![]() As you all know, we love our fur-babies. We have 3 dogs, and they bring so much joy to our lives! We have Bear, an adorable, fluffy Shih-Tzu who you see snuggling with a sleeping Xander to the left. We've also got a Yorkie named Trouble and a Lab-Shepard mix named Snickers. Yes, my husband finally got me to give in and let him get his big dog. For now, though, she's rather small. Our pups are a very important part of our family. They seem to just know when we're feeling blue and always come and try to cheer us up with snuggles and puppy kisses. When we're feeling ill, they sense that, too. It's amazing what dogs can pick up on when it comes to their humans. When my husband and I were desperately trying to conceive, we suffered 3 miscarriages. It was devastating, to say the least. I had literally given up all hope and was in a place of deep depression. Then one day, our beloved Shih-Tzu, Mojo, who has since passed away, hopped onto my belly and refused to move. For weeks, he'd stay there every time I laid down on the couch. He would even lick my belly through my shirt. I thought nothing of it...Until I found out a few weeks later that I was pregnant with my daughter, Sophie. Mojo knew all along, and was trying to let me know that I was about to be blessed with a beautiful baby girl! Others use dogs as service animals. People with disabilities do remarkably well with the help of man's best friend. There are seeing eye dogs for the visually impaired, and even therapy dogs for those with physical ailments and disabilities. Dogs are intelligent, loyal, and eager to please. They seem to know what their owner needs, and do their best to accommodate. Here are some photos of my pups showing us some love and affection!
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![]() As a new home-owner, I am always looking for affordable ways to renovate our 100 year old home. You see, we bought our house in August, and it was sold as an estate. A very, very old woman lived here, and well...You can tell. We have some hideous wall paper to contend with, some outdated flooring that looks like it came from the middle ages, and our kitchen and bath cabinets have GOT to go. So it's safe to say, we have some major updating to do! Since we paid for our home in full, we are trying to save as much money as possible and tackle one project at a time. I have already updated my kitchen appliances, thanks to the wonderful folks at Maytag, and my kitchen counter tops are about to be revamped, too. Since we've got those very important things squared away, the next thing on our to do list is replace our not-so-pretty flooring. My husband is pretty handy, so we're planning to do as much as possible ourselves. He's comfortable doing anything but electrical work. He had a run-in with 110V years ago, and he isn't eager to repeat that experience. Flooring, though, is something Dan can definitely handle. So now I am on the hunt for high quality, low price flooring so we can get started! I have LOADS of winners to announce! I have notified all by e-mail, and winners will have 48 hours to claim their prizes. Thanks so much to everyone who entered, and check back often for more great giveaways!
Without further ado, here are my lucky winners! Congrats! Hoppin' Halloween: Jennifer Wickedly Scented: Melissa N. IoPhic: Leslie G. Blogorama Bonanza: Sandra Hello Kitty: Nicole N. Wow!Wow!Wubbzy!: Corrie C. Vinyl Disorder: Johnny-Amy L. SeatPets: Sandy V. Big G Monster Cereals: Lisa Awesome Adventures:Thrills&Chills: Janet W. Goose Creek: Ashley M. My Princess Academy: Lyza Jo Ohio Flame: Deborah T. My1Story: Julie G. Fall Fashionista: Melissa G. JJCole Collections: Ashley T. Dark Shadows: Lisa G. ROCKtoberfest: Michelle iPad Mini Holiday EventHosted by Mom to Bed by 8 Prizes: iPad Mini Event dates: 11/21 - 12/5 Free Blog Event! Sign-up here, BLOGGERS WANTED![]() I found out I would be getting a brand new set of gorgeous Maytag kitchen appliances the very day we put a contract on our new home. We had traveled to Ohio from Virginia, and we were staying at my Grandma's house for a week while we looked at homes. We had just returned from looking at a wonderful Century home that we absolutely fell in love with when I checked my e-mail and got the news. I literally stood there in absolute shock, re-read the e-mail about 30 times to be absolutely certain that I wasn't misunderstanding anything, and then I began hooting and hollering loudly enough for everyone in my Grandma's house to rush in to see what all of the commotion was about. "I got it! I got it! Holy Cow!" I screamed with absolute delight. I proceeded to show my family the e-mail, and they were stunned. My Grandma has used Maytag appliances for decades, so she was the first to tell me how dependable they are. Maytag is a brand that has been around for over 100 years, bringing fantastic appliances that make everyday life so much easier and more convenient. And very soon, I would be the proud owner of an entire kitchen suite! Woo-Hoo! I would have to say, this is the highlight of my entire blogging career! The news couldn't have come at a better time. You see, our home is nearly 100 years old. It definitely needs some updating and you can tell that a very old woman lived here for many, many years. We will need to remove lots of tacky wallpaper, paint rooms, refinish floors, and remodel an entire bathroom. Yes, we have our work cut out for us. But we paid for our home in its entirety, so we're willing to do the necessary work to bring this grand old home to it's original splendor. One of my biggest desires was to replace the sad, old appliances in the home with modern, energy efficient stainless steel ones. I am a total foodie and I love to cook, so having a kitchen that is comfortable and efficient is very important to me.Thanks to Maytag, this dream was going to come true, and it wouldn't take 10 years of skrimping and saving! Take a look at my kitchen before our appliances were delivered: Fall is the perfect time to get away- great weather, not too hot or buggy, the beautiful fall foliage, and fall foods are some of my personal favorites. I love long weekends this time of year, and highly recommend grabbing the spouse and kids, hitting the road, and finding an interesting destination. One thing you never want to worry about when you travel, is the sort of hotel you will wind up staying in. It can be hard to book online- so many places "fluff" the reviews by having friends and family members post positive ones, and people generally only post ratings on hotels if they loved it or truly hated it. Sometimes I read them and am amazed at the crazy things people will write about.
