about

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Must be one of those days

So far today is one of those days when you wish you had a do over button.
Moose woke up late for him, bit early for me since I couldn't fall asleep until after midnight, and decided he wanted to be naughty, kicking, hitting, getting into everything he isn't supposed to and screaming at me when he gets in trouble. I have a sink full of dishes to wash because I wanted to get as much stuff ready for Moose's party so I didn't do them yesterday. I have a load of diapers to wash because I put off doing laundry until late last night and didn't get a chance to do them. Moose fought me to take a nap and athe freaking house phone ringing woke him up before he was ready. Now he's running around the house crying and fussing because he should still be asleep.
I have 2 million things to do before his party on Saturday, but trying to keep him happy is a full time job and nothing else is getting done.
I could really use that do over button now.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Happy Birthday Baby Boy!

One year ago today, at 9:56 in the morning, my little Moose was born at 39 weeks! He was 8lbs 13oz and 21 inches long with 10 fingers, 10 toes, dark blonde/light brown hair, big blue eyes, super alert and completely perfect. It is so hard to believe how quickly the last year has gone by. It seems like only yesterday we were bringing him home from the hospital. Today, he is walking, has a good vocabulary for his age, is a master climber, 31 inches long, weighing in at 20.5lbs, with light blonde hair and green hazel eyes. I love my moose from the bottoms of my feet to the top of my head. Happy Birthday baby boy!

I'm going to be absent a lot through Saturday as I am preparing for Moose's first birthday party on Saturday. I'll try to do a couple of posts in between then, but if I don't, that's where I am.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Thankful Thursday

I thought it would be a good time to start doing Thankful Thursdays every week.
This week, I am extremely thankful (as always) for my Moose. He has changed my world so much and taught me so much about life and love. For my husband, he works long days to allow me to stay home with our Moose (for now) so I have been able to watch him grow and explore, and I have gotten the pleasure to be there for all of his "firsts".
I'm also incredibly grateful for my mom, who is always there to help, my wonderful, caring mother in law, having a roof over our heads, food in our bellies, clothes on our backs, and 2 working vehicles.
Life may not be perfect, but it is definitely good.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

A Kellogg’s® Rice Krispies® Halloween House Party!

I got picked to host a House Party from houseparty.com today! A Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Halloween House Party to be exact! I’m really excited since Moose will actually be able to enjoy the festivities and it will be a great way to show off our little place to our friends and family that still haven’t seen it. As if I needed even more on my plate to think about and craft, I’m already thinking up ideas for party décor, food to cook and some fun drinks we can have available. It is going to be fairly small, 10-15 people total, but I seriously can’t wait! The party is going to bring in the end of both October and a very busy string of weekend events for a while. Halloween is one of both mine and my hubby’s holidays so it will be awesome to be able to celebrate in style with some help from houseparty.com.
You can find the link to houseparty.com here: Houseparty.com
And to my party details to follow along here: My Kellogg’s® Rice Krispies® Halloween House Party

Professional Picture Tuesday

Yesterday’s smash cake session made me want to do some professional pictures with Moose for his birthday also, so I decided to take him down to one of the photo studios (Picture People) to get some taken. I’ll admit that scheduling the appointment for right after nap time and expecting him to sleep in the van wasn’t one of my smarter ideas as he refused to sleep on the way, but he was in a great mood for the whole shoot, smiling and giggling and running around everywhere, you would have never known that he typically was either sleeping of just waking up from his nap. It wasn’t until after the shoot and we were stuck waiting around to look at the pictures that he started having a melt down from skipping his nap. Luckily for me, I was able to get him settled in his front pack and nursing through looking at most of the pictures and again before we left and he slept most of the way home. We only got my two favorite shots since the sheets were so expensive and the least expensive disk was copy write so I couldn’t print from it. It was definitely an interesting experience and I plan on going to the studio in Roseville for our family holiday pictures as recommended by a fellow patron during our wait.

