Violence Unsilenced....

Earlier this year my friend Maggie, author of OkayFineDammit started a new blog called Violence Unsilenced. It is a place where survivors of domestic violence can tell their stories. Anonymously is need be.

Today, I tell my story on Violence Unsilenced. Like Rihanna I was in a domestic violence situation as a teenager. It was a trying period for me and I was afraid to tell any adults in my life about what was going on. Luckily no one lost their life but there was a very close call.

I ask you to visit Violence Unsilenced today and if you know any teens - please send them there too. My story may help someone you know.

Dress Barn?

photo by Rick Bucich of Tiny Prints

Giveaway Closed - Congratulations to GSM57 winner of the handbag!

Do you see this photo of all of these women dressed fabulously? We were all speakers at the Type A Mom conference in September and we had the opportunity to go on a VIP shopping experience at Dress Barn.

Admittedly, when I heard we were going to Dress Barn I was a bit skeptical because my memories of the store have everything to do with my mom's fashion growing up. Nothing against you mom but I think I am a bit more stylish then the 80s.

Anyway, I think all of us were pleasantly surprised by the selection and as you can see they carry clothing for all sizes. We all "walked the runway" on the first morning of the conference and I can't tell you how many compliments I received on my outfit. As a matter of fact, if you have seen me at any conference recently, I was likely wearing my dress barn duds because I love them so much.

And since it is the holiday season, Dress Barn has provided me with a nice sparkly clutch to use when I am out on the town (hopefully I will get out) and not only that, they've provided one for one of my readers too!



Giveaway

To enter simply leave a comment telling me where you will use this fabulous clutch this holiday season.

For extra entries:

Subscribe to my blog (current subscribers you are eligible for this extra entry too)

Tweet about this giveaway - Enter to win a beaded black holiday clutch from Dress Barn on Cutie Booty Cakes blog @reneejross http://bit.ly/5mIcdt

Write a blog post linking back to this giveaway.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. This contest is open until Friday, December 4 at 9:00pm. Open to US addresses only. Winner will be chosen randomly and notified by email of the win. If I do not receive a reply within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen.

Good Luck!

Disclosure - I received a clutch for giveaway and the clothes provided by Dress Barn we were all able to keep but were not asked for anything in return- except of course to walk the runway and all of us should have that experience at least once in a lifetime!

Rest Day and a Giveaway

Giveaway Closed - Congratulations to Christy M

Today was a rest day for me using the EA SPORTS ACTIVE More Workouts. However, one of my goals is to get exercise in everyday, as little as 15 minutes can make a difference. I actually tried out a couple of different exercises today- I did Billy Blanks Jr.'s Cardioke. This 30 minute workout was a combination of dance moves, aerobics and karoke. Sounds strange right? But singing while working out helps with the stamina and this was a good low impact workout on my rest day. I also think it isi good for people are not used to exercising at all, he had a range of different ages and body types in the video. A great motivator.

I also did a brief Afro-Latin dance routine, I missed most of the show but I liked what I was able to do and it inspired me to do more. Finally I did a walking workout. In total it was 45 minutes of waking and sculpting. I skipped the sculpting and during that portion of the exercise I did laundry. Doing household chores also burns calories you know and since I hate laundry I do it very vigorously!

Laundry. The bane of my existance. And probably everyone else too. But like exercise it is a necessary evil. Lucky for me the one thing I don't have to worry about regarding laundry is buying detergent. My friends at Tide have ensured that I am stocked up and won't need to buy detergent for an entire year. And since it is the holidays and all, we thought that you'd like the gift of a year's worth of laundry too. The lucky winner will recieve a year's worth of coupons for Tide Coldwater.

All you have to do is tell me what tips you have to make doing laundry easier.

Extra Entries:

You can get an extra entry if you subscribe to my blog (if you are already a subscriber you get an extra entry too).

Tweet about this giveaway: Enter to win a year's worth of laundry detergent on Cutie Booty Cakes blog (@reneejross) http://bit.ly/5TFMtd

Blog about this giveaway and link back to this post (If you don't have a blog send an email to 2 friends about this giveaway and cc me cutiebootycakes at gmail dot com)

Please be sure to leave a comment for every method of entry - a maximum of 4.

This giveaway is open until Friday, December 4th at 9:00PM. The winner will be chosen randomly. Good Luck!

These feet Are Made for Walking!

After my first Jenny Craig consultation I made a decision to set a goal of taking 10,000 steps daily. That is equivalent to about 5 miles and I think with the exercise that I am doing and making a conscious effort to walk more I will make the goal - even on Turkey Day.

