The Crystal Light Waterway Challenge

At the end of May I participated in a week-long challenge to drink more water, improve my health, body and mood and create a good habit. I recorded a journal entry for every day during the challenge to share what I was going through- how I felt when drinking enough water every day, whether or not it was easier to drink more water when incorporating flavors like Crystal Light (I received three boxes of Crystal Light and a really cool Eddie Bauer water bottle for the challenge from Gather) and what the hardest part of the challenge was.

My journal entries can be read here:

Day 1: I Pledge to Drink More Water

Day 2: Why Am I So Tired?

Day 3: I Gave In & Had Coffee But I'm Still Drinking Water

Day 4: Learning To Balance

Day 5: Getting Into Habits

Day 6: Trying Something New

Day 7: Continuing to Challenge Myself

Day 8: New Beginnings

I continue to challenge myself and try to drink enough water every day (at least 8 glasses) and I continue to incorporate Crystal Light because I have trouble drinking 8 glasses or more of plain water. It really helps when the water where I am doesn't taste very good- the Crystal Light hides that! Since the challenge has ended I have NOT lost weight but my skin is improving a little bit. I have only had soda twice since I began that challenge so I am doing really well with that. I have not stopped drinking coffee.

Thanks for reading!

Preparing for the 8 glasses-a-day Crystal Light challenge on Gather

I was choosen to receive Crystal Light and a re-usable water bottle for the water challenge on Gather.
This is going to be fun! Unfortunately it has that unplesant dye that I am not fond of and I can't seem to find what it is sweetened with. I would totally be alright with it being clear!!! I'm not a kid- I don't need things to look the way they are supposed to taste.

So, why do I need to prepare for a challenge that consists of drinking the required amount of water every day? I do carry a water bottle with me everywhere but I am no where close to drinking the amount of water that I should. Sometimes it is laziness. Sometimes I just don't want water, even though I love it. And sometimes I want it cold and it isn't, so I just don't drink it. I could go get ice, but that goes back to the laziness thing. That is why this is going to be a challenge for me. It is really hard to make myself do something if I don't want to. It is going to be a serious effort for me to follow the rules but I am going to try! Another major hurdle for me will be my discovery of Pepsi Throwback. I find something like that then I have to give it up??! Bleh!

To make the most of this challenge I am adding some of my own stuff to it. To start, I weighed myself today. I am currently 153 lbs., give or take since it isn't a perfect scale. I wear a size 12 and large tops. At 5'4" I am overweight. I will say I am only a maximum of 20 lbs. overweight, because I am larged-boned and in high school I was anywhere between 125-135 lbs and definitely not fat. I wore size 9 jeans and was in a large (junior). I took ballet and was on the tennis team. I had a perfect stomach- I could sit and there was no rolling. I had cellulite even when I was younger and I've never seemed to be able to get that under control. The rest of my body was so-so. Even though I was active I always seemed to have a lazy body- I was still flabby in some places, like my arms and legs. There was muscle, but it got stuck under fat. Anyhow, that is how I have decided just how overweight I am. I think that increasing my water in-take, getting rid of soda and all that good stuff is going to get me closer to my long-term goal of weighing around 140. My short-term goal is to weigh 145. I don't leap for the stars.

I have always had an energy problem. I always feel tired even when I've had plenty of sleep. I can always use a boost. Maybe the answer has always been that I just need more water. Let's hope!

I also visited the Crystal Light ad here on Gather to see what they have to say. They are also holding the challenge and offer lots of features including a chance to win prizes, articles and tips. They also have provided registered users with a widget to keep track of their water intake. I copied the widget and tried to post it to my blog as a test but it didn't show up. I don't know if that problem was on my end or theirs. It didn't work here either but then I think Gather limits where you can get your widgets, right?

Are you participating in the water challenge? Remember that anyone can participate. Most of us could benefit!

ADHD- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder on Gather

I recently took over the ADHD group on Gather and am extending an invite to anyone that has ADHD, a family member with ADHD or wants to learn more or share what they know with the group. It's also open to people who are dealing with similar disorders or issues that sometimes go along with ADHD, though this will be our main focus.

This is a moderated group and only subjects pertaining to the topic will be permitted. If you aren't sure about something, submit it and I'll approve or deny. But please do not submit anything totally unrelated!

I would prefer that pictures be limited and will probably only accept ones that have the ADHD or similar tag, so that our group tags are not cluttered with non-related tags. But every so often I'll accept some pictures that seem appropriate (see current group images to understand).

I hope that you will consider joining if ADHD affects your life and please consider reposting old material that would fit to the group. After weeding out the bad content we went from over 10 pages to less than 2 (though it still says 10?). So we need some fresh stuff to read! Plus with the few pictures I've approved it has changed the popular tags to unrelated topics, which I've said before I don't want (I am trying to get this group picked up by Google and while I don't know a lot, I do know that totally unrelated topics will not help at all).

Ocean Spray Cranergy Challenge

I was choosen to receive 7 bottles of Ocean Spray Cranergy to review from Gather.

Why do I need an energy booster in the middle of the day? Well, I was very excited to try it out because I am a very tired mom of 3. I haven't yet figured out a way to harness their energy so I am always looking for healthy ways to keep myself from collapsing by 4pm. I start my days with coffee or tea. I wake up around 7am and start getting my 7 year old ready for school. He has this amazing talent. He can drain my energy within minutes of my being around him. It happens every time. He was diagnosed with ADHD recently and has always been this energy-stealing lunatic (I say that with lots of love) morning, noon and night. I send him off to school shortly after 8am but as soon as he leaves my friend arrives with her daughter, a 4 year old that I watch Mon-Thurs and sometimes Friday. My daughter wakes up anytime between 8 and 9:30am. Jonas is the most unpredictable. If he is sleeping after our friend gets here I will take a shower. If not I have to try to get him back to sleep and sometimes that fails.

I need a combination of a shower and beverage to be functional. If I can get the shower and the kids are still calm when I'm finished I can get some laundry or dishes done. If not it's because I am trying to stop fight after fight after fight. The girls are the best of friends, but they fight like cats and dogs often. I get them fed then I need a Gather break. My coffee should be kicking in by now but sometimes it doesn't work. If I forget to eat it just makes me jittery with no energy boost. Then it's time to break up another fight. I haven't found the perfect way to keep them happy yet. Jonas is very easy to please but requires a lot of attention so if I'm not taking care of the girls I am taking care of him. I really never get a moment to myself. If I do, it is literally just a few minutes before something else happens. Two days a week the girls have school and that is when I get my shopping done, if Jonas doesn't fall asleep. If he does I have to rearrange to get my shopping done during Zachary's piano lesson. This all happens between 11:30-2pm. It sometimes seems that I have more energy on those days than on the ones where we don't go anywhere or do anything. But it is SO hard to actually get to the point of leaving the house. Why is it so difficult? I hear in my head, "Just get up and do it!" That is what other people say too. But for me that just doesn't seem to work.

And where is Jason during all of this??? SLEEPING.

So on school days we get home a little after two. When we pull up Zachary is getting off the school bus. We walk in and it's like a war starting. "Who touched my toys?" "I want to watch a movie!" "NO! I am playing a game!" Because everyone is just getting in and getting settled, it's total chaos! Some days I can calm it quickly and others I just want to melt into the couch.

Right around this time (sometimes a little earlier and sometimes a little later) I need a serious energy boost. I usually grab some more coffee or tea, or I just sweat through it all and hope that some of them fall asleep or Jason decides to go in to school at the regular time and will help before then. This is about the time I replaced my regular afternoon enery drink with Ocean Spray Cranergy. I devoted an entire article (I talk way too much) to what's in the drink (the Raspberry Cranberry Lift) that you can read here: http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977654755&nav=MyGather

My opinion on the product: I have to start off with saying that I do not approve of ingredients like red dye being in a "Natural" drink. I don't care if the drink is red! It doesn't need to be red for me to like it. (Side note: I was always a huge fan of Crystal Clear Pepsi- I really like clear drinks because it makes them feel more natural even when it isn't natural) And I would much rather they use cane or raw sugar to sweeten it if they want it to be a healthier alternative, instead of Splenda. I think it is a little strange that the product is tooted as a cranberry drink when the main ingredient is White Grape Juice. Why not cranberry juice? Both are tart so I don't think they were trying to prevent tartness. I will just assume that grape is cheaper and leave it at that.

