Win a $50 Amazon Giftcard from WineVine

Do you have a wine lover in your family? You should check out WineVine because they sell all kinds of great wines. They are even giving away a $50 Amazon gift card and they asked me to help promote it. Who couldn’t use a $50 Amazon gift card this holiday season? As I was telling Noah this morning, you can find almost anything on Amazon.

Entering is easy, just use the Rafflecopter form

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I teamed up with WineVine to share this amazing giveaway with you. Good luck and let me know if you win!!

Buy Designer Items for Cheap Prices

Do you have expensive taste, but not a huge wallet? You should check out Designer2U. They have all kinds of really beautiful items. You can get things like shoes and purses and jewelry. Everything is high end brand name like Coach, Steve Madden and Kate Spade to name a few. It’s a fabulous bidding site. It’s really easy and fun too. Who doesn’t like the thrill of winning things? Here’s how it works, you purchase bids and you can use them to buy things well below market value. The bids are one cent each. For one dollar you receive one hundred bids. Once you win, you will be notified and you pay. Then your item is shipped to you or the recipient of your choice.  If you don’t win the item, that’s ok. There is so many more wonderful things to buy. You can save 50% to 80% off retail. You can look like you are wealthy without having to be.  Everything is guaranteed to be real and there are no knock offs on Designer2U. This would be a great way to knock out all your Christmas shopping for the women in your life. If you win by December 17^th, it will be there in time for Christmas. If you don’t know what she may want, well you can get her a gift certificate and she can pick it out! With the prices a gift certificate could go a long way!

There are so many amazing items I had a hard time picking what to bid on. I did find a really pretty Coach Purse and I was able to try out the bidding process. It was a breeze. You can even do auto bids where you can set a price cap and the system does all the work for you. You don’t have to sit there and hit refresh over and over, unless you want to. I found it really exciting to see if I would win or not. I was so happy when I won.  Have fun bidding and let me know what you get!

Be sure to check out Designer2u for more information.

How do you like to Travel?

Growing up we drove to most places when we traveled. I didn't mind riding in the car. I did get bouts of car sickness. I took medicine in a spoonful of peanut butter. Now as an adult I don't care for plain peanut butter. Noah has flown a lot. He had his first flight at eight months old. We also took our first major car trip when he was two months old. I think it has to do with preferences. When we visit my aunt and uncle in California we always fly. That's a really long drive. They always drive when they come visit us though. They bring their pups and always make a lot of side trips. One year they went to Texas to see my aunt and cousins. They also drove to Florida and South Carolina to see my sister. They stopped in Tennessee and ended up at my aunt's parents to see everyone else. When you fly, you can't do that. The days of meeting family or friends at the airport during a layover is no one longer permitted unless you go back through security. That just doesn't seem worth it. I wish I had my own jet and I could fly anywhere or a chauffeur in a huge comfortable car that could drive me anywhere.  Until teleporting is a viable travel method we ponder the question do we travel by car or by plane? There is so much to consider when planning your method of travel.

Check out my post about Car vs Plane Travel for important things to consider.

How to Save Money for Travel

When you love to travel like I do, you want to do it often. You also have to think of ways to fund your trip. You can save all your change or have a special travel fund. It seems like that may take forever. Sometimes trips come up at the last minute. You decide to get away or a loved one needs you. Unexpected travel happens. You have to plan for the unexpected. You should have a small savings if possible. It doesn't have to be strictly for travel. This fund can be for anything. Traveling doesn't have to be really expensive. There are tips and tricks to save while traveling. Everything from staying with family to packing your own meals. You could see as many loved ones as possible. Try to put together an impromptu reunion or get together. I love when my family gets together. Even when it's family I see often. We sometimes get together because someone is In town. It gives an excuse to see each other. I grew up really close to my cousins even though I am the youngest. We are still really close but don't spend nearly as much time together now that we are all adults with children, jobs and we are more spread out. One of my cousins lives in Switzerland now.

Cutting down or out some of the expenses can definitely help you have a better trip without making your pocketbook hurt.  Check out my tips and tricks to save money while traveling.

Getting Your Car Ready for Winter

Growing up in the Midwest, I know how important it is to get your car winter ready. While the snow is fun to play in and build a snowman with your kids, you still have to drive in it. We can't hibernate like bears all winter. We also tend to travel during the holiday season. Even a short trip to Grandma's house can be hard if your car isn't prepared. There are some easy steps to take to make sure you are ready for the unpredictable Midwest weather. You may face snow, ice, sleet and freezing rain. Don't forget extremely cold temperatures. You don't want to end up like I did, and have your car break down on the side of a busy highway on Christmas Day one year. That was not fun. Thankfully, it wasn't too terribly cold and it wasn't snowing. It ended better than it could have but it still was a major pain to deal with on a holiday were nothing was open and my cell phone was dead. We had to find a pay phone and call someone to come. We had to rely on family to take us to all the places we needed to go. It was when I was married, so thankfully we were able to without really inconvenience anyone too much.  I was able to enjoy Christmas still thankfully. Don't take the risk and get your car ready for winter, I wish I would have.