![]() ![]() ![]() Do you have someone on your Holiday gift-giving list that is near impossible to shop for? Maybe they already have everything under the sun, or perhaps when they're asked what they'd like to receive, they simply reply by saying "Nothing" or "I dunno". (This is generally the case with my husband, and it's beyond frustrating!) Well, rather than giving a physical gift that can be wrapped up all pretty and adorned with a bow, why not consider giving the experience of a lifetime? You see, with more and more people creating "bucket lists", sometimes the gift of experience is far more valuable than anything tangible. Have you ever wanted to go on a hot air balloon ride? Or maybe you've wanted to race a stock car? Skydiving? Or maybe you're a little more tame and like the finer things in life such as the ultimate gourmet food experience, complete with your own personal, world class chef? Maybe you're into thrills and mystery, and would love to go on your very own scavenger hunt that unlocks hidden secrets? This is where Cloud 9 Living comes into play! Cloud 9 Living is an Experience Gift company that offers unique and memorable experiences as gifts. There are so many options all across the country that are sure to delight anyone. Here is a bit more about Cloud 9 Living, from their website: Founded in 2005, it was our belief that giving a gift should be more meaningful than just fulfilling an obligation; it should be about showing your recipient that you took time to find something they will truly love and remember for years. We have partnered with over 600 "Best in Class" experience providers to create an unparalleled experience portfolio consisting of more than 1,700 experiences in 43 regions. With experiences ranging from thrilling and adventurous to relaxing and cultural, we truly have something for every taste and every budget. When I learned about Cloud 9 Living, I was very intrigued. As the busy mom of 3 kids, I rarely get the opportunity to do anything extraordinary outside of the home. Sure, being a mom is the most rewarding thing I will ever do, but sometimes I crave adventure....luxury....things that my rather ordinary life just doesn't provide on a regular basis. So imagine my excitement when the folks at Cloud 9 Living offered to send my husband and I on an exclusive guided food tasting tour of Cleveland's iconic West Side Market! I know all you foodies out there are familiar with this historical gem that's nestled in the Ohio City neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. It has been featured on Man VS. Food, and Adam Richman said that the gyros at Steve's Gyro are one of his favorite eats ever! Iron Chef and host of The Chew, Michael Symon also sings the West Side Market's praises. His favorite? The beef jerky found at Czuchraj Meats. Choice Your U EventHosted by Mom Powered Media and Iowa Mom Prizes: Wii U Console {2 units = 1 a month} Event dates: 11/2-11/30 & 12/2-12/30 Free Blog Event! Sign-up here, BLOGGERS WANTEDI am so excited to be a part of the Blogorama Bonanza event! Welcome to Blogorama Bonanza Event. During this event, you can discover new blogs, awesome companies, and win fantastic prize giveaways. It starts October 10, 2012 at 12:00 AM EST Time and ends October 26, 2012 at 11:59 PM EST Time. It’s hosted by Jyla's Three Of Us Giveaway, Made Only in USA & Howard House Reviews. What can you win here? Possibly the softest, most luxurious throw blanket you'll ever find. It's from the generous folks over at Comfy Sacks. They specialize in superior quality bean bag chairs and accessories. These are NOT your average bean bags, so don't be fooled! You can check out my review HERE. When you're done entering here, be sure to check out all of the other awesome prizes you can win on the other participating blogs! WIN IT !
I am thrilled to announce that one lucky reader will receive a Comfy Sacks Blanket of their own! How cool is that?! Simply enter on the Rafflecoptor form below! This sweepstakes is open to US residents 18+ until 11:59PM EST on October 26,2012. Void where prohibited, No purchase necessary. This contest is not affiliated with Facebook in any way. Winner will be drawn using Rafflecopter's random number generator and will be notified via e-mail. Once notification is sent, winner will have 48 hours to claim their prizes. All entries will be verified, so please play fairly and keep it fun for everyone! ***Disclosure: I received complimentary products to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.*** Howard House Reviews and Just Good Stuff are offering you a chance to win a wonderful goodie bag full of incredible products from Just good Stuff!! One winner will get: Lotion Bar Detoxifying/Calming Facial Mask Herbal Deodorant Luxury Soap-Of Choice Eye Balm Lip Balm GOOD LUCK!!!! |
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I'm Brandy, a happily married, proud Mom of 3 amazing kids. If you're interested in building a working relationship, please feel free to e-mail me at: NewlyCrunchyMamaOf3@gmail.com Links We Love :Archives
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