My opinion on the TASTE of Cranergy (Raspberry Cranberry Lift)? Well, I am not a big fan of grape juice so it is a downside that grape juice is the number one ingredient. At least it is white grape juice and not red. I love cranberry juice but can rarely find it pure and the cocktails are not my thing. So I was pleased at the cranberry flavor. I love raspberries, but not raspberry drinks very much so if I were going to drink this I would not choose the Raspberry Cranberry Lift. I would get the regular cranberry flavor instead. Artificial sweetners always leave a weird aftertaste in my mouth and the Splenda in this did not disappoint. I had a weird aftertaste every time I took a sip. But the overall flavor was good. It was a little too strong for me so adding water would be a good idea, which I didn't think of until after I was done! Even better would be adding ice and letting it melt a little- that would make it just right and the perfect temperature on a sunny spring or summer afternoon. In the winter I could see adding this to some hot green tea for a fruity kick. Sounds like a great idea! This drink is also good at room temperature.

How did this work in place of my usual energy beverage? Well, on day one it seemed to have a little bit of an effect. I wasn't less tired, and maybe I had a little more energy. In the evening I got a headache but I didn't attribute it to the drink on the first day. Day two I got a headache almost immediately after finishing the Cranergy. I get headaches frequently but I couldn't ignore the cause this time. Itwasn't caffeine withdraw because I don't really get that and when I do it isn't like these headaches. By day three there was no doubt that the headache was from the drink. I'm going to say it was from the dye or the Splenda, neither of which are a normal part of my diet. I have gotten headaches from each before.

Did I have more energy? Nothing that I really noticed but I didn't have LESS energy either, which is a good thing! So it can either keep up with coffee and tea or none of it ever worked for me to begin with. I did get a lot more shopping done that week than I have in a long time. That could be important! I was still not able to drum up enough energy or will to go for walks or anything with the kids, but I don't think that has to do with energy as much as it does with something mental going on in my head.

I didn't have any jitters like with my afternoon coffee, but I don't think I would trade jitters for headaches.

Will I continue to drink Cranergy? If they get rid of the dye I will consider it. If they change to a more natural sugar and still keep the price reasonable I will give it another go. Otherwise, no, I definitely will not continue. Tea and coffee are both more natural than this drink right now.

Did I cover everything? What do you think of this drink?

Glade Sense & Spray Bzz

I received the Glade Sense & Spray from Bzz with the Clean Linen scented Spray.

The product is very easy to operate and everything is simple to install.

Whenever the S&S detects movement it will shoot a burst of scent into the air to freshen it. After that it locks for...I think 30 minutes so that it doesn't spray every time it detects movement, though you can push a button on the S&S to make it spray whenever you want.

The good: I like the timer and the fact that you can override the timer if you want more scent. I like that there are scent options, though they are too limited (4). I think that I would give Apples and Cinnamon and maybe Country Garden a shot. Powder Fresh, not so sure. And definitely not the Clean Linen again. It's easy to operate- it opens easily and it's simple to remove the cannister and install a new one. It can be hung or placed on a flat surface. It's not too expensive and Glade offers coupons often. You can't kill anyone by dousing them in spray, like you can with the cans (I swear I almost died from that once or twice- my boyfriend is spray-happy). It's nice to look at (totally beats a big can of spray).

The bad: I hated the Clean Linen scent. If you have it on a flat surface that is low, like the sink then you chance having it sprayed in your face if you don't remember to watch the warning lights. It's a little too strong for small spaces (my only bathroom is 6x9) but maybe I feel that way because I didn't like the scent. It only freshens the air for a short time, then any odors come back. I prefer that it make smells go away, not just mask them.

The decision: I am going to give different scents a try. I don't think this belongs in a bathroom, at least not the primary bathroom. If you have more than one, it would be good in a second, less-used bathroom. That would also extend its life, since it wouldn't detect movement much. Otherwise I think it belongs in the living room or a laundry room, depending on the scent choice.

*Note* I seem to be the only one who doesn't like the Clean Linen (besides Jason, who agrees with me). I showed the S&S to others and gave demonstrations and they ALL loved it- scent and all!

Glade Fragrance Collection: I'm not sure if I'd rather eat it or burn it.

I was shopping with my mom for Amara's birthday present at Target and we stopped in the candle aisle when we were finished. The first candles I saw were from Glade's Fragrance Collection so I grabbed my mom to make her see what I was Bzzing about. I told her about Bzz Agent a few times and recently Bzzed to her about the candles but she hadn't checked them out yet. She is always on the lookout for good candles at a good value because she uses them when she gives massages (she is a Massage Therapist). I showed her the one that I had at home- the 10oz Currants and Acai. She thought it was alright but was more receptive to the possibility of buying it when I told her that it wasn't as strong when it was burning. The price was a huge selling point. She had no immediate needs for candles but those will be added to her list of ones to buy.

Target also had the Orange Vanilla single wick soy candle. I called her over and her eyes lit up (so did mine!). I remember when I was growing up that Orange Creamsicles were one of her ice creams of choice and I grew to love them too. They are so sweet and creamy with just the right amount of tanginess. We smelled it and both said, "mmmmmmmm"! It was exactly like the ice cream! Exactly. I wanted to eat it. I want creamsicles!

I didn't buy one but I wanted to. I hadn't brought any coupons along and had a budget I needed to stick to on that shopping trip. But I'm buying one of these in the future, no doubt!



A few days ago I was in my local grocery store and saw the McIntosh Apple soy candle from the Collection. I smelled that and it smelled like a very tart apple. A little bit too much of an apple soap scent but still VERY yummy. It doesn't smell like the apple pie scents that most apple candles smell like, which makes it unique. I'd buy that one if I had a coupon and the Orange Vanilla wasn't available.

My first trip to RiteAid using their rebate program.

I recently made my first RiteAid shopping trip with the intentions of taking advantage of their rebate program. In no way did I come close to getting the deals that some on Gather have, I think I did alright for a first-timer. The following day I ended up going back because I missed a really good deal, and I ended up picking up a couple other things during that trip too.
For my first trip I mostly ended up using coupons and in-store offers that didn't require signing up for the rebate. I paid $2 each for two bottles of Herbal Essences conditioners after the in-store offer and a $2 off coupon. I paid $5 for two 6pks of Coke (Jason drinks them at school) after the in-store offer and a $1 off coupon. I paid $2.49 for Colgate toothpaste but I will be getting $1.50 back from that. I also bought lightbulbs- I needed 100w regular lightbulbs for Amara's Easy Bake Oven and there was a tag on the generic ones for $.99, regularly $2.29. I ended up paying regular price for them though, because the offer was expired by the time I bought them, they just hadn't removed the sign. Annoying, but my fault for not looking closer. Not astonishing, but I'm happy with it :)
Later that day I noticed that there was a Huggies offer for $3 in rebates, plus they were on sale for $8.99. I also remembered having a coupon for $1.50 off so I went back the next day after a meeting with Zachary's school. So I paid $4.49 for those (I never buy Huggies but couldn't pass up that deal!). I also found Veet on sale for half off and had to grab it (I don't really use razors but use Veet and Nair all the time).

Not great, but a good start! I am going to make a plan for this week for all three stores- CVS, Walgreens and RiteAid. I am going to search my coupons, make lists and go prepared. Not easy with all the kids coming along, but I think I'll find my way. I have to get a CVS card because I've never had one. I assume they will let me shop on the day that I get it- hopefully because I usually only go out the way once or twice a week and don't really want to make an extra trip.





It was so easy to register on the site and enter my receipts online! I was SO scared (new things always stress me out, scare me badly and make me so nervous that I usually end up avoiding it altogether which is why I am just starting now) but I had nothing to fear. It was so so easy. Entering receipts online is a simple few steps- you just enter the store number, register number and transaction # and they do the rest for you! Plus you can create a shopping list on the site based on their rebates for the month. How cool!!

The Fragrance Collection by Glade: The unboxing Bzz and a candle-lit bath.

When I received my Glade Fragrance Collection Bzz Kit in the mail I was surprised at how pretty the packaging was. I opened the shipping box to find another box- this one a pretty red with the words "indulge yourself for a little." running across the center.

I opened this box to find my Bzz Guide, some adorable invitation-style coupons to share and a large round tin that housed the candle. The coupons contain scent samples and $3 off coupon. The candle tin- a 10oz Currants and Acai, multi-wick soy based candle- was surrounded by "berries" which was a nice touch. They were very creative with this campaign!

