I have always been a music junkie. I love all different kinds of music, with the exception of hardcore, growling death metal. One of my first musical obsessions, aside from New Kids On The Block, was Jim Morrison of The Doors. Yes, the man was psycho. Yes, he was on an inevitable path to self-destruction. Yes, he was quite frankly a bit of a cocky jerk....But he was also brilliant, gifted, and greatly talented.
So when I was approached about reviewing James Morrison's new album, "The Awakening", I was a little confused at first. Was The Lizard King alive and well somewhere, still recording albums? It couldn't be. James Douglas Morrison of The Doors would be my grandparents' age if he were alive today...So I was eager to find out who this other James Morrison was, and if he held the same magical allure that Mr. Mojo Risin' did to so many. So who is James Morrison? James is a singer from the UK that has taken Europe by storm with his fiery, soulful voice and lyrics. His story of success is actually rather amazing, considering his challenges early on in his life. Just to give you a bit of history on James, his unique, soulful sound may have had its beginnings when he was diagnosed with Whooping Cough as a baby and was given just a 30% chance of survival. After miraculously pulling through, James' childhood was riddled with strained family life - all of which contributed to his drive and passion for creating music. Recently, James lost his father to a long battle with alcoholism and depression almost simultaneously as he himself became a father. The result? "The Awakening."
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Okay, so my toddler, Sophie is a wild child. She's absolutely crazy, and she loves it. She is always on the go, and loves climbing on things. Backwards. With her eyes closed. She also loves running in circles, Tazmanian Devil style, as she attempts to obliterate anything in her path. Another thing she likes to do? Throw things. Everywhere.(In the meantime, I can feel a few gray hairs sprouting!) While Sophie doesn't eat jarred baby foods anymore, her little brother, Xander, does. Sophie thinks it's fun to try and grab the baby food jar and throw it, giggling maniacally. One time, she actually grabbed a jar of baby food out of the diaper bag and threw it at the wall, causing it to shatter. There was a slimy trail of Earth's Best Tender Chicken and Stars all over the wall, and glass all over the floor. Of course, Sophie thought it was hilarious as we frantically cleaned up the resulting mess. Why baby food comes in jars, I will never know. I suppose it's a better alternative than plastic, but it is unsafe in the hands of my crazy little girl. That's why I was so excited to receive Siliskins in my December Earth's Best package. What are Siliskins? They're non-toxic, protective silicone sleeves that are designed to fit snugly over baby food jars, therefore helping to prevent breakage and nasty accidents. These are awesome in the diaper bag for traveling, as well as for everyday use. One great thing about Siliskins is they're resistant to extreme temperatures and can be microwaved or even put into the freezer! I wish I would have discovered these little gems months ago when Sophie was at the height of her throwing phase. Perhaps Siliskins would have saved us a mess or 10! For now, I love using Siliskins while we're own the go. No more jars clanking around in our travel bag with the potential of getting broken. Trust me...Broken baby food jars in a diaper bag is no fun at all...Messes all over clothing, toys, and even my cloth-diapers. This is a pain to clean up and can literally bring a daytime outing to a screeching halt. With Siliskins, I can be confident that my baby food jars have that extra protection that will prevent these incidences from occurring. I love these ingenious little sleeves. As a matter of fact, I don't know why someone didn't think of this sooner! HOW TO CONNECT: You can learn more about Siliskins on their blog. You can also follow Siliskins on Facebook and on twitter. For more info about the organic goodies at Earth's Best, please visit their website. You can also follow Earth's Best on their Facebook page! ***Disclosure:I am a member of the Earth’s Best Bloggers program and this post is part of my involvement. While Earth’s Best provides me with products and necessary resources, all statements and sentiment are my own and have not been influenced in any way.***
I have some lucky winners to announce! Ladies, I have e-mailed you all and you have 48 hours to reply before I am forced to redraw new winners. Thanks to everyone who entered!
Tropical Traditions: Janette Natural House: Tawnya S. Kiki's Fashions: Catie R. Twisted Orchid: Lisa As a Purex Insider, I get the opportunity to try many of the new innovations in the Purex line of products. I have always really liked Purex, and feel that they give premium performance for a fraction of the cost that many other brands charge. While I use a special detergent with no fragrances or dyes for the babies' clothing and cloth diapers, I do like using something that smells good for my towels, blankets, and my own clothing. To me, one of the best parts of a freshly washed load of laundry is being able to take a whiff and say "Ahhh....That smells nice!" So naturally, when I got to try the new Purex Triple Action detergent, I was pretty excited. I've been using exclusively fragrance-free detergent for a little while, and was happy to get my smell-good fix back! (FYI: While I chose a version of Purex Triple Action that has fragrance, they also offer a Free & Clear version for those who have sensitive skin or simply prefer the lack of fragrances and dyes.) What is Purex Triple Action? Over the past year Purex's R&D scientists have been working hard to create an even better Purex formula. And not just a better formula, but one that will continue to deliver the value that Purex stands for. At Purex, they're always mindful of the consumers’ pocketbooks, and are committed to bringing them a great product at a great value. The new Purex Triple Action formula is just that. It’s an even better clean, for half the price of the leading brand. New Purex Triple Action leverages the best parts of the current formula, combined with new additions, to deliver great cleaning plus improved brightening power. This new formula will be rolled out across the entire Purex liquid detergent line this fall, so you’ll soon find it in your favorite variety! You might recall that I recently posted about shopping for a Holiday party we will be having and how stressful that can be? Well, while getting all of the entertaining supplies was a bit harrowing, finding the perfect dress for the occasion was easy. Almost