Happy National Painting Week! Are you working on any painting projects? You know I have a bunch in the works with all the home improvement we are doing. Next on the list for me is to pick the paint color for the new master bath and master bedroom projects. I will update when I make a decision but in the meantime check out Sherwin-Williams helpful tips, color ideas and projects at SWPaintingWeek.com.
Sherwin-Williams Color of the Month April 2014
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I was so excited when I was recently told I was being sent The Help in the Blu-ray DVD Combo pack. I really wanted to see this when it was in theaters but it is very hard for my husband and I to get to the movies with our little ones. I have heard so much great buzz about this movie I could not wait to watch it.
The #1 New York Times bestseller by Kathryn Stockett comes to vivid life through the powerful performances of a phenomenal ensemble cast. The Help is an inspirational, courageous and empowering story about very different, extraordinary women in the 1960s South who build an unlikely friendship around a secret writing project — one that breaks society‟s rules and puts them all at risk. Filled with poignancy,humor and hope — and complete with compelling, never-before-seen bonus features — The Help is a timeless, universal and triumphant story about the ability to create change.
The Help stars Emma Stone as the courageous Eugenia „Skeeter‟ Phelan, who goes against the beliefs of her family and friends to find her own voice. The critically praised, emotional performance of Viola Davis as Aibileen Clark, a woman who secretly dreams of one day having more than she has been given, offers a deep emotional storyline. The breakthrough performance of Octavia Spencer as Minny Jackson, whose sass and tough exterior disguise the pain and fear she faces every day, brings both drama and humor to the film. Bryce Dallas Howard breathes life into the catty Jackson socialite Hilly Holbrook and Jessica Chastain brings charm and humor as Celia Foote, a kind housewife living outside of town who longs to fit in. Sissy Spacek, Allison Janney and Ahna O‟Reilly also provide vivacious performances that round out this all-star female ensemble.
My views: I really enjoyed this movie, it was very eye-opening for me since this movie take place in 1962 and I was not even born yet. Some things in the move were hard to even comprehend, like the maids were not allowed to use the bathrooms in the homes they worked in. Apparently, they were thought to carry some very dangerous diseases that one could catch from a toilet seat. This was preposterous for me on so many levels. First, if they were so vehemently opposed to the maids using their bathrooms because they were diseased but did not mind them cooking their food, caring for their children in every way, and doing just about every household task shows just how out of touch these bigoted women were. Eugenia was a breath of fresh air among these women, she was warm and loving and really wanted to tell their stories. Celia Foote was another woman who did not fit the mold of these southern socialites and the friendship she shared with Minny was heartwarming. Both women helped each other through some hard times. The movie is timeless, universal and triumphant story about the ability to create change.
If you are looking for a great gift for someone on your holiday list, you really can’t go wrong with The Help in the Blu-ray DVD Combo pack. The exclusive features on the Blu-ray and DVD are great consisting of deleted scenes, Mary J. Blige’s Teh Living Proof music video, and much more. Mommy Ramblings likes this movie so much we are adding it to our 2011 Holiday Gift Guide.
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If you are looking for a great balance bike that is lightweight, super easy to assemble, adjustable, quality made, colorful and fun at a great price check out the new Trikke, Bikee Balance Bike. I was thrilled when Trikke asked me to review their new Bikee. My sons love riding balance bikes and when I saw they had a green and blue combination it just sealed the deal. My 4 year old’s favorite color is green so we were all in. It arrived and it truly is so easy to assemble. I think my husband had thought it was going to be a big ordeal as he got the box but was pleasantly surprised minutes later when it was all assembled. The first thing I noticed was how light it was. That is very important because I am usually the one that has to carry it down our steep long driveway and back up when we ride them on the road. This bike is so light my son can easily carry it down himself. We adjusted the seat and Ethan was off and running and coasting on this bike. He loved it so much that even though it was quite chilly out he said he was going to ride it all day. I really like that it has a little foot rest so he can put his feet there when coasting. He took to that right away and even liked to keep one foot there and kick off with the other like a scooter at times. That is a unique feature that I have not seen on other balance bikes. The handlebars have nice big soft grips on them so it feels very secure for little hands. Mommy Ramblings thinks this balance bike is great! We are adding it to our 2011 Holiday Gift Guide because we like it so much.
