Little Passports review

LITTLE PASSPORTS

Have you ever wanted to travel the world? Do you want the children in your life to understand about different countries as well as the customs of others around the world. Well there is a great way that your child can do just that. The company Little Passports has created a way for the world to come to your child. Children will find that the ticket to exciting adventures around the world. Through the Little Passports packages that come to your door your children will learn about the wonderful history, geography, culture and language with hands on learning without having to go out the door of their own home

What child does not want to have something of their own. They only have to share if they want to. I can remember the book clubs that my mom signed me up for. Those were my books and I shared only if I chose to. Along the way your child will meet the tour guides of sorts Sophia and Sam. These guides will help your child learn facts about parts of the world they have never been to. Through the Little Passport program once a month your child will receive a personalized letter from, fun and unique souvenirs and gifts that bring each country to life, and secret code to access online games and activities

We were lucky enough to receive the Little Passports First Month's Explore Kit. I loved the little suitcase that they can keep all their important papers in. I also like it that my nephew decided that he would also use it to double as his pajama carrier when he came to stay the night. He loved the little suitcase and I loved the opportunity to look over all the wonderful papers together. We could read about different parts of the world together and discuss what we learned. This was wonderful one on one time together. We were learning through play and open discussion.

Why not open your child's attention up to the larger world and have that special one on one time together? For just under $11 a month you can build your child's self esteem, have a bonding experience like no other and learn facts about the world that you may not of otherwise learned. This is also great for all those homeschooling families that are looking for an opportunity to use lessons about the world.

Saturday Photo Hunt : Low

The theme for this weeks Saturday Photo Hunt is Low so I chose this picture. yes it is of my little princess but if you look behind her you will see how low she is close to her uncles foot and the bottom of the door.

want to play along head over here

Saturday 9

1. Have you ever seen a Broadway play? If yes what and when?

no I have never even been to broadway.

2. Tell us about one strange event in your life this week.

husband waking me up around 2 am hollering someone drank my koolaid LOL

3. Have you ever lied to "get the guy/gal"?

maybe I will never tell

4. Tell us about your best friend.

I am married to him

5. What was the best vacation that you ever had?

the trip we took when I was a kid to amish land or the trip to Florida

6. What was the last big purchase you made?

a vehicle I would say we are still paying on it

7. What is your favorite non-alcoholic drink and when did you start drinking it?

diet coke or good sweet tea

8. When was the last time someone did not believe you?

my children all the time want to tell me I am not telling the truth

9. You have signed on to direct a romantic comedy. Who are your stars?

me and hubby we can write our own scenario

play along here

Small Talk 6: things people do that you think are beyond lazy

Want to join in? Go here to learn how and to view the weekly list Small Talk Six topics for 2009.

Today’s topic is “6 things people do that you think are beyond lazy.” You can answer this with a list of 6 words, 6 phrases, 6 sentences, 6 paragraphs, 6 photos, 6 videos, etc . . .

1. boys who wear their pants that are drooping down are they too lazy to pull them up?
2. those who look for the TV remote because they are too lazy to turn the tv manually
3. parents who have their children do the housework because they are too lazy to get up and do the work their selves (this does not mean the parents who help their children and the family cleans together)
4. teens who are too lazy to get up in the morning and sleep til noon or later
5. saying that they can't do something rather than trying to do something
6. those that take showers and leave the clothes on the floor rather than putting them in the hamper
7. not being able to scrape plate and place in sink rather leave where you eat it and let someone else to pick it up.

what would be on your list? Vist the blog MomDot to play along

Six word saturday

All that's necessary to participate is to post your own six words

My sentence this week is:

Ready to go back to school.

Play along at Showmyface.com

Out of the Mouths of Babes

I found this on you tube and thought I would share it with you

Matthew 21:16 and said to Him, "Do You hear what these children are saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes; have you never read, 'OUT OF THE MOUTH OF INFANTS AND NURSING BABIES YOU HAVE PREPARED PRAISE FOR YOURSELF'?"