As I opened the package the smell was super strong. A very good smell but so intense. I was a little concerned that it would be overwhelming when lit and I wouldn't like it. I have a sensitive nose and I don't like overly strong smells. It hurts to breathe when something is too strong!

I decided immediately upon opening it that I was long overdue for a much needed bath. After the baby was down for his nap I occupied the older children and ran a bubble bath. I grabbed my current book (Lisey's Story by Stephen King) plus an entertainment magazine just in case I needed something different. I found a lighter and lit the candle once the bath was ready. I settled in and started reading. Within a minute (we have a small bathroom- 6X9) the fragrant aroma, a much milder version of what I smelled when unlit started drifting toward me. It absolutely was not overwhelming. It was actually the perfect amount of smell. It was very relaxing and I was able to enjoy it for about 45 minutes before I had to get out. That amount of time barely put a dent in the candle! It left a pleasant lingering aroma for a little while after I put it out.

Since burning the candle that first time I haven't been hit by the too strong scent that I smelled the first time I opened it. Every time I walk by it unlit I get just a hint of scent, which I really like.

I swear it's like the candle knows how much scent can be handled in a room and acts accordingly. It's a smart candle! When I burn it it seems to release just the right amount of scent no matter how big or small the space is. I get the same strength in a tiny space that I do in a large room.

The best part about this candle is that it is just as good as the expensive candles but for a fraction of the cost. I don't like to pay a lot for candles but quality matters too, so it's hard to find the perfect balance. I get everything I like out of these candles. With the coupon offers that come out often I will be more likely to buy these in the future.

I smelled the samples in the package and I must say that I am impressed with the cotton scent. I normally hate that smell but it's more realistic that most cotton scents. Still a little too "fabric softener" for my taste though. The Lotus Bamboo is pretty good. I don't know what either smells like in real life but I don't think it would smell like this. The Bzz Guide describes it as creamy and rich and I definitely agree with that. The majority of the scents in this collection would be ones I couldn't identify if asked to. So the only ones that I have real expectations of are the apple and orange vanilla.

The Fragrance Collection candles are available in the following:

10oz multi-wick soy based candles: Currants and Acai, Sheer White Cotton and Lotus Bamboo. Retail $8.99

4.9oz soy candles: McIntosh Apple, Earthly Awakening and Orange Vanilla. These candles are not 100% natural but are all more than 90% natural. Retail $5.99

Reed Diffusers (12 reeds and 1.62 fl oz oil): Currants and Acai, Sheer White Cotton and Lotus Bamboo. Retail $8.99

A chilly morning; a warm, sunny and breezy afternoon; a thunderstorm to end the day

Yesterday morning was chilly in South Central PA. It was probably in the 50s and I almost turned the heat on again. I was down because I was thinking it would be this way all day and didn't really feel like dealing with another cold day in Spring.

But then at 11:30am when it was time to take the girls to pre-school I went outside and it was perfect! Sunny with big cotton candy clouds. A perfect breeze and the temperature was just right. A jeans and t-shirt kind of day, which is my kind of day!

After school we all played outside, started working on our "Make It" crafts, colored with sidewalk chalk and I took a few pictures of the fun. It was just so nice!

Zachary drawing some circles while taking a break from his craft.

Amara is practicing her shapes and letters.

Jonas is thinking that he might be able to get to the road before I get to him.

Then we all went inside and about 20 minutes later it started raining. The thunderstorm soon followed. Twice when the thunder came it was followed by a strange crashing sound (that sounds dumb, but that is what happened- a normal thunder crash, then the crash of something on the ground, I guess my idea of what an earthquake would sound like). I'm not sure what it was but it scared me and Amara came tearing down the stairs asking what happened. Zachary said, "THAT was NOT thunder!"

I love thunderstorms. This one wasn't a long one. I did tape it with my camera for the sound- you couldn't really see anything because of the clouds. I wish it would have stayed longer!

Not sure why this video won't work. I used the embed code from Gather. I'll have to bring the issue up to them to see why it won't function correctly here.

Ocean Spray Cranergy: what's in it?

I was choosen at Gather as a reviewer for the Ocean Spray Cranergy drinks (link is to that post). I received a package over the weekend that contained 7 bottles of the Raspberry Cranberry Lift Ocean Spray Cranergy drinks. Each bottle is 10 fl. oz. which is just a little more than a (normal-sized) cup of coffee, and a little less than a can of soda.

Ocean Spray Cranergy Drinks boast 50% fewer calories and less sugar (Compared to Traditional Energy Drinks) and are a source of Natural Energy.

Contains 20% fruit juice; 1 serving per 10oz container; Calories: 40; Calories from fat: 0; Total fat: 0; Sodium: 60mg (3%); Total Carbohydrates: 11g (4%); Sugars: 11g; Protein: 0g; Vitamin C: 100%; Niacin: 60%; Vitamin B2: 60%; Vitamin B6: 60%; Vitamin B12: 60%; Pantothenic Acid: 60%

What's in this stuff? The ingredient list isn't as complicated as some foods and beverages but isn't as simple as a cup of tea either.

Ingredients: Filtered Water, Grape Juice from Concentrate, Cranberry Juice from Concentrate, Raspberry Juice from Concentrate, Malic Acid, Green Tea Extract, Natural Flavors, Sodium Citrate, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Pectin, Sucralose (Splenda), Maltodextrin, Red 40 (color), Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Vitamins B6, B2 and B12.

Filtered water and juice concentrate- we all know what that is. Malic Acid is an acid found in fruit which gives off the tart flavor. Sodium Citrate comes from Citric Acid and is also used as a flavor (tart) or as a preservative. It is one of the helpful ingredients when you drink cranberry juice for a UTI. Pectin is a carbohydrate present in certain ripe fruits and vegetables.

Splenda is one ingredient that can be controversial. According to one article, Sucralose was created when researching new pesticides. It is created from Sucrose (sugar) though "three of the hydroxyl groups in the molecule have been replaced by three chlorine atoms." If you understand chemistry, they have provided a link to a model of this. The way that Splenda is used by the body may prevent any toxicity from it to be too harmful to us. It is well-known that artificial sweeteners may not be the best thing for our bodies and when it comes to Splenda there has not been enough time or research to be sure that it won't end up being the next Saccharin or Aspartame. So far so good.

Maltodextrin is a food additive, a carbohydrate. It is used as a filler as well, and in the case of this drink is probably supposed to provide more energy.

Red 40 is another controversial ingredient in food. It is the most popular food coloring in foods and beverages. Certain food colors are not handled well by our bodies. We are allergic or intolerant of some of them. Why does that matter if allergies are common? It matters because the food coloring is absolutely not necessary, unless you are looking at it from a marketing point of view. There is no nutritional value and it could actually harm some people. Children seem to be the most affected by the dye though it has been known to trigger migraines in adults. Fortunately no children should be drinking Cranergy. Symptoms of hyperactivity are often reported more when kids have ingested products containing the dye.

Personally, I would rather drink my Cranergy drink WITHOUT any dyes. Or if they wanted to REALLY promote the "all natural" drink they could use Red Beet Juice, which is a popular food coloring and still makes Dora's Yoplait Yogurt look and taste yummy, without the potential negative side-effects! I would totally be happy if the drink were clear or just not as red.

The rest in the list of ingredients are vitamins.

Ocean Spray Cranergy: A Gather Review

At Gather the other day I saw someone post about being one choosen to receive Cranergy product samples to review and I got all sorts of jealous because this was one that I really really wanted to try. An all-natural energy booster? Sign me up!! I have so much trouble getting through my day, even with lots of coffee or tea. I then checked my Gather mail to discover that I had been choosen as well! I had to do a little happy dance when I read the e-mail:

Alex,
Thank you for volunteering to take part in the Cranergy® Challenge. Congratulations! You've been selected to receive seven samples of Cranergy® Energy Juice Drink from Ocean Spray® for the challenge.
_________
Cranergy Ocean Spray drinks are supposed to give you a boost of energy from natural ingredients like green tea extract. I am unsure of what it in them right now, but I'll find out soon!