Smash Cake Monday

Moose and I needed to do something fun today. We were having a really rough morning and I hoped that maybe if we got out of the house, it would improve his mood as it usually does. I wasn’t really in the mood for driving too far, so I decided that it would be really fun to pick up a piece of cake from a local grocery store, take Moose up to one of our favorite ranches in Apple Hill, and take some one year and smash cake pictures. We had a blast! I set up a blanket so the cake wouldn’t end up in the grass (it did anyway) brought a change of clothes so not only could I get pictures of him in his cowboy gear with his super cute cowboy boots, but I could get smash cake pictures in his ONE shirt that I made too. Once we were done with the smash cake, I was able to change him again so he wasn’t wearing his frosting covered clothes all over the place. I got some great shots, and can’t wait to print them out to have at his birthday party!
 



 

First part done, 2 to go

I am so excited to announce that I have finished the shirt part of Moose’s Hiccup from How to Train Your Dragon Costume! I think it has turned out pretty cute and it fits him really well! I did have to add a little extra fabric to the back that I wasn’t expecting, but luckily it wasn’t very much and will be hidden by the fake fur vest that I’ll be making him or by a sweat shirt if he needs one to help keep him warm.
My current project for his costume is Toothless the dragon. I decided to save the vest for last since (I’m hoping) it will be the easiest to make. I was hoping that Toothless would be both fun and fairly easy, but so far it is turning out to be a bit more difficult than I had expected. I honestly hope that I don’t run into anymore road blocks or difficulties with putting it together or I may have to put it off until after I make the vest and hope it gets done before Halloween. I do have the body and tail cut out of the fabric, so if all goes as planned, I’ll just need to design and cut out the wings, then sew everything together, stuff it, and then add all of the embellishments. But, like I said, that’s if everything goes as planned and we all know that things usually don’t go as planned.; especially when you have a crazy kid running around who likes to steal things, getting into stuff you didn’t realize he could reach, and you have to do most of your work when you are half awake after said crazy child is finally asleep at night. Regardless of how it goes, I will finish Toothless at some point, and when I do, I’ll be sure to post pictures!

It's not "Goodbye"

My mom always told me to never say “goodbye”, it should always be “see you later” because you will see whoever it is again someday.
Unfortunately, I had to say see you later to my younger brother T on Saturday. T is going into the Army at the end of October and will be going to boot camp in Georgia. It was definitely a needed trip to go visit them though. I haven’t seen my brothers or step mom in 3ish years, so they had never met their little nephew Moose. We spent some time with T and his friends, my step mom, some of her family, and some family friends for a while, catching up on life, getting the latest on the drama with my birth father and chasing around Moose. My youngest brother M, who is 16, left at the beginning of the party, but came back before we left and we spent a long time hugging, letting him spend time with Moose and promising that I not only loved him, I always have loved him, always will love him, and that I will come back to visit so he can see his nephew again soon. Honestly, I don’t think there could have been anything sadder than seeing my 6 foot little brother crying because he thought that no one loved him and that, except for my step mom (his mom), that he was alone. I despise the awful things that our so-called-father has done to him and how broken he has become because of it. How anyone could destroy the spirit of such a wonderful boy and not even care is beyond me.

                                                            Moose meeting his Uncle M

                                                                  Moose meeting his Uncle T
 In the end, the visit was very bitter sweet. It added to the hatred and disgust that I have for my so-called-father, yet it was so good to see my family again. I knew I missed them a lot, but I didn’t realize just how much until I got to see T and was hugging M just like I did when he was a little boy. I really can’t believe just how fast time has gone and how much they have both grown. It’s going to take a long time, but I think one day, we will all be able to help each other heal from our wounds and we will all be much stronger people for it.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Catching Up