For more great songs of praise visit the blog Signs, Miracles and Wonders also posted at Spiritual Sundays

Dreamsacks Review and Contest

DreamSacks is the green company that makes household products, baby goods as well as products for men and women. The best part is they make all these items while doing good for the earth. We received a wonderful robe from DreamSacks and let me tell you it is one of the softest you will ever feel. All DreamSacks products are created by use of all natural products including silks, bamboo, soy and cashmere. DreamSacks is a family owned company located in AshLand Oregon.

Among my favorite products that DreamSacks creates are the 3/4 sleeve twist top and the cute little outfits for the littlest ones amongst us.

Buy: you can buy DreamSack products at their website located at http://www.dreamsack.com/
Use the code ANNIE15 to save 15% off total

Win: DreamSacks would love to offer one of Annies Home readers a set of washcloths.

How to win: visit the DreamSacks website and tell me something about the company I did not mention.

Extra Entries:

• follow my blog
• follow DreamSacks blog
• follow DreamSacks on twitter
• follow my blog on twitter
• subscribe to my blog through email
• subscribe to my blog through reader
• follow DreamSacks on facebook
• blog about the contest (leave link in comment 5 entries)
• twitter about the contest ( leave link in comment 1 entry per tweet)

Contest starts now and will run through September 9, 2009. Good Luck and remember email and extra entries rule

• blog about the contest

OXO storage discount code

The answer to storage. The perfect containers to make your life easier is what OXO strives to create. My son is moving out of our house and needs storage containers, my kitchen still feeds 7 and we need lots of containers in there. Where ever you are looking for an answer to storage look no further than OXO. For a limited time you can take 15% off any OXO product by using the code OXOBLOG15.

MiteTees review

MITETEES

Want to see some of the most adorable, cutest sayings, just right for the little ones tees? Then you want to visit the mitetees website and look at the adorable onesies they have available.


Mitetees has created their little onesies to help share the loves in your life. Sports is often one of the loves thus the Mitetees sports collection. Is Golf in your blood then you will want this adorable little onesie that allows the littlest member of the family to be involved as well.
















Perhaps you want to share the roots of your family with the little one. Mitetees knows the lifestyle and carrer of the family are now that of the littlest member of the family as well. Everyone knows that the cutest farmers around are the little ones still in diapers











The little mitetees can even introduce the newest family member. Personalize the great onesie to tell everyone they meet exactly who the newest member of the family is. After all they are much more than the new baby they may be a sister, a brother, a cousin and the list goes on. Mitetees will help you give personality

Mitetees are the end product of brainstorming session for the perfect baby shower gift. When Cindy wowed everyone at the party with the cutest gift around the Mitetees was born. Mitetees is an unforgettable gift line to be worn today and treasured as keepsakes for years to come If you are looking for that wonderful personalized gift for your self or for the baby shower you will be attending then you have to check out the Mitetees line of tees and onesies. Purchase a great Mitetees product directly from the website at http://www.mitetees.com

Kaskey Kids Sports Guys review and giveaway

SPORTS GUYS

If you follow my blog you know that I have 3 sons. All of them love sports and none of them cheer for the same team. My boys have collected wrestling figures for quite a while and now they can collect sport figures as well. The older my boys get the more they love to horse around figuring out scenarios in their heads about what the players will do or how they will play. I love to sit on the corner of my sons room and just listen to the conversation about how the teams are doing as well as how they could of played better. With the Kaskey Kids Sports Guys they can play with figurines deciding where the players should go and where they are most needed.

The Kaskey Kids Sports Guys was created by a set of parents Bruce and Christy Kaskey who wanted to simply create sports action figurines. Like my boys Christy saw that sports made her boys happy and wanted to bring that same play inside at night time or when it was not possible to play outside. Kristy wanted to create sports figurines like the army men, super heroes and cowboy and Indians. I for one am glad that Christy created such wonderful figurines as the dinosaurs had long wore out their welcome but sports seemed to continue to grow with the boys and the figurines I feel will as well.