I am still doing a happy dance. I really can't wait to try these out!! I am not expecting a miracle cure for my tiredness. But maybe it will help just enough for me to feel a little better. I have three kids, plus I babysit one during the week. My son Zachary goes to school (he is in 2nd grade) and the girls have pre-school for two hours, twice a week but when they are all together it is craziness!
Zachary was diagnosed with ADHD recently, which explains a lot of his behavior. We tried all sorts of alternatives to medication until this week, when we finally decided that he needed more than what we could do for him and we got a prescription for Concerta XR (this decision was NOT made lightly). But the change was immediate- he is GOOD!
Unfortunately we cannot enjoy this change because it wears off when he gets home from school. When he gets home he is his normal crazy self. I then have 4 kids running around fighting, screaming (sometimes in play, sometimes in anger) and messes everywhere. I just can't keep up with it all and by 5 I am ready to lock myself in a room by myself. Jason sleeps all day long, goes to school in the evenings and stays up all night playing games. So he is practically no help whatsoever.

When it comes to getting more energy, I am all for caffeinated drinks like soda, coffee or tea to help pick me up. But I don't want to drink or take any energy "cures" that have serious questionable side-effects. I know soda isn't the safest thing, but they don't have any warnings on the bottle like some things do! So it is very exciting for me to be able to have the opportunity to try out something natural. I am going to be hounding down the mail lady every day until these come!!!

Promo Squad: Listen to Music, Rate Music, Earn Points, Get Prizes!

Do you like music? Do you like free stuff? Then Promo Squad is a great place for you. When you register with Promo Squad you have the opportunity to earn points every time you listen to music and rate it, take the polls and more. Some of the music you listen to will be new, and others will be recent releases.
Prizes from Promo Squad include raffles, movies, gift cards, cds and more. Prizes change all the time so if you don't see something you like it still may show up in the future. You can always e-mail the PS staff and beg for your prize choices too :) Right now raffles start at 300 points and prizes start at 1000 points ($10 gift cards).

It's always fun to hear and vote on new music- to have a say in what's going on in the music world. If you know someone who has some talent in music, someone who wants to be known, you can even try to hook them up with a contract...and possibly earn a $1000 finders fee!

Right now I have 200 points at Promo Squad. I redeemed for a CD once, and received it within a few weeks.

I love free stuff, and I love sites that actually do what they promise. Promo Squad fits the bill!

Sign up for Promo Squad now

Desktaurant Date- first one is today!

As a member of Gather, not only do I get to enjoy great people, great conversations and great (and free) gift cards for participating: I also have the opportunity to be a product reviewer and/or try out free stuff from sponsors. In this case, Gather is having Desktaurant Dates, once a week on Wednesdays (from today til the end of May) from 12-3pm EST. The Desktaurant Date is an open chat for Gather members. The purpose is to "Pretend that we’re all sitting around the breakroom table gossiping and talking about the latest stories!" It is open for 3 hours so that members from all of the time zones can join in on the fun.
50 Gather members were choosen to receive coupons for FREE Oscar Meyer Deli-Creations sandwiches to eat at these Desktaurant dates. Other Gather members will have the chance to win free coupons during these chats, plus 5 members at each chat will win 250 Gather Points!!! (That is almost halfway to a $10 gift card!). If this isn't incentive enough to join Gather now, I don't know what is!

I was one of the members picked to receive coupons and I was very excited. I love free stuff, especially food!

I got my coupons in the mail on Monday so Jason and I stopped at Walmart to pick up 2 Deli-Creations sandwiches- one for each of us. I told Jason that he had to review it if he wanted to eat it!
I don't shop at Walmart often so this was the first time I have seen the price of Deli-Creations there. Their normal price is only $2.50. I usually buy all of my groceries at Giant, where I can earn Gas Rewards. But the normal price for Deli-Creations there is either $3.50 or $3.99! Their sale price is still more than Walmart's, at $2.99. They have never been cheaper at Giant. I really don't like Walmart and I REALLY hate shopping there (I always have unplesant experiences that range from employees refusing to acknowledge that they even work there to them not moving when I am trying to get something from an aisle to customers running their carts right into me while I am trying to push a cart and carry a baby- all while staying on MY side). But when I find a specific thing that is equal but that much cheaper I have to re-think what I am doing. I won't buy meat there and will only buy fruit if it looks better and is from the US.

Anyway, Jason picked the Honey Ham and Swiss Deli-Creations sandwich. It comes with Honey Ham, 2% Milk Reduced Fat Swiss Cheese, Country White Sub Roll, 1 packet each Light Mayonnaise and Deli Mustard (the spicy kind with horseradish). This sandwich contains 440 Calories, 140 from Fat. 15 grams of Fat (23%), 5g Saturated Fat (25%) and 0g Trans Fat. 60mg Cholesterol (20%), 1380mg Sodium (57%), 50g Carbohydrates(17%), 3g Dietary Fiber (12%), 14g Sugars and 27g of Protein (38%). Vitamin A: 6%, Calcium: 30%, Vitamin C: 25%, Iron: 20%. They also compare how much less fat it has compared to using regular Mayo and Cheese.

I had trouble deciding what I wanted to try first. I ended up going with the Mesquite Smoked Turkey Breast with Monterey Jack Cheese Deli-Creations sandwich. This sandwich comes with a Country White Sub Roll, Mesquite Smoked Turkey Breast, Monterey Jack Cheese with Jalepeno Peppers, 1 packet each Salsa and Southwestern Style Ranch Dressing. It contains 450 Calories, 160 from Fat. 17g Fat (26%), 6g Saturated Fat (30%) and .5g Transfat. 55mg Cholesterol (18%), 1170mg Sodium (49%) 51g Carbohydrates (17%), 4g Dietary Fiber (16%), 12g Sugars and 25g Protein (33%). Vitamin A: 8%, Vitamin C: 35%, Calcium: 20% and Iron: 20%.

So...these are NOT for anyone looking out for their health or weight! For the size of the sandwiches I would prefer to eat it with something like chips. But that is probably not a good idea, unless I want to meet most of my bad dietary needs in one sitting. Maybe I could settle for something healthy on the side like a pickle.

______________________________________________
...Review of the Honey Ham and Swiss Deli-Creations Sandwich...

I have had the Ham and Swiss sandwich before (complete Nutritional information profile located above). The sandwich is a nice size, but a little pricey at the regular price at my local grocery store. I have since discovered that Walmart sells them for only $2.50, which is less than the sale price at Giant and that is a much better value.

I hate swiss cheese so I was afraid to try the Honey Ham and Swiss- I kept searching and hoping that somewhere they had available a Honey Ham and Cheddar or American Cheese. But the cheese in this sandwich is so mild that you barely notice it. Tastes sort of like Mozzarella or Jack cheese. It was the first time I have ever been able to tolerate the flavor.

I can tell that the Mayo is light, which I am not fond of. Light Mayo is so bland, I would almost rather go without. But the spicy mustard more than makes up for the lack of flavor in the mayonnaise. I remember the honey ham not having a strong flavor. It sort of tasted like regular ham. I cannot remember if I feel the same about Oscar Meyer's regular deli honey ham. The mustard helped make up for the lack of flavor there too.

The bread was really soft, and not chewy at all, even after being microwaved. It was so surprising!! It was actually more firm before being microwaved, because of being refridgerated. I think that the bread choice is good for this particular sandwich, though I would be pleased with wheat or whole grain as well.

The verdict: Good but not fantastic. It should be more flavorful with either a different cheese or the option to buy it will regular-fat products instead of the low-fat. Just a little too mild for my taste. I could fix that when I eat these at home by substituting the mayo with some from my fridge, or adding something extra to give it the kick I need.
The Honey Ham and Swiss would go well with something salty, like chips (Martin's Waffle Barbeque Chips IN the sandwich...mmmmm!), but based on the nutritional information (57% DV of sodium!) it wouldn't be a good idea to add much more salt to the meal.
_______________________________________________________________

Hopefully Jason enjoys it as much as I did and hopefully I like my Mesquite Turkey!! He is adamant that I do not "ruin" his sandwich by microwaving it. He asked how crazy I was for even THINKING it!! I am looking forward to his reaction when I do it anyway and he gives it a try.
__________________________



In case you want to know how these size up to other sandwiches, here is the link to Subway's Nutritional Information.
http://www.subway.com/applications/NutritionInfo/nutritionlist.aspx?id=sandwich
Please note if comparing that the subs with "6 Grams of Fat or Less" do not count cheese in that math. None of the sandwiches include mayo or other condiments unless otherwise noted.

