A contest you might want to enter.....

has 2 $50 Amazon gift cards to give away

as soon as she hits 250 followers ;)

If I were you, I'd want to get over there and secure some entries right away.

The contest can be found here.

~Steph

What am I going to do in 2011????

READ!!!!

Yeah, yeah, reading is nothing new for me...

Very true!!!

But this year, I am going to join some reading challenges :)

Everytime I see one, I think to myself, I really need to join one of those.

So, I thought, why not quit procrastinating and join one or more right now.

In fact, I think you should do the same thing!!

There is a book challenge out there of just about any kind you can possibly imagine.

So far, I have came across two that I KNOW I want to enter.

I found both of them on

The Book Vixen.

I hope to find and add more, soon :)

Ok, so here is the first one....

Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge
hosted by The Book Vixen

Details:

• Runs January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011(books read prior to 1/1/11 do not count towards the challenge). You can join at anytime. 
• You can sign up on The Book Vixen’s blog.
• The goal is to outdo yourself by reading more books in 2011 than you did in 2010. See the different levels below and pick the one that works best for you. Nothing is set in stone; you can change levels at any time during the challenge.
• Books can be any format (bound, eBook, audio).
• Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are fine.
• You can list your books in advance or list them as you read them. It is not required that you review the books you read for this challenge but feel free to do so.
• Post this reading challenge on your blog so you can keep a list of the books you’ve read for this challenge. Please include a link back to this post so readers can join the challenge too.
• You do not have to be a book blogger to participate. You can keep tabs on books you’ve read for this challenge on Goodreads or LibraryThing if you’d like (maybe make a shelf for “Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge”). If you are not on either of those sites then you can list the books you read for this challenge in the comments on my wrap-up post, which will be up at the end of 2011.

For this one, I am setting my goal 

at 100 books!!

and here is the second one...

Nicholas Sparks Reading Challenge

hosted by The Book Vixen

Details:

• Runs January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011(books read prior to 1/1/11 do not count towards the challenge). You can join at anytime –
•  Sign up on The Book Vixen’s blog
• The goal is to read or re-read as many Nicholas Sparks novels as you’d like. See the different levels below and pick the one that works best for you. Nothing is set in stone; you can change levels at any time during the challenge.
• Books can be any format (bound, eBook, audio).
• Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are fine.
• You can list your books in advance or list them as you read them. It is not required that you review the books you read for this challenge but feel free to do so.
• Post this reading challenge on your blog so you can keep a list of the books you’ve read for this challenge. Please include a link back to this post so readers can join the challenge too.
• You do not have to be a book blogger to participate. You can keep tabs on books you’ve read for this challenge on Goodreads or LibraryThing if you’d like (maybe make a shelf for “Nicholas Sparks Reading Challenge”). If you are not on either of those sites then you can list the books you read for this challenge in the comments on my wrap-up post, which will be up at the end of 2011.

Levels:

     First Date – Read 1–4 Nicholas Sparks novels

     Going Steady – Read 5–8 Nicholas Sparks novels

     Engaged – Read 9–12 Nicholas Sparks novels

     Married – Read 13–16 Nicholas Sparks novels

List of Nicholas Sparks novels:

     The Notebook

     Message in a Bottle

     A Walk to Remember

     The Rescue

     A Bend in the Road

     Nights in Rodanthe

     The Wedding

     The Guardian

     Three Weeks With My Brother

     True Believer (read this first, before At First Sight)

     At First Sight (read this after True Believer)

     The Choice

     Dear John

     The Lucky One

     The Last Song

     Safe Haven

For this one, I am setting my goal 

as Married!!

I plan to read all 16 

of these wonderful novels

 either for the first time OR again :)

Ok, so with that...

I'm off to find a couple more

book challenges

that I would like to join before the big day!!

NEW YEARS, 2011 :)

wait up...
I'm back before you had a chance to miss me ;)


This third one looks like so much fun...
I found it on Book Journey.

it's called....

This Challenge starts January 1, 2011 – December 31st 2011.  The Challenge consists of reading at least one book that covers each of the 50 states of America and you can add as many other countries as you like.

So how do you decide what state a book is categorized under?

1.  In a fiction read it would be the State or Country that the book spends the most time in.  (Ie. If your main character is from Wisconsin but the book is all about his/her time in college in California – the books should categorize under California….)

2.  Non fiction reads categorize  in whatever State or Country it is about (Ie…. a book about fly fishing in Colorado is a Colorado point, and a book about women in Afghanistan is an Afghanistan point.

How to get started

Set up a map under Google Maps.  It is easy to do!  Every time you read a book in 2011, upload a cover picture to Picasa Web Albums (there may be other sites to use, feel free to use what works best for you).

Here is my 'Where Am I Reading??' map!!

~Steph

Read more in 2011....

I take no credit for this post....

However, I wanted to share Usborne Books & More's 

wonderful idea for a New Year's Resolution Read-olution!!!

It can be found in their latest newsletter here.

