CSN Stores Review and Giveaway

The lucky winner is #12 Bari.

Congratulations!!

Please email me your mailing info and I'll get it off to Jessica.

I was contacted by my friend Jessica at CSN Stores and offered a review and giveaway. I could pick whatever I wanted. I knew from the start that I wanted to do something fitness related. What I didn't realize was how hard it would be to pick something. You can't imagine how many things they had to choose from. It is an amazing place to shop.

After many days of searching, I decided on two workout dvd's from The Firm. The Firm is a name that I have heard of for years, but never tried before. I had no idea what I had been missing. If you want a great workout, you want to try these.

First, I tried the body sculpting ball workout. I was sweaty and breathing heavy before I ever picked up the ball. Imagine my surprise when I finally was told to pick the ball up. It was one tough workout, but boy was it a good workout. I truly felt like I had used every muscle group in my body. I couldn't believe that using that little weighted ball could make such a diffence in the workout. I am definitely going to put this dvd in my workout rotation.

Next, I tried the 5 pound kettlebell kit. Once again, I was impressed with the workout. You have this 5 pound bell with a handle on it. You are doing all kinds of moves with this bell and you have to control it the whole time. It is little to look at, but it is mighty to control. Once again, sweaty and heavy breathing were words that came to mind early on in the workout. This dvd gave me a great workout. I'll be using this again and again.

Now, here's the good news for you. Jessica is going to give one lucky reader their own set of these dvd kits. I promise you'll love them if you win.

All you have to do is leave me a comment about your favorite form of exercise. Don't just tell me what it is, tell me why it is your favorite. Simple, right?

I will pick a winner using random.org on Wednesday, September 8th. That is my wedding anniversary. Maybe that will be good luck for someone. I will post the winner on Thursday, September 9th.

Good luck everyone!

You Capture / Get Outside

If you say get outside and there is a full moon, chances are, that is what I am going to capture. I love the moon. I couldn't even count the number of moon shots I have. This is basically the same shot, but with different lenses. They were shot over the fence with the neighbors tall grass in the foreground.

I will link this up to Beth on my lunch break, but for now, I have to get ready for work and out the door.

Going a Little Random

I was going to start this post with a picture of Jack, but I am at Sarah's house and I haven't quite figured out how to use her picture program. I am spending two days at her house while her and Nick take the girls to the water park. Water park and Jack just didn't sound like a good fit. This way they have one parent for each child and they should have a blast. The girls were very excited and I'm excited to have Jack all to myself.

I decided this was a perfect time for a little randomness. Jack is down for his nap, so here goes....

The Cubs are on and they are kicking butt in the 4th inning. It is 7 to 1 and I'm happy. My husband says it doesn't matter because they are so far back, but I don't care. I love to see them do good whenever it is.

I have very limited sports interests. I like the Cubs, Notre Dame football, the Kentucky Derby and the Indy 500. I am not fanatical about any of them. That's just who I happen to like and I don't care if you like them or not. I am happy that you like who you like, but that doesn't mean that I have to like them too. I actually had a fellow blogger delete my comment because I had the nerve to say that I didn't care for the player that she was gushing over. I think that is just ridiculous.

I have become an addict! I am totally addicted to SoBe Lifewater. Have you tried it? It is so delicious. Refreshing and yummy and so many flavors and 0 WW points. I blame April at the Sisterhood for suggesting it, now I'm hooked.

A good friend and her family were out last week from Maine. They had a graduation open house out here for all of us. Her family is out here and so are many friends. It was fun to spend time with them. Someday, we are going to get out to Maine and visit them.

During the summer, we have bunco pool parties. I think it's funny because none of us go in the pool. Most of us don't even wear bathing suits. The few of us that have school age kids, their kids go in, but that's about it. We do have fun though. Our next one is Tuesday. The last hurrah before school starts.