My Homepage Friends (formerly My Search Funds) closes site to US

In a surprising twist, My Homepage Friends (paid to search site) has decided to no longer support users from the United States. Shocking, considering that the US is usually pretty low on the click fraud scale, compared to some other countries. I'm not sure the US has ever been banned from using a GPT-type site. Guess that wasn't the case with MHF. Too bad, because I enjoyed earning with them. It wasn't much but when you are a stay-at-home mom making money online, everything cent matters.

Recently I attempted to do a search with MyHPF and was re-directed to a page with the following message:

Due to a change in the terms and conditions of our partners we are no longer able to offer our service in your country. Due to the significant amounts of click fraud, the countries we are able to offer a service are:
United Kingdom
France
Germany
Italy
Spain
Australia
Thailand
Singapore
Indonesia
Philippines
Vietnam
Malaysia
Canada
If you are in one of these countries and are receiving this message, please contact us in the usual way. Please note that if you are not in one of these countries, you will still earn money on affiliates who are. We thank you for using our service and once we have been paid by our partners we will be paying you your outstanding balance regardless of whether you have reached the £20 or not. Due to the changes they have implemented this may take a few months but rest assured you will be paid. Please ensure that you have entered your payment details. Thanks again for using our service!

It's great that they will still allow earnings on affiliates that are in those countries for people who have worked hard to gain those referrals. Even better is their mention of paying everyone, no matter if they reached the minimum payout amount or not. Many sites do not make this offer and will just take your money and run.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that in a few months I will be receiving approximately $15 USD from them.

Swagbucks has always been my number one search site but MyHPF was always number 2. I have a few backups that I guess I am going to need to start using from now on, to maximize my earning potential!

1000 Spotwinner Win!

I rarely go to Spotwinner anymore because it is kind of boring. The prizes are great and it's easy so I SHOULD do it more.
Today I was checking my e-mail and saw one from Spotwinner. I thought it was a newsletter or something saying, "come back". I opened it and got the following message:
Dear Alexandra,
Thank you for participating in the October Gaming Giveaway Sweepstakes on http://www.spotwinner.com/.
You are receiving this note because you have been selected as a winner for that recent sweepstakes!
Your prize is described below:
1,000 SpotCash (One Hundred Winners)

Yay! It's not major but it's a pretty big deal. I'm happy!! I don't win a lot so that was fun to find.
What have you won lately?

Typealyzer: Your Blog's Myers-Briggs Personality

I tried out the typealyzer after reading about Tom's experience on Gather.

What is the Typealyzer? http://typealyzer.com

The typealyzer determines your personality based on your blog writing. You simply type in your blog address and within a few seconds you get a result. Then it matches your blog to a personality type, based on the Myers-Briggs personality test.

Sounds like fun! So I give it a try. I enter my blog and get the following result:

ESFP - The Performers

The entertaining and friendly type. They are especially attuned to pleasure and beauty and like to fill their surroundings with soft fabrics, bright colors and sweet smells. They live in the present moment and don´t like to plan ahead - they are always in risk of exhausting themselves.

The enjoy work that makes them able to help other people in a concrete and visible way. They tend to avoid conflicts and rarely initiate confrontation - qualities that can make it hard for them in management positions.


__________________

Is that me? Entertaining? Maybe. I see myself as boring. Friendly? Definitely! I do see importance in my surrounding- I like to feel, smell and see nice things (who doesn't?). As for living in the present moment and not planning ahead...well I plan all the time. I am constantly exhausting myself with my thoughts and plans for the future. It's very overwhelming.

I do enjoy work where my effort shows, whether or not it is with people. I always try to avoid conflicts and I will not initiate confrontation. So that is right on. Though I was always pretty successful with being a manager in past jobs.

___________________


I have taken the Myers-Briggs personality test before but I never remember the results. So I took it again (see link Myers-Briggs). The results probably change from time to time anyway, because my ideas change a lot.

And the results:

Your Type is
ESFP

Well, well. That thing knows what it is talking about!

My exact results:

Extraverted	Sensing	Feeling	Perceiving
Strength of the preferences %
11	12	62	22

Qualitative analysis of your type formula


You are:

• slightly expressed extravert
• slightly expressed sensing personality
• distinctively expressed feeling personality
• slightly expressed perceiving personality

Artisan^TM Portrait of the Performer (ESFP) (More in-depth.)

Performers have the special ability, even among the Artisans, to delight those around them with their warmth, their good humor, and with their often extraordinary skills in music, comedy, and drama. Whether on the job, with friends, or with their families, Performers are exciting and full of fun, and their great social interest lies in stimulating those around them to take a break from work and worry, to lighten up and enjoy life.

Performers are plentiful, something over ten percent of the population, and this is fortunate, because they bring pleasure to so many of us. Performers are the people for whom it can truly be said "all the world's a stage." Born entertainers, they love the excitement of playing to an audience, and will quickly become the center of attention wherever they are. Performers aren't comfortable being alone, and seek the company of others whenever possible-which they usually find, for they make wonderful playmates. Performers are smooth, talkative, and witty; they always seem to know the latest jokes and stories, and are quick with wisecracks and wordplay-nothing is so serious or sacred that it can't be made fun of. Performers also like to live in the fast lane, and seem up on the latest fashions of dress, food, drink, and music. Lively and uninhibited, Performers are the life of the party, always trying to create in those around them a mood of eat, drink, and be merry.

The Performers' talent for enjoying life is healthy for the most part, though it also makes them more subject to temptations than the other types. Pleasure seems to be an end in itself for them, and variety is the spice of life. And so Performers are open to trying almost anything that promises them a good time, not always giving enough thought to the consequences.

Like the other Artisans, Performers are incurably optimistic - "Always look on the bright side," is their motto - and they will avoid worries and troubles by ignoring them as long as possible. They are also the most generous of all the types, and second only to the Composer Artisans [ISFPs] in kindness. Performers haven't a mean or stingy bone in their body-what's theirs is yours-and they seem to have little idea of saving or conserving. They give what they have to one and all without expectation of reward, just as they love freely, and without expecting anything in return. In so many ways, Performers view life as an eternal cornucopia from which flows an endless supply of pleasures.


Some of it is me, some of it doesn't really describe me well. But maybe I just don't know myself that well!

So, who else is up for the challenge?

Heartbeats by Jose Gonzalez on Bones

I was watching Bones tonight. I usually use TV to find my music because I am too lazy to look on my own (not entirely true but correct as of late). I usually like the songs they have at the end of this show and this was no exception. This is the first time I actually searched for a song from the show and it's only the second time that I remember really wanting to. Normally I just enjoy it. Tonight I grabbed the first thing I could find to write on which happened to a be a paper plate from dinner (and amazingly I found a pencil too!) so I started writing down the lyrics (finally I have an excuse for using closed captioning!). I then ran to my computer and started my search (using Swagbucks, of course) and quickly found what I was looking for. Jose Gonzalez, a song called "Heartbeats". The artist was actually mentioned by a guest on the show who gave a cd of songs that he enjoys to Angela.

I like :)

Enjoy!

Saving my online earnings at Mypoints-making and keeping resolutions update.

Mypoints (Join MyPoints NOW!)
is a site where you earn gift cards based on your participation. You can earn points from bonus mails (5 points per mail), signing up for offers from MyPoint partners, buying from hundreds of well-known stores online, searching the web using their toolbar and more. If you are an active online shopper you can earn a lot of gift cards on this site. If you are like me and mainly use the free features like the toolbar and the e-mails you can still earn a decent amount of gift cards throughout the year and it is so simple. I even earned points by doing my taxes!


I cashed out my last Mypoints gift card in December. So I started with a low balance at Mypoints in 2009 (I cannot remember the exact number of points I had).


As of April 6, 2009 I have 2501 points- enough to get a $10 gift card with some left over. To get a $25 gift card I need about 3500 points (most $25 gift cards are between 3250-3750 points).


My daughter's 4th birthday is coming up but I am not redeeming anything yet. I am very proud of myself. Last year I would have redeemed for gift cards as soon as I had the minimum amount of points. I would have spent them on myself for something like a night out to eat. This year I am saving them for birthdays and Christmas or for general household needs and/or home improvements- Lord knows we have plenty of home improvements that need to be done.

One exception is that I might be buying myself a steam cleaner from Amazon.com.

Saving my online earnings at Swagbucks-Making and Keeping Resolutions update.

