Do we have any Johnny Depp fans out there? I know loads of you are out there drooling at the thought of this piece of man-candy. (At least that's how I always hear him referred to in certain social circles!) Well just in time for Halloween, I have an awesome giveaway for you!

From the incredible mind of Tim Burton comes the hit film Dark Shadows, based on the classic television series!  Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) has been trapped for two centuries by an evil witch (Eva Green) who just happens to be an ex lover.  Barnabas now has to struggle with the ever changing 1970s and save his families business!  With an all star cast that includes Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jonny Lee Miller and more, Dark Shadows will be sure to whet your appetite for fun.

True story: (And it's a bit embarrassing, so I can't believe I am telling it!) When I was a small child about a zillion years ago, according to my 12 year old, I loved Sesame Street. A lot. My favorite character was Bert. You know, the tall, awkward, slightly nerdy pal of Ernie's.

There was one episode that showed Bert and Ernie getting ready for bed, but for some reason, Ernie wasn't tired and wanted to party with some sheep and his bugle. Well, all was fine and dandy until the evil sheep carried Bert away into the night. While this wouldn't be frightening now as an adult, it scared the living daylights out of me when I was a toddler. I remember hiding in the corner with my blankies and crying because I thought Bert was being murdered by the "Boogie Woogie Sheep". It probably didn't help that my Mom played along with this because it was amusing.

You may recall a little while ago I introduced you to the great new story books from My1story. These books aren't your typical fairy tales for one very important reason. Unlike most classic children's tales that have potentially scary plots, My1story books always have a happy ending. There are no giants eating mischievous little boys, and the Big Bad Wolf is replaced with a friendly, fun-loving wolf cub! That's right! These books give all of those classic children's stories a twist to ensure that little ones don't get frightened. They're even beautifully illustrated by a former Disney animator and have fun, friendly characters that the kids are sure to love.

As many of you know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Thankfully, I don't know anyone who has suffered from this horrible disease. But by the end of my lifetime, I am sure I will....Breast Cancer affects so many women (and even a few men!) so all of us are bound to be touched by this disease at some point. I sincerely admire all of the fighters out there who battle this disease, and I keep praying that through awareness and research, a cure will be found. No one's mother, daughter, sister, or friend should have to suffer.

That's why I was so inspired when I learned about hellomellow's partnership with Boarding 4 Breast Cancer. hellomellow is an awesome line of natural body care products created by Tracy Feldstein, a massage therapist and healer. Tracy started hand-crafting her own line of products made of the finest all natural ingredients, and nothing else – no fillers, no preservatives, nothing but ooey-gooey, yummy, creamy, soft, soothing, sweet-smelling, healing, and moisturizing stuff.

Here is more info about hellomellow's commitment to helping those battling Breast Cancer:
We are so excited to announce our partnership with Boarding 4 Breast Cancer. 5% of your purchase of all items in our balance blend will be donated to the B4BC Survivorship Fund. established in 2009, the B4BC Survivorship Fund connects breast cancer survivors with nature-based health & wellness retreats in order to enhance their path of healing and long-term survivorship.

the need: there are over 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. and that number continues to grow. research has shown that leading a healthy, active lifestyle significantly reduces the chances of recurrence of breast cancer.

to date: since 2009, B4BC has connected 14 survivors to retreats including "Retreat Yourself," hosted by The North Face athlete and B4BC Ambassador Megan Pischke. hellomellow is now very proud to be the chosen product line to support this wonderful cause and these beautiful women.

how we make it mellow: cancer, put simply, is why hellomellow exists. the realization that what goes on your body goes in your body is why I created my natural body butters and balms in the first place: I wanted to treat my clients with only the healthiest, purest, most physically and spiritually healing products I could. I certainly didn’t want people I care about exposed to ingredients that could ultimately do them harm. I have been sharing my products with clients and loved ones to help support them through their treatments for years. designed to nourish the body and the soul, hellomellow products are all natural with nothing the body needs to do extra work to filter out, only dense high quality nourishment to help soothe dry itchy skin that can become a side effect as a result from medication, chemotherapy, radiation and the worst culprit...stress.

Want to help support this wonderful cause? Simply click the banner below and start shopping for those balance products. You'll get some sinfully luxurious products, and you'll be helping support women who have been affected by Breast Cancer! It just doesn't get any better than that! 

Since moving into our new home in Ohio, I am always on the lookout for attractive home decor products that are unique, beautiful, and eco-friendly. Sounds like a tough request, doesn't it? Sure, there are tons of gorgeous options out there in the home decor market, but how many are truly kind to the environment? I can't think of too many off the top of my head.

