We love some Christian music up in this place… and I LOVE to drive around, windows down, and crank it… and always wonder if the teenagers in the car next to me shake their heads when they hear the bass and see me rocking out with the words… “WE. ARE. THE. REDEEMED. We are the ones who are free! ‘Cause we belong to Jesus” (That would be Fee by the way.)

And I’m forever getting tease because I roll up to church with the music blaring.. but hey! We’re supposed to make a joyful noise unto the Lord ( Psalms 98:4-6, KJV) so the way I see it… I’m just doing what the Bible tells me to.

So, that’s why I’m hoping to win this boxed set from WOW Online that Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer is giving away… and since she’s giving away TWENTY I thought I would let you in on it too…

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to crank it back up and get back to work!

Until next time…
Filed under Yo!, blogging | Comments (6)

This is my 600th post and what better way to celebrate than by documenting how I apply makeup for the sole purpose of entertainment… and to possibly win a prize.

What I won’t do to win a prize…

But the gals over at Chic Critique are hosting a “blog your face” carnival so if you want to learn a little more about great products and application tips, don’t read my post, but go directly over there… where I’m sure you’ll be greeted by people who are much better at this than I am.

The things I do to make you people laugh…

So here goes…

Here I am fresh out of bed… au natural… and let me tell you something… I put brighter lights in the bathroom and had NO idea that I looked like this in bright lights with no make up on. Now I’m not one to wear makeup all the time, it just so happened that I needed to go my leadership luncheon yesterday and made myself up, and I don’t believe anyone who said I don’t need makeup. Additionally, I feel like I’m a gremlin in that I can’t go out in the light looking like this. I’m either going to have to wear make up all the time now, or I’m going to have to put less bright lights in the bathroom….

Ok, I can promise you, the pictures only get better from here.

The first thing I do is apply this moisturizer… and yes, that’s a Big Lots price tag. I have no reason for using this particular moisteurizer, really. I was at Big Lots, it was there, I could afford it and so I bought it. You might notice the big “3″ that’s listed there. Well, that’s because there’s a series of this particular product. That same day, I bought “1″ and it was a cleanser. I have no idea what “2″ is since they didn’t have it and due to a slight bathroom mishap in which my daughter thought it would be fun to cleanse her face, I no longer have any more of product “1″.

After that, I put on this foundation stuff.

The foundation is Medium Beige from True Minerals. The BFF bought it for me to help me with this make up thing. That brush next to it? It’s called a Kabuki brush and I’m sure the majority of you know that. I found it odd when she told me to go buy a kabuki brush because in my mind, Kabuki is the Japanese steak house that I love to frequent here (when I can afford it). So now, every time I use the kabuki brush, I think about the little chef at the restaurant flipping a piece of shrimp in my mouth and I get hungry. I guess I can attribute any weight gain to the desire to look beautiful.

After applying the foundation, which, I still can’t tell if it does anything for me (or even if it’s the right color) I then have to remove the cat from the sink… because she likes to stare at me while I do this and it freaks me out….

And then I start working on my eyes… which really is my favorite part of my face…

Also, from true minerals, I apply Apricot Frost to my entire lid. Those are all sample sizes from them that the BFF sent in this little kit. It will last me forever and it’s cheap. And that’s the brush I use, because that’s what the BFF told me to use.

And so that’s what it looks like… and yes, I am well aware that I need to trim the bushes that are growing above my eyes.

Now, I used to use eye liner, plain ol’ brown until I got this true minerals stuff. Now, for the liner type look, I use the Khaki eyeshadow and wet my brush before dipping it in the little pod and applying. I’m sure this isn’t in or hip or anything like that, but it will leave a slight dusting of green sparklies on my eye lashes… and green is my color. So this is what I use to make my eyes pop. And I’m an eye person, so popping eyes is a good thing… bug eyes are not.

Then comes the mascara, and I found this mascara after reading about it on Chic Critique.

I read the post, got up from the computer and went in search of mascara in an orange tube because I couldn’t remember what it was called. I found it at the third store that I went to. I’ve been using MAC mascara forever and it sucks but I was too lazy and uneducated to go and buy something else.

And there are the eyes… with the shrubbery up top… but I’m not quite done…

Normally, my lip glosses are all confiscated by Sam the moment she lays eyes on them, except this one. She knows that she will meet her demise if she so much as desires to use this one. Normally, I don’t care, but this little thing of lip stain and gloss (which cracks me up… stain) cost me $16 (5 years ago…lol) at Sephora. I read about it in the ONE issue of Allure that I’ve ever read (I was attempting to learn about what was in and how to be more girly… obviously, it didn’t last…) and I went out and bought it. And I love it. Although, they say you can use the stain on your cheeks too and I just don’t get that. And I tried it once. I looked like one of those people that put their make up while riding in the car and hit a speed bump. So, I stick with putting it on my lips. The gloss is just about gone, so I use a cheapy clear gloss that I picked up somewhere, for I sure next to nothing.