 Read this post to learn more about getting your car ready for Winter

Gift Baskets for the Car

The holidays are fast approaching and we have started shopping for gifts. When you have a guy who loves his car almost as he loves you, you want to embrace that by getting him gifts for his baby. It is kind of like buying baby gifts for an expectant mother. When my sister was pregnant, I gave her a gift to buy something for her baby for Christmas. It's not exactly the same thing of course. Creating a car gift basket is really easy with a little know how and creativity. You will even score brownie points with the guy in your life. It will show him that you really put some thought in the gift and you are fine with how much he loves his car. I have dated a guy who loved his car to the point that he worked on it any chance he got. He was even a mechanic. My grandpa was a diesel mechanic and he spent a lot of time in his garage at home teaching my cousins how to work on cars. He also taught my uncles how to fix cars. My mom and aunt learned how to change tires and change oil. Don't get him another tie or a new sweater, make him a gift basket for his car. I am sure he will love it.

Check out my post about creating the perfect car gift basket for some inspiration.

Healthy Snacks for Traveling

It's no secret I love food. I love going grocery shopping. I love cooking and baking. I love to eat. When I am traveling for the holidays or just in general, it's all about the food. We used to bring snack bags on trips with us. My Grandma Rose always made the best snack bags. She would have one waiting for us and have one for us to take with us on the way home. It was one of my favorite things. I would give anything to have one right now. When Noah was about three, I started making Noah a snack bag for when we travel. It is a great way to give him healthy choices while saving money. Buying snacks every time we stop is not practical or affordable. The choices are not the best and well Noah is extremely picky. I have to make sure while we are traveling for the holidays, he has good choices for snacks and drinks. Gas stations don't really offer much when it comes to kids' drinks. He likes some juice and keeping gas station milk ice cold can be challenging even with a cooler. I am teaching him about healthy foods and that treats are fine in moderation but when you only have junk as a choice something needs to be done.

Be sure to read this post about what I put in our Holiday Snack Bag for Travel

The Importance of Car Winter Safety Kits

Sometimes your car has trouble, maybe it's your car malfunctioning and maybe it's the weather, and maybe it's an accident. You could get a flat tire or run out of gas. You need to prepare for these situations. I remember times my cousin and I would run out of gas in her car. I am pretty sure her gas gauge had problems. We were lucky enough where it would happen close to a gas station or as we were pulling in to it. There has been other times where the car has died or we were stuck in the snow. The Midwest is great for snow. It always makes me laugh when southern states get an inch of snow and everyone freaks out. I understand they aren't used to it but I still makes me chuckle a little. There are certain things you can keep in your car in case of an emergency. Regardless where you live I recommend car safety kits for all drivers. The weather can be unpredictable. It could be 54 degrees one day and then the next day have four inches of snow fall in one afternoon. You don't want to be stuck without supplies or food in subzero temps. Having a well put together winter safety kit could help save your life or help someone who you see stranded.

Here's how to make a Winter safety kit  for all drivers

The Adventures of Traveling with Noah

Riding in a car can be boring. Noah's been traveling in the car his whole life. When Noah was two months old, we went to Virginia Beach. We had been in the car for hours and hours when Noah had enough. Right at that moment, his toy broke and that was the one thing that stopped his crying. I couldn't hold him because we were riding in the car. We were almost to the hotel so I tried everything I could think of. I started singing the Car-X commercial jingle over and over again and he stopped crying. When he was three, we would go visit my sister often. She lived three hours away. Noah started saying Wanna go down the road and asking are we there yet? I had to come up with things to entertain him in the car. Thankfully, I grew up going on vacations in the car. I was able to use my experiences and had an advantage with ideas. I didn't have my mom's smart phone, my mom doesn't have a smart phone, or a tablet, so my ideas were good old fashion fun. I didn't have any screens to watch movies, now kids have it easy. I try and limit Noah's screen time so I don't let him have it in the car. I prefer games, reading and other things that help his brain develop. It's also extra stuff to lug around. We have some fun times in the car together. I use this time together to make fun memories with him like my mom did. I still love to sing Billy Joel and Carly Simon like I did many times throughout the years. 

