Really, Are You Serious?

Chocolate always works for Valentine’s Day, right?

2010-02-07T21:30:00.001-05:00

Last Valentine’s Day (or anniversary or something special), I got Mr. Serious some chocolate covered strawberries from Edible Arrangements (I paid for them, too, thankyouverymcuh). They were delicious (he shared with me). They were some of the juiciest, freshest strawberries with the perfect sweetness.

This year, maybe somebody will send me some Berry Chocolate Roses from Edible Arrangements. They look delicious, don’t they? They are long stemmed, gourmet semi-sweet or white chocolate strawberries that are available in either 1 dozen ($49) or 2 dozen ($69) boxes. I always tell Mr. Serious not to spend our money on flowers that will die, but I’m pretty sure I can’t get mad at chocolate covered strawberries I can eat!

Another hit at our house are the Hershey’s Bliss® Milk Chocolate Hearts with a Raspberry Meltaway Center. While I prefer dark chocolate, the milk chocolate was a nice combination with the raspberry center. I was even nice enough to share with my co-workers who loved them.

Hershey’s also has an assortment of Valentine Exchange Snack-Size packs, perfect for the classroom setting. I had a brief though of sharing these heart shaped Reese’s Peanut butter cups with the girls’ classmate, but then I remembered they can’t have peanut butter at school. However, they also have Kisses available in snack packs as well as Kit Kats, Jolly Ranchers Lollipops and milk chocolate bar assortments.

The newest product to hit the Hershey’s shelves are Pieces. We already knew them in the Reece’s variety (ever see ET?), but they’ve recently released (just last week) York Pieces, Almond Joy Pieces and Hershey’s Special Dark Pieces. YUMMMY! These would be a fun treat to give (or to sneak into the movies on a date). I love the candy coating and the fact that they come in a resealable bag, making me a little less likely to eat them all up!

Head over to Hershey’s to get other gift giving ideas for Valentine’s Day.

My opinions are my honest, and thoughtful views and were not influenced by any source. I was not compensated monetarily for this review and giveaway. Thank you to The Hershey Company for the Hershey’s samples facilitate my review.

The Shred-PSF

2010-02-04T23:08:00.002-05:00

Mr. Serious and I started The 30 Day Shred this week.

The first two days, we were so sore, it was hard to hold out munchkin or even walk. By day three, we were feeling better.

It has become our nightly routine. We get together every night and do our Shred.

Wednesday, day 5, he had Bible Study, so we had to “get our Shred on” before a certain someone went to bed.

So, she joined us.

She was a really trooper.

It was so cute to watch her, too. This was the only chance I had to take a picture…you really don’t get a break during the workout.

She did her version of jumping jacks and jump rope and was even trying to take our weights from us (we finally convinced her two plastic animals were good weights).

Even the sit-ups weren’t a challenge for her. It was almost like she’s done them before.

She did the first half before she got bored and did a puzzle.

It was a fun way for us to show her the importance of exercising and taking care of yourself. And, we also showed her that it’s important that Mommy and Daddy take the time to exercise together, too.

My Fuzzy Valentine: WordWorld Review

2010-02-04T22:58:00.001-05:00

WordWorld has done it again. Isabelle really loves this show. The characters (SHEEP, BEAR, ANT, FROG) and more are so cute and animated…and they are made from the letters in their name. This is another one of those why didn’t I think of that moments.

This DVD, from NCircleEntertainment and PBS features two full-length WordWorld shows; My Fuzzy Valentine and The Love Bug.

In My Fuzzy Valentine Sheep makes a special Valentine song for her friend Bear. She can’t find the right rhyming word, but her friend Fly helps her out. This one is all about rhyming words and changing one letter to make another one.

In The Love Bug, Bug wants to sign a Valentine for a friend, but he doesn’t know how to write his own name. Frog helps him spell and write his name with a little practice.

I think the lessons are very relatable to a three year old, and I’m sure even older kids would enjoy it at well.

This DVD can be purchase for $5.99 from NCircleEntertainment and is 60 minutes in total length.

My opinions are my honest, and thoughtful views and were not influenced by any source. I was not compensated monetarily for this review and giveaway. Thank you to NCircleEntertainment for the DVD to facilitate my review.

FIVE years of blogging, really?

2010-02-04T13:23:00.000-05:00

Seriously? How in the heck did I miss my blogiversary? Again?

Life seems to be running past me.

I started my blog on February 3, 2005! FIVE years ago. I can't believe it.

Thanks to all of my blog-land friends for supporting me and leaving me comments in my little, teeny-tiny, itsy-bitsy part of the internet.

So, here's to you, blog. I'll be drinking a glass of wine in honor of you! And, maybe, one day, dear blog, you will get me a present.

