24 Hour Giveaway Announcement

Please go check out my 24 hour giveaway on my review blog. There's opportunity to enter 123 different giveaways that range from jewelry to books to giftcards. Great stuff!!

It's time to come clean

I read a LOT of blogs out there, but among my favorites is one written by Happy Hour Sue. This week, Sue talked about her affinity for Facebook (a site that I waste entirely too much time on) and the fact that she's the member of a group called "Things I'm Embarrassed to Admit I Like." Which got me thinking.

And so I present you with Things I'm Embarrassed to Admit I Like.

Hoarders on A&E

16 and Pregnant

My incredibly ugly black Crocs

Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood

Robert Pattinson (in any role)

Pajama Jeans (however, I haven't ordered any yet)

ABBA

Dog the Bounty Hunter

Smitty from Imagination Movers (for all the wrong reasons)

Judge Judy

Reruns of Beverly Hills 90210, Gilmore Girls, & worst of all The Golden Girls

Farmville on Facebook

The Millionaire Matchmaker

The Real Housewives of New York, the OC & New Jersey

Rap Music

The Girls Next Door

Perez Hilton

Ok, I feel better now. What are you embarrassed to admit liking?

I promise, no judgement here.

Meet the Queen

I am so happy to announce that a project I've been working hard to realize has finally become a reality! Today, I'm pleased to announce the launch of Queen of the Castle Reviews.

This new site is going to be my forum for honest product & service reviews and will also have a money saver/couponing component to it eventually.

I'm kicking things off with a giveaway over at my new site. If you are interested in a $25 Amazon.com shopping spree, head over to Queen of the Castle Reviews to find out how to enter. And thanks for helping me launch this new site!

Table Topics Tuesday: Shop til You Drop

This week's topic is:

if you could win unlimited shopping from one store,
which one would it be?

Well, if we consider online merchants as well, then it would be Amazon, hands down! I mean, what can't you buy on there?! And speaking of Amazon, I have very exciting news about a giveaway that is coming up within a week. The giftcard is already in my hands, I'm just waiting on the last few details to materialize. Yay!!

Back to our question. If we're talking about actual store fronts, then it would be Target, hands down! Again, you can get just about anything there and I big puffy heart that place.

So, where would you do your shopping spree? Click over to Shannon's to link up your entry!

Table Topics Tuesday: A Meal Fit for a Queen

This week, my best bud Shannon has a very appropriate topic for me:

if you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life,
what would it be?

I didn't have to think about this one too hard, which is a bit surprising because I have several favorites on my list. However, I also am a creature of habit and find myself eating the same things over and over again. So, here's my answer.

My beverage for the meal would be a steaming pot of PG Tips Black Tea. Lots of sugar, no cream. (anyone care to guess where this tea hails from? anyone? Bueller?)

The appetizer would be a lovely bowl of Baked Potato Soup from Panera Bread. I've had this kind of soup in many restaurants and no one else does it better, in my opinion.

The main course would be Baked Breaded Chicken, Au Gratin Potatoes, Cottage Cheese & Yeast Rolls.

The dessert would be Angel Food Cake with Mayfield Chocolate Marshmellow Ice Cream on the side.

Thud.

Sorry, carb overload.

So, what would you meal consist of? If you would like to play along, head over to Shannon's to link up your entry!

Caffeine is the devil

When I was a younger chick, I used to worry about the lasting effects of alcohol consumption on my mind & body functions.

My, how times have changed.

Now, apparently I need to worry considerably about how much iced tea I drink with dinner.

3 glasses of tea = Wired until 4am

Good news: I came up with a brilliant idea for the theme of my review blog and worked out 90% of the details for the designer.

Bad news: Spirit Airlines would charge me for the baggage I'm carrying under my eyes this morning.

Hope you day is full of far fewer yawns than mine!

Table Topics Tuesday: Dumb da-dum dumb

My best bud, Shannon, hosts this every week. The topic for today is "What's the dumbest argument that you've ever had?"

I had a really hard time with this one. Not because I think that all of my arguments have been merit worthy, but I guess because I've managed to let go of the really dumb ones. (either that or I've simply blocked them out due to sheer embarrassment) So let's see if I can come up with at least one. Oh yes, here we go.

The dumbest argument that I've ever had is one that I have no idea what it was about. However, it's my most memorable one because of what it cost me. It ruined a friendship that I had with someone whom I love dearly and ended up fracturing several other friendships as collateral damage.

While I'm sad that I missed out on many years of friendship and major life events with this friend, I'm so thankful that we've found each other again and it's as if we picked up right where we left off.

Maybe time does heal all wounds. One thing that I know for sure is that a true friend is someone who knows everything about you (good AND bad) and loves you anyway. While we certainly can't make up for lost time, we are definitely not missing out on any more time!

So, what's your dumbest argument? Head over to Shannon's to link up your story!

Happy Birthday, My Baby

My sweet baby girl.

Four years ago today, you fluttered into my life with the grace of a butterfly.

During your first year, your spunky personality began to show itself.

As your second year came to a close, your love of polka dots became apparent.

At the end of your third year, your cautious independence was very real.

And now as you have reached your 4th birthday, you have become a little girl almost overnight.

I am so lucky and proud to be your Mommy and count each day as a blessing that I get to watch you grow up into this amazing little person.

Happy Birthday to my baby! No matter how old you are, you will always be my baby.