I last cashed out at Swagbucks in December for Christmas gifts. Since then I have earned enough for another $20 in Amazon.com gift cards, plus some! Not too bad, considering I do it almost all by myself. I have one semi-active referral that helped (thank you Mel!!).

What the heck is a Swag Buck? (You can also click on "Paid To Search" under Categories to learn more)

At Amazon.com I can enter all of my gift card codes into my account, as many as 5 at a time (I think) to use for future purchases. Because I have a limit to the amount I can enter at one time I am cashing in at Swagbucks periodically so that I can save as many as possible before I need (or want) to make a purchase.

So my SB account balance is going down, but I haven't wasted it! I am either saving for a Steam Cleaner or birthday presents. My daughter Amara's birthday is this month so there isn't time to order anything for her. But I haven't found anything for her that is worth it on Amazon anyway. I have found some really cool ideas for Zachary and his birthday is in July, so I have some time to figure out if I want to use Amazon for him or not. If not, Steam Cleaner it is! I really really want it. Though I am having trouble deciding which one I really want because there are so many to choose from. I have decided that I want one primarily for cleaning the non-carpeted flooring in my house, with the option to do the carpet and fabric as well. And to also be able to get into hard places and really clean anywhere I want. The particular one in my wish list is the best one I could find for the price. If anyone has any experience with it please let me know.

The important thing is that I am sticking to my resolution and I am saving!

I've Been Sick

On Thursday afternoon I started feeling a little crummy. Crummy quickly progressed to dizzy, shaky, achy and worse. Unfortunately much of it happened while I was trying to do errands. I somehow managed to get my two younger kids and I through a quick shopping trip around 9pm, after finishing everything I had to do and taking some ibuprofen. I was getting the FLU! Whenever I am sick Jason rarely covers my share of the work. He will hardly take care of the kids and will absolutely not take care of the chores- dishes, cleaning. SOMETIMES he will make dinner when I feel like I am dying. Most of the time he doesn't take my illnesses seriously. He acts like I am faking it or something. It really really angers me.
But Jason came home from school on Thursday...and he was getting sick too!! Same thing- same symptoms only a few hours behind me. When Jason is sick not only does the world revolve around him (which it does on a regular basis) but it's like he is the only person left in the world. The only people who matter when he is sick are the ones who want to take care of him.
So much for help. Jason slept all day Friday, all day Saturday, all day Sunday.
From a chair, under a blanket, I watched my house go to ruin. I allowed my daughter free reign of the kitchen and she took it with pleasure and even happily supplied her brother with whatever she was having. I did manage to make some frozen pizza on Saturday during a pain outage, thanks to loads of ibuprofen. I don't keep horrible things at home and any leftover Halloween candy we have is completely out of their reach so they weren't eating too bad. Just lots of sandwiches. I felt awful about not being able to do much but I could barely function even while under the influence of painkillers. Messes were made and not cleaned up. I'm NEVER going to catch up with what went wrong- it's just too much and I know Jason will never step in to help out.
Monday came and I wasn't feeling better. Jason seemed to be because the night before he stayed up until some ungodly hour of the morning. So of course while I was dying and watching ANOTHER child, he was enjoying a wonderful beauty sleep at 1pm. So here is sick sick Alex trying to take care of Zachary, Amara, Jonas AND our friend(long story about Zachary being there) while perfectly fine Jason is resting his eyes. I was hating him. I complained on and off about the lack of help (knowing it would do nothing but not being able to shut up about it all) and he said the dumbest thing ever: "I don't know why you're still sick. I'm better" This from the jerk who SLEPT ALL WEEKEND. I didn't get to sleep. I had to take care of the children during all waking hours because someone else wouldn't wake up to help a little.
Tuesday I was STILL sick and was showing some signs of getting better but not much. The night before I told him that I had a meeting with the school at 10am and could only take Zachary, that he needed to get the kids ready while I was gone because I had to leave immediately when I got home to take them to preschool. I told him how important it was that he was up and that I could NOT take the other kids. At 9:15 I tried waking him up and he just turned his alarm off and went right back to sleep. So I spent 10 minutes trying to get him up and had to deal with him telling me to shut up and go away. Then he really made me mad and said that no matter what I did he was just going to go back to sleep after I left. So I completely flipped out (still sick as hell) and started giving Amara and Jonas a bath so that I could go straight from there to preschool. While I am giving them their bath I burst into tears because of the stress of the meeting I was about to be late for, how he was treating me. Finally I had them completely ready but didn't have time to get them breakfast and he actually got up. So I left with Zachary and we were only 3 minutes late. Our meeting was done in time for me to pick the kids up and get them to preschool on time so everything went well. My throat had been hurting bad during this whole sickness but I had been ignoring it because of everything else being worse. While I was out I decided to actually look at my throat so when I was sitting in the car getting ready to drop the girls off I checked it out and it really surprised me. My throat was as red as blood (still is). No spots or anything but it was really swollen.
The weekend was really nice but Tuesday afternoon it was starting to get a little cold- cold enough to need the heat. So I tried to turn it on and it wouldn't work! I thought it was just being stubborn but the evening came around and it still wasn't working. So I went from starting to get better to going back to my original state. I was so cold and couldn't find a way to get warm. Our bedroom has different heat so we didn't have to worry about sleeping but I didn't want to make everyone spend the evening in there. Plus the kids weren't minding it at all- just me. So the blanket went back around me while I trudged through the house and tried to do something. I made a crappy dinner of saltines and Campbell's Chicken Noodle soup and added some carrots to it. Then I made some hot chocolate to cheer everyone up and keep me warm. But those were the longest 5 hours of my life.
Finally when it was time for bed I had all of the kids sleep with me since it was the only warm room in the house. Zachary's bedroom was the coldest. I put a space heater in the bathroom so that it would be tolerable in the morning. I took my ibuprofen so I could sleep and off to bed we went.
Today I am finally well enough to catch up a little here on Gather and check some e-mail. Not much else will get done on the computer today. I missed Gather!! I have been living in a fog of painkillers and pain and tons of water the last few days and I am glad to be back. I don't think I have ever been this sick before. The flu, the sore throat (worst sore throat ever, for sure- worse than strep), the absolute need for water like I've never needed water before and then this morning I woke up with pain in my right breast and there is a lump there. I am pretty sure it is mastitis or at least a clogged milk duct and I really hope it is nothing worse. I've had mastitis once before and it felt just like this. But talk about pouring, ya know.
One good thing is that today out of nowhere our heat came back on. Of course it happened while it was 70 degrees out but it is supposed to get cold again tonight so I am glad it works again.

So, what's new with everyone else? And thank you if you made it through this whole thing!

Free sunflowers for us and the bees

I love freebies and found a great one today. I was looking for free seeds and came across a site that is giving away free sunflower seeds. With this site there is a catch, but this catch is more than worth it.
The Great Sunflower Project

In exchange for free sunflower seeds, the site asks that you watch the flowers as they grow. They are studying bees, colony collapse disorder and are trying to figure out a way to solve the problem.

From their site:
How will the Great Sunflower Project help?
By watching and recording the bees at sunflowers in your garden, you can help us understand the challenges that bees are facing. We'll be sending out annual Lemon Queen sunflower seeds in early March 2009. Just in time to plant!
It takes less than 30 minutes.
It's easy.
Free Sunflower seeds for planting.
No knowledge of bees required!
Enter your bee counts online or send us your paper form.

It's very easy to sign up for this project. You just enter your e-mail address and home address for them to mail the seeds. If you wish, you can even supply the seeds yourself though they ask that you use a specific kind of sunflower so that their study functions properly.

The site is worth checking out. There is a forum, map of participants, a bee guide, tips on how to create a bee garden and so much more. They also have resources for teachers and students. They encourage groups to participate in the project, so if you know of a school, scout group or anyone else that could benefit from this please pass it on!

I am no gardener. I kill plants with ease. But two years ago a neighbor gave us some sunflowers and their ability to take care of themselves wowed me. Those flowers are amazing! I am really looking forward to this project!!
Keep your eyes open for updates about this project.

Saving my online earnings at Gather-making and keeping resolutions update.

