Is Your Baby the Most Beautiful Baby?

As a parent, I hope your answer is "Of course!" Well, here is your chance to prove it! Live with Regis and Kelly is having it's annual "Live's Beautiful Baby Search" to find the most beautiful baby to grace the cover of Parenting magazine. They have received over 80,000 photos so far but it isn't too late to submit your child's picture. Your child must be between 6 and 48 months old and all entries must be received by 5p.m. ET February 5th. Log on to Live with Regis and Kelly to find out how to submit your child's picture. Even if your child isn't selected as a finalist, your child's picture can appear on the show the week of February 19th.

P.S. The future Beautiful Baby contest winner is pictured above!

P.S.S. Happy Birthday to my husband who is celebrating his birthday today. David, I love you!

Tagged

Thanks to my good friend Jenn (a.k.a. Hostess with the Mostess) over at Hostess Blog, I was tagged and get to share with all of you 6 weird or interesting things about myself. Apparently, being "tagged" is something that is sweeping the blogging nation. Since I am new to it, I will succumb to the peer pressure. So here goes...

1. I can wrap my left arm over the top of my head, passed my right ear, under my chin, and touch my left ear lobe. It sounds kind of strange, and do-able, but I am told by most that it is a stupid human trick.
2. I have won a trip from Live!with Regis and Kelly's travel trivia game. They called me at 5am in the morning to tell me they were going to call me back at 6am to answer a question. It was October 24th and they asked what my son was going to be for Halloween. I told them a pumpkin. Kelly then reminded me that she made pumpkin bread over the weekend. The question I answered correctly was "What state does Val Kilmer currently live in?" I answered correctly with New Mexico. I won a trip to Hollywood, Florida, which was surprisingly very nice. Oh yeah, when Regis said they had Leslie Swan on the phone, he said "what a pretty name." Thanks Reeg!
3. I raised pigs in 4H for five years. Pinky, Babe, Weemer, Hamlet and Relish were their names. Ah yes, Babe was named after the book I read in 4th grade...the movie had not come out yet!
4. I met my husband at a bar...a bar no less that I had frequented for 2 years with no luck whatsoever. It wasn't until the night before graduating from college that I met the man of my dreams and declared that night that we should get married.
5. When I was in 1st grade, I got 2 citations for pulling boys out of the boys' bathroom. (We were playing tag and they thought it would be funny to stand in the doorway and say, "you can't get me." Yeah, like that was going to happen!) As a result of my 2 citations, I was unable to watch the "special treat" movie all the non-citation receivers got to watch. But it's no big deal...it's not like I remember it or anything.
6. My grandmother won the California state lottery. After playing the same numbers religiously for over 10 years, she won...and actually won a smaller jackpot about a year after with the same numbers. Sorry, your chances of winning are further diminished now that you know of someone who is related to someone that won.

Thank you Hip Hostess, for that lovely walk down memory lane...unfortunately, since everyone I know has already been tagged. This "tagging" buck stops here. But anyone is free to share a weird or interesting fact about him/herself. It's always reassuring to know you aren't the only weird one out there!

Home Improvement and Financing Tips

At one time or another, you will probably need to take a look at your finances or consider improving your home. When you do, check out HUD.gov. HUD refers to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and it applies to you. HUD's mission is "to increase homeownership, support community development and increase access to affordable housing free from discrimination." You would be amazed at everything this mission statement entails.

If you want to learn more about buying a home, renting, defaults, foreclosures, credit issues or reverse mortgages, HUD.gov sponsors certain agencies throughout the country that can give you free or low cost advice. And if you think free sounds too good to be true, just remember, your taxes pay for this department to function. What is nice about this resource is that you shouldn't feel any pressure - no pushy salespeople trying to get you to commit to something you don't need.

So if you find yourself wondering about any of the subjects mentioned above, go to HUD.gov and click on "talk to a Housing Counselor" under "At Your Service." The worst you could do is walk away with information.

(Note: If after compiling all the necessary information you are ready to find a mortgage that best suits your needs, I highly recommend contacting Benefit Home Mortgage. The people there are friendly, informative, and have arranged loans for several family members and friends.)

Home photos courtesy of HGTV.com.