So naturally, I was delighted when I discovered Ten Fingers 4 Paws. As the proud mama of 3 kids and 3 fur-babies, this online boutique is right up my alley! They offer a wide variety of eco-friendly products for kids, pets, and for the home, all in one place! How cool is that?!

Here's a little more about Ten Fingers 4 Paws from their website:

Ten Fingers 4 Paws is a vision that my wife had just after the birth of our daughter over two and a half years ago. She always said wouldn't it be great, and simplify the lives of busy families, if there was just one place online that we could buy all of our eco-friendly, organic and sustainable products for our children and our furry family members with ease of access.

She held onto this idea and thus the birth of TenFingers4Paws.com. Of course there are so many wonderful companies and products available and someday we hope to be able to showcase each and every one. In the meantime we are committed to bringing to you the best and most well researched eco-friendly, organic and natural living products for your babies, toddlers, dogs and cats. Rest assured, we have personally tested, used in our home and fallen in love with each product on our site. We look forward to hearing from you and we're available to answer any of your questions, share advice and introduce you to the wonders of green living!

Here in the North-Eastern Ohio area, the weather is really starting to get chilly! Okay...Maybe I am just not used to it after spending so many years in Virginia. It will definitely take some getting used to, but I love the fact that you can really feel the seasons change here. Ahh, it's so nice to be home again! (Even if it does mean I have to bundle up when my neighbors are still wearing shorts!)

We love spending time outdoors, especially in the evenings. It's a great way to connect with family and friends and create lasting memories and traditions. Whether it be having cookouts or picnics, playing sports, or even just relaxing on the deck with a couple drinks and good company, we look forward to spending a lot of time in our back yard.

One thing I really love doing is building a roaring fire, telling spooky stories, and roasting marshmallows over the flames. I have always longed to have a fire pit to do exactly this. Luckily, I didn't have to search too far to find the perfect fire pit! As a matter of fact, the folks at Ohio Flame are right here in my neck of the woods!

"The Patriot" Fire Pit by Ohio Flame combines sleek and modern styling with tough American quality and durability.  With no parts to break or wear out over time,  this Fire Pit is built to last a lifetime. "The Patriot" is crafted from 3/16" thick high carbon American steel sourced from local steel mills.   No maintenance is required for this Fire Pit, as it's designed to withstand the elements year-round.  "The Patriot" features a 3/8" Rain Drain to allow for water drainagee. The "Natural Steel Finish", will develop a natural iron oxide patina and gradually darken over time.  100% Made in America and crafted by a local artisan.

My daughter Sophie will be 3 on New Year's Eve. Even at such a young age, she knows she is a Princess. She makes sure to tell us this every single day.  Perhaps that's because her Daddy has been wrapped around her finger since the day she was born. Yep, she's a little spoiled...But isn't that what Daddies are for?

Sophie loves to play dress-up and loves anything sparkly, frilly, or pink. After all, she is a girly-girl and isn't afraid to show it. She adores tutus, pettiskirts, and of course, dresses. She'd wear them all the time if we let her! Sophie has quite a few fun outfits, but none seem to delight her as much as the Sequin Dress with Tulle & Rosettes from My Princess Academy by Almar.

Who is  Almar? Almar specializes in designing, manufacturing and distributing Fashion Hair Accessories, Costume Jewelry, Cosmetics, Children's Toys and Novelty Items. Almar's product line offers something for every age group and will excite customers while offering the latest in fashion, basic and value merchandise.All of their products are well-made, creative, and super-affordable.

The folks at Almar also give back to the community through charitable giving. I don't know about you, but I love seeing companies help others. Since 1965, Almar has committed at least 10% of its annual profits to community giving. Almar's philanthropic initiatives are dedicated to improving people's lives throughout the world. The Jack H. Ashkenazie Foundation was created in 2001 and named after their founder. The foundation actively donates to schools, hospitals, homeless shelters, food pantries, toy drives and hundreds of other charitable organizations. In 2011, the campaign was expanded to include donating to every children's hospital in the United States.

These donations are part of this 45-year-old, family-owned company's ongoing commitment to give back, every day of every year. Their hope is that their generous contributions can help make a difference in people's lives and put smiles on people's faces. Whether it's giving to a sick child, helping a needy family or contributing to cure diseases, Almar is constantly giving. As a consumer and a parent, this is something I can feel good about!

Not only is Almar a very giving company, their merchandise is absolutely adorable. Their expert designers pay close attention to detail, so everything is made from high quality materials like tulle, sequins, and more. I spent quite some time browsing their site and I fell head over heels in love with so many of their designs. Here are a few of my top picks:

One of the things I love about living back in NE Ohio is that you really feel the seasons change. Summer heat dissipates and the autumn rushes in, bringing beautiful weather. During the day, the temperature is warm and there's often a cool breeze. This is perfect for outdoor rest and relaxation. I love sitting outside with a good book and a nice glass of wine in the early evenings. Ahhh...What a way to end the day!