And after all that… which takes about 5 minutes if you’re not stopping to take over 90 pictures to get halfway decent ones to post on your blog…. you get this…

Ah… much better.

**********

Oh, and since this IS my 600th post, let’s celebrate with a giveaway, shall we? Nothing special, just a little something….

I’ll randomly pick one person to win the book “Kisses of Sunshine for Moms”

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post and tell me the one beauty product that you can’t live without…

Comments will be open until midnight Wednesday, June 11th and I’ll announce the winner on Thursday…

Until next time…

Filed under Care to Share?, Grins and Giggles, Heather's Quirks, Pics | Comments (30)

You know what I forgot to do last week?  I forgot a blog pick of the week.  Well, I didn’t exactly forget, but when I remembered, there was that whole bloggy break thing going on and it was later in the week and well… it just didn’t happen.

And my blog roll page is broken.  And now I have to fix it.  And I don’t want to.  Because I don’t have time.

But that has NOTHING to do with my pick this week.

This week it’s all about Sister Honey Bunch and Sister Sassy at Sisters of a Different Order.  I have to admit that when I first happened across their blog I was weirded out… NUNS?  Because I didn’t really dive deep.  I just saw the picture.  And I read a little bit and couldn’t figure out how nuns were allowed to do this stuff and get away with it AND post it on the internet.

But then, I came back to their blog some other way and dove in.  And now I keep going back.  Because they are funny… and I can sing songs about Sister Honey Bunch and she keeps coming back here to comment.

It’s all about reciprocation, ya know?

So head on over to see the Sisters… laugh, leave a comment… and if you pester them enough, they might just reveal which of them was in the pokey.  But don’t hold your breath on that one….

*********

The winner in the MommyFest giveaway from last week was Nicole!  Nicole, you’ll have an email from me regarding your prize.  Stay tuned, because I’ve got more giveaways coming up.  Just not today… today I have to work and not play on the internet.  Which sucks.  Because I really just want to play on the internet.

Until next time…

Welcome welcome to the Mommy Fest Blog Party!

Or at least my little corner of it.

I’m Heather… an insane work at home mom of two children. You can read all about them on my blog, and don’t worry, I’ve asked them if they mind me sharing about them on my blog… and they said they didn’t. Today, anyway.

I invite you to peruse, leave a comment, and we’ll be drawing for a $10 Amazon Gift Certificate at the end of the week (entries will stay open until Friday night at Midnight EST and the winner will be emailed by Monday.)

So to be entered in my little comment, tell me… what’s the best part about blog parties?

Hope to see you back soon!

Until next time…

No seriously, ask away.

I’ve always wanted to do this but feared that only one person would ask me a question…and not that it would REALLY bother me, because I would post that one question with an answer and thank that one person profusely for asking it and caring about me… but still…

But it just looks like so much fun and I love to be interviewed and well, I’m out of fodder… well, I’m not out of fodder, but I really don’t want to bore you with yet another softball post, and the other thoughts are so jumbled in my head that I can’t seem to get them out.

And to sweeten the deal, I’ll randomly selected a comment and they’ll win a little token.  Don’t ask me what it is yet, because I don’t know… but it will be something to brighten your day… seriously… it will…

So come on… what do you want to know about me?

Until next time…

So, if you’re just now finding my blog amongst all the other crazed mom (and dad) bloggers who are losing sleep, depriving their children, ignoring their husbands, missing out on the first week of sweeps and the return of Grey’s Anatomy in an effort to enter every contest listed here, welcome.

You have some catching up to do. Nestled among the rants and raves of the week are four other giveaway posts that I’m sure you’ll want to enter, because the more you enter, the better chances you have at winning, right?

But today prize is the biggie (at least I think so)… it’s a high ticket item, but if you’re not in the market for it, then you probably don’t need it… (well if that wasn’t the most profound statement of the year, I don’t know what is… duh!)

But moving on, maybe you’re a new blogger and just don’t know what to do about all this stuff… or maybe you have a blogger blog, or wordpress.com blog or even a typepad blog that you don’t want to pay for anymore.

Regardless, if you’re looking to either start or move your blog, this is for you.

Included in this package is:

• Domain registration for 1 year. (Domain name after that will be approx. $9.95 a year)
• Assistance in choosing and purchasing the domain name
• 1 Year of free hosting (hosting after that will be $15 a year)
• Installation of Wordpress on your domain name
• Installation and help choosing a theme for your new blog (this is NOT a custom design… if you’re looking for a custom design, I can point you in the direction… if you have a custom header already done, I CAN incorporate that into the theme)
• Installation of 10 plugins of your choice
• 2 hours of Q&A/training for your new blog (i wouldn’t just feed ya to the wolves ya know?)
• Transfer of posts from blogger or typepad to the new blog

If I were still running my business and offered this package to a client, I would charge them $400. There are some more nitty gritty details that I’ll have to go over with the winner, but they aren’t that hard.