Dylan's Candy Bar

In the spirit of Valentine's Day, I thought I would feature an amazing store/website that is completely devoted to candy. Dylan's Candy Bar, owned and operated by Dylan Lauren (yes, the daugther of Ralph Lauren), is the mecca of all candy stores. The flagship store in New York City is 10,000 square feet of candy. Other stores are located in New York, Orlando, and Houston.

If you can't get to the store, checking out the website is the next best thing. Unique gift ideas for birthdays, baby showers, party favors, and of course, Valentine's Day can be found throughout the website. The kid at heart basket, Hershey Kiss ball topiary, baby girl basket and gummy candy take out boxes (shown above) are just a few of the options available through Dylan's Candy Bar.

What is even more unique about the store and website is the ability to purchase candy that you can't find anywhere else that is either in its original wrapping, or something even cuter. You can purchase Original Necco Wafers, Charleston Chew Bars, Abba-Zabba, and Black Jack Gum (just to name a few) with the click of a button. It's not surprising that Lauren has been able to mix candy with fashion - a woman's fantasy come true.

I found out about Dylan's Candy Bar while watching an episode of Martha Stewart. On the show, Lauren showed how to assemble a candy topiary on your own. For more on the candy topiary and to see Dylan Lauren's segment, visit MarthaStewart.com.

Table Pad for Less

If you are like me, you probably only use your dining room table twice a year...three times if you are lucky. Each time you use it, you need to put down a table cloth, but of course, also need a table pad underneath so that your table won't get damaged.

When I looked in catalogs for table pads, I was shocked by the prices. Depending on the size of your table, they can cost over $200. It very well can be a great investment that you can use for many years to come, but at the time, I was definitely not willing to part with that much money for a table pad.

I went to Joann Fabrics , thinking they may have one of these table pads for less. When I asked someone at the store, she referred me to batting. Cotton batting can be used for quilts and crafts, but also works well under a table cloth. And the greatest part...it only cost me $1.99!

The batting at my local JoAnn Fabrics comes in two widths, 90 or 110 inches. (Sizes may vary at your local fabric store because according to the manufacturer, The Warm Company, the Natural Cotton Batting comes in 34", 45", 90" and 124" widths.)

You buy the batting by the yard, so depending on the length of your table, you most likely will only need to buy 1 yard! (This estimate is based on typical rectangular or oval shaped tables that are no more that 36 inches wide.)

Obviously, since this batting is not custom sized, you may have to do some cutting when you get it home, but remember, as long as your table cloth covers it, you are good to go! If need be, the batting can be hand washed with mild detergent and dried in a cool or warm dryer.

If this sounds too confusing or technical for you, but you need a table pad, I recommend going in to your local fabric store with your table dimensions and asking for cotton batting to fit your table dimensions as best as possible.

(Please note: if you go online to JoAnn Fabrics website, you can order batting, however, you will have to buy an entire bolt which is much more expensive and much more fabric than you need!)

Table photos courtesy of Pottery Barn.

Free 411 - It's True!

If you are lucky like me, your husband racks up extra charges every month on the cell phone bill with directory assistance (a.k.a. 411) calls. As he always likes to tell me, "my time is worth more than the cost for directory assistance." I don't agree with him, but I can't stop him from dialing directory assistance...even though I try!

Now I have added a great directory assistance number to his cell phone that is FREE! 1800FREE411 (1-800-373-3411) is a toll free number that you can use from your cell phone or land line to find a person or business.

Naturally, calling from your cell phone uses your plan minutes (as does any 800 number), but you won't have to fork over $1.50 each time you call them. You can also check out the 1800FREE411 website for directory assistance as well. There are no gimmicks or hidden fees.

In a world filled with expensive things, it is nice to know you can still find useful things for free!

Use Diapers - Get Free Stuff

Sometimes it may seem like you are constantly buying diapers. Of course, everyone has their own brand preference when it comes to diapers. My preference is Pampers because they have a great rewards program that allows me to collect points and order cool stuff for my baby. Pampers' Gifts to Grow program rewards you every time you buy Pampers diapers, training pants or wipes.

