Minted.com Review {plus a coupon!}

It's that time of year again. The time for sending bright, cheery Holiday greetings to all your loved ones!

But this can be a frustrating time of year too, because if you're like me, you are tired of the same old Holiday card "look" that you find in boxed card sets at your local store.
(And when I say Holiday, I mean it! They have cards for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Boxing Day.)

So what's a style savvy card sender to do?

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Go to Minted.com of course!

Seriously, after looking at their selection of fresh, bright Holiday designs....I was floored.

The word gorgeous kept coming to mind...over and over.

These are the kind of cards that will make an impression when opened!

The ones that I loved the most were the Holiday Minibook Photo Cards and the Yearline Holiday Photo Cards which are both exclusive to Minted.com.

I mean just look at this example!


They also have a great selection of stationary, Baby Shower invites, Wedding invitations, and even Eco Friendly paper products!

Minted.com was nice enough to send me a large stack of sample cards as well as 25 Flat Holiday Cards of my choosing.

I chose THESE and they are beautiful!
(watch your mailboxes people, they're going out Monday!)

Oh, and the customer service is great too!

Even when there was a tiny hiccup with my order, the wonderful people at Minted.com took care of it with no questions asked.

My cards arrived quickly, wrapped in a pretty green ribbon, and there was even a little tag that said "especially for Haley" - that was hand written!

Wow! That was the icing on the cake for me.

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My final opinion on Minted.com is this:

They have an excellent, unique selection of paper products for all occasions. The also have wonderful customer service.

I would recommend Minted.com to anyone who is looking for a very special photo card design for the Holidays or their next special occasion, who is not budget conscious, or who needs the perfect gift for that person who has everything (seriously, check out the stationary!).

I would not recommend Minted.com to someone who does not the ability to take or upload high resolution photos from their computer, who is on a tight budget (these cards are high end), or who prefers a more traditional card look.

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Shopping for your perfect Holiday cards? Check out the coupon below!

Free Shipping on Holiday Cards and Invitations at Minted with code AFSHIP09

Disclosure: These opinions are my own. I was not paid to write this post. Minted.com provided me with 25 free Flat Holiday Cards for this review. Several of the links above are affiliate links and I make a small percentage of each sale that is made through those links.

Thanksgiving Highlights

These two give me reasons to be Thankful everyday.

Yep, I'm blessed, that's for sure.

Music to My Years {Part 2}

In case you missed the first edition of Music to My Years...read it here.

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1995: This was 5th grade for me and I remember how Gangsta's Paradise by Coolio was like The Song. At one point, I think my brother even knew all the lyrics. I also remember kids bringing the album to school (we weren't allowed to have CD's yet) and talking about the cover art for it. Even though I knew very little of the world he discussed the song...I was fascinted by it. I was really more into Another Night by Real McCoy...I guess I've always sort of favored Dance music a little.

1996: Macarena (by Los Del Rio) Anyone? We did this stupid dance at school, at parties...everywhere. It got old pretty fast. The whole gangsta thing prevailed again this year and I remember friends listening to Tha Crossroads by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. I have to say...I really didn't get it and was considered unpopular because of it. I really preferred I Love You Always Forever by Donna Lewis and discovered by the end of this year that I was a lover, not a fighter...and a complete romantic. This year my mom bought me and my brother our first CD players and 1 CD. It was Seal...you know "Kiss from a rose"? Seal is really awesome to me, even now. Later in the year I would also get "A Boy Named Goo" and develop a serious liking for The Goo Goo Dolls.

