Flirty Aprons GIVEAWAY

I recently did a review on Flirty Aprons. Now I am able to offer one to one of my readers. If you would like to win an apron please leave me a comment by Thursday February 4th.

Good Luck!!

Snow Day

Recently we had snow. Now since we live in GA we don't often get snow that sticks so the boys were super excited. We got less than an inch but they still made the best of it. It started in the afternoon on the 7th and they even had me outside at 9pm (past bedtime) making snow angels and having snow ball fights. Now picture a snowball fight with balls barely the size of golf balls. They didn't care though it was a blast. The next day Daddy got out and played with them and then we went sledding. Oldest didn't last long. He quickly began to complain about the cold and wanted to come home. He also learned a very hard lesson. His hands were really cold and even though I had told him the night before not to do it, he did it anyway.... as soon as he walked inside he went to the bathroom, turned on the hot water and stuck his hands right in it. We didn't know what had happened when he started squalling. I had told him to stand near the heater and rub his hands together to warm them slowly but NOOOO momma doesn't know anything. Maybe he'll listen next time. After some outdoor fun we came in for some hot chocolate (the real kind with milk warmed on the stove and just the right amount of Nesquik added, topped with little marshmallows). Then we played board games such as Sorry Sliders, UNO Spin, Sorry, and Twister. Even the cat and dog got in on twister. It was a really great time. The snow quickly melted but the memories will last a lifetime. Here are a couple videos I took that day.

Youngest getting a helping shove from Daddy.

Sledding on Thin-snow.

Sassy playing Twister with us.

Sassy Twister

Flirty Aprons

I haven't always worn an apron when cooking but I have done so more and more often lately. I hate having grease spots on my shirts that just don't seem to come out. Until recently the only apron I owned was a denim one that is not very pretty. When I was given the opportunity to review a new pretty apron from Flirty Aprons I was excited. I called Hubby to the computer and asked him to pick out which one he would like me to try. He really wanted me to try the pink one because that is his favorite color on me. Although I thought it was pretty I wasn't sure I would like the way the pockets were on it so he chose the red one instead. I liked it because of where the pockets were situated and I felt that they complimented the overall design better. Here were our top two picks:

When I received the apron I was very pleased. It is sturdily made and is also soft and femine. The tie is long enough to wrap around and tie in the front so it will fit nearly everyone. I prefer to tie mine in the back but the ties are a bit to long, they hang down by my knees. My absolute favorite feature is that the neck ties also so you can adjust it to fit you personally. I have to tie a knot in my other apron because the neck is too long and my apron doesn't fit high enough if I don't shorten it some.

Hubby and I have been reading some marriage books by Kevin Leman and one that we haven't gotten to is called Sex Starts In the Kitchen. Well I'm sure these aprons could help that to happen. The Flirty Aprons Site says "Women's aprons have been an essential part of daily life for ages but now with our new sleek designs women are rediscovering what it means to look and feel cute, fun and sexy in the home." They also say "We commit to having the highest quality women's aprons out there, with that perfect soft-cotton feel. Our fabric is strong, our stitching is precise, our colors don't fade and we know you won't be disappointed."

I know I wasn't disappointed and I don't think you will be either. They have aprons for Women, Men, and girls. My only disappointment was that they didn't have any for boys as Youngest is my kitchen helper and he has really been wanting an apron but it is very difficult to find them for boys.

So if you know someone who loves to cook or if you are in the need of a new apron be sure to check them out. There is sure to be a style you'll like too.

"I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Family Review Network on behalf of Flirty Aprons and received a sample to facilitate my candid review. All opinions expressed are my own."

General Mills recently announced a commitment to further reduce sugar in cereals advertised to kids under 12 to single digit grams of sugar per serving. The company has already been reducing sugar in cereals while increasing key nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, and providing whole grain.