Patiently waiting,

Oopsy Custom Products-Review and Giveaway-Valentine’s Gift Guide

2010-02-04T05:55:00.003-05:00

I think that pretty much every person loves to have something customized (feel free to correct me if I’m wrong). Whether it’s a T-shirt, a hoodie, a tote bag or a mouse pad.

Oopsy can and will customize pretty much any product you can think of. Even Ked’s shoes! So, if you can’t think of anything for grandma and grandpa for Valentine’s Day, what about a shirt with the grandkids picture on it, or even a fun mouse pad?

Beth at Oopsy sent our princess a shirt that pretty much says it all “Princess” which has some hearts and importantly a crown on it. Because, really, what princess doesn’t have a crown?

Beth had many different options for a shirt on her site, but not exactly what I had in mind, but it was so easy for the customization process to happen. She sent me a couple different options and we combined parts of one with parts of another to create just the look we were looking for.

The shirt is an extra soft Hanes shirt. It held up very well in washing and drying, too. They seem to run a little small, so I would suggest ordering a size larger than you typically wear!

Win it: Oopsy is offering one lucky Really, Are You Serious? their very own white short sleeve standard adult or standard child t-shirt. You can add your own design, picture, text or sayings, or you can choose one of their designs and tweak it to your own custom liking!! A completely customized shirt, just for you!

For your first entry: Head over to Oopsy and let me know what other item you would like to get (not mentioned here). This is your first entry and is mandatory.

EXTRA ENTRIES- Please leave an additional comment(s) for each extra entry!
-- Subscribe to this blog via email or RSS feed
-- Add this blog to your text-based blog roll
-- Enter any other current Really, Are You Serious giveaways-1 entry per giveaway
-- Follow Really, Are You Serious? through google friend connect.
-- Become a fan of Really, Are You Serious? on facebook (link on right)-3 entries.
-- Follow @SeriousKrystyn on twitter and tweet this giveaway; include @SeriousKrystyn in your tweet-one tweet daily; just come back and comment each time.

THE RULES:
*OPEN TO US RESIDENTS ONLY
*Make sure I have a way to reach you, by either enabling your email through blogger, or leaving your email in the comment.
*Winners are chosen by random.org, so make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!
*Winner has 48 hours to contact me, or another winner will be chosen.
*contest ends Wednesday, February 17th at 9pm EST. Winner will be posted shortly after.
*rules for each entry must be followed to be valid.

My opinions are my honest, and thoughtful views and were not influenced by any source. I was not compensated monetarily for this review and giveaway. This review was made possible by MomMadeThat and Oopsy who supplied the product for the review.

WW-Because of you guys, or should I say y’all

2010-02-03T05:35:00.000-05:00

Your comments on my Haiti relief post resulted in a donation from the Serious family in the amount of $151…that’s $1 per comment.

In addition to that, my mom will match up to $100; so that brings the total up to $251!

Thank you readers and friends. I know that not all of you are able to give, but because you stopped by, you made my step up my giving in honor of you.

---

Also, at the beginning of the month, I wrote a post about Kiva.org letting you know about this great organization to lend money to new small businesses. I found out that I received $100 from UPrinting and Kiva.org to loan out however I choose. Thank you all for your kind words and I sincerely hope that you will have the opportunity to help somebody get a break with their new business.

edenfantasys Giveaway-Valentine’s Gift Guide

2010-02-03T04:31:00.000-05:00

Remember, these links aren’t work/kid friendly, but the post should be safe.

edenfantasys is a great place to look for all of your spousal/significant other Valentine’s day needs. On the day that screams ROMANTIC and sweetness and loving…this is perfect.

They have a wide selection of items that I’m sure your spouse will love. Of course, they have a wide selection of adult toys, but they also have a large variety of more modest items. You should check out their sets they have available and even some interesting games that should definitely set the mood.

For example, this tie up tube top dress would probably knock his socks off. It has lace up sides allowing you to reveal as much or as little as you want.

And, when actions speak louder than words, how about some massage oil? (Are you listening men…get your ladies massage oil, and give her a massage…her tired muscles will thank you)! Of course, ladies, you can get massage oil for your men…they will thank you, too.

Head over to edenfantasys and find something for your honey for Valentine’s Day (maybe some massage oil, maybe some lingerie, or maybe even an adult toy).

Win it: edenfantasys is offering one lucky Really, Are You Serious? reader a $25 giftcard to their online store.

For your first entry: Head over to edenfantasys and let me know what you would spend your giftcard on or what you would use it towards (something not mentioned here, please). This is your first entry and is mandatory.

EXTRA ENTRIES- Please leave an additional comment(s) for each extra entry!
-- Subscribe to this blog via email or RSS feed
-- Add this blog to your text-based blog roll
-- Enter any other current Really, Are You Serious giveaways-1 entry per giveaway
-- Follow Really, Are You Serious? through google friend connect.
-- Become a fan of Really, Are You Serious? on facebook (link on right)-3 entries.
-- Follow @SeriousKrystyn and @EdenFantasys on twitter and tweet this giveaway; include @SeriousKrystyn in your tweet-one tweet daily; just come back and comment each time.