I worked out in the morning(early enough so that I didn't miss the Thanksgiving Day parade) just in case I needed to add an extra workout in the evening. After my workout I only accumulated 5000 or so steps so I knew a workout was in my future.

When we returned home after dinner I watched a couple of shows and at 10 decided to start sweating. I tried a new workout with EA More Active and enjoyed it. But when I checked my pedometer I wasn't very close to 10,000 steps. I did an additional step workout - burning calories and tons of steps. To put this in perspective, I was running and stepping so hard that my husband came to check and see what all the commotion was. After the first 10 minute segment I checked my steps and realized that my pedometer was NOT moving!

I'd literally been working out for an hour and the pedometer was NOT registering my steps. At that point I decided that burning 1000 calories working out probably equates to 10,000 steps and more likely than not, after 5 workouts I probably went over my goal.

You can imagine I was whipped after all of this working out. I spent Friday lounging and napping on and off during the day. My husband had a laugh at my pedometer failure and I got in some well needed rest. I am also happy to say that I did my workouts- I got an hour in!

Now I am going to stop focusing on steps and just make sure I get in my workouts. I think that is the safest way for me to keep my health and sanity!

Giving Thanks

When I was six years old I had a very rude awakening. I'd sat down at the Thanksgiving table wearing the Pilgrim outfit I'd so meticulously made in school. My aunt immediately gave me an education about the Pilgrims and their role in the genocide of Native Americans, our ancestors. Heavy. The tears commenced and although I was forced to face the harsh reality of the origins of Thanksgiving, it was a lesson that I never forgot. Thanksgiving in my family is all about spending time with family and giving thanks for all of the blessings we have. This year I am going to my best friend's new home to enjoy food and spend some quality together.

I also keep in mind those that are facing challenges and in the midst of trials

still give thanks. Last week I had the opportunity to volunteer and learn more

about The Ronald McDonald House Charities.

From November 10-20th McDonald's all over the country held the Give A Hand fundraiser and asked each visitor if they'd like to contribute one dollar to RMHC.

I actually worked the drive-thru window and asked for donations!

After our gig at Mickey D's we all visited the newest Atlanta Ronald McDonald

House which provides temporary housing and support services to families of critically ill and injured children being treated at Children's Healthcare of

Atlanta. The RMH Charities also provides grants to children's non-profits and supports education by giving scholarships to students entering college. I was really impressed with everything that I learned about the charity and the support it receives from the community.

All of the dinners at RMH are donated and although some families require

special meals, this is truly a blessing for the families that are able to enjoy

them.There are Ronald McDonald House's all across the country and they are

always in need of donations of household items, coffee, tea, frozen

dinners, and cleaning supplies. There are also volunteer opportunities. I

think this is a wonderful charity and having met a few of the families,

it is clear that RMH truly makes a difference in their lives.

This Thanksgiving I encourage you to give thanks for your blessings and also think about how you can help those that are in need this season.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

And the baking begins....

I love to bake. When I was first married I baked almost everyday. I was a mini-Martha Stewart in training. The downside of the baking was weight gain. As much as I enjoyed experimenting in the kitchen, my husband only liked lemon pound cake and chocolate chip cookies. Since variety is the spice of life I baked all sorts of confections and ate most of them too. Ahem.

I have more will power now and have learned to give my goodies as gifts. A win, win for everyone! The teachers at my son's school look forward to the holidays because I am known for my baking.

Well, the baking has begun. Last week I had the opportunity to check out the relaunch of the iVillage food website. I saw these sweet potato biscuits and knew that I had to make them. I love that on the site I am able to see the recipes on my laptop in kitchen view - no printing out of recipes, I just set up my laptop and cook away. Wonderful.

>

Powered by Whrrl

Anyhow, I tried the sweet potato biscuits and they came out okay. My little helper is really enjoying this cooking thing and I learned something too. Although these biscuits don't rise much because of the sweet potato, mine really didn't rise at all. I guess that is what I get for using expired baking powder. Can you believe that Walmart was out of baking powder today? And as much as I like baking I refused to go out shopping again today!

Anyhow, the biscuits taste great and the next time I make them I will probably add more brown sugar to the recipe. I think the biscuits should be so a tad bit sweeter. For the full recipe check out iVillage.

For more Wordful Wednesday visit Angie's 7 Clown Circus.

Obese

Obese.

That folks is the verdict after my weigh-in and body mass index(BMI) calculation at Jenny Craig. I am still trying to wrap my mind around it.

Obese.

Obese.