Love,
Mommy

101 Goals in 1,001 Days

I am a "list" girl. I make lists for everything. From organizational lists for the house, budgeting lists, grocery lists, holiday lists and anything in between. If there is a list to be made, I'm your woman.

My blogging friend, Julia, recently posted a list based on a website called Day Zero. The idea of list making and goal setting isn't new, but I like the premise of this particular site. The object here is to come up with 101 goals that you plan to complete over the next 1,001 days. That's about 2.75 years, which for some of us, still isn't enough time to complete tasks, but we'll give it our best effort. I really feel like this is going to be plenty of time to tackle my list!

And because I want to chronicle this journey, you all will get to see my list and maybe even be inspired to create a list of your own! (And if you do, please let me know so I can mark #67 off my list. Thanks!)

I'm working on a blog redesign which will eventually incorporate this project into my front page, but until then, I'll be doing periodic posts to update my progress. Thanks for joining me on this journey!

Home Improvement Goals

1.Decorate my house

2.Clean desk

3. Keep desk organized for 3 months

4. Finish remodeling the kids bathroom

5. Change the living room paint colors & window treatments

6. Get a window treatment for the kitchen window

7. Create a manageable house cleaning schedule

8. Have fresh flowers on the kitchen table every week for a month

9. Decorate inside & out for Christmas

Hobby Goals

10.Enter a photography contest

11.Make a quilt

12.Read 100 books

13.Go to a book signing

14.Read all of the Harry Potter books

15.Join a book club

16. Learn to knit or crochet

17. Knit or crochet a blanket

18. Craft with friends at least once a month

19. Finish my Wreck This Journal

20. Learn how to use my sewing machine

21. Sew a dress for each of my children

22. Learn a new language

23.Finish the cross stitch piece I started for my wedding

24.Enroll in a pottery class

25.Print my blog in book form

26.Enroll in a cake decorating class

27.Take a photography class & learn to use my camera

28.Blog twice a week

29.Cross stitch the Rainbow Bridge poem

30.Finish a heritage scrapbook for my mom

31.Finish a heritage scrapbook for my dad

Health & Exercise Goals

32.Get a massage

33.Stop biting my fingernails

34.Take a cooking class

35.Start a skincare routine

36.Exercise 5 days a week for a month

37.Run a 5k

38.Treat myself to a massage after losing 30 lbs total

39.Treat myself to a massage after losing 60 lbs total

40.Enjoy a new wardrobe after meeting my weight loss goal

41.Donate all of my old clothes after meeting my weight loss goal

42.Get down to 120 lbs

43.Maintain my goal weight of 120 lbs for at least 3 months

44.Go on a horseback ride that involves galloping

45. Take my dog to the dog park once a week

46. Take my dog on a walk twice a week

47. Play in a disc golf tournament

48. Go 7 days without eating junk food snacks

49. Eat 5 things that I’ve never tried before

Outdoors Goals

50. Go camping

51. Grow an herb garden

52. Start a compost pile in the backyard

53. Landscape my front yard

54. Build a flower box & plants flowers in it

Personal Goals

55.Get a tattoo

56.Get a professional bra fitting

57.Get my passport

58. Volunteer at an animal shelter

59. Become a published author

60. Throw a dinner party

61. Watch Gone with the Wind

62. See Josh Groban in concert

63. Start a review blog

64. Take singing lessons

65. Move to a bigger house

66. Finish my will

67. Inspire someone else to make their own list

68. Learn to drive a stick shift

69.Go whale watching

70.Ride in a limo

71. Go to see 2 concerts

72. Volunteer in my community

73. Stay organized for 3 months

74. Watch a movie at a drive-in theater

75. Buy a pair of boots

76. Learn to wear/walk in heels

77. Buy a watch and actually wear it

78. Go to Disney World with my hubby & kids

79. Get the interview with my grandparents converted to DVD

80. Book a trip to London

81. Assist in growing our Kindermusik program by 100%

82. Apply to be on the Amazing Race

83.Play my own lottery numbers

84.Buy a ticket for a dream home giveaway

85.Sing karoke at a bar/club

86. Use my bread maker

87. Send my grandma a card once a week

88. Be debt free (except for the house)

89. Apply for membership with the D.A.R. (Daughters of the American Revolution)

90. Own a minivan

91. Dye a blue streak in my hair

92. Go 3 days without getting online

93. Go an entire day without watching tv

94. Have a professional photo shoot done of just me

95. Buy myself a Dooney & Bourke purse

96. Go on a horse drawn carriage ride with my family

97.Play miniature golf

98.Take dinner to a friend

99.Give a compliment to a complete stranger

100.Save all of my coin change for 3 months & deposit it into my girls' savings accounts

101.Write a new list of 101 things in 1001 days at the end of this project

And now a message from our author

Hi folks! I'm seriously stunned that it's been 6 weeks since I've posted anything. That old line about how "Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans" couldn't be more true.

No matter how many times I promised myself (and others) that I was going to post something "tomorrow", it just never happened. I've been busy with lots of things going on in my life and my kids lives as well as wasting a LOT of time playing stupid Farmville on Facebook. Facebook is wonderful and evil all at the same time.

Anyhow, I have a renewed resolve in getting back on track with my blogging and communication with my friends & family. And that project will be announced in my very next blog entry which should be posted here within the hour. Thanks for hanging in here with me y'all!

Happy Easter!