THE RULES:
*OPEN TO US RESIDENTS ONLY
*Make sure I have a way to reach you, by either enabling your email through blogger, or leaving your email in the comment.
*Winners are chosen by random.org, so make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!
*Winner has 48 hours to contact me, or another winner will be chosen.
*contest ends Wednesday, February 17th at 9pm EST. Winner will be posted shortly after.
*rules for each entry must be followed to be valid.

My opinions are my honest, and thoughtful views and were not influenced by any source. I was not compensated monetarily for this review and giveaway. edenfantasys will send me a product to thank you for my time.

Community Coffee Review and Giveaway-Valentine’s Gift Guide

2010-02-02T05:27:00.001-05:00

Do you have a loved one, friend or acquaintance that likes coffee? If so, this is the Valentine’s gift for them.

Community Coffee is a coffee company out of Louisiana. They start with only quality, 100% Arabica beans selected by the Saurage family. Through a process perfected over the generations they have roasted a full-bodied yet smooth flavor that reflects the extraordinary culinary traditions of Louisiana. The have a large variety of traditional coffees as well as specialty roasts and flavored brews. If you like coffee, I’m sure they have something for you.

They also have programs where they give back to the community through various programs as well as give to K-12 schools who collect the UPCs off bags of Community Coffee products.

We tested out the Rich Taste of Louisiana Coffee Sampler which includes 4 whole bean bags of each roast: Evangeline Blend™, Louisiana Blend™ (Medium Dark), French Quarter Fusion™ and Crescent City Blend®.
Serious Tested: There is a lot of coffee consumed in our house. Mr. Serious loves his coffee. And, I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned it before, but he likes his coffee black and strong. So, he requires that it have a very good taste (but he’s not interested in flavored coffees.)

The flavor was very bold, and yet smooth and not bitter. Mr. Serious drank 4 huge cups out of the very first pot and was quite pleased. The coffees all have a very robust fragrance which is enjoyable (often, the smell of a coffee bean is too much for me).

WIN IT: Community Coffee would like to send one Really, Are You Serious? reader their very own Holiday Traditions Gift Basket.

For your first entry: Head over to Community Coffee and tell me another item you like (not listed in my review).

EXTRA ENTRIES- Please leave an additional comment(s) for each extra entry!
-- Subscribe to this blog via email or RSS feed
-- Add this blog to your text-based blog roll
-- Enter any other current Really, Are You Serious giveaways-1 entry per giveaway
-- Become a fan of Really, Are You Serious? on facebook (link on right)-3 entries.
-- Follow @SeriousKrystyn on twitter and tweet this giveaway; include @SeriousKrystyn in your tweet-one tweet daily; just come back and comment each time.

THE RULES:
*OPEN TO US RESIDENTS ONLY
*Make sure I have a way to reach you, by either enabling your email through blogger, or leaving your email in the comment.
*Winners are chosen by random.org, so make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!
*Winner has 48 hours to contact me, or another winner will be chosen.
*contest ends Wednesday, February 17th at 9pm EST. Winner will be posted shortly after.
*rules for each entry must be followed to be valid.

My opinions are my honest, and thoughtful views and were not influenced by any source. I was not compensated monetarily for this review and giveaway. This review was facilitated by Sheblogs.org. Thank you to Community Coffee for the samples for the review.

What would you do with 100 smack-a-roos?

2010-02-01T20:43:00.002-05:00

One hundred dollars that is. What would you do with 100 fresh, crisp, green dollar bills, or one Benjamin?

There would be no restrictions, no requirements, nada. Just “hey, here’s $100, do whatever you want.”

What would I do with $100?

First, I’d have to tell you what I should do. Since we are on the Dave Ramsey plan and any and all extra money should go to our car payment, I should put it towards that.

However, what would I really do?

I think I would spend every.single.penny.on.myself! Seriously, I would. And, I would probably buy clothes with it. My favorite jeans have booty pockets with buttons on them. Well, I should say had because, really, those buttons are long gone. And, my other jeans have a spot that is this.close to becoming a hole.

So, yeah, I’d probably buy some jeans. And, some chocolate…maybe some chocolate, too…or cheetos? Better get back to my shred…

So, what would you do with $100?

Kodak and JuiceBoxJungle sponsored me to write this fun post, about what I'd do with a surprise extra $100 if someone handed it to me next month.

Lauren Nicole Gifts-Review and Giveaway: Valentine’s Gift Guide

2010-02-01T06:07:00.001-05:00

It’s almost time for Valentine’s Day, so I thought I’d present some great ideas for Valentine’s gifts for pretty much every one in your family.