I get to play catch up with my posts today.
I actually had all of these typed out on my computer, but it has been having problems with the internet connection, so I haven’t been able to post any of them until today. So, a short over view in case you don’t want to go back through and read all of my old posts (although I believe they all contain pictures!)
Last weekend, we went to Stockton for my older younger brother’s going away party. We got to visit with both of my younger brothers, step mom, other step family, and some very old family friends. My 16 year old brother had a rough time with seeing us and meeting his nephew for the first time. It was extremely emotional.
Sunday, I finished the shirt part of Moose’s Halloween Costume. It was a long process and I still have to make the vest and dragon part, but one of the most difficult parts is done!
On Monday, Moose and I went back up to lovely Apple Hill and did a smash cake photo shoot, just he and I. It was a blast!
Today, I got picked to host a Kellogs Rice Krispies Halloween House  Party with houseparty.com. I can’t wait to host it!
Moose and I also went out and got some professional pictures done for his first birthday. They got some great shots of him, but we only bought pictures for 2 shots because they get expensive really quick.
Tomorrow is going to be a relaxing day for Moose and I and we need it before the craziness begins! We still need to figure out what we are going to give as favors, buy all of the food, plates and drinks for Moose’s party next weekend. This coming Saturday, we are attending the first birthday party of a good friend’s daughter who was born 3 days before Moose. The Saturday after Moose’s party is one of his cousin’s second birthday party (his actual birthday is the day after Moose’s), and the following Saturday is the Halloween Party! EEK! It’s crazy how fast October is going already and it has only just started.
Are you every surprised at how fast time passes?

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Oh UPS, you are not my friend.

I have officially become beyond frustrated with UPS. My husband and I had to order a new computer charger for my laptop so that I can have the job as the transcriber that I wrote about before. We payed for expedited shipping to have it at our house by Wednesday (yesterday) and now UPS is trying to tell me I may not get it until Friday (tomorrow) even though they are the ones who's delivery driver did not come down my driveway last night and just decided that my address must not exist. I am beyond mad since I sat in the bedroom, next to the window for hours waiting for them to show up so I could meet them since I know people don't always see the apartment on top of the garage. I'm even more frustrated since UPS has been out here before and dropped my packages off just fine, so I don't know why they would have a problem this time. And to to it all off, they woke up my fussy teething baby to tell me that they needed directions to give to their driver even though my package may not get sent until tomorrow. Yeah, that's not working for me. If they don't call me by 1pm, this momma is going on a rampage and is going to do everything she can to get my freaking package today or get some compensation for their screw up since it may loose me this job. Gah. I'm just so irritated. And it really isn't helping me deal with all the other irritations that keep popping up.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Costumes and birthdays and Christmas, Oh My!

This time of the year is when I do a lot of my crafting, and this year is no exception. I actually have three times the crafting to do! I'm still working on the decorations for Moose's birthday party, have almost finished his Halloween costume, 3/4 of the way done with a football themed hat for him, and have a blanket that I've suspended work on until I can get through the other things. I'm also debating whether to craft some presents for friends and family too. I just seem to be picking up more projects before I get.a chance to finish the rest of my to do list. But you know what? I love it! Keeping myself busy when Moose is napping keeps me sane. Well, more sane. I just hope that I can get everything I want done in a timely fashion!

Do you enjoy doing crafts? Do you ever take on a lot of projects when you know it may take you a long time to finish?

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Joining the Army

Ok, I'm not joining the army. My 20 year old little brother is. I am so proud of him, finding his own way in this crazy world, especially with the cards he was delt in the past. It's always so inspiring to hear about people who overcame a difficult family life and did something with their life besides perpetuating the cycle. I'll admit, him leaving for boot camp in about a month makes me sad since he won't be in California anymore and I worry about him getting sent into a combat zone. But reguardless of any of that, I'm proud of him. It isn't an easy life, but it will help him to escape his toxic surroundings and really become the man he is meant to be.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Mommy on the move (and possibly a stay at home job)!

I am officially a mommy on the move and loving the idea of it! Yes, idea of it. I have yet to actually drive the new-to-me van, although hubby has driven it plenty the last couple of days. I can't wait to get behind the wheel and feel the wind in my hair without the fear that my transmission is going to give out at any moment. It's amazing how relaxing it is to have a vehicle that has no real issues.
And another great thing for our family, I may have a part time, work from home job as a transcriber for a writer with a local newspaper. It would be perfect for right now, a couple of hours a day, a couple of days a week. Perfect! Plenty of time for everything I'm currently doing, but I'll be contributing a bit to our household in a whole new way. The biggest plus is that little man won't have to go to daycare, so there won't be a lot of money going out! Gosh, I'm so excited! I really hope it all works out!!