Bikee is built with a strong, durable and lightweight (only 7 lbs) steel frame. Your child will be able to lift, drag and handle it with ease.The Bikee design and construction are intentionally minimalistic: frame, handlebar, seat, and wheels (with maintenance free tires) – that’s all. Simple, no hassle, no unnecessary parts to get in the way and add weight.The area for the legs are cleared of any obstruction for free and comfortable scooting and longer stride.Handlebar and seat are adjustable in height to maximize the performance and ergonomics, and grow with your child. The frame size fits the average size of children from 2-5 years of age.The assembly is as easy as 1-2-3 and takes less than 10 minutes.The Bikee balance bike was safety tested and approved according to CPSC (frame safety), CPSIA (free of toxic materials) and European Conformity CE standards.
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Dog Gone Jerky, Inc. is 100% Human Grade, USDA Certified Jerky Treats for dogs. Our Jerky, Premium Beef Jerky is made in a USDA regulated human manufacturing facility and includes only 2 simple ingredients: 100% USDA Certified Meats with less than 1% sea salt.
Dog Gone Jerky Treats provides a healthy chewing opportunity for your dog and contains NO chemical flavorings and allergens. Dog Gone Jerky Treats NEVER adds any “flavor basting” or coatings with chemical flavoring that can cause your pooch to have an upset stomach and stain your carpeting. Dog Gone Jerky Treats contain NO wheat, grain, soy and sugar. You can rest assured that we use ONLY 100% REAL MEAT versus other treats that are simply mixed and molded to look like meat strips with ingredients that aren’t natural for your dog.
I recently had the opportunity to review Dog Gone Jerky Treats. With more than a couple of eager taste testers in the household we were sure to get a good opinion. When they came, I took the packages out of the box and put them on my island counter , they were turned over so the label was down. A little while later I hear my teenage son call, “Hey Mom, can I have some of this jerky?” They know now to ask before opening anything since it may be a review item and still need pictures. I could not help but laugh for a few seconds before explaining that it was for dogs. Anyway, I enlisted my husband and my little ones to assist with the taste testing process. My husband led them testers in one at a time to sample the treats. Sassafras (Sassy) our Maltese thought they were worth dancing for, Zoey and Delilah thought they were yummy and ate them so fast it was hard to get any pictures because the treats were gone before I could click the camera. Anyway 3 out of 3 of the 4 legged testers gave it 2 paws up!!!
The Holidays are coming fast and these jerky treats would make a great stocking stuffer for dogs that will have tails wagging everywhere. We like them so much we are adding them to our 2011 Holiday Gift Guide.
Dog Gone Jerky is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog reader will win a $50 Assortment of Dog Gone Jerky Treats consisting of one each of the 7.5 ounce packages of chicken, pork and beef jerky. Thank you Dog Gone Jerky for the review Jerky and for sponsoring this great give-away on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.
Dog Gone Jerky $50 Assorted Jerky Treats Give-Away on Mommy Ramblings Rules:
Please enter using Rafflecopter below. Good Luck!!!