1997: I spent practically every weekend of this year having a sleepover with my 2 best friends C & M. We alternated houses each weekend and since they both had distinctly different tastes in music than I did, they really broadened my horizons. You know because MMMBop came out this year, and I fell in love with a cute blond boy (seem familiar?) named Taylor Hanson...and forgot that other music exsisted momentarily. Then I heard Crash by Dave Matthews Band and fell in love with them as well. My love for Dave burns true...even now.
M was extremely interested in Nirvana and informed me that she thought Courtney Love had killed Kurt and that his suicide was a big cover up. I never really understood why she cared so much, but thought her sweet little shrine for him...with lots of candles and dried flowers, was pretty darn cool.
C was a lover like me, but she liked her love songs a little darker. She shared REM with me. She also had a friend who knew Blue October, and had one of their earlier independent CD's (they are from Houston where I grew up). Their music was wonderful, even then...and I'm really glad that she opened my mind to the fact that bands didn't have to be on the radio to be really, really good.
C's sister, P, was 3 years younger than us and we thought we were SO much older and more mature than her. She was hugely into the Spice Girls and even had the movie. We pretended not to like them...but for the moment it was really catchy stuff and honestly hard to resist. I remember watching the SpiceWorld movie at least 3 times while at their house....I was even Baby Spice for Halloween that year.

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That's it for this week. Come back next Friday for Part 3.
The highschool years!

We all like to look back and remember, don't we?

I would love to hear about your favorite songs and the memories that go with them...please share.

So Thankful

Circa. Feb. 2008

For my loving husband, my adorable son (who never quits growing), and our little life together.

Every moment is so sweet..... thankful doesn't even express just how grateful I really am.


Happy Thanksgiving.

More Christmas Decor

Remember how I said I like snowmen?

Well... it's still true.

I made that garland myself....pretty proud of that!

Feeling very thankful today, for my health, my family...and life in general.

Here's wishing you and your family a blessed Thanksgiving!

Kmart Blue Light Specials for 11/26-11/29

Here are this weekend’s Bluelight Specials - running from Thursday to Sunday as opposed to the usual Saturday and Sunday:

Bluelight Specials for 11/26-11/29 THURSDAY to SUNDAY from 1PM-6PM!

Kids Route 66 Graphic Tees $3.99 (Reg. $7.99)

Essential Home 7.5' x 9.5' Rug in a Bag $34.99 (Reg. $69.99)

All Multi-Roll Wrap 50% Off (Reg. $7.99)

Don’t forget to follow @KmartDealsnNews and use the #KmartBLS hashtag on Twitter for a chance to win every day! For more info & rules: http://tr.im/KmartBLS. Good luck!

Disclosure: This information was provided to me via Kmart. I was not paid to post it, but chose to anyway because I believe it will help my readers save some money this Holiday Season. Check back often for more Blue Light Special announcements.

What Paci?

Here is my layout for this weeks challenge at Spunky Scrappers.

The challenge this week is to create a layout about something that you are thankful for, but with a twist.

Your subject can't be friends, family, or children...and you can't use the word "thankful" in your title.

Other than that, it's up to you!

My layout talks about how I'm thankful we can see Jackson's teeth in pictures now because he doesn't use a paci anymore.

Hope you can play along with us!

Thanksgiving fun for the kids!

You may not know it, because I never officially announced it...but I'm now part of the Sprout Band of Bloggers!

To me this is so awesome, because Jackson loves Sprout!

Right now Sprout has some great things going to celebrate Thanksgiving!

This week while your kiddos are out of school, why not do some fun crafts together?

Sprout has a great page with lots of Thanksgiving Craft Ideas! They are simple, fun, and best of all FREE!

Also all this week you can celebrate Thanks-for-giving Week on Sprout, November 23–27 with Chica, Patty, Star and all your Sprout friends!

You can even go HERE and upload a message about what you're thankful that could be featured online, or on TV on Thanksgiving Day!

Here's to a fun and safe Thanksgiving week for you and your family.

Feeling Spunky!

I'm super excited to announce that I've been chosen as a DT Member for Spunky Scrappers!

You can see my work with them starting tomorrow! :-)

Once A Month Cooking: Round 2

So this month for my OAM cooking, I used Once A Month Mom's April Menu.

She had a great menu for this month featuring all Holiday food items...but I decided against it.

The April menu had tons of things I knew my hubs would like, and since he's the big eater around here...it won out.

Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Coffee Cake being made.
OMG. It is SO GOOD. You should make some, like now. :-)

Fruits and Veggies. Like my measuring cups? I do. :)

The final result.

