Our Container Garden

I mentioned in an earlier post that our container garden is doing well. Thought I'd upload a couple of pics.

Entering Blog Giveaways

Junie doesn't do spreadsheets so I set up a Google spreadsheet to track the sites she belongs to, and added a page for blogs she follows, has buttons for, whether there is a one per household limit, etc. Because Junie and I have both been entering Blog giveaways, it can be a bit confusing so we decided to share it and track the giveaways entered as well. It's going to take a while to update it, but it should make entering a little easier for both of us after it's done.

Win Tyson Chicken Coupons

Win 10 coupons for any bagged or boxed Tyson Frozen Breaded Chicken or Tyson Any’tizers, up to 9.99 value each at Busy Mom. Ends 5/12/09

Win a HP Mini 1000

Enter to win a HP Mini 1000 XP Edition at 5 Minutes for Moms. I like that this prize has Windows XP rather than Vista.

I was looking at some of the comments on the site, some are entering to use it as a PC replacement. I wonder how many know that the mini although great for the internet and mobile chores does not have a CD drive.

I would love to have the product, but I sure dislike the HP site, not a user friendly site. I couldn't view in Firefox (my default) or Seamonkey, had to use Explorer. That sucks.

Win a GelPro Floor Mat

I'm entering again to win a Gel Pro Anti-Fatigue Floor Mat for the kitchen. This time, the mat is in the basketweave pattern in your choice of color. Enter at Any Lucky Day. Ends 4/28/09.

Two wins

Yesterday I won a coupon for Clairol hair color from Mommy World and a $25 Outback GC from An Island Life. Thank you both.

Junie and I went to dinner at Chili's Friday night to use the coupons she won at the end of February from Sweeps4Bloggers for the Guiltless Grill menu. We split the Chicken Platter and Carne Asada Steak dinners and I have to say we enjoyed both of them.

Sisterhood Award

Thank you Annette from Fairy Blog Mother for the Sisterhood Award


It's hard to decide who to forward this to, but here's my list:

• Robyn's Online World
• Thrifty Jinxy
• Sweeps4Bloggers
• Bargain Briana
• Everything Up Close
• An Island Life
• The Mud Bug

Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate up to 10 blogs which show great attitude and/or gratitude!
3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Remember to link to the person from whom you received your award.

Bloggy Giveaways

• O Yikes! Bag in your choice of style and color from Sandier Pastures. I'm partial to the 9.2.5 messenger bag in frosted titanium. Ends 4/27/09
• Mystic Wonders Complete Laundry System
  
• The Mom Buzz Ends 5/6/09
• Sweeps4Bloggers Ends 5/7/09
  
• $25 Dole Canned Fruit sponsored by Dole's Make Me a Chef Contest
• 3 Garnets and 2 Sapphires Ends 4/30/09
• Red Sox Mommy Ends 4/28/09
• Piece of Me Ends 5/8/09
  
• Earth Day Giveaway includes Brita Water Pitcher, Bissell Little Green Floor Cleaner, Tide Coldwater, Clorox Green Works cleaners Skimbaco Lifestyle Ends 4/29/09
• A Kolobags Room It Up Pink Plaid Laptop Messenger Bag from A Daily Dose of Toni Ends 4/30/09
• Belkin's Conserve Energy-Saving Surge Protector from Contest Corner Ends 5/17/09
  

Shortcakes

Awesome (easy) recipe for shortcakes. I made it last summer. Beats anything out there for shortcakes. This recipe came from the back of the cover for the Wilton mini shell cake mold.

3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350. Spray pan with vegetable spray. Beat eggs and sugar at high speed for approximately five minutes, until mixture is very thick and light in color. Beat in vanilla; fold in flour. Use about 1/4 heaping cup of mix in a regular muffin tin. Bake for approximately 10 minutes. Mine came out better at 12 minutes. Remove from oven, run spatula around rim and release immediately.
Makes 12 cakes

Win a Pair of Eyeglasses

Win a pair of EyeBuyDirect.com eyeglasses. I'm still trying to win these.

• A latte in the morning Ends 5/10/09
• A Little Bit Nutty Ends 5/11/09
• Blogmania Drawing on or about 5/12/09 New! Added 4/21
  

More Bloggy Giveaways

Here's more blog giveaways I've entered and hope to win. Changing the post date, this post was originally started 4/14

• GelPro Floor Mat from Mommy Mandy ...it would be so nice to have in our kitchen. Ends 4/27/09
  
• A pair of glasses sponsored by EyeBuyDirect.com at 3 Kids and Us Ends 5/15/09
• Romano’s Macaroni Grill Restaurant Favorites Dinner Kit
• Frugal Mommy of 2 Girls Ends 4/23/09
• Contest Corner Ends 4/29/09
  
• The Post-it Place Ends 4/29/09
• The Not So Blog Ends 4/30/09
• $25 Dole Canned Fruit sponsored by Dole's Make Me a Chef Contest
  
• Double Bugs Ends 4/30/09
• Sage and Savvy Ends 5/8/09
• Really, Are You Serious? Ends 4/22/09
• The Mud Bug Ends 5/4/09 New! added 4/20
  
• Black & Decker Cordless Feed Trimmer or Hedge Trimmer at the Alternative Consumer Ends 4/22/09
  
• Clairol Color Giveaway at Mommy World Ends 4/23/09
• muvee Reveal at A Hook... A Line... and a Girl Ends 4/29/09
• Shutterfly's 8.5 x 11 Mother’s Day Classic Book at Mud Pies and Mary Janes Ends 4/23/09
• Mystic Wonders Complete Laundry System
  
• Mom Most Traveled Ends 5/1/09. MomMostTraveled.com is a family travel blog with great giveaways and product reviews!
• Sweeps 4 Bloggers Ends 4/23/09 New! Added 4/20
  

I Hate Flash

OK, maybe I don't hate Flash, but I dislike it intensely. Flash when used to enhance a site can be cool. But, for most commercial sites, it should be at the option of the site visitor. A well designed HTML web site can project a much better image for the average consumer than a Flash site.