Have you ever had one of those days where everything was going right? Anything you were ever extremely excited for?

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Wickedly Scented Candle Giveaway!

 

Welcome to The Wickedly Scented Candle Giveaway

About our Fabulous Hosts - Wickedly Scented Candles
Wickedly Scented Candles brings you all natural soy candles, containing the best possible ingredients, with a twist. There's a prize in each candle! Each candle is packed with wicked scent and contains a wicked prize. They have mixed it up a bit too!  Rather than sticking to one particular piece of jewelry in each candle, they offer a variety of prizes including different types of jewelry, codes for FREE Candles, and other amazing prizes.
They offer two different sized candles, a 21oz candle that contains prizes valued up to $6,500 and a 12oz candle that contains prizes valued up to $399.   
More about the codes:   Some codes are for free candles or other prizes valued at $50 or less.  Even if your code is an instant winner, your still going to have a chance at the BIG drawing.  The big drawing is held once all codes are turned in or time has run out.   
What about their Candle of the Month?   Don't forget to check out their candle of the month.  They offer special monthly candles so they can bring more awesome special prizes to you.  After the 300th candle is sold, guess what? They will draw a winner out of the special codes!  Every candle will have a piece of jewelry or a limited code according to the size.  Once all 300 candles have been sold, there will be a BRAND NEW candle of the month.
Jenn from Jenn's Blah Blah Blog was recently lucky enough to review one of these fabulous candles.  You'll have a chance to read the review and earn extra entries into this fabulous giveaway!  

 About the Giveaway           
  • There are a total of 10 Winners: 5 First Place Winners and 5 Second Place Winners! 
  •            
  • The 5 Lucky First Place Winners will receive one 21 oz candle
  •            
  • The 5 Lucky Second Place Winners will receive one 12 oz candle
  •            
  • Must be 18 years or older to enter
  •            
  • Open to US residents only
  •            
  • Giveaway ends on October 23, 2012 at 11:59pm EST.
  •            
  • Use the Rafflecopter below to enter, remember to come back and take advantage of daily entries.
Disclaimer: This blog is not responsible for shipping prize to winner, nor did I accept any form of payment to promote this giveaway.  Sponsor is responsible for shipping the prize to the winner.  

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

A new car for the mommy!

I am so excited! I found out last night that I should be getting my new-to-me mini mom van on Friday! I didn't think it was going to happen until Moose's birthday party in a little over 3 weeks. I am seriously so excited to not have to drive around my current car soon. My little, dumpy 94 Ford Tempo has so many problems and is so tight with Moose's car seat that I have been ready to get rid of it since he arrived. I'm so thankful and lucky to have amazing family members who are making this work for hubby and I so our little family can be more comfortable (and they get the perk of a gas friendly car once the Tempo is fixed).
Today is going to be a busy day, with lots to do, so I'm going to cut this post short so I can run to the store and start into my chores. Happy Wednesday all! See you back here tomorrow!

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

The good, the bad, and the creative!