Dick and I went to Cruise Night the other weekend. It is something they have in our town during the summer. Last year, it was every Saturday night. This year it is only once a month. What it is...they close the street for three blocks in the heart of downtown and people bring their classic restored cars up and park on both sides of the street for people to look at. Being it was just once a month this year, they were supposed to have a band and beer garden, but they didn't. It was still fun though. More so for Dick than me, but still fun.

There is a new challenge over at the Sisterhood. It's a team challenge and I love my team. As of right now, we are in first place. The challenge is called Down and Dirty in 30 and my team is the Lowdown Dirty Losers. Just a little play on words of the challenge name. Our plan is to win. I'll let you know at the end of the month if we did.

I am beginning to count down to the start of school. We have our big staff meeting on Thursday, open house and ice cream social on Monday and then we start on Wednesday the 25th. I can't believe it is here already. I'm still waiting for the "me" part of the summer to start.

The fun part of school starting is that Natalie will be in the two day morning class. She is very excited and so am I. She tells everyone that she has to call grandma by her big girl name.

Two pet peeves....people who have buttons for their blogs and then the codes don't work for you to get them and people who have giveaways and then don't post the winners when they say they are going to.

If you could, please say a prayer for my friend that I have been going to treatments and doctor appointments with. She had her CT scan on Thursday and we so want good news. Please Lord, no growth in the tumors and let the Avastin be doing it's job and cutting off the blood flow to the tumors.

I'm starting to hear Jack beginning to stir so I better close and get his bottle ready. Hope you all had a great weekend and your week ahead is wonderful.

A Coming Review and Giveaway

I have some exciting news. My friend Jessica at CSN Stores has offered me a review and giveaway. If you haven't had the opportunity to visit the CSN website, you are totally missing an adventure. There are over 200 websites to shop in. They have absolutely everything. I was looking at some of their bistro sets. I thought the one below was perfect for a small space.

The review and giveaway will be from the CSN Health and Fitness store. I think we are going to love it. I can't wait for it to come, so I can try it out and let you know what I think and to have one of you be able to win the same thing. One more thing, it's actually two things. Are you excited now? I sure am.

I Didn't Think It Would Happen So Soon

Aren't they cute? Doesn't it look like they are happy campers?

Not so much this afternoon.

About 5:00 the phone rang. Sarah is on the other end and I can hear Jack doing the ugly cry. You know the one where they are screaming as much as they are crying. I can barely hear her.

Sarah said Jack was laying on the floor on a blanket and she was five feet away building a bookcase she bought this morning. For some unknown reason, Lizzy decided that Jack needed to be on his tummy and rolled him over. I'm guessing it wasn't a gentle roll. Sarah was in a panic because she thought Jack's arm was broken or dislocated or something bad. Dick and I took off for their house. Sarah called the doctor and she said head to the emergency room. By the time we got there, Jack had cried himself to sleep in Sarah's arms. Dick and Sarah took Jack to the hospital. Sarah had called Nick at work and he was going to meet them there. I fed the girls dinner and did the dishes and cleaned up the toys and books in the girls room. I was trying to do anything to keep my mind off Jack. The thought of that little guy coming home in a cast or sling was more than I could handle. About an hour passes and the phone rings. It's Dick and Jack is just fine. He said the doctor was twisting and turning his arm every which way but off and Jack just laid there and cooed and smiled at her. Nick got there just as they were checking out.

Hopefully, this isn't the start of things to come.

You Capture / Summer

I totally forgot about You Capture until about an hour ago.

Lucky for me, I found some summer right in my backyard.

One of my personal summer favorites are the first ripe cherry tomatoes

I don't know how or why they do it, but I love when the hydrangeas turn colors from what they were before. Aren't they beautiful?

I love the new blooms that weren't there before.

Last but not least, I'm not too fond of the pool that turns green after massive amounts of rain and humidity. Hopefully, I've worked some chemical magic and it will be all better by tomorrow.

It's summer over at Beth's.