The sports guys are kept inside a lunch box shaped tote of their own. So when the play time is over the players can all be tucked away into the little box til the next time the child takes them out. Safety is also another issue that the Kaskey Kids took to heart from the beginning the sports guys have been inspected and tested and have passed all those test with flying colors.


The wonderful sport guys collections that we received were that of the Illinois college football team and baseball. There are many others available to choose from. The Kaskey Kids sports guys collections include hockey, soccer, baseball, and football.

TO BUY: If you would love to buy your sports player Kaskey Kids Sports Guys you can use the link http://www.kaskeykids.com/locations.php to locate a store that sells them. Order online directly from the website here If you order from the website you can use the code "Go Guys" for a 10% discount.

Win: One of Annies Home readers will win their own collection of Kasey Kids Sports Guys

Mandatory Entry: you must visit the website and let me know what package of Kasey Kids Sports Guys you would want to win.

Extra Entries:

• share a sports related story with me whether it be funny, realistic or other (2 entries)
• follow my blog (3 entries)
• subscribe to my blog through email (4 entries)
• subscribe to my blog through reader (2 entries)
• follow my blog on twitter (2 entries)
• tweet about the contest with a link back here (1 entry each time) link in comment
• blog about the contest with a link back here (6 entries) link in comment

Contest starts now and will run through August 21, 2009 (my sons first football game) Each extra entry deserves own comment and email has to be available on blog or in comment in order for you to win

Eden Fantasys Giveaway

Do you have any fantasies. I believe we have all had a fantasy or two in our lifetime. When a man and woman are married there may be times that the passion between them declines. Eden Fantasys will help heat that passion right up. I created a review of Eden Fantasies at an earlier time and you can read that review here.

Whether it be attire of sexy lingerie from Eden Fantasy to lighten up the mood and heat up the passion or any of the other great toys and aides that Eden Fantasy offers I am sure that you will find the perfect one that fits both you and your hubby's personalities. Perhaps through Eden Fantasies you may find out a bit more about each other.

Eden Fantasys wants to offer one of Annie's Home readers a $25 gift card to purchase your favorite product or to try something new.

To Enter: You must visit the Eden Fantasys website and tell me something that you think would be the product to help spark the passion in your relationship.

Extra Entries:

• follow eden fantasys on twitter (3 entries)
• follow my blog on twitter (2 entries)
• tweet about the contest (1 entry each tweet) leave link in comment
• follow my blog (3 entries)
• subscribe to my blog through reader (2 entries)
• subscribe to blog through email (3 entries)
• blog about the contest (5 entries) leave link in comment

Contest starts now and will end on August 29, 2009. Please remember email must be on blog or in comment in order to win. Every extra entry deserves its own comment

Divvies great snacks for those with or without allergies

DIVVIES

I can remember my days at the university walking past the doors of the child care center and a large sign up that stated no nut products past that point. It was the first time I had ever seen a sign such as this. I questioned and when I found out how common peanut allergies were I was very surprised. In my days of early school I had never heard of such a thing or it was just not so out in the open. I could only imagine these young children having to do without. I found a wonderful company that caters to those with allergies to nuts, eggs or dairy as well as those that are not. Divvies creates delicious goodies with everyone in mind.

The makers of these wonderful goodies are the Sandler family. The Sandler family wanted to create homemade sweets with out the worry of family and friends not being able to eat them. They set out to create foods that would be made without peanuts, tree nuts, eggs or milk yet envisioned the snacks to be so delicious that those with or without food allergies would desire them. That was the beginning of Divvies snacks and since that time Divvies has grown into a company that caters to the fun food needs all across the country. These fun foods include cookies, popcorn's, and cupcakes. All of the great Divvies products are created in the factory kitchen where no peanuts, tree nuts, eggs or milk are allowed to enter the doors. Finally those with allergies no longer have to worry where there snack has been made and if there is any way that they might alter an allergic reaction.