So here’s what you need to do.

• Leave a comment on this post before the clock strikes midnight on Sunday, April 27th (EST) and let me know what you hate about your current blogging platform.
• Links back to this contest will grant you an additional entry… so link away!

I’ll tell you why I’m an avid WP fan…

• it’s mine. Period. If blogger or typepad go belly up, you’re going to lose all your stuff. You don’t control it, and yes, I’m a control freak.
• You can do much much more with it. Seriously. There are so many cool things you can do that you just can’t do with blogger or the WP.com versions…
• It’s so easy… not only is there more power with WP, but it’s so simple to use. My 11 year old has been using it since he was 9. And he’s fine with it.
• With the exception of the domain name and hosting (about $25 a year) it’s free. Free is good

Now the fine print…

• Contest is open to anyone regardless of where you are geographically sit-chi-ated
• You must leave your comment by Sunday, April 27th at Midnight EST
• Only one comment per person…
• Winner will be notified on Monday, April 28th and will have 3 days to respond.
• Winner must abide by the guidelines set forth by me when installing the blogs. Let’s face it, as cool as WP is… there are somethings that you shouldn’t do in the long run… and if i say that it’s not a good idea, it’s not… and i know this from experience only.
• Technical support is NOT included in this package after the installation is complete, however, I am a pushover and more often that not will help when asked… and then I’ll call Lisa B. in a panic and make her help me.

Ready? Leave your comment… and make sure you hit up all the other ones this week!

Oh!  And it’s really funny because my technical savior, Lisa B., just started a new venture over at simply His blogger… and she’s giving away a similar prize… so take a peek over there, ask her all the technical questions that you have… and praise the good, sweet Lord that there are people who know how to fix your blog when you break it…

Until next time…

I go crazy sometimes. Ok, alot of times.

I’ve done this every day giveaways once before, but this time I wasn’t prepared. I didn’t think ahead.

I’ve been winging it.

Actually, no I haven’t. I knew after a few minutes of thought what I would give away every day except today.

Monday was easy… who doesn’t love a gift certificate, especially when it’s to anywhere you want?

Tuesday was pretty simple too. I tripped over that blasted Digimakeover, the one that was used once before being put back in the box two Christmases ago, for the gazillionth time. It was safe to say that it could go. I know many girls who love the digi makeover. My daughter is not one of them. Go figure.

Wednesday was pretty easy, too. I have a thing for the New Kids on the Block, therefore, what kind of blogger would I be without giving away something that related to them? Finding something was the problem.

Friday is my big giveaway. The odds are always better because the link back on Mr. Linky is so far down and although people SAY they are going to come back every day? They don’t. And I’m okay with that. But it’s true. Look at the gift card nearing 400 comments because it was 16th on the Linky. The rest of the giveaways? I don’t think we’ve hit 50.

But tomorrow’s giveaway is a biggie. A prize package for a lucky blogger that would cost you in the hundreds of dollars. I say $400, but really? That’s just the marketer in me. It probably wouldn’t really cost you that much. But it would cost you in the triple digits. So, I encourage you to check back tomorrow for that.

But see the day that’s missing?

Thursday. Today. Right now.

Typically, I do look around my house for gently used items that would be worthy of a giveaway. I try to find things that wouldn’t require selling my second born to ship them, but also things that other bloggers would want.

And just like I say, “I have nothing to wear” as I look in my closet and drawers to find something to wear on a first date, I am now looking at my bursting at the seams house saying “there is nothing to give away.”

I could’ve been more prepared.

But that would’ve required me to not enter the contests myself and plan this out. (And, yes, for the first time in the last 3 carnivals, I FINALLY started entering some. I got tired of being the hostess with the mostess. I wanted to win things too.)

And then I remembered something…

A few months ago, I started purchasing things that would be great for last minute gifts or for blog giveaways and put them in the closet. So when I went in there to see what I had, much to my delight, I realized that I had something to give away for today after all!

The tear drop shape fits your back and spreads the weight. Real patchwork leather, with two outer pockets, three inside pockets, plus a quick release for keys. Rubber shoulder pad helps prevent slipping. Black. 16″ long x 10″ wide.

I actually gave one to my daughter and she loves it! Hopefully, it can work for some of you as well… either a purse, a diaper bag, or just something to grab when you’re running out the door with all of your necessities.