Flash based sites

When I go to a site like Suave or Dove (these are sites I have been to lately) and I try to navigate a less than optimal Flash based site like Suave, it's a real turn off. I have had to spend twice as long looking for information than is necessary. You can't use the back arrow or you're taken back to the beginning of the Flash movie losing even more time. The Dove site has a sitemap available, but click on a link and you are still pulled into a flash site. But, at least with the Dove site you can use the back arrow and go back a page without starting all over, but still it would be much better to have a standard site available. Unfortunately, most, but not all, of Unilever's sites are Flash based. Big turnoff.

Site menus done in Flash

WD Diary , part of Woman's Day and Classic Heartland, a public radio station have Flash based menus with no alternative, you either have Flash enabled or you can't navigate the site. Not a good impression and another big turnoff.

Most sweepstakes entry forms done in Flash suck, too. There is no reason that your browser's form filler, Google's form filler, Roboform or the like should not be able to fill in a form, any form. There are a lot of people out there who have a hard time either seeing or typing.

For some specifics in sweepstakes entry forms, see my other blog My Sweepstakes Rants and Raves. Comments are always welcome.

Easter

Garth ended up staying with my son for a few days when we decided to go visiting for Easter. Junie went to her son's for for the weekend and I took the train down to my Dad's and spent close to a week.

My nephews, and my eldest nephew's fiance, flew out from Ohio. It was so good to see them, it's been a few years since I'd seen them.

Took them to Hollywood Blvd. Saturday to do the site seeing bit, went along the Walk of the Stars, Ripley's Believe or Not, Guinness World Records Museum and the Hollywood Wax Museum. It turned out to be a great day.

As much as I enjoyed visiting, it sure feels good to be home.

Garden Looking Great

Our container garden is really looking good. We have some Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes already set and a good amount of flowers ready to open on one of the bell peppers. Can't wait!

Bloggy Giveaways

Some current giveaways that I would like to win.

• Five Rudi's Organic Bakery Bread products from The Happy Runner Ends 4/9/09
• Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil from Frugal Mommy of 2 Girls Ends 4/13/09
• Reliable Steamboy T1 from Barefoot Mommy Ends 4/13/09
• A Wireless HP Photosmart C6380 All-in-One Printer from Southern Hospitality Ends 4/14/09
• Twilight DVD from Pink Lemonade of Life Ends 4/15/09
• A 12v Rechargeable Spotlight from Any Lucky Day Ends 4/16
• A $25 Outback Gift Certificate from An Island Life Ends 4/18/09
• A $25 Office Max Gift Card from Full Nest Reviews Ends 4/20/09
• Chili's Guiltless Grill Giveaway from Fairy Blog Mother Ends 4/21/09
• MaraNatha Nut Butters sampler pack from Goodies for Mom Ends 4/22/09
• A 24 cans of Campbell’s Chicken & Stars soup from Mom Reviews Ends 4/23/09
• A cute Cloud B Dozy Dolphin from The Dirty Shirt Ends 4/23/09
• Epson Stylus NX 400 from A Giveaway Addicted Mommy Ends 4/24/09
• A Picture Keeper at Seven Dogs and a Baby Ends 4/30/09
• A $25 in Dole products from The Not So Blog Ends 5/8/09
• $25 in Dole Products from Mom Start Ends 5/8/09

Patio Chairs Finished

Here's the patio chairs we found at a yard sale for $7 for all four chairs and pads. Finished repainting the frames a tan color last week. They are not a style we would have bought new, but for the price, we have some nice chairs for a few years.

Before

After

Win an xShot Camera Extender

Win an xShot Camera Extender at Any Lucky Day Ends 4/7/09

Win a $200 Home Depot Gift Card

One Project Closer is hosting a giveaway for a $200 Home Depot Gift Card. The giveaway is sponsored by Home Depot Rental Center and ends 4/30/09

The most practical item for me to rent would be a steam cleaner for the carpet.

Win Ragu Pasta Sauce

Win a six month supply of Ragu pasta sauce at Skimbaco Lifestyle Ends 4/15/09

Win an Umbrella Clothes Dryer

I had an Umbrella Clothes Line years (and years) ago and would love to have another, I miss the smell of clothes and linens dried on a line and would really love to win this.

Enter at dkMommy Spot for an Umbrella Clothes Line from Gaiam. Ends 4/10/09

Win a Mystic Wonders’ Complete Laundry System

Enter at dkMommy Spot to win a Mystic Wonders’ Complete Laundry System.

The Mystic Wonders’ Complete Laundry System is made up of two interesting products. Made to last three years, the Wonder Ball for the washer is used to clean your clothes without soap. The Wonder Dryer Balls eliminate the need for fabric softener and are designed to last a lifetime. I'd like to give them a try.

Ends 4/8/09

Win $25 in Dole Canned Fruit Coupons

Win $25 in Dole canned fruit coupons from Short Pump Preppy Ends 5/8/09

$50 Target gift card giveaway!

Blogaways is an online coupon blog that is holding a $50 Target gift card giveaway! Check out Blogaways for coupons, giveaways and contests, and for a chance to win a $50 Target gift card! Ends 4/12/09.

Even though my blog is used extensively for entering sweepstakes and giveaways, but not exclusively for that purpose, I would assume I qualify to enter.