Now that we're finally in a home of our own, I have been on the lookout for ways to make our deck and yard an extension of our living space. I have been planning our gardens, drooling over some gorgeous outdoor wicker furniture, and planning for an outdoor brick oven. (If you haven't tried brick oven pizza with fresh basil and tomatoes, you don't know what you're missing!)  Hopefully by next summer, we will have transformed our sad, overgrown yard into an outdoor oasis.

In the meantime, I have a great place to sit and daydream about the yard of my dreams...In my Vivere Universal Double Hammock with Universal Stand from the awesome folks at Wicker Central! In case you're not familiar with this great online store, let me tell you a bit about them. Wicker Central is part of the StrataShops family and carries everything you need to take your outdoor space from drab to fab. They offer great dining and conversation sets, outdoor lighting, and even great accessories like fire pits and garden sculptures! Wicker Central is a wonderful choice for all of my Canadian friends since they ship to Canada, too! Oh, I should also mention that shipping is free and there's no sales tax, either! Add to that their fantastic customer service and best price guarantee, and you've got the premier shopping experience.

Here are some of my top picks from Wicker Central:

Just in case you haven't heard, a new Wreck-It Ralph trailer is now available from Walt Disney! This movie looks like so much fun, and one that both my 12 year old and my toddlers will enjoy...Let's face it: That doesn't happen too often!

From Walt Disney Animation Studios and Emmy®-winning director Rich Moore comes “Wreck-It Ralph,” a hilarious, arcade-game-hopping adventure. For decades, Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) has been overshadowed by Fix-It Felix, Jr. (voice of Jack McBrayer), the good-guy star of their game who always gets to save the day. Tired of playing the role of a bad guy, Ralph takes matters into his own massive hands and sets off on a journey across the arcade through multiple generations of video games to prove he’s got what it takes to be a hero.

On his quest, Ralph meets tough-as-nails Sergeant Calhoun (voice of Jane Lynch) from the first-person action game Hero’s Duty, and feisty misfit Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Sarah Silverman) from the candy-coated cart racing game, Sugar Rush, who may just be his first real friend. But everything changes when a deadly enemy is unleashed, threatening the entire arcade and Vanellope herself. Ralph finally gets his chance to save the day—but can he do it in time? “Wreck-It Ralph” crashes onto the big screen on November 2, 2012, in Disney Digital 3D™ in select theaters.


"Like" WRECK-IT RALPH on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WreckItRalph

"Follow" WRECK-IT Ralph on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wreckitralph

Wreck-It Ralph smashes into theaters everywhere on November 2nd!

One of my biggest guilty pleasures is candles. Not just any candle, mind you...They have to smell good. This is an absolute must in my humble opinion. My all-time favorite scents are those that smell like food. I adore fruity scents like apple cinnamon or honeydew melon, and I also love candles that smell like baked goods. One of my all-time faves is a buttercream scent that makes the house smell like I've been baking all day long. Of course my husband hates coming home to such a mouth-watering aroma just to find that there are no goodies to be eaten.

I am a firm believer that one can never have too many candles. I burn them all the time! One of my favorite candle discoveries is Goose Creek Candle Co. Haven't heard of them before? Well, I'd love to help you get better acquainted! Here's some info about the company, taken from their website:

Wow, what a week! My beautiful sister-in-law Cindy and her hubby just moved here to Ohio from Texas, and they're staying with us temporarily until they find a place of their own. It's been awesome seeing them and getting to spend time with them! So needless to say, we have a very full house and I have not been nearly as productive as usual this week. I did have a few minutes to draw some lucky winners though!

I have contacted all winners by e-mail and they have 48 hours to claim their prizes. Thanks so much to everyone who entered and please check back often for more great giveaways!

Here are my lucky winners:

Kidz Bop Halloween Hits:
Ed Nemmers
Tony S.
Sarah Y.
Diggin' Active:
Karen P.
Alexa's Angels:
Alicia P.
10,000 Fan Giveaway:
Kelly
Chuggington:
Janet W.
Funny Face:
Cindy M.
Jackie V.
Deb W.
Torillas to the Rescue:
Jennifer M.
Jenny S.
Jessica B.
On-In Beauty:
Stefanie H.
Carolyn C.
Re Morgan
Home Sweet Home:
Linda
NeoCell:
Carol G.
Pillsbury:
Marti P.
evgieNev:
Nadene A.