The general idea is to:

Try a New Year's Read-olution 

Make a Reading Resolution in 2011

A few great ideas they suggest are:

 - Decide to read a certain number of books in 2011. 

- Bring a book along & get caught reading in public

- Commit to start reading to your kids - or to read to them more often!  

While you're at it...

Follow Usborne on facebook


here and here !!

Enjoy your day!!

I'm off and hopping....

Blog hopping that is :)

Please feel free to join me!


I always love to find new and fun blogs to follow :)

And of course, I love the new followers myself!!


Welcome to any new visitors....

Make sure to leave me a comment so I can follow you back!!
~Steph

Protect-A-Bed Luxury Pillow System review and giveaway.....

Protect-A-Bed has so generously sent me their Luxury Pillow System to try out.

To say I quickly fell in love with this pillow, would be an understatement :)

Why do I love this pillow?? When I first agreed to do the review, I was delighted to try the product, but figured I might end up handing it down to one of my kids...because I ONLY sleep with a super-soft, I mean...really super-soft pillow. When this pillow came, you can't imagine how excited I was to find out that it was exactly that..

"The Luxury Pillow System is super soft and fully adjustable to your own comfort level, while providing ultimate stain, allergy and dust mite protection."

and it came with extra stuffing. I put my extra stuffing in right away, and it was perfect. 

Many of you already know that I don't sleep much at night.

Not by choice, but because of my illness. Since I always go to bed with knowing that I most

likely won't be actually sleeping very much, it is at least a great 

to know that I will at least be comfortable (and in this case--very comfortable)

while I am laying down, resting, and relaxing.

So, did I hand my Luxury Pillow System down to one of the kids???

ABSOLUTELY NOT !!

I won't let ANYONE try my pillow, lol :)

"Valued at $99.99, The Luxury Pillow System is ideal for sensitive skin and healthy sleep environments and is the ultimate in pillow comfort."


~~~~

Many of you may already know all about Protect-A-Bed's other wonderful products.

But, in case you do not...

Protect-A-Bed also offers:

Crib Protectors

AllerZip Terry Mattress Encasements

and more!!!

"Protect-A-Bed offers consumers a complete line of protective bedding products because every mattress needs protection. Now celebrating its 30th anniversary year and selling in 27 countries, the company is a worldwide leader in mattress protection innovation. Protect-A-Bed products help create a dry, hygienic, bed bug free and anti-allergy sleep zone while protecting the mattress warranty. The company developed the proprietary Miracle Membrane® and patented Bug Lock® with Secure Seal® three-sided zipper system. Protect-A-Bed products are listed as Class 1 Medical Devices with the Food and Drug Administration and have received the Good Housekeeping Seal."

The Luxury Pillow System

BUY IT:

To learn more about this product and other mattress and pillow protection products for the hospitality industry, visit www.protectabed.com or call 1-866-297-8836.

WIN IT:

Protect-A-Bed was extra generous...

they have offered two of my followers

their very own Protect-A-Bed Luxury Pillow System.

U.S. entries only please.

Mandatory Entry: Leave me a comment telling me why you would like to win this and..if you will keep it or give it away.

Extra Entries: You may do as many of these as you like AFTER you complete the mandatory entry!! If the mandatory entry isn't done first, the rest of the entries will not be counted. Make sure you include your email address in each entry, so that I can easily contact the winner.

Leave a seperate comment for each entry please.

Like Protect-A-Bed on facebook, leave fb name (2 entries)

Follow Protect-A-Bed on twitter, leave handle (2 entries)

Make a purchase from Protect-A-Bed (15 entries) must prove if you win!

Tweet about this giveaway, can be done once per day.

Share on facebook or other social network, leave me proof!! (2 entries)

Follow my blog via GFC

Subscribe via email. (3 entries)

Subscribe via feed. (3 entries)

Follow my other blog via GFC (5 entries)

Follow me on facebook. (2 entries)

Follow me on twitter (2 entries)

Blog about this giveaway, leave me the link. (10 entries)

*NEW*  Enter this contest using this link so I get referral point. (10 entries)

(It's a $25 Amazon gift card..perhaps you'll win one--4 winners)

~~~~

Contest will end 1/30

Winner will be chosen and notified via email.

They will have 48 hours to reply

or a new winner will be chosen.

Note: I was not compensated financially or otherwise to provide this review.

In this case, I was able to keep the product I reviewed. Thanks to Protect-A-Bed!!

I always give my honest opinion.

My apologies to Protect-A-Bed for the late review posting.

Good luck to everyone!!

I won the "Bad Blogger" award.....

Hello everyone!

I know I haven't been a very good blogger lately!!

I even missed some deadlines, and for that

 I apologize to my sponsors!!

I've been sick lately, and in and out of the hospital....

but this is no excuse!!

I should have let my daughter take over my blog

like she did the last time :)

However, with the holidays, and well just life in general....

I have failed at my blog obligations!!

For those of you who are my loyal blog followers,

I appreciate your support and personal emails

while I've been sick!!