We were allowed to sample several different types of the cookies that Divvies makes. First of all they all tasted delicious. Second of all there is no decided champ because there is a disagreement within this house. i believe the sugar cookies are delicious however hubby believes that the ginger cookies were wonderful. The truth is that they are both wonderful tasting cookies. You can choose between our favorites the sugar or the molasses ginger cookies or choose one of the other delicious cookies that Divvies creates including chocolate chip, oatmeal chocolate chip, or oatmeal raisin. All of these cookies taste great and are not the tiny little speck cookie that you may have once ate but they are the large old fashioned style cookies.

Divvies also sent us a great bag of popcorn to taste. The great tasting kettle corn that Divvies creates was shared by both of us. It tasted fresh and the kids were even in on the act tasting this wonderful popcorn. Divvies creates three types of popcorn that you may select from. The caramel corn, chocolate caramel corn, and kettle corn all sound Delicious.

If you are a candy lover like me then you will want to check out Divvies candy selections. All of these candies are either hand molded by Divvies or come from a company that follows the same strict rules regarding ingredients that come thorough the doors. Whether you enjoy sour candies, sweet candies, or minty candies Divvies has the one for you. Selections include chocolate bars, sour stars, jawbreakers, chocolate chips, rock candy, jelly beans, or gum balls. Candy snacks are available in single bags or gift sets.

Cupcakes

Divvies creates delicious cupcakes as well. The only icing I have ever saw that advises no refrigeration. The cupcakes were moist and delicious. We received chocolate but there are many other flavors available. The cupcakes their selves come in just two flavors chocolate and vanilla but the icings have various colors and flavors available.

Whether you have a food allergy or not, whether you want a snack for yourself or for a whole party Divvies has the goodies you need. You can buy Divvies directly off of their website at http://www.divvies.com because they are made to order. How delicious goodies that were made with you in mind.

Southern Brand Tees

SOUTHERN BRAND TEES

If you are looking for some great home town fashion then southern brand tees are for you. You all know that I love great sayings and let me tell you Southern Brand Tees have some of the cutest. Sayings such as "A lil bit country" or "This aint my first rodeo" lets everyone know that this little cowpoke is not to be messed with. We received this cute little tee

This little tee we received is sure to please my granddaughters daddy. The Daddy's Lil' Cowgirl is super cute. My little Princess is not always a princess especially when she loves to crawl on cement and roll around in the grass. I have a feeling give her half a chance when she gets a bit older and she will be rough housing with her cousins.

Don't worry Southern Brand Tees didn't leave mom out after all she is the Queen of the castle. Sporting this tee will have them all remember that.

If you choose you can even find the lucky man in your life a tee as well. Southern Brand Tees will please everyone with southern pride with the great assortment of tees they have available.

Buy: you can purchase any of the great Southern Brand Tees directly off the online website. For a short period of time any reader of Annie's Home can receive 10% off the regular price by using the code BELLE.

Come to Fearless Fridays, a day where bloggers commit to share their prayer requests and pray for one another. Fearless Fridays is hosted on the blog Free Spirit Haven.

I would love to ask for two special ladies from our church as they head to Africa on a Mission Trip. Please remember Nan and Judy in your prayers as they will be leaving at the end of August on a dental clinic team to Africa.

"And when they realized that the Lord had seen their misery and was deeply concerned for them, they all bowed their heads and worshipped".
Exodus 4: 31 NLT

Please pray for Susan as her car problems worsen. The car was picked up from the shop only to learn that something is still wrong.

Pray for the back to school project at school that we will be preparing for next week. We will hand out school suplies to over 500 children. I pray that these school suplies will be used by children and that they will touch these childrens lives.

Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. (NIV)

Do you have prayer request and want others to know about them? Share them on the blog Free Spirit Haven.

quick take 7

1. Sunday the kids went to the Rock at River festival and had a great time. They loved the bands skillet and Red the best. My children are awesome as seniors in highschool they would rather go with the church and listen to christian rock. They came back home and told me about the best time they had had for ever.
2. Granddaughter now has 5 teeth in her mouth oh my she is truly growing up. Her momma says that she bit her and it hurt. I couldn't help but to laugh for a minute and think Ha your getting paid back. She was an awful biter and now she is getting paid back
3. Oldest son has all ready to go to college next week will be his last full week here at home. He has a bad temper and while it will be great for him to learn to survive on his own we will also miss him greatly. This is my second child that has moved out and they seem to getting in line right behind him.
4. Oldest daughter has spent alot of time looking up pictures that she has of her family. Oh she has been thinking about sweet times when she was a little girl. I wonder if this has anything to do with her starting college soon as well. They all seem to go through a time of memory lane somewhere in their teens. I guess that take that honestly
5. Midle son starts 2 a days next week. Football will dominate his life for the next few months. This year is his senior year so it will have extra meaning. Football has been his fall sport for the past 4 years and he has gotten close with team mates and coaches. The end of an era you could say will happen this fall with the end of highschool football.
6. I was able to find great deal on notebooks and folders at a little discount shop. I was very happy when I found out that the notebooks that I bought sell for nearly $10 and I purchased them for $1 a piece
7. I register the children for school next year for school. They will have their school pictures taken at that time. I am a bit happy and sad at the same time because my son will be a senior this year. It was not that long ago that he was starting school or at least it seems that way to me.

for your quick take 7 list them at the blog Conversion Diary

Approaching Football

Next week the foot ball team will start the two a day practices becasue very soon the games will begin. I am so excited. My son will be playing his senior year of football. He will not be attempting to play in college since he will be concentrating on his school work. The four years of football that he has played have been great fun for the entire family. He did the practices but we all loved to hear the stories around the supper table. Friday nights will be great one last season as the games are sure to be exciting. One of the finer things in life is playing sports so if you have a child who would love to try be sure to let them.

For more finer thing that others are sharing or to share your own visit the blog Amys Finer Things

Flash Back Friday

You can join in the fun at the blog Bloggin' it from the 'Burbs

Four Foods On Friday

1. What’s your favorite flavor of Italian Ice?

Holiday blue or watermellon

2. Watermelon. So you prefer seeded or seedless?

the seedless are my favorite

3. Ice cream. Do you prefer soft serve or hard?

Depends where I am eating it on cone I would serve soft serve in bowl I would choose hard

4. Ice pops. What kind is your favorite?

Grape

Play along here

Outside Rec at bible school

I love to watch the kids have lots of fun. Have outside pictures you want to share? Want to see other great outside pictures? Head over to the Inspired Room

Friday Fill Ins

1.Lemonade is my favorite summertime drink.

2. My favorite John Hughes movies is Ferris Beuler.

3. My granddaughters face is something I love to touch.

4. The full moon is what you see when the neighbor bends over LOL.

5. I want it all right now.

6. When daylight fades the night gets romantic on the beach.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to dinner with family, tomorrow my plans include staying cool and in the house and Sunday, I want to go to church and fellowship with friends

go here to play along

food trip

This is a picture of one of my favorite meals goulash. Here is a quick recipe for goulash

lb brown hamburger

1 can diced tomatos

macaroni or pasta of your choice

can of corn

chopped bell pepper

Cook macaroni and mix all up together Heat and serve.

cornbread goes great with goulash

humming bird cake is the perfect dessert to top it all off and here is a great recipe for it

Play along with the meme foodtrip here as well as at Designs by Gollum also listed at Perfectly Blended

Friday Fragments August 7, 2009

Mrs 4444 hosts this wonderful meme on the blog Half Past Kisses. Feel unsettled, like you have too much on your plate? Does your life feel somehow incomplete? Try writing a Friday Fragments post and linking up here; it just might do the trick :) (Just kidding, of course, but FF is very satisfying :) [What are Friday Fragments? Click the button above to learn more.]