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I was recently sent a RCA Small Wonder HD Video Recorder to review. I was sent the EZ2100 model and it was very easy to start using. The thing that really threw me and almost made me give this a poor review was that prior to receiving this I read a review on Amazon.com that said something like,”Make sure you don’t use any of the high-speed SD Cards for this because they won’t work. You need to use a class 2. Now that just struck me as weird and I should have looked into it more but when it arrived even though almost all my SD cards are class 10, I found an old class 2 and put it in. I was very unhappy with the video, however I was not thinking it was the card but due to the camera etc. So I took several videos of the kids over the next couple of days and was not really happy at all. The thing I liked best at this point was the RCA Memory Manager software that came with it. This software makes making great movies and special effects with your media super easy. So finally I said let me try one outside, that was when my little 2 card was full so I opened my Canon 60D and took out the SD class 10 card. It was at that moment that a huge light bulb appeared above my head and I thought, “Hmmmm, could this be it? Could that lady on Amazon have no idea what she is talking about?” With that brilliant moment I ran outside where I found my 4-year-old and took some video. I came in and took a look, it was like night and day from the video using the class 2 card. My husband had told me that it sounded crazy when I told him that it said to use a class 2 card because in all our other HD video recorder we use class 10. Well, I learned an important lesson that day, when you read something on Amazon that just sounds wrong, it probably is. So I am so glad that class 2 ran out of space otherwise this review would have ended on a very bad note.
So okay, what do I think? I think this unit is super compact and with the right class SD card takes good video. You do have to be careful to hold the camera steady and I do not think I would want to use it for taping long events unless I had a tripod to hold it. However for taking HD video that you can easily edit with great software, then upload to Facebook and You Tube you really can’t beat this video recorder for the price. It also takes still photos and has a full color 2.0 inch display. The video recorder works best in good light and stores in a compact drawstring pouch that makes it super easy to keep in your purse to capture video any time. I think this would be a great gift for a tween or teen this holiday season so I am adding it to our 2011 Holiday Gift Guide.
The RCA EZ2100 has a super slim profile that’s ideal for travel. The 720p HD, Sports (60fps) or Web Quality recording modes let you capture crisp video with ease. The 2.0-inch full color display is easy to see and great for instant playback. The included RCA Memory Manager Software allows you to easily edit, save or share your video on your computer, with YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, Flickr, or quickly e-mail to friends and family. The RCA EZ22100 doubles as a camera and can take 3MP still photos. It has 2X digital zoom, HDMI connection for 720p HD TV viewing and built-in rechargeable battery. It also includes an A/V cable, USB cable, wrist strap, and carrying pouch.
Capturing amazing video has never been this easy. The power of portable digital video is now securely in your hands. Affordable and feature-rich where it counts, RCA digital camcorders are as accessible as they are advanced.
In a digital age where video allows us to stay connected to family, friends and fans alike, quality and convenience are absolutely vital. The marquee star of the show is the simple setup that gets you up and running right out of the box while the included RCA Memory Manger software makes moving, editing and saving video to your PC even easier.
Delivering sleek design and amazing portability RCA is garnering rave reviews. From a collection of compact handhelds to the high-def palm style offerings, this ensemble cast continues to shrink in size but grow in accolades. Capture the moment in an instant with RCA.
Record your greatest moments and share them with the world right away! Designed exclusively for RCA Camcorders, RCA Memory Manager Software makes recording, editing and sharing your videos simple, fast and fun.
Even the installation is effortless – Just copy it to your computer through the included CD or camcorder USB (models EZ5100R and EZ5100RDR) and the software launches automatically whenever the camcorder connects to your PC or MAC.
From there you’re good to go! Use your camcorder to capture video or photos. Quickly view what you’ve recorded or compose your own movie. Even image editing and touch-up is a snap. Connect your camcorder to your computer and share the love. It’s video made simple!
Watch your recorded videos right on your PC or MAC screen
Step into the director’s chair with your own custom movies
Compose, assemble and personalize your masterpiece
Up the cool factor with professional quality effects
Enhance your videos to make each scene picture perfect
Publish your own movies and make DVDs to share with friends, family and even devoted fans
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I think you all know what a passion I have for photography. I love taking pictures and then displaying the ones that I love and that make me happy. Fortunately, there are a lot of those so I am always looking for great ways to showcase my photographs. One of my favorite shots is a recent family picture and when I was asked by Hello Canvas to do a review on their 24 x 36 inch, 1.2 inch deep canvas, I was so happy. I do have this photo made in a full color canvas but I really wanted a large Sepia tone of this family photo too. So I decided that was what I would do. It was very easy to navigate the site and upload the picture I wanted and to customize it with the options that I chose.