A new diagnosis isn't exactly what anyone wants for Christmas...

But,I will as always....try and make the best of it!

And so with that....

I'm back with some really great items to review and giveaway!!!

Don't be a victim....

Have you heard about Identity Theft??

It's isn't a joke!!

I have actually, personally been the victim of identity fraud, and it isn't fun!

It certainly isn't easy to fix!!

I wouldn't wish this on anyone, especially after experiencing it myself.

So when I came across this.....

I HAD TO SHARE!!!

Have you Googled yourself lately?

Seriously, take a minute and Google your name. What did you come up with??

Surprised?? Now Google your name and search images....

Even scarier??? Eh??

My kids showed me all the pictures of us that come up!!

Don't wait....if you Googled yourself and you came up......

Clean your name!!!!

Anyone who has an online presence MUST take control of their online identity. Get the bad stuff off today! Free Consultation & information. Click Here

~Steph

My giveaways....

Many of you have commented that you prefer to put all your giveaway entries in one comment and then get the extra points for adding them up.....

I have tried both ways...

I definitely know which one I prefer..but first I'd like to hear from a few more of you...

Please leave me a comment with your vote.

--Separate comment for each entry??

 -or-

--All entries in one comment and add them up???

Carolina Pad review and giveaway....(ENDED)

http://carolinapad.com/

Carolina Pad sent us their complete Dreamsicle Collection which consisted of binders, notebooks, journals, composition books, folders, tab dividers, and more. This was WAY MORE than what I was expecting to receive from them to review. They are so generous. What I am most excited to say about the Dreamsicle Collection it was:

 created by Carolina Pad (www.carolinapad.com) and 

designed by JACK!E (www.jackiemcfee.com)

 to benefit 

Girls on the Run International (www.girlsontherun.org).

I gave this whole collection to my daughter who absolutely loves it!!

I personally have quite a bit of the items from the 'Pattern Play' and 'Eye Candy' collections!!

All of the Carolina Pad products that I have and have ever tried have been of excellent quality and I often buy them and give them as gifts. I would recommend this brand to anyone and everyone, who is not only looking for stylish and adorable writing products, but also those of great quality!!

I have folders from them that I have had for quite some time, and they aren't even beginning to fall apart in the middle like so many of my folders do. With other brands, I so often end up taping the folder together or just discarding them and buying new. With Carolina Pad brand, I have never had this problem :)

I want to share a little about how Carolina Pad got started!!

This comes directly from their website.

How It All Started The Carolina Pad story begins in 1945 in Charlotte, North Carolina. That’s when Joseph K. Hall Jr. and several business associates managed to scrape up enough money and equipment to launch a school supply manufacturing company. Joe had been operating Hall & Morris, a school supply wholesale business in Belmont, North Carolina. The new company, Carolina Pad, offered composition books, notebook paper, primary tablets, pencils, crayons, and other school supplies. A former teacher, principal, and coach, Joe was excited by the new company’s offerings. 

Carolina Pad continued to sell school supplies in the market formerly serviced by Hall & Morris. But since it was now in the manufacturing business, Carolina Pad had a lot more products to sell. To get an edge over larger, more established counterparts, Joe sold products directly to schools in the Carolinas and Virginia — often out of the back of his truck! 

http://carolinapad.com/about-us/history.cfm

Pretty interesting, eh??

Visit their online store now for your last minute holiday shopping

or just for your everyday school supplies or writing needs!!

http://www.carolinapadstore.com/

You'll be glad you did :)

Carolina Pad was generous enough to 

offer one of my followers

 the Dreamsicle Collection.

Mandatory Entry: Go to Carolina Pad's site and tell me your favorite collection

AND

who you would give this prize to if you win (perhaps you'll keep it !?!?)

Extra Entries: You may do as many of these as you like AFTER you complete the mandatory entry!! If the mandatory entry isn't done first, the rest of the entries will not be counted.

Like Carolina Pad on facebook, leave fb name (2 entries)

Follow Carolina Pad on twitter, leave handle (2 entries)

Make a purchase from Carolina Pad (15 entries) must prove if you win!

Tweet about this giveaway, can be done once per day.

Share on facebook or other social network, leave me proof!! (2 entries)

Follow my blog via GFC

Subscribe via email. (3 entries)

Subscribe via feed. (3 entries)

Follow my other blog via GFC (5 entries)

Follow me on facebook. (2 entries)

Follow me on twitter (2 entries)

Blog about this giveaway, leave me the link. (10 entries)

*New* Enter this contest using this link so I get referral point. (10 entries)

(It's a $25 Amazon gift card..perhaps you'll win one--4 winners)

Giveaway HAS ENDED!!

Winner will be notified via email and

 have 48 hours to reply

or I will choose a new winner.

Note:  I wasn't compensated in any way, financial or otherwise for writing this review. In this specific case, I was able to keep the items I reviewed. I always give my honest  opinion.

Best of luck to everyone!!