I know that everyone was shocked last time when I was able to do OAM cooking without a deep freeze. Well, let just say that with some careful planning I pulled it off...and again this month!

We are planning to purchase a deep freeze before the new year though, just to make things easier.

This month went a lot smoother as far as the cooking was concerned. The only bad thing that happened was that I injured both my thumbs in the cooking process (I even tweeted about it!).

But I'm ok now...and our freezer is full...so that's all that really matters to me.

Music to My Years {Part 1}

Ok, so as Elaine said so nicely the other day, I'm young.

It is true that I was 10 years old when Kurt Cobain died.

I'm only 25.

But that's still a quarter of century...and I have done, seen, and lived so many moments in that time.

As Elaine and I were talking about music and movies we grew up with...and things we remember about them...I was inspired to write this post you are reading now.

I'm not sure if I've ever really come out and said it plainly here....but music shapes my life.

I love it.

And, most of the really good memories (and the not so good ones too) in my life have a soundtrack.

So today I'm making a record of those memories and their accompanying tunes...because you know..I won't always be so young and spry...and maybe one day I'll come back and read this years later and be glad that I didn't let these memories fade into nothing.

Music to My Years

1984: I was born to parents who love music and exposed me to it from the beginning.

1984-1989: I remember listening to the Oldies station when I would ride in the car with my Dad on weekends. To this day I know all the lyrics to Elvis, The Supremes, Etta James and more. My love for music began here, because I so enjoyed singing those songs with my Dad in the car...he was always so happy when we did.

1990: This was the year I became aware that there was more than one radio station and became attached to the "Contemporary Hits" station. I would ask my Mom to put it on every time we got in the car. Most memorable songs while riding to school were Nothing Compares 2 U by Sinead O’Connor and It Must Have Been Love by Roxette. I also remember my parents listening to The Moody Blues and The Eagles. Talk about good stuff! I still really like Nights in White Satin...especially the flute solo.

I also vaguely remember my babysitter going on and on about a group called New Kids on the Block that year. She even told me that when she went to their concert she threw her bra on the stage (dude? so weird!) and after that wasn't my babysitter anymore ;-).

1991: I fell in love with More Than Words by Extreme. It made me think that being in love must have been pretty awesome if someone was going to write swoony songs about it. As an adult, I'm confused and irritated by the lyrics in this song, which is why childhood innocence is so awesome I guess.

1992: Everyone was having their birthday parties at the rollerskating rink this year. The best song to skate to was My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It) by En Vogue.

1993: Aladdin the movie came out..and I remember that A Whole New World with Peabo Bryson and Regina Bell was all over the radio. It is a great duet really. I also remember Fields of Gold by Sting. When I heard that song I would think of that cute blonde boy that lived down the street and would smile at me when he rode his bike past our house. *Swoon*

1994: Let me tell you about how I spent this ENTIRE summer at the neighborhood pool listening to Ace of Base. Oh yes, folks...I thought they were awesome! As did everyone other little girl my age, LOL! By the end of this summer I had convinced myself that I was a little more "grown up" and could relate the the thoughts of Lisa Loeb in "Stay (I missed you)". Hah! I knew nothing. Nothing.

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That's it for this week. Come back next Friday for Part 2.
It gets really interesting...trust me!

We all like to look back and remember, don't we?

I would love to hear about your favorite songs and the memories that go with them...please share.

Kmart Blue Light Specials for 11/21-11/22

11/21-11/22 Bluelight Specials!

• Home/All Frames 50% off (reg range $1-$29.99)

• Boys and Girls Basic Edition turtlenecks $2.99 (reg.$7.99)

• Home/All Cookware 40% off (reg. $6.99-169.99)

Don’t forget to follow @KmartDealsnNews and use the #KmartBLS hashtag for a chance to win every day! For more info & rules: http://tr.im/KmartBLS. Good luck!

Disclosure: This information was provided to me via Kmart. I was not paid to post it, but chose to anyway because I believe it will help my readers save some money this Holiday Season. Check back often for more Blue Light Special announcements.

You Capture - Sunrise/Sunset

Morning on the Open Road.

Small Town Sunset.