Did you know that ready-to-eat cereal eaters consume less fat, less cholesterol and more fiber than non-cereal eaters? Cereals also deliver important vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients, making cereal a top source of key nutrients in children’s diets. Other cereal benefits: Ready-to-eat cereals, including presweetened cereals, account for only 5% of sugar in children’s diets. Ready-to-eat cereal is the No. 1 source of whole grains in a child’s diet today. More frequent cereal eaters tend to have healthier body weights and lower Body Mass Index measures. Studies also demonstrate the benefits of eating breakfast. A 1998 study showed that children who eat breakfast tend to perform better at school. Compared to children who skip breakfast, children who eat breakfast score higher on tests, are less likely to miss class or be tardy, have fewer reported discipline problems, and make fewer trips to the office. For more information about kids and cereals, please visit Cereal Health and Wellness. Right now if you visit here you will find a $1 off coupon for one of four General Mills cereals. I received coupons for free cereal and this information for doing this post from General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

Christmas Letter

I meant to have this up on Christmas day but AT & T decided that the 24th looked close enough to the 29th to them and cut off my internet. Hubby didn't get paid before the holiday so that bill had to wait until the 28th to be paid, which I thought - according to the letter I have - would be fine.... but apparently not. Anyway, we are up and running again so here is my 2009 Christmas letter. I decided to just keep it real and not just highlight the happy points. Let me know what you think.

Dear Friends,

What a year 2009 has turned out to be. We've been through a lot this year and I have come to a place where it is all about keeping it real. So many times when someone asks how we are we answer with a simple "fine", "doing good" or some other non-committal answer. Well I have decided to start answering that question honestly and this letter will reflect some of that . I always send real letters but normally only focus on the happy things that have happened in our lives so this year I'm going to give you a real glimpse into how our year has gone so you can rejoice with us in the lessons learned and the obstacles overcome.

I decided this was the year to kick the weight in the bucket. I joined a gym and hardly ever went. I enjoyed it the few times I did go and would love to get back into it but it is hard to work it into a busy schedule and a small budget. I did manage to loose 20 pounds but that is no where near my goal. I would love to be able to say I lost 50 but it just didn't happen. I've also been working on being a better christian, wife and mother. Man did I fall short of those goals too. My prayer life has greatly improved though, so that is a plus. I did rearrange our school schedule and have done a lot better at sticking with it than I ever did in the past. I'm doing some studying on my own also which is helping me to achieve some of the goals I set and my prayer is that when I write this letter next year I can say all my goals are reached. I'm asking each of you to pray with me that I can stay strong and stay on that path.

Hubby lost his job twice this year. He went through a rough time of being down on himself but has turned that around. He is now working at a good job and is enjoying learning a new trade. We are also trying to work on a budget that will help us out of the slump we got in due to his time of unemployment. It has taught us what we can really do without and in several ways has brought us closer together. Hubby also enjoyed assistant coaching the boys baseball team this spring. The boys loved having dad be a real part of it. In the past he has been hit and miss because of work schedules and so it was nice to see them bond in that way.

Oldest has had a really good year. He did well in baseball but continued to be a bit slower than the other children. We noticed that his ankles turned in some and so we got him looked at. Thankfully it was a minor problem and was fixed with a custom arch support. He is saying that his legs don't hurt when he plays and so he can play harder and stronger. He is doing good in school also. We are having a lot less fights this year and seem to have found our groove. He seems to be growing up way to fast and we still have some attitude issues but I believe with prayer and love we will overcome.

Youngest also played baseball. This was the last year that he and Oldest will be able to be on the same team so it was pretty special that Daddy got to help out with the team. He is doing well in school too. His reading has really improved. He is starting to ask if he can read to us just for fun. It is so good to see his confidence grow in that area. We've had a much bigger problem with him back talking this year than ever before and so that is our main focus with him. He is our giver and is always thinking of others. We also saw him accept Jesus as his Saviour recently. That is truly the highlight for us this year.

I know this hasn't been the typical happy letter but I wrote it so you could share in our experiences. No matter how hard it got we kept our eyes on God and have pushed through. There were times when things looked really bad and I honestly thought of just quitting but knew that was not the answer. With God by our side we can get through any thing. That is truly the meaning of this season. Jesus was born to be our Savior. He is our Savior every day. Not just so that we can know that we'll go to heaven but so that we can know there is Someone always on our side and always interceding with us. When I think about what He gave up to come here for us it makes me realize that I really haven't gone without anything this year. Tough times will come but if you trust in Him, He will see you through.

May each of you have Merry Christmas and blessed 2010.