Welcome to Tuesday's Giveaway Link Up with your hosts Karen @ Tots and Me, Emily @ Emily Reviews, Shelly @ The Attic Girl, and Rena @ An Ordinary Housewife.So glad you could join us as we share our giveaways on  Tuesday's Giveaway Link Ups.  This link up will be posted Monday at 7 PM est. and run all week long! Make sure you stop in as often as you can to list your latest giveaways. Here is how to use the Giveaway Link Up 1. Post your reviews and/or giveaways, as many Read more [...]

Okay, I'm a bit sentimental when it comes to things from my childhood.  While I never had a blanket, I did have a small stuffed monkey that my Godfather had given me and I still have it at my parents house.  Then, every once in awhile, I crank up Pandora and put on a bunch of favorites from my teen years.  I love reminiscing and thinking about where I remember listening to the songs.  The year that Achy Breaky Heart was big, I remember strolling through a big fair in North Dakota and hearing Read more [...]

Thank you to Hampton by Hilton for providing me with a complimentary stay in exchange for this honest blog review. All opinions are 100% my own. In May, my family took a trip from Oregon to Maryland. The sole purpose of our trip was to visit with my husband's extended family. His grandmother turned 94 in March. The last time we were able to spend time with her (and the rest of our east coast family) was for her 90th birthday when we made the same trip. When we started planning this trip, we Read more [...]

Thank you to Order Out of Chaos for sending product in exchange for my honest opinion in this review. I have always been a pretty organized person. Between my two jobs, Master's Degree classes, blogging and family time I have to make sure to keep my schedule organized now more than ever. Although I did upgrade to a smart phone within the last year, I still use a paper planner to keep myself organized. I recently went to the store and looked at planners (as soon as the school supplies came out) Read more [...]

My husband and I have been together for 17 1/2 years. We try to keep things exciting by having semi-regular date nights. Date night is a way for us to reconnect. We talk about everything that has recently taken place and what is coming up in the near future. Sometimes our date night is us multi-tasking dinner and running errands. Other times, we are able to get out and try a new adventure. Trying to come up with new date night adventures can be a struggle. When you have been together for some time, Read more [...]

We received two tickets to visit the Creation Museum to facilitate this review.  All opinions are my own. Another big stop on our vacation list of things to do was visit the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky.  I'd heard about this big museum that opened back in 2007 for years now and it was one of the big reasons we decided to vacation in Kentucky.  (The other was the Ark Encounter Life Size Noah's Ark Experience and you can read my Ark Encounter Review if you'd like to learn more about Read more [...]

Thank you to Nutrisystem for providing me with products in exchange for this honest blog review. All opinions are 100% my own. Let's talk about Okra today! Okra is pretty new to me. It isn't a veggie that a lot of Oregonians talk about. I don't know if they are all eating it and not sharing it with me, or if it just isn't as popular on the West Coast as it is down south. Either way, I have now discovered Okra. Studies show that Okra has many benefits including but not limited to the following: Read more [...]

I am a Nutrisystem Nation blogger. I am provided with a Nutrisystem meal plan in return for sharing regular updates. All opinions are my own. I recently shared how Ryan figured out that he can make chocolate granola within the Nutrisystem meal plan. Our next Nutrisystem order arrived with vanilla flavored Turbo Shakes in it for the first time in many months. As soon as he saw the vanilla shake mix, he thought about how he could use it in his granola cereal as well, as an alternative for milk. The Read more [...]

Do you have any avid game players in your home?  I grew up playing board games with my sister.  Then, after my husband and I got married, we'd spend evenings sitting in the living room challenging each other to a variety of games too.  As our children have grown, they've also developed a love for a great game.  One problem that seemed to surface over the years, though, was when there were only two players.  Most games, while they can accommodate only two players, are truly better when played Read more [...]

Have you jumped on the essential oil bandwagon yet?  When I first heard about oils quite a few years ago, I wasn't quite convinced.  But as time went on and my husband and I started looking at more natural ways to live, treat illness, and eat, essential oils became a topic of discussion.  I'll say right now, I was ready to give them a try but my husband drug his feet.  So when I first started, I'd only use them for the kids and I.  But once my husband finally gave them a go, even he admits that Read more [...]