I have two of these to give away today, so here’s what you need to do…

• Leave a comment letting me know the weirdest item in your purse right now. (For me, it would be a wireless computer mouse left over from my last trip). You must answer this question to be included in the drawing.
• Comments will close on Saturday, April 26th at Midnight EST.
• This giveaway is open to US residents only
• You don’t need to have a blog, but I have to have a way to email you, so make sure I have that.
• I will notify the winner and you will have three days to respond with your name and address so that I can ship the item to you.

And make sure you enter for the other giveaways that I have going on, and come back tomorrow for the Grand Poobah!

Until next time…

Here it is… Day 2 of the Bloggy Carnival and as promised, I’m back with something new to give away? Here’s a picture…

I’m so totally kidding… I’m not giving up my daughter… (not today anyway, she’s under control at the moment… but I wonder how many people would actually say “sign me up!”) But… one thing that she loves to do is figure out how she would look with different hair, or make up, or something along those lines… so up for grabs today is DigiMakeover Straight from the Amazon.com site…

Now girls with a passion for fashion can see who they can be with Digi Makeover. A cool touchpad console with a digital camera connects to the TV so girls can project their own image onto the screen for a special on-screen makeover. Use the touchpad and stylus to change hairstyles, makeup and even accessories. Plus, Digi Makeover has a photo booth mode so girls can show off their latest creations.Interactive touch pad and digital camera plugs directly into your TV. Features tons of cool effects for makeup, hair, clothes and accessories. Includes over 50 hairstyles and colors. Add makeup and jewelry for new looks. Save up to five new looks. Requires 4 “AA” batteries, not included.

So here’s what you have to do….

• Leave a comment on this post by Saturday, April 26th Midnight EST telling me what one thing you would change about you OR what one cosmetic thing that you have done that you thought would look FABULOUS but turned out not so much
• Find a way to remind yourself that you need to come back here tomorrow and every day this week for a new prize…
• Breathe… i know the excitement can be too much to bear at times…

And the fine print… because for this one there is….

• Contest is open to US residents only
• Comments must be posted by Midnight EST on Saturday, April 27th
• Only one comment per person, please. Please don’t make me use the delete key, I hate it.
• You do not have to be a blogger (but if you aren’t, seriously, check back Friday because you’ll love Friday’s giveaway… but if you’re not a blogger, I must have a valid email address so that I can tell you that you’ve won
• You have 3 days to send me your mailing address so that I can get this out of my house and into yours

And so there you have it…

My mom needs your help, so take a minute and help us name this dog….

Oh and if you’re a NKOTB fan… you must be here for tomorrow’s giveaway…

Until next time…

I mentioned how I never win anything, and then I mentioned how I won, not one, but two things, and then today? Matthew got the mail and there was a package for me.

The envelope was nothing special, except the return address label was 10x better than mine are, and I like mine. I knew that contained within would be my Doodlebook.

But wanna know what was inside the ordinary envelope?

Do you see that pretty paper? There were two sheets of tissue paper… that one and then a really pretty lavender piece. And a little tag… which was written so affectionately…

H-

Happy Doodle-book-ing!

<3 K

Like we had known each other for eons when in reality, I think I found her blog, or she found mine rather, just a month or so ago.

But whatever…

I ripped that paper off… and here’s the book…

And you want to know something?

It’s EXACTLY the book type of doodlebook that I would’ve picked for myself…

Thanks Krissi...

Until next time…

I never find the time to enter contests… well, I lie. Most of the bloggers that I know don’t have contests and the blogs that do have them have a gazllion and 5 comments and I never win anything.

I lie again, it’s not that I NEVER win anything. I won New Kids on the Block tickets from Q102 in Philly when I was in the 8th grade.

And last month, I won a contest from Jenny at Live and In Color and she sent me the most beautiful handmade pen. Well, the pen wasn’t handmade, but the covering was. And it’s purple. And I love it.

But today there are two contest, no, three that I want to tell you about….

First….

Krississippi - The Fifty First State of Confusion (does she not have the BEST name?) is hosting a contest for a Doodle Book. Do you doodle? If you don’t, you should. And you could start if you win the contest. It ends tomorrow!

Next…

Delicious Design Studios is hosting a giveaway for a full blog design package. The Full Package includes a complete custom design. Template (1,2,3 or 4 columns), graphics, custom header, font & color changes, free customization and installation, a favicon (image next to address bar), post footer images (images next to comments, underneath posts), images next to post title (optional), a transfer of all your sidebar items to your new template, and live customer support.

Don’t all of you want to redesign your blog? Seriously? It’s like going in for a new hair do. It’s exciting! This contest ends on April 19th.

And then lastly….

5 Minutes for Mom is having a Two Weeks of Toys Contest. I’ll in the running for this, this, and this… so if you could kindly not enter so that my chances will improve, I would appreciate it, mkay? (And for the record, I don’t plan on sharing them with my children…)

Now go… enter… now… right this minute.

And don’t say I never did anything for ya!

Until next time…