The huge canvas arrived in an even bigger box very soon after ordering it. It was packed well and when we unpacked it we were taken back with how gorgeous it looked and how large it was. The photograph does not do this beautiful canvas justice. It is just absolutely stunning and will be the focal point of another family wall I am planning behind our couch in the family room. I am so glad I did this canvas in the Sepia tone because it just looks so great and goes so well with our color scheme in that room. If you are looking for high quality canvas with UV protection, a 100% satisfaction guarantee, great customer service and lowest price guarantee, then check out HelloCanvas.com. Makes a great Christmas Gift, find HelloCanvas.com on our 2011 Holiday Gift Guide, and right now they are having a special 25% discount on all canvas sizes. To obtain your 25% discount just enter the coupon code christmas2011 at checkout! Order before December 16th and delivery will be before Christmas. Guaranteed! Hurry you still have time to get a beautiful, keepsake gift that will be treasured for a lifetime.
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Bay Kennish, a talented graffiti artist with an edgy streak, grew up in a wealthy family with happily married parents and an older brother. Daphne Vasquez, an athletic teenager who lost her hearing at an early age, grew up with a single mother in a working class neighborhood. When the girls’ worlds collide, family bonds are tested, new romances are sparked, and they start to learn that it’s who they are inside that matters, not where they grew up. Relive the girls’ journey and catch up before the premiere with “Switched At Birth: Volume 1.” Including all 10 episodes plus exclusive collectible iPod skins, this two-disc set is a must-own for every fan!
This DVD set makes a great gift for the tweens and teens on your list. We are adding it to our 2011 Holiday Gift Guide!!!
ABC Family is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog reader will win Volume 1 of Switched at Birth on DVD. Thank you ABC Family for the review copy and for sponsoring this great give-away. Open to US residents.
ABC FAMILY ,”Switched at Birth:Volume 1″ giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:
Please enter the giveaway using Rafflecopter below. Good Luck!!!
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I was recently asked if I wanted to do a review for PurePearls.com. I gladly accepted and was asked to pick a pair of their AAA quality, Freshwater Pearl Earings 7.0-8.0 mm. I choose the lavender color, freshwater pearl earrings in the 14K yellow gold. They recently arrived carefully packed in a white box which when opened revealed a black velvet hinged box that contained the beautiful lavender pearl earrings. They are an impressive size, beautifully round and very good quality. The pearl earrings came complete with an appraisal for $345.00. They have so many great pieces of Pearl jewelry on their Website. If you are looking for a gift for your wife, daughter, sister, girlfriend, or yourself, take a look at their Pearl Bracelets, Earrings, Necklaces, Pendants, Pearl Sets and Rings. We know that the recipient of a gift from Pure Pearls will just be thrilled so we are adding them to our 2011 Holiday Gift Guide.
Pure Pearls is sponsoring a give-away on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog reader will win their choice of AAA Quality 7.0-8.0mm. freshwater Pearl Stud Earrings in any natural pearl color. Choose from white, pink, lavender or black and with either 14K Yellow or White Gold backs and posts. Thank you Pure Pearls for the beautiful review earrings and this fabulous give-away!!! Open to US and Canadian residents.
Pure Pearls AAA Quality Freshwater Pearl Stud Earrings Give-Away on Mommy Ramblings Rules:
Please enter the give-away using Rafflecopter below. Good Luck!!!
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Hello, I’m Carolyn! I am a PR Savvy, WAH Mom to 5! I love Photography, Baking, DIY Projects, Crafts, Cooking and making memories with my family. I love sharing reviews and giveaways too!