Happy Tuesday everyone!
The good: I just about have everything made for Moose's birthday party next month and have decided that today would be a good day to take a break from a blanket I have been working on for my family and buy the materials to start working on Moose's Halloween costume! I have one month to have it all put together and ready for one of his cousin's second birthday parties! I'm really excited because it will only be Moose's second birthday party (other than his own) and it is going to be a costume party! I think the costume is going to take a while to put together. I have at least a shirt and fur vest to put together, and possibly a pair of pants also. And I have never made clothes before. Needless to say, I'm a bit nervous!
The bad (but still a little good): I found out that I wasn't chosen to host the Kmart Halloween Party with houseparty.com. But, I'm not giving up hope yet! I have applications in to host a few different parties including a Planter's Nut-Peanut Butter Everyday Adventures Party  (http://www.houseparty.com/event/plantersnut-rition), a  Rice Krispies Halloween Party (http://www.houseparty.com/event/ricekrispies), a Marzetti Simply Dressed House Party (http://www.houseparty.com/event/simplydressed), and a Sabra Take a Dip Party (http://www.houseparty.com/event/dipwithsabra)! Hopefully I'll get picked to host one of  those parties!
The creative: Moose has been getting into the under-the-kitchen-sink cabinets where we keep all of the cleaning chemicals and our landlord has informed us that he doesn't want us drilling into the wood cabinets to install baby proofing locks or cabinet handles. It's been a huge struggle to keep Moose out of them. Constant reinforcing, time outs, and even a few swats have become the norm in our house since he has decided that the simple "Moose, no, not for you" that worked last month is not going to work any longer. In a moment of frustration, I posted about my dilemma on my personal Facebook and got a comment that made me think. Use command strips rather than drill holes in the cabinets. Genius! Until I can get to the store to buy all the supplies I need, I needed to come up with a substitute cabinet lock. Enter scotch tape. I took 12 smaller pieces of tape, 6 for each cabinet, and placed them along the door, and onto the cabinet. Then, I took a longer piece of tape that runs the length of the cabinet and holds the edges of the smaller pieces down. I then took another piece that runs between the two doors holding them together. Unfortunately, pictures don't show it very well so I can't post any to give a visual, but so far today it has been working, and has kept him out of the chemicals. I hope that it stands up to his pulling and prodding until the weekend when we can hopefully fix the problem for good!

Monday, September 17, 2012

Fun and Falls at Apple Hill

Yesterday, Moose and I got together with some very old friends of mine and went up to High Hill Ranch in the beautiful area of Apple Hill located in the golden hills of California. If you have never been, it runs from labor day weekend to about Christmas Eve and is a must see. You can find all of the info you need for Apple Hill here: http://www.applehill.com

We had a ton of fun looking at all of the crafters, playing in the kids play area of Fudge Factory Farm, taking in the clean foothills air, enjoying the beautiful scenery, eating yummy food, and even dealing with Moose's first big boy fall onto a gravel path. Even after the big fall, my big boy kept right on running around and playing hard. He is getting to be such a tough boy. I got a few pictures of Moose playing in the kids' area, and will get more when my family friends post theirs. 


One of the things Moose enjoyed the most in the kid area was a little pink car that he could sit in and power with his feet. He climbed all over the place inside it, exploring and checking it all out!

This shows his face a little while after the fall

Moose had a lot of fun "driving" and climbing all over a cute Lightning McQueen car they had set up.


After finishing with the ranch, we all went on a walk through the apple orchard to get to my car and it was decided to stop and take some more pictures. I got some great pictures of Moose in his birthday shirt and as soon as I have the ability to upload those, I'll add them on as well.

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Saturday, September 15, 2012

Expect the unexpected (a review)

After purchasing amazing earrings from BellaVia Jewelry, I was so excited to find out about Simply Stylish Creations (http://simplystylishcreations.blogspot.com/). Stephanie, owner of Simply Stylish Creations is a stay at home mom's part time online run business specializing in hair bows, tutus, and crocheted items. Being a crafter and avid crocheter, I get really excited about shops that make really cool hats, especially since I don't always have the time to do all of the crocheting that I would like with Moose running around everywhere.
I was even more excited when Stephanie decided to host an auction for her products. I flipped through some very cute hair bows and girl hate, but thought that I wasn't going to find anything to bid on for my son until I came upon a football themed hat. My husband and his family are huge football fans and it seemed perfect. The hat up for auction was for ages 3-5years, but I figured that we could either keep it for down the road or give it to my brother in law for his 3year old son. I bid, and I won. I was so excited for the hat to come in the mail, I checked it every day. I even sent Stephanie a message to discuss possibly ordering a second hat in Moose's size.
The day it came in the mail, I was so excited! I tore into the packaging, pulled out the hat, and instant disappointment. Not only did it not look like the picture of the hat in the auction, but I instantly saw several flaws and things that I could have done better.