Now, I know those of you that know or have met me in real life may be reading this and thinking - no, you are not obese. But friends, I am obese. I've known my BMI was in the "obese" range for awhile but I never really paid it any attention because I was in denial. Yes, my husband likes the extra "junk in my trunk" but after four years of marriage and a baby the pounds have piled on(and on and on). At first I refused to buy "big girl" clothes. And then I looked in my closet and absolutely nothing fit. There was no choice. Big girl clothes were in order. I purchased a few throw away inexpensive clothes because I just knew I would not be wearing "this size" for very long. I continued to grow rounder and purchased cute clothes in even larger sizes because if you have it flaunt it, right? Hmm, oh I wish I was still "this size" and instead I am obese.

What does this mean? I am on track for poor health outcomes in the future. And that ladies and gentlemen is unacceptable. I used to be a fitness fanatic - if I gained ten pounds it was a travesty. Now, I wish I only had ten pounds to lose. It is more like 50. Yes. 50. I am owning it. I will not deny that I am fat. Not some cute acronym like PHAT but straight FAT. FAT. More specifically, OBESE.

Now. The question I ask myself is "What are you going to do about it?" I'd already answered this question by agreeing to participate in the EA SPORTS Active More Workouts Challenge in August. And when I went to California at the end of September to visit the Nestle headquarters, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Jenny Craig is owned by Nestle. I walked up to the table, swallowed my pride and admitted to the representative that I was ready for change and wanted to start the program. And now my friends, I have started Jenny Craig and hope to experience success like Valerie Bertinelli and Phylicia Rashad. Wait, I take that back. I KNOW I will succeed.

The combination of exercise and a healthy diet are going to work this time. I must admit that it is helpful to know that I have a support system. Admitting that I am struggling despite my past participation in fitness challenges is liberating and also motivates and inspires me to do better. I am tackling this over the holiday season because I figure there are a few days that I may indulge but that doesn't have to hinder my progress.

I started working out on Friday and I am getting it in. Even if I have to break my workout up into two or even three parts because of a hectic schedule, I am doing it. Jenny Craig is providing me with support. Once weekly meetings, meal plans and food which I supplement with grocery produce is helping me to eat right. The counselors are extremely supportive and I love that the program is a holistic approach to losing weight and not a diet. I must admit that even with the discount that I am receiving for blogging about my experience the food is pricey. However, I see this as an upfront investment with the ultimate goal being preparation of food on my own. And the program is designed to get me to that point.

I start the meals today so I am not sure how they taste but I've tried the snacks and if they are any indication I think I will like the food. There is so much food in fact, I think I will have a hard time eating it all but since I haven't been eating properly or enough, this will be a welcome change.

Today I have laid it out on the table. One last time, I am obese. And hopeful that soon this word will no longer describe me.

Disclosure: I am receiving 3 months of free consultation and discounted food from Jenny Craig. All of my opinions about the program are my own,

Pumpkin Pancakes

After reading yesterday's post a friend of mine called me very "frontier woman" and asked if making pancakes from scratch was next on my to do list. For several days I've been thinking about making pumpkin pancakes and his post motivated me. I did not however make them from scratch. I decided to cut some corners without sacrificing taste. I simply used complete pancake mix, added canned pumpkin, sugar and spice, water, whipped it up, slapped it on the griddle and had tasty delights for the family. I did have some assistance,

my little helper enjoyed his first cooking adventure.

In fact, he enjoyed it so much that he cried when we actually started cooking the pancakes.

These pancakes are sweet and you can get away without using syrup. If you decide to add syrup use maple - for my son I use a few drops of agave nectar. The pancakes were so good that my son said they were "yummy." My husband looked at the stack of 12 silver dollar pancakes I prepared for him and said there were too many for him to consumption. However, when I looked over at him he was practically licking the plate and all of the pancakes were gone!

Here is the recipe from Nestle (part of my inspiration for the dish came from the can of pumpkin in my pantry from my September trip to their headquarters):

2 cups complete pancake mix (such as AUNT JEMIMA® Buttermilk Complete)
1 1/2 cups water
2/3 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
Nonstick cooking spray
Lite pancake syrup, if desired

COMBINE pancake mix, water and pumpkin in medium bowl. Stir just until moistened. Batter may be lumpy.

SPRAY griddle or large skillet with nonstick spray. Heat over medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle; cook until batter bubbles begin to burst. Turn and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes or until golden. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve with syrup.

Estimated Times: Preparation - 5 minutes; Cooking - 10 minutes.

Makes 6 servings, about 12 pancakes total.

(reprinted from Cooks.com)

In my usual style I spruced up the recipe by adding cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, a bit of vanilla, a tablespoon of brown sugar and a tablespoon of granulated sugar. So good. And perfect for the cool mornings of the season.