Lauren Nicole Gifts can cover all of your bases at one time. Your mother, father, wife, husband, children, grandparents, etc.

Denise is awesome to work with, too. She is the sole creator of Lauren Nicole Gifts and creates each gift by hand.

This handstamped mommy dome is perfect for the mother in your life; and now that a lot of cell phones look the same, you can purchase a cell phone charm to make it even more personalized.

When I contacted Denise, I told her about my idea to have a heart with two initials on it with a plus sign in the middle. I know it’s sort of grade school, but I loved the simplicity of it and the meaning to me. I love the hammered copper background and the hand stamped heart with initials. Also, you can add the stones to represent birthdays or anniversaries. She also has a very similar copper and silver initial necklace with heart.

All of the items are very reasonably priced and such amazing quality. Even my students complimented my necklace and told me how much they love it (and if high school students aren’t the worst critics, I don’t know who is).

Each gift comes all ready to give, too. They presented in a gift tin that I just love. You also have the option to get the gift tin wrapped as well.

WIN IT: Lauren Nicole Gifts would like to send one Really, Are You Serious? reader their very own copper and silver heart pendant necklace with your choice of initials and gems.

For your first entry: Head over to Lauren Nicole Gifts and tell me another item you like (not listed in my review).

EXTRA ENTRIES- Please leave an additional comment(s) for each extra entry!
-- Subscribe to this blog via email or RSS feed
-- Follow the Lauren Nicole Gifts blog- there are many giveaways listed there, too.
-- Add this blog to your text-based blog roll
-- Post about this contest on your blog, linking back to this post and Lauren Nicole Gifts-5 extra entries.
-- Enter any other current Really, Are You Serious giveaways-1 entry per giveaway
-- Become a fan of Really, Are You Serious? and Lauren Nicole Gifts on facebook (link on right)-3 entries.
-- Follow @SeriousKrystyn on twitter and tweet this giveaway; include @SeriousKrystyn in your tweet-one tweet daily; just come back and comment each time.

THE RULES:
*OPEN TO US RESIDENTS ONLY
*Make sure I have a way to reach you, by either enabling your email through blogger, or leaving your email in the comment.
*Winners are chosen by random.org, so make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!
*Winner has 48 hours to contact me, or another winner will be chosen.
*contest ends Wednesday, February 17th at 9pm EST. Winner will be posted shortly after.
*rules for each entry must be followed to be valid.

My opinions are my honest, and thoughtful views and were not influenced by any source. I was not compensated monetarily for this review and giveaway. Thank you to Denise at Lauren Nicole Gifts for the samples to facilitate the review.

Businesses and Bloggers Unite

2010-01-31T10:42:00.003-05:00

Check out this FREE new site Business2Blogger. They are connected bloggers and businesses for FREE to help businesses grow and contact thousands of bloggers with great ease.

Did I mention it's FREE?

Harness the power of Blogger influence.

Instant access to targeted Bloggers who can grow your brand.

Pull your product through the register by enlisting the spokespeople your consumers respect.

Why spend thousands on traditional media?

PSF-3 and a half, going on 1?

2010-01-28T22:31:00.002-05:00

Who is this girl?

This is the girl that is now telling people that she is three and a half.

And, the girl that I constantly remind that she will be three and a half in APRIL!

Yet, in the past week, I’ve found her taking up residence in the previously loathed stroller and booster seat.

Sweetheart, you need to enjoy this. Don’t rush ahead. Don’t try to grow up too early.

After all, mommy and daddy will only take care of you so long.

Hosted by Cecily

SmartKnitKIDS Seamless Socks Review and Giveaway

2010-01-27T23:41:00.002-05:00

Do you ever find a product that makes you think, why didn’t I come up with that?

SmartKnitKIDS Seamless socks are just that. They are truly seamless socks. There is absolutely nothing at the toe to drive your kids crazy because it isn’t just right. They can put their sock on any way; there is no top or bottom. And, even better, there is no heal.

These socks are perfect for my three year old who is learning to dress herself. There were so many times when she came into my room crying because she couldn’t get her sock on just the right way. It was either upside down, inside out, or the toe seam was irritating her toes.

These socks are also “hugging” and form fitting so they don’t wrinkle and bunch in their shoes. And, importantly, they fit on our toddlers chubby little legs without an indentations or markings on her legs. It was win, win. The fit tightly but they didn’t strangle her feet.

If you have kids that play sports or have sweaty little feet, you’ll appreciate that they are made of fabric that will wick moisture away from the skin with added antimicrobial benefits….say good bye to stinky piggies.
SmartKnitKIDS come in solid colors of white, black, pink, purple, and navy and in ankle, crew and knee-high styles. The will fit toddler sizes all the way up to youth size 8.

WIN IT: SmartKnitKIDS would like to give one Really, Are You Serious? reader a 3 pairs of socks (winner’s choice).