Be sure to check out my post about How to Entertain Kids in the Car.

Taking Care of your Skin with Diabetes

New diet, insulin injections, blood sugar checks- diabetics already have a lot on their plate. However, many diabetics don’t realize that they may also face skin disorders as a potential side effect of diabetes. In fact, as many as one-third of diabetics will have a skin disorder related to diabetes during their lives. However, smart skincare can help prevent many of these issues. 

Skin disorders linked to diabetes often stem from common side effects of diabetes. For example, high glucose levels often cause dry skin, which leads to other disorders such as itching, cracking, rashes, and difficulty healing from open wounds. Diabetics also experience reduced blood flow to certain areas of the body and weakened immune systems, making them prone to bacterial or fungal infections. In rare cases, insulin injections can cause yellow skin, or, more commonly, rosacea.

While these skin issues can turn serious, it’s possible to prevent them from even occurring with smart skincare techniques. Diabetics should bathe with mild soap and warm, not hot, water daily, using moisturizing soap and lotions afterwards to retain moisture. In the cold, windy winter months, air is drier; counteract this by keeping your home’s air humid. Keep your blood pressure and glucose levels controlled to maintain good circulation and soft skin. You may also want to keep a first aid kit for skin stocked; have it include items like antibacterial ointment, petroleum jelly, gauze pads, hypoallergenic tape, cleansing towelettes, and self-adherent elastic wrap.

Finally, diabetics are also vulnerable to foot problems, such as blisters, cracked feet, infections, and skin conditions caused by a lack of circulation or diabetic nerve damage. Stop these problems before they even start by wearing shoe inserts to prevent change in the shape of your foot that diabetic nerve damage may cause. You should also examine your feet daily for any damage or new conditions, and see your doctor yearly for a foot examination that focuses on circulation and sensation.

Diabetics may be prone to skin and foot issues, but with proper preventative care, you can avoid many of these disorders.

The Importance of Breast Cancer Awareness

Sure, it may be cool these days to complain about how all the pink you see during Breast Cancer Awareness Month hurts your eyes, or to point out that despite all the awareness efforts and money raised, breast cancer is still without a cause. However, breast cancer awareness is a bigger issue now than it ever has been before, and it’s a cause that still needs our help.

First, it’s important to recognize the strides that have been made in the fight against breast cancer. In the time spanning 1990 to 2011, breast cancer deaths declined 25%. Meanwhile, the number of nonprofit organizations committed to fighting breast cancer have increased drastically, from just a few in 1989 to over 200 in 2011. These charities have also combined to raise over $550 million every year in total revenue, according to the National Center for Charitable Statistics at the Urban Institute.

While these figures are admirable, there’s still plenty of work to do. Globally, women get breast cancer far more than any other form of cancer, with 16.8 million cases diagnosed in 2012, according to the World Health Organization. And in the United States, breast cancer diagnoses are actually on the rise, from 192,370 cases in 2009 to a projected increase of 232,670 in 2014, according to the American Cancer Society.

Looking at the big picture, then, it’s clear that breast cancer needs our support more than ever. Nonprofits can benefit from the foundation and audience that breast cancer awareness campaigns have built, and use these assets as stepping stones to planning campaigns that will be meaningful and engaging to your constituents.

5 Great Tips for Playing Slot Machines

I thought I would share some tips about playing slot machines that I have learned over the years. I am not a huge gambler but I enjoy playing from time to time.

1. If you are flying in to Vegas or Reno and have change for the machines, don't put it in a Ziploc bag. This is really for any airport. It will look like a knife, I learned this lesson twice.

2. Speaking of change, you don't actually use coins or tokens at the casino. If you want to save change for gambling, take it to the bank. The cashiers do not want to count your change. Trust me. The airport cashiers want to cash you out and smile as your eyes get wide when you see the lights of the machines. Everything is on a card you insert to the machine. No change buckets needed.

3. There are several different types of machines. You have nickel machines, quarter, dollar, five dollar and twenty dollar machines. I call the nickel slot machines the play here machines because you get more bang for your buck.

4. Nickel machines sound cheap but you really pay more than a nickel. They are usually the kind with different lines each line costs a nickel. You can choose how many lines you want to use. Sometimes it will default to one line so pay attention.

5. Set your limit before you go to the casino. If you want to limit yourself to $40, only bring $40. Leave cards and cash at home. Sometimes you can win Starburst Touch Free Spins where it will spin all by it's self. Free spins are almost as good as cash. You know you will probably spin again anyways.

I hope you enjoyed the tips I shared with you. You can always play straight from your computer if a trip to a casino isn't in the cards. Check out  free play rainbow riches here. Good luck and have fun.