(the hat on my kitchen floor)
The first thing I noticed was that the stitching of the whole hat was very loose, and not up to the quality that I expect from something I want to put on my child, or especially something I want to give as a gift.

 


Another issue I found was that the ends of the yarn were not properly weaves into the hat and were sticking out all over the place. I couldn't believe that someone would send out a product that was put together that sloppily. I would have understood if it was not obvious that the ends were not woven in all of the way, or if a tiny piece had popped out after putting the hat on (which would still mean that the hay wasn't great quality since I have never had the yarn ends come loose on hats that I made), but I noticed the ends as soon as I looked at the hat, long before it was tried on.

I decided to try the hat on Moose to get a picture of it not flat, he wasn't a huge fan and it took a good 10 minutes to get a good picture of him wearing it.


I tried on the hat too (since my head is small and the hat looked really big) to give an idea of that it looks like on a larger head.
At first, I thought that maybe the hat was not top quality since it was for an auction and she may have made it in the very short time between my purchase and it being sent, but then I realized that a good shop owner would want to make good quality products no matter what to encourage customers to come back and to pass on a good word to other possible customers. Unfortunately, with the quality of the product I received and what she charges for a hat at regular price, I don't feel that the hat would have been worth it. I definitely won't be purchasing from Simply Stylish Creations again.


Note: The opinions in this post are mine, and mine alone. I was not given a product, nor was I asked to write a review by the company. I purchased the product from the company myself and chose to write a review to inform the public about the quality of the product I purchased. The pictures in this post were taken by me of the product that I purchased. No pictures in this post belong to anyone but me.
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Getting your monies worth! (a review)

I love buying from mom run stores, but I'm always afraid that I won't get something that is the quality I'm expecting for the price I am paying. BellaVia jewelry (http://www.etsy.com/shop/BellaViaJewelry?ref=si_shop) definitely made, and exceeded, my expectations with these gorgeous earrings. BellaVia is run by Heather, a super sweet and very talented lady. She sells amazing jewelry that is great quality, and one of the best thigs about her shop is that if you don't see a color or style you like, you can contact her for a custom piece.
The first time I heard of BellaVia was in an auction hosted by another amazing mom run shop (Eggo in the Oven: http://www.eggointheoven.etsy.com/ or http://www.facebook.com/EggoInTheOven?refid=17) and I was intrigued by a pair on leaf cascade earring in silver and gun smoke. Immediately, I went to her etsy shop to see what all she was offering for sale. I was hooked from there.



I had to put in a bid for the cascade leaf earrings, not only did I love them, but I thought they would make a great birthday present for my mom. I soon entered in a bidding war and eventually chose the buy it now option so I didn't loose them. I'm so glad I did!
Rather than just gun smoke and silver, I chose to add in copper and love the extra pop of color.


When the earrings arrived in the mail, I couldn't wait to see them. Needless to say, I was impressed! They were worth every penny! The leaves almost have a feathery look to them which I love and know my mom will love as well. I was tempted to put them on, but managed to restrain myself and settle for pictures.
I love the look of the earrings so much, I am in the process of picking out some jewelry for myself  and I plan on holiday and birthday shopping from BellaVia in the near future!


Note: All opinions in this post are mine, and mine alone. I was not given a product nor was I asked to write a review. This post was written simply because I purchased an amazing product from a great small business that I felt people should know about. The product mentioned in this review was purchased in full by me. The pictures in this post were taken of the product I purchased, by me and do not belong to anyone else. I have not included and pictures that do not belong to me.
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Friday, September 14, 2012

Awesome Free Blogger Opportunity!