Homemade Deodorant

Please consider this a TMI alert. Okay, I have sensitive underarms. So sensitive in fact, that every few months I have an allergic reaction to deodorants/antiperspirants. This results in itching, bumpy skin and hyper-pigmentation. Not a good look. Especially if it happens during the summer months when going sleeveless and shaving are requisite in the hot south.

When I had my last allergic reaction I went to my favorite source for information. I bet you are thinking Google, good guess. Actually, I asked my friends on twitter for recommendations. I received all sorts of suggestions - crystals deodorant, Tom's of Maine, Dove sensitive skin. Nothing new there so I was going to go back to my old standby crystal deodorant until @PVATL suggested homemade deodorant and linked to the Angry Chicken blog and recipe.

I was immediately intrigued. I have used plain baking soda for deodorant in a pinch, but this recipe called for the addition of shea and cocoa butter which both sooth and help the deodorant adhere to the underarms. Add some essential oils and everything is set! I needed to take things up a notch because deodorant is good but I also need an antiperspirant. I know that mainstream antiperspirants are not good for us but I sweat like a pig. There is no denying it, so I need something to cut down on the sweat.

At this point I did a Google search and found discovered that Sage is a natural antiperspirant. I ordered three essential oils - mandarin orange, vanilla and sage. I also placed an order for canning jars, shea butter and cocoa butter. I had corn starch and baking soda in my pantry and decided to leave out the vitamin E.

Once I had all of the ingredients I just melted the shea and cocoa butter, added the other ingredients, and the essential oils. I placed it all in the canning jar and let it cool in my refrigerator.

The outcome? Spectacular. My deodorant smells very similar to an orangesicle, remember that ice cream? And the scent is overpowering but it is nice to catch a whiff of it when I initially put it on. The deodorant is a cream that is reminiscent of Tussy - not sure if you are familiar with it but as a child Tussy was my first cream deodorant. The shea and cocoa butter harden at room tempurature so it is necessary to scoop a nickle size amount into your hand and rub until it melts. Once melted it spreads really nicely.

In use the deodorant lasts as long as most natural deodorants. I can generally go eight hours without reapplying. And I haven't had the deodorant completely fail on me so that is great. The only thing I need to figure out is a different container for the deodorant. It is too big for me to carry-on when I am traveling and since it is glass I don't want to pack it in my checked bags.

Overall, I am very happy with my deodorant and in the future will experiment with other scent combinations. Some people have even asked if I'd make a batch or two for gifts. I highly recommend natural deodorant, if you decide to make it let me know how you like it!

Recipe (reprinted from Angry Chicken)

3 Tablespoons shea butter
3 Tablespoons baking soda
2 Tablespoons corn starch
2 Tablespoons cocoa butter
2 vitamin E oil gel caps ( I didn't use this)
Essential Oil

Melt all the ingredients (except the oils) and gave it a good stir (about 30 seconds in the microwave). Then add the oils, stir again, and pour in jar.

Place in refrigerator to set.

This recipe filled a 1/4 pint jar.

ETA: One of my readers informed me that Vitamin E is a natural preservative and will help keep the Cocoa and Shea Butter from going rancid in the summer months. Good to know and I will add it to my next batch! Thanks FaithWithHeels!

Holiday Cards in November?

Shocking. Yes, shocking because it is November and I already have my holiday cards. I'd love to say it was because I am uber organized and this is my norm but I'd be lying. I have never been big on the whole holiday card thing and apparently my friends aren't either. I usually receive cards from my college and graduate school, one or two friends and that is it. The only reason I have felt remotely compelled to send holiday cards lately is to provide updated photos to people that want to see my son.

My usual holiday card ritual has been - open the mailbox, see a card and come to the realization that I need to get my butt in gear and make a holiday card. The only year this year is different is because I am fortunate enough to have friends in high places. Okay, a friend at Tiny Prints that gave me the opportunity to try out the service.

I love the holiday card that I came up with and what really was impressive is that when I placed my order I was sent an email informing me that my photo is blurry. Although I knew the photo was blurry I think it is great customer service because it is clear that all of the orders are reviewed by a person before completion.

In addition to my cards, I also ordered really nice envelopes and matching address labels. Now I just have to make my way to the post office so that I can purchase the stamps. Um, yeah - check in on my after Thanksgiving to see if I've done that.

Remember my procrastinating ways? Yeah. I'm all over that. Stat!

In the meantime, aren't my regular address labels cute? I ordered these some time ago and I love the design. I used the regular delivery process and received them in about a week. However, if I needed an order sooner there are express delivery options.

Tiny Prints has a lot more to offer and if you are looking for stationary I suggest checking them out. And I'm not just saying that because they are my friends - as a matter of fact, remember that Happy Gram I received the other week? Primrose Schools chose Tiny Prints to make their cards and I had nothing to do with that!