Well, we are almost done with February and I am happy to say that so far I have been successful! This is an update on one of my favorite sites, Gather. Gather is a social site for grownups that caters to everyone.
This is a site for the serious or casual writer who is looking to share their work or get feedback. It's for the artist- the photographer, painter, the videographer and everything in between. It's for the mom or dad who wants to interact with other parents. It's for people who like to play games. It's for the people who love a good deal, want to find the best coupons and bargains and enjoy freebies. It's for people who want to find others like them.
Gather is a place to publish in writing, in pictures and in video. You create a profile page where people can write you a message, where you can share what's on your mind and tell everyone about yourself (all of this is optional). You can make friends, start and join groups, comment and more. Gather rewards your activity with points which can be redeemed for various gift cards and/or Paypal payments. For many people, the friendships and fun you have on Gather can outweigh the benefit of the points.

At Gather I have earned 1,399 points (since December 15, 2008. I have redeemed $130 in gift cards and donations since June 2008). I can cash out for a few different $10 gift cards (Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, CVS and others) there for 625 points. I need 1,565 to get to the next cashout level, $25- under 500 points to go. When I reach that level I have the option of getting Paypal and even more gift cards for stores like Target, Home Depot, Amazon.com, Macy's and others. You can also redeem your points at 3,125 ($50) and 6,250 ($100- though you can only do Paypal at this level).

I actually have decided that it would be best for me to opt for Paypal because I signed up for the Paypal debit card with the % cashback when you shop, which means getting even more out of my free money. I haven't read all of the details about the debit card and what purchases are eligible but I think all purchases made get the cashback. Then, if I want to earn more on my purchases I can use sites like MyPoints, Big Crumbs, Swagbucks and others to get even MORE cash (or points) out of my purchases.


Pretty cool, huh?

Playing the Game Wave- time for trivia!

We visited with Jason's parents a lot over the holidays and since they are big fans of games (especially trivia) we had to bring the Game Wave over so they could try it out. The same night we played Letter Zap with them we also tried out some trivia. With my Bzz Kit I received 2 trivia games: 4 Degrees- The Arc of Trivia Volume 1 and ReWind.


First up was 4 Degrees. Jason's dad and Kt, Zachary, Jason and I all joined in. In this game there are 6 categories to choose from: Art, History, Science, Sports, Lifestyle and Geography. With 4 degrees each player picks a category when it is their turn and that player "rolls" a die. All players are playing for 50 points each round except the player choosing the category- when they roll the die they are playing for the amount of points that they land on. Then you are given your challenge. You are shown a fact and 4 choices for the anwer. The first fact you are shown will be vague and if you don't know the category well you probably won't know the answer. If you do happen to know you can guess and you get lots of points. But BE CAREFUL! Once you make a choice, you CANNOT change your answer! If you guess wrong you lose the standard value of points (50) or if you were the player rolling the die you will lose the amount that you rolled.
The second degree hint gives a little more info than the first. You are given 4 degrees of hints and by the fourth hint you are able to earn very little points. But by the 4th hint you will be able to answer the question easily.

Then we tried ReWind. In this game there are 10 categories to choose from but they are not always the same categories. There is a broad range of questions that can be asked. The person with the lowest score gets to pick the category (with the exception of the first round, of course). You are given multiple choice questions. The counter starts at 1000 points and if you guess immediately and get it right you get all 1000. The longer you wait to pick your answer the lower the points go. But be careful because if you guess wrong and have to change your answer you lose a Re-Take. You are given 6 re-takes at the beginning of the game. If you are the player with the lowest score and get at least a score of 500 (I think it is 500) then you are given extra re-takes. While your possible score gets lower you are given more clues as to what the answer is. You get 4 clues before your time is up. That last clue is usually a dead giveaway. Up to 6 people can play this game but it can also be a one player game. It is a lot like the Buzz Time Trivia game that is available in restaurants and on digital cable.

Even though Zachary didn't know most of the answers he was still able to play and have fun guessing. Later in the week we played a few more times with them. When Jason's uncle Mike came home from Germany he had to get in on the action too. At one point we were fighting for remote time because everyone wanted to play!! These two games are fun, interactive and involve the whole family. But they can also be enjoyed alone. Definitely a thumbs up for ReWind and The Arc of Trivia!

Want to read more about these games and the Game Wave system? Just click on the Bzz Agent category on my blog homepage.

Playing the Game Wave- Letter Zap family challenge

Over the holidays we were able to spend a lot of time with family. Jason's family in particular is fond of games. I had to bring the Game Wave along whenever we went over in case we had time to play. As soon as it was mentioned that I had it, Kt (Jason's step-mom) insisted we give it a try. I recommended Letter Zap (Tag). So KT, Jason, Zachary and I all grabbed a remote. Amara decided she wanted to play too so we gave her a remote and set her up as well. We invited Jason's dad to play but when he learned it was a word game he decided to sit and watch before making a decision to play.
For our first game we set it for 5 minutes. The challenge? Beating me!!
Our game began and we all raced to get as many words as possible. There were shouts of joy when someone would get a big word or beat someone else to a word. There were cries of unfairness when someone would snag someone elses word. We gave Zachary a little bit of a handicap. I won our first game. Jason's dad decided this game was NOT for him but asked us to call him when we played the trivia games.

Trying for big words- for any word- when you have 3 adults racing you is very difficult! The competition is fierce and fun (as is the name-calling!). We haven't played many games in the past few years though we all enjoy it. We had such a blast playing this game and played it for almost an hour. We tried all three time limits and decided that 5 was perfect (I think that was our decision at home too).

Letter Zap is a hit everywhere!

Read all about my experiences with the Game Wave, my latest Bzz Campaign
Here

Making and keeping New Years resolutions- saving my online earnings

I made a few New Years resolutions for 2009. Normally I don't make any resolutions so this is a big deal for me!
The first resolution I made was that this year I will try to save as much of my online earnings as possible to use for Christmas and maybe birthdays. Some of the sites I belong to only give out gift cards and merchandise as prizes and those are the ones I am mainly focusing on for saving. On the sites where I earn cash only I will try to save it in my Paypal account but will use that for bills if it becomes necessary. Over the past few years when I have earned points or whatever I have immediately redeemed them for whatever gifts I could get. Sites like Gather and MyPoints gift some great gift cards and I like to spoil myself sometimes! It's hard to just leave the points there to accumulate when you could get a $10 Olive Garden gift card or a $25 Target gift card and use it right away. But now I am going to leave it alone. Or at least try to leave it alone more than I have in the past!
I have been successful so far but it is only January. I have enough points at Swag Bucks to get a $5 Amazon.com or $5 Starbucks gift card but I am not going to redeem it. I am about 200 points away from a $10 MyPoints gift card and will be there probably in about 2 weeks or so. I will NOT be redeeming it right away! I am getting close to cashing out at a few different sites and I am going to try my hardest to keep everything in my account and save it.

I'll keep an update so everyone (including ME) can see how I am doing. I seem to do a better job when I keep track like this. Wish me luck!

Playing the Game Wave- Gemz

Read more about Bzz Agent and the Game Wave game system HERE

We tried and loved our first game on the Game Wave- Letter Zap. I let my 7 year old son choose the next game and no surprise- he picked Gemz. Of all the games that came with our system that one looks the coolest in the eyes of a child. All of those pretty diamonds and shiny shapes.

So we put it in and once again he was too eager to read the directions before starting the game. This one seems to only be a two-player game. I couldn't find an option to add more players so Zachary and I played and Jason watched. We knew the concept of the game but couldn't figure out what we were doing.
I quit after spending a game not being able to figure it out. I have never played this game anywhere and kind of assumed it would be very similar to Tetris. We went back and read the rules before trying again. And NOW we get it! The idea is to match like Gemz in groups of 3 or more. You are given one gem style to match and you can only trade places with pieces that will make the match go into a group of 3. Does that make sense? I'll have to make a video of us playing so this makes sense! Half of the time you can't find anything but when you do you are given a new gem to try to match. If you can't find anything then you have to move to the next assigned Gem and lose 50 points (I think it was 50).
Zachary played for a few minutes then handed over his controller to dad. Jason and I played through the game but decided we didn't like this one. We both kept saying, "It would be so much better if it were more like Tetris!" Zachary preferred to watch rather than play because he had trouble understanding that he wouldn't always have a match and couldn't figure out how to change it. I think he would have liked it if it were more like Tetris too. Maybe Game Wave will come out with something more like Tetris (HINT)!!

We might play this game in the future but only if we are bored with the other games. It just isn't that fun or entertaining.