Photos of gorgeous Texas places taken during my recent trip to Louisiana to visit Elaine.


For more You Capture Goodness visit Beth's blog.

Relish! Review and Giveaway {CLOSED}

********This giveaway is now closed********

And the winner is...



#5 Xenia!

Congrats!!

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It's no secret that I'm OCD. I confess it here on my blog regularly.

I like things to be organized, neat, planned....you know, as controlled as I can get them.

Ask Elaine and she'll tell you that at BlogHer '09, I came back to the room every night and sorted out my swag before neatly packing it in my suitcase.

Point is, I'm always interested in ways to save time, space...and money.

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One of the more recent ways I've discovered to do this is through meal planning and careful shopping.

Some of you may know that I recently tried out Once A Month Cooking. That was a blast, but I will say very involved...and not for everyone.

So, when Relish! contacted me recently and said they'd would let me try their site free - for a whole month, I thought...why not?

I can always use more perspective in the menu planning world!

Relish! is an Online Menu Planning Membership Site (say that 5 times fast!). You can subscribe quarterly or annually. It's similar to other weekly menu planners online in that it offers up a new menu to you each week (and they email it to you if you like! :-) and then also has recipes and a printable shopping list included for a stress free trip to the grocery store.

But, it goes a little further than other planners in a few areas. First off, when you set out to prepare your menu...you are first asked how many people will be dining. This is a great option because you can change it from week to week depending on if you have house guests or if the kiddos will be gone on vacation.

Also, on the weekly meals list they have little coded icons to help you better understand each meal. For example: KF = Kid Friendly V= Vegetarian and SG= Simple Gourmet.

They even let you pick and choose 5 entrees and 1 dessert from a long list to plan your menu.
This was the first time I'd seen this option in the menu planning world...and I really liked it.

Choices are always nice in my book...because no one wants to be locked in to that one entree on the menu your kids/hubs/you won't eat.

In a hurry? Don't have picky eaters in the house? Want to save some money?

Then there's the Dime and Dash section for you!

With one click your menu, shopping list, and recipe cards are there for you.

Finally, the thing that stood out the most on Relish! for me was the fact that they offered little "extras" throughout the site.

For instance, this month they were featuring a full Thanksgiving menu plan, Tailgate Party Recipes, and an hors doeuvres recipe section in addition to the regular weekly menu plans.

To me, it was nice that they had additional recipes that related to the Holidays and the time of year.

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My final thoughts on Relish! are this.

I would recommend this site to anyone who loves to cook and eat fresh, unique meals but is busy and doesn't have time menu plan. This site really is a foodies dream.

I would not recommend it to someone who does not like to try new and different foods, is on a really tight budget (even the Dime and Dash section has some items on the menu that were still considered pricey by my standards), does not want to pay a fee for menu plans, or does not like cooking.

Thank you to Relish! for providing me with a free 1 month Membership to test out your site!

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Want to try out Relish! yourself?

You can win a FREE 1 year membership to Relish! just by leaving a comment on this post.

Giveaway ends at Midnight CST on Nov. 26, 2009. The winner will be drawn randomly and announced shortly there after. Open to the U.S. and Canada. Only one entry per person please. Leave your email address in your comment so I'll have a way to contact you if you win. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours a new winner will be drawn.

Good luck!

Disclosure: Relish! provided me with a free 1 month subscription to their site in exchange for this review. These opinions are my own. I was not paid to write this review.

Hope for Anissa

I met Anissa Mayhew this summer at BlogHer 09. I admit, I didn't really know her well before that time.....and we only talked for a short while when we met....but I knew then what everyone had always said about her was true.

She is an amazing woman....and SO funny! :-) Like, peeing in your pants kind of funny!

Anissa suffered a stroke on Tuesday night and is now recovering in the ICU in Georgia.

She and her family need our prayers right now. For updates on her condition and ways you can help, go HERE.

You can also donate by clicking the photo of her below.



If you have written a post about Anissa you can add your link HERE and HERE.