A big thanks to Tiny Prints for providing me with the opportunity to try out the service.

Rehab

I remember when Amy Winehouse released Rehab. I'd sing along to this song in the wee hours of the morning after nursing my son. I found it difficult to get back to sleep after our nursing sessions and VH1 provided me with a great musical soundtrack to relax to. This version of Rehab is Amy singing along with an acoustic guitar for accompaniment. Her voice is a musical instrument and the pure, unadultarated beauty of her unique sound is undeniable.

I believe this song leveraged Amy's career because it is so raw, real and the simple truth. Even without knowing her story, it is clear that she truly has battled with addiction. And the emotions behind the words are what draws us all in.

Like Amy, I have an addiction. Thankfully it is not to illegal substances, or even alcohol, but I am addicted to food. Food and I have a funny relationship, I know the right foods to eat and am aware that I need exercise. At the beginning of the year I led the Modern Mom Challenge and not long after I participated in the EA SPORTS Active Challenge. I experienced good results but am not where I want to be.

Emotional eating that includes ice cream, cookies, and sweets keep me from passing the ten pound threshold. However, I am refusing to make any more excuses. No one is forcing me to go into rehab but I have decided to focus on my health. There are far too many things that I can prevent with exercise and good eating habits. I am not living for myself anymore, I have a family to consider.

So, today I started the EA SPORTS Active More Workouts 6 week Challenge. Once again I am joining ten other bloggers on this journey to fitness and weight loss. I have already been motivated and inspired by many of them and love having a support system during my journey. In addition to fitness, I will also change my eating and will be partnering with Jenny Craig to make that happen. Along the way I'll let you know how I am doing in my own "rehab" I think that when the New Year rolls around I may surprise you..........

Who invented this torture device?

The potty chair. Who invented the potty chair? I understand that it is supposed to be helpful, little chair for little butts and all that. But I am still convinced that it is a device of torture.

Like most parents I sit in the bathroom while my son "does his business." I am his cheerleader, encourager and admit to using bribery when necessary to get my son to poopy in the potty. When my son is successful I am quite happy. I am way past the novelty of changing diapers - I think that stopped once my son began eating solid food. The poop of a nursing child is almost scentless but a toddler? An entirely different situation.

But I digress, this is about the potty. My son doesn't like to poop, a bout with constipation has traumatized him and he believes that it will hurt every time. So, he only goes once a week. I've tried everything to try and change this but no haps. So, once a week it is. But dropping a week's worth of food in the potty fills it up. Every. Single. Time. When the deed is done the requisite cheering commences but it is the aftermath that has convinced me that the inventor of the potty was a sadist.

Because what goes in the potty must go out. And I am the cleaner of that particular pot. Not a great job. Emptying, cleaning and disinfecting the potty is high on my list of things that I absolutely abhor. I wonder what other people do? Do you add water before use of the potty to make cleaning easier? I need help. Although this form of torture only takes place once a week that is too often for me.

The inventor of the potty. The parental device of torture. Who is that masked (I'm sure) man? And yes, I am convinced it is a man because most often moms are the cleaners of the potty.

Shamed Into Cleaning -Laughter for Anissa

For Anissa - the genius behind Aiming Low, Hope 4 Peyton and Free Anissa. She really is a superstar that aims quite high and

taught me that laughter is the best medicine.

Today I had to admit to myself my terrible aiming low tendencies. I am not a Type-A mom, although I am friends with many and often go to them for tips and pointers. No, I am more like a Type D mom. My son is well taken care of, has clean clothes and is fed. The "common" areas of my home are clean. But my bedroom and office area? They leave much to be desired. And today, the proverbial chicken came home to roost.

After over a month I finally decided to call my home warranty company about the broken downstairs toilet (yeah, I paid for the service but in my ultimate wisdom failed to call and use it). For a nominal fee of $50.00 the plumber was schedule to come out and fix the toilet. No problem. Common areas clean, kitchen clean, no obvious sources for embarrassment - in sight. As he is looking at the toilet he asks about the other bathrooms and if there are problems.

Hmm, last night I was considering the same thing myself. All of the toilets are notoriously difficult to flush and since he was making a visit it only made sense for him to check out the other bathrooms. Right? I was on board for him checking Mekhi's bathroom because, say it with me, "common area." I was NOT prepared for him to walk through my bedroom/ office and bathroom.