Jenn's Blah Blah Blog and soon to launch Pink Ninja Media, bring you another FREE Blogger Opportunity! The sponsor of this awesome event will be Wickedly Scented Candle Company! Wickedly Scented Candles Company is offer our readers a chance to win a scentsational (see what I did there?) prize! 10 Candles, means 10 Winners! Wickedly Scented Candle Company offers wicked scents with a super prize valued at $10 up to $6,500! Don't you think your reader will love a chance at this fabulous prize! So what's in the candles? I know, you're just waiting to find out more! When you burn their candles you'll find different prizes such as: jewelry, or a special code according to the size of the candle. Monthly special candles will also have an extra prize that you're going to have a chance at winning! Monthly prizes vary according to the size of the candle. They offer different sizes of candles as well! So what's in it for you?
  • Free Facebook and Twitter Links. WITH ANNOUNCEMENT POST! t.
  • Co-host spots!
  • Additional Links are $2 (Paying bloggers will be moved up on Rafflecopter and placed after the hosts and co-hosts.)
What's in it for your readers?
  • 10 Winners!
  • 5 lucky people will win a 21 oz candle (prize in every candle up to $6,500)
  • 5 lucky people will win 12 oz candle (prize in every candle up to $375)
Details about giveaway:
  • Dates Sept 23 until Oct 23.
  • Open to US residents
Join us and help, Jenn's Blah Blah Blog and Pink Ninja Media introduce Wickedly Scented Candle Companyto our readers the right way! With a fabulous giveaway, offering 10 winners and plenty of chances to win. Where do I sign up? What are you waiting for? I hope to see you there!

Thursday, September 13, 2012

What to Expect When You're Expecting

While out for a food run for Moose yesterday, I decided to rent What to Expect When You're Expecting to watch when he went to bed. I am so glad that I did!
It showed emotion in all of the right ways and gave a small insight of just a couple of ways that pregnancy and birth experiences happen, from the lady to hates pregnancy to the fitness freak who never stops to the lady who has an extremely easy pregnancy, and it even shared the experience of the rarely discussed miscarriage. It covered the unmedicated birth, the woman who changes her mind and wants the drugs,  an emergency c-section. And an adoption It was funny in all of the ways that it should have been, had it's moments of drama and sorrow. You felt for each of the characters as they went through their own path towards having, or loosing, a child.
I'll admit, I had a heads up about the emergency c-section, which I was thankful for, but even the heads up couldn't have prepared me for the strong emotions I would feel. The adoption story was very beautiful and showed an entirely different side of growing your family that not many movies have shown. The issues of infertility hit close to home as before Moose, my hubby and I weren't sure if we could have children naturally. He had been sick as a child and was informed that he may never be able to have children. We had already discussed IVF and adoption as possibilities for the future. Lucky for us, our story didn't end in either fertility treatments or adoption, but knowing it could have brought out extra emotion.
I think some of the humor will be lost on people who don't have children/aren't trying to have children, but for those who have gone through one of the many paths to make their family larger, this movie is full of laughs and tears, and definitely worth watching. I know I'll be watching it again!

Talenti Gelato and Sorbetto

Ice cream may be great for hot summer days or for curing a bad day, and as a mom, I have the occasional "bad day that deserves a pint of ice cream. While out shopping for that deserved ice cream the other day, I discovered Talenti gelato and sorbetto, which was on sale. I figured that if ice cream is good at curing those bad day woes, then gelato must be better! And gelato who uses minimal, natural, kosher ingredients must be the best (next to home made gelato of course). Moose and I picked roman raspberry sorbetto for him (vegan, non dairy) and a Mediterranean mint gelato for me and went home. I popped open the raspberry sorbetto first, and YUM! You can taste the true taste of raspberries with out having a million other flavors dampening them out. Exactly what I would want in a great product! Them I tried the mint. Oh my gosh. It was so good, like mint chocolate chip ice cream, only a million times better! I have always loved gelato, but shied away from buying pre packaged grocery store brands. I won't shy away from Talenti gelato and sorbetto, it was truly amazing.



Note: The opinion above is mine and mine alone. I was neither given a product to try nor was I asked to write a review about the above product. I bought the above product with mynown money and the above review was done so at my own will to share my experience with a great product. 