Anissa, I'm praying for your strong and speedy recovery. I hope you'll be back to making us all laugh our behinds off in no time. :-)

WW- Confessional: I cracked

Yes, this is the current state of living room and kitchen.

I really just couldn't wait to get my stuff out, so even though I said I wouldn't,
I did.

It's been this way since last Thursday. *blushes*

Does this mean I'm a Christmas Junkie?

For more WW visit Angie's blog. :-)

P.S. I really like snowmen. :-)

Yuck

Well, it seems I'm sick. I've got fever and chills and all kinds of congestion.

Hopefully I'll return soon feeling better than this.

Because my house needs cleaning...like seriously. ;-)

Weekend Excursion

{Morning Drive.}

{Afternoon Friendship.}

{Early evening snuggles.}


My weekend with Elaine was nothing short of magical. Copious amounts of little girl snuggles may or may not have anything to do with my feeling that way. ;-) Elaine was a fabulous host, and her sweet hubby waited on us the whole weekend (not kidding, he's pretty much awesome).

P.S. Elaine's lovely sling was made by the ever fabulous Kim, a.k.a. Prairie Mama. I had the opportunity to wear sweet Baby K in it myself this weekend...and I fell in love with her and the sling! There was even little leaf stitching all along the edges! Talk about special!

You can order one of your own HERE. I know I will get one for my next little, that's for sure!

The above opinions are my own. I was not paid to share them, I just wanted to because I like Kim alot :-) and her work is fabulous!

Do you ever just look back in awe?

I do.

all. the. time.

Photo taken Feb. 21 2008

You Capture- Real Life

My Mom and Cher

Gifts!

YUM!


This past weekend was the baby shower for my Sister-in-Law Cheridan.

This will be my brother's 3rd daughter...and so the pink in their house is just brimming! :-)

Cher didn't seem to mind at all.

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For more You Capture "Real Life"...hop on over to Beth's blog!

Thanks again to Beth for hosting and constantly forcing me to take more photos!

Home for the Holidays Tip #2

How To Save Even More On Your Holiday Shopping This Year!

With the downturn in the economy this past year, many of us are watching our pocket books more closely than ever. And, with the holidays right around the corner, the thought of gift giving this year can be especially stressful.

There's no need to fret though!

By using your resources, you can save a ton of dough with very little effort!

My big tip for saving this week is to make Twitter your best friend!

Even if you are not into Social Media or talking to friends online...wouldn't you like to be the first to get news and discount info from your favorite retailers?

I suggest you follow all your favorite stores this season to get the 411 on markdowns, giveaways, and door buster deals!

And just because you've been nice enough to read this far, here's a little insider tip just for you. :-)

I totally suggest you follow @KmartDealsnNews.

The famous Kmart Blue Light Specials are back!

Kmart is celebrating by giving shoppers on Twitter a chance to win a $50 gift card everyday! Along with the chance to win daily, everyone following @KmartDealsnNews on Twitter will be automatically entered for a chance to win a $500 Kmart shopping spree – I mean that could be Christmas gifts for your whole family!!

The sweepstakes runs from November 12th until December 23rd, so what are you waiting for? Get to following them. :-)

Also this weekend at Kmart there are over 40 Blue Light Specials in-store and online...

Here's a sneak peek:

· Essential Home Complete Bed set $29.99 (reg. $49.99)

· All Trim-A-Home lights 50% off (reg $8.99-$29.99)

· 9 Piece Luggage Set $49.99 (reg $99.99)

· Juniors Leggings 50% off

Here's to a fabulous, frugal Holiday!

P.S. This information was provided to me by Kmart. I was not paid to post this information but chose to because of the awesome deals they have and the great shopping spree giveaway opportunity.

P.S.S. I will have more updates on Blue Light Specials from Kmart throughout the Holiday Season so check back often!

WW- Fall Decor

Not too long ago I tweeted about how I was thinking I would just skip my Thanksgiving decor altogether and put Christmas stuff out early.

But, my tweeps wouldn't have it...so I wanted to post some photos since you guys helped me decide.

The photo quality is so so...still rainy here. Meh.

For more Wordful Wednesday...head on over to Angie's!