Of course he asked to see that one too - no need for multiple trips out and expended unnecessary money, right? So I said - hold on a minute. Prior to answering the door and giving him entry into the house I'd strategically closed my bedroom door to prepare for the possibility of him looking at Mekhi's bathroom. So, I quickly scurried into the room - pulled the door shut behind me and proceeded to throw the clean clothes (that had mysteriously fallen off of the bed to the floor) under the bed. I tried to pull the comforter down to hide the evidence but the bed was cluttered and it really didn't make much of a difference because clothes still peeked from beneath the bed. I took one of the myriad reusable bags in my room (that I keep meaning to put downstairs or in the car for use while shopping) and stuffed it with a few pair of jeans - at least they'd be out of the way. I quickly realized that I was fighting a losing battle.

More clothes were strewn on the floor, erupting from my unpacked suitcase from last week's trip to California. A dirty clothes pile was waiting in the middle of the floor waiting to be washed. The papers in my office look like they were tossed into the air and allowed to fall wherever. And stayed there. Because in reality that is pretty much what happens when you give a toddler free range of the house. Oh and let me not forget the corner filled with a cornucopia of gift bags,novelties and knick knacks from the conferences that I've been to attending spanning back to July of this year.

Yeah.

I declared the place a disaster and let him in because who was I kidding? There was no hope in sight for a bedroom/office that looked remotely in order. After looking at my toilet (and not mentioning the proverbial elephant in the room) the plumber left to go purchase some parts. Not knowing how long his trip would take and hoping to regain some of my dignity, I started cleaning like crazy. The pile of folded clothes on my side table? Placed in the closet. The dirty clothes? Back in the hamper. The large boxes in my office from deliveries (have you wondered why I am doing so many giveaways? Trying to clean house, yo!) out of the office and into the garage. While downstairs I scooped up some trash bags and commenced to cleaning and rearranging. One hour went by, and like the very hunger caterpillar that was "still hungry" - I was still cleaning. Another half hour - still cleaning. And then a call - the plumber let me know that after traveling to two stores he was still looking - and still about a half hour away.

I continued cleaning.

Finally, after two hours the doorbell rang. With parts in hand he marched himself directly into my bedroom and stated "I see you've been cleaning!" All I could do was laugh. I explained that he "shamed me into cleaning" and I was going to blog about it. We both had a great laugh and I shared stories of my blogging adventures, gave him recommendations for a graphic designer and web designer and chatted with him for the duration of his time spent fixing the toilets.

He has been gone an hour now. And you've guessed it. I am STILL cleaning. Actually, I am lying, I am typing this blog post with Hope for Anissa. I hope this makes you laugh my friend. And now I have to run because there really is more cleaning to be done!

Yesterday Anissa suffered a massive stroke and is in the ICU. This is her second. She is married and the mother of three young children. Everyone that knows her, loves her. She has a zest for life and crazy funny sense of humor. Please say prayers for her family and if you are so inclined, sign up here to help the family.

Merry Madagascar Giveaway

Giveaway Closed
Congratulations to MiVida! Comment number 40 - you have 48 hours to respond to your notification email.

My son loves to "move it, move it" do you get the reference? No? Madagascar. He loves the music, the dancing and of course the animals. We have seen both movies and tonight NBC is premiering Merry Madagascar - the crew is trying to get home for Christmas. Thanks to Walmart, Mekhi and I were able to preview the show and we were throughly entertained. The thirty minutes was just long enough to keep his attention and without giving anything away, we had a chance to "move it!"

If you are unable to see the show tonight, for the first time Dreamworks is partnering with Walmart to have it available for purchase at the store. Not only will the DVD be available but there will be plush toys and other items with the Merry Madagascar theme available. Even though it seems early, it is just in time for Christmas. And funny enough, even though it seems like Christmas gets closer and closer to Halloween each year, watching Merry Madagascar put me into the holiday mood!

GIVEAWAY!

One lucky reader will win a Merry Madagascar Kit for a family night at your home. The Prize pack will be similar to the one above (plush toys may be different) and include a $25.00 Walmart giftcard. All you have to do is tell me your favorite character from Madagascar.

Contest is open until November 20th at 4 pm E.S.T. Please ensure I have an email address for you if you are not on Blogger. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email, if I don't receive a response a new winner will be chosen.

Good Luck!

Disclosure: The Merry Madagascar DVD and gift pack were provided to me for free by Walmart and Dreamworks.

Pre-K Thanksgiving aka Toddler Torture

Today parents were invited to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal in the classroom with their children at my son's daycare/pre-k. In theory this sounds like a great idea but in practice, not so much. The problems began as soon as Dad and I arrived at Mekhi's classroom. We were escorted to the kitchen to pick up our "meals" and Mekhi wanted to tag along because "parents, at school" no brainer. There was a delay with the meals and one of Mekhi's teachers took him back to the classroom while we waited and the water works commenced.