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Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Rough waters ahead

I skipped posting yesterday as it was a difficult day in my house and I needed to take some time to deal with what was in my head and get to a good place for blogging. It will probably be a rough month for me with a lot of big events happening.
A little background: when I was a small child, my parents divorced and my birth father was not a big part of my life. He picked me up for the required visitations at the request at my step mom, and while I wanted to be close to him, it never happened and we have since stopped talking. I then gained a step father who was good to me until my little sister came along and we had a strained relationship until very recently. Through all of that, I had two constants in my life, one of my mom's brothers and her father. My grandfather and I became very close and he had such a huge influence on my life, my values, and the person I am today. Unfortunately, he passed away suddenly a few years ago. He never got the chance to meet my husband or my son. It kills me that one of the men who helped shape my life is not here for one of the biggest parts. I cry that he never got to hold his great grandson, never got to see him crawl, won't get to see him grow and learn. And will never be able to share his stories. This comes at a big deal this part of the year especially as my grandpa would be turning 88 on September 14, and Moose's birthday coming up in October. I would give the world to have him here with us, but I try to take comfort in the thought that he is Moose's guardian angel, teaching him things that he would be if he were here and watching over him, keeping him safe.
I try not to let the hurt show, but sometimes I become moody and I apologize if the tone of my blog becomes a bit somber. I will try to post about happy events, awesome products, yummy food but since I am here to share my life with you, it will occasionally mean sharing the bad too. Here is to sharing the good times, the bad times, and everything in between.
Have you ever had someone close to you pass away? Does it still affect you?

Monday, September 10, 2012

Eleven down, one to go

Months that it. Moose turned eleven months old on the 8th. With that, comes some sadness and some excitement. Watching him grow, explore and learn is amazing, but he has gone from my little 8lb 13oz newborn to a 21lb toddler in the blink of an eye. From laying around and always wanting to snuggle with mommy to running around the house (literally) and climbing on everything he can. With the last month upon me, the real birthday plans begin. I have the main parts of the decorations and food decided on, but now is the time for lists. Lots and lots of lists. Just to make sure I don't forget anything once things get crazy with last minute preparations. It has been a crazy year so far, with a lot of ups and downs, but my moose has been worth every little bit. He is most definitely my world.

Walgreens to the rescue!

Hey all, sorry I missed a day. I blog from my husband's IPhone right now while our computer is out of commission. With that said, here is my attempt to cath up!

Yesterday, I decided that I really wanted to get the decorating big out so I could stop thinking about it, so I decided to give Walmart a second try. Moose was being pretty fussy again, so we left earlier than I had planned. Luckily,  we finished picking up everything that we needed  and the frames with only 15 minutes to 9am and what I thought was the opening of the photo center (their store page on Walrat's website has not been updated in a while, so information on there is useless), only to find out, at 9am, that they don't open until 10am on Sundays (there is no sign or anything telling customers this btw). Yet again, if I wanted my pictures through Walmart, I'd have to deal with their horrible customer service and wait another hour. I walked to the front, bought what I needed to get, and left sans pictures again. This time, not being frustrated with my day and determined to get my pictures, I simply drove across the street to Walgreens. What a difference that made! Their photo computer worked properly, was the complete opposite of Walmart's frustrating computers. I was happy. Then Ethan decided he wanted to run around. Rather than look down on me, the staff laughed and talked to him, then one member brought him over a ball to play with, after asking if it was ok. I was thrilled! Then, rather than make me wait 30 minutes for them to be ready the same employee offered to get them done right away! I was ecstatic! Properly working equipment AND incredible customer service? I was sold. I told the employee that had been so helpful that how I felt about the experience and that from now on, they are my choice for my photo developing needs! I wanted to shout from the roof tops, but instead, I'm settling with a Facebook and blog post. More people will hear it this way. Lol
Have you ever had a store make your day after several bad experiences somewhere else?


*Note: All opinions started in this post are my own. I was not given any free product for or asked to write a review about my experience. I wrote this post on my own, under my own will, under no obligation except my want to get the story to the public.