My birthday weekend

I have a busy weekend planned. My birthday is on Sunday January 11. I will be 27. Last year didn't seem like a big deal but this time I am kind of freaking out- I am stressing over getting older this time.

Tonight I am going out with one of my friends to a bar. I won't be able to stay out long because of Jonas but I think it will be lots of fun and I am looking forward to getting out. Tomorrow we are going to go to my grandma's and my niece is going to order some pizza and get some ice cream cake (yes, we are aware that it is WINTER but it is SO good!). Sunday- my actual birthday- my mom is going to make me curry and bring it over. She has been unemployed for a really long time so she doesn't have much to offer me so she said she would make me that for my birthday. She let me choose any food I wanted and I didn't hesistate to pick! I can't make curry and I love it so it had to be that. Then in the late afternoon/evening we are going over to Jason's dad's house to celebrate a little more. Last week we went to my other grandma and grandpa's house for a late Christmas celebration and my grandma gave me an awesome pair of pjs. Funny thing was that the idea was running through my mind because the last pair I got I really hated and the pair before that are almost 4 years old- I wanted a new pair. I wear a few other things to bed too so the old ones stayed in good condition but nothing can ruin a good sleep like uncomfortable clothing so I was totally thrilled to get these adorable, comfortable and warm pajamas!! She got a really nice pair too. I am used to cheap pjs from Walmart or Target. They are totally different from what I am used to!

Then at the bustop this morning I heard that it is going to start snowing tonight and will keep going ALL DAY tomorrow and into Sunday! I hope this doesn't ruin my plans. Hopefully it won't be so much that we are stuck. I have heard conflicting stories- from 1-6 inches from one source and from 6-12 from another source. I always do love a good snowstorm.

I was almost born in one...27 years ago my mom was pregnant and past her due date. It started snowing in the days before I was born and on the 11th my mom started feeling some contractions. She knew it was going to happen and knew the weather was bad but was tired so she took a nap. When she woke up she was fully in labor and she said the snow had gotten really high. They couldn't drive to the hospital on their own so they had to call an ambulance. She ended up having to lie down in the snow while she waited for them (and they either got lost or stuck while she waited) and was sure that I was either going to be born in the snow or on the ride. They ended up making it and I was born sometime around 6 in the evening at the same hospital that all of my kids were born.

Not entirely off topic: my mom had a roommate who had a baby boy the next day, January 12. I was always aware of this growing up and I was always interested in birthdays and who shared mine so whenever I met someone I would ask their birthday and where they were born. I met two guys over the years who were born in York on Jan 12, 1982. One of them I met through a church youth group that my best friend invited me to. I remember asking him some questions and when he told me that info I commented, "maybe you were my roommate when we were born." Funny thing is that I never said that when I met the other potential. I spoke to him every so often- he was a fun friend though we only hung out a few times just by chance but I never did learn whether or not he was my roommate. When we were 18 or 19 I got news from some friends that he died in a car accident going to or coming from Maryland. I felt really sad even though I had many friends with whom I was much closer. Normally I don't feel that way when I am not that close with a person. My mom called me shortly after I found out about it and said, "Did you hear about the car accident where they boy from York died? That was your roommate when you were born." I told her I knew him which surprised her. I always had a feeling that it was him. Just a little story- sorry to bore you all!!

Anyway, I hope all goes well this weekend and we have a great snowstorm that still allows me to get out and do what I want! I am such a selfish birthday girl :)

I just won 20 Swag Bucks in a contest!!

The Swag Bucks team had a contest on their blog: Guess the score for 20 Swag Bucks

on January 7th. The contest in short:

Tomorrow night is the BCS College Football Championship game featuring the Oklahoma Sooners vs. the Florida Gators. As if there wasn't enough hype around the game already, I'm going to give 20 FREE SWAG BUCKS to anyone who guesses the correct final score!!

So I figured I would give it a try and see if I win. Couldn't hurt. I e-mailed them the score Oklahoma 14 Florida 24.

I kind of forgot about the whole thing then. I knew it was happening soon but I couldn't remember when. Since SB has introduced all sorts of new ways to earn Swag Bucks in recent weeks I have been checking things out more often so today I checked out their blog and saw that they had announced the winner. I got a flutter in my gut when I read it as if I knew I needed to see what it had to say. And sure enough...Winners of the BCS Score Contest. Here is a little blurb:

Why is Tim Tebow so excited? Because loyal Swaggernauts Lorri L. and Alexandra K. (THAT'S ME!) each just won 20 FREE Swag Bucks for beating The Swag Guy's Challenge and correctly guessing the final score of the BCS national championsip game: Florida 24-Oklahoma 14. He's probably also happy because he just won a National Championship :)

So I won! It was VERY exciting! I have enough Swag Bucks now to get a bunch of things but the two best ones are a $5 Starbucks gift card or a $5 Amazon.com gift card. This time I think I will wait though. I trust them enough now to hold on to my Swag Bucks for a while and maybe get something big...or just cash out a bunch of $5 gift cards all at once.

Since joining Swag Bucks on March 30, 2008 I have received 7 $5 gift cards and a t-shirt. Not bad for a short period of time! This is my most successful paid to search site that I use. I actively use 3 different sites for my searches and they all reward in some way.

Want to search and win too? Sign up free at Swag Bucks or click the banner:

This is a good way to start off my birthday weekend!

Send and receive money for free

Everyone knows about Paypal but did you know that there are other smilar places and that some are totally free to use?
Revolution Money Exchange allows you to send or receive money totally free, up to $1,000 per day.


You can link the account with your bank account for easy transferring. And it is just like any other bank except it is all done online. You can also request a FREE debit card to use at any ATM or location where RME cards are accepted (Full list of locations here ). A few popular locations include Macy's, CVS, Walgreen's and many more!


Not interested in trying new things? If you haven't yet, you can sign up for a Paypal account. You can apply for a debit card (subject to approval but I was approved in less than a week since it is just a debit card, not a credit card), a money market account, a credit card and other services. You can have a free account at Paypal but you are limited in what you can do. With a business account you have a lot more freedom but you are subject to fees for sending or receiving money (I forget which). The fees are really low but still...it's your money.

Playing our first game on the Game Wave- Letter Zap

When my Game Wave (read all about it here) arrived I had to wait for Jason to hook it up for me (which SEEMED to take forever!). It wasn't difficult at all but I don't like to do that stuff. Plus our entertainment center didn't have a spot with an outlet hole so he had to drill that before we could plug it in.
FINALLY!
My 7 year old son Zachary, Jason and I put in the first game- Letter Zap and we each chose a remote. My son was a little too eager to get the game going so he bypassed the directions and we were prompted to choose names. Then we went right into a game. There was a big screen with letters all over the place- sort of looked like a word find. We were blindly playing and it was obvious! We had no idea what to do and how to do it so we just let the timer run out and went back to the main menu.
We discovered that there are actually two different games to play on this disc. One is a 4 player game where you race to make the most words out of the letters on the screen. Every time a word is created and submitted those letters disappear. If two or more people are going for the same letter only the quickest player will get it. The more letters in a word the more points you get for the word. It is hard to get big words when multiple people are going for the same letters! You can set the timer for 3, 5 or 10 minutes for this game.
With the second game, each player gets their own box and the letters never change. The player who gets 10 words first wins the round though it appears that points are accumulated through each round as well and the winner has the most points, not the most round wins. I cannot remember what the time limits on this game are but it is the same every time.

After we read all of the instructions we started playing the first game again. This time we understood and had a good time. My son was even able to enjoy it and found a lot of words. We let him have words if he annouced them before we started to use them. It's a really bad idea to annouce your findings during a competitive game...though also hard to not do when you get really excited! I was consistently the winner of this game!! I love word games. We tried playing with each time limit and decided that we all preferred 5 minutes. 3 feels way too short and 10 is too long. With more players 10 minutes might be ideal.
After playing a few games we decided to try out the other game- the one where you each get your own box of letters. Jason was better at this game but we all agreed that it isn't nearly as fun to play.

We ended up spending the rest of the evening playing Letter Zap- up until it was time for Zachary to go to bed. We all love this game- it is great for all ages! Even my 3 year old daughter wanted to join in the fun. She accidently got a few words too! She didn't stay as interested as we were but had to try it out because of how much fun we were having. She did love being able to have her own remote so we let her set hers up even when she didn't play the whole way through. So far, this definitely is a family game system!