When we returned to the classroom about five minutes later, not only was Mekhi crying but another child whose mother was in the classroom was also crying. There was a general state of disorder and the children sadly were "wandering" and in doing so bringing to life their aptly named classroom -"wandering toddlers." The children finally lined up to wash their hands and sit down to eat. Meanwhile, Mekhi is still crying, despite the presence of both of his parents in the room. When he finally sat down next to me he didn't touch any of the food on his plate but he did manage to commender the roll from my plate of food. Of course, the roll was the only thing that I was going to eat but hey, that is the price of motherhood.

A little girl sitting next to Mekhi (I'll call her Mona) was not very interested in eating either. I think that her loss of appetite had more to do with being alone than anything else. Of the 7 or 8 children in the room, Mona was the only one without visitors. For the entire luncheon her lip was low to the ground and although we tried to talk to her and encourage her to eat she was completely disinterested.

After lunch it was nap time and subsequently departure time for the parental units. I am sure you can see where this is headed - water works again. I was torn between wanted to bring Mekhi home with us and wanting him to stay, nap and play outside with his friends. Dad just left in a huff. When we got outside he said "this is the worst idea ever" and has decided never to participate in a luncheon again.

I have to say I agree with him. Between the joy of seeing parents that quickly turns into disappointment when the parents depart, to the lone child without parents participating and the tears, a luncheon with toddlers is not a good idea. Perhaps an afternoon soiree would be better on a day when all parents can participate and we can take the children home. Otherwise this tortures all parties involved in one way or another.

I think I will provide feedback to the school about this particular event. I am sure it won't change anything but sometimes hearing a different perspective is helpful for future planning. What do you think? Was this toddler torture or a good idea?

Sunday Dinner

I've been lamenting my lack of cooking for months now. I will occasionally cook but it is not a regular occurrence in my household. This is not good for my pocket or my diet for that matter so I need to remedy this and fast. I've cooked two days in a row so perhaps I can keep up with cooking but I really need to get on meal planning, until I do that cooking around here will be haphazard at best. In any event, I want to share with you a simple recipe that is both quick and delicious. If you are a lover of shrimp this is right up your alley. I present you with a Southern classic - Shrimp and Grits!

This recipe was so easy, the most difficult thing to do was chop green onions. Seriously. I think the total cooking time was ten minutes from start to finish. There are several shortcuts in this recipe, I used quick cooking grits - the recipe called for cooking them in the microwave. I'm not sure why, it would have been just as easy to cook them on the stove but I followed the directions and cooked them for eight minutes, stirring half-way through. In the meantime I cooked veggie bacon in the pan for 4 minutes, broken up into bite sized pieces. This is my alteration of the recipe since we don't eat bacon in my household. I next added a cup of soy milk(with a teaspoon of flour for thickening)- another alteration - the recipe calls for heavy whipping cream but we are lactose intolerant and soy milk worked well. To that I added the frozen gumbo veggies, a teaspoon of creole seasoning, and a can of tomato seasoned with hot chilies. Finally, I added 12 ounces of shrimp.

After cooking for about 4 minutes, here is the final product, served over grits and topped with thinly chopped green onions. This was my first time making the recipe and it is so easy and delicious that I can see it being a regular addition to the menu around here. The one caveat is that my husband does not like okra so I may have to do another substitution for the gumbo veggies next time, but that is no biggie. For the full recipe click here. This is one of Publix's Simple Meals that they cook in the grocery store and have all of the ingredients on hand in the refrigerator next to the demonstration area. I've found that Publix has the best quick recipes and whenever I wander into the store I hope they are cooking something I can eat because it always answers the question "What's for dinner?" for me.

Try this recipe and let me know if your family likes it as much as I did!

BookSwim - Netflix for Books Giveaway!

I am an avid reader. Let me rephrase that, a voracious reader. I can read a book a day if I have the time and resources to do so. When I was a child I looked forward to Scholastic book order day. Remember that? We'd get those brochures filled with a large selection of books and order our choice and wait a few weeks for delivery. Without fail I would have the largest order in my class and loved carrying home my armful of books.

As an adult I don't purchase as many books as I'd like to. I'd go broke trying to keep up with my reading if I purchased every book that I want to read. You might think that the library is the solution to my dilemma but I have a terrible habit of keeping books out past the due date and those fines accumulate quickly. This is why when I was contacted to try out BookSwim I was elated!

BookSwim is a Netflix for books. For a monthly fee you sign up and choose books that you'd like to read for your queue. The books are sent to you by mail and you can keep them as long as you like - return postage is provided for you. The basic membership is $23.95 for 3 books at a time. At the moment there is a special and the first month is $9.95. I have a code for all of my readers for $10.00 off the membership so your first month is Free! Use Cutiebootycakes10 to get this discount.