TOO easy. You see, I have often had a hard time finding that perfect dress. I am a size 6-8 in pants, but when it comes to dresses, all bets are off. I am a bustier gal, and more often than not, if a dress fits my tatas, it's a tent everywhere else. On the flipside, if the dress fits my body, it squishes my "gals", making them look flattened and odd. Needless to say, dress shopping has always been a bit of a challenge for me. Until now, that is! Recently, I was contacted by eShakti about reviewing a piece of their designer, custom clothing. I hadn't heard of this company before, so I decided to check out their site before agreeing. What I found was a woman's dream come true! Let me tell you a bit about eShakti and what makes them a cut above the rest in the fashion world. Shakti means power in Sanskrit. eShakti lives up to their name completely by giving a woman total power over the garments she purchases at their online boutique. You see, not only do they offer classically beautiful, feminine looks in sizes 0-26, all of their garments can also be fully customized just for YOUR unique body. You can shop by predetermined size or you can have a garment made specifically catered to your measurements, ensuring a figure flattering result every single time. On top of custom measurements, you can also revise certain details of your tops, pants and dresses from eShakti. Some of the common alterations include skirt length, type and length of sleeve, as well as neckline. Never before have women had so many options when shopping for clothing! What makes this even better? Not only is every piece 100% satisfaction guaranteed, they are also offered at extremely affordable prices that won't break the bank. You can look like a million dollars and not have to spend an arm and a leg. Take a look at some of my top Holiday picks from eShakti. These dresses are classy, feminine, and perfect for that Holiday party or even New Year's Eve! Many of you may be familiar with late night TV host Jimmy Kimmel and his recent prank idea for parents. Basically, he asked parents to trick their kids into thinking they were opening a Christmas gift early. Well, I laughed so hard at some of the kids and their reactions that I decided to play a prank of my own on my 11 year old son, Kyle. Before I post MY video, check out some from Jimmy Kimmel LIVE. Too funny! Now here is Kyle, getting HIS "terrible present". I felt so bad I actually ended up giving him a real one later! This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sprint for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine. With the Holidays right around the corner, a lot of us are scrambling to get that last minute shopping done. (I know I am!) My husband in particular is difficult to shop for, since he always wants the latest tech toys, like the Android™ powered EVO 4G devices. That's right...We're probably the only people in the free world without Smart Phones! Hopefully that will change this Christmas morning, wink, wink!
Well right now is the time to buy, since right now Sprint has some AMAZING deals, just in time for the Holidays! What great deals can you find? Well, during the Sprint 3 Day Sale going on NOW, you can Get the HTC EVO™ 4G or EVO™ Shift for FREE only on Sprint here: http://bit.ly/rBqHmY
In addition to getting a free HTC EVO 4G or EVO Shift, you can even have activation fees waived on new lines of service and receive free shipping! So it looks like there's absolutely no excuse for my family to not jumo on the Smart Phone bandwagon. These deals from Sprint are simply too good to pass up! Now which one should I pick for myself...oops, I mean my husband....The HTC EVO 4G or the EVO Shift? Decisions, decisions.... If you'd like to take advantage of this awesome sale, act fast! These offers are only valid through 12/14! Here is an AWESOME giveaway just in time for the Holidays..Well, actually it ends on January 1st, but who's counting?! Anyway, here's your chance to win a whopping $100 gift card to Amazon.com! And you KNOW Amazon has...well...everything! How do you win? By following all of us on twitter, of course! Have fun and GOOD LUCK! And a big thanks to Jennifer at Makobi Scribe and multiple other blogs for sponsoring this awesome prize! Yes, Jennifer is taking over the blogging world...I am in awe of her abilities!
Winner will be chosen randomly from all collected entries and will be notified via e-mail. This giveaway is sponsored by Jennifer at Makobi Scribe, and I am just along for the ride! For me, one of the most stressful things about the Holiday season is entertaining. I personally dread it. You see, I am almost painfully shy to begin with and really don't enjoy large parties or social situations. I much prefer smaller, more intimate gatherings with just a few other people. Otherwise, I choke! In larger social gatherings, I always feel incredibly awkward and out of place. I constantly worry that I will say something stupid or that no one will like me. (Social anxiety, perhaps?) So unless the parties are family related, I actually avoid them like the plague. But I can't live in my own little bubble, so I simply have to suck it up, put on my big girl panties and make the most of the situation. My husband on the other hand is the exact opposite. He is a veritable social butterfly and is comfortable in any situation he's in. I wish his outgoing nature would rub off on me a bit! So this year, we've decided to have a Holiday party with friends and some of his co-workers. (Eeeek!) I have been stressing like crazy over this. There are so many things to think about when planning a party...Who to invite...Decor...What to serve...And of course, how to afford it all! We're a one-income family on a very tight budget, and I have been searching high and low for the best deals on Holiday entertaining supplies. That's why I was so excited when I re-discovered ALDI! You see, I had been to an ALDI market one time in the past, several years ago. It was not a good experience. The store was in another city and was not very well-maintained. I was reluctant to give this chain another shot, to be honest. But when I heard about their great deals on entertaining essentials like Award-Winning Wines, gourmet cheeses, imported chocolates and desserts, I decided to give them another shot. Boy, am I glad I did! I have a few very lucky winners to announce! All winners have already been confirmed. Congrats, ladies! I hope you all love your prizes!
Excedrin Gift Basket: Penny S. Linda Tawnya S. Punch Time Explosion XL: Jennifer H. Sparkling Ice: Melissa |
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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
June 2023
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