For your first entry: Head over to SmartKnitKIDS Socks and tell me which color and style sock you might pick.

EXTRA ENTRIES- Please leave an additional comment(s) for each extra entry!
-- Subscribe to this blog via email or RSS feed
-- Follow this blog publicly via blogger
-- Add this blog to your text-based blog roll
-- Post about this contest on your blog, linking back to this post-3 extra entries.
-- Enter any of my other current giveaways-1 entry per giveaway
-- Become a fan of Really, Are You Serious? on facebook (link on right)-3 entries.
-- Follow @SeriousKrystyn on twitter and tweet this giveaway; include @SeriousKrystyn in your tweet-one tweet daily; just come back and comment each time.

THE RULES:
*OPEN TO US RESIDENTS ONLY
*Make sure I have a way to reach you, by either enabling your email through blogger, or leaving your email in the comment.
*Winners are chosen by random.org, so make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!
*Winner has 48 hours to contact me, or another winner will be chosen.
*contest ends Wednesday, February 10th at 9pm EST. Winner will be posted shortly after.
*rules for each entry must be followed to be valid.

My opinions are my honest, and thoughtful views and were not influenced by any source. I was not compensated monetarily for this review and giveaway. Thank you to SmartKnitKIDS socks and SheBlogs.org for the samples to facilitate the review.

Exederm: Skincare for Excema

2010-01-27T22:42:00.000-05:00

Our girls have very sensitive skin. In addition to their sensitive skin, they also have patches of skin with excema and dermatitis. Isabelle even comes up to me and tells me her skin is irritated and itchy, and you can feel the extra scaly-ness. Unfortunately, Natalie can’t tell me, but it is very obvious on her, too.

We already use clear laundry detergents and soaps or all natural ones. But, it’s hard to find baby skin care that fits into this category. Exederm also has other helpful hints on how to reduce irritation (including using a humidifier and wearing 100% cotton clothes).

Enter Exederm’s children’s line it contains: No Fragrance, No Color or dyes, No Paraben, No Lanolin, No Sodium Laureth Sulfate, No Phthalates, No Nut Oils

The new line was launched in April and was just honored by The National Eczema Association.

Serious Tested:

The soothing baby oil was perfect for that extra hint of locking in moisture that is needed during the dry months. It absorbed right into the girls’ skin and didn’t leave a greasy residue.

The non-irritating baby shampoo was very sudsy and quite effective at cleaning. I was a little worried that it would make Isabelle’s curls matted and flat, but it actually gave them even more bounce.

The cleansing baby bath was perfect for cleaning the girls in the tub. It also lathered very well and did the job.

The hydrating baby lotion was good for all over moisturizing. We used this on the spots that didn’t really have visible irritation.

The intensive baby moisturizer was surprisingly light weight, not greasy feeling and well, moisturizing. I saved this for the areas that were visibly irritated or Isabelle said were super itchy. It absorbed very quickly and she said she felt relief.

WIN IT: Exederm would like to give one Really, Are You Serious? reader their choice of any one item from their baby line.

For your first entry: Head over to Exederm and tell me which product you would like to try.

EXTRA ENTRIES- Please leave an additional comment(s) for each extra entry!
-- Subscribe to this blog via email or RSS feed
-- Follow this blog publicly via blogger
-- Add this blog to your text-based blog roll
-- Post about this contest on your blog, linking back to this post-3 extra entries.
-- Enter any of my other current giveaways-1 entry per giveaway
-- Become a fan of Really, Are You Serious? on facebook (link on right)-3 entries.
-- Follow @SeriousKrystyn on twitter and tweet this giveaway; include @SeriousKrystyn in your tweet-one tweet daily; just come back and comment each time.

THE RULES:
*OPEN TO US AND CANADIAN RESIDENTS ONLY
*Make sure I have a way to reach you, by either enabling your email through blogger, or leaving your email in the comment.
*Winners are chosen by random.org, so make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!
*Winner has 48 hours to contact me, or another winner will be chosen.
*contest ends Wednesday, January 27th at 9pm EST. Winner will be posted shortly after.
*rules for each entry must be followed to be valid.

My opinions are my honest, and thoughtful views and were not influenced by any source. I was not compensated monetarily for this review and giveaway. This post was written as part of a program for Family Review Network and Exederm who provided the products for this review & giveaway.

Stella & Dot: Trendy jewelry and more

2010-01-27T22:02:00.000-05:00

Always on the lookout for fun, new, trendy jewelry, I was introduced to Stella & Dot. The store is loaded with goodies like beaded necklaces and bracelets, charms, earrings and more.

And, if you are like me and not really as trendy as you’d like to be, you can search the site by trend. If you are on a budget, you can search the site by price. It is extremely easy to navigate and I’m sure you will find yourself loving everything.

Jami is a stylist at Stella & Dot, if you are looking for jewelry either for yourself or somebody else, she’d love to help you find just the perfect piece. She sent me the Gemma Hoop Stone Necklace and it’s beautiful. It is lightweight, simple and chic. The circles are fun and move independently of one another. And the very light blue stone goes with pretty much everything in my wardrobe. I received many compliments the first time I wore it and after.

Every item already comes in a very stylish gift box ready to go. No need to make a purchase and then worry about finding the perfect gift bag to accent your piece.

One improvement I would like to see is a slightly bigger clasp. I was able to hook it very easily, but I had a hard time removing it. Nothing that would deter me from buying it…plus I have very large hands.

My opinions are my honest, and thoughtful views and were not influenced by any source. I was not compensated monetarily for this review and giveaway. This review was made possible by MomMadeThat.com and Jami who supplied the product for the review.

What is that on my wall?

2010-01-26T22:56:00.001-05:00

Since I had forgotten to take any pictures all day on New Year’s day, I ran upstairs and snapped some of the girls.

Recently, I was going through the pictures and I noticed something.

I circled it and tried to draw attention to it, but you might have to click to enlarge it. What the heck is my {unnamed} daughter doing to my walls.

I’m a little scared.

Might be time to leave a box of kleenex in the room for her.

Open Letter- The one with the balls

2010-01-26T12:06:00.002-05:00

Dear Educational Video Makers-

You just made my day today. I realize I will sound like I am twenty something going on thirteen, but seriously. You.Made.My.Day!

At first, I tried to calm the students down and tell them this is serious. But hello? This is freaking hilarious.

So, thanks.

And, just in case you need a reminder, this was the video on the parts of the atom. You know protons, neutrons and electrons. And the scientist in the video was demonstrating how important the charges are in the atom. So, he took a glass rod and applied a charge to it. Now, this rod was, oh, I don't know, about 3 inches in diameter and about 10 inches long. And, he applied the charge by rubbing it down with a wool piece of fabric. Yes, rubbed it down.

Meanwhile, he has two ping pong balls that he's covered in foil suspended from fishing line side by side.

So he takes his charged rod and pushes it between the balls. Yeah. He really did.

And, the students lost it. And then he continued to say the word "balls" and demonstrate that there was a charge and the rod was repelling the balls.

But, wait, it gets better.

He then takes a dark brown metal rod (at this point, none of us are paying attention, so no idea what it was made out of) and proceeds to rub it down. And, if I may also point out, I'm pretty sure this rod was larger...both in diameter and length. After giving it a good ~~rub down~~ charging, he does the same thing with the balls.

And, finally, he takes the charged balls (two positive and two negative) and pushes them together to see that opposite balls attract.

Seriously? How did you come up with this?

Sincerely,
The teacher who laughed out loud in class today along with her immature students.

PS I just had to share it with you. Pardon me and my coworkers laughing in the background.

*********************************

Okay, there were supposed to be more letters, but really, I don't think I can beat this, so this is all you get!

Uprinting Postcard Winner

2010-01-26T10:02:00.000-05:00

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2010-01-27 03:02:10 UTC

Congrats, Cara! Hope these are very useful for work!

Not Me Monday: The Monkey Bread Edition

2010-01-25T05:03:00.002-05:00

I {did not} get upset with Mr. Serious this morning on the way in to church.

We {did not} both sit at church thinking about said “argument.”

We {did not} see things two different ways. We certainly {are not} different people.

I {did not} agree that I could have handled things differently.

We {did not} move past it very quickly. We {would never} be mature and act like grown ups.

I {did not} make monkey bread for dessert. And, it certainly {was not} for the sake of trying to remind my man of my love for him. Because we all know that the way to a man’s heart {is not} through his stomach.

And, of course actions {do not} speak louder than words sometimes.

The monkey bread {was not} delicious. It {would not} have been better with more butter and sugar.
Of course, everything {is not} better with more butter and sugar.

I {did not} bring him a bite and eat one for myself before taking a picture. I {do not} have that much of a sweet tooth.

Oh, and the coffee that I was upset about certainly {did not} wash out with great ease.

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Moving on Up-PSF

2010-01-21T21:19:00.003-05:00

It’s been way too long since my last photostory Friday!

Oh, my sweet Natalie-bear is growing up way too fast. She is already 15 months old and weighing in at 23 pounds. And, she’s already over 31 inches tall!

Last week, her school told us that it was time for some hard-soled shoes.

I thought: What? She’s only been walking a month. What’s the hurry?

Then, I found out. She’s moving up to the toddler room.

Not my sweet little Natalie. Not my baby.

With Isabelle, I was asking every week when she would move up.

But, Natalie. She’s my baby. I’m not ready yet.

I have a feeling there is going to be a lot more of me not being ready yet.

And, she’s off.

Hosted by Cecily and Michelle

Custom Postcards Giveaway

2010-01-21T17:50:00.001-05:00

THIS IS A QUICK CONTEST…ENDS TUESDAY!!!

Every time I get an email from Uprinting, I get excited. I have so many uses for their products that I can’t help myself.

This time around, I experimented with some postcards. Using Photoshop, it was very easy for me to use their Postcard Design Template and create my own personalized postcards for my business.
The printing quality is always great and so much better than other online places I have used. And, they never print their logo or any other information on their products.

Win it: 100 Postcards for for one (1) lucky winner
Size: 4x6; Paper: 14pt Cardstock Gloss; Printing: Full color both sides
Paper: 14 pt gloss cardstock, 14 pt matte cardstock or 13 pt recycled uncoated cardstock
Shipping: Winners have to pay for shipping
Eligibility: Limited to US Residents due to shipping costs.

For your first entry: Tell me how you will use your postcards. What will you create with them: birth announcements, Valentine’s card?

EXTRA ENTRIES- Please leave an additional comment for each extra entry!
-- Subscribe to this blog via email (you must confirm)- 2 entries
-- Follow this blog publicly via blogger-2 entries (on the right hand side).
-- Add this blog to your text-based blog roll -3 extra entries.
-- Post about this contest on your blog, linking back to this post-3 extra entries.
-- Enter any of my other current giveaways-1 entry per giveaway
-- Become a fan of Really, Are You Serious? on facebook (link on right)-3 entries.
-- Follow me on twitter and tweet this giveaway (leave the link to your tweet); one tweet daily; just come back and comment each time. (please include @SeriousKrystyn and @Uprinting and the link to this post in your tweet).

THE RULES:
*OPEN TO US RESIDENTS ONLY
*Winner must pay shipping
*Make sure I have a way to reach you, by either enabling your email through blogger, or leaving your email in the comment.
*Winners are chosen by random.org, so make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!
*Winner has 48 hours to contact me, or another winner will be chosen.
*contest ends Tuesday, January 26th at 9pm EST. Winner will be posted shortly after.
*rules for each entry must be followed to be valid.
I will also receive 100 postcards in exchange for hosting this giveaway. My opinions are my honest, and thoughtful views and were not influenced by any source. I was not compensated monetarily for this giveaway.

Duraflame Stax Review and Giveaway

2010-01-20T21:35:00.002-05:00

**Closed**
Congrats to the winners: Here are your random numbers: 31 9 Timestamp: 2010-02-04 02:32:47 UTC

31. Tamara B. said... I entered your Pillsbury Biscuit giveaway. tamben7996
9. The Allen Family said... I'm your FB fan. Dezi Allen. #3

Recently, I mentioned that I got rid of our gas logs and replaced them with a fireplace grate, and some fireplace tools. (Thank goodness I did this, because our gas bill last month was $250 without the gas guzzling gas logs). In fact, part of Mr. Serious’ anniversary gift was a box of Duraflame logs (which I paid for).

A couple weeks ago, we had a snow day (who would have thought in Atlanta…but it happened) and I was so thankful for my new Duraflame Stax. About 3 stax logs are equivalent to 25-30 pounds of real firewood (5-6 pieces) and burn for about 3-3.5 hours.

It was so easy to get a fire started with two little ones home with me. All I had to do was take out two logs, place them in an ‘X’ shape and light the ends of both of them. About two minutes later, we had a roaring fire that was actually hot and nice to look at. I didn’t have to collect any kindling or paper to get it started, either. After about 2 hours, I added the third log to keep the fire going. (That's the fire I built right there!)

They burn much cleaner than wood with a lot less ashes to clean up. And, they are made from 100% renewable resources. That sold me alone. We later had a fire with real wood. It was really hard to keep going and the ashes were out of control.

Here’s a quick video showing how easy it is to start and enjoy a fire with Durflame Stax.

Buy It: There are many retailers that sell the Duraflame Stax. I saw them at Wal-mart for $9.99 for the three pack.

WIN IT: I have two vouchers to giveaway to 2 lucky Really, Are You Serious? readers for a FREE 3-pack of Duraflame Stax!

For your first entry: Tell me how many fires you have in your house every year. This is the first entry and is mandatory.

EXTRA ENTRIES- Please leave an additional comment(s) for each extra entry!
-- Subscribe to this blog via email (you must confirm)- 2 entries
-- Follow this blog publicly via blogger
-- Add this blog to your text-based blog roll
-- Post about this contest on your blog, linking back to this post-3 extra entries.
-- Enter any of my other current giveaways-1 entry per giveaway
-- Become a fan of Really, Are You Serious? on facebook (link on right)and leave your FB name-3 entries.
-- Follow SeriousKrystyn on twitter and tweet this giveaway; include @SeriousKrystyn in your tweet-one tweet daily; just come back and comment each time.

THE RULES:
*OPEN TO US RESIDENTS ONLY
*Make sure I have a way to reach you, by either enabling your email through blogger, or leaving your email in the comment.
*Winners are chosen by random.org, so make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!
*Winner has 48 hours to contact me, or another winner will be chosen.
*contest ends Wednesday, February 3rd at 9pm EST. Winner will be posted shortly after.
*rules for each entry must be followed to be valid.

My opinions are my honest, and thoughtful views and were not influenced by any source. I was not compensated monetarily for this review and giveaway. Thank you to Duraflame for the samples to facilitate the review.

Pillsbury Grands! Flaky Layers Honey Butter Biscuits Review and Giveaway

2010-01-20T21:34:00.003-05:00

**Closed**
The winner is:
Here are your random numbers: 76 Timestamp: 2010-02-04 02:28:38 UTC

76. Madonna said... became a facebook fan #3

I am not typically a big breakfast person. Usually, it’s just cereal for me.

However, the other members of the Serious household have other opinions. Mr. Serious loves to make the girls big breakfasts; pancakes, french toast, eggs, etc.

This past weekend, Mr. Serious was out of town and I was flying solo. I thought I would give these new Pillsbury Honey Butter Biscuits a try. So, I cooked them up. According to Pillsbury they “layer the flavors of sweet honey and creamy butter into one mouth-watering biscuit.”

The girls were quite fond of the biscuits. Isabelle even ate a couple more the next day.

Mr. Serious and I weren’t quite as fond of them. They were creamy, but there was something about the after-taste of the honey that didn’t quite mesh with us.

We also tried out the home-style biscuits. We liked those a lot better. I think we are more “traditional” people when it comes to our biscuits.

WIN IT: Two coupons for free cans of Honey Butter Biscuits along with a butter dish and knife.

For your first entry: Tell me what you typically have for breakfast at your house.

EXTRA ENTRIES- Please leave an additional comment(s) for each extra entry!
-- Subscribe to this blog via email (you must confirm)- 2 entries
-- Follow this blog publicly via blogger
-- Add this blog to your text-based blog roll
-- Post about this contest on your blog, linking back to this post-3 extra entries.
-- Enter any of my other current giveaways-1 entry per giveaway
-- Become a fan of Really, Are You Serious? on facebook (link on right)-3 entries.
-- Follow SeriousKrystyn on twitter and tweet this giveaway; include @SeriousKrystyn in your tweet-one tweet daily; just come back and comment each time.

THE RULES:
*OPEN TO US RESIDENTS ONLY
*Make sure I have a way to reach you, by either enabling your email through blogger, or leaving your email in the comment.
*Winners are chosen by random.org, so make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!
*Winner has 48 hours to contact me, or another winner will be chosen.
*contest ends Wednesday, February 3rd at 9pm EST. Winner will be posted shortly after.
*rules for each entry must be followed to be valid.

My opinions are my honest, and thoughtful views and were not influenced by any source. I was not compensated monetarily for this review and giveaway. Thank you to Pillsbury and MyBlogSpark for the prize pack to facilitate the review.

We love our cereal-General Mills reducing sugar

2010-01-20T21:32:00.002-05:00

Isabelle and I eat cereal every morning for breakfast. Most of the time, it's in a cup or a baggie without milk. But, we love our cereal.

Recently, we had the opportunity to try some reformulated General Mills cereals. Even in Lucky Charms. Can I tell you how fun it was to eat some of those again? And, Isabelle loved eating the "shapes!" In fact, she asked for more at the store this weekend.

General Mills has recently announced that they are going to further reduce the amount of sugar in cereals that is advertised to children under the age of 12 to a single digit grams of sugar per serving. This isn't anything new for General Mills. In fact, they have already been reducing sugar while increasing calcium and vitamin D in addition to providing whole grains. **Edited to add: The cereal on the shelves hasn't yet been reduced to single digits...they are working on that right now.

As a teacher, I know how important it is when students don't eat their breakfast. But, I also see what happens to them when they eat a cereal loaded with sugar. They crash about an hour into the day!

If you'd like more information about kids and cereal, visit Cereal Health and Wellness.

Thanks to MyBlogSpark and General Mills, you can get a $1 off coupon for one of four General Mills cereals.

My opinions are my honest, and thoughtful views and were not influenced by any source. I was not compensated monetarily for this review and giveaway. Thank you to General Mills and MyBlogSpark for providing the information and free cereal samples.

Uprinting Business Card Winner

2010-01-20T21:31:00.000-05:00

And the winner is:

Here are your random numbers: 24

Timestamp: 2010-01-21 02:29:52 UTC

24. Christa said...
Tweet
http://twitter.com/LittleBGCG/status/7931666117

***Congrats...I'll be emailing you shortly.**