I received my first shipment today. From the time I started my queue to delivery it took about 8 days. If you need your books sooner you can pay for expedited shipping. Once I am finished with two of my three books I will activate my return label and ship them back. I didn't receive an envelope with my shipment but I have more than enough empty containers to send my books back in. I can order a mailer but I don't need to, it will just be quicker for me to use my own envelope. I am very happy with the selection of books and if a book that I want to read is not available I can request it. Once enough people request the book, it will be added to the inventory.

Giveaway

IF Netflix for books sounds good to you I have been given a 3 month subscription to giveaway!

All you have to do is tell me your favorite book and the number of books you read a month. That is it!

This contest will run until 9:00pm EST Friday, November 20, 2009. The winner will be chosen randomly and will be sent the subscription code by email, so be sure to provide me with your email address if you are not on Blogger.

Good Luck!

Disclosure: I received a three month subscription to BookSwim for this review and hosting the giveaway.

Congratulations to Dr. Rhonda! The winner of this giveaway.

Holiday Shopping!

GIVEAWAY ClOSED - Congratulations to Stroke of Living and Fidget!

I am by no means an early holiday shopper. You'll never catch me in line for Black Friday specials, fighting for markdowns and waking up at the crack of dawn is not my idea of fun. You are more likely to find me doing my shopping online (usually at the last minute) and I have to say I find this stress free. This year is different. I was contacted by Borders and asked if I'd like a $100 giftcard to shop in their new Toy & Games section for my son. Borders is one of my favorite booksellers - I am actually a member of their rewards club and buy many of the books for my family there. So, this was a no brainer for me. I wanted to see what Borders had to offer in their expanded Toy & Game section and I was more than happy with the selection. The toys and games they carry are geared toward learning which is requisite for all the toys I purchase for my son.

When I entered the store I was immediately asked if I needed help by the store manager Jeremiah! I let him know that I was there to pick up my giftcard and shop. He gave me my card and I started shopping. As I was perusing the selection, at two different times I was assisted by very friendly staff members. Overall, I really enjoyed my shopping experience and going in early before the crowds was a bonus (I might stop my procrastinating ways and shop early for the holidays in the future)!

Borders selection includes some of my favorite toy brands including Doug and Melissa which was on sale - buy one get half off. Now that is a bargain! The other toys were buy 2 get one free which helped stretch my dollars even further. Finally, I had to add books/games to the mix and I shopped on the bargain table, buy 3 get 1 free. Here is what I was able to purchase with the $100 giftcard.

Melissa and Doug Basic Skills Board - $19.99

Melissa and Doug toy Stacking Train - $8.49 (50% off price)

Craft Paper Bag Puppets - $12.00

Splash Art - $17.99

Tall Stacker Pegs and Peg Board - $0 (buy 2 get 1 free)

Green Eggs and Ham Sticker Book - $3.99

My Pets Book - 0 (buy 2 get 1 free)

Dinosaurs Carousel Book - $4.99

Lift Flap Animals Book - $2.99

Animal Picture Dictionary 1st Encylopedia - $0 (buy 2 get 1 free)

Dinosaur Book and Blocks - $7.99

Smart Kids Dino IQ - $14.99

total savings: $38.47!

My son is a big fan of dinosaurs so of course several of the books had a dinosaur theme. At the end of the shopping spree I spent $99.00 - yes, I am that good! At my Borders they are doing a community service project, you can buy a bag of coffee for $9.95 and donate it to the troops. As a member of the rewards club I had $5.00 that I could add to my purchase and with that and an additional $5.00 from my pocket I was able to participate in the service project. And on top of all that? I was able to get a free drink from the coffee shop!

I have always admired Borders for their service projects and was happy to participate. If you have a child(ren) to shop for this holiday season, I think you will enjoy the selection at Borders. Need an incentive? Well, Borders provided me with the opportunity to share the wealth with you!

Giveaway

I have two $100.00 Borders Giftcards to give to my readers!

I am so glad to be able to spread some holiday cheer. All you have to do is visit Borders and check out their toy and game selection. Come back and leave a comment telling me a game or toy you played with growing up and why it would be a good choice for kids today.

That is it! Nice and easy- visit Borders and come back here and leave a comment! Good Luck!

This contest is open until Friday, November 27th at 9pm EST. I will contact the winners by email, please be sure to leave an email address if you are not on blogger. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to winner notification. After that I will choose a new winner.

* Disclosure - I received a $100.00 Borders giftcard to conduct this review and giveaway.