This week has seen my son so bored he actually got his wresting figurines out and played with them. It is hard for me to say that he had these since he was a kid because to me he still is. He jokingly told me that he was taking his wrestlers to college with him calling them collectibles and when no one was around and he was bored he would play with them LOL> He is quite a character.

Oldest daughter has taken her bedroom from trash to treasure. Last week you could not even walk in the room and now it looks creative and cute. She has been spending alot of time working on this. Soon she will start college so wonder what the room will look like then.

The oldest son is leaving to go to school and I often wonder if he has it all together and ready to go. He informed me that "Mom I have had all I am going to take packed for about 2 weeks now" That just goes to show you when you raise your children to be responsible there is no reason to worry about them.

well those are a few of my friday fragments what are yours? Visit the blog Half Past Kissin Time to add your own or read others

Aloha Friday

In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.

This week we have been concentrating on going back to school. I have been recalling wonderful experiences I had at school as well. Like my first boyfriend, or hanging out on cold days at the kitchen vent where the steam would come out, the little secrets that we shared with each other. I have found many of my school friends on facebook. My question today is:

I would like to know if you use facebook and if you have found friends and family online?

to participate visit the blog An Island Life

Fridays Fave Five

As the summer winds down life gets fixated on going back to school. Often we overlook what is right in front of us:

• New friends like Stephanie who i met at camp this year. We had seen each other before said hi in formality and kindness but never spoke. Since going to camp we have become really great friends and I thank her for her kindness and friendship. Sometimes we overlook those friends that we see quite often but don't take the time to talk to.
• Old friends like my sister in law who stopped by the other day. We have so much going on that it becomes rather hard to have the get together we loved so much. She has 3 little children and I have 5 teenagers living at home. So when we were able to get together we talked for nearly an hour and a half just having a great time and catching up with the going ons.
• The shopping places that we often overlook. I found a great hole in the wall shop the other day that sold great school supplies cheaper than any store I could visit. I love it the great buys I found and my children said I did great as well. It is always gratifying when your daughter starting college lets you know that "you did a good job mom".
• The local lady down at the mom and pop grocery shop near my house. This lady a few short months ago I can truly say was not very kind person to me. Short in temper service without a smile and no conversation at all. Now after shopping there I decided to try to make a friend of this lady as the little shop has some of the best meat in town. I can say that now this lady speaks to me easily and even smiles. I believe that our conversations have started to grow a little she reminds me of one of my grandmothers who was quiet until you got to know her. I am so glad that I took the time to make a friend.
• The time that we have to ponder over memories old and new. I have been missing my granddaughter this week and believe my children have as well. I can tell you we have been telling stories old and new about nearly every member of the family and the friends some of which we still see and others that have moved out of our lives. It is great that they have so many stories. This makes me happy because they will be able to share these stories with friends they may make, spouses in their future and hopefully their children.

Want to list your fav 5 or see what others are? Head over to the blog Living to Tell the Story

Dicks Sporting Goods Giveaway win $100 gift card

Sporting goods at my house are as necessary as the couch and chair in the living room or the appliances in the kitchen. If you have a husband who loves sports or a son who loves sports or perhaps you are the sports lover then you have probably heard of Dick's Sporting Goods. Well I have good news for you Dick's Sporting Goods is sponsoring a contest on Annie's Home blog where you can win a $100 gift card to buy whatever you please. The real question is what would that be.

To enter this contest you must follow Dick's Sporting Goods on twitter here let me know in a comment that you did and what your twitter ID is and for the second mandatory entry you must head over to Dick's Sporting Goods and let me know what it is you would use the $100 gift card on.

Extra Entries:

• follow my blog


• twitter about the contest (1 time a day for 1 entry a day)


• blog about this giveaway

That's all there is the contest will end August 21, 2009. Which is the date of my son's first football game. Good Luck.

running for a cause

These pictures were taken of my son in law who was participating in the run for march of dimes. He has participated in many activities but one of his favorites is participating in the fund raising for march of dimes. I think this is wonderful of him and that is another great reason of why I love him

For more great stories through pictures visit the blog Thousand Word Thursday