(You have to buy the diapers anyway, why not get something free out of it?) All you have to do:

1. Locate the Gifts to Grow code on the inside of the package


2. Enter the code online at Pampers.com to accumulate points
   
3. You can redeem your points by choosing items from the Gifts to Grow catalog.

It's that easy! I have redeemed points for one gift so far, and although you do have to pay for shipping, I received the item in less than 2 weeks from ordering it (it says online it can take 4-6 weeks!). Most of the gifts are toys and books, but they include some favorite characters like Elmo, Dora the Explorer and Bob the Builder.

The website also offers useful information on your baby and the different stages he/she will go through. Go to Pampers.com for more information.

How to Get Concert Tickets Before They Go on Sale!

Last week, I was searching on Ticketmaster.com for concert tickets - yes, The Wiggles concert tickets! When attempting to buy tickets for a specific date, I was unable to because they didn't open to the general public until the next day at 10:00am. But there was this special "HOB.com member pre-sale ticket." (Oh great, something exclusive I can't get in on!) After figuring out that HOB stands for House of Blues, I went to their website.

Jackpot! It is free to become a House of Blues member. I quickly filled out the membership information and was able to buy tickets the night before they went on sale...oh yeah, and they were much better tickets than what Ticketmaster was potentially going to offer the next day! Plus, you can even sign up for a text alert when your favorite show goes on sale! House of Blues doesn't have concert information/privileges for every event, but hey, if they have it for The Wiggles, then they may have it for your event, too!

For your next concert, check out HOB.com first...membership has it's privileges!

The Wiggles, Taylor Hicks, and Pennywise photos courtesy of Ticketmaster.com

Make Dinner Easier...On You!

Making dinner is the last thing any of us wants to do when we come home. Thankfully, some women have decided to make it easier on us. You may have noticed that meal assembly stores are popping up in your area.
They provide the recipes, the fresh ingredients and you make it to your own preferences. It takes a couple of hours, but when you are done, you have meals for weeks. You simply put the pre-made meals in the freezer and pull them out the day before you are ready to pop it in the oven and serve.

Plus, you make a mess at their store, so there is no clean up at your own home! It is a fun activity you can do on your own or with friends. Maybe it is something you and your spouse can do together (that was my husband's idea!).

Dream Dinners is one of the chains that is popping up in this growing market. They have locations throughout the country, so hopefully you can find one close to your home. If not, go to a search engine and enter meal assembly stores. Dinners Divine is just down the street in my area and I can't wait to check it out! Happy cooking!

House Plants can Liven up the Place!

During the holidays, a Christmas tree can make your whole house smell better. But what about the rest of the year? Check out Martha Stewart's website to find out great houseplants that can not only make your home look better, but smell wonderful, too! (And, of course, Martha offers maintenance tips!)

A few little Gray Hairs - What to Do?

Okay, just because you have a gray hair, that doesn't mean you are OLD! Even though you think it means you are old, it doesn't! Some people start getting gray hair as early as their teenage years, so if you are past those years, you are ahead of the game! And if you have a child (or even just a spouse), then you probably have a gray hair or two.

Whether you have a little or alot, gray hair can be covered up. Cover Your Gray by Cosmetic Solutions is a great way to cover those few gray hairs or add on a couple extra weeks on your roots before going to the hair salon for your next coloring. There are a variety of colors ranging from black to auburn to brown blonde. It isn't permanent color so it will wash out after every shampoo. (That will make your hairstylist and your hair happy!) Check out Cosmetic Solutions to find the Cover Your Gray product that is right for you!

P.S. If your man could use some touch up, Cover Your Gray also carries products for men.

P.S.S. If you don't have a single gray hair...congratulations, this post will be of no help to you...and I am sure you like it that way!

Upromise - Start Saving Free Money for College

Saving for college is at the top of many parents' minds. But what if you could save money by purchasing the things that you already buy?

Upromise is the answer! Upromise is a free program designed to help families save for college. Thousands of companies help you save for college by contributing a percentage of what you spend on their products to your Upromise account. You can save when you shop online, at the grocery store, at the drug store, or when you travel or dine out. For example, you scan your Albertson's Preferred card while grocery shopping and Upromise does the calculating (and saving) for you!

Upromise has added their own toolbar to help you get special deals with their participating retailers!

You can even start saving before you have kids! For more information, visit Upromise.com. Start saving now!

Feeling Frumpy?

Many of us have those days when we just don't feel as hot as we should. I had one of these days recently and found a nice pick-me- up that was free. I decided to watch my wedding video - not the whole thing, of course, just the nice 5 minute montage. It took me back to a great time when I wasn't worrying so much about houses, couches and babies.

And if you don't have a wedding video, perhaps you have wedding photos to remind you that you are hot! (Note: This also works when your husband has done something wrong and you want to remember why you married him!)

(Second Note: Shamelessly posting pictures of your wedding on a blog can help you feel hot again, too!)

Wedding photos courtesy of AquarioStudio.com.

Nursery Makeovers

While diligently entering the HGTV Dream House sweepstakes, I couldn't help but notice an advertisement for their Dreamy Nursery Makeover . I have a few friends who are pregnant with baby #2 and I know they aren't as excited about decorating (or redecorating) their nursery as they were with #1. (After all, with #1 around now, they don't have time to think about much else!) HGTV.com has pictures of nursery ideas (example shown above) as well as video of nursery makeovers.

American Baby also has cute ideas for nursery decor (example shown above),tips on how to prepare your nursery, and even ideas for multiple babies.

Save Money and Energy with Simple Household Changes

I was stunned when I got my most recent gas bill and noticed that it was double the previous month's amount. So, I immediately went into "How can I lower this bill" mode. Then, I remembered a story I saw on Good Morning America a few months ago that seemed interesting at the time, but a necessity now.

Here are just a few ways to save money throughout your home:

1. Water heater - use a tankless water heater; if you prefer not to purchase a tankless water heater, turn your water heater to warm (or 120 degrees) and wrap your water heater with a water heater blanket (approximately $20 at Home Depot) - this can save you $200 a year!
   
   
2. Use CFLs - instead of incandescent light bulbs, use CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs) to save energy and they last longer.



3. Sealing leaks around windows, doors and sliding doors can save up to 10% off your energy bill.
   For more tips and to view this story, check out Good Morning America's website. You can also find more ways to save energy by visiting energystar.gov.
   
   Home photo courtesy of JamesHardie.com.

Red Envelope Winter Sale

If you have any money left after the holidays, check out the great deals from RedEnvelope.com during their Winter Sale.

(Left column: Wedding Wishes Candles $29.99; Rocking Pony $54.99; Baby Prints Wall Frame $29.99; Right Column: Leather Wrapped Deluxe Valet $65.99 - $71.99; Musical Carousel Frame $19.99; All-In-One-Diaper Bag $29.99

Want to Work from Home?

Most moms that I know would love to be stay-at-home moms if they could afford it financially. And Stay-at-home moms I know would love the opportunity to work a few hours a day/week to feel like they are making their own money. Good Morning America, ABC's morning talk show has a great series on working mothers and stay-at-home moms. Tori Johnson, the workplace contributor for GMA and CEO of Women for Hire, leads the discussion and provides opportunities to find what works best for you. Some of these opportunities include becoming a secret shopper or customer service rep based out of your home.

Check out Need Flexibility? Work from Home on the GMA website for more information.

Picture of Tori Johnson courtesy of Good Morning America.

Moving Tips

Whether you are movin' on up to a bigger home, or relocating to a smaller one, unfortunately, you have to move your stuff. We all dread packing, and sometimes the unpacking can be even worse. Depending on your situation, you may be moving on your own or hiring a moving company (and if you are really lucky, your employer is taking care of the relocation).

One great tip a friend recently gave me was to label the boxes. But don't just write "kitchen" on the box...be more specific. Write "dishes and silverware" if that is the case. If you can, write this info on all 4 sides of the box so that when it is surrounded by other boxes in your home, you can still see what is in it without having to move the other boxes around.

Another way of doing this (and I understand that many moving companies follow this protocol) is to number your boxes and keep a documented inventory of what is in each box. This can make it easier for retrieving your boxes, but also, it helps you keep track of all your belongings to make sure all of your things arrive to your new location. (Note: this numbering system is a good idea even if you decide to just label the boxes with their contents so that you an quickly know if any boxes are missing.)

To find more information on moving, go to Moving.org. On this site, you can check out helpful hints on moving, how to find a mover, and how to move pets, among many other topics.

Dream